Bon Jovi is an American rock music band from New Jersey. Fronted by lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi, the group originally achieved large-scale success in the 1980s as a hair metal band. However, Bon Jovi has proved far more durable than most groups so labeled, blending elements of hard rock, heartland rock, and the "MTV Unplugged" style together to sustain a creative and commercially successful career well into the 2000s.
Bon Jovi | |
|---|---|
| File:Bon Jovi 2002.jpg | |
| Background information | |
| Origin | New Jersey |
| Years active | 1983–present |
| Members | Jon Bon Jovi Richie Sambora David Bryan Tico Torres Hugh McDonald |
| Past members | Alec John Such |
| Website | www.bonjovi.com |
Bon Jovi has sold more than 33 million albums in the United States, and over 100,000,000 albums worldwide, and has played live concerts in major cities in Asia, Europe, Australia, Canada, and South America, in addition to a large number of cities in the U.S.
History
Formation
Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi (John Francis Bongiovi) began to play piano and guitar at thirteen, learning Elton John songs. At that same age, Bon Jovi founded his first band, called Raze. Jon enrolled in St. Joseph's Highschool in Metuchen, NJ originally, but was asked to leave before entering his sophomore year for an unknown violation. He went on to attend Sayreville War Memorial High School. At sixteen Bon Jovi met David Bryan (David Bryan Rashbaum) in high school (Sayreville War Memorial High School ) and founded an R&B cover band with him named Atlantic City Expressway. They played at New Jersey clubs, even though they were minors. Still in his teens, Bon Jovi played in the band John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones, playing New Jersey clubs like the Fast Lane and opening for known acts in the area.
By the summer of 1982, out of school and working part-time - including in a shoe store - Jon finally got a job at the Power Station Studios, a Manhattan recording facility where his cousin, Tony Bongiovi, was the co-owner. Bon Jovi made several demos (including one produced by Billy Squier) and sent them out to many record companies - but failed to make an impact.
At nineteen, Bon Jovi had his first recording experience, singing the song "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas" by Meco Monardo and Daniel Oriolo on a Star Wars Christmas album, Christmas in the Stars, produced by Tony Bongiovi at the Power Station and released on the RSO label.
In 1983, local radio station WAPP 103.5FM "The Apple" had a contest, held in conjunction with St. John's University, to search for the best unsigned band. Bon Jovi used studio musicians to play on the track "Runaway" (which was written in 1980). The guitarist on the track is Dave "Snake" Sabo who went on to found the popular band Skid Row. (Bon Jovi took Skid Row on tour with them as their opening act). After it won the contest, it became an instant hit in the summer of 1983. The studio musicians who helped Jon Bon Jovi to record "Runaway" were known as "The All Star Review" and they were Tim Pierce (guitar), Roy Bittan (keyboards), Frankie LaRocka (drums) and Hugh McDonald (bass).
Bon Jovi now desperately needed a band. The soon-to-be-members of the band had crossed paths in their earlier days, but the current lineup didn't come together until March of 1983. Bon Jovi gave Dave Bryan a call, who in turn called Alec John Such and Tico Torres.
A succession of guitarists followed, until Richie Sambora signed on. Such talked Bon Jovi into letting Sambora show what he could do, and Bon Jovi loved it. Before joining Bon Jovi, Sambora had toured with Joe Cocker, played with a group called Mercy and had just been called up to audition for KISS. He also played on the album Lessons with the band Message, which was re-released on CD through Long Island Records in 1995. Message was originally signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song label, although an album was never released through them.
Tico Torres was also an experienced musician, having recorded with Miles Davis and playing live with The Marvelettes and Chuck Berry. He had played on twenty-six records and had recently recorded with Frankie and the Knockouts (a Jersey band with hit singles in the early 1980s).
David Bryan was a natural recruit. He had quit the band he and Bon Jovi founded while in college, then quit college to attend Juilliard School, the prestigious New York music school.
1980s
Bon Jovi was now a band, and when they opened for the band Scandal, they caught the attention of record exec Derek Shulman, who signed them to PolyGram.
With the help of their new manager Doc McGhee, the band's debut album, Bon Jovi, was released on January 21, 1984. The album went gold in the US (sales of over 500,000) and was also released in the UK. The group found themselves opening for ZZ Top at the Madison Square Garden (before their first album had been released), and for Scorpions and Kiss in Europe. They also made an appearance on American Bandstand.
In 1985 Bon Jovi's second album 7800° Fahrenheit was released, but the response was poor. The leading British metal magazine Kerrang!, who had been very positive about the debut record, called the album "a pale imitation of the Bon Jovi we have got to know and learned to love." Jon Bon Jovi himself later said it could have and should have been a better disc.
Their third album, Slippery When Wet, shot the band to superstardom around the world with hits such as "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' On A Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". Bon Jovi has said the album was named after the ubiquitous highway warning signs, but Bryan has said the following about the album's title: "During the recording of the record we frequently wound up in a striptease club where incredibly good looking girls were putting water and soap on each other. They became so slippery because of that, that you couldn't hold on to them even if you wanted to really bad. 'Slippery when wet!' one of us yelled out and the rest of us immediately knew: that had to be the title of the new album! Originally we were going to put a picture of some huge breasts, the really big ones, on the cover; but when the PMRC (a moral board under command of Tipper Gore, wife of former Vice President of the United States Al Gore) found out we were in big trouble. So we made it into a very decent cover."
The album has sold in excess of 12 million copies since its release in late 1986. On the tour that followed, singer Bon Jovi began having vocal difficulties. The extremely high notes and unrelenting schedule threatened to damage his voice permanently. With the help of a vocal coach, he made it through the tour. Bon Jovi has tended to sing slightly lower pitches since then.
The next album from Bon Jovi was New Jersey released in 1988. The album was recorded very shortly after the tour for Slippery because the band wanted to prove that they were not just a one hit wonder. The resulting album is a fan favorite, with hit songs such as "Bad Medicine" and "Lay Your Hands On Me" which are still nightly stalwarts in their live repertoire. However, New Jersey almost led to the end of the band as they went straight back out on the road so soon after the heavy touring for their previous album. This constant living on the road almost destroyed the strong bond between Jon Bon Jovi and Sambora. The band, however, made it through and took a healthy break before their next studio effort.
1990s
Between 1990 and 1992 the band members went their separate ways for a while to refocus before writing and recording their next album. This time off also helped them determine where would Bon Jovi fit in within the rapidly changing music scene upon their return. Jon Bon Jovi recorded a solo album, a soundtrack to the movie "Young Guns II" (in which he also appeared for less than a second), more commonly known as "Blaze of Glory". Album featured some high profile guests - Elton John, Aldo Nova, Little Richard and Jeff Beck among others. The album faired well commercialy and recieved very positive reviews. The title track, "Blaze of Glory", earned Jon a Academy Award nomination for Best Song, although he didn't go home a winner that night. That same year however, "Blaze of Glory" was awarded a Golden Globe.
Meanwhile, Sambora also released a solo album entitled Stranger in This Town, in 1991. The album had a predominant blues-influence to it, and although it was received well by many critics and guitar affectionados, it did not fare too well commercially. Eric Clapton was a guest guitarist on song "Mr. Bluesman". David Bryan recorded a soundtrack for the horror movie The Netherworld, which was the brighter part of that year after he was hospitalized with an illness due to a South American parasite. Torres avoided music and the music business altogether and stayed home. Such took a fall off of his motorcycle which injured his bass-playing hand, forcing him to develop a whole new way to hold and play his instrument.
The band returned with the album Keep the Faith in 1992. The album featured a more mature sound and lyrical content than any of their previous efforts. Critics and fans alike were pleasantly surprised and the album became a moderate hit amidst the rise of grunge. It's most recognisable tunes were the hit singles "Bed of Roses", "Keep the Faith" and "In These Arms" but some other songs on the album were released as singles in other parts of the world, maintly the fan favorite epic "Dry County" and the hooky "I Believe", both considered to be some of band's best work.
In 1994, Bon Jovi released a "greatest hits" album entitled Cross Road, which also contained two new tracks: the hit singles "Always" and "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night", as well as a new, updated rendition of "Livin' on a Prayer" entitled "Prayer '94" and available only on the US version. The song "Always" was originally written for a soundtrack to the film Romeo Is Bleeding'', but after seing (and disliking) the movie, band decided not to lend the song to the producers and instead, release it on "Cross Road". The video for "Always" featured Keri Russell, popular American actress known for her role in the TV show Felicity and actor Jack Noseworthy, best known for his role in the 2000 film U-571. The song peaked at #4 on the US charts and at #1 in countried across Europe, Asia and in Australia.
Shortly after "Cross Road", Alec John Such decided to leave the band. Although to this day there is still speculation on if he was fired or left on his own accord, Jon has made it public that there has been contact between him and other band members recently. Alec even joined the band on stage for one song (Wanted Dead or Alive) during their "homecoming" show at the Giants Stadium in 2001. While he has not been officially replaced, Hugh McDonald has handled studio and live bass duties since then. Jon Bon Jovi said, regarding the departure of Such: "Of course it hurts. But I learned to accept and respect it. The fact that I'm a workaholic, studio in, studio out, stage on, stage off, want to be dealing with music day and night, doesn't mean everyone else has to adjust to that pace. Alec wanted to quit for a while now so it didn't come as a complete surprise."
With the 1995 album These Days, Bon Jovi took the mature rock sound they had developed on Keep the Faith further. The record as a whole was darker and more downbeat than the usual Bon Jovi fare, and as a result, despite critical kudos, it spun off only one hit single in the US, "This Ain't A Love Song" and it sold "only" a little over a million records. Nevertheless, the other tracks proved sufficiently popular to garner various successful European singles. In 1996, Jon Bon Jovi claimed in an interview with the German Bravo magazine that, due to the overwhelming success of the These Days Tour, the album had sold in excess of 20 million copies worldwide. It was on the These Days Tour, that Bon Jovi played at Wembley Stadium in 1995 on a sell-out three night's running concert. It is widely considered to be their best rock concert, featuring such hits as "Livin' On A Prayer", "Keep the Faith", an excellent, heart-felt rendition of "Always", and showcasing new songs from These Days. It is particularly memorable because it is the same weekend that the album got to No. 1 in the UK charts. This tour date can be viewed on video, and has been re-issued on DVD, both titled Live From London.
By 1996, Bon Jovi had established them selves as a "force" in music industry, proving much more durable (and succesfull) than most of their 80's glam peers. At the end of the These Days tour, the band once again decided to take a break and pursue other interests. Tico used the opportunity further pursue his passion for painting while David started writing and composing various musicals. Richie used his time off to write and record his second solo album, entitled Undiscovered Soul, released in 1998.
Jon briefly stayed away from music and set his sights for Hollywood. He landed lead roles in movies Little City and The Leading Man, and supporting roles in Moonlight and Valentino, Homegrown and U-571 among others. While he was free between filming different movies, Jon wrote what was gonna become his second solo album, 1997's Destination Anywhere. The album recieved very positive reviews and was a success across Europe. It was rumored that the record company was persuing Jon to name the record "These Days, Part 2", since the album was somewhat of a moody progression from "These Days". However, most fans will agree that "Destination Anywhere" was a departure from the signature Bon Jovi brand of rock music. A short movie of the same name was recorded right around the record's release, based entirely on the songs from the record and starring Jon Bon Jovi, Demi Moore, Kevin Bacon and Whoopy Goldberg among others. Dave Stewart of Eurythmics played guitar on the record.
Bon Jovi reunited in 1999 to record the song "Real Life" for the movie EdTV. David Bryan didn't make it to the filming of the video for the song due to a recent hand injury sustained in a home improvement mishap, so the band used a cardboard cutout of him for the shoot.
2000s
After a nearly three-year hiatus during which several band members worked on independent projects, Bon Jovi regrouped in 1999 to begin work on their next studio album. Their 2000 release, Crush, enjoyed overwhelming success both in the US and overseas, thanks in part to the smash-hit single "It's My Life", co-written by famous Swedish producer Max Martin. Crush, which also produced such hits as "Say It Isn't So" and "Thank You for Loving Me", soon became the band's most successful studio album since Keep the Faith, and helped introduce Bon Jovi to a new, younger fan base. The Crush Tour, which began that summer, originally encompassed only 60 or so shows and was extended due to Bon Jovi's newfound popularity, with the band remaining on tour through mid-2001. While on tour, Bon Jovi released a collection of live performances from throughout their career in an album entitled, One Wild Night: Live 1985-2001.
Shortly after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, the band performed as part of the historic star-studded The Concert for New York City benefit concert for victims and their families. They performed an acoustic medley of "Livin' on a Prayer" and "Wanted Dead or Alive" with a stirring finale of "It's My Life". They also performed the song "America".
In late 2002, Bounce, the band's follow-up to Crush, hit stores. Though Bounce did not enjoy quite the level of success of its predecessor, the album did produce the hit singles, "Everyday" and "Misunderstood". The band went on a U.S. tour for this album, during which they made history as the last band to play Veterans Stadium in Philidelphia before it was torn down. The band also released a promotional album through Target. The album featured eight demo and live tracks.
Following the Bounce Tour, which wrapped up in August 2003, Bon Jovi embarked on what would become a unique and ambitious project. Originally intending to produce an album consisting of live acoustic performances of various songs, the band ended up rewriting, re-recording and reinventing 12 of their biggest hits in a new and much different light. This Left Feels Right was released in November 2003, with the title referring to the "left turn" of sorts that the band took in redoing the songs heard on this record.
The following year the band released a box set entitled 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong, the title an homage to Elvis Presley's 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong. The set consisted of four CDs packed with 38 unreleased and 12 rare tracks, as well as a DVD. The box set marked the sales of 100 million Bon Jovi albums and also commemorated the 20th anniversary of the release of the band's first record in 1984. In November 2004 Bon Jovi was honored with the award for Merit at the American Music Awards.
Bon Jovi participated in Live 8 on July 2, 2005. A new song, "Have a Nice Day", was debuted at the event, alongside the classics, "Livin' on a Prayer" and "It's My Life".
On August 20th, 2005 Bon Jovi headlined Miller Brewing Co.'s Big Brew-Ha, celebrating its 150th anniversary. The free stadium concert at Miller Park in Milwaukee included one preview song from the band's forthcoming album.
In September 2005 Bon Jovi was honored with the Diamond Award at the World Music Awards for selling 100 million albums.
Bon Jovi's long-awaited new album, Have a Nice Day, was released on September 20th, 2005 (U.S.), followed by an international tour which kicked off in early November. The album topped the charts around the world, landing on the number two spot on Billboards the first week of sales. Bon Jovi had a career-best first week, selling over 202,000 albums. "Have a Nice Day" was the first single off the new album, and debuted at radio worldwide on July 18, 2005. The second single, "Who Says You Can't Go Home", has since debuted as well, including a duet version with country singer Jennifer Nettles of the band Sugarland. In May of 2006, Bon Jovi made history becoming the first Rock & Roll Band to have a #1 hit on Billboard's Hot Country Chart. The third single off the album is entitled "Welcome to Wherever You Are".
Soon after the release of Have A Nice Day, the band started gearing up for a new 2005/2006-world tour. This tour - being shorter than previous ones with only seventy-five shows - brings the band to numerous stages and arenas throughout the world. Originally it was planned for them to be the first act to perform at the new Wembley Stadium, however, the construction company Multiplex who are behind the stadium's rebuilding project have said that the stadium will not be ready until 2007. The concert has therefore been moved to to the Milton Keynes National Bowl with the same performance dates. 1 2 Following dates in Japan and Europe, Bon Jovi will return to the US in the summer of 2006 for a few stadium shows, including 3 shows in the band's native New Jersey at Giants Stadium as well as in Boston, Pittsburgh, and Chicago.
On January 21, 2006 in Hamilton, Ontario, Bon Jovi's plane overshot and skidded off the runway after a show in Buffalo; none of the band members were harmed.
On February 7, 2006 a promotional album, Live from the Have a Nice Day Tour, was released through Wal-Mart. It contains six live tracks recorded in December 2005 in Boston.
On February 19, 2006, Bon Jovi performed as the headlining act prior to Nascar's Daytona 500. The band performed "It's My Life" and their two new singles "Have a Nice Day" and "Who Says You Can't Go Home", the latter with Jennifer Nettles. The country version of this song would hit #1 on the Country Billboard Charts on May 6, 2006.
On May 13, 2006, Bon Jovi kicked off their European leg of the Have A Nice Day tour in Dusseldorf, Germany. During the encore they played the 10 minute epic Dry County, from 1992's Keep The Faith, for the first time in ten years, much to the delight of their adoring fans.
Discography
Studio albums
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Have a Nice Day (September 2005);
#2 US, #2 UK, #1 EU ,US:Platinum, 1,100,000 UK: Gold . Total Sales=4,000,000
Live albums and compilations
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Cross Road (Best of Compilation, October 1994);
#8 US, #1 UK, #1 EU, US:4x Platinum UK:5x Plat Total Sales=19,000,000 -
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Singles
| Year | Song | US | US Main Rock | AUS | UK | US AC | Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "Runaway" | 39 | - | - | - | - | Bon Jovi |
| 1984 | "She Don't Know Me" | 48 | - | - | - | - | Bon Jovi |
| 1985 | "In and Out of Love" | 69 | 37 | - | - | - | 7800° Fahrenheit |
| 1985 | "The Hardest Part Is the Night" | - | - | - | 68 | - | 7800° Fahrenheit |
| 1985 | "Only Lonely" | 54 | 28 | - | - | - | 7800° Fahrenheit |
| 1986 | "Silent Night" | - | 24 | - | - | - | 7800° Fahrenheit |
| 1986 | "You Give Love a Bad Name" | 1 | 9 | - | 14 | - | Slippery When Wet |
| 1986 | "Wanted Dead or Alive" | 7 | 13 | - | 13 | - | Slippery When Wet |
| 1987 | "Livin' On a Prayer" | 1 | 1 | - | 4 | - | Slippery When Wet |
| 1987 | "Never Say Goodbye" | 29 | 11 | - | 21 | - | Slippery When Wet |
| 1988 | "Bad Medicine" | 1 | 3 | 15 | 17 | - | New Jersey |
| 1988 | "Born to Be My Baby" | 3 | 7 | 30 | 22 | - | New Jersey |
| 1989 | "I'll Be There For You" | 1 | 5 | 23 | 18 | - | New Jersey |
| 1989 | "Lay Your Hands on Me" | 7 | 20 | - | 18 | - | New Jersey |
| 1989 | "Living In Sin" | 9 | 37 | - | 35 | - | New Jersey |
| 1992 | "Keep the Faith" | 28 | 1 | 10 | 5 | - | Keep the Faith |
| 1993 | "Bed of Roses" | 10 | 25 | 10 | 13 | - | Keep the Faith |
| 1993 | "In These Arms" | 27 | 32 | 10 | 9 | - | Keep the Faith |
| 1993 | "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" | 97 | 29 | 24 | 17 | - | Keep the Faith |
| 1993 | "I Believe" | - | - | 40 | 11 | - | Keep the Faith |
| 1994 | "Dry County" | - | - | 31 | 9 | - | Keep the Faith |
| 1994 | "Always" | 4 | - | 1 | 2 | 4 | Cross Road |
| 1994 | "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night" | - | - | 10 | 7 | - | Cross Road |
| 1994 | "Please Come Home for Christmas" | - | - | - | 7 | - | A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2 |
| 1995 | "This Ain't a Love Song" | 14 | - | 4 | 6 | 22 | These Days |
| 1995 | "Something for the Pain" | 76 | - | 14 | 8 | - | These Days |
| 1995 | "Lie to Me" | 88 | - | 20 | 10 | - | These Days |
| 1996 | "These Days" | - | - | 38 | 7 | - | These Days |
| 1999 | "Real Life" | - | - | 52 | 21 | - | EDtv soundtrack |
| 2000 | "It's My Life" | 33 | - | 5 | 3 | - | Crush |
| 2000 | "Say It Isn't So" | - | - | 9 | 10 | - | Crush |
| 2000 | "Thank You for Loving Me" | 57 | - | 34 | 12 | 15 | Crush |
| 2000 | "One Wild Night" | - | - | 35 | 10 | - | One Wild Night - Live 1985-2001 |
| 2002 | "Everyday" | - | 31 | 5 | 5 | - | Bounce |
| 2002 | "Misunderstood" | - | - | 33 | 21 | - | Bounce |
| 2003 | "All About Lovin' You" | - | - | 31 | 9 | - | Bounce |
| 2003 | "Bounce" | - | 39 | - | - | - | Bounce |
| 2005 | "Have A Nice Day" | 53 | 38 | 8 | 6 | - | Have A Nice Day |
| 2005 | "Who Says You Can't Go Home" | 23 | - | - | - | 18 | Have A Nice Day |
| 2005 | "Welcome To Wherever You Are" | - | - | - | 19 | - | Have A Nice Day |
| 2006 | "I Want To Be Loved" | - | - | - | - | - | Have A Nice Day |
"Who Says You Can't Go Home" also reached #1 on the Hot Country Charts and #5 on the Adult Top 40.
Original songs appear on
- Disorderlies (1987) "Edge of a Broken Heart"*
- Stairway To Heaven/Highway To Hell (1989) "The Boys Are Back In Town"
- A Very Special Christmas (October 1990) "I Wish Everyday Could Be Like Christmas"
- Harley Davidson & The Marlboro Man (1991) "Wanted Dead or Alive"
- Memphis (1992) "Memphis Lives In Me"*
- A Very Special Christmas, Vol. 2(October 1992) "Please Come Home For Christmas"
- The Cowboy Way (May 1994) "Good Guys Don't Always Wear White"*
- Armageddon (1998) "Mister Big Time"
- EDtv (March 1999) "Real Life"*
* Now available on 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong
DVDs
Awards
Jon Bon Jovi
- 1990: Golden Globe: Best Song, Blaze of Glory (from Young Guns II soundtrack)
- 1991: American Music Award: Favorite Pop/Rock Single, Blaze of Glory
- 1997: MTV Europe Music Awards: Best Male
- 1998: Brit Awards: Best International Male
- 2001: Humanitarian of the Year by The Food Bank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties for his charitable work on behalf of the people of New Jersey
- 2001: Honorary Doctorate in Humanities degree from Monmouth University in New Jersey, for his success as an entertainer and his humanitarian work
- 2006: HELP USA honors Jon for his philanthropic work with Habitat for Humanity
Bon Jovi - the band
- 1987: MTV Video Music Awards: Best Stage Performance.
- 1988: American Music Award: Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group
- 1991: MTV Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award
- 1995: World Music Awards: Best Selling Rock Band Of The Year.
- 1995: MTV Europe Music Awards: Best Rock
- 1996: Brit Awards: Best International Band
- 2001: My VH1 Music Awards:Video Of The Year "Its My Life"
- 2002: My VH1 Music Awards:Hottest Live Show
- 2004: American Music Award Of Merit
- 2005: Diamond Award at the World Music Awards for selling 100 million albums.
See also
External links
- Official site
- Official fan site
- The Largest Unofficial Bon Jovi fan site on the internet, including the largest unofficial message board
- German Bon Jovi Fansite
- Slovak fan site
- Italian fan site
- Official Polish fan site
- Official Eastern European/Balkan region fan site
- Forever Bon Jovi => French Fansite
- Bon Jovi discography at MusicBrainz
- Bon Jovi discography at Discogs
- Bon Jovi Lyrics Archive - RockLyricsDB.com