Tag: When We Were Beautiful

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 – ‘When We Were Beautiful’ (2009) – Documentary Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic24 Comments

Bon Jovi’s 11th Studio album is ‘The Circle’ and came out on November 10, 2009. My version of the album has a bonus DVD entitled ‘When We Were Beautiful’. The video is documentary movie that was recorded during the 2007 Tour for the band’s ‘The Lost Highway’ Tour. The film premiered at the 2009 Tribeca Film Festival and was directed by Phil Griffin. This isn’t your typical behind the scenes video, there is more depth and expertise to it and a purpose behind it. A story that was meant to be told.

The video shows them on stage and off and some very intimate moments. This isn’t some wild, crazy party video, but an opportunity for the guys to be shown as people and far more than just Bon Jovi. Don’t get me wrong, there are some fun moments. For instance, it was hilarious, and a little bit scary, when a woman jumped on stage in Dublin just to kiss Jon. That girl was bound and determined to do it and she succeeded.

But the interviews here with the band members are the most enjoyable part. You get to see a very serious side of Jon Bon Jovi, the smoker, the businessman, the CEO of a major brand over the last 25 years. A man who struggles more with touring, the stress, the loneliness. There is an artistic side to the film as well. I love when they show Jon singing “Hallelujah” and intersperse an interview with him as the song is playing. Jon talks about his insecurities about performing and how he hates the lull in the show and always wants to have it going up, up and up. It is moments like this that keep this film interesting and a step above most documentaries you have seen.

Tico Torres, the man who doesn’t look to the past, and lives in the moment and loves to spend his down time playing golf, but family is his most important thing. Tico had a serious drinking problem and had so many issues with his dad leaving him at a young age. He has dealt with those demons and today might be the most together person of the whole band. He has found salvation in his art.

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

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic40 Comments

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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