Bon Jovi (7 page)

Song lyrics handwritten by Jon Bon Jovi, photographed August 2009.
Mark “WEISSGUY” Weiss/www.markweiss.com

Sanctuary Sound II, Middletown, NJ, April 2009.
Phil Griffin (2009)

Sanctuary Sound II, Middletown, NJ, April 2009.
Phil Griffin (2009)

Sanctuary Sound II, Middletown, NJ, April 2009.
Phil Griffin (2009)

RICHIE:
Everything we wrote about came from someplace real. The
Lost Highway
album represented what I was going through in my life, with substance abuse and emotions caused by my divorce and my father dying. It was cathartic. It’s impossible, as an artist, for those feelings and emotions not to come through in your songs.

“Whole Lot Of Leavin’” was a song I didn’t write, and Jon was still writing about me, I believe. I’m sure some of it was what was going on in his own life at the time.

When the fans get beneath the lyrics and read between the lines, they can feel that. A lot of fans have attached themselves to particular songs because they embrace the underlying meanings.

Sanctuary Sound II, Middletown, NJ, April 2009.
Phil Griffin (2009)

TICO

Lost Highway
tour, XCEL Energy Center, St. Paul, MN, March 2008.
Phil Griffin

M
y musical journey has encompassed my life for over forty years. My creed, right from the beginning, was (and is) to communicate and speak through my instrument and keep myself open to all emotions and interaction.

Since the band got together twenty-five years ago, I believe the key to our longevity has been the common goal of pushing ourselves past our creative limits, not only in the studio but in our live performances. The key factor is our respect for each other’s ability to push the envelope, individually and as a group.

It’s been comforting to me to have my bandmates as friends and brothers during tough personal times and to share all our achievements together.

We are as good as our last record. That being said, we have never sat back on our accomplishments. Instead we strive to explore the unknown, yet always remember where we came from. Sure, we’ve weathered some tough storms but they only made us stronger. Music is full of wonderful accidents that will always take you to higher levels of creativity and success. That can continue forever, if we don’t get in its way…

Simplicity is genius for us kids, and I never want to grow up.

—Tico

Lost Highway
tour, soundcheck, Madison Square Garden, New York, NY, July 14, 2008.
Phil Griffin

Lost Highway
tour, Punchestown Racecourse, Dublin, Ireland, June 7, 2008.
Phil Griffin

Sanctuary Sound II, Middletown, NJ, April 2009.
Phil Griffin (2009)

Sanctuary Sound II, Middletown, NJ, April 2009.
Phil Griffin (2009)

Sanctuary Sound II, Middletown, NJ, April 2009.
Phil Griffin (2009)