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From: E! Online
Fittingly for a rocker with a roll-up-your-sleeves work ethic, Jon's first job in the music business was sweeping the floors of New York's legendary Power Station recording studio, owned by his second cousin Tony Bongiovi. During some studio downtime in 1983, the singer-guitarist--who was born John Bongiovi--recorded a demo of a song called "Runaway." When the song became a local radio hit, he formed a band and was eventually signed to Mercury Records. Abridging his name to Jon Bon Jovi--the latter of which he lent to his band--Jon and guitarist Richie Sambora, drummer Tico Torres, keyboardist David Bryan and bassist Alec John Such released their debut album, Bon Jovi, which eventually went gold on the strength of a new version of "Runaway," which had cracked the Top 40. A year later, a second album, 7800 Degrees Fahrenheit, also went gold. The band exploded with the 1986 release of Slippery When Wet, fueled by the pop-metal hits "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Wanted Dead or Alive" and the blue-collar anthem "Livin' on a Prayer," which drew upon Jon's regular-guy persona (albeit one with pin-up looks). Ten million copies and hundreds of live shows later, Bon Jovi was one of the biggest rock groups in the world. The band's chart-topping success continued with 1988's New Jersey, which sold 5 million copies and went to number one in the U.S. The following year, Jon and the boys achieved another milestone when they became the first American rock band invited to play in the Soviet Union. 1989 was also an important year in Jon's personal life. While on tour, he married his high school sweetheart, Dorothea Hurley, in a whirlwind ceremony at the Graceland Chapel in Las Vegas. In 1990, Jon scored a number one hit with the song "Blaze of Glory," a solo effort he recorded for the movie Young Guns II--in which he had a cameo. The single was nominated for a Grammy and an Oscar--and won a Golden Globe. Beyond the accolades, the experience sparked Jon's interest in acting. While continuing his work with Bon Jovi--which released a fifth album, Keep the Faith, in 1992, followed by Cross Road: 14 Classic Grooves in 1993 and These Days in 1995--Jon started taking small roles in films like Moonlight and Valentino and The Leading Man, to positive notices. After releasing the solo album Destination Anywhere in 1997, Jon made several other movies, tackling larger roles in No Looking Back, U-571, Pay It Forward and others. Last year, the band released a new album of original songs, Crush, and this year, put out the live collection One Wild Night, as well as a massive concert tour. Still managing to keep his hand in movies, Jon also completed the film Vampires: Los Muertos, directed by John Carpenter. And if recording, touring and acting don't keep him busy enough, he also has two children, eight-year-old Stephanie and six-year-old Jesse, whom he and Dorothea are raising as far from the spotlight as they can. And while Jon may be plenty busy as a rocker, an actor and a dad, he always makes time for the fans. Find out what Jon has to say about the secret to marital success, the pluses and minuses of Napster and whether he'd actually get naked onscreen. --------------------------------------- From christakp: You've been in this business for years. What has kept your band going strong, and how do you keep coming up with such wonderful songs? We've managed to survive because we've always been true to who we are. We haven't followed fashions or fads. Plus, we all have outside interests. I have my movies. Richie does solo work. Tico's got his artwork and his line of baby clothes. David's been working on musical theater. When you have outside interests, you aren't depending on the band for your survival and your identity. When we get together, it's fun. As for songs, we write for ourselves first. And then, sometimes if you're lucky, you catch lightning in a bottle and millions of people connect with that song. That's magic. If I knew the secret, I'd sell it. --------------------------------------- From nothowardstern: Did you find it difficult receiving credibility as an actor? I had a very tough time trying to be accepted. Even if my name got me through the door, you wouldn't believe how many folks were just waiting for the opportunity to slam that door in my face.
Hollywood hasn't been fertile ground for musicians trying to
make the leap into acting. But I took it very seriously. I've
been taking acting lessons for almost a decade. I profess to
be nothing more than a student of the craft. I went on
auditions and readings and got turned down a lot. Finally, I
won my first role. But I still go to auditions and do screen
tests.
Luckily, over the past few years, I've been able to build a
résumé, so that now I can bring that into a meeting with
me, and it carries its own weight. I'm not just carrying the
baggage of the Bon Jovi name.
I always think I'm the Tom Cruise of the music world: a lot
of success and a lot of fans but no critics' darling. Whereas
in movies, my films are pretty small, and my roles not the
biggest, but the critics seem to really like the movies and
my work--more like the Elvis Costello of the movie world. --------------------------------------- From decampo: Did you grow up with a very ethnic Italian background? Being Italian myself and having that close-knit family, I was wondering if that had an influence on your career and personal life. I'm partially Italian. The family is from Sicily. But in reality, I'm a real American mutt. A little bit of everything. But my family is very close-knit to this day. It's part of who I am. --------------------------------------- From shalala32: When will your vampire movie, Los Muertos, be released? So far, there's no release date for the film, possibly early 2002. I'm still hoping they'll rework the title. --------------------------------------- From rockmama: You must see lots of banners at your shows. Is there one that really stands out in memory? Sometimes it's hard to take it all in when you're onstage. I regularly see the banners from one fan who travels all over the globe to follow the band. Each night, she increases the number, and it reads, "I've seen X many Bon Jovi shows." She even added my solo concerts and Richie's. It's like the McDonald's sign, constantly upping the number served. I've seen signs that had me for President and Richie as my VP. We'd have been great in the White House, eh? --------------------------------------- From daisy_9: You've done a good job keeping your children out of the spotlight. How do you think you'll react if one of them becomes interested in the entertainment business?
I hope I've instilled the idea that they can do anything they
want to do as long as they work hard at it. I've always
said, "This is good work if you can get it."
And God bless my parents. They saw my drive and
determination and my dream, and they did everything they
could to support me. I hope I'm that supportive of my kids,
no matter what they choose, and I hope I've given them a
sense of self and the confidence that they can handle
anything that comes their way. And if they go into show
biz, they're gonna have to handle a lot. --------------------------------------- From telcochik: You've made tons of money and had the kind of success most people only dream about. What motivates you to continue to make movies and music, and how long do you see yourself working in the entertainment field? I love making music. I love making movies. I love not knowing what tomorrow will bring. I'm motivated because I like to challenge myself constantly, finding new outlets to express my creativity. Hey, I can't paint. Frank Sinatra made movies and performed live till he was 80. I think that's a pretty good role model. I'd like to be making movies and music as long as I'm still enjoying it. --------------------------------------- From zorica: Could you describe the feeling you get when you have hundreds of fans screaming your name and singing along with your tunes? When you write a song and perform it live ,only to have your words sung back to you by a crowd, it's overwhelming. You realize you've touched so many people, and they've taken your lyrics to their hearts. You let that feeling wash over you. It's actually indescribable. --------------------------------------- From jennyhill802: Have you ever wished you weren't famous? If you could be unrecognizable for one day, what would you do? Unless I'm in public with the band, most days the fact I'm famous doesn't come into play. I don't wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and say, "Oh hey, I'm Jon Bon Jovi. I'm famous." I go about my business like you do. Occasionally, I'm recognized, but my fame hasn't really kept me from living life the way I want to. And I'm certainly nothing special at home. Fame stops at the end of my driveway. --------------------------------------- From e_nichols: Congrats on almost two decades of great rock 'n' roll! I have a couple of questions for you. First, of all the cities you've experienced on tour, which is your favorite to play and why? And as your acting career continues to develop, who or what would be the ideal character for you to depict?
Playing three sold-out nights at Wembley in '95 and then
returning and playing two more sold-out nights last year
and becoming the very last band to perform a live concert
there before they tore down the stadium--that's incredible.
Dublin has also always been an amazing show on our tours.
Chicago is usually pretty wild. But nothing tops playing in
your own backyard--two dates at Giants Stadium. This is
the end of this tour. And an amazing finale.
As for acting, I'd like to do a dramatic role, something
challenging. Maybe something opposite what folks would
expect of me. And maybe a romantic comedy, one that's
really smart and well written. --------------------------------------- From lil_peace_frog: Why do you think many famous entertainers have huge egos, and do you feel success has changed you at all?
Not all celebrities have huge egos. I've found that the more
famous a person is, the more down to earth they are,
because they don't have to prove anything to anyone. It's
the folks who aren't famous who have the attitudes.
Any performer has to have a healthy ego. First, to want to
be the center of attention and be center stage or on that
movie screen, you certainly can't be a wallflower. Plus,
you'd better have a pretty good sense of self to stomach
some of the rejection and nasty reviews you're bound to
encounter.
Success for me has been a huge learning experience, but I
don't think it has changed who I am at heart. Money can't
buy you class. It can't buy you love. It can't buy you
respect. If you're a poor, unknown asshole, you'd probably
end up being a rich, famous asshole. --------------------------------------- From leeleehb: If you could witness one moment in history, what would it be? Getting to the bottom of the whole second-shooter/grassy-knoll controversy surrounding JFK's assassination. --------------------------------------- From nokatiedidnt: I have long been an admirer of your work and have always thought you were talented, as both a musician and an actor. However, my heart sank when I read that you campaigned for Al Gore. I was just wondering what your political beliefs are and how you feel about the outcome of the election? Also, if you were asked by President Bush to sing at the White House, would you?
I'm a Democrat. I've been very supportive of the platform
for the Democratic National Committee. It's true I did
campaign for Gore last year--I did a benefit at my home. I
went out "on tour" as the warm-up act in the Midwest for
some campaign appearances Gore did prior to the election.
I was at the beachfront rally with him in Miami the night
before Election Day. I introduced him. I was miserable when
he lost. I wish Gore were in the White House.
I doubt I'd be asked to perform at the White House given
the high-profile nature of my support for Gore. However,
there are two things I'd ask fans to keep in mind. One,
whenever the President of the United States asks you to
perform, it's an honor. And two, I supported the candidate I
believed in. I didn't ask fans to vote for him just because I
was supporting him. All I asked folks to do was get out
there and vote. --------------------------------------- From kram316: What is your position concerning online peer-to-peer music sharing (Napster, Aimster, kaZaA, etc.)?
As a music fan and musician, I'm torn. Going online to get a
song of your favorite artist never officially released or a live
song from a show you went to last night, that's exciting as
a fan. As a musician, it's tough. The baby bands are able to
use Napster and sites like it to get a buzz going and build a
following, so I see the benefit. Other artists feel their music
being available for free cuts into their paychecks. And
other, the most successful ones, often feel the amount of
money they're losing from Napster is too minimal to worry
about.
The record companies are seriously worried about what it
all means to the future of music. I think everyone's right.
There are a lot of very intelligent opinions. The problem is
the Internet is still somewhat of the wild, wild West, with
no regulation. Until we put some parameters up, it's a
free-for-all. --------------------------------------- From kelly_7795: I've been a fan of yours for more than 13 years, and I was wondering if it's still as fun now as it was when you first started out? It's even better, because when I was first starting out, who would have imagined my life would be as amazing as it is? In my wildest dreams, who woulda thunk it? Plus, I used to be such the workaholic, constantly focused on the next challenge. Now, I enjoy the moment more, savor it, so it keeps getting better and better. --------------------------------------- From joviangel: You are my favorite singer and actor. Will there be a new Bon Jovi album soon after the live one? We're going to start writing for the next album this fall, hopefully head into the studio in January. --------------------------------------- From skatespan146: If you could pick one or two things you've done professionally that you're especially proud of, what would they be and why? Certainly, being able to look at a catalog of songs that I've written. Those will outlive me and my children and my grandchildren. And I think being one of the truly great live bands out touring today. We're real proud of our live shows. --------------------------------------- From leesa430: You seem to have a strong sense of family and pride in your roots. That said, you've just returned from a massive tour (that totally rocked, by the way) and still have more dates is the U.S. to go. How do you manage to have a "normal" family life?
We did 50 shows last year, took the holidays off. I went to
Mexico to do a movie, and then I went back out on the
road for another 50 dates. We've carved minibreaks into
the tour schedule. We're fortunate. Instead of spending our
days off in some hotel, we're at home. It makes a huge
difference mentally and physically. (I'd much rather be in
my own bed.)
Plus, the wives and families come out on the road
sometimes--not for the whole tour but for visits, and that
helps a lot. My family life is more normal than you'd think.
I'm up driving my kids to and from school. I go to the store
for milk. Someone has to let the dog out. --------------------------------------- From telcochik: If I were to meet you at a party, but I'd never heard of you before, what three things would you think were most important for me to know about you? (1) I'm a down-to-earth, hardworking, loyal, honest person; (2) I live for Sunday football; and (3), oh yeah, I'm a musician and actor by trade. --------------------------------------- From nunzianne: You've been married a long time--congratulations! You don't see much of that these days. Do you and Dorothea have any rules you maintain? Also, I just read in Playboy that your children don't know what you do for a living. Where do they think you are when you're away on tour?
If there were a secret to marriage, I'd bottle and sell it.
She's my best friend and the coolest person I know. As for
my kids, when they were very little, they came out on the
road, but they have no real memory of it. They were too
young, but I have the pictures.
When they got a bit older, they knew Daddy went away to
do a movie, so they thought I was an actor. When we were
living in London while I was working on The Leading Man,
Steph came home and said, "You're Bon Jovi!" And we
realized her nursery school teacher had explained to her
who Daddy was and that he was famous. That was uncool.
Now, my kids go to school with children of other celebrities,
and it's not an issue for any of them. When we started
working on Crush and started touring, they realized that
this was what I did for a living.
My kids are eight and six. They get it now. But to them, I'm
just Dad. They don't care about me onstage; they want me
to spend time with them. There are no platinum albums on
the walls of my home. My music doesn't play in my house. I
don't make them applaud when I come down the stairs for
breakfast in the morning. I'm just Dad. --------------------------------------- From niccodeamus: With all the hype in the media about the lack of male nudity in film and television, how do you feel about doing nude scenes? I have no problem with the idea of nude scenes, but they have to make sense within the context of the story and the script. If it's true to the character, is appropriate for the scene and crucial to the script, I'm fine with a nude scene. But for men or women, just for the sake of having skin up on the screen, it's stupid--and it's lazy filmmaking. --------------------------------------- From kallie_kitty: Does it make you uncomfortable when a fan meets you and is completely overwhelmed? I'm sure you encounter this daily. You never quite get used to it. I encounter a lot of fans who can't speak, or they start crying. It's uncomfortable for me. I usually try to put them at ease. It's flattering, but it can be really awkward. I usually appreciate someone who comes up to me and starts a normal conversation, talks about the football game, anything other than a conversation that starts with "I want...I need...Gimme..." Just talk to me like any other person. I don't bite--usually. --------------------------------------- From marge_gunderson: What's the best vacation you've ever been on? The best vacation will be the one I take with my family at the end of this tour. I'm ready. Really, really ready.
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It ain't easy being a working-class hero when
you're a multimillionaire superstar, but Jon
Bon Jovi, like fellow New Jersey native Bruce
Springsteen, has managed to pull it off.