Jon Bon Jovi Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora and comments on speculation about the musician's possible return.
In a recent interview with Classic Rock , the vocalist stated that he has barely spoken to his former bandmate since leaving eleven years ago .
Sambora dropped out of the Because We Can tour before a show in Calgary, Canada, on April 3, 2013, which undoubtedly came as a shock to Bon Jovi.
“Nobody predicted this, nobody predicted this would happen,” the vocalist comments. “I spoke to him the day before, I remember very well, it was Easter Sunday… and I was driving through the Lincoln Tunnel while talking to him, because I was living in New York, and I thought: ‘Yes, I’m feeling great; the album will reach number one; I’ll see you up there.’”
“He said, ‘Can I stay home one more day?’ ‘Sure. Do you want a private flight tomorrow? Sure. Go ahead. I don’t mind. See you up there.’ And then, the next day, the phone rings at three in the afternoon and, you know… ‘I can’t continue.’”
Some time later, Richie Sambora stated that his departure was influenced by the feeling that the band was becoming "obsolete." In turn, Bon Jovi countered: "I personally thought everything was going incredibly well. And that was never mentioned in the room, or during the songwriting, or the recording, or during the first 20 shows of that tour."
Sambora's return to Bon Jovi
According to Jon Bon Jovi, Sambora didn't make any major offers regarding his return. Furthermore, they only spoke twice in those eleven years.
Phil X Richie after his sudden departure
And it seems the atmosphere at the premiere of Bon Jovi's new documentary series, Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story , wasn't very pleasant (via Classic Rock ): "Richie flew in to see Jon and brought him a birthday present – a really cool guitar – but instead they showed Jon's documentary," a representative for the guitarist told People magazine.
READ ALSO: “It’s in God’s hands,” says Jon Bon Jovi about returning to singing.