[Becky]

I've been doing a character study of sorts on Jon for close to 30 years now. I've always been an avid collector of every interview I could find from all over the world--audio, video, print. I have hundreds. It probably wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I have at least a thousand interviews with Jon spanning his career.

"Fun loving rock star" are words I never would have used to describe him. He definitely has a sense of humor and he knows how to have fun. He certainly knows how to entertain the masses and he definitely enjoys entertaining people. But he also takes things seriously, is a perfectionist, and learned the business side of things early on. He always stood out from the other "rock stars" in his peer group and that's why I admired him so much. He always knew there was more to life than sex, drugs, and rock and roll. That's why Bon Jovi is still here 30 years later and so many other bands are not.

Jon is highly intelligent and also highly creative and sensitive. He's able to excel at a lot of things. He also wants to leave a legacy and that goes beyond leaving a mark as an entertainer. He sees people suffering with homelessness and hunger and he wants to make a difference and he knows that that is something that actually matters in the world. Priorities change as you get older. I doubt any of you still/will have the same priorities in your 50's that you had in your 20's. Why should Jon? You can't hold him to a standard you wouldn't hold yourself to.

[Rdkopper]

Originally Posted by Becky

I've been doing a character study of sorts on Jon for close to 30 years now. I've always been an avid collector of every interview I could find from all over the world--audio, video, print. I have hundreds. It probably wouldn't be an exaggeration to say I have at least a thousand interviews with Jon spanning his career.

"Fun loving rock star" are words I never would have used to describe him. He definitely has a sense of humor and he knows how to have fun. He certainly knows how to entertain the masses and he definitely enjoys entertaining people. But he also takes things seriously, is a perfectionist, and learned the business side of things early on. He always stood out from the other "rock stars" in his peer group and that's why I admired him so much. He always knew there was more to life than sex, drugs, and rock and roll. That's why Bon Jovi is still here 30 years later and so many other bands are not.

Jon is highly intelligent and also highly creative and sensitive. He's able to excel at a lot of things. He also wants to leave a legacy and that goes beyond leaving a mark as an entertainer. He sees people suffering with homelessness and hunger and he wants to make a difference and he knows that that is something that actually matters in the world. Priorities change as you get older. I doubt any of you still/will have the same priorities in your 50's that you had in your 20's. Why should Jon? You can't hold him to a standard you wouldn't hold yourself to.

Nice write up however you are not telling us anything we don't know already.

First of all, Jon is not the first rock star to continue making music into his 50's so there are other people out there to use as comparisons. The problem we all face and where this start to fall apart is the part where you wrote about priorities. It's almost contradictory to say that Jon is a perfectionist, amongst other things, and then make up excuses for him by stating that he has "other priorities" as if you are using that as an excuse for the music suffering.

Like I stated in my other post. I have no problems with Jon doing his side projects between band gigs but when it's time to make an album, he should be all in due to all the positive you wrote above. I just don't feel that Jon is all in and based on how you described him above, that's out of character for him. Right?

And is Jon good at multi-tasking? Since he started making movies and now working on his Philanthropy projects, the music has never been the same.

If we were getting killer albums, Jon could do whatever he wants but unfortunately, these corporate albums are not the results of someone who takes things seriously and is a perfectionist. Your words Becky.

[Old Joysey]

It seems obvious that he lost his passion for music many years ago yet he keeps on releasing records, it looks like he can't stop making albums and touring only because he vowed not to before the Rolling Stones do and he childishly holds on to it instead of admitting the well is dry and throwing in the towel

“The Rolling Stones are my gauge. It could be a day, it could be 20 more years. I wish Mick would just stop so I knew where the end was.”
http://www.dailystar.co.uk/showbiz/p...ones-benchmark

On the other hand, he also says that he doesn't want to do it forever
"I'm (expletive) dying already and I'm gonna go out there and play four songs. How do they do it?" he said, joking. "The Who and (Mick) Jagger and McCartney. ... I'm not going to be that journeyman. ... I'm not going to be that 75-year-old guy doing 150 shows a year."
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/1...n_2231141.html


"The Rolling Stones set the bar to where I look to as a band. But I don't envision myself touring in the way they do. My knees won't hold out."
http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/au..._bon_jovi.html

If this new song + his speech are any indication about the next album, all we can expect is an umpteenth version of the same old stuff. Or, let's be optimistic, Daughtry-the-new-BJ's producer Brian Howes could bring back the old metal/r'n'r/guitar-oriented sound that BJ used to have... Just hoping! Now that Richie's gone it would be so ironic (and sad)... but maybe that's the wake-up call that was needed, who knows? Time will tell.

[Becky]

Originally Posted by Rdkopper

Nice write up however you are not telling us anything we don't know already.

And is Jon good at multi-tasking? Since he started making movies and now working on his Philanthropy projects, the music has never been the same.

If we were getting killer albums, Jon could do whatever he wants but unfortunately, these corporate albums are not the results of someone who takes things seriously and is a perfectionist. Your words Becky.

When Jon started making movies, he was the happiest and most relaxed I've ever seen him and he made some of the best music he's ever made--These Days and Destination Anywhere. Crush was born of a long hiatus where he was making movies, Richie was doing a solo project, the record company was bought out, and, sadly, the scheduled producer died. But Crush is what gave Bon Jovi their great come-back.

Personally, I've enjoyed most of the post-2000 albums. The only one I really didn't like was The Circle.

Just because we think the music might be suffering, it doesn't mean HE thinks the music is suffering. I honestly believe that when HE releases something, HE thinks it's the best he can do at that time. He's proud of songs like We Weren't Born to Follow and Happy Now, etc. *I* may hate them and wish they would die and never be heard again, but *HE* wrote them and they mean something to *HIM*. That's why he put his name on them. He doesn't hear them the same way we do, not at all. No one thinks their own children are ugly.

Also, I think WAN is a great improvement over The Circle so IMO, things are looking UP, not down. Are we going to hear positive messages in the next CD--you bet. But don't forget that Jon's answer to the entire grunge movement was an album called "Keep the Faith" and he was often quoted at the time saying, "There's more to say than the world sucks." That's his M.O.

We've got this unconfirmed rumor that there's a new producer on board. We know there's a new management in place. The next album will be different than WAN and The Circle. There's no reason to assume it's going to be disappointing before we ever hear it. If Reunion is any indication of what's to come, I like what I'm hearing so far.

[rolo_tomachi]

Originally Posted by Becky

He doesn't hear them the same way we do, not at all. No one thinks their own children are ugly.

Ask Jon about your childrens of 7800º?

Originally Posted by Becky

We've got this unconfirmed rumor that there's a new producer on board. We know there's a new management in place. The next album will be different than WAN and The Circle. There's no reason to assume it's going to be disappointing before we ever hear it. If Reunion is any indication of what's to come, I like what I'm hearing so far.

We have Nickelback's producer. It is not cool.

We have an album without Sambora. It is not good news, at least not for me.

John Shanks has worked with Jon in the studio according to Jon himself a couple of months ago. No good.

Voice & composition of Jon have no signs of change. Example: Beautiful Day/Own Revolution. This is not encouraging either.

Sorry, I have my doubts about the next album, but if it's good, I can assure you that I shall be very glad.

[Becky]

Originally Posted by rolo_tomachi

Ask Jon about your childrens of 7800º?

How young are you? Do you not know that time gives you a different perspective on things?

[danfan]

I hate to be so superficial, but really, Jon just looks like he wants nothing to do with the music industry at all anymore. Yes, it is superficial, as I said. And no it shouldn't be so much about image. However, for a guy who cared VERY much about image for his entire career to let himself go and look the way he currently does, it tells me a lot about where he currently stands. Jon was never Vince Neil, Steven Tyler or Bret Michaels. More like Joe Elliot. And that's fine. But folks, we're talking about arguably the single biggest rock star in the world and this is what he looks like.

That's a guy who just doesn't care anymore.

[Alphavictim]

It would be so cynical if the "Reunion" track was the title track of the next album. You know, the one without Richie.

[Becky]

If he didn't CARE about the music business, why would he hire one of the most powerful men in the music business to be his new manager when he's been doing VERY well on his own for the last 20 years? Obviously he does care. Obviously he has no intention at all to fade away.

[Alphavictim]

Originally Posted by danfan

Jon was never Vince Neil, Steven Tyler or Bret Michaels. More like Joe Elliot. And that's fine.

Somehow I fail to see the common denominator among these. Vince Neil has been a fat, incoherent and out of breath-alcoholic for about 20 years now. Bret Michaels is a reality TV-personality and a caricature of an 80s rockstar, complete with the hair loss. Steven Tyler is still a rock star all the way. Joe Elliot has been out of shape for years.

So, uhm, what is it you're trying to say? Jon is not in the league of these gentlemen because he is going bald and has short hair?