Jon Bon Jovi: “In 11 years I spoke to Richie Sambora twice”

In a recent interview, Jon Bon Jovi once again spoke about a possible return to the Bon Jovi of the historic guitarist Richie Samboraout of the group for over a decade.

In a chat with “Classic Rock”, the frontman of the “Livin' on a prayer” band revealed that he had only spoken to his former bandmate twice since the latter left the US band mid-tour in 2013, and said a reunion with him is not on the cards.

Regarding Sambora's sudden decision to leave Bon Jovi before a show in Calgary, Canada, on April 3, 2013, the band's frontman said: “It was a shock. Nobody saw it coming, nobody expected it. I spoke to him the day before, I remember it very well. It was Easter Sunday 2013 and I was driving through the Lincoln Tunnel talking to him, because I lived in New York, and I was like, 'I'm doing great, the 'What About Now' album is from number one to number. See you there.” Jon Bon Jovi continued his story: “He texted me back and asked, 'Can I stay home one more day?' 'Certain. Do you want to take a private flight tomorrow? Safe. Just do it. See you there,' I told him. And then the next day the phone rings at three in the afternoon and he says, 'I can't go on.'”

On some considerations by Richie Sambora, according to which his exit from the group was partly due to the feeling that the band was becoming a bit “stale”, the Bon Jovi frontman added: “I didn't think so, none of us he thought so. I personally thought everything was going incredibly well. And there was never a mention of that between us, or in the writing, or in the recording, or during the first 20 shows of that tour.”

In addition to admitting that he is still “heartbroken” by Sambora's decision, Jon Bon Jovi later explained: “In the last eleven years I've only spoken to him twice. He left the group. I swear to God he's not there There was never a fight or a fight between us. He wasn't kicked out. And he never made any big suggestions about his possible return.”

Interviewed by Rockol for the release of the new album due out in June “Forever” and on the docu-series for the forty years of his band, “Thank you, goodnight: the Bon Jovi story”, on Richie Sambora Jon Bon Jovi had said: “It's important that he was also in front of the camera to tell his story.

There were no problems, neither on his part nor on our part. I want to be clear once again, for the umpteenth time: there was never an argument, there was never any hostility. He had some issues, both with substance abuse and anxiety and with being a single father, plus many issues that led him to leave the band. But when he left, the band moved on.” And again: “And it's been 11 years since he decided that he didn't want to do it anymore. Even though we are all heartbroken, whether it's the fans or us in the band, it was a choice. But there is no less love for him, because he is no longer here. Everyone featured in this four-part docu-series are those who have contributed along our journey and brought us to where we are today. And so we appreciate everything and everyone who brought us here today. And we wish everyone, everywhere, this wish. Now I say, 'If you ever want to perform with the band, come along.' With us there are John Shanks and Phil

Tico Torres added: “Richie is a brother. He has been with us since the beginning. And life sometimes gets in the way: situations happen. I'm happy that he gave his contribution. He was part of this and between us there was never an argument or anything like that or anything bad. It's just that life gets in the way, and that's okay. I'm happy he got to tell his side of the story and what happened. It's like he's still a brother to us. We grew up together the same way Alec John Such was, even though he's up there.”