Fan backlash rocks Bon Jovi

Obie recently confirmed there would be a guitar solo on the album version of "We Weren't Born to Follow". It followed some rather lively discussion among fans about the lack of a solo after Jon's shout of "Guitar!". Rafael, teenage fan in Brazil even came up with his own pretty cool solo.

So I found this article on MusicRadar rather interesting. It's an interview with Richie about the new album.

"When I recorded the solo to that song, I played a very melodic, kind of Beatles-esque break. That was the mood I was in. As soon as the song got leaked to radio, people went crazy, sending e-mails and Twittering and everything: 'We love the song, but what's with that solo? We want a rippin', burnin' Richie Sambora solo.

"So I said to Jon, 'Hey, do you want me to change it? We got time. And John was like, 'Sure. Go lay down another solo and we'll drop it in the song on the album.' So that's what I did - I cut it yesterday, in fact. It's a monster."

But does the guitarist mind having fans, in effect, 'produce' part of a song? "Nah!" he says, with a laugh. "When I played sessions, it was all about serving the song. Sometimes you have to test things out and see what works. I'm totally cool about the whole thing. And I guarantee that when people hear the new solo, they'll be stoked. Ask and you shall receive."

Wow. Maybe the band does take a break from the ivory towers to listen to fans once in a while. :P

So in case they (or their people) happen to be reading this blog right now, and haven't visited www.bonjovi-live.com since the tour dates posted up there were revealed as a hoax, Seb has posted some tour requests and a promise there.

Seb has pledged to donate $100 to Habitat for Humanity if Bon Jovi plays "In & Out of Love" in Holland on the upcoming tour and an extra $5 if it's played anywhere else. He also says he will donate $10 for every These Days song played at a show he attends. You can read his open letter in its entirety here.