Nice Thought, but it'll Never Happen

Vanity Fair asks, Is It Time To Stop Making Fun Of Bon Jovi?

Most fans would say of course!  And there are a few naysayers who would say the #FAIL of the RRHOF would provide more fodder for the make-funners.

But the article's author believes it's time to let the poodle-hair hair/boy band jokes go.

Shouldn’t we finally give the band themselves some credit for the Springsteen-level success they are now enjoying in middle age? With the recession making Tommys and Ginas of all of us, Jon and Richie feel somehow more necessary than they did back when they were still writing songs about Diane Lane.

[...]

The most appealing thing about this band, though, is the size of their heads. They are low-maintenance heroes, and I’m pretty convinced their stature is down to tenacity and not some elaborate marketing campaign to get people like me to write words like these. (I could be wrong, but you gotta believe, right?) I once interviewed them for Nylon magazine. It was one of those terrible situations where the Q & A and the photo shoot are done at the same time, which usually finds the writer waiting for hours while trousers and split ends are discussed by the stylists and the photographer. Not at a Bon Jovi shoot. They walked right in, Jon ran a hand through his hair, shook his head out, and said, “O.K., let’s go.” Later, he shrugged as he told me, “It’s just genetics.” I’d never seen anyone less affected, much less a major rock star.

It’s a little odd to proclaim affection (and respect) for Bon Jovi, since what I do for a living is completely irrelevant to them. I occasionally contribute to the music magazine Uncut and I read all of the expensive English music mags and papers (Q, Mojo, the N.M.E.), which essentially dictate what bands we are supposed to like (even the ones that come from America), and I cannot recall a single feature on Bon Jovi … ever. (Please correct me if I’m wrong here.) And yet, when they play over there, it’s cricket fields or Wembley Stadium. I know some of those in attendance must be rock writers in disguise. I once got a text from a very influential music journalist who was standing on the side of the stage during a Bon Jovi show out in Jersey. It was a gush; the kind of thing you can’t tweet if you want to keep your job.

But slowly, with every passing honor and record set, the secret is getting out.

Click here for the full article.

~ Hath