I can't really remember how I got tuned into Bon Jovi originally, but assume it was an old boyfriend who led me in that direction (my teen years were filled prominently with hair-metal for that very reason, so we'll go with that theory). I know that I came into the Bon Jovi movement with the rest of the world upon the release of their third album, Slippery When Wet. I think I still know all the words to the entire album. However, unlike the rest of the female world Jon Bon Jovi was not the object of my intense fascination, it was the guitarist - Richie Sambora. His legs looked about 8 feet long in those tight black leather pants and, besides, I've always been a little out of the main stream anyway.
So I remember sticking around as a faithful fan for New Jersey which was released in 1990. That was also the year I got married for the first time and went through a lot of life changes. Unfortunately, that meant I lost "touch" with those boys from New Jersey for a while - a long while actually.
Fade in... American Idol Season 6, May 2007 with special guest mentor Jon Bon Jovi. In my heart and mind I was still the ultimate Bon Jovi fan and found myself in total disbelief that those Idol wannabes were performing Bon Jovi songs I didn't know! How could this be? I checked the my mental Bon Jovi files. I still remember my first concert ever (Bon Jovi of course) on July 19, 1987 so vividly. 1987... oh my... that's 20 years ago! How did that happen??? I hang my head in shame that I've missed out on so much. I mean, come on, they were even going cross-over with a country influenced album. I had to get back in the loop!!
That was 4 years ago and I have been cramming my little brain and ears with everything Bon Jovi I could get my hands on since then. Youtube, concert DVDs, CDs, news sites, the whole nine yards. I've been to 13 concerts (2 Lost Highway, 7 Circle, 4 Live 2011) since then with at least two more coming up in 2011. It's borderline embarrassing being a "fangirl" as my 16 year old son calls me, but I really and truly enjoy them on a whole different level now.
Richie still has a certain draw for me, Jon is more appealing than he used to be, while Tico and Dave are interesting in their background status, and what's with the bass player who isn't a band member after 14 years? I really want to mentally dissect them all and figure out their true personas, but I guess that's what you do when you're an obsessed fanatic!
Seriously though, I've discovered that Jon Bon Jovi is an amazing businessman, a genuinely nice guy and that I really appreciate Richie's voice more than his guitar skills. When those two sing together the harmonies often make my hair stand on end.
After the great American Idol revelation, I obtained 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong. Watching the interview footage included and listening to the unreleased material brings an interesting perspective. Jon mentions in his interview that some of these songs didn't make it because it wasn't the sound/image they wanted to project as a band, or "it was the sound for us now, but not for where we were going". Also mentioned is the fact that they write 30-40 songs for EVERY album. I guess being a simple redneck, I never realized how much work and thought had to go into putting together an album that made the exact statement that you were trying to make. I'm amazed at people that can put music together anyway, but when you add in the foresight, the vision, the business aspect of it all it's mind boggling. And yes, I'm aware that probably every band in the world has the same things going on, but KNOWING that it goes on with "my band" makes a change to my perception of them. I mean, sure, I still love to hear them and foolishly idolize them, but I also RESPECT them. They've been doing this for 28 years, really seem to still love it and say that they will continue as long as they have something new to say artistically.
Anyway, I'm still a silly immature Bon Jovi fan but I have the inner satisfaction of knowing that I can appreciate them on another higher level as well. So that's my story, goofy as it may be.
1 comment:
My story isn't that different, but probably twenty years behind. Livin' On A Prayer was going to number one the week I was born, so I guess I was born to be a Jovinut after all. My mother was a BJ fan from the get-go and knew all the old hits like Bad Medicine and even Blaze of Glory.
My first 'wake-up call' to the New Jersey boys was in 2000, I believe. I was given a tape deck for my twelfth birthday and had just got a stack of blank tapes. For those in the know, this was around the time that 'Crush' launched Jon and the boys back into mainstream with the huge hit 'It's My Life'. From the moment I first heard it, I knew that it would always be my favourite Bon Jovi song. The clip had me dancing (and reminded me of The Matrix!) and Jon was a total cutie. Richie's guitar caught my eye, but I didn't realise who he was until some years later when news of his split from Heather was all over the news.
I was lucky enough to see them in concert last year and FINALLY understood the hype around them. Even from up the back, you FELT Jon staring you down, those blue eyes boring right into you and Richie's guitar? Flawless.
Thusly, I became a Jovinut. Living in Australia means I can't see them as much as I would hope to, but I am planning on flying overseas to see them. If they are going on hiatus for two years, then dagnamit, I wanna see my boys go and give them the send-off they deserve! :)
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