Bon Jovi's These Days album is 20

I haven't blogged here in a few weeks and These Days is my favourite Bon Jovi album so I think I should say something about this.

Yep, These Days is 20 years old! It was officially released on June 19, 1995. I was an oblivious six-year-old at the time, but I'm actually glad I discovered the album later in life because I wouldn't have appreciated it as much as a kid. As a teenager or young adult, however, it helped me through some of the toughest periods of my life. And that's why I'll always consider myself a Bon Jovi fan, even when they do things that make me want to rip my hair out. :P

Let's relive the singles of These Days, just because.

Bon Jovi - These Days


Bon Jovi - This Ain't A Love Song


Bon Jovi - Something For The Pain


Bon Jovi - Lie To Me


Bon Jovi - Hey God


Which track from These Days is your favourite? Where does the album rank for you?

Meanwhile, Bon Jovi is working on a new album (No official word on who's playing lead guitar, but it's not Richie Sambora) and have announced a string of rare dates in Asia in September and October. Jakarta, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Macau, Abu Dhabi, and Tel Aviv are on the bill.

This Ain't a Love Song in Prague

Bon Jovi finished their June 24, 2013 show in Prague with "This Ain't a Love Song". Here are a couple of videos:

This Ain't a Love Song - shot from the middle of the pit, but good audio


This Ain't a Love Song - closer view as it buckets down with rain


I think they should do this regularly... It could be just as epic as the Live from London performance -- which, incidentally, was 18 years ago today (June 25, 1995, the third of three sold out shows at Wembley Stadium).

You can watch the full Prague concert at this link. :)

This Ain't a Love Song, Radio Saved My Life Tonight, Love's the Only Rule in Germany

The last two Bon Jovi shows in Germany have featured the Because We Can Tour premiere of three songs. "The Radio Saved My Life Tonight" from the 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong box set and "Love's the Only Rule" from The Circle were played for the first time on the tour in Stuttgart on June 21, 2013. "This Ain't a Love Song", the lead single from These Days was played in Cologne on June 22.

Check out the videos. :)

This Ain't a Love Song live in Cologne - Jon looks rather pleased with himself. ;)


Love's the Only Rule live in Stuttgart - If they're going to represent The Circle every night (and I'm not saying they shouldn't because I actually love that album), I wouldn't mind this replacing "We Weren't Born to Follow", just quietly.


The Radio Saved My Life Tonight live in Stuttgart

Winding back the clock in Lisbon (last tour video post!)

Bon Jovi wrapped up their year-and-a-half-long tour in Lisbon on July 31, 2011... Here's a selection of videos, as promised. :)

Get Ready

I don't know how hard I was listening but back when I was a high school kid who couldn't wait to grow up (Ah, the naivety of youth!) I used to blast this song in my room a lot. Probably why it's one of my favourites from Bon Jovi's eponymous first album. It's not exactly a deep thinking song... but it is fun. And it was really great to see something/anything (other than Runaway) from those early albums pop up again, even if it was on the last show of the tour.

(It's Hard) Letting You Go

Perfect song? Yes. (Well... in my opinion, of course.)

Any Other Day

One of the best songs on Lost Highway was played for the first (and obviously last) time on the tour in Lisbon. Jon seemed pretty relaxed performing it (especially given he's apparently not a fan of it) and I enjoyed the jam at the end too.

I Believe

Passionate performance. And it might be the post-tour high talking, but if I close my eyes I'd almost swear it was the 90s.

This Ain't a Love Song

If Jon had just whacked that microphone stand out of the way and dropped to his knees a la Wembley '95, it would have been perfect... although given the recent knee injury, that probably wouldn't have been advisable. :P

More videos from every show of The Circle/Greatest Hits/Open Air Tour are on Hath's Circle Tour Blog.

***

It's with a tinge of sadness that I hit 'Publish' on this video post. I started Blame It On The Love back in 2008 -- at the end of the Lost Highway Tour -- and it's strange to think that another tour has come and gone. We don't know when the next album or tour (either band or solo) will be. We don't know what the future holds. But we will probably be on the ride anyway.

I want to thank each and every one of you who has read this blog... whether you've followed it or just popped in once or twice. And for everyone who's commented or emailed me, I do read what you write and I appreciate that you took the time to leave your thoughts.

And finally... the tour may be over but I ain't going anywhere. ;) There's always something happening in Jovi Land, and Bon Jovi's never far from my mind anyway.

Until next time... keep the faith and never say goodbye!

This Ain't a Love Song, Romeo and Juliet + more from San Sebastian

Bon Jovi's San Sebastián show (July 29, 2011) brought some nice inclusions... the most notable/anticipated being This Ain't a Love Song!

This Ain't a Love Song

These Days' biggest hit finally made its tour debut on the second last show of the tour. There were fans holding up signs for it in Barcelona but it wasn't played. Hope at least some of those fans got to experience it here. Jon's not moving around much but he sounds great.

Romeo and Juliet / Always

Romeo and Juliet is probably my favourite Dire Straits song so that was a cool surprise. It also segues nicely into Always.

Summertime

Jon seems to have fun with this song. It's not all that well liked, but I actually enjoy it.

Wild in the Streets (partial)

This was as much of the song as I could find but it deserved a showcasing.

I'd Die For You


Hath's Circle Tour Blog has a complete video guide to this show. I'll be posting videos from Lisbon tomorrow. :)

LH Magic Memory #14: Randers

Barack Obama formally accepted his party's nomination for the US Presidency at the Democratic National Convention overnight, which also happened to be the 45th anniversary of Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech. The times they are a-changin'... We'll find out in a little over two months just how much they've changed.

In Jovi Land, let's take a little trip back to June 19, 2008 when Bon Jovi played a very memorable show in Randers, Denmark...

UNDIVIDED - Jon endorses Obama before the band launches into the opening track from Bounce, which was played for the first time this tour. Given Jon's voice hadn't been all that great in the preceding five years, this could well be the best live vocal performance ever of this song.


THIS AIN'T A LOVE SONG - Played for the first time since 1996! Cool song from an excellent album... Jon might need to have the lyrics taped to the stage but he sounds great. Now if he'd thrown down the mic stand and crashed to his knees like in Wembley '95, it would have been perfect. :P


I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU - Richie Sambora on lead vocals, as he is for this song most nights, but I thought this was an incredible performance from Richie and the rest of the band.


ALWAYS - One of the best performances of "Always" on the Lost Highway tour. Just compare it to Des Moines... Jon seems so confident singing it now, and Richie's solos take your breath away.


FEVER - Jon had to teach Hugh McDonald the song right there on stage, but he learned pretty quickly. After two decades, surely he deserves to be considered an actual part of the band...


On top of all that, "Back in the USSR" was sung for the first time since the New Jersey tour!

Randers, Denmark - Messepladsen v/ Gl. Estrup (19/6/08)
LOST HIGHWAY
BORN TO BE MY BABY
YOU GIVE LOVE A BAD NAME
CAPTAIN CRASH & THE BEAUTY QUEEN FROM MARKS
RUNAWAY
I'LL SLEEP WHEN I'M DEAD w/ Jumpin' Jack Flash, Start Me Up, Back In The USSR
BLAZE OF GLORY
WHOLE LOT OF LEAVIN'
THIS AIN'T A LOVE SONG
IN THESE ARMS
WE GOT IT GOIN' ON
IT'S MY LIFE
KEEP THE FAITH
I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU (Richie)
UNDIVIDED
HAVE A NICE DAY
WHO SAYS YOU CAN'T GO HOME
LIVIN' ON A PRAYER

ENCORE:
ALWAYS
BLOOD ON BLOOD
FEVER (Peggy Lee cover)
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
BAD MEDICINE w/ Shout