Jon Bon Jovi: “Great songs get better with collaborations”
As already announced, the next one October 24 will be published a new version of Bon Jovi’s latest album, “Forever” (here is our interview and here is the review), which will include the songs from the album rerecorded with guests of the caliber of Bruce Springsteen and more, plus two additional new songs.
During a recent appearance on “The Rich Eisen Show”, frontman Jon Bon Jovi spoke about his band’s decision to re-release the songs from their recent studio work under a new guise and collected in the publication “Forever (Legendary Edition)”. Beyond Springsteen, guest on the already released single “Hollow man”the new edition of “Forever” will include collaborations with – among others – Jelly Roll in “Living proof”, Jason Isbell in “Waves” and Avril Lavigne in “Living in Paradise.” There are also among the guests James Bay, Robbie Williams, Ryan Tedder, The War and Treaty, Joe Elliott of Def Leppard, Lainey Wilson and Marcus King.
Anticipating the release, Jon then said:
“When we released the ‘Forever’ album last year, I had hopes that I would be cured – everyone knows I had throat surgery. But I wasn’t at my level yet. That’s why there wasn’t a tour to support ‘Forever’. But I love this album, and it was so well received that I called some friends and said, ‘Look, this album deserves a second chance.’ So I asked, from Bruce to Jelly Roll, from young to old, from country to rock, women and men, to sing a verse, to participate in an album of collaborations, so to speak. I also wrote a couple of new songs, including ‘Red, white and jersey’, which is the new single. So we’re rereleasing the album. And great songs become even better with these collaborations.
Having Bruce officially sing with me for the first time on a song like ‘Hollow man’ was very well received. It’s fantastic. It’s simply a way to bring the album back, tell the world that I’m finally okay and get back to work.”
When asked to tell his story first meeting with Bruce SpringsteenJon narrated: “Oh my God, in the late 1970s. The first time I played in a cover band, it was 1978. We played a lot of rhythm & blues, we were a sort of ‘Muppets’ version of the Asbury Jukes. I had five horn players in the group. I was a minor, I played in bars, I was 17 years old.
And one night, knowing he was always around, I turn to the microphone on stage and… boom, he’s on stage with us. We sang together. So the next day, returning to school, the teacher asks the class: ‘What did you do last night?’: ‘I sang with Bruce down in Asbury’. The Asbury Jukes and the E Street Band all came from there, and there was a good chance of finding them in the bars where they played. It was lucky to have your heroes so close.”
About what he meant when he said that Bruce was like a big brother for him, Jon then explained: “Throughout my career we have always looked up to the E Street Band and the Asbury Jukes. Southside Johnny produced some of my very first demos. As I was saying, I’ve known Bruce since high schooland there has always been that relationship made up of thumbs up, nods of understanding, a hamburger every now and then.
But as the years went by, as we both got older, we happen to go on these hundred mile journeys together with no radio, no phones, no one around. And then we can talk like two wiser menwho have seen a lot. Every now and then, he too needs someone to talk to“.
