Bon Jovi is optimistic in post-9/11 world
Bon Jovi is optimistic in post-9/11 world
Unlike countless '80s rockers, Jersey-based band is relevant
Thursday, March 6, 2003
By DAVID PENCEK
Norwich Bulletin
When Bon Jovi hit MTV in the mid-1980s with its videos "You Give Love
A Bad Name" and "Livin' On A Prayer," it took the hairband scene from
normal popularity to outright dominance. For the rest of the decade,
MTV and radio became flooded with the aerosol-friendly groups.
After the Cinderellas, Whitesnakes, Warrants and Poisons, it's Bon Jovi
who, in 2003, is the one left standing and still making relevant music.
Where other bands vanished almost as quickly as they took the spotlight,
Bon Jovi (now with shorter hair) played concerts to benefit families of
9/11 victims. And they opened and closed this past NFL season with shows
in Times Square and at the Super Bowl respectively. The band still packs
arenas when it hits the road.
"We're still just some guys from Jersey trying to kick ass," drummer
Tico Torres said during a recent phone interview. "We'll give you 150
percent. We're not going to be complacent. This is the best time we've
ever had performing on stage."
The boys from Jersey continue the good times on stage when they visit
the Mohegan Sun Arena today. The sold-out show begins at 8 p.m. with
the Goo Goo Dolls opening.
Torres, singer Jon Bon Jovi, guitarist Richie Sambora and keyboardist
David Bryan have been together for 20 years. Last year, Bon Jovi
released "Bounce," its eighth studio album and 10th overall.
The CD followed the same successful formula as past Bon Jovi records
with upbeat, catchy rock tunes and heartfelt ballads. But some of the
songs were specifically written for the post-9/11 world.
"Undivided," the album's first track, opens with the lyrics "That was
my brother lost in the rubble/That was my sister lost in the crush/That
was our mothers, those were our children/That was our fathers, that was
each of us."
In Middletown, N.J., where Jon Bon Jovi calls home, 37 residents died
in the terrorist attacks.
"Some of the songs like 'Bounce' and 'Everyday' were written with 9/11
connotations," said Torres, who will turn 50 this year and is the oldest
member of the band. "There was a determination of healing and getting on
with life. There's optimism in the lyrics. The album is a collection of
songs from that whole year of feelings that came from September 11."
Optimism seems to be Bon Jovi's trademark, especially when compared to
fellow New Jerseyian Bruce Springsteen, who is known for his hard looks
at society with songs such as "Nebraska," "Badlands" and "Born in the
U.S.A."
From "Livin' On A Prayer" and "Keep The Faith" to "It's My Life" and
"Everyday," Bon Jovi projects a positive working class attitude.
"We're more seasoned now," Torres said. "We've had our growing pains.
It's just like any marriage. We're like a comfortable pair of shoes now.
We enjoy doing it and we'll continue until it's not fun anymore."
While the band is a tight unit, the members of Bon Jovi have been able
to pursue their own individual creative outlets without tearing the group
apart. That's one reason why Bon Jovi has stuck together and is in its
third decade of making music.
In the early '90s, when Bon Jovi was at the peak of its popularity
following the "Slippery When Wet" and "New Jersey" albums, the group
took a hiatus and the members discovered what they could do outside
the band.
Jon's solo album for the "Young Guns II" soundtrack, "Blaze of Glory,"
helped him win a Golden Globe Award. He's also acted in movies and
television, most notably making a guest appearance on "Ally McBeal."
"Probably years ago it was difficult for Jon to deal with (his celebrity
status)," Torres said. "Jon's just a regular guy, but he's also a star.
He can't walk anywhere without people recognizing him. The key is not
to get caught up in it. He's remained down to earth."
Sambora and Bryan also recorded solo albums and Torres found he had
talents as a painter. He also co-founded Rockstarbaby, which is a
company that makes hip clothing for infants. Torres, however, doesn't
have any children.
"I'm glad I found (my art)," said Torres, who lives in Florida. "I
needed something else. We've promoted each other's projects. It's the
healthiest thing we've ever done. It's like finishing school, going
away for summer vacation and coming back. There was a rejuvenation
for us.
"If we were just Bon Jovi, we'd be some boring band from the '80s and
be miserable to work with."
P.S 其實很多團現在也都有在巡迴啊～
Cinderella 去年夏天就幾乎每天都有表演
今年像 Skidrow http://www.skidrow.com/
還有 Poison http://www.poisonweb.com/
也都要開始巡迴了
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