RadarOnline reports:
Jon Bon Jovi has turned against Richie Sambora, the band’s exiled guitar player, and the result has been low ticket sales with one planned show canceled due to poor advance sales, RadarOnline is reporting.
“Jon has been keeping Richie out of the band,” a source close to the situation told Radar. “And, frankly, he’s been a real jerk to Richie, saying some awful things. Maybe Jon wants to prove the band can be just as good or even better without Richie. But based on what’s happening now that’s not working out well.”
Sambora was said to have left the band for “personal reasons” but he’s ready and fit to resume his role as lead guitar player.
As Sambora remains out of the band – and he wants back in – the Cleveland Browns pro football team just announced they canceled a scheduled Bon Jovi concert schedule for July 14th.
The reason an insider tells Radar is that advance sales were pathetically low, approximately only 3,500 tickets had been sold.
“And other shows have not sold as much as they should have either,” the source said. “I’ve seen special deals on tickets for as low as $16! Jon is keeping Richie out of the band. And when the band’s fans see Bon Jovi they expect to see Richie on guitar.
On a personal level Jon made a comment to Richie that was so insensitive about his family and his daughter that Richie still can’t believe it. It happened after Jon’s daughter had her issue with heroin. Jon told Richie that was something he would have expected from Richie’s family. It’s just nasty.”
For the record: Sambora’s family is doing extremely well. The same cannot, however, be said of the band as it moves along without its high-profile guitarist.
source: radaronline.com
31 Responses
Who gives a shit. A glam band that lost their fan base because of crappy music in the last ten years. Hey Eddie Trunk I thought your site was about all things Heavy Metal. How the fuck does Bon Jovi qualify?
Hey John,
1. I posted this story, not Eddie.
2. If you don’t give a shit about Bon Jovi, why are you reading this piece and going out of your way to comment? Personally, I don’t bother reading news about bands that I don’t like, nor have any interest in, that is a waste of my time.
3. Whether you like it or not, think they are “hard rock/heavy metal” or not, Bon Jovi still plays stadiums and continues to sell tickets in 2013. So, a lot of people still care about the band despite how you feel and what you think.
4. Finally, you name me another band from the early ’80’s that can still do that?
Have a good one,
Cheers,
Dana
Zing!!! And John Alonzo gets blown up just like Richie on a Bon Jovi tour!
Dana,
You make some valid points and I’m not here to speak for John Alonzo. But I will say the following: This is Eddie’s website, so whatever you post in the news section does reflect on Eddie. Eddie has spoken on his radio show about his dislike of the term “hair metal.” He obviously is a fan of a lot of the bands, since he featured quite a few in his book and on his show. I think Bon Jovi has tried to leave his former image behind, and by morphing into a more serious “artist” he’s managed to maintain and grow a fanbase. I give him a lot of credit for that.
Two things get people passionate, and you can apply it to sports teams as well: Artists/Bands people love, and artists/bands people hate. Red Sox fans hate the Yankees, but you know darn well they will post opinions on Yankee News articles. That’s just the way it is. You know that. So of course, some Bon Jovi news on a predominantly heavy rock website is going to generate comments.
Regarding 1980s bands filling stadiums. You are right. None of them can! That’s an indictment on the lack of traction or staying power nearly all of these bands currently have. Top selling “classic rock bands” nowadays are mostly 70s bands, not MTV bands for the most part, apart from the U2s and Madonna. But “hairbands” can’t sell much these days. Nobody really cares about Great White, Tesla, Poison, Motley Crue etc… Eddie seems to, but I don’t see many of these bands – or any of them, packing stadiums unless there are about 10 of them playing. Rush, Aerosmith and a handful of other 1970s bands still do good boxoffice, but even many of them are struggling.
Keep up the good work on the site!
Hi John,
Thank you very much for your very intelligent and mature response to my post, I really appreciate it!
In my humble opinion, no one understands being passionate about something more than I (and maybe Eddie-LOL). However, I don’t think it is necessary for one to have to be nasty or snarky to get your point across.
Also, you are correct, it seems that the only bands that can still fill stadiums seats and sell out shows (AC/DC, Iron Maiden, etc.) were born out of the ’70s. It’s a shame because the 80’s did produce some really great music and bands, for example, Blue Murder 🙂
Cheers!
Dana
If anyone hasn’t given The Circle album a listen, it really is there best work in years. Bounce was no slouch either. I realise their stuff in the last 13 years has been more miss than hit, but give those two an honest shake, remembering it’s not ,1986 anymore, and I think you’ll be at least a little impressed.
I would rather see them with Phil X at this point. I think Richie deserves a break if he wants one. I think they should all take a break, come back with Richie and Alex on bass, and do a farewell tour to sew up a great career, and go out on a high note.
I think its time for Bon Jovi to take another hitaus – like they did after 1995. Their last couple of albums have been diverting away from the true essence of wha the band’s sound is….and instead of being a band – they are more of a corporation..that puts out subpar albums.
Jon realizes that he cannot make it as a solo artist — just look at his Destination Anywhere album; it flopped! He cannot go out as Jon Bon Jovi…..he needs he moniker name to survive in album and concert sales. And I think he is beginning to realize that things are beginning to dry up slowly.
That might be it. Or, alternately, maybe people just aren’t willing to pay that kind of money to watch an over-the-hill boy band play douchey songs.
there’s probably a lot of people who wanted to see RS shred on guitar