Richie Interview

What’s the new album about?
It’s a rock’n’roll record, it’s a great evolution. We’re really proud of it.

How has the industry changed since you started?
It’s completely changed. It’s all about music-sharing now. Kids are more into video games these days. When I first started in the business there wasn’t this video game craze and the internet wasn’t around. If you pay for the downloading, that’s cool, but what do you constitute as sharing or stealing? For an established band like us it doesn’t make much difference – we make revenue playing live – but if you’re a new band trying to establish your business, surviving financially without record revenue is tough.

ou broke your shoulder two years ago after slipping on a rug. Did it jeopardise your career?
No, but I broke it in three places. An old blues hero of mine, Albert Collins, would sling his strap over his right shoulder, so I copied him. I had to play 22 stadiums two weeks after breaking the shoulder and I didn’t want to cheat the people out of a good show or let down my band mates so I did that, along with physical therapy. I listen to those tapes now and I was still 95 per cent in the ballpark.

What’s the craziest thing a fan did to meet you?
They did all sorts of things, they’d come to the house dressed as pizza delivery drivers or strippergrams. One time I was home and there were fans on my roof. I went outside with a baseball bat, I thought they were burglars, I went out there ready to kick some ass.

What would have been your alternative career if music hadn’t worked out?
I did psychology at university but I’m not sure if that would have panned out. I knew I’d work in music from the age of 16. I didn’t have an alternative. I was determined to make it in this industry. Before Bon Jovi I had three failed record deals.

What’s been your worst job?
I worked as a cleaner in a hospital. That was pretty bad, cleaning up blood, pee and puke. I left when I had made enough money to buy a Les Paul guitar. That enabled me to play clubs with a band as a professional guitarist.

What have been the highlights of your career?
Having our first No.1 record was a highlight and we’ve been lucky enough to have a lot of them. Other things like playing Wembley Stadium was a huge highlight. Making new records is always good too. Having my daughter was a highlight.

You stick a tube in your mouth every night to blow into an effects pedal for Livin’ On A Prayer. Does it mess your teeth up?
It hasn’t so far, but it certainly rattles them around a lot. They haven’t fallen out yet. I only use it for a couple of minutes a day.

Metallica’s James Heatfield had ‘Kill Bon Jovi’ written on his guitar. That was quite rude...
Yes, but he was nice to me when I met him. I had no problem with him. That was just a reflection of what Metallica were about at the time. They’ve mellowed out completely since then.

Were you worried when grunge kicked off? It was a backlash to hair metal at the time.
We just remained ourselves. Like us or not like us, no matter what you think, we’ve maintained a career without chasing anyone else’s trend. We’ve done quite well from it.

What’s been your most extravagant purchase?
I’m not too extravagant. I have a couple of nice cars, a Ferrari. I’ve spent some money on guitars too but I trade them in. I haven’t spent a fortune. My favourite is still my 1959 Les Paul.

source