Tag: Wildflower

Bon Jovi – ‘Have a Nice Day’ (2005) – Album Review (The Bon Jovi Collection Series)

Published on by 2loud2oldmusic21 Comments

Before the release of ‘100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can’t Be Wrong’, Bon Jovi had already finished recording their next album, ‘Have a Nice Day’. The record company wanted to put it out in early 2005, but Jon and the band had other ideas. They actually went back in to the studio and recorded more songs and tweaked some of the existing. As a result, the album didn’t see the light of day until September 20, 2005. The album 13 tracks and 3 bonus tracks scattered over Europe, Australia and Japan. The album would hit #2 in the U.S. and would hit platinum status as well as see #1 in numerous countries around the world so they were still a big worldwide band.

The album saw a new face in the producer chair. A gentleman by the name of John Shanks. John had worked with Ashlee Simpson, Hillary Duff, Kelly Clarkson and so many more. Us rock fans, were not real excited about that pedigree. Would this be a watered down, poppy Bon Jovi. Thankfully, that wasn’t the case as the album picked up where ‘Bounce’ left off giving us some heavy Bon Jovi and actually it saw a more thought-provoking Bon Jovi as Jon Bon Jovi really dug deep for the lyrics.

But, this would also be the first of many Shanks produced albums that many fans is the reason the band has lost its way and isn’t the same as it used to be. Yes, a band should grow and play with new sounds, and they did that, but the diehard fans have not been happy with the results, this fan included. This was the last Bon Jovi album that was good in my book. We will see if that thought still holds true as I re-explore the later albums. For now, I’m just going to enjoy this one like I always have.

The album would kick off with the first single and the title track, “Have a Nice Day”. The song is a carbon copy of “It’s My Life” as it is anthemic as well as delivering a positive message that says live your life the way you want to do it and when people try to bring you down, just tell them to “Have a Nice Day” and move on with your life. It is an exciting opening track, with an ear worm candy of a chorus that will keep you singing for days after you hear it.

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Slam – ‘Slam’ (2023) – Album Review (The Jeff Scott Soto Series)

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When I went to see Jeff Scott Soto and Jason Bieler live a few months back, this CD was in the Merch booth. I got real excited real fast. Slam is a band Jeff was in way back in 1991. Jeff received a call from former Beau Nasty guitarist, George Bernhardt, about doing a project. Jeff didn’t have a steady gig yet as Talisman wasn’t a full time band so he was up for doing some demos. George’s songs that he sent Jeff were full of funk and groove and that is exactly what Jeff loved so the two hit it off immediately. They did 7 songs together and the band was formed. Well, the name Slam was really all they had as there was no real band since it was just the two of them so far.

They found a drummer, in Boston, by the name of Mark Bistany and then through an ad found two more New Englanders with guitarist Craig Polivka and bassist Chris McCarvill. Craig & Chris replied with a demo of a song that would become “Dance the Body Elektrik” that appears on this disc. There was a problem as these three new guys were all on the East Coast and Jeff & George were on the West. Jeff actually drove to the East Coast and picked the boys up. Once back out west, they added a fifth member, rapper EOG (Eric Grinstead) and he rounded out the band. With this line-up the band had a rock, a rap, a soul, a funk and a whole lot of other cool sounds in their music.

But, it didn’t last. The boys from the East coast decided to go on their own and then EOG left as well. But they did bring on another guitarist that would become a regular fixture in Jeff’s life, Gary Schutt. Ricky Wolking would come in on bass, but again..it didn’t last. After 3 to 4 months, they scaled down to a 4 piece with Gary out now, but the band could not get a deal. And Slam would eventually go out with a thud. Now, 30 years later, we get the full set of songs they worked on and we have 16 choice cuts to ponder. Let’s go through them and see what they were up to 30 years ago.

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