Bon Jovi tour Canada-bound

I think we've heard a lot of these answers from Richie before, but they're still fun to read.

Bon Jovi's Circle of friends includes plenty of Canadians.

"Love Canada," guitarist Richie Sambora told QMI during a recent interview. "We made three albums up there, starting with our really big breakthrough album, Slippery When Wet. We did that in Vancouver with Bruce Fairbairn and Bob Rock. And we fell in love with Canada right then.

"We went back up there to record the New Jersey album and also the Keep the Faith record -- so we lived in Canada, you know, probably for a couple of years over those three records. And the Canadian people have just been unbelievable to us ... We love Canada, man."

As a token of their gratitude, the New Jersey pop-rockers bring their Circle tour -- a massive two-year trek that includes 135 shows in 30 countries over two years -- to five Canadian cities this month.

Sambora, singer-guitarist Jon Bon Jovi, drummer Tico Torres and keyboardist David Bryan, augmented by longtime bassist Hugh McDonald will play stadiums from Alberta to Toronto, starting with Calgary on July 14.

As the band prepared to kick off the tour in Seattle earlier this year, Sambora sat down for a conference call with journalists.

Check out the full article for Richie's thoughts on these topics:

• On how their songwriting has evolved.
• On how they keep touring fresh after 2,000 concerts.
• On playing their older songs for the millionth time.
• On their predominantly female fan base.
• On criticism.
• On the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

~ Hath