Bon Jovi
Contents |
Introduction
Bon Jovi is a Rockband from New Jersey (USA). Since 2003 the band exists 20 years and has sold more than 100,000,000(!) albums. The band started to make music in the style of Hair-Metal, but since the 90s they've changed to kind of mainstream rock. A big part of Bon Jovis success is Desmond Childs work, who composed some of their most famous songs like Livin' on a Prayer, Keep the Faith, This ain't a Love Song and You Give Love a Bad Name.
History and Evolution
The beginnings
After Jon Bon Jovi has composed and recorded a song called „Runaway“ that won the first prize in a radio talent show and gave him a record deal, he founded together with David Bryan in 1983 the band Bon Jovi. The other members were Richie Sambora, Alec John Such and Tico Torres. The record of runaway, which is played with session-musician (Keyboarder Roy Bittan, bass: Hug McDonald, guitar: Tim Pierce) was re-published on the first album of Bon Jovi and turned out to become an international hit. As they placed as a supporting act for „Scandal“, Bon Jovi was detected by Derek Shulman. As a result, PolyGram offered a record deal to Jon Bon Jovi – and only him – the other members of his band were only „workers“. The debut album „Bon Jovi“ appeared the 21st january 1984. In the same year they played as opening acts for big stars like the Scorpions or KISS. After their 2nd album called 7800° Fahrenheit was not that successful, their 3rd album called „Slippery When Wet“ made the big, worldwide breakthrough. On this album you can find hits like Livin' on a Prayer, You Give Love a Bad Name and Wanted Dead or Alive. After an huges world tour, in 1988 the fourth album called „New Jersey“ popped out. It's named after their hometown. The tour to promote the album ran up until february 1990. During this period of time their manager Doc McGhee was kicked out, because he was doing drugs. Bon Jovi is the inventor of the MTV-Unplugges performances. It started with the fact, that Jon Bon Jovi and Samboard played – with two accoustic guitars – Wanted Dead or Alive and Livin' on a Prayer at the MTV Music Award 1989. In the same stlye, other famous artists played also unplugges like Nirvana, Bryan Adams, Eric Clapton and „Die Toten Hosen“ (in germany very popular).
Musical break & solo career
As Jon Bon Jovi got an offer to create the soundtrack to the film „Young Guns II“ he started to create his first solo album, called „Blaze of Glory“. As guests he could win Jeff Becker (guitar), Little Richard and Elton John. The title song was nominated for an Oscard (best filmmusic) and was honored with a Golden Globe. Sambora also tried to start a solo career and published in 1991 his first solo album called „Stranger in This Town“. Keyboarder David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres played here, still. As special guest, he could „win“ Eric Clapton. Though, the album didn't sell good, and as a result, the tour had to be canceld, partwise.
The 90s
In november 92 the 5th album with the name „Keep the Faith“ appeared. Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora were friends again and had started to compose songs together. But, whatever, the album sold not very well, for Bon Jovi-use. In America, the album stood „only“ one week in the top-ten. On the other hand, in europe the album was very popular. 1994 the best-of album „Crossroads“ appeared. Beneath the greatest hits you can find two new songs here called SomedayI'll be Saturday Night and Always. This album was sold – US wide – more than 4million times. In the UK it won 5x platin-award. Such left the band in 1994, and although he was never replaced officially, since his leave, Hugh McDonalds does his tasks. In june 1995 the 6th studio album called „These Days“ appeared. The following year, the band started and Europe and Japan tour. After this tour, Jon Bon Jovi recorded his second solo album called „Destination Anywhere“ (1997) and tried to start a career as actor. In the same time, Sambora became father, and worked also on his second solo album „Undiscovered Soul“ (1998). The drummer, Torres worked as a painter and had a relationship with the model Eva Herzigova. The comeback of the band was thought to happen in 1999. But it had to wait. In the first comeback year, only a single called „Real Life“ was published to not to insist in rumors they would solve them again. The next studioalbum appeard in mai 2000....
Crush – Lost Highway
The 8th studioalbum was planned to be named „Sex sells“ but this was changed and it appeared as „Crush“. Sex Sells, was the name of a song, Bon Jovi wrote already 1998 but in the afterwards, the song didnt make it even on the album. The first single that was taken from this album called „It's my Life“ turned out to be the most successful single in the band history and the album itself is one of the best-sold albums in the year 2000 with more than 11,000,000 copies! With this album the success – in the USA, their home – came back. Two gigs in Wembley in 2000 were the last concerts in the location, because the following day, the stadion was destroyed. The first gig in the new Wembley Stadtion was wanted to be played also by Bon Jovi, but because the Stadion wasnt finished fast enough, the concerts for 10+11. june 2006 took place in The National Nowl in Milton Keynes.
2001 they published their first life album called „One Wild Night“. It was a compilation of live-recordings from 1985 up to 2000.
In autumn 2002 the next studio album appeared; „Bounce“. The album was very inspired by the tragedy of 9/11. Even it started nearly everywhere in the world from zero to one, it couldnt be as successful as Crush – still it was sold more than 5,000,000 times.
After a accoustic, unplugged studio disc, with singer Olivia d'Abo to the 20th jubilary of Bon Jovi appeared an 4CD-Box called 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't be wrong together with a DVD. The cover and the name was a joke, because Elvis Presley had published an album called „50.000.000 Elvis Fans can't Be wrong – Elvis' Gold Records Vol. 2“. On this CD (by Bon Jovi) you can find 12 rare tracks and 38 up to this point of time not published songs from the band.
On the 19. septembre 2005 the album called Have a Nice Day appeared. The theme was, that Bon Jovi has supported John Kerry in the elections and the album was a sign of anger that he lost the elections. The single and title song Have a Nice Day came up from zero to one and was sold 2,7million times in 12 weeks. So today, Bon Jovi has sold more than 120million albums all over the world (without soloablums and singleS). At the 2nd november 2005 the Have-a-Nice-Day-world-tour started in the USA. Every of their 56 shows were sold out. On the 8th of June 2007 another album appeared, that was called Lost Highway. It was a big success, too, and reached #1 in the charts of many countries.
Discocraphy
Studio albums
1984 Bon Jovi
1985 7800° Fahrenheit
1986 Slippery When Wet
1988 New Jersey
1992 Keep the Faith
1994 Cross Road – The Best Of
1995 These Days
2000 Crush
2001 One Wild Night Live 1985–2001
2002 Bounce
2003 Left Feels Right
2004 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong
2005 Have a Nice Day
2007 Lost Highway
2008 Lost Highway: The Concert
Singles
"Runaway"
· "She Don't Know Me"
· "In and Out of Love"
· "The Hardest Part Is the Night"
· "Only Lonely"
· "Silent Night"
· "You Give Love a Bad Name"
"Livin' on a Prayer" ·
"Wanted Dead or Alive"
· "Never Say Goodbye" ·
"Bad Medicine" ·
"Born to Be My Baby" ·
"I'll Be There for You"
· "Lay Your Hands on Me"
· "Living in Sin"
· "Keep the Faith"
· "Bed of Roses"
· "In These Arms"
· "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" ·
"I Believe"
· "Dry County"
· "Always"
· "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night" ·
"This Ain't a Love Song"
· "Something for the Pain" ·
"Lie to Me"
· "These Days" ·
"Hey God"
· "Real Life" ·
"It's My Life"
· "Say It Isn't So" ·
"Thank You for Loving Me"
· "One Wild Night" ·
"Everyday" ·
"Misunderstood"
· "All About Lovin' You"
"Bounce"
· "Have a Nice Day" ·
"Who Says You Can't Go Home" ·
"Welcome to Wherever You Are" ·
"(You Want to) Make a Memory" ·
"Lost Highway" ·
"Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore"
· "Summertime" ·
"Whole Lot of Leavin'"
