Story by Ralph Greco, Jr.
Taking time from their current tour rehearsals, Bon Jovi keyboardist David Bryan and drummer Tico Torres gave reporters the skinny on the band’s new album This House Is Not For Sale and the tour they’re mounting to support the record.
Though this iconic New Jersey band has been on the road plenty (and continues to draw among the highest grosses in tour revenue), well-versed in technologies of the day as they are and seasoned pros, Bryan assured us this time out the band is “really concentrating on the music, not so much video screens. It’s really about getting all the songs and it’s about the band. “
This House Is Not For Sale is Bon Jovi’s 13th studio album and their first without guitarist, vocalist and writer Richie Sambora.
“It’s the first record without Richie,” Bryan stated. “We haven’t been in communication with him since the last tour…and he’s decided to not be in it anymore and we decided to keep going.”
The keyboardist went on to explain the intention behind the new record. “This record was just everybody stepping up and saying, ‘This house is not for sale.’ We’re here and we want to be here and this record, I’m proud of,” he said. “We just had to step forward and do everything we had to do to make a great record. We got a Number One record in over 30 countries. Is it the way we wanted it? No, but it’s not our decision.”
One thing Bon Jovi is doing this time around is sponsoring a contest through Live Nation for different, unsigned bands to open up their concerts around the States. It’s a novel way to get unknown artists recognition, not to mention the chance to play on a really big stage.
Bryan and Torres both spoke to how this is the band’s way of “giving back” a bit, to keep that feeling alive that they grew up with, where bands would get up on stage, no matter the size of the venue and for usually very little pay, and work hard through playing their music. This ethic was something Bon Jovi have learned well from their New Jersey roots.
“The Garden State always gets a bad rap, from movies all the way down,” Torres remarked. “So, I guess everybody tries a little harder there. It’s close to New York. East Coasters are different than West Coast people. I think we’re exposed to a lot more music because it’s New York City. Even from the beginning, it was about going out there and kicking ass on stage. There was always that innate feeling with I think all musicians from Jersey and New York. To this day, it hasn’t changed, I don’t think.”
When asked how preparing for this tour differs from previous tours, the drummer added: “We do a lot of Advil.”
Bon Jovi’s This House Is Not For Sale tour kicks off on February 8, 2017, in Greenville, South Carolina.
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