Richie Sambora EPK

Richie Sambora talks about making his solo album and breaking free of the Bon Jovi box and other preconceived notions about who he is.



He looks and sounds... revitalised. Hope that bodes well for the future.

Richie Sambora's hard-won road to Aftermath of the Lowdown

This feature on Richie Sambora was published by the Los Angeles Times recently. Richie talked about the lowest point of his life and opening up on his new solo record:

"When I fell off that cliff, I realized who I was, unrelated to the band," Sambora said while on a sofa in the Palihouse lounge in West Hollywood. "I'd started to clean up five years ago, but I slipped, and made those amends. I'm lucky I wasn't a guy who lost his family or relationships."

The article also discusses the unlikely marriage between the guitarist of a super commercial band like Bon Jovi and an indie label like Dangerbird Records:

"Phil told me about his friend Richie who had a fantastic record, and that he hoped we'd have some common ground," Castelaz said. "But growing up, I was a janitor and swept garbage at an arena where Bon Jovi played. They were a rock 'n' roll hit machine, and my generation railed against those guys."

But slowly, the recordings started to win him over. And though much of Dangerbird's cool-kid audience will run screaming for the fire exits at the thought of buying an album from a Bon Jovi side project, it's easy to hear what turned Castelaz into a believer. "Burn that Candle Down" kicks off with a psychedelic fuzz barrage that the Black Keys would be happy to call their own. If the piano-plaintive yearn of "Every Road Leads Home to You" got misfiled under Coldplay or Arcade Fire, radio programmers would salivate to play it.

"This is nothing like Bon Jovi," Castelaz said. "They make quality rock music, but this is vulnerable and real about his travails. When he first played 'Every Road Leads Home to You,' it blew my … mind."

Read the full article at the LA Times.

Aftermath of the Lowdown: Q&A with Richie Sambora

Rolling Stone interviewed Richie about his forthcoming solo album Aftermath of the Lowdown... Here's an extract:

The lyrics are very heartfelt. You have, "Every heartache's a blessing/ Every knockdown was a start." I know you touched upon this with the album title, but did you intentionally set out to make a record that was so intensely personal?
What I found, interestingly enough, through the ups and downs of my life over the past decade since I made my other solo record, and all the stuff that I've gone through in my life over the past decade – this record is basically about my stuff. And what I really found out is that my stuff is pretty universal. The stuff that I've gone through isn't that alien. The stuff that I've gone through, anybody can go through in their lives and they probably will. Ups and downs and things like that. So I really felt like everybody can relate to these lyrics and make them their own. At the end of it, when I looked back on it, that's really what I've found.

You're exactly right except, perhaps, for "Seven Years Gone" because of the specific number of years. That one's about your ex-wife?
About seven years ago, life for me started to take kind of a little bit of a dip. I was getting divorced, my father was dying of cancer at that point in time, so things were definitely at a transformative period in my life. And then all of the sudden, I looked up, when I started writing this record, and I said, "Wow! Seven years gone!" It really went by very quickly. I started to think about the transference of time. My God, it's like, all of the sudden, I've been in this business for 30 years now and all the amazing stuff that's happened to me. So I guess it was kind of a reflection on all that kind of stuff, and I think anybody can relate to that.

You know what else I found during the making of the record? Pain and struggle are necessary, and challenging situations like that are necessary, for you to actually find your freedom and move on. The essential message of this record is freedom. A song like "Taking a Chance on the Wind" – about "Raising my flag/ And taking my chance on the wind" – it's all about risk. But, it's like, people ask me, "Why'd you make this record, Richie? Wasn't it a risk to make such a record?" And I say, "It would've been a risk not to make this record." I had to get this stuff out. It was a cathartic thing for me to do this album. And also, just to express my individuality away from the band.

I think that's probably why I went with an independent record company. That's why I went with Dangerbird. All this about "raising my flag" – independence. That's what I wanted, you know? I wanted independence from stuff that I knew before.

Read the full interview here.

Interestingly, Richie was also asked if Hugh McDonald was now part of the "brotherhood" and (not surprisingly) towed the Jon Bon Jovi line.

Will Black covers Every Road Leads Home to You

Independent Canadian rock musician and Bon Jovi fan Will Black has done an acoustic cover of Richie Sambora's new song Every Road Leads Home to You. Check it out...



What do you think of this version?

Aftermath of the Lowdown coming September 18

Richie Sambora's long awaited solo album Aftermath of the Lowdown will now be released on September 18, 2012 (not September 4 as previously reported):

After spending the last few years getting more attention for his sometimes-troubled personal life than for his music, Sambora says that the album’s title reflects his desire to give his side of the story. “This is the truth, the lowdown,” he explains. “And after you speak that truth, there’s always an aftermath.” Among the topics addressed in the album’s lyrics are divorce, substance abuse, single parenthood, independence and self-reliance.

Sambora notes, “A lot has happened in my life over the past 10 years, personal stuff that’s cathartic for me to get out… really, things that could happen to anybody, but I just happened to be in a band with the biggest concert tour in the world, and in the glare of the public eye.”

The guitarist adds, “This is my favorite record I’ve ever made. It’s the most fulfilling and beautiful experience in my life as a musician.”

Don't forget you can still get a free download of Every Road Leads Home to You and/or submit a photo for the accompanying Instagram video via Richie's website.

Happy birthday Richie Sambora

It's Richie Sambora's 53rd birthday today (July 11).

Head to his website and you can:

• Send him a birthday message
• Get a free download of his new song Every Road Leads Home to You (which many of you will have already since it's been leaked but now you can have an endorsed copy of it)
• Submit a photo for the #RichieRoad Instagram Photo Project which I detailed in an earlier blog post
• Do any or all of the above.

http://www.richiesambora.com/happybirthday/

Happy birthday, Richie! :)

Aftermath of the Lowdown: New Richie Sambora album

I guess Richie didn't like my North Korean Democracy suggestion then (That's the last time I will make that joke on this blog, I promise; I realise it's not actually that funny). From Ultimate Classic Rock:

Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora will release his third solo album, ‘Aftermath of the Lowdown’ on September 4, Brave Words reported today (June 24). The album will be on indie label Dangerbird Records, with whom he signed back in May.

Apparently the album was accidentally leaked on SoundCloud before being removed but I haven't heard it. Richie also performed at the Sunset Sessions listening party on Saturday (June 23, 2012).

Richie Sambora goodness

So as you may know, Richie Sambora has a solo album that looks every bit like it's finally going to be released. MLPJ Entertainment has been hired for international distribution and marketing.

And Jovi Land has been abuzz with these song previews on the MPCA Music Publishing website, which include snippets of songs we haven't heard before.

(EDIT: Here's another link to the previews in case you can't access the one above)

What do you think?

Oh, and here's Richie performing with Don Felder at the recent Midnight Mission Awards:

Richie Sambora on indie rock and philanthropy

LA Weekly interviewed Richie Sambora earlier this week about his upcoming solo album and his philanthropic work. Here are a few of his answers:

On his new solo record:
"Well, it's a really personal record. What isn't? I mean, we're all the same motherf***ers right? Well, we're taking a really indie rock approach."

Wait, indie rock!?
"You know what? The music business is broken, we all know that. Everyone is kinda hanging on by a string. I was a big label guy, but I was lucky enough to free up my solo contract. I still have a big label contract with the band, but I can do whatever I want with my solo stuff. There's a whole new approach. There's a company out there called Dangerbird Records. My record doesn't sound like Bon Jovi at all. It's got different musicians and I have a different point of view. There will be a lot of jamming on there...different stuff."

Isn't Dangerbird in the philanthropy business, too?
"Yeah, Jeff [Castelaz]'s son had an unfortunate situation and he used the label to help out with that ...the Pablove Foundation. And yes, I plan to get heavily involved with Pablove. We've already been talking about that and I can't wait to help out. "

Wait. Really? Indie!?
"Yeah, that's why I feel really good about the whole indie thing. I feel really good about bands that are out playing, they are out there playing real instruments and playing real shows and they're actually bands. And that lends itself to a live performance ...which I will be doing. I'll be going on tour this fall and playing some shows. Maybe even in my backyard, who knows? Yeah, I'm gonna get back down to the bottom of the barrel and work my way up...without that whole corporate structure thing."

Interesting. I'm even more keen to hear this album now.

You can check out the rest of the interview here.

(Oh, and yes, I did asterisk out Richie's swear word even though it's abundantly clear what he was saying. I've done it in the past. I have no issues with swearing personally but I do generally try to keep a PG-13 rating on this blog. :P)

Sambora / Bon Jovi expectations?

Recent Richie Sambora tweets on his upcoming album:

Peeps are asking about my realese date..... Prob late July. Maybe some live dates right after on into early fall...
1:52 PM - 29 Feb 12 via Twitter for iPad

Lotta peeps askin bout my record. Should be pretty much done by the end of the month. Did a mix today. 3 songs done.
1:13 PM - 3 Mar 12 via Twitter for iPhone

The principle theme of the record is the ups and downs of my life over the past decade. What I've learned and observed.
2:32 AM - 7 Mar 12 via Twitter for iPhone

I wanna thank everyone for all the ideas for the title ideas... I got one. I'll tell ya's when I get it all solidified.
10:30 AM - 7 Mar 12 via Twitter for iPad

Desmond Child has also posted some photos on his Facebook page saying he is writing with Jon and Richie on the next Bon Jovi album.

What are you expecting or hoping for from the band's next album and Richie's solo work?

Richie Sambora tweets summary #richiesamborasolorecord

Thanks to Rike via Hath for sifting through the crazy mass of Twitter replies from Richie for the stuff you need/want to know. I've got the music related ones here:

“@GAC_Jovi: @TheRealSambora How long have you been working on this solo album?” since September

“@EvilEf69: @TheRealSambora Have you written any ballads for this album? P.S. I Love You! xoxox” p.s. yes I have

“@DanielaSambora: @TheRealSambora you're not gonna answer me cause you have tones of twits but are you thinking about a solo tour?” yes!

“@challenge4chng: @TheRealSambora can we expect more blues or more rock from you Richie???” All of the above! Plus more....

“@GDGfan12: @TheRealSambora can't wait for the album Richie. Any idea on the name yet?” I'm still working on names....

“@Pauliem24: @TheRealSambora Hey Richie is this album going to rock? Can't wait for it!” Its got something for everybody!

“@keilasambora: @TheRealSambora #richiesamborasolorecord Jimmy Page or Eric Clapton???” Two of my heroes. Two of my dear friends.

“@Erik_Bj: @TheRealSambora Richie, how many songs have you written for the new album?” 13 so far

“@samboragirl1: @TheRealSambora LES PAUL OR FENDER?” all of the above

“@wyldlifewarrior: @TheRealSambora Any idea on a time frame for the new record?” soon. Reeaaaally soon

“@safa_sandy: @TheRealSambora For the 50th time, what is the name of the solo album???” for the 51st time I'm workin on it!

He's also since tweeted a bit more:

“@vanillasizta: @TheRealSambora What's more important-music or ladies?” MUSIC!!

“@sueellen93: @TheRealSambora Queen or Aerosmith?” love 'em both!

“@juuholiveira: @TheRealSambora who's your favorite Beatle?” changes every day! In a George Harrison mood today.

“@SistaJovi: @TheRealSambora Who was the first concert you went to?” Deep Purple, Savoy Brown, Tuckey Buzzard

“@HELOBRYAN: @TheRealSambora Fender or Gibson?” alot of both!!

“@RosieRingo: @TheRealSambora ever played The Beatles Rockband?” yep and I'm terrible at it!!

“@MissyLovesPez: @TheRealSambora Speaking of George Harrison, did you ever get to meet him?” never had the pleasure.

“@yeseniaVeraCont: @TheRealSambora That you like current bands?” @kingsofleon @muse @eminem @arcadefire @theblackkeys

“@DolphinPM: @TheRealSambora Do you like U2??? What can u say about them?” love @U2 great guys!!

There have been the typical boxers vs briefs questions and lots of "Please talk to me, you've replied to everyone else and I will die if you don't" type of tweets that I didn't bother to copy/paste here but you can always have a read of it yourself. :P

Follow @TheRealSambora as well as @LukeEbbin and @catrecording for the latest.

Richie Sambora teases his new album #richiesamborasolorecord

A couple of videos that were recently tweeted by Richie Sambora and Luke Ebbin...





Richie now also has profiles on Facebook and Google+ but Twitter's where most of the action is.

You can also keep an eye on the hashtag #richiesamborasolorecord, maybe even set up a stream/column for it if you're using a Twitter client like TweetDeck or HootSuite. ;)

Today's moment of zen...

Luke Ebbin has been awesome with the Twitter updates on the new Richie Sambora solo record (which has yet to be named)... He also posted another teaser video from the studio earlier today.



Check it out.

A taste of the Richie Sambora solo record

It's been a long time coming and Luke Ebbin is currently #winning at Twitter thanks to his updates about Richie's elusive third solo album. Most notably, his latest tweet which links to this video.



Hashtag #richiesamborasolorecord for tweets about the new album.