Do love letters mix with the old man's whiskey stains?

Well apparently Jon Bon Jovi's solo album Destination Anywhere was released June 17, 1997 in the US and he consequently made his solo tour debut. So I guess now is a good time to follow Hath and Big Apple Jovi's leads and post some videos from that release. ;) I was hoping to find some clips from Australia but no cigar. Nevertheless, here are a couple of my personal favourite Destination Anywhere songs... What are yours?

EVERY WORD WAS A PIECE OF MY HEART (audio and video out of sync but oh well)


MIDNIGHT IN CHELSEA (some of the subtitles aren't quite right)

Morality Check covers Wanted

Cleveland metal/rock band Morality Check have covered Bon Jovi's national anthem for their latest record To Each His Own.

"We covered Bon Jovi's 'Wanted Dead or Alive' for the new record, and we did a version of the song the way it should have been recorded," [keyboardist Ron George] said. "It's a lot heavier, it's not acoustic at all. It's sort of like Disturbed's cover of Genesis ['Land of Confusion']."

I can imagine the comment about "the way it should have been recorded" rubbing some people the wrong way, haha. Anyway, here's a video of Morality Check playing "Wanted" live. The audio on the recording is not great but as Ron George said it's basically heavier.



What do you think?

New Bon Jovi single in August, album in November?

That's what this article seems to be implying anyway:

Bon Jovi is in the studio recording a new album. But don’t expect them to make the Grammy deadline of August 31st.

Band insiders say a single may make the early cut-off. The album, though, will likely drop later in the fall, maybe in November.

Sorry to say, and maybe just maybe I will be wrong, but I think Jon will lose all his hair three times over before Bon Jovi wins a Grammy on their own. ;)

However, August is only a couple of months away. And my birthday is in November so if there is a nice release waiting for me that month, I will not complain; although whether this is a greatest hits compilation with some new songs on it, or an album of entirely new material, is yet to be established. And will that new album really be the "big loud rock record" the band has been promising for the best part of 10 years? Seems we'll find out pretty soon.

Interesting times in Joviland! And of course, new album means new tour which is always great for YouTube goodness. :)

Anyway, The Screen Door recently posted a link to this 1998 article about Richie and Undiscovered Soul. Reminded me of the solo album he was supposed to be working on and releasing before the band got together again last year.

It's obvious that Sambora enjoys being a solo artist, so just what will happen when Bon Jovi eventually work together again? "We'll find out!" he chuckles. "I don't foresee a problem myself. When you get this thoughtful and do as much work as I've been doing here on my own, Bon Jovi will be a break. I'm interested to see what happens myself when we sit down to write. It really is like a marriage. People ask how it can stay fresh and you can stay together? We're independent people with our own lives too, we hold onto the commitment even though we're not together all the time. When we do get together, it's special because of that. And I don't see why this shouldn't be any different."

Dave singing Toxic Avenger songs

I think this has been the quietest month on Blame It On The Love since its inception so I just wanted to let you know that I am still alive and so is this blog! ;) It's just been a pretty busy time of the semester for me. Plus in the spare time I've had, I've been rediscovering an old favourite show, the innovative but short-lived police procedural Boomtown. It's well worth checking out if you ever get the chance or perhaps stumble across the DVD in a bin or something. :P

Anyway, I thought I'd post some videos of our favourite keyboardist David Bryan singing a couple of songs from the Toxic Avenger musical. He's an underrated but very talented all round musician; I wish he had a bit more input into Bon Jovi. Great voice too; he's covered for Jon live in the past.

From the Toxic Avenger CD signing at George Street Playhouse on May 12.

YOU TORE MY HEART OUT


BRAND NEW DAY IN NEW JERSEY

Bon Jovi songs leaked

Apparently five new Bon Jovi songs have leaked.

But it seems "When We Were Beautiful" is being increasingly distributed so there's a good chance you'll hear it soon.

For anyone who followed the demo leak scam: In a slightly ironic twist, my signed/personalised copy of Johnny Lima's latest album Livin' Out Loud arrived in the mail today. :P

EDIT: A lot of people have said "When We Were Beautiful" sounds U2-esque, which it does. But the song it actually reminds me of is Bruce Springsteen's "Long Walk Home". There are some musical similarities, especially in the verses, as well as the general pensive and nostalgic sentiment of both. I like it.

New review of Bon Jovi documentary

Click here for a review of Bon Jovi: When We Were Beautiful documentary from the Tribeca Film Festival website. Apart from the fact lack of Hugh, I'm getting more and more excited about this.

Directed by photographer Phil Griffin, When We Were Beautiful follows the band on their Lost Highway tour in 2007 and 2008, juxtaposing intimate interviews with the band with rollicking concert footage that illustrates the magnitude of their worldwide fame.

Before the screening, Griffin explained how he made the leap from band photographer to documentarian. On tour with Bon Jovi in Minnesota, Griffin took a picture of Jon that prompted him to comment, “Man, you really got me. I’m the grumpy old guy in the corner.” Appreciating Griffin’s eye for seeing more than just “the rock band,” Jon asked him, “How do you feel about making a film?” Griffin said, “If we together can be as truthful on film as we’ve been in these photographs, then I’m in.”

New song premieres at documentary screening

A new Bon Jovi song entitled "When We Were Beautiful" debuted during the "in-progress" documentary screening at the Tribeca Film Festival. I'm yet to hear it for myself.

Check out Big Apple Jovi Girl's review of the documentary here. I'm assuming we won't find out how they justify making Hugh McDonald unofficial when he's played with the band longer than Alec John Such ever did :P but by all fan reports, this truly is an insightful film, and not the PR spin one might expect from Jon Bon Jovi Inc.