Jon Bon Jovi Works on his Legacy

Stadium openings, Super Bowl announcements, V-22 flyovers by the Marines - globally speaking, it's not a bad time to be Jon Bon Jovi.

And yet, as the journalists gather in New York to quiz, bask in and list the extended and most recent wins - the New Meadowlands Stadium gigs and the 12-night residency at the O2 Arena in London, where they've renamed June "Bon Jovi month" - it turns out there's a status greater than adulation, something rock-star wealth can't buy.

Is it true that Obama senior adviser David Axelrod had the lyrics to "Work for the Working Man" framed on his wall?

"Still does," Bon Jovi confirms.

"I'd been having these conversations throughout the last year and a half with various people in the administration, and before the record had come out, I told them about the song and burned a CD and took the lyrics in. And next thing I knew, they were framed."

Bigger than 120 million albums sold is having the ear of the president.

"I've been down to the White House since the administration has been in office four times. And been very involved with what I do philanthropically, with my foundation (JBJ Soul Foundation, helping the homeless) and helped them create this serve.gov initiative, where we had PSAs in the hallways of the venues to sign up to volunteer for whatever moves them."

Briefly, then, amid the hoopla surrounding all these career landmarks, we are acknowledging the larger truth: While you weren't looking, Bon Jovi became bigger than the game.

Studiedly shaggy of hair and gleaming of teeth, he says "Legacy is very important to me. That's what it's about at this point. We're certainly not the new guys in town, and this isn't a reunion tour, and it's not where-are-they-now and it's not a multiple-act package.

"This is a Bon Jovi show. Like it or not, we're one of the biggest bands in the world. I'd like to make sure the way we leave (our legacy) is timeless and classic and on point and true to what I set out to do."

Read the rest of the article here.

~ Hath