When Jon Bon Jovi agreed to let director Gotham Chopra follow him with a documentary camera to delve into the history of his band, Bon Jovi, he didnB次元官网网址檛 anticipate it would catch him at a major low point in his career.
The band was launching a tour, and despite doing all he could do to be vocally ready, the B次元官网网址淟ivinB次元官网网址� on a PrayerB次元官网网址� singer struggled through songs and couldnB次元官网网址檛 hit the notes the way he used to.
Critics noticed and wrote about it. A review from Pioneer Press in St. Paul, Minnesota, said: B次元官网网址淚t felt like he had forgotten how to sing.B次元官网网址�
In a recent interview with The Associated Press, Bon Jovi said the reaction at the time was B次元官网网址渉eartbreaking.B次元官网网址� After exhausting holistic options, he saw a doctor who said one of his vocal cords was atrophying.
B次元官网网址淭his was unique. It wasnB次元官网网址檛 a nodule. The strong (vocal cord) was pushing the weak one around, and suddenly, my inabilities were just exacerbated,B次元官网网址� said Bon Jovi. He underwent major surgery and is still recovering.
B次元官网网址淓very day is sort of like doing curls with weights and just getting them both to be the same size and to function together.B次元官网网址�
This year has been a turning point. In February, he performed for an audience for the first time since his surgery at the MusiCares Person of the Year benefit gala where he was also named Person of The Year. The bandB次元官网网址檚 next album, B次元官网网址淔oreverB次元官网网址� hits stores June 7, and its first single B次元官网网址淟egendaryB次元官网网址� is out now. The four-part, B次元官网网址淭hank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story,B次元官网网址� debuts Friday on Hulu.
In a Q&A, Bon Jovi talks about his voice, his famous hair, the music industry and his work ethic.
Answers have been edited for clarity and brevity.
AP: The work you put in behind-the-scenes is like a quarterback in between football games. Are you still rehearsing at that intensity, and how are you now?
BON JOVI: IB次元官网网址檓 doing great. The record was easy to do. The process has been steady. Would I like it to be a light switch? Yeah. I said to the doctor, B次元官网网址業 want to flip the switch and be done with this.B次元官网网址� ItB次元官网网址檚 just not how it works. Like an athlete coming back from an ACL tear or whatever, it just takes time. The therapy is still intensive and yet IB次元官网网址檓 confident that it gets progressively better.
AP: We learn in the docuseries that your father was a barber. YouB次元官网网址檝e always been known for having good hair, especially in the 1980B次元官网网址檚. Does that come from your dad?
BON JOVI: Not in as much where he sat down and said, B次元官网网址業B次元官网网址檝e got this idea.B次元官网网址� Really, I was a byproduct of what was the 80s. Those were my baby pictures. I love laughing at them. Now, I can jokingly at least say, B次元官网网址楢fter 40 years of a career, I still have all my hair.B次元官网网址� That is a good thing. Genetics works in my favor.
AP: Do you ever think about acting again?
BON JOVI: I do, on occasion. My day job then comes back to get in the way. In truth, IB次元官网网址檝e got a big record coming out, and IB次元官网网址檓 hoping to go out on the road, so I donB次元官网网址檛 have time for it. And I respect the craft far too much to think IB次元官网网址檓 going to walk on a set and hit my marks and call that acting.
AP: Your work ethic stands out in B次元官网网址淭hank You, Goodnight.B次元官网网址� We see in the early days you would sleep at the music studio. Where does that come from?
BON JOVI: If youB次元官网网址檙e not going to be great, the guy thatB次元官网网址檚 coming in tomorrow night is going to be better. This isnB次元官网网址檛 a career that you should take lightly. ThereB次元官网网址檚 a million other young guys that are waiting to take your spot. And there are no guarantees in this businessB次元官网网址ou have to win hearts in order to win peopleB次元官网网址檚 hard-earned dollar. If youB次元官网网址檙e asking them to stay with you for four decades, thatB次元官网网址檚 a task. You better be one of the greats or else good luck.
AP: Richie Sambora is interviewed in the series. The fans love seeing him. Do you think you will ever perform together again?
BON JOVI: We never had a big falling out. He quit 10 years ago. ItB次元官网网址檚 not that weB次元官网网址檙e not in contact or anything like that, but he was choosing to, as a single dad, raise his child. The door is always open if he wants to come up and sing a song. I mean, thereB次元官网网址檚 many of them that we co-wrote together. ThatB次元官网网址檚 a great part of both of our lives. ThereB次元官网网址檚 no animosity here.
AP: A lot of musicians are selling their music catalog. Would you?
BON JOVI: For some, it makes sense because they need to. For some, it makes sense because they want to. I just find (Bon JoviB次元官网网址檚 music) to be my baby, and I have no desire at this juncture in my life to ever even consider it.
AP: YouB次元官网网址檙e one of New JerseyB次元官网网址檚 favorite sons like Bruce Springsteen. ItB次元官网网址檚 a point of pride for New Jersey residents that youB次元官网网址檙e from there, but you moved to Florida?
BON JOVI: Part-time! My license is still New Jersey. I still vote in New Jersey.
AP: The music industry is such a singles market now. Did you ever consider just putting out some new songs and not an entire album?
BON JOVI: See, IB次元官网网址檓 the opposite. I can only put out an album. I do all I know how to do. I have to tell the complete story. It has to be the beginning, a middle and an end because thatB次元官网网址檚 who and what we are.
AP: How do you describe the new album?
BON JOVI: What comes through is joy. My goal with this record was to capture joy which for these last few years has been difficult, whether itB次元官网网址檚 the dark cloud of COVID that the world experienced or my own personal journey. With this record, I think we captured joy.
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