Bon Jovi

After 20 years, and 100,000,000 albums sold, Bon Jovi continues to record and tour. As of March 12, however, no release had yet been announced. The band continues to re-invent itself, and a new album is due for release in spring 2005. In December 2004, she wrote a Christmas letter to her fans announcing an album release in 2005; additionally, unsubstantiated reports have stated that the album might be released as early as March. Successful albums since then have included "New Jersey" (1988), "Keep the Faith" (1992), "Crossroads" (1994), "These Days" (1995), "Crush" (2000), "Bounce" (2002), "This Left Feels Right" (2003) and "100,000,000 Fans Can't Be Wrong" (2004). She was reportedly recording tracks as recently as November 2003 at Abbey Road Studios, but as of fall 2004 no release date for a new album had been announced, more than a decade after her last recordings were released. While he has not been officially replaced, Hugh McDonald has handled studio and live bass duties since then. She has confirmed that she is at work on a new album, with the title of one track "How to be Invisible" having been discussed on at least one of her fan Web sites.

Alec John Such left the band in the early 1990s. In 1999, she gave birth to a baby boy, Bertie, fathered by guitarist Danny MacIntosh. Jon has tended to sing slightly lower since then. There were also unconfirmed reports that she had suffered a nervous breakdown. With the help of a vocal coach, he made it through the tour. Bush dropped out of the public eye in the late 1990s, though her name occasionally cropped up in the media in connection with rumours of a new album release. The extreme high notes and unrelenting schedule threatened to damage his voice permanently. In 1993, Bush directed and starred in the short film, The Line, The Cross and The Curve, a musical co-starring Miranda Richardson and featuring music from Bush's album The Red Shoes which was inspired by the classic movie The Red Shoes.

On the tour that followed, Jon began having vocal difficulties. It was this benefit that was recorded and is the only record of Bush's live performance. Their third album, Slippery When Wet, shot the band to superstar status around the world with hits such as "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' On A Prayer", and "Wanted Dead or Alive". The album has sold in excess of twelve million copies since its release in late 1986. Bush held a benefit concert on 12 May, with Peter Gabriel and Steve Harley at London’s Hammersmith Odeon for his family. The guys found themselves opening for ZZ Top at the Madison Square Garden (before their first album had been released), Scorpions and KISS (in Europe). A number of reasons have been suggested as to why she abandoned touring, among them her reputed need to be in total control of the final product, which is incompatible with live stage performance, a rumour of a crippling fear of flying, and the suggestion that the death of 21 year old Bill Duffield, severely affected her. Duffield, her lighting director, was killed in an accident during her April 20 concert at The London Palladium when he fell twenty feet through an open trap door on the stage. The album went gold (sales of over 500,000) and was also released in the UK. Bush's only tour took place in early 1979 (April 3 - May 10 see details below), after which she gave only the occasional live performance.

The debut album came out on January 21, 1984. A wide diversity of respected artists have worked with her on some of her more recent albums ranging from the rock guitarist Jeff Beck, the legendary guitarist Ian Bairnson, jazz/rock drummer Stuart Elliot, the classical guitarist John Williams, the folk artists The Trio Bulgarka, and Prince. At one show, where they opened for Scandal, the band caught the attention of record exec Derek Shulman, who signed them to PolyGram. She has appeared in duets with Midge Ure, Big Country and others on their albums. He had quit the band he and Jon founded to go to college, then quit college to go to Juilliard School, the famous classical music school. Harper is another frequent collaborator, appearing on her song Breathing and her on his albums HQ and Once (both also featuring Gilmour). David Bryan was a natural recruit. Their duet of Roy Harper's Another Day was discussed for release as a single, but this never came to pass.

He had played on about 26 records and had just recorded his third album with Frankie and the Knockouts (a Jersey band with hit singles in the early 1980s). She has worked with Peter Gabriel on two of his albums, most notably on the hits Games Without Frontiers and Don't Give Up, (the latter a duet); and his appearance on her 1979 television special. He had jammed with Miles Davis and played live with the Marvelettes and Chuck Berry. Gurdjieff in Them Heavy People. Tico Torres was also an experienced musician by then. I. He also played in the album "Lessons" with the band Message, that has been recently rereleased in CD through Long Island Records. Her lyrics are highly literate and reference a wide array of subject matter, often relatively obscure, such as Wilhelm Reich in Cloudbusting, or G.

Before joining Bon Jovi, Richie had toured with Joe Cocker, played with a group called Mercy and had just been called up to audition for KISS. Kate Bush has tackled sensitive and taboo subjects long before it has become fashionable to do so; Kashka From Baghdad is a song about a gay male couple; Breathing explores the results of nuclear fallout. Alec talked Jon into letting Richie show what he could do, and Jon loved it. The unapologetic use of her voice as an instrument to convey a broad range of emotional intensity and subtlety is one thing that characterizes nearly all that she does. A succession of guitarists (including Dave Sabo, who went on to Skid Row) followed, until Richie Sambora signed on. It has been observed that even the more joyous of the pieces is often tinged with traces of melancholy, and even the most sorrowful have elements of a unique vitality struggling against all that would oppress it. Jon gave Dave a call, who in turn called Alec John Such and Tico Torres. More than one reviewer has used the term surreal to describe much of her music, for many of the songs have a melodramatic emotional and musical surrealism that defies easy categorization.

The members of Bon Jovi had crossed paths in these early days, but the current lineup didn't come together until March of 1983 after "Runaway" which hit No.39 on the singles chart. Even in her earliest works where the piano was a primary instrument, she wove together many diverse influences, melding classical music, rock, and a wide range of ethnic and folk sources, to produce a uniquely impressive amalgalm, and this has continued throughout her career. Jon desperately needed a band. Suede front-man Brett Anderson has stated that Wuthering Heights was the first single he ever bought. The studio musicians who helped Jon to record "Runaway" were known as "The All Star Review" and they were Tim Pierce (guitar), Roy Bittan (keyboards), Frankie LaRocka (drums) and Hugh McDonald (bass). Even the iconoclastic punk rocker John Lydon (Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols) has declared her work to be "fucking brilliant" and has labelled her "a true original". After it won the contest, it quickly became a popular song in the New York City area in the summer of 1983. Though many outside of Europe remain unfamiliar with her work and its profound intensity, others in her profession are willing to declare her works as those of great genius.

Jon used studio musicians to play on the track "Runaway" (which was written in 1980). The trip hop artist Tricky has stated her work has been a significant influence on him and that she should be treasured more than the Beatles. In 1983, a local radio station, WAPT, had a contest to search for the best unsigned band. While her range of styles does not appeal to everyone, Bush is nevertheless widely respected by many musicians, and has been noted as an influence and inspiration by artists as diverse as Jewel, Tori Amos, Björk, Suede, Paula Cole, Sinéad O'Connor, Pat Benatar, Happy Rhodes, The Utah Saints, Big Boi of OutKast and others. At nineteen, Jon had his first recording experience, singing the song "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas" on a Star Wars Christmas album, "Christmas With the Stars", with music by John Williams, produced by Tony Bongiovi at the Power Station and released on the RSO label. They have since worked together on occasional projects and in concert. Jon made several demos (including one produced by Billy Squier) and sent them out to many record companies - but failed to make an impact. David Gilmour of Pink Floyd was largely responsible for bringing her to prominence, funding her first demo sessions and attracting the interest of the Floyd's record company, EMI.

By the summer of 1982, out of school and working part-time - including in a shoe store - Jon finally got a job at the Power Station Studios, a New York recording facility where his cousin, Tony Bongiovi, was the co-owner. Kate Bush (born Catherine Bush on July 30, 1958 in Bexleyheath, Kent, England) is a British singer-songwriter who has acquired a large number of extremely devoted fans since her debut in 1978 with the surprise hit "Wuthering Heights," which was number 1 in the British music charts for 4 weeks. Still in his teens, Jon played in the band Jon Bon Jovi and the Wild Ones, playing New Jersey clubs like the Fast Lane and opening for known acts in the area. Recorded as Live at the Hammersmith Odeon. They played at New Jersey clubs, even though they were minors. Hammersmith Odeon, London, UK (May 12) Benefit concert. At 16 Jon met David Bryan (David Bryan Rashbaum) in high school (Sayreville War Memorial High School ) and founded an R&B cover band with him named Atlantic City Expressway. Jarhunderthalle, Frankfurt, Germany (10 May).

At that same age, Bongiovi founded his first band, called Raze. Rosengarten, Mannheim, Germany (8 May). Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi (John Bongiovi) began to play piano and guitar at thirteen, using Elton John songs. Theatre de Champs Elysees, Paris, France (6 May). It has been a band which inspired lots of today's bands, and also created the "Unplugged" style of performing on a MTV award show. Guerzenich, Cologne, Germany (4 May). Bon Jovi have sometimes been classified as Hair metal - sometimes even regarded as the form's prime shapers - but have proved much more durable than most groups so labeled. Circuskrone, Munich, Germany (3 May).

Bon Jovi is a rock band from New Jersey, USA that sold more than 100 million albums in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s and played live concerts in major cities in Asia, Europe, Australia, Canada and South America, in addition to a large number of cities in the USA. Leiderhalle, Stuttgart, Germany (2 May). 2003 "All About Lovin' You" #9 UK, #31 AU. Carré Theatre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (29 April). 2002 "Misunderstood" #21 UK, #33 AU. Congress Centrum, Hamburg, Germany (28 April). 2002 "Everyday" #5 UK, #5 AU. Falkoneer Theatre, Copenhagen, Denmark (26 April).

2001 "One Wild Night" #10 UK, #35 AU. Concert House, Stockholm, Sweden (24 April). 2000 "Thank You for Loving Me" #12 UK, #34 AU. The Palladium, London, UK (16 April - 20 April). 2000 "Say It Isn't So" #10 UK, #9 AU. Usher Hall, Edinburgh, UK (13 April). 2000 "It's My Life" #33 US, #3 UK, #5 AU. Empire Theatre, Sunderland, UK (12 April).

1999 "Real Life" #21 UK, #52 AU. Apollo Theatre, Manchester, UK (11 April). 1996 "Hey God" #13 UK. Apollo Theatre, Manchester, UK (10 April). 1996 "These Days" #7 UK, #38 AU. Hippodrome, Bristol, UK (9 April). 1995 "Lie to Me" #10 UK, #20 AU. Gaumont Southampton, UK (7 April).

1995 "Something for the Pain" #8 UK, #14 AU. New Theatre Oxford, UK (6 April). 1995 "This Ain't a Love Song" #14 US, #6 UK, #4 AU. Hippodrome, Birmingham, UK (5 April). 1995 "Someday I'll Be Saturday Night" #7 UK, #10 AU. Hippodrome, Birmingham, UK (4 April). 1994 "Please Come Home for Christmas" #7 UK. Empire, Liverpool, UK (3 April).

1994 "Always" #4 US, #2 UK, #2 AU. On Stage - 4 Live Tracks ( EP ) (1979). 1994 "Dry County" #9 UK, #31 AU. Live at the Hammersmith Odeon (1989). 1993 "I Believe" #11 UK, #40 AU. The Line, the Cross and the Curve (1994). 1993 "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" #17 UK, #24 AU. The Sensual World (1989).

1993 "In These Arms" #27 US, #9 UK, #10 AU. The Whole Story (1986). 1993 "Bed of Roses" #10 US, #13 UK, #10 AU. Hair of the Hound (1986). 1992 "Keep the Faith" #28 US, #5 UK, #10 AU. The Single File (1983). 1989 "Living in Sin" #9 US, #35 UK. Live at the Hammersmith Odeon (1981).

1989 "Lay Your Hands on Me" #7 US, #18 UK, #23 AU. This Woman's Work 1978-1990 (1990, rereleased in 1998) (a boxed set of her six albums to date, also including two discs of rare b-sides). 1989 "I'll Be There for You" #1 US, #18 UK, #23 AU. The Whole Story (1986) (includes a new rendition of "Wuthering Heights"). 1988 "Born to Be My Baby" #3 US, #22 UK, #30 AU. Title TBA (tentative release 2005) - in December 2004 Bush annnounced a new album was planned for 2005 release. 1988 "Bad Medicine" #1 US, #17 UK, #15 AU. The Red Shoes (1993).

1987 "Never Say Goodbye" #21 UK. The Sensual World (1989). 1987 "Wanted Dead or Alive" #7 US, #13 UK. Hounds of Love (1985). 1986 "Livin' on a Prayer" #1 US, #4 UK. The Dreaming (1982). 1986 "You Give Love a Bad Name" #1 US, #14 UK. Never For Ever (1980).

1984 "Runaway" #39 US. Lionheart (1978). 100 Million Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong (Box Set) (Nov 2004). The Kick Inside (1977). This Left Feels Right (2003); #14 US, #4 UK. Bounce (October 2002); #2 US, #2 UK, US sales: 500,000.

One Wild Night Live 1985-2001 (May 2001); #20 US, #2 UK. Crush (June 2000); #9 US, #1 UK, US sales: 2,000,000. These Days (July 1995); #9 US, #1 UK, US sales: 1,000,000. Crossroad (October 1994); #8 US, #1 UK, US sales: 4,000,000.

Keep the Faith (November 1992); #5 US, #1 UK, US sales: 2,000,000. New Jersey (September 1988); #1 US, #1 UK, US sales: 7,000,000. Slippery When Wet (August 1986); #1 US, #6 UK, US sales: 12,000,000. 7800 Fahrenheit (April 1985); #37 US, #28 UK, US sales: 1,000,000.

Bon Jovi (January 1984); #43 US, US sales: 2,000,000. David Bryan - keyboards. Tico Torres - drums. Richie Sambora - lead guitar.

Jon Bon Jovi - vocals/guitar.