Bon Jovi 30th anniversary interview with Runaway co-writer

Bon Jovi's self-titled debut album was released 30 years ago this week. The Wire celebrated by interviewing songwriter George Karak, who co-wrote "Runaway" -- the song that eventually earned a young John Bongiovi a record deal and became Bon Jovi's first single.

"I was playing at a club called the Fast Lane in Asbury Park, and Jon [then John Francis Bongiovi, Jr] played on and off there also," Karak said. "I think I was opening up for [1970s and '80s rock band] Mink DeVille, and Jon was in the audience. He walked up to me after the set and basically said, 'I really like the way you write original music. Do you want to write some songs together?' I said, 'Sure, why not?'"
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"'Runaway' was actually written in Jon's living room in Sayreville, New Jersey," Karak recalled. "I went to his house, I met his parents, I had spaghetti dinners with him. He's been to my house; we wrote songs at my place." They were never really close friends, Karak clarified. But not long after, "he calls me up and he says, 'George, hey, meet me for a drink at the Trade Winds. I got a record deal.'"

Read the full article here.

Jon and George also wrote a song called Talkin' In Your Sleep, which was later released by Jon's cousin Tony on The Power Station Years.
John Bongiovi / Bon Jovi - Talking in Your Sleep