“It’s heartbreaking that Richie left, and that he did it in that way”: Jon Bon Jovi on Richie Sambora’s Bon Jovi departure
“I miss him personally and creatively,” says Jon Bon Jovi.
Image: Jeff Kravitz / Getty
Bon Jovi have again reflected on Richie Sambora’s sudden exit from the band back in 2013 when they were on tour in Canada.
Sambora left prior to a show in Calgary and was replaced by Phil X, who frontman Jon Bon Jovi says filled “a big fucking void”. The band released their brand new album Forever earlier this June. The record follows on from the release of their Disney+ documentary series, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, in which Sambora’s departure is explored.
Bon Jovi tells Record Collector in its new print issue, “It’s heartbreaking that Richie left, and that he did it in that way. We were shocked. I miss him personally and creatively, in the studio and as an integral part of the band onstage.
“But if you don’t show up for work, your boss is going to say: ‘What the fuck? Get help. And if you don’t want to get help…’ It’s 11 years now. David [Bryan, keys] and Tico [Torres, drums] have seen Richie once and I’ve seen him twice. It’s not like we haven’t tried.”
Bryan maintains that Sambora is a “brother”, and that they would not shut the door on him if he were to choose to come back. For now though, Phil X continues to tackle guitar duties. Torres states, “Phil has found his voice on Forever. That doesn’t happen overnight.”
Bon Jovi adds: “Trying to pretend to be Richie would have been a curse. Phil’s ability to fit in and stand out while he’s doing so is a gift. I won’t ever co-write with Phil but, boy, did he fill a big fucking void.”
Stream Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story on Disney+ now. You can also find out more about the new Bon Jovi album Forever.