A five-year "vacation" may seem like a long time, but for rock band Bon Jovi time off was both refreshing and creatively necessary, according to guitarist Richie Sambora.
"After the success of the albums `Slippery When Wet' and `New Jersey,' we all felt we needed a break," Sambora said in a telephone interview from Tokyo. "We were tired and burned out and needed a rest. The break gave us time to regroup."And regroup the band did, just in time for its 10-year anniversary. Bon Jovi's latest release, "Keep the Faith," has yielded a top 10- single, "Bed of Roses," and the album went platinum. That's as good an excuse as any to celebrate, says Sambora. "We plan to party all year long."
Bon Jovi - Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, bassist Alec Jon Such and lead singer Jon Bon Jovi - will perform its cowboy-tinged rock 'n' roll in the ParkWest Amphitheater at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 29, with special guest Extreme.
"During the `Slippery When Wet' and `New Jersey' eras - which, may I add, were extremely happy and fun - the band was only trying to keep up with its own success," Sambora said. "The rocket ship to fame had taken off, and we were running ourselves ragged trying keep up with the demand."
Surrounded by rumors of a breakup, the band decided to take time off and pursue individual interests and pleasures. Jon Bon Jovi's solo album "Blaze of Glory," inspired by the movie "Young Guns II"; soundtracks for the films "Netherworld" and "Conflict of Interest," composed and recorded by Bryan; and a solo album by Sambora, "Stranger in this Town," were among the results of this "vacation."
"Even with all that, deep down inside we always knew we'd be to- gether," Sambora said. "We are all close friends and can tell each other anything we feel. We're from New Jersey, and if New Jerseyans don't like what they see or, they will come and tell you point blank. I guess that's where the breakup rumors started. We were $- only having a discussion."
Bon Jovi's roots go back to 1983, when singer Bon Jovi "had a studio band that had a hit song on the radio. When I joined, it was instant chemistry and the band began to take off."
Sambora had given up a goal of becoming a psychologist with an emphasis on music therapy to pursue his dream of becoming a musi cian. "I really wanted to play guitar. I had musical training in school, but I never really learned how to play the guitar - so I taught myself."
The playing paid off. Before landing the lead axe title in Bon Jovi, Sambora had two record companies chasing him - Swan Song and S.S. Capricorn. "It only took three months before I decided to work with Bon Jovi. It gave me time to work with some of the greatest musicians in New Jersey."
Since then, the band has produced four multiplatinum albums, and Bon Jovi was one of the first Western bands to play in the former Soviet Union.
Many fans will notice a slight change of style in Bon Jovi's latest and fifth album - a heavier emphasis on the blues. Sambora said this was a blessing that came from the break. "I think the band members were able to look inside their souls and see what really matters," he said. "I took a close look at my own style, and that's when the blues kissed me."
Songs like "Blame It on the Love of Rock 'n' Roll," "Little Bit of Soul" and "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead" reflect the inspirational styles of Eric Clapton, the Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, whom Sambora idolized as a teen. "We were also into a lot of experimentation. It would have been so much easier to pump out another commercial version of `Slippery' or `Jersey,' but we had matured musically and creatively, and it would have been a waste if we sold out. It was a scary step, but worth it."
Sambora said that having a producer like Bob Rock (Metallica, Motley Crue and the Cult) pushed the process along. "Bob was into experimenting, too. There was more musical involvement, and the band's individual personalities are more persistent."
Among his favorite songs from the album, Sambora listed the fam- ine-cursing "Dry County"; the psychotic love song "If I Was Your Mother"; the album's title track, "Keep the Faith"; and the bluesy "Little Bit of Soul." `My favorites change every week, but these songs are what the band is all about.
Sambora also said fans shouldn't anticipate a flashy, extravagant stage show. Since Bon Jovi has gotten back to the basics on the album, the show will be simple. But, he added, the band will play all the hits. "People come to a show to have a good time, man. The show will run from two to three hours. We play everything and even take requests from the audience."
During one of its Tokyo shows, Bon Jovi played seven encores, he said.
"When you sense the positive vibes of 20,000 people, you feel lib- erated," he said. "It feels good to be up there and it feels good to feel loved. The band is going to be around for a long time, so come and see us."