Bon Jovi Page 2

Richie Sombora, Bon Jovi's touring guitarist, has been fired from the band's tour over money issues. The band aren't exactly scraping around for money but it has reportedly been decided that Sambora, who has toured with Jon Bon Jovi for 30 years, earns too much and this may have caused a rift within the rock band.

The Band Said 'Have A Nice Day' To Richie Sambora.

Richie was making $2 million a month from the band, according to RumorFix, and took 20% of the profits after each show. He has been replaced by Canadian guitarist, Phil "X" Xenedis who has filled in for Sambora in the past when he was in rehab. After Richie dropped out of the tour this year due to "personal issues," Phil X stepped up for some Bon Jovi axe action. The benefit of having Phil X on tour is that his salary is just $10,000 a month - a 200th of what Richie was on before he left, meaning there's a lot more cash around to be gleaned by rockers Jon, David and Tico.

Continue reading: Bon Jovi Guitarist Richie Sambora Booted Off Tour, For Earning Too Much

Forbes have just released their 100 Most Influential Entertainers list and Oprah has made a comeback as No. 1. True, it might not be a real comeback, considering that she only dropped to No. 2 in the past two years, but this is Oprah Winfrey we’re talking about – the woman never does anything halfway, comebacks included. According to Forbes, Winfrey has had an $88 million drop in earnings between June of last year and June 2013. However, the chart makes it clear that other factors, besides earnings are also taken into consideration when creating the list.

This year Winfrey returnes to her rightful place. 

And while it is unknown exactly what those factors are – marketability, social media presence and entrepreneurial decisions are thought to be among them – Winfrey’s handling of the nosedive her OWN network took in the last two years, as well as her management of the rest of her media empire, including O Magazine, a network on Sirius XM and shows by protégés like Dr Phil means that she once again fits the bill. Winfrey made $77 million last year, down significantly from $165 million for the same period last year. That’s still a lot of money though, even for the entertainment industry, and the media empress is set to increase said profits in the coming year, as her newly rebuilt OWN network is predicted to begin turning a profit by the end of 2013. This year, OWN has undergone a complete overhaul, cutting out unprofitable project and replacing them with original programming, created by Winfrey herself with the help of Tyler Perry – another Forbes 100 staple.

Continue reading: Oprah Winfrey Rules Over A Female Dominated Forbes 100 Most Influential List

Say what you want about Bon Jovi’s music but you can’t deny that this is a pretty nice touch from one of the biggest rock bands in the world. The rockers, led by the perma-permed Jon Bon Jovi are currently on tour in Europe and are set to play in cash-strapped Spain next month. Spain is currently one of the many countries in the midst of the Eurozone crisis to the extent that there have been worries that fans wouldn’t be able to afford tickets to the Bon Jovi show – indeed, the Spanish capital of Madrid had been left off the original tour schedule altogether over fears that it might not sell out.

However a show was eventually announced and the band revealed that tickets were to be sold from the unusually cheap price of £15. Those seats  have now since sold out, but in another financial-aiding twist, the band have also revealed that they’ll be waiving the fee for the show, effectively playing to Madrid for free.

The gig takes place on June 27^th, and we have to say here at Contact that it’s hugely refreshing to see a band of Bon Jovi’s stature take an awareness in the economic situation, and a sharp contrast to the money-grabbing veterans Rolling Stones, who suffered indignity of having to lower their prices at a recent Los Angeles gig because they were deemed too expensive by fans and subsequently sold slowly.

Continue reading: 'Livin' On A Prayer'... Or Nothing At All! Bon Jovi To Play Spanish Gig For Free

Rock legend Jon Bon Jovi has admitted that there is always the ''temptation'' to cheat on his wife, Dorothea. The couple have four children together - Stephanie, 19, Jesse James, 18, Jacob, 11, and Romeo, nine - yet Dorothea insists that Bon Jovi hasn't been a ''perfect'' husband over the past 24 year, however he has been faithful to her.

Related: Bon Jovi Record Highest Earning World Tour Of 2013

Bon Jovi explains: ''I have a wife who I adore, without her the cards would crumble. Every day there's temptation. I don't go looking for it either. Am I perfect? No. But do I aspire to finding a mistress somewhere? I really don't.'' Last November, Bon Jovi's eldest daughter, Stephanie, was discovered in her university dorm after having passed out from a heroin overdose. Bon Jovi attributes the problem to the ''pressure'' her generation is under.

Continue reading: Jon Bon Jovi Talks About The Temptation To Cheat On His Wife

He’s Jon Bon Jovi’s trusted lieutenant, a guitarist who can claim almost as much credit for one of the commercially successful heavy rock bands of all time as its bouffant haired front man. Richie Sambora has a pretty justified reputation as being one of rock’s good guys, with not just his solid playing for Bon Jovi, but also the countless good deeds he’s done for charities around the globe, including Dream Street, The Steve Young Forever Young Foundation and Michael J Fox’s Parkinson’s disease foundation; his commitment to those he supports has been with awards and rightly so. He’s a force for good.

Yet sadly Sambora also has another side, one weak to the dangerous advances of alcohol and drugs. Sambora is thankfully aware enough fellow to check these problems in when they become too much, having checked into rehab twice in both 2007 and 2011. Unfortunately though the guitarist seems to suffer from a problem that won’t go away.

"Due to personal issues, Richie Sambora will not be performing on this upcoming leg. All shows will go on as scheduled," said a statement on the band's website on Wednesday, tersely. There were no details on why he’d left Bon Jovi’s current tour, though some sources have suggested a tension between him and his front man. Hopefully it isn’t down to a relapse, you really hope that it isn’t. It’s believed that Jon Bon Jovi has constantly belittled Sambora, whose so far dutifully kept up with him, but perhaps things have gotten to a head. Yahoo has reported there could be money issues between the pair as well, although both have been coy on the exact reasoning.

Continue reading: Is This The End For Richie Sambora And Bon Jovi?

Bon Jovi fans will no doubt have been waiting with heightened anticipation for the band to embark upon their world tour. They will, of course, have been eagerly awaiting news of what songs the band will play from their back catalogue, what kind of shape they’ll be in, musically, even what the band will be wearing and what merchandise they’ll have on sale. One thing they will not have been expecting to be greeted by the sight of a Bon Jovi with a missing Richie Sambora.

The band have issued a very brief statement on their website however, revealing that Sambora will not be performing on “this upcoming leg” of the tour. They did not detail exactly which dates will see the guitarist absent from the line-up and nor were the personal issues expanded on. In the past, LA Times reports, Sambora has been ‘side-lined’ from the band because of issues that he’s had in the past, including painkiller addiction and DUI arrests. Last year, Sambora released his own album Aftermath of the Lowdown.

At last night’s show in Calgary (April 2, 2013), the band’s singer Jon Bon Jovi told the crowd “I had two choices - pack up and go home or give you everything I got .... Richie Sambora won't be performing for a while. If there's ever a night I need you, it's tonight, Calgary!" 

Continue reading: Personal Issues: Bon Jovi Guitarist Richie Sambora Pulls Out Of Tour

Bon Jovi, one of the biggest rock bands of all time, have managed to continue their enormous success 19 years on from the release of their first self titled album. Since the single 'Because We Can' hit internet music stores on January 7th, it has reached the top spot in 12 countries. Now they have released the music video for the song, and have unveiled details of their hotly anticipated new album.

The new album will be called What About Now with an official release date of March 26th. However, there will be a pre-sale launch on February 12th. For any eager fans willing to pre-order the album, they will instantly get a copy of the title track. The album release isn't the only exciting aspect of Bon Jovi's three pronged approach to their new music. Today they have released a video for their single 'Because We Can', which was directed by Fisher Stevens (watch below), plus they have created a mobile app to add to your Bon Jovi experience.

The app enables the user to point the phone at any kind of Bon Jovi artwork for the new music such as on posters, on singles, cover art or in magazines, and the phone will bring it to life into moving 3D animation.

Continue reading: 'What About Now': New Bon Jovi Album Details Released And Video For 'Because We Can' (Video)

Bon Jovi are the first headline band to be announced for a new, ambitious 10 day event to be held in London’s Hyde Park this summer. NME revealed that the US rockers will be headlining one of those dates, which will take place across two weekends, from June 28, 2013 – July 7, 2013. There will be six concerts taking place in that time, on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday of each weekend. The event will be known as the Barclaycard British Summer Time.

The event is being planned by AEG Live, who won the contract to organise concerts in Hyde Park after complaints were made about Live Nation’s concerts there last year. The park will reportedly be divided into four themed areas, which AEG revealed would feature “specially designed installations and entertainment, high quality restaurants, bespoke salons, pubs, cocktail bars, cafes, bistros and independent food stalls.” The site will also host its own microbrewery, which will sell a range of alcoholic drinks across the site. Last year, the 80s themed Hit Factory event in Hyde Park was cancelled because heavy rain, combined with toll that previous events had taken on the ground, left the venue unusable.

Live Nation have since taken on the tender for arranging events in the Olympic Stadium. AEG’s event director was unconcerned when asked how he expected his company’s event to compare to the Olympic stadium gigs, saying “"We have the biggest rock band in the world sitting next to us so I think it compares pretty well.” To confirm, Jon Bovi were the band sat next to him. We’re not convinced by the ‘biggest band in the world’ thing. 

Continue reading: Barclaycard British Summer Time: Bon Jovi To Headline 10 Day Event In London's Hyde Park

Wednesday night, 12-12-12, saw some of America's biggest and most loved stars come together for an evening of performances in order to raise money for Hurricane Sandy. 

The six-hour long concert raised money for the Robin Hood Relief Fund - a charity dedicated to addressing the long-term needs of Hurricane Sandy victims. And with ticket sales alone amounting to something near $35 million, it will certainly provide relief for those still suffering the effects of the unprecedented East-coast storm. "We will make sure that that money goes out right away to the most affected (places) in New York City, New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut," David Saltzman, the organization's executive director, told the AP. "The money that we raised from this concert will be distributed in the days, weeks and months, not years." A lot of the performers wore grey and black out of respect, and were continually imploring viewers at home to pick up the phone or go online to donate anything they could afford. 

Richie Sambora of Bon Jovi said his family his still affected by the storm. "I had to hold back the tears really," he said about visiting the devastation in New Jersey, according to The Huffington Post. "My mom's house (in Point Pleasant, N.J.) got trashed. They had to evacuate her. She's living with me until we fix it up."

Continue reading: 12-12-12 Sandy Concert - The Money's Still Being Counted

Bon Jovi have added the Isle of Wight Festival to next year’s string of tour dates. the New Jersey band have been booked to close out the festival on the Sunday night, on the main stage. Now, if you don’t know much about music festivals, this is probably a good time to point out that the last night of the festival is the one that everyone remembers. Partly because they’ve run out of money, alcohol and drugs, of course, but also, partly because promoters will quite often choose the most exciting bad they can possibly afford, to close out the final night.

The promoter of the Isle of Wight Festival, John Giddings, reportedly said: "I can't imagine a better rock band with more hits to close our Sunday night." Sorry… but we’ve been having a little chat here at Contact and we can think of MANY better rock bands to headline the Isle of Wight Festival. And we were only really thinking about it for a few minutes. They might not have ‘more’ hits but they’ll almost definitely have ‘more listenable ones.’ It’ll be interesting to see how the promoters build Sunday’s bill around Bon Jovi’s headline slot. Perhaps they’ll get Def Leppard up there, too, or Europe, perhaps? Europe could play ‘the Final Countdown,’ as the countdown to Bon Jovi’s headline slot, perhaps?

The Stone Roses were recently confirmed as the Friday night headliners for the festival; it will be interesting to see how quickly tickets start to fly for this one. It’s going to be Bon Jovi’s only UK festival date of 2013, on June 16 and tickets will go one sale at 9am tomorrow (November 28, 2012).

Jon Bon Jovi’s world almost came crashing down on him last week after his daughter Stephanie Bongiovi was hospitalized following a heroin overdose; one of the biggest rockers in the world, the incident has nevertheless stopped the Bon Jovi in his tracks, and he opened up to Fox about the ordeal. (Stephanie was hospitalized on November 14).

"It's human," Bon Jovi, 50, said stoically. "What I do for a living seems glitzy and glamorous but if you don't take it too seriously it's a great way to make a living. And then life goes on. Things happen. This tragedy was something that I had to face too. So we'll get through it." There have been an abundance of well-wishers in the wake of the incident, and he was quick to thank them too, saying "People's warm wishes for my family and I have been really reassuring," he said. "So, we're good."

The incident itself saw the 19 year-old Bongiovi collapse in her dorm room in Hamilton College, New York. She was rushed to hospital and treated and luckily survived. However, that led to a search of her room which found a small amount of heroin as well as marijuana and other drug paraphernalia. Initially arrested alongside her friend Ian S. Grant on drug possession charges, she was freed after a court exempted the charges on account that Grant sought help for Bongiovi to help her survive the overdose.

Jon Bon Jovi has broken his silence on his daughter Stephanie's recent heroin overdose and subsequent arrest. The 19-year-old was rushed to hospital in New York last week, with police finding a small amount of heroin and marijuana in her dorm room.

In a new interview with Fox 11's Courtney Friel, Bon Jovi talked for the first time about the incident, saying, "What I do for a living seems glitzy and glamorous but if you don't take it too seriously it's a great way to make a living.And then life goes on. Things happen." He added, "This tragedy was something that I had to face too so we'll get through it. And people's warm wishes for my family and I have been really reassuring. So, we're good."

Stephanie is the eldest of four children the singer has with wife Dorothea Hurley. She was initially ordered to appear in court for the drug possession, though police took a liberal stance on the matter and opted to drop the charges, citing a new governmental scheme that encourages people to call for help immediately in the result of a drug overdose. 

Continue reading: Jon Bon Jovi On Daughter's Overdose: We'll Get Through This Tragedy

Jon Bon Jovi has spoken candidly about his teenage daughter’s recent heroin overdose, saying that he is grateful for he support that has been offered to his family and assured everyone that they’ll “get through it.” 19 year-old Stephanie Bongiovi is reported to have overdosed on heroin last week in her college dorm room at Hamilton College, Clinton, New York. She was subsequently arrested but was released without charge, thanks to a New York law that prevents someone from being prosecuted for possession of drugs, if they have overdosed.

In an interview with Fox 11’s Courtney Friel, Bon Jovi spoke of the experience and said “This tragedy was something that I had to face too so we'll get through it. And people's warm wishes for my family and I have been really reassuring. So, we're good.” He also explained “It’s human. What I do for a living seems glitzy and glamorous but if you don't take it too seriously it's a great way to make a living. And then life goes on. Things happen.” Courtney then commented “it’s nice to see that celebrities are just real people with real problems.

Jon Bon Jovi recently announced that his band, Bon Jovi, would tour in 2013. They’ll be selling tickets at “recession-friendly” prices, a stark contrast to the Rolling Stones, whose 50th anniversary concert tickets were going for up to £400 in the original sale.

Bon Jovi's nice ticket prices are a breath of fresh air for the fiscally challenged. The legendary rocker has offered fans of his the chance to see him at knock down prices, unlike some other returning rockers whom shall remain nameless. 

"Jon is very savvy," says Randy Phillips, president/CEO of AEG Live, promoter of the tour, according to USA Today. "He's using the highest 10% of the house to finance the rest of the house. It's almost similar to President Obama wanting to raise the upper tax rate. He's an artist who's fully in control of his own business and who understands the business. He told me he wanted to make sure there was something for everyone." Seemingly moved by the plight of Hurricane Sandy victims in his home state, Bon Jovi left his promotional tour in Europe and flew home to work in a soup kitchen, Phillips says. "He's been a huge lobbyist for New Jersey," Phillips says. "Because he's so socially active, he never lost touch with what his fans feel and are going through. He does not want to play in an arena full of rich people. Doing things like this is why this band still matters."

Tickets are offered at seven price levels (plus service charges): $19.50, $29.50, $49.50, $59.50, $99.50, $125 and $185, plus extravagant VIP packages bundled with such extras as meet-and-greets, parking, dinner and merchandise.

Jon Bon Jovi's daughter Stephanie Bongiovi was arrested at Hamilton College on Wednesday (November 14, 2012) after a suspected heroin overdose. Though details are sketchy, the New York Post report that an ambulance was dispatched to the dorm of Ms Bongiovi, 19, and that cops recovered small amounts of heroin and marijuana.

The rocker's daughter was initially unresponsive when paramedics arrived, though she was rushed to a local hospital and is expected to be released after making a full recovery. Nasty business indeed, though it got worse for the family after Stephanie was booked for seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, fourth degree criminal possession of marijuana, criminally using drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of marijuana. A man found in her room, Ian Grant, was also charged with possession. Hamilton College say they're helping a police investigation and hinted that both students will face disciplinary action. "In addition to violating state law, the actions alleged to have been committed by the students violate Hamilton College policy.The college is cooperating with the police investigation. Our first concern is always for the safety of our students.Out of respect for the privacy of our students and in accordance with federal regulations, we do not discuss individual health or disciplinary matters." Stephanie and father Jon are understood to enjoy a close relationship, with the veteran rocker once telling Redbook magazine, "My daughter was instant-messaging one of her friends, and man, it looked like it was in code! So I ask her, 'What does that mean?' She said, 'Do you really want to know? It means: Dad looking over shoulder. Gotta go,"

Though both Stephanie and friend Ian are due to appear in front of a judge in the near future, the latter was praised by the New York State Director of Drug and Policy Alliance Gabriel Sayegh, who wrote on The Huffington Post, "unlike Ian Grant, most people don't call for help when witnessing an overdose. Why? Studies show that fear of arrest and stigma of drug use keeps people from calling 911. In short, most people don't call 911 because they're afraid of getting a ride in the back of a cop car instead of an ambulance."

Continue reading: Jon Bon Jovi Daughter's Arrested At Hamilton College, But Did She Overdose?

Bon Jovi's Daughter has been arrested on drug possession charges after a possible heroin overdose in her college dorm room in Upstate New York, People reports. 

Police have said that Stephanie Rose Bongiovi, a student a Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., was unresponsive when they entered the scene. She was expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday. "In addition to violating state law, the actions alleged to have been committed by the students violate Hamilton College policy," the college says in a statement to WKTV. "The college is cooperating with the police investigation. Our first concern is always for the safety of our students. Out of respect for the privacy of our students and in accordance with federal regulations we do not discuss individual health or disciplinary matters." A dorm search by police turned up a small amount of heroin, which lead to the subsequent arrest of fellow student, Ian S. Grant, 21, who, like Bongiovi, is from Red Bank, N.J. A later search of the dorm also turned up additional heroin, marijuana and drug paraphernalia, say police. 

As of yet no further information has been offered to the health of the 19-year old, but if the reports are true, and she has indeed faced issues with abuse, we hope she gains a full and healthy recovery foremost. 

Jon Bon Jovi’s daughter arrested after allegedly overdosing on heroin at an upstate New York college, The New York Daily news reports.

"She was unresponsive when we arrived," Investigator Peter Cania told the Daily News, after Town of Kirkland Police responded to a 911 call early Wednesday at a doom room at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., where Stephanie Rose Bongiovi attends school. Bongiovi - Bon Jovi's only daughter and the oldest of his four children - was rushed to the hospital. Thereafter, police found heroin and more evidence of drug use in the dorm after obtaining a search warrant. Kirkland Police said two students from the college were arrested; Ian S. Grant, 21, of Red Bank, New Jersey, was charged with seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. He was processed at the Kirkland Police Station and then released back to Hamilton College. He will appear in the Town of Kirkland Court at a later date. The Kirkland Police said they then contacted the Oneida County Drug Enforcement Task Force to continue the investigation.

Stephanie Rose Bongiovi is the 19-year-old daughter of rock icon Jon Bon Jovi and his wife Dorthea Hurley. The couple also share three sons, Jesse James Louis (born 19 February 1995), Jacob Hurley (born 7 May 2002) and Romeo Jon (29 March 2004).

The Dave Matthews Band have pledged to donate $1 million to help those affected by Superstorm Sandy. Fox News have reported that the band, originally from Charlottesville, Virginia made the announcement today (Wednesday November 14, 2012) on their website, revealing that the opening date of their winter tour will be a benefit show and all ticket and merchandise sales will go to the Bama Works Sandy Relief Fund, which was established at the Community Foundation of New York.

When the storm hit the East Coast of the USA just over two weeks, it caused devastation and widespread damage. There were power outages in New Jersey and New York and the clean-up operation continues to try to get communities back to their former state. The band’s show at the Izod Center in New Jersey on November 30, will benefit the Bama Works fund.

The Dave Matthews Band aren’t the only high profile artist to help with the relief effort following the storm. NBC hosted hosted a telethon concert, featuring some of the world’s best-love musicians, including Bruce Springsteen, Christina Aguilera, Billy Joel, Bon Jovi and Sting. Christina Aguilera performed a moving rendition of her hit song ‘Beautiful,’ which became one of the highlights of the concert.

Christina Aguilera opened the highly publicised charity telethon, "Hurricane Sandy: Come Together", in aid of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy. It was a fitting role for the singer and 'The Voice' coach, as she was born and raised on Staten Island, which is one of the areas most affected by the enormous storm.

"I was born in Staten Island" she began, addressing the crowd. "We are here for you. We will do whatever we can to help. We will not leave any one of you behind, because every single one of you matters." She then broke into a heart wrenching rendition of 'Beautiful'. Other acts that followed included Bon Jovi, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and Aerosmith. "Today" hody Matt Lauer said that it was easy to get everyone on board, mostly requiring "one phone call". 

CBS news reports some very generous commercial donations already pledged, including $1m from the CBS themselves, $2m from Disney, and a further $1m from News Corp. Celebrities all over the US are tweeting support for the telethon, particularly the Jersey Shore stars who found their own fame in New Jersey. Before taking to the stage, Christina left a tweet, saying "Sending my love and support to everyone on the east coast who's been affected. Thinking of u all. XoXtina"