ReZoom

Life experiences create the grist for Bon Jovi's new "Lost Highway" CD.

By the time most folks hit their 40s, life has kicked them around a bit. It doesn't matter if you're rich and famous or an average Joe — just ask Bon Jovi.

When it came time to write songs for their new album, "Lost Highway," there was plenty of inspiration to be found within the confines of the band. "Between (guitarist) Richie (Sambora's) divorce and his dad dying and (keyboardist) Dave (Bryan) going through the same thing — divorce and lost his dad — I was able to use that for subject matter," says Jon Bon Jovi. Tracks like "Everybody's Broken," "Whole Lot of Leaving" and "The Last Night" have a definite older and wiser tone; the bitter is mixed with the sweet. Despite receiving scant support from radio, the set received two Grammy nominations, Best Pop Vocal Album and Best Pop Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group. 

Jon Bon Jovi's no different than many adults who find themselves disenfranchised by current pop radio. "I can't tell you that I was all that inspired by what I heard on VH1 or Hot AC radio or the formats that you would have to be writing a record for. I found my radio dial kept flipping over to Sirius and XM because they had new country, and I really liked Keith Urban and Kenny Chesney and Big and Rich and Sugarland."

Bon Jovi fans will recall that it was with Sugarland's Jennifer Nettles that the band scored a No. 1 on the Hot Country Singles chart last year — the first for a rock band — with "Who Says You Can't Go Home." Incredibly, the song also snared the group its first Grammy Award.

So it's no surprise that the band decided to lean a little toward its new-found country base for "Lost Highway." (The title comes from the classic Hank Williams song). Recording in Nashville, the band gave the songs the usual Bon Jovi treatment of layered guitars and keyboards and then added pedal steel, fiddle and mandolin where appropriate. "It's not like we did ‘The Devil Went Down to Georgia.' I'm not wearing a Stetson," Jon Bon Jovi says. "I have too much respect for the medium to pander to it."

The result is Bon Jovi' first album to debut at No. 1 and its first to reach the top of Billboard's album chart since 1988. Some folks in the music industry criticize Bon Jovi for promoting the hell out of their albums — saying they'll show up at the opening of an envelope if it will spread the word of their new CD. This time, in addition to running the usual TV gauntlet, they offered a ticket pre-sale to their run of October New Jersey shows for fans willing to also download the album for $9.99. My hunch is the die-hard fans really want both, so no harm, no foul. Besides, why is it wrong to push a record that you've worked hard on and want as many people as possible to hear?

Despite such marketing efforts, Jon Bon Jovi says he can't be bothered to chart watch like he did in the past. "As much as I used to pay attention to those kinds of things in the world, I'm so far removed from them now," he says. "I honestly don't think about it. I can't worry myself about any radio formats or how many records you've sold this week. I can't wrap my arms around it; I don't have time for it."

Indeed, if the last few years are any indication, Jon Bon Jovi is starting to look far beyond his music when he considers his legacy. At the recent Live Earth concerts, Al Gore said the first person to call and say he was in was Bon Jovi. (And may we say, for our money, gave one of the most invigorating sets of the event). He has generously donated his time and money to many causes including Habitat for Humanity and SaveDarfur.org, as well as started a philanthropic arm for The Philadelphia Soul, the arena football team he co-owns.

And as Jon Bon Jovi well knows, musical styles may come and go, but giving never goes out of style.

Melinda Newman is a Los Angeles-based entertainment journalist who writes for the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Associated Press, the Hollywood Reporter and a number of other outlets. She is the former West Coast Bureau Chief for Billboard. Her love of music goes back to when she was a small girl who used to write down all the songs on "Casey Kasem's Top 40 Countdown" - lovingly and obsessively - on purple, lined notebook paper. She can be reached at melindanewman@ca.rr.com.

 

"Take a break from the humdrum and journey down memory lane. ReZoom spotlights the artists who defined our generation. They were -- and still are -- classics."