I'm about a week late posting this, as I've been busy and in a different time zone, though I did listen to it when it came out... "it" being "Living Proof" by Bon Jovi featuring Jelly Roll.
Check out the new "Living Proof" lyric video:
The original "Living Proof" was released as a single with very little fanfare in May 2024 and never got a music video. Maybe this version could have served as a hard relaunch that attracted Jelly Roll's fans, except... the dude's barely on it, lol.
Bruce Springsteen and The War and Treaty added something interesting to their versions of "Hollow Man" and "The People's House" respectively. Jelly Roll's inclusion on "Living Proof" seems pointless, like he was some rando who got handed a mic at a karaoke night and sang a verse then left. I'm not particularly well versed on Jelly Roll's music, but I'm sure he could have contributed something more than that.
Anyway, I have no real problems with the track, but I can't hear any good reason to listen to this one instead of the original (or neither if you didn't care for "Living Proof" in the first place)... your mileage may vary, of course.
Bon Jovi released Forever a little over a year ago -- and on October 24, they'll be releasing it again, this time as a collection of duets with one brand new song.
Here's the official music video for that new track -- "Red, White and Jersey":
I like it... it's nothing groundbreaking, just catchy and inoffensive, and feels similar to "Legendary" really... except for this line that made my ears perk up:
"It ain't no surprise that your blue eyes still feel like home to me / we'll always be red, white and Jersey"
If I'm not mistaken, Dorothea, aka Jon's high school sweetheart and wife of over three decades, has brown/hazel eyes. You know who else Jon has known and chased dreams with since they were teenagers... and has blue eyes? David Bryan.
"Red, White and Jersey" is a love letter to our favourite keyboard player and you will not convince me otherwise.
(Yes, I realise the lyrics could also just be a work of fiction, but don't ruin my dreams, okay? 🤣 )
The other song that has dropped is "Hollow Man", now featuring Bruce Springsteen. Here's the official lyric video:
Plenty of folks didn't really care for the original, but I don't mind these sorts of songs, and they suit current day Jon. Plus, I love me some Springsteen... I've had the privilege of seeing him live nine times and they've all been brilliant shows.
Maybe it's because I was revisiting Bruce's Nebraska album recently, but as soon as the harmonica kicked in on "Hollow Man", I knew this track would be elevated by his contribution. Bruce's harmonies blend beautifully with Jon's vocals, and the song just feels deeper with the two of them on it together. Though I do note with amusement that the Boss left the "masturbate" line solely to Jon.
The track list for Forever (Legendary Edition) is:
Red, White and Jersey
Legendary - with James Bay
We Made It Look Easy - with Robbie Williams
Living Proof - with Jelly Roll
Waves - with Jason Isbell
Seeds - with Ryan Tedder
Kiss the Bride - with Billy Falcon
The People's House - with The War & Treaty
Walls of Jericho - with Joe Elliott
I Wrote You a Song - with Lainey Wilson
Living in Paradise - with Avril Lavigne
My First Guitar - with Marcus King
Hollow Man - with Bruce Springsteen
We Made It Look Easy / Hicimos Que Pareciera Facil - with Carin Leon
Look, let's be real... no one was really begging for another edition of Forever. But I enjoyed the original album, and some of the collaborators did (and do) intrigue me.
Can't believe they're going to make me listen to Avril Lavigne though, lol... nothing against her personally, but unfortunately, I still have some lingering damage from when "Sk8er Boi" came out and all the other girls in school suddenly rocked up wearing ties and 50 layers of black eyeliner, thinking they were punks. Also, given Jason Isbell, Ryan Tedder, and Billy Falcon are duetting on the songs they co-wrote, I'm a little surprised Ed Sheeran isn't the one on "Living in Paradise", but hey.
Jon admits this release is "an album borne out of necessity" since they obviously couldn't do a Forever tour. (Check out Rolling Stone: Bon Jovi Revisit ‘Forever’ LP With Bruce Springsteen, Jelly Roll, and More.) As much as I'd still go see Bon Jovi if they toured, I don't think I really want them to unless Jon can get his live vocals back to where they were circa 2010. If he can't and we instead get more studio work, I'm okay with that.
What do you think of the new tracks? Or the upcoming album release?
On the back of last year's somewhat unexpected Pitbull-Bon Jovi collaboration comes Armin Van Buuren's remix of "Keep the Faith", which was officially released on 28 February.
The track had made its debut at Ultra Music Festival in Miami, when Armin brought Jon on stage as a surprise guest and Jon got to jump around in his Hampton Water trucker cap without having to sing anything. (Not trying to be snarky, just making an observation, lol.)
And here's the extended mix:
It's not really my jam, to be honest... but Bon Jovi's had some awesome songs (including "Keep the Faith") and if stuff like this compels someone new to give them a shot, I'm all for that. Spread Bon Jovi like a beautiful musical disease, I say! Or a social disease. 'Cause a deluxe version of Slippery When Wet featuring 7 additional tracks (live or alternate versions) is available now. See what I did there? 😉
Anyway. The day before Armin's "Keep the Faith" came out, the Rock for Responders benefit concert for Los Angeles’ firefighters and first responders was held. Richie Sambora joined Phil X and Orianthi -- who were part of Matt Sorum's Kings of Chaos supergroup for the event -- on stage to perform lead vocals and guitar on "Livin' on a Prayer". Check it out:
Look, it's kinda messy, I won't lie. And I'm no body language expert but I'm pretty sure Phil had no idea what Richie was doing on the night and was just going along with whatever. But I don't think Richie has anything coming up that he would have been rehearsing for so some rustiness is to be expected as well, especially as he was a late addition to the lineup. It's still a cool moment to have on tape.
They were also all together for the final jam of the night, a performance of blues-rock standard "Going Down":
