Tag: We Weren’t Born to Follow

Bon Jovi – ‘Live E.P.’ – 10″ Picture Disc (Record Store Day 2013) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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Back in 2013, Bon Jovi jumped on board the Record Store Day Bandwagon. On April 20, 2013, we get the first of 2 Live E.P. Picture Discs from the band. The first one is called simply ‘Live’ and is a 10″, 33 1/3 RPM, Picture Disc. It contains four live tracks, all previously released in some form or fashion.

The opening track, “Livin’ On A Prayer” was recorded at Madison Square Garden on either July 14/15 of 2008 and was released on the video ‘Live at Madison Square Garden’ in 2009. The song starts off with Jon singing “Livin’ on a Prayer a cappella and the crowd finishes it the chorus. The full band joins in and they show why they are a great live band. 

The second track is a personal favorite, “Blood on Blood” and this one was recorded at the Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey around May 2010. The song was released on the live album (and video) ‘Inside Out’. It feels untouched as you can here the little wobbles and cracks in Jon’s voice like a good live show should have. The song might not have the same grit live as it does on the studio version, but they do put their all in to it.

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Bon Jovi – ‘Inside Out’ (2012) – DVD Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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Only the band’s second live album, ‘Inside Out’, was released on November 27, 2012. It was not one show though, it was spread across 3 epic venues as the back of the box states. The songs are from the 25th Anniversary show at Madison Square Garden, the Hometown opening night at New Meadowlands Stadium and then from the Historic 12 night run at London’s O2 Arena. 12 nights…damn!! Usually, I would hate something that wasn’t all one show, but this works. If I’m not mistaken, this is only available on iTunes. Well, that is unless you are able to find the Australian promo of the actual video…which I do. And that is what we are reviewing here, the DVD and not the iTunes version.

The DVD is a promo as it says on the back of the box and on the disc itself, “not for sale”. The video is the actual screening from the theatrical release and it does something cool. We get 14 tracks from the 3 venues and what they do at times during the songs is switch to split screen and show shots of them performing the song from the other arena or arenas in some cases. An interesting way of doing things and it makes it fun to watch. It is 75 minutes of pure Bon Jovi live energy.

The show kicks off with one of my favorite tracks, “Blood on Blood”, from ‘New Jersey’. It feels untouched as you can here the little wobbles and cracks in Jon’s voice like a good live show should have. The song might not have the same grit live as it does on the studio version, but they do put their all in to it. “Lost Highway” sees Jon dripping wet with sweat and when they show the split screens, he is perfectly dry in those which tells me one song was played early in the set and the other later.

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Bon Jovi – ‘Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Video Collection’ (2010) – DVD Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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To coincide with the release of the band’s ‘Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection’ on CD, the band also released a DVD full of the band’s video hits and live versions as well. The DVD was released on November 10, 2010 about 2 weeks after the CD. It isn’t a full career retrospective as it is only 17 of their numerous music videos. And it omits anything from the first two albums which is a huge misstep by the band as they continue to ignore those two albums. I honestly hate when a band does that. It is stupid and an insult to fans who love those albums even if they don’t. You guys truly suck for this!!!

But what is here, is really great. It kicks off with two tracks from ‘Slippery When Wet’ with “Livin’ on A Prayer” and “You Give Love A Bad Name”, two videos that really showcased the band’s live performances and what helped draw millions of fans in to the fold. They then jump to “In These Arms” from ‘Keep the Faith’ and surprisingly enough, it is another live concert performance to the studio song. Honestly, these type of videos are great as they aren’t some cheesy video telling a story that is not what is in the song, but gives you an idea of what the band is live. Now, I say that and you then get Sam Kinison and people talking through cut-outs of Elvis for “Bad Medicine” But that was only the opening as the rest was live concert shots as well.

“Born to Be My Baby” is full of studio shots as if the band was recording the song for the first time done in black & white. Very laid back and I like it because it isn’t the exact studio version of the song, it is a different edit. Then we go full on color with the ballad “I’ll Be There For You” which is more stage performance except this time it is in front of an empty arena. A great song shot perfectly here. “Lay Your Hands On Me” gives us another live style video. Honestly, I don’t remember all their videos being basically concert style.. They did not waste a lot of money on videos and it paid off for them and save them a ton of money. The videos are all professionally done, no denying that.

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Bon Jovi – ‘Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection’ (2010) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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After the Circle and subsequent tour, I am guessing the band was taking a little break because it would be 3 more years before another album. In the meantime, why not another greatest hits package since the last one was ‘Cross Road’ which was about 15 years earlier. This time around it was simply called ‘Greatest Hits’. Well, that is unless you bought the 2 CD set which was called ‘Greatest Hits: The Ultimate Collection’. The package was released on October 29, 2010 and it di really well going Gold in the U.S. and selling millions in Europe going multi-times platinum in numerous countries.

One thing they did with this release is that depending where you lived, what version was available. All single disc versions had 2 new songs on them. All 2 CD versions had 4 new songs on them. The difference was the U.S. version on had 26 songs while the International version (Europe/Australia) had 30 tracks and Japan had 31. The U.S. didn’t get any songs from 7800º Fahrenheit, International got 1 and Japan were blessed with 2 (including “Tokyo Road” of course). I will say it does suck they ignore that album here and only give us one from the debut. And it does effect my score. There is nothing else to say about the release so let’s get to the music as there is a lot to get through so I hope you’ve had a nap and are well rested.

DISC 1:

The first disc kicks off with “Livin’ On A Prayer” from ‘Slippery When Wet’. It opens with a wicked bass line, finger cymbals and a talk-box. But that wasn’t all that was great about it, it is the story of Tommy & Gina in “Livin’ on a Prayer” that makes this such a great song. Jon has a way of making the songs human and easy to connect with. The everyday person with problems just like you so the songs feel personal.  The song is loosely based on Desmond and his girl-friend as she worked in a Diner, but he was a taxi driver and not working at the docks.  It was that Blue Collar feel to the song that made it resonate with so many people.  It was a time when Bon Jovi actually wrote songs that told a story that connected with people and not try to write just to make a hit. 

“You Give Love a Bad Name” is next and also from ‘Slippery’. It was originally written for Bonnie Tyler and called “If You Were a Woman (and I Was a Man)”, but the song did nothing so Desmond Child re-wrote it for Bon Jovi and the rest is history. The song went to #1 and the beginning of the rise to super stardom had begun. The song checks all the boxes, big chorus, epic guitar solo, killer bass line, pounding drum fills and pure intensity. The song will have you singing along instantly as the song feels familiar and exciting. You can’t get it out of your head.

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Bon Jovi – ‘The Circle’ (2009) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

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We are now up to Bon Jovi’s 11th studio album called ‘The Circle’. The band has been on a massive schedule of album, tour, album, tour for years now and honestly the quality is starting to show. Producer John Shanks is back and a lot of people believe that is the problem, but for me it is more than that. It is the fact the fact they are still chasing that hit and everything has become formulaic and tired. More on that later.

For now, let’s discuss the album itself. The title, ‘The Circle’, has many meanings one possible is that they have come full circle back to the rock & roll sound of before after dabbling in to that country genre for a second…a very long second. Or it could be that the band is a circle of guys and that circle is hard to get in to (and hard to get out unless your Richie and you stop showing up – but that hasn’t happened yet and I’m getting ahead of myself). That circle still consists of Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, Tico Torres and David Bryan. Poor Hugh McDonald still hasn’t been made an official member yet, but that will change eventually.

The album was released on November 10, 2009 and sold over 163,000 records in its first week alone. The album would reach #1 on the Billboard Charts and numerous countries around the world. It stayed at #1 for all of one week, but hey, it is a #1 album. It would also go on to Gold Status in the States and 5 other countries as well as Platinum in Canada. The band was still having success, but for me that loyalty had faded and faded fast. It was years after this album was released before I ever bought it and the only reason I pulled it out today, is so I could do a review. And after a couple more listens, my thoughts haven’t changed. Are you ready for it?

The opening track is the song “We Weren’t Born to Follow” and is very typical of every album since 2000. An uplifting song that talks about the tough times people were facing in the current economic environment. It was a charge to arms to stand up for you believe. But like every opening track on the past batch of albums, it feels like a been there and done that kind of song. Yeah, it ain’t bad, but it ain’t anything new either.

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