See
their performance on stage
at Live 8 USA & Live 8 UK
Buy
the Live 8
Philadelphia, USA
and London DVD set here
(4
Box set)
Set
list:
Livin'
On a Prayer 4:49
Have a Nice Day 4:49
It's My Life 4:01
Discography:
 |
This
Left Feels Right - Greatest Hits |
Buy
this CD at:
 |
 |
Crossroad |
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this CD at:
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 |
One
Wild Night |
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this CD at:
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 |
Slippery
When Wet |
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this CD at:
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for Bon
Jovi's
full collection:
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Bon Jovi at Live 8
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. 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. 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.
Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi (John Bongiovi) began to play piano and guitar
at thirteen, using Elton John songs. At that same age, Bongiovi founded
his first band, called Raze. 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. They played at New
Jersey clubs, even though they were minors. 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.
By the summer of 1982, out of school and working part-time - including
in a shoe store - Bon Jovi finally got a job at the Power Station Studios,
a New York recording facility where his cousin, Tony Bongiovi, was the
co-owner. Jon made several demos (including one produced by Billy Squier)
and sent them out to many record companies - but failed to make an impact.
At nineteen, Jon Bon Jovi had his first recording experience, singing
the song "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas" by Meco Monardo
and Daniel Oriolo on a Star Wars Christmas album, "Christmas in the
Stars", produced by Tony Bongiovi at the Power Station and released
on the RSO label.
In 1983, a local radio station, WAPT, had a contest to search for the
best unsigned band. Jon Bon Jovi used studio musicians to play on the
track "Runaway" (which was written in 1980). After it won the
contest, it quickly became a popular song in the New York City area in
the summer of 1983. 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).
Jon Bon Jovi desperately needed a band. 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. Jon gave Dave a call, who in turn called Alec John Such and Tico
Torres.
A succession of guitarists (including Dave Sabo, who went on to Skid Row)
followed, until Richie Sambora signed on. Alec talked Jon into letting
Richie show what he could do, and Jon loved it. 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. He also played in the album
"Lessons" with the band Message, that has been recently rereleased
in CD through Long Island Records.
Tico Torres was also an experienced musician by then. He had jammed with
Miles Davis and played live with the Marvelettes and Chuck Berry. 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).
David Bryan was a natural recruit. He had quit the band he and Jon Bon
Jovi founded to go to college, then quit college to go to Juilliard School,
the famous classical music school.
At one show, where they opened for Scandal, the band caught the attention
of record exec Derek Shulman, who signed them to PolyGram.
Bon Jovi's debut album came out on January 21, 1984. The album went gold
(sales of over 500,000) and was also released in the UK. 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).
Bon Jovi's 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. On the tour that followed, Bon Jovi began having vocal difficulties.
The extremely high notes and unrelenting schedule threatened to damage
his voice permanently. With the help of a vocal coach, he made it through
the tour. Bon Jovi has tended to sing slightly lower since then.
Alec John Such left the Bon Jovi band in the early 1990s. While he has
not been officially replaced, Hugh McDonald has handled studio and live
bass duties since then.
Successful albums since then have included "New Jersey " (1988),
"Keep the Faith" (1992), "Cross Road " (1994), "These
Days" (1995), "Crush" (2000), "Bounce" (2002),
"This Left Feels Right " (2003) and "100,000,000 Bon Jovi
Fans Can't Be Wrong... (Box Set)" (2004). The band continues to re-invent
itself, and a new album is due for release in 2005.
After 20 years, and 100,000,000 albums sold, Bon Jovi continues to record
and tour.
This article about Bon Jovi is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation
License. It uses material from this Wikipedia
article.
Side Note: Years after the Live Aid concert, Bob Geldof joined Bon Jovi
on stage at Wembley stadium to do a rendition of "I Don't Like Mondays".
Pictures of the Bon Jovi at Live 8 to follow. Bon
Jovi
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