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Over the weekend, former Bon Jovi<\/a> guitarist Richie Sambora<\/a>\u00a0made numerous social media posts (while engaging with fans) regarding his role in the band and<\/em> why his former bandmate and collaborator \u2013 Jon Bon Jovi<\/a> \u2013 is responsible for his solo career struggles.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot<\/em> to unpack, but Sambora\u2019s clarifications and accusations on X seemed to begin on Jan. 27, \u00a0when he responded to someone claiming that he struggled to remember all the lyrics for George Harrison\u2019s \u201cHere Comes the Sun\u201d before he and Jon Bon Jovi played it at the 2001 VH1 Music Awards.<\/p>\n \u201cSorry guys that\u2019s simply untrue,\u201d he began<\/a>. \u201cI played that song every nite in the clubs in my acoustic set since i was 18. JB would come and watch. Refer to Access all Area\u2019s. It was ready for him to sing when he walked in. I demo\u2019ed it for him..there has been a lot of info that has been inaccurate.. i have refrained to reply to.\u201d<\/p>\n Two days later, Sambora shared his \u201cdemo for the arrangement,\u201d elaborating:<\/p>\n This was my demo of the arrangement. I believe it was Nov. 29, 2001. I later added a Chello. No big deal. Jon was busy with something that afternoon, it was in my set nightly. RS and friends. I also suggested that we could play acoustically on the MTV awards that evening. It went down surprisingly iconic. Unplugged was born. Ta dah\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n He also retweeted several supportive tweets from fans, and on Jan. 30, he answered someone who mentioned checking out his solo work by explaining:<\/p>\n People still have no idea I sing write lyrics produce records.. I decided to let the music talk.. not such a bright idea. Most BJ fans didn\u2019t give my voice a chance. It reflects in sales. I\u2019ve accepted it. Of corse Jon and corporate killed my records to get me back to the mother ship\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Shortly thereafter, someone accused him acting immaturely with that statement, to which Sambora responded:<\/p>\n Please don\u2019t call me a child. I was there, and once again it\u2019s the truth . Of corse there were and are my solo fans. They were great shows because of the fan interaction. I ain\u2019t complaining at all .. I\u2019m eternally grateful. And me I had the most fun. I love my fans. Bj and RS alike. You can be as rude and crass as you like. You just showed the world how adolescent you are. you think I\u2019d bust my ass makin those records and be on the road for 40 years to not appriciate and leave my soul on that stage every nite?? I clear that up for ya?<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n The same day, another<\/em> user on X commented: \u201cSorry but you can\u2019t blame Jon for poor sales,\u201d prompting Sambora to clarify:<\/p>\n I don\u2019t. Jon wanted me in the band back then\u00a0 and corporate wanted me back cause we sold a lot more as a band then either of us did separately.. so I was able to be in one of the biggest bands in the world and make the records I wanted to also. I\u2019ve would have liked to have more time to develop my solo stuff, but my instinct , brains and god told me from the inside the music I made with BJ would have a chance to reach more people. And thank you for being nice enough to insult me. The truth perspective wise is supposed to start healthy debate not start arguments. So I\u2019m zipping it. All my answers won\u2019t be. You may go back to guessing\u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Another person entered the conversation by saying: \u201cRichie you don\u2019t have to give explanations to these people. Think of us who love you so much. Save your energy for yourself, for Ava [Sambora\u2019s daughter], and for your music. I adore you!\u201d<\/p>\n In turn, Sambora retweeted it and said: \u201cThanks girl, I\u2019m shutting up. I\u2019ll let my music do the takin\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n The supportive conversations continued on Jan. 30 with Sambora thanking someone for reassuring him: \u201cAs long as your happy putting out your music who cares if it sells big or not …im a guitar player and if Ritchie isn\u2019t playing why would I go or listen to Bon Jovi when he\u2019s a huge part of the sound guitar and singing.\u201d<\/p>\n The person also said, \u201cRip to your mom\u2026\u201d in reference to Sambora\u2019s mother, Joan, passing away earlier this month<\/a>.<\/p>\n Another fan championed how essential Sambora and Bon Jovi\u2019s chemistry was to the band\u2019s success, to which Sambora added:<\/p>\n Yes I know did these fans ever think the Jon didn\u2019t want me around? I\u2019d been saying yes for 2 years. And I was committed.. I love my fans. To me there are no sides. Spent 32 years in that band. There were talks about the future. Then crickets for 15 months.. shows booked. ???<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n One person asked about the pair’s \u201cbig falling out\u201d (and Sambora\u2019s departure) in 2013 being the result of Sambora not being able to \u201ctour and promote [Sambora\u2019s third studio LP] \u2018Aftermath of the Lowdown\u2019 in \u201912\u201d so that he could \u201cfocus entirely on the garbage that is WAN [What About Now<\/em>].\u201d<\/p>\n Sambora replied:<\/p>\n I did tour.. Europe, Japan , Korea, Australia, S America, the promoter messed up America, so I did some lecture acoustic gigs.. came back and Jon and shanks said they didn\u2019t need my writing, they had it done. In the documentary. Did Theater dates and festivals with Aerosmith and Queen, Jimmy Barnes. Orianthi was with me. Great time and my musicians that played on Aftermath..while I worked Jon and shanks wrote. Cut that shit out of the documentary..<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Later that day, a different fan said, \u201cWe are on your side Richie\u201d and that he was \u201calways the heart and soul of [Bon Jovi], the best voice in the band, and an awesome guitar player. Bon Jovi is not Bon Jovi without you. . . . I know it hurts cause they were your \u2018friends.\u2019 You deserve better, you worked so hard for so many years with them.\u201d<\/p>\n Sambora cleared the air further: \u201cNo dear , no sides\u2026 I worked hard every time I played, from weddings bowling alleys, pubs clubs to stadiums. Trying to to keep learning still\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n Regarding someone comparing Sambora\u2019s claims to \u201cMichael Anthony telling David Lee Roth, Sammy Hagar, and Eddie and Alex Van Halen that they all held him back,\u201d Sambora snapped back:<\/p>\n Sorry pal , once again, every relationship in any walk of life is different from each other and can get very complicated. You my man are taking an uneducated guess.. have you been in a mega successful band? As the music buissness changed under your feet? Do you know these guys or me ? And the nuance of my life?did you know my mom died a few days ago? And on and on\u2026I ain\u2019t judging you. If you were a Bon Jovi fan you were a fan of mine. Because I was obviously an intricle piece of 32 years of planetary success. Facts are facts my man. We all get there different ways.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Yesterday (Jan. 31), Sambora posted an update, too:<\/p>\n Hey everyone, before I hit the sack I\u2019d like to thank everyone for cheering me on me up yesterday..my mom passed a few days back and it was fun to talk with ya\u2019ll. Someone said I was airing grievances, no grief except my mom, another said I was jealous, and angry, oh and old. None of that happening here. I apologize if I pissed someone off, the questions came from my fans and the answers were all public knowledge. Someone called me a nazi!\u00a0 Wow..that\u2019s new. Touchy..nite.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n Of course, there\u2019ve been many other supportive and critical responses to what Sambora said over the weekend, with him also clarifying at one point<\/a>: \u201cYa know I\u2019m really enjoying this conversation with my fans. Good or bad it\u2019s good to communicate.\u201d<\/p>\n As of this writing, neither Bon Jovi the band nor Bon Jovi the person have responded to Sambora.<\/p>\n READ MORE: <\/strong>The Best Rock Song of Each Year Since 1970<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p>\n Sambora replaced original Bon Jovi lead guitarist Dave Sabo<\/a> (who went on to form Skid Row<\/a>) in 1983, and he contributed to the instrumentation, vocals and\/or songwriting of every LP from 1984\u2019s Bon Jovi<\/em> to 2013\u2019s What About Now<\/em>. As such, he\u2019s partially responsible for hits such as \u201cRunaway,\u201d \u201cYou Give Love a Band Name,\u201d \u201cLivin\u2019 on a Prayer,\u201d \u201cWanted Dead or Alive,\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s My Life\u201d and \u201cBecause We Can.\u201d<\/p>\n Sambora left Bon Jovi in mid-2013<\/a> (during the Because We Can tour), with no confirmed reason given at the time. In 2014, Sambora told Lust for Life<\/em> magazine [translated by NJ.com<\/a>]:<\/p>\n There’s no bad blood with me any more. I love Jon, and I still see the possibility of a return. There are just a few steps I want to \u2014 need to \u2014 take. I wanted to make my own music and I preferred doing a few shows with my own band. I said I wanted a break. . . . The Bon Jovi machine had to go on. I could choose \u2014 join or leave. That’s hard when you share joys and sorrows for 30 years.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In 2018, Sambora joined Bon Jovi to perform at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame<\/a>, and in 2023, Sambora said that he\u2019d spoken to Jon Bon Jovi about a reunion<\/a>. He\u2019s also admitted that he wishes he\u2019d quit Bon Jovi sooner<\/a>, and as of early 2024, Jon Bon Jovi specified that he\u2019s \u201cnot in contact\u201d with Sambora<\/a>.<\/p>\n As for Sambora\u2019s solo career, he\u2019s put out three LPs so far: 1991\u2019s Stranger in This Town<\/em>, 1998\u2019s Undiscovered Soul<\/em> and 2012\u2019s Aftermath of the Lowdown<\/em>. To Sambora\u2019s point, they weren\u2019t exactly huge albums (although Undiscovered Soul<\/em> peaked at No. 1 on the UK Rock & Metal Albums chart).<\/p>\n He\u2019s since worked on other projects.<\/p>\n Loudwire recently crowned 1986\u2019s Slippery When Wet<\/em> Bon Jovi\u2019s best album<\/a> and <\/em>the best hair metal album of 1986<\/a>. Similarly, \u201cYou Give Love a Bad Name\u201d was chosen as the best song of that year<\/a>, and \u201cBed of Roses\u201d (from 1992\u2019s Keeping the Faith<\/em>) was declared Bon Jovi\u2019s best ballad<\/a>.<\/p>\n How do you<\/em> feel about Sambora\u2019s statements? Let us know!<\/p>\n These bands from the ‘me’ decade certainly had something for lots of you.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n Gallery Credit: Chad Childers, Loudwire<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nWhat Did Richie Sambora Say?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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More About Sambora\u2019s Time in Bon Jovi + Solo Career<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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