Jon Bon Jovi, the iconic rock star, is currently enjoying the warmth of Palm Beach, Florida, as he escapes the cold of his native New Jersey. Despite his age, the 62-year-old rocker remains active and reflective about his career and future.
Bon Jovi recently opened up about his uncertain touring future. While his Hulu docuseries, “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story,” highlights the band’s journey to fame, it also delves into his ongoing struggle with vocal issues. The singer hopes to return to the stage next year, but nothing is set in stone.
During a recent interview, Bon Jovi shared his frustrations with his vocal therapy. “It’s a range of emotions on a daily basis,” he said. “Yesterday was unbelievable. And today was less than perfection. It’s frustrating. I know that none of us can achieve perfection, but I have to achieve excellence in order for me to do it on that level again, or I won’t.”
Bon Jovi is determined to be the best version of himself in 2024, even if it means not trying to replicate his younger self. “I don’t want to pretend to be something I was,” he explained. “I don’t try to be that boy from 29 years ago, but I want to be the very best version of the 2024 version of me.”
The band, which formed in 1983, has faced its share of challenges. Original bassist Alec John Such was pushed out in 1994 due to drug problems, and guitarist Richie Sambora left in 2013 to address his substance abuse issues. Despite these setbacks, Bon Jovi has remained committed to his music and his family.
Bon Jovi and his wife Dorothea, high school sweethearts, have been married for 35 years and have four children. “We’re madly in love more every day,” he said. However, he admits that being a rock star sometimes got the better of him. “It was the ’80s, for God’s sake. It was the ’90s, it was the 2000s. Did a girl ever throw herself at me? Fuck, yes. I’m Jon Bon Jovi.”
In addition to his music career, Bon Jovi has dabbled in acting. He starred in “Moonlight and Valentino” in 1995 and had a 10-episode arc on “Ally McBeal” in 2002. Despite these roles, a Hollywood career never fully materialized. He recalls nearly landing a role in “Heat” and sending a self-tape for “The Perfect Storm,” but neither opportunity panned out.
Bon Jovi has also been approached about creating a Broadway musical based on his music, but he has consistently turned down the offers. “Everybody wanted to write the story of Tommy and Gina [from ‘Livin’ on a Prayer’], but I’m going to guess that Abba did it and ‘Jersey Boys’ did it, and they did it really well many, many years ago,” he said. “So I have turned down that opportunity time and again.”
While Bon Jovi allowed cameras to follow him for his docuseries, he has no plans for a reality show about his family. “Not going to ever, ever, ever, ever happen,” he said. “I’ve never given 60 seconds of my life to a Kardashian show or a housewife show or any of them. I’ve never watched 60 seconds of any of it.”
Bon Jovi is also a fan of new music, listing the latest albums from the Rolling Stones, Pearl Jam, Zach Bryan, Inhaler, Noah Kahan, and Olivia Rodrigo among his favorites. He praised Taylor Swift as “absolutely incredible” and admired her ability to connect with her audience. “She created an industry. She utilized what she does best,” he said. “She sings like Taylor Swift. She plays guitar like Taylor Swift. She’s not trying to be something that she’s not, and it is connected with an audience that is unique.”
Reflecting on his past, Bon Jovi recalled his time as the face of Versace in the late ’90s. “Gianni Versace goes, ‘Take all your clothes off, wrap this blanket around your waist and go stand over there,'” he said. “I was like, ‘Whoa!’ So, I did and then I loved when Elton John came up to me and said, ‘I have the outtakes.’ I was like, ‘Fuck.’
As Bon Jovi navigates his uncertain future, he remains committed to his music, his family, and being the best version of himself. Fans eagerly await his return to the stage, hoping to see the legendary rocker perform once again.
