Blame It On The Love (unofficial Bon Jovi blog)

Highs and mehs of Bon Jovi's Forever (Legendary edition)

2025-11-02T22:42:00.001+08:00

Bon Jovi Forever Legendary Edition

So the Legendary edition of Bon Jovi's Forever came out on October 24 but I wanted to let my thoughts marinate for a while before I posted about them. Obviously this is a re-release, so apart from a couple of new tracks, my thoughts will be about the duets, rather than the songs themselves. If you're interested in what I thought of the songs when the first Forever came out, check out my blog post from then: Track by track thoughts on Bon Jovi's Forever.

The Legendary edition featured duets with James Bay, Robbie Williams, Jelly Roll, Jason Isbell, Ryan Tedder, Billy Falcon, The War and Treaty, Joe Elliott, Lainey Wilson, Avril Lavigne, Marcus King, Bruce Springsteen, and Carin Leon. It also opens with new track "Red, White and Jersey", which I wrote about back in August, and the Japanese edition contains "Fight Somebody" which I'll mention in a bit.

But first the main album. Overall? I like it enough, but while there are some great duets on the album, there are quite a few that made me think "why did they bother?". Mostly the ones with other male vocalists where they've basically just swapped verses. Yawn. The best, or at least most interesting, ones have been where the other vocalist has a vastly different voice to Jon and they changed or added something instrumentally. Everything else is okay but a bit meh.

With that in mind, my top 3 are:

1. Hollow Man featuring Bruce Springsteen -- I already wrote about "Hollow Man" when it came out but goddamn Bruce's harmonies and that harmonica just elevates that track so far beyond what it was originally.

2. I Wrote You a Song featuring Lainey Wilson -- I basically dismissed this track as a poor man's "Thinking Out Loud" on the original album, but holy heck... Jon and Lainey sound really good together. Their voices blend so well, and I don't get my hackles up about the country flavour so the instrumentation was cool too. Actually worth the duet, unlike some of the phoned-in ones on the rest of the album.

3. The People's House featuring The War and Treaty -- When "The People's House" duet originally came out more than a year ago, I was still trying to decide if I liked it more than the version on the original album. I'm now very confident I do -- it's more invigorating and inspiring than the original, which I have no problem with, but this one's just better IMO.

Side note: "Walls of Jericho" is probably my favourite track from Forever, and I like me some Def Leppard, so I do enjoy the duet with Joe Elliott... but I don't think it's anything special as far as collaborations go.

Bon Jovi also performed "Legendary", "Red White and Jersey" in a livestream on October 22, in which they announced a baby, four-city tour (New York City, Edinburgh, Dublin, London). Since the original announcement, they've added more shows in NYC (now a total of 9) and London (now 2).

Still hardly what I'd call a world tour, but to be honest, Jon still sounds pretty fragile on the stream. I'm guessing the tour is testing the waters a little to see if they're capable of handling any more. The thinness in his voice could be physical, psychological, or a combination of both but hopefully he pulls through these shows well. He may never get back to his best, but I'm rooting for something like 2010/11 era vocals.

Anyway, I said I'd circle back to "Fight Somebody" didn't I? Check it out if you haven't already:

I think it's awesome. I'm currently in a good enough position that I don't mind shipping stuff over from Japan (plus I've never been the smartest maker of financial decisions when it comes to Bon Jovi, lol) but come on. This should've been on the version that everyone gets, right? Not the first time I've felt that way about a bonus track and I'm sure it won't be the last.

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Bon Jovi, Jelly Roll, and the Living Proof

2025-09-26T14:29:00.001+08:00

I'm about a week late posting this, as I've been busy and in a different time zone, though I did listen to it when it came out... "it" being "Living Proof" by Bon Jovi featuring Jelly Roll.

Check out the new "Living Proof" lyric video:

The original "Living Proof" was released as a single with very little fanfare in May 2024 and never got a music video. Maybe this version could have served as a hard relaunch that attracted Jelly Roll's fans, except... the dude's barely on it, lol.

Bruce Springsteen and The War and Treaty added something interesting to their versions of "Hollow Man" and "The People's House" respectively. Jelly Roll's inclusion on "Living Proof" seems pointless, like he was some rando who got handed a mic at a karaoke night and sang a verse then left. I'm not particularly well versed on Jelly Roll's music, but I'm sure he could have contributed something more than that.

Anyway, I have no real problems with the track, but I can't hear any good reason to listen to this one instead of the original (or neither if you didn't care for "Living Proof" in the first place)... your mileage may vary, of course.

What do you think?

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Red, White and Jersey / Hollow Man with Springsteen out now ahead of Forever Legendary edition

2025-08-31T00:19:00.014+08:00

Bon Jovi released Forever a little over a year ago -- and on October 24, they'll be releasing it again, this time as a collection of duets with one brand new song.

Here's the official music video for that new track -- "Red, White and Jersey":

I like it... it's nothing groundbreaking, just catchy and inoffensive, and feels similar to "Legendary" really... except for this line that made my ears perk up:

"It ain't no surprise that your blue eyes still feel like home to me / we'll always be red, white and Jersey"

If I'm not mistaken, Dorothea, aka Jon's high school sweetheart and wife of over three decades, has brown/hazel eyes. You know who else Jon has known and chased dreams with since they were teenagers... and has blue eyes? David Bryan.

"Red, White and Jersey" is a love letter to our favourite keyboard player and you will not convince me otherwise.

(Yes, I realise the lyrics could also just be a work of fiction, but don't ruin my dreams, okay? 🤣 )

The other song that has dropped is "Hollow Man", now featuring Bruce Springsteen. Here's the official lyric video:

Plenty of folks didn't really care for the original, but I don't mind these sorts of songs, and they suit current day Jon. Plus, I love me some Springsteen... I've had the privilege of seeing him live nine times and they've all been brilliant shows.

Maybe it's because I was revisiting Bruce's Nebraska album recently, but as soon as the harmonica kicked in on "Hollow Man", I knew this track would be elevated by his contribution. Bruce's harmonies blend beautifully with Jon's vocals, and the song just feels deeper with the two of them on it together. Though I do note with amusement that the Boss left the "masturbate" line solely to Jon.

"The People's House" featuring The War & Treaty was released in October last year, so we're waiting to hear how 11 other tracks turned out.

The track list for Forever (Legendary Edition) is:

Red, White and Jersey
Legendary - with James Bay
We Made It Look Easy - with Robbie Williams
Living Proof - with Jelly Roll
Waves - with Jason Isbell
Seeds - with Ryan Tedder
Kiss the Bride - with Billy Falcon
The People's House - with The War & Treaty
Walls of Jericho - with Joe Elliott
I Wrote You a Song - with Lainey Wilson
Living in Paradise - with Avril Lavigne
My First Guitar - with Marcus King
Hollow Man - with Bruce Springsteen
We Made It Look Easy / Hicimos Que Pareciera Facil - with Carin Leon

Look, let's be real... no one was really begging for another edition of Forever. But I enjoyed the original album, and some of the collaborators did (and do) intrigue me.

Can't believe they're going to make me listen to Avril Lavigne though, lol... nothing against her personally, but unfortunately, I still have some lingering damage from when "Sk8er Boi" came out and all the other girls in school suddenly rocked up wearing ties and 50 layers of black eyeliner, thinking they were punks. Also, given Jason Isbell, Ryan Tedder, and Billy Falcon are duetting on the songs they co-wrote, I'm a little surprised Ed Sheeran isn't the one on "Living in Paradise", but hey.

Jon admits this release is "an album borne out of necessity" since they obviously couldn't do a Forever tour. (Check out Rolling Stone: Bon Jovi Revisit ‘Forever’ LP With Bruce Springsteen, Jelly Roll, and More.) As much as I'd still go see Bon Jovi if they toured, I don't think I really want them to unless Jon can get his live vocals back to where they were circa 2010. If he can't and we instead get more studio work, I'm okay with that.

What do you think of the new tracks? Or the upcoming album release?

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Bon Jovi guitarists reunite + new Keep the Faith remix

2025-03-03T23:43:00.002+08:00

On the back of last year's somewhat unexpected Pitbull-Bon Jovi collaboration comes Armin Van Buuren's remix of "Keep the Faith", which was officially released on 28 February.

The track had made its debut at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, when Armin brought Jon on stage as a surprise guest and Jon got to jump around in his Hampton Water trucker cap without having to sing anything. (Not trying to be snarky, just making an observation, lol.)

And here's the extended mix:

It's not really my jam, to be honest... but Bon Jovi's had some awesome songs (including "Keep the Faith") and if stuff like this compels someone new to give them a shot, I'm all for that. Spread Bon Jovi like a beautiful musical disease, I say! Or a social disease. 'Cause a deluxe version of Slippery When Wet featuring 7 additional tracks (live or alternate versions) is available now. See what I did there? 😉

Anyway. The day before Armin's "Keep the Faith" came out, the Rock for Responders benefit concert for Los Angeles’ firefighters and first responders was held. Richie Sambora joined Phil X and Orianthi -- who were part of Matt Sorum's Kings of Chaos supergroup for the event -- on stage to perform lead vocals and guitar on "Livin' on a Prayer". Check it out:

Look, it's kinda messy, I won't lie. And I'm no body language expert but I'm pretty sure Phil had no idea what Richie was doing on the night and was just going along with whatever. But I don't think Richie has anything coming up that he would have been rehearsing for so some rustiness is to be expected as well, especially as he was a late addition to the lineup. It's still a cool moment to have on tape.

They were also all together for the final jam of the night, a performance of blues-rock standard "Going Down":

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Run Rudolph Run by Jon Bon Jovi and the Philly Specials / Don't Wake Up Dead by Phil X and the Drills

2024-12-25T10:17:00.017+08:00

I've always referred to this song as "Run Run Rudolph" but it's actually called "Run Rudolph Run". Whoops.

Anyway, Jon Bon Jovi joined The Philly Specials (a group of Philadelphia Eagles football players who also sing, something I did not know about until recently, being from Australia) for a cover of the Chuck Berry classic. Phil X played the guitar solo.

Check it out!

But if you're after something a little heavier to get you through the holidays, Phil X and the Drills released "Don't Wake Up Dead" with Ray Luzier from Korn earlier this month:

Regardless of your tastes, hope everyone has a wonderful festive season, a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah if you celebrate it, and a happy new year! It's always a bit crazy to think about literally anyone on the planet reading my little blog about a band from a country on the other side of the world, so thank you. 🥰

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

It's a Pitbull-Bon Jovi collab, it's now or never...

2024-11-16T22:40:00.001+08:00

A Bon Jovi and Pitbull single was definitely not on my bingo card this year.

But Pitbull sampled "It's My Life" for his new song, "Now or Never" and here's the official video featuring Jon:

And the lyric video if you want to sing or rap along:

This unlikely collaboration (as opposed to just the sampling of a certifiable banger) was hinted at in a show Pitbull did at Jones Beach in Long Island, New York back in September of this year. Jon was a surprise guest on stage for this song, in what was a pretty cool moment even though I don't think his mic was turned on at any point:

Arguably a cooler performance by Jon and Pitbull is this one of Pitbull's song "Thank God & Jimmy Buffett" from the Jimmy Buffett tribute show at the Hollywood Bowl back in April:

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

The People's House and the video that saved a life?

2024-10-13T21:48:00.006+08:00

The official music video for "The People's House" by Bon Jovi featuring The War and Treaty is out now. Since this version came out, I've been trying to decide if I prefer the album version or this duet version and... I think I actually like the duet more. Just feels more rousing, anthemic and soulful.

This is, of course, the video they were shooting when Jon Bon Jovi made international headlines by being one of two people spotted on CCTV footage helping to talk someone from the ledge of the John Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge. I hope that person is doing okay now.

Somewhat ironically, news of Jon and his production assistant's heroics broke on R U OK? Day in Australia -- an initiative that aims to prevent suicide by encouraging people to have check-in conversations with each other... and frankly, an initiative that I (as a mental health survivor) have always found pretty naff. Well-meaning, but ends up being silly in practice. But I guess this event proved that conversations can save lives, which is sort of the point, even if the day itself has become an excuse for companies to host morning teas and pretend they give a crap about their workers.

Sorry, I digress.

Jon also officially endorsed Kamala Harris and Tim Walz while promoting "The People's House". Naturally, the endorsement has upset some folks, but shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who hasn't been living under a rock for the last two decades.

It hasn't escaped my attention that this is technically the third single from Forever (even though this particular version of the track isn't on the album) -- yet the second single, "Living Proof" still has no music video...

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Track by track thoughts on Bon Jovi's Forever

2024-06-09T23:29:00.012+08:00

Bon Jovi's Forever album cover

Bon Jovi's latest album Forever dropped on June 7 and I've listened to it quite a few times in the last two days. My pre-ordered CD from Japan also arrived this weekend so it was great timing.

Obviously the album is still a shiny new toy, but here's my initial take on each track (with lyric videos where available). Feel free to add your own thoughts, including completely disagreeing with me

Legendary - written by Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Falcon & John Shanks

"Legendary" was the lead single so I've written about it already, but I didn't post the lyric video at the time. My thoughts haven't changed too much -- I like the song without being blown away by it, and it does still make me happy to see Jon looking happy. (The demo version actually sounds better though, but more on that further down.)

We Made It Look Easy - written by Jon Bon Jovi, Ryan Tedder, Andrew DeRoberts & Nick Long

A look back at the early days of the band. I really like those high backing vocals in the chorus -- is that Everett Bradley? There are no personnel credits listed in the liner notes as far as I can see, so I'm just going by the sound of the voice. Glad Shanks didn't write this, lol... oops, am I letting my snark out?

Living Proof - written by Jon Bon Jovi & John Shanks

Already wrote about "Living Proof" as well, and I'm still digging it. Wish it'd been the first single now, since "Legendary" seems to be the one that's getting played whenever Jon does promo for the album -- and I think it would've been more interesting for casuals and randos to hear this instead. And yes, Shanks co-wrote the song... but I'm not that perturbed about his songwriting, really. It's his influence over the Bon Jovi brand that's the issue; his writing is fine in itself.

Waves - written by Jon Bon Jovi, John Shanks & Jason Isbell

My ears really perked up when I first heard this. Cool sound, great lyrics. I'm not overly familiar with Jason Isbell's body of work, but if that's his contribution, they should write with him more.

Actually, this would also be a more interesting single choice than what they usually go for, but it won't happen because no one in the Bon Jovi camp cares for my brilliant ideas, lol.

Seeds - written by Jon Bon Jovi, Ryan Tedder, Sean Douglas & Michael Pollack

Jon said "Seeds" is probably his favourite song on the album. I like this one too, it's got a catchy little poetry to it.

Kiss the Bride - written by Jon Bon Jovi & Billy Falcon

This one is pretty gooey. But most wedding songs are written from the point of view of the couple, so it's sweet that Jon wrote one from the father of the bride's perspective for Stephanie. Just not really something I'm likely to gravitate to ordinarily. I do prefer "I Got the Girl", which was written for a then-five-year-old Stephanie... speaking of which, do Jesse, Jake and Romeo have songs written about them?

The People's House - written by Jon Bon Jovi

This song wouldn't sound out of place on a much earlier album. Like, say, something from the 90s? A tick from me.

Walls of Jericho - written by Jon Bon Jovi, John Shanks & Philip Lawrence

This was the other track (after "Waves") that I immediately wanted to play again when I heard it. I also totally want this to be a single, and know it almost certainly won't happen. But the song rocks, it's rousing, it's anthemic, Jon sounds great, and the only thing that would make it better is a guitar solo.

I Wrote You a Song - written by Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Falcon & John Shanks

It's a good thing that Ed Sheeran is probably the least likely artist to go around suing people at the moment, because this song has "Thinking Out Loud" all over it. I'm going to assume it was accidental, lol.

Living in Paradise - written by Jon Bon Jovi & Ed Sheeran

But befriending and collaborating with someone is also a good way to avoid getting sued by them, haha.

Funnily enough, I've seen every Ed Sheeran concert in Perth so far, including a gig at the Riverside Theatre, where he was literally tuning his own guitar between songs. (Less than a year later, he played two sold out gigs at Challenge Stadium and has just gone upwards from there.) I don't know if my Ed attendance record will continue, but I'm a big fan of his acoustic songs and what he does with the loop station, while not being as keen on some of his big poppier stuff. I like "Living in Paradise" though -- it's good, solid power pop.

My First Guitar - written by Jon Bon Jovi

Jon wrote this about buying back his childhood guitar. I like the verses more than the chorus, which feels a bit melodramatic somehow, but it's alright.

Hollow Man - written by Jon Bon Jovi

Jon's always sounded good on these pensive acoustic songs. Some fans hate them, and you obviously don't want the whole album full of them, but they suit where he's at in his life right now and feel genuine. The masturbate line made me laugh (or smile), which I guess was the point, ha.

That Was Then, This Is Now (Japanese bonus track)

My Japanese is very rusty but I don't think the Japan CD listed the songwriter(s) for "That Was Then, This Is Now". It contained the same album booklet as the Australian CD (and I'm assuming other markets), but included an additional insert in Japanese. This insert had what appears to be an introduction of the band's history by music writer Masa Ito, and the Japanese translation of the lyrics.

Anyway, really cool sounding, wistful rock song that coulda/shoulda made the album proper, but whatever. I've felt that way about other outtakes before. Jon clearly ain't gonna listen to my awesome advice, as we've established. 😉

Legendary demo (Japanese bonus track)

Not drastically different from the version that made the cut, but I just like it a lot better. It sounds less polished, but in a good way. It feels more real, not so much like Jon sitting in a studio with John Shanks, crafting what they think a Bon Jovi single in the 21st century is "supposed" to sound like.

Conclusion

Very early days, but I love the album overall. Yes, Shanks' fingerprints are on it (I should probably make peace with that) but Jon can still write a great song. He sounds pretty good if not amazing, though obviously he's not going for crazy high notes.

But I'd love the rest of the band to have more direct input. My main gripe with current Bon Jovi is that it seems to be the JBJ + Shanks show, when you have these other awesome musicians at your disposal. Give them the freedom to be as brilliant as they can be, and I have every faith they will be.

Maybe on the road or on the next album. But for now, we've got Forever and I'm happy with it.

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Living Proof brings back the talkbox: Bon Jovi's new single out now!

2024-05-18T21:54:00.001+08:00

"Living Proof", the second single from Bon Jovi's upcoming album Forever, dropped on Friday.

My verdict? This song is pure flipping joy and I will be taking no questions at this time. (Just kidding. Questions are always welcome, as are comments and messages, even if you disagree with me.)

Here's the official lyric video:

The talkbox sounds sooooo damn good and it's nice to hear Phil X actually getting to do something interesting. It doesn't happen nearly enough, and that's probably my biggest gripe with "new Bon Jovi" -- because I do still rate Jon as a songwriter, but Phil's talents have been seriously wasted over the last decade. Especially in the studio. John Shanks, for whatever reason, has a massive hold and influence on Jon (and I acknowledge he co-wrote "Living Proof") but the dude is already producing everything... so he can take a back seat on the guitar and let Phil cut loose like the rock star we know he can be. Just sayin'.

Sound-wise, "Living Proof" is reminiscent of parts of the Have a Nice Day and Bounce albums, plus "This Is Love, This Is Life" (which deserved a little more than being a throwaway track on the deluxe edition of the Greatest Hits).

"Living Proof" doesn't break any new ground but I don't need it to, nor do I think anyone has ever considered Bon Jovi the world's most original band. I just dig the song. It pumps me up, it makes me happy.

What do you think of "Living Proof"? Good, bad, meh? Let me know!

PS. Richie stans, I haven't forgotten about his new songs. I'm just super busy with work, plus I wanted to talk about all four together since the cover art and press release suggested they're meant to be part of a set. I'll post after I'm finished with a conference this week.

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Thank You, Goodnight: a Bon Jovi fan's reflections

2024-05-05T23:27:00.007+08:00

Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story dropped a little over a week ago -- it was waiting for me on Disney+ in Australia when I got home on a Friday night.

Now, I didn't try to rush out and be the first to write about it because:

a) "breaking news" isn't my vision for the blog -- and there are plenty of other fans, podcasters, etc. covering that ground;

b) I didn't want to just binge all four episodes right away at the expense of being able to process what I was watching;

c) I do have other things in my life, including needing to be awake and alert for Saturday morning commitments, instead of being tired and distracted by thoughts of Bon Jovi.

So I watched it over a few days, chatted to some people about it, and then came back here.

What do I think?

Honestly, I love it. Is it perfect? No, but it was enough for me. Is it very Jon-centric? Sure, but the elephant of the decade (Jon's voice) was a key factor in Bon Jovi's success during their prime, and is integral to any future they may have.

At times it was quite heartbreaking to see his struggles with his voice laid bare. I mean, we've all heard it. I've blogged about it. Other fans have talked about it. News articles were written about it on that rough 2022 tour. But we also saw him being aware of it and trying to do something. We saw the other guys on stage trying to pull him through and support him.

As for Richie Sambora... well, I'm really glad he's in the documentary. I think he still has a massive chip on his shoulder, but I also completely understand him feeling pushed aside by John Shanks during the What About Now sessions. An album which, given what transpired afterwards, I don't think I've listened to since 2013.

Speaking of which, Shanks comes across kind of badly in his interview -- his little smirk and chuckle about being the guy between Jon and Richie made me uncomfortable. It could've just been nervous laughter, of course. I giggle when I'm nervous, and since I don't know Shanks at all, I can't possibly say he had any malicious intent. But yeah, it just didn't look that great.

There are plenty of fans who simp for Jon or Richie, think the other is the devil, and had already made up their minds long before this documentary aired. Nothing about it would've changed their thinking. But most of the criticisms levelled at one man could easily apply to the other. They both have rock star egos, they both twist or embellish details to make themselves look better, they're both stubborn AF. Like seriously, bros, you were both in your goddamn 50s when all this went down... be better!

But I'd love to see Richie back in the band, Phil X as the "other guitarist" and Shanks just... not? I don't hate the guy. I mean, he came on board to produce Have a Nice Day, an album that probably saved my life when I was a teenager. But it seems weird for him to have had this much influence over the band -- and particularly Jon -- for such a long period of time.

Speaking of guitarists, Bobby Bandiera should've been interviewed. He was around for almost a decade, from the Have a Nice Day tour until the end of Because We Can tour... and I think he'd have had some interesting things to say about that time, if he was willing to share.

Before anyone else brings it up, long-time manager Paul Korzilius wrongly claimed the 1995 "Live in London" shows were the last shows at Wembley Stadium, but I'm very confident he just misremembered, and there was no deliberate lie there. (Probs could've been fact-checked in post-production though.)

Super cool to hear a decent sounding recording of "Cadillac Man" from the archives. Here's a performance of this underrated song, from Osaka in 1991 -- how freaking good:

So yes... in summary, I enjoyed the documentary. Wouldn't have hurt to hear a little more from the rest of the band, past and present (though Alec John Such passed away before he could be interviewed). And it might have been a bit tighter with less previous footage woven in (e.g. from Access All Areas and When We Were Beautiful). But all in all, it was worth watching. For me, at least.

I know there are a lot of folks for whom Bon Jovi ended when Richie left, or when they "went country", or "got too commercial" or whatever.

There's an Australian band that I used to absolutely love, and a big part of that was their long-term lineup (which wasn't the original lineup, but the one I got to know on tour over about 10 years). Now that lineup is no more and I find myself just not being able to get excited about them, not going to their live shows anymore, etc. There were many times I thought that could be happening with me and Bon Jovi, but... no, not yet anyway. They're my band. They're still my band. Even as they are now, not quite where I want them to be. I guess that's the realisation I got from Thank You, Goodnight. The heart and dagger tattoo on my back is forever -- literally, but also figuratively.

Have you watched Thank You, Goodnight yet? What do you think?

PS. I have not forgotten about Richie's new music. It's cool that he (or his new marketing/PR person?) realised that there's a lot of renewed interest in him thanks to the documentary, and he should totally take advantage of it. I'll make a separate post for the new tunes.

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Unexpectedly emotional - Legendary and Thank You, Goodnight premieres

2024-03-17T22:26:00.000+08:00

Bon Jovi dropped a new single, "Legendary" on March 14 and... it was unexpectedly emotional for me. The song isn't going to change the world, but I didn't know if we'd ever hear new Bon Jovi music again, given Jon's vocal situation and jadedness with everything. So seeing the joy on his face just made me smile. And I like the song, although a ripping guitar solo would've Phil'd the track out more. (See what I did there? Your girl's got dad jokes.)

Bon Jovi's new album, Forever, will be out on June 7. Hugh McDonald's wife Kelli posted a big tease back in January saying she'd heard the album and it was awesome so... fingers crossed. I mean, obviously she's not gonna say it's terrible, but she also didn't need to say anything at all.

The full official trailer for Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story has also been released. Interesting to hear Richie Sambora say he regrets the way he left the band, though not the actual leaving:

Thank You, Goodnight had its first screening at the SXSW in Austin on March 14. The rest of us will have to wait until April 26 when it drops on Hulu, Disney+ or Star+ (depending on where you are in the world)... but here are some of the SXSW red carpet interviews and the Q&A with the band members and filmmakers:

The video above features red carpet interviews with producer Alex Trudeau Viriato and director Gotham Chopra, as well as Jon Bon Jovi, Phil X, Everett Bradley, Hugh McDonald, Tico Torres (in order of appearance). The Q&A was moderated by Deepak Chopra and features the remaining founding members of Bon Jovi (Jon, Tico, and David Bryan) and Gotham Chopra.

I'm pretty keen for the documentary; it looks like it'll be gritty enough to be worth our while, but obviously I'll have to wait and see!

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Life begins at 40: the second coming of Bon Jovi?

2024-02-11T22:44:00.006+08:00

Okay, that title sounds a bit dramatic -- but it is the 40th anniversary of Bon Jovi's self-titled debut album this year. And things are happening!

First up, Jon Bon Jovi was honoured as the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year. The benefit gala was a ticketed event that wasn't streamed, but credit to Brian Baumwoll who took some videos on his phone so we could catch a glimpse -- and a listen.

Here's Bon Jovi performing "Legendary" (the expected lead single from their upcoming album), before Bruce Springsteen joins them for "Who Says You Can't Go Home" and "The Promised Land" (the latter being from Bruce's Darkness on the Edge of Town album). Jon sounds decent in his first live performance in two years, and looks in good spirits -- and seeing him pull out the harmonica is such a vibe! 😀

Richie Sambora was rumoured to make an appearance at the MusiCares event, but he didn't show. (Orianthi did, performing with Sammy Hagar.) People Magazine reports that needing to care for his mother after a fall was the reason Richie didn't make an appearance, but given the apparent frostiness between him and Jon in the last decade, it's possible he wasn't planning to attend anyway. Then again, Richie keeps alluding to a possible reunion so who knows?

Jon also addressed his vocal issues during a Pollstar Live! Q&A with music executive Rob Light (who also happens to be the father of Jesse Bongiovi's fiancee, Jesse Light). Here's what Jon had to say about getting reconstructive surgery on his vocal cords:

More info is set to be revealed in the upcoming documentary series Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, which will premiere on Hulu in the US on April 26 and Disney+ internationally.

Here's the teaser trailer for Thank You, Goodnight:

The band minus Jon also talked about the docuseries on the MusiCares red carpet, with David Bryan doing most of the talking, plus a bit from Tico Torres. Apparently all past and present members of the band took part in the doco, so hopefully it will be an interesting watch.

Until then, Backstage with Bon Jovi is a virtual exhibition of various band-related artefacts from the past 40 years, available now to explore on their website.

You can also download or stream a deluxe anniversary edition of Bon Jovi, the album that started it all.

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Christmas Isn't Christmas music video out now

2023-12-06T22:30:00.004+08:00

Behind the scenes shot of Christmas Isn't Christmas video.
Photo: Bon Jovi/Facebook.

Bon Jovi's first original holiday song in three decades dropped last month, and now the official music video for "Christmas Isn't Christmas" has been released!

It's enough to warm even my Grinchy heart, lol. Check it out:

The video features everyone in the current lineup at a bar decked out in Christmas lights. (I think it's Santa's Pub in Nashville, someone correct me if I'm wrong.) There is a bit of a visual hierarchy in a place -- Jon singing on his own; the old-timers in David Bryan, Tico Torres and Hugh McDonald having a drink together; then the relative newbies, Phil X, playing guitar and having a laugh with Everett Bradley and John Shanks.

Santa and the band at Santa's Pub.
Photo: Bon Jovi/Facebook.

Interspersed with all of that are various people singing karaoke, enjoying festivities with loved ones or drowning their sorrows alone. Pretty decent reflection of Christmas if I do say so myself -- it's a great time for some, and depressing AF for others.

I really like the song and the video (though it's summer at Christmastime where I live). What do you think?

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

New Bon Jovi music! Christmas Isn't Christmas + other holiday gifts

2023-11-18T22:10:00.000+08:00

I officially came out of hibernation on my socials this week to fangirl over the fact that Bon Jovi was releasing an original Christmas song for the first time since "I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Christmas" back in 1992.

"Christmas Isn't Christmas" dropped this week (17 November) and I may or may not have snuck away from my work to listen to it for the first time. (It's only three-and-a-half minutes, calm down.)

Check out the lyric video:

I'm not really the festive type, but I quite like this song and it feels right for Bon Jovi at this point in their career. Definitely beats Jon sanitising "Fairytale of New York" to stay on brand. 😉

Here's Jon talking about writing the song as a gift to his parents and kids when they couldn't all be together for the holidays:

What do you think of the track? You can download or stream "Christmas Isn't Christmas" right now. 😊

I'm also not really into board games or tabletop games, because I'm just no fun like that, lol. But if that's something you do with your family and friends, you can now add Bon Jovi's 40th anniversary Monopoly to your stack.

Here's Jon playing it with David Bryan, Phil X and John Shanks:

If you're keen, you can order your Bon Jovi Monopoly set from the online store.

In other news, Jon Bon Jovi was announced last month as the 2024 MusiCares Person of the Year. He'll be honoured at a benefit gala during Grammys week, with proceeds going towards health and human services for music professionals.

Jon spoke about the honour:

And Sir Paul McCartney congratulated him, which is pretty rad because... well, it's Paul McCartney:

Anyway, I'm off to calm my inner Grinch and add "Christmas Isn't Christmas" to my holiday playlist -- along with with the original "Fairytale of New York" by the Pogues, and of course, "How to Make Gravy" by Paul Kelly (because I'm Australian).

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove and Instagram @blameitonthelove.

Richie Sambora is Jack. Jacket Potato.

2023-02-12T16:56:00.003+08:00

I've been known to enjoy a bit of The Masked Singer. Obviously the show is demonstrably bonkers. But I do tend to watch the Australian version of it when I'm not busy, and have caught the occasional snippet from the US series.

I've never seen the British series though. But I'd seen enough "Richie is Jacket Potato!!" comments online in the last few weeks to know that there was a good chance I'd be watching at least some of it soon.

And so it was that old mate Richie Sambora was indeed revealed to be the person in the Jacket Potato costume on yesterday's episode of The Masked Singer UK.

Before being eliminated, he performed:

Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley
Viva La Vida by Coldplay - group performance with the other masks
Hallelujah by Leonard Cohen
Brass in Pocket by the Pretenders
Smooth by Santana ft Rob Thomas
Go You Own Way by Fleetwood Mac
Love Me Again by John Newman

You can definitely hear his voice so I'm not surprised Richie and Bon Jovi fans were on it. 😉

You can watch Richie's full journey, including the judging panel's guesses, below:

After his unmasking, Richie talked about his experience on the show:

Also, I've been pretty quiet but I'm definitely still alive and kicking, just working on other things, y'know?

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

Rock in peace, Alec John Such

2022-06-06T21:48:00.002+08:00

It was Sunday in the US (and Monday in my native Australia) when the news came through that Alec John Such had died at the age of 70.

Alec left Bon Jovi in 1994, before I became a diehard fan (or really knew any music that wasn't on Play School or Sesame Street). So I never saw him live in person. But as the original bass player, there's no disputing Alec's importance to the history of what would go on to become my favourite band -- through thick and thin, for better or worse. And I guess it's a sobering reminder of the mortality of our heroes.

Jon posted this statement on social media:

"We are heartbroken to hear the news of the passing of our dear friend Alec John Such. He was an original. As a founding member of Bon Jovi, Alec was integral to the formation of the band. To be honest, we found our way to each other thru him - He was a childhood friend of Tico and brought Richie to see us perform. Alec was always wild and full of life. Today those special memories bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye.
We'll miss him dearly."

I'm so, so glad Alec got to be part of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction in 2018. All those speeches were emotional for me at the time and they'll be even more so whenever I revisit them now.

Bon Jovi's current bass player, Hugh McDonald, posted a sweet picture of himself with Alec on Instagram, and described reconnecting with Alec as one of the high points of the band's induction into the Rock Hall.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hugh McDonald (@hugh_mcdonald_official)

RIP rock star. 💔

Here's Alec rejoining his former bandmates for "Wanted Dead or Alive" at Giants Stadium in 2001:

And things like this epic performance of "Blood on Blood" from the Moscow Music Peace Festival in 1989 hit a little harder today -- brothers 'til the day that we die:

Edit: JBJ paid tribute to Alec on Sirius XM's Bon Jovi Radio. Listen to his words below:

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

The end? Bon Jovi tour wraps up in Nashville

2022-05-05T15:04:00.003+08:00

I feel a bit crappy saying this, but it's been a few days since Bon Jovi's 2022 Tour ended (assuming no further dates are announced) and... thank Yoda that's over.

I mean, I love Bon Jovi. Obviously the classic lineup is unlikely to ever be together again unless they do some sort of reunion special for the 40th anniversary coming up. But even the current lineup is okay with me. Besides, I met Phil X a few years ago and he's just a really cool dude. And Jon is someone I've idolised for a huge chunk of my life. But I don't think he did himself, the band or their great legacy any favours going out there and sounding like he did last month.

If the speculation is true that this tour was just a contractual obligation to Live Nation after cancelling the 2020 dates instead of postponing... well, that's a whole other shit-show. And a pretty sad way to go out if this ends up being the end. 😢

Anyway, the last show of -- the tour? This leg? -- was in Nashville and here's what was played.

Nashville, Tennessee, USA - April 30, 2022

Bridgestone Arena

Livin' on a Prayer
You Give Love a Bad Name
The Radio Saved My Life
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Beautiful Drug
Born to Be My Baby
This House Is Not For Sale
Just Older
Let it Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Do What You Can
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Roller Coaster
Who Says You Can't Go Home

encore #1:
Wanted Dead or Alive
Bad Medicine

encore #2:
I'll Be There For You

Selected videos from Nashville

"Livin' on a Prayer". "Limitless" was dropped for the first time this tour so they could open with "Prayer". Jon performed it from the back of the arena while mingling with the fans and it's probably the most fun a live "Prayer" has been in years. And he's definitely singing the bits he doesn't throw to the crowd:

"I'll Be There For You". If that does end up being the last thing they ever play on tour, it's a good song to remember:

Where to now?

I know there are plenty of fans who are totally cool with the current state of affairs and would happily continue to pay big bucks to see Jon multiple times a tour in his current state.

I also think the dudebros trying to build their platforms with "What is wrong with Jon Bon Jovi's voice?!" videos are pretty scummy.

But that doesn't change the fact that he just doesn't sound good. There are moments where he sounds okay... but it's not good... and once upon a time, he was great. If certain fans want to tell the rest of us that we're horrible humans for having functional ears, then that's okay. Because I know myself, and I'm not trying to take potshots at Jon -- I'm legitimately heartbroken.

He had vocal coach Katie Agresta with him in 2008, and he sounded brilliant -- better than he had in a long time. And then things started falling off the cliff around 2013, which I'm sure he was aware of since he started requesting a vocal coach as part of his rider during the Because We Can Tour. Mary Jo Duprey started working with him, as well as Everett Bradley, on the This House Is Not For Sale Tour in 2018, but it hasn't yielded the results we all want. (I'm in no way suggesting that's Mary Jo's fault -- she uses the same methods as Katie, after all. But Everett's probably a much better advertisement for her than Jon is.)

Is it a physical issue that's beyond repair? I've read people suggesting that Jon has a voice disorder like spasmodic dysphonia but I wouldn't have a clue about that. I just know that I don't want my idol going out there in front of the whole world (and thanks to the internet, it really is the whole world) sounding like... well, a professional singer who can't sing for toffee.

The acoustic set they were doing earlier on this tour had a lot of promise, and I think that could potentially be a way forward if Bon Jovi keeps touring after this. I know Jon wants to sell out the desert but an intimate acoustic tour would be pretty cool.

Anyway, while Jon takes an indefinite break and hopefully finds a way through this, Phil X is currently on the road with Kurt Deimer, supporting Yngwie Malmsteen.

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

Texas turmoil for Bon Jovi in Houston & Dallas

2022-04-30T23:48:00.005+08:00

I put off posting anything about these shows because... well, I didn't really want to watch any of the videos. I mean, Jon has sounded pretty painful for several years now unfortunately -- but it was Houston that triggered a string of "Last Man Standing" quotes (specifically "That boy don't lip sync").

But let's back it up a bit. Here were the set lists.

Houston, Texas, USA - April 26, 2022

Toyota Center

Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Beautiful Drug
Born to Be My Baby
This House Is Not For Sale
Just Older
Let it Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Do What You Can
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Roller Coaster
Have a Nice Day
Livin' on a Prayer

encore:
Wanted Dead or Alive

No "Bad Medicine" or "Who Says You Can't Go Home", making it the shortest show of the tour with only a couple more left (presumably). Jon reportedly got a pre-gig IV drip and had the bandage on his arm during the show.

Scroll down for videos/dissection.

Dallas, Texas, USA - April 28, 2022

American Airlines Center

Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Beautiful Drug
Born to Be My Baby
This House Is Not For Sale
Just Older
Let It Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Do What You Can
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Roller Coaster
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Livin' on a Prayer

encore:
Wanted Dead or Alive
Bad Medicine

"Have a Nice Day" was dumped after whatever happened at the previous show.

Videos from Houston

"Have a Nice Day". This was the song immediately before "Prayer" -- Jon pulls out of the end of the first line, turns around and makes an explosion gesture at his throat, which foreshadowed what came afterwards:

"Livin' on a Prayer". Jon's always been pretty awkward at miming when it's called upon for TV appearances -- but he does try to make a decent fist of not singing down to the front rows so it may not have been too obvious on the night, I dunno:

To be fair, I don't think "Prayer" has ever been 100% live -- they've played to a click track and sung over some playback since the 80s. But it really saddens me to see Jon struggling as much as he is.

Jon did come out after that "Prayer" debacle and sing "Wanted Dead or Alive" (i.e. not on playback), but the crowd took the whole first verse and Phil X's harmonies are turned up loud enough to drown out the lead vocal:

Videos from Dallas

"Livin' on a Prayer". He is singing it this time:

"Keep the Faith". Just a great song and a great showcase for the band. Despite not being the classic Bon Jovi lineup, this is still a good group of musicians and I think that has been forgotten amidst all the voice dramas:

One more show left for the 2022 Tour, unless they announce new dates...

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

A trio of Bon Jovi Texas shows begins in Austin

2022-04-25T14:35:00.005+08:00

First of three shows in Texas as we hit the home straight of the Bon Jovi 2022 Tour. Here's what folks in Austin got.

Austin, Texas, USA - April 23, 2022

Moody Center

Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Born to Be My Baby
This House Is Not For Sale
Beautiful Drug
Just Older
Let it Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Do What You Can
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Roller Coaster
Have a Nice Day
Livin' on a Prayer

encore #1:
Wanted Dead or Alive
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Bad Medicine

encore #2:
I'll Be There For You

Selected videos from Austin

"Keep the Faith". Great energy. The band isn't what it was but that doesn't mean they're not good players:

"I'll Be There For You". Same exit as St. Louis, where Jon kind of just waves to the crowd and leaves, except that this time the rest of the band wasn't caught off guard:

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

Elvis has left the building at Bon Jovi's St Louis show

2022-04-23T22:12:00.004+08:00

We're nearing the end of Bon Jovi's 2022 Tour. In years gone by, I would've said "end of the first leg" but I really have no clue what the future holds at this point. Anyway, here's what was played in St. Louis.

St. Louis, Missouri, USA - April 21, 2022

Enterprise Center

Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Beautiful Drug
Born To Be My Baby
This House Is Not For Sale
Just Older
Let It Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Do What You Can
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Roller Coaster
Have a Nice Day
Livin' on a Prayer

encore #1:
Wanted Dead or Alive
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Bad Medicine

encore #2:
I'll Be There For You

Selected videos from St. Louis

"I'll Be There For You". Jon seemed emotional here, taking it all in. He used similar "Drive All Night" ad libs to the ones on the Live from London performance of "Always" in 1995. And then he just... left the stage, leaving David Bryan looking a bit confuzzled:

Jon's brother Matt called it the "Elvis exit":

People. It was the Elvis exit. It was awesome
— Matthew Bongiovi (@TheMattBongiovi) April 22, 2022

"Beautiful Drug". I dig the track but I'm mostly posting this because it's one of the few new songs where Phil X can kind of cut loose a bit:

"This House Is Not For Sale". I just like the song, okay:

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

Everett returns as Bon Jovi plays Indianapolis

2022-04-21T22:31:00.002+08:00

After two days off, Bon Jovi made it to Indianapolis. Everett Bradley, an Indiana University alum, was back from his recent bout of COVID. This is what the band played.

Indianapolis, Indiana, USA - April 19, 2022

Gainbridge Fieldhouse

Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Beautiful Drug
Born to Be My Baby
This House is Not For Sale
Just Older
Let it Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Do What You Can
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Have a Nice Day
Livin' on a Prayer

encore:
Wanted Dead or Alive
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Bad Medicine

I mean, after two whole days to think about it, you probably could've chucked "Love's the Only Rule" or something back in, but whatever. 😜

Selected videos from Indianapolis

"You Give Love a Bad Name" with the 'get up off your seats' spiel:

"Wanted Dead or Alive" (never drop this again, you're Bon Jovi):

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

Here comes the Sunrise/Fort Lauderdale Bon Jovi show

2022-04-20T21:52:00.001+08:00

Okay, so on the official Bon Jovi tour dates, this show is listed as Fort Lauderdale, but when I Googled the venue it appears to be in Sunrise, which is apparently a different city?

If any Floridians read this, help me out here -- what's correct?

In the meantime, here's what was played...

Sunrise/Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA - April 16, 2022

FLA Live Arena

Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Beautiful Drug
Born to Be My Baby
This House Is Not For Sale
Just Older
Let It Rain
Keep the Faith
Lower the Flag
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Do What You Can
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Roller Coaster
Have a Nice Day
Livin' on a Prayer

encore:
Wanted Dead or Alive
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Bad Medicine

"Wanted Dead or Alive" was played after being unceremoniously dumped from the previous show in Tampa.

Selected videos from Sunrise/Fort Lauderdale

"Lower the Flag". Jon dedicated it to those affected by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school shooting in Parkland, Florida -- which is of course mentioned in the bridge of the song:

"Have a Nice Day". Great take-on-the-world song on the album. I've heard a couple of people say it sounded better in person than it does when you're listening back to the video:

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

Bon Jovi's halfway there in Tampa (but Wanted Dead or Alive isn't?)

2022-04-17T14:11:00.004+08:00

We're at the halfway mark of Bon Jovi's 2022 Tour since no further dates have been announced after April as yet.

Since it was back to back shows again this weekend, I was going to combine the two consecutive Florida shows into one post like I did with Charlotte and Raleigh in North Carolina.

And then Bon Jovi went and skipped their national anthem "Wanted Dead or Alive" and I just had to put down my hot cross buns and chocolate eggs (Happy Easter, by the way) and say something. Anyway, let's breathe first, and look at what was played.

Tampa, Florida, USA - April 15, 2022

Amalie Arena

Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Beautiful Drug
Born to Be My Baby
This House Is Not For Sale
Just Older
Let It Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning
Whole Lot of Leavin'
I'll Be There For You
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Roller Coaster
Have a Nice Day
Livin' on a Prayer

encore:
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Bad Medicine

"Wanted Dead or Alive" was actually in the printed set list -- it was supposed to open the encore but they just straight up didn't play it. I guess this scenario was flagged in Savannah, when "Wanted" was listed as an audible (but did end up getting played). Still, it's a Bon Jovi show. You can't not play "Wanted"! Jon, my love, if you need to preserve your voice then please drop some of the other songs that literally no one goes to a Bon Jovi show to hear.

In other news, percussionist and king of cool Everett Bradley didn't take to the stage after testing positive to COVID, along with some 15 crew members. Everett's backing vocals have actually become really important to the current Bon Jovi live setup so I don't know if that played a part. But seriously, no "Wanted" is a no-no and I cannot stop thinking about this.

Selected videos from Tampa

"The Radio Saved My Life Tonight". This is one of my favourite songs from 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong so a legit joy of this tour has been seeing it in the set:

"Just Older". Been good to see this one in the set too. David Bryan's vocals seem so much higher in the mix here but that's maybe not a bad thing:

"Livin' on a Prayer". This is another song that you can't just not freaking do at a Bon Jovi concert, even if you have to lower the key:

"I'll Be There For You". I don't think it's a secret that I'd prefer Phil X to be taking all the solos:

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

Operation Bon Jovi headlines Savannah

2022-04-15T13:10:00.002+08:00

Shout-out to the BJtours site for alerting me to the fun tidbit that this was Bon Jovi's first headlining show in Savannah -- the last time they played there was as an opening act for the Scorpions in 1984.

So here's what Bon Jovi played almost 38 years later.

Savannah, Georgia, USA - April 13, 2022

Enmarket Arena

Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Beautiful Drug
Born to Be My Baby
This House Is Not For Sale
Just Older
Let it Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning
Whole Lot of Leavin'
Do What You Can
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Wanted Dead or Alive
Roller Coaster
Have a Nice Day
Livin' on a Prayer

encore:
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Bad Medicine

Selected videos from Savannah

"Wanted Dead or Alive". Although this was played, it was actually listed as an audible (along with "I'll Be There For You") which is wild:

"American Reckoning". Electric version as the sit-down acoustic portion of the show was dropped for the first time this tour:

"It's My Life". Okay, this is gonna sound like massive shade but the backing vocals are great:

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.

The grass is Greenville for Bon Jovi

2022-04-15T00:45:00.001+08:00

Yeah, that was an awful pun and may or may not be my silly attempt at distracting you from the fact that I'm falling behind again. But hey, I work full time and spend a lot of that time in front of a computer screen so sometimes watching videos and blogging isn't necessarily my priority afterwards. I'm sure it's no skin off Jon's back. 😜

Anyway, show #6 of Bon Jovi's 2022 tour took us to Greenville -- which was actually the scene of the opening show of the This House Is Not For Sale Tour way back in 2017. Gosh, that feels like a lifetime ago.

Here's what happened in 2022...

Greenville, South Carolina, USA - April 11, 2022

Bon Secours Wellness Arena

Limitless
The Radio Saved My Life Tonight
You Give Love a Bad Name
We Weren't Born to Follow
It's My Life
Beautiful Drug
Born to Be My Baby
This House Is Not For Sale
I'll Be There For You
Just Older
Let It Rain
Keep the Faith
American Reckoning - acoustic
We Don't Run - acoustic
Someday I'll Be Saturday Night - acoustic
I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
Lost Highway
Roller Coaster
Wanted Dead or Alive
Have a Nice Day
Livin' on a Prayer

encore:
Who Says You Can't Go Home
Bad Medicine

Selected videos from Greenville

"I'll Be There For You". I mean, the voice is what it is. But the crowd "whoa-oh-ohs" are always cool:

"Keep the Faith". Phil X is fire and hands-down my favourite thing about live performances of this song:

"Born to Be My Baby". Jon can definitely still do his front man thang, I won't deny that:

Feel free to share your thoughts below. 😊

Want to stay connected? You can find us on Facebook @blameitonthelove, Instagram @blameitonthelove and Twitter @bonjoviblog.