Bon Jovi Biography session 1

Hey rockers...
You know, this is a phenomenal band with a catchy performance, and sweet lyrics. Here is...
Bon Jovi...

band originating from Sayreville, New Jersey. Fronted by lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi, the group originally achieved large-scale success in the 1980s. The band has continued its success as one of the world's most successful rock acts throughout the 1990s and 2000s, selling more than 37 million albums in the United States[citation needed] and over 120 million albums worldwide.[citation needed]

They have also won a Grammy for best Country Collaboration for "Who Says You Can't Go Home" with Jennifer Nettles from Sugarland. They have also been nominated twice for the smash hit "It's My Life" and two songs from the album Bounce, "Misunderstood" and "Everyday".

Their numerous hits include: "You Give Love a Bad Name", "Livin' on a Prayer", "Wanted Dead or Alive", "Bad Medicine", "I'll Be There For You", "Blaze of Glory" (Jon Bon Jovi), "Keep The Faith", "Bed of Roses", "In These Arms" "Always", "This Ain't a Love Song", "It's My Life", "Everyday", "Have a Nice Day", "Who Says You Can't Go Home" and 2007's "(You Want to) Make a Memory".

Formation
Founding member Jon Bon Jovi began to play piano and guitar at thirteen. At that same age, Bon Jovi found his first band, called Raze. Jon was enrolled in an all-boys Catholic school St. Joseph High School in Metuchen, New Jersey but left after pleading his case to his parents that he wanted to attend public school. He went on to attend Sayreville War Memorial High School. At sixteen, Bon Jovi met David Bryan (born David Bryan Rashbaum) and found a 12-piece cover band named Atlantic City Expressway after the New Jersey highway. They played at New Jersey clubs, even though they were minors. Still in his teens, Bon Jovi played in the band John Bongiovi and the Wild Ones, playing local clubs like "The Fast Lane" and opening for known acts in the area.

By the summer of 1982, out of school and working part-time in a shoe store, Jon took a job at the Power Station Studios, a Manhattan recording facility where his cousin, Tony Bongiovi, was a co-owner. Jon made several demos (including one produced by Billy Squier) and sent them out to many record companies, but failed to make an impact.

In 1983, Bon Jovi visited the local radio station WAPP 103.5FM "The Apple" in Lake Success, New York. He spoke directly to the D.J., Chip Hobart, who suggested Bon Jovi let WAPP include the song "Runaway" on a compilation album of local homegrown talent. Bon Jovi was reluctant but eventually gave them the song on which Bon Jovi had used studio musicians to play on the track "Runaway" (originally written in 1980). The studio musicians who helped record "Runaway" were known as The All Star Review. They were: guitarists Dave Sabo and Tim Pierce, keyboardist Roy Bittan, drummer Frankie LaRocka and bassist Hugh McDonald.

The song began to get airplay in the New York metro area, then other sister stations in major markets picked up the song. Suddenly, the record labels who had passed on the demo were scrambling to find out who this unsigned artist was. WAPP was doing showcases and Bon Jovi now desperately needed a band. The soon-to-be-members of the band had crossed paths in their earlier days, but the current lineup didn't come together until March 1983. Bon Jovi gave David Bryan a call, who in turn called bassist Alec John Such and an experienced drummer named Tico Torres.
Richie Sambora in Dublin May 2006
Richie Sambora in Dublin May 2006

Tapped to play lead guitar was Bon Jovi's neighbor, Dave Sabo (a.k.a. The Snake), who would later form the group Skid Row.

One night after a show, Richie Sambora found Bon Jovi backstage and told him that he should be the band's guitarist. Bon Jovi didn't think much of it but told him to learn the material and show up for rehearsal. Sambora showed up early, knew the material and Bon Jovi was impressed; in that moment, Sambora became the band's lead guitarist and a musical dynamic duo was born.

Before joining the group, Sambora had toured with Joe Cocker, played with a group called Mercy and had just been called up to audition for legendary rock act Kiss. He also played on the album Lessons with the band Message, which was re-released on CD through Long Island Records in 1995. Message was originally signed to Led Zeppelin's Swan Song Records label, although the album was never released.

Drummer Tico Torres was also an experienced musician, having recorded with jazz great Miles Davis and played live with Phantom's Opera, The Marvelettes, and Chuck Berry. He appeared on 26 records and had recently recorded with Frankie and the Knockouts, a Jersey band with hit singles during the early 1980s.

David Bryan was a natural recruit. He had quit the band he and Bon Jovi founded in order to study medicine. While in college, he realized he wanted to pursue music full-time and was accepted to Juilliard School, the prestigious New York music school. When Bon Jovi called his friend and said he was putting together a band and a record deal looked like it was about to become a reality, Bryan followed Bon Jovi's lead and gave up his studies.

The Bon Jovi lineup, which would not change for a decade, was:

* Jon Bon Jovi (lead vocals, rhythm guitar)
* Richie Sambora (lead guitar, backing vocals)
* David Bryan (keyboard, backing vocals)
* Tico Torres (drums, percussion)
* Alec John Such (bass guitar, backing vocals)