"I was competing with myself" — Bon Jovi regrets not enjoying his success more as he felt the responsibility to keep the band together

Singer Jon Bon Jovi, in an interview on June 7, 2024, with The Guardian, spoke about not enjoying his success for a long time as he had the responsibility of keeping his band together. The interview comes ahead of the release of his new album, Forever.

The lead singer of the popular rock band Bon Jovi revealed that he was "competing" against his own self for a long time during the peak years of his success. He said:

“I was competing with myself for a long period of time. Now absolutely where I want to be. I used to want to seize the day – now I just want to embrace the day.”

The singer also shared details about the early years of his musical career and his humble beginnings. He recalled the time after the release of his band's album Slippery When Wet in 1986, which would go on to become a classic. Jovi said:

“It changed people around us more than it changed us. Suddenly people who we would usually ask for advice were now asking us for advice. But for me when everything relies on me singing, I’m going to have to go to bed earlier than the others. I wish I had enjoyed the success more, but somebody has to be the quarterback of the team to keep the band together.”

The band's 16th studio album, Forever, was released on Friday, June 7, and it marks the band's return to music after four years. The album peaked at No. 19 in the Billboard Hot 200 upon release. The album also marks the return of Bon Jovi after a crucial vocal cord surgery in 2022.

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Jon Bon Jovi opens up about the early years of his musical career

Disney+ Hosts the UK Premiere of "Thank You & Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story" (Image via Getty)

Jon Bon Jovi revealed that he had a "typical middle-class upbringing", being born to a florist father and a mother who was part of the Marines. He also mentioned that he was "dumb enough" to believe that he would become a rock’n’roll star when he received his first guitar as a Christmas present at the age of 13.

Jovi revealed that despite having a humble beginning, he was able to make it big after being inspired by another New Jersey musician, Bruce Springsteen in 1978.

"I first went to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band in 1978. They were 30 miles south of my bedroom, writing songs about the places that I lived. And unlike the people on the posters on my wall – Led Zeppelin and Queen and Elton John – you could walk into a bar in New Jersey and run into Bruce or one of the band.”

In January 1980, Jovi was performing at a venue in Asbury Park alongside his then band, Atlantic City Expressway. The singer was performing Bruce Springsteen's The Promised Land when his idol joined him on stage. Jovi recalled the incident with fondness in his Guardian interview:

“That was magical. Remember: I am going back to high school the next day.”

In the same year, Jovi took a job at a Power Station recording studio in New York, his role requiring him to run errands. Bon Jovi watched legends like Mick Jagger, Dire Straits and Diana Ross recording at the station.

When it was not in use, he used the studio to record his own music, including his iconic hit song, Runaway, the singer revealed in his interview. The singer said:

“It was gonna happen. I would’ve recorded Runaway somewhere else [if he had not got the job at the recording station]. I had the song. There was no question, not even a moment of doubt. None.”

The rock band Bon Jovi released two moderately successful albums before their breathrough hit, Slippery When Wet in 1986. The album included hits like Give Love a Bad Name, Wanted Dead Or Alive and Livin’ On a Prayer.

The singer revealed that although the release of Slippery When Wet established him in the New York rock scenario, he was unable to face one of that generation's iconic musicians, Frank Sinatra. Recalling his nervousness, Jon Bon Jovi said:

"That is one of my few regrets in life. I had numerous chances but I wasn’t emotionally ready. I didn’t know enough about all the aspects of who he was and how so many of those aspects influenced things that I did in my life.”

The singer revealed that he could not always enjoy his success as he had the responsibility to keep the band together. However, speaking with Guardian, Bon Jovi recalled an incident where he met a young fan at a gas station by the Grand Canyon. He said:

“I remember pulling into a gas station by the Grand Canyon and there was a kid who had one of our T-shirts on. I was like, hey. And he was like, hey. He didn’t recognise me. I took off my helmet and pulled out my licence. I guess I didn’t look very good that day.”

Apart from his idols, Jon Bon Jovi also credited his wife, Dorothea, for his success. The couple is celebrating 35 years of their marriage this year.

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Jon Bon Jovi speaks about his vocal cord surgery amid the release of his sixteenth studio album

Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi went through a crucial vocal cord surgery in 2022 after the release of the band's last album in 2020. In an interview with EW on June 6, 2024, Jovi recalled that time in his life. He revealed:

"I went into this surgery and I had a lot of time on my hands — all I could really do was sit around and start to think about songs."

Jon Bon Jovi credited this time to have helped him come up with the songs in his latest album, Forever. He continued:

"I started to feel joy again. And we — the collective we, who lived through COVID — we’d all come out of that fog, and we were interacting again. There was a new appreciation for life. And I was having this new appreciation for my body. And it led to all these songs.”

Forever consists of twelve tracks which were reportedly recorded within seven weeks. Apart from Jon Bon Jovi, the album features all other members of the band. This includes keyboardist David Bryan, bassist Hugh McDonald, guitarist Phil X, drummer Tico Torres, percussionist Everett Bradley, and rhythm guitarist John Shanks.