Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Because We Can music video + What About Now sample

The first video for Bon Jovi's latest single Because We Can is out (There will apparently be four videos in total).



Do you like the video? I couldn't work out if I found the closeups and camera angles cool/interesting or disorienting/trippy but I'm intrigued to see the rest of the story.

Meanwhile, a 90 second audio clip of What About Now has been released on the Bon Jovi app.

Monday, January 28, 2013

Bon Jovi augmented reality: Because We Can

Augmented reality has arrived in Jovi Land in the form of a Because We Can heart and dagger animation and sneak peak of the new music video.

  1. Download the Bon Jovi app. You may need to go to your app store (iOS App Store or Google Play) and update it to the latest version.
  2. Open the app and click on the Augmented Reality tab.
  3. Point your smartphone or tablet at the image below (The image is also on Bon Jovi's Facebook and Twitter). It may take a little while to focus but the app should open the animation. Tap on the dagger (You should see a "Tap here" prompt on your screen) to start the music video. Tap on the video to expand the view.


What do you think?

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Bon Jovi debuts new songs live on BBC Radio 2

Bon Jovi played several songs from their upcoming album What About Now for the first time during a BBC Radio 2 show on January 24, 2013. You can listen to the show here (after a news update), including all the stage and audience banter and the technical difficulties just before Livin' on a Prayer.

Here's the set list:
  1. Lost Highway
  2. Because We Can
  3. It's My Life
  4. What About Now
  5. We Got It Going On
  6. Whole Lot of Leavin'
  7. Amen
  8. What's Left of Me
  9. You Give Love a Bad Name
  10. Livin' on a Prayer
  11. We Weren't Born to Follow
  12. That's What the Water Made Me
  13. Who Says You Can't Go Home
  14. Encore:
  15. Army of One
  16. Wanted Dead or Alive
I'm With You was apparently also played given a video of it has surfaced but unless I blacked out somewhere along the way, it wasn't in the broadcast.

Here are videos of the new songs.

I'm With You


Because We Can


What About Now


Amen


What's Left of Me


That's What the Water Made Me


Army of One


Jon Bon Jovi was also interviewed by Jo Whiley before the show:




Thursday, January 24, 2013

What About Now tracklist + Hyde Park show


Photo Credit: Sante D'Orazio

The official tracklist for Bon Jovi's new album What About Now has been released:
  1. Because We Can
  2. I'm With You
  3. What About Now
  4. Pictures of You
  5. Amen
  6. That's What the Water Made Me
  7. What's Left of Me
  8. Army of One
  9. Thick as Thieves
  10. Beautiful World
  11. Room at the End of the World
  12. The Fighter
Not Running Anymore was reportedly going to be on the album as well, so perhaps it will be a bonus track.

EDIT: Yep... According to Universal Music UK, the deluxe edition of What About Now will include four additional tracks:
  1. These Two Hands
  2. Not Running Anymore
  3. Old Habits Die Hard
  4. Every Road Leads Home to You

Meanwhile, Bon Jovi was also the first act announced for the Barclaycard British Summer Time series at London's Hyde Park. Bon Jovi will play on July 5, 2013 with tickets going on sale February 1. You can read more info and watch the press conference here.

All the tour dates so far are on the Bon Jovi website.

Anyone planning to go to Hyde Park?

Sunday, January 20, 2013

John Duddy talks about Because We Can video

As previously mentioned, former boxer John Duddy will star in the music video for Bon Jovi's latest single Because We Can. Here are some more details about the video:
Explaining how the Bon Jovi video came about, John says: “Basically, my boxing manager got a phone call from someone looking for a fighter who could act and he said he knew the perfect guy. After sending them my details and a headshot, they called back straight away. They asked if I could dance and act. That was around 4pm and he called back at 6pm and asked if I could start that Wednesday! It was kinda cool...”

In the Bon Jovi video, Duddy stars as a boxer-turned-soldier who spots the woman of his dreams while in the ring mid-fight - with the distraction leading to a knock out. Thereafter, the pair never chance to meet, despite many efforts, and eventually John’s character gets sent off to war without ever seeing her. In a fitting Bon Jovi ending, the pair reunite at the end, with Duddy’s character sweeps her of her feet.

“We did the video in December and it was like a short film really, one song with four different videos. It was brilliant to be involved with. And I get knocked out in the video too!

What is it about acting,” John laughs, “In my first two acting jobs I got knocked out!”
Check out the full Derry Journal article at this link.

Saturday, January 19, 2013

State College, PA & Buffalo, NY added to Bon Jovi tour

Two new dates have been added to Bon Jovi's Because We Can Tour:
  • Feb 23, 2013 - State College, PA - Bryce Jordan Center
  • Feb 24 - Buffalo, NY - First Niagara Center
Check the Bon Jovi website for more details on all the tour dates so far.

Photobucket

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Will Black covers Because We Can & Livin' on a Prayer

Canadian musician Will Black has posted an unplugged cover Bon Jovi's new single Because We Can:



Do you like this version? How do you think the song stacks up live (albeit acoustic and not performed by Bon Jovi)?

I also posted Will Black's cover of Richie Sambora's Every Road Leads Home to You back in August, so check it out if you haven't already.

And here is a cover of Livin' on a Prayer that Will uploaded about three years ago.

Wednesday, January 9, 2013

#BecauseWeCan - More on the new Bon Jovi song

Not surprisingly, reactions to Bon Jovi's latest single Because We Can have been mixed with some loving it and others tearing it to shreds...


Meanwhile, here's a short video of Jon talking about Because We Can. Although these 55 seconds make it sound like a protest song, which isn't the impression I got from actually listening to the song.


The following lyric video has also been released.

Monday, January 7, 2013

Because We Can: Listen to Bon Jovi's new single!

Bon Jovi's new song Because We Can premiered tonight and is streaming on iHeartRadio:



Because We Can can be downloaded from the iTunes Store now.

What are your first thoughts on the song? And are you now feeling optimistic, pessimistic or neutral about the new album?

My personal thoughts? Well, it's catchy enough and sounds like something that could slot into some current top 40 stations (I'm sure this was intentional) -- assuming such stations played Bon Jovi, which they generally don't, unfortunately. I've enjoyed it on the first few listens but once the novelty wears off, who knows? I also feel there is a real disconnect between the verses (which sound like they are trying to tell an older "Tommy and Gina" story) and the chorus (which sounds like yet another attempt to recapture It's My Life)... Just my opinion though. I'd love to hear yours.

These are the lyrics I heard... Please feel free to correct them:

I don't wanna be another wave in the ocean
I am a rock, not just another grain of sand (that's what I am)
I wanna be the one you run to when you need a shoulder
I ain't a soldier but I'm here to take a stand because we can

She's in the kitchen starin' out the window
So tired of livin' life in black and white
Right now she's missin' those technicolour kisses
When he turns down the lights
But lately he's feelin' like a broken promise
In the mirror starin' down his doubt
There's only one thing in this world that he knows
He said forever and he'll never let her down

I don't wanna be another wave in the ocean
I am a rock, not just another grain of sand (that's right)
I wanna be the one you run to when you need a shoulder
I ain't a soldier but I'm here to take a stand because we can

TV and takeout on a coffee table
Paper dishes, pour a glass of wine
Turn down the sound and move a little closer
And for the moment everything is alright

I don't wanna be another wave in the ocean
I am a rock, not just another grain of sand (that's what I am)
I wanna be the one you run to when you need a shoulder
I ain't a soldier but I'm here to take a stand
Because we can, our love can move a mountain
We can, if you believe in we
We can, just wrap your arms around me
We can, we can

I don't wanna be another wave in the ocean (I don't wanna be)
I am a rock, not just another grain of sand (that's what I am)
I wanna be the one you run to when you need a shoulder
I ain't a soldier but I'm here to take a stand
(I am a, I am a, I am a...)
Because we can

I don't wanna be another wave in the ocean
I am a rock, not just another grain of sand (that's what I am)
I wanna be the one you run to when you need a shoulder
I ain't a soldier but I'm here to take a stand
Because we can (because we can)
Our love can move a mountain
We can, if you believe in we
We can, just wrap your arms around me
We can, we can
Because we can


Retired Irish boxer John Duddy is set to star in the music video for Because We Can.




What About Now comes out on March 26 and will apparently include Jon's Golden Globe-nominated song Not Running Anymore from the Stand Up Guys soundtrack.

Saturday, January 5, 2013

Because We Can: Single drops Jan 7, artwork revealed

Bon Jovi's new song Because We Can hits airwaves on Monday, January 7 and the Bon Jovi app has revealed the artwork for the single.


What do you think of the re-imagining of the heart and dagger?

You can download the Bon Jovi app for free via the Mobile Roadie website or search for it in the iTunes Store or Google Play. There seems to be a real push from the Bon Jovi camp to embrace the mobile trend, and Jon has indicated the app will play a key role in the album cover for What About Now.