It’s their life and their feud for now and forever, but fans remain curious about the relationship between former Bon Jovi bandmates Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, ahead of the release of their new docuseries.
The band’s frontman says that despite both rockers being involved in the upcoming Hulu production, “Thank You Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story,” communication between the two remains stalled.
“Not a word. That was [director] Gotham Chopra,” he told Ultimate Classic Rock of Sambora’s involvement. “This wasn’t a puff piece and this was no bulls—,” he added of the docuseries.
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Lead singer of Bon Jovi, Jon Bon Jovi, shared that he and former bandmate Richie Sambora are “not in contact.” (Kevin Mazur/Getty Images For The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame)
“This is not us behind the scenes pulling strings. Oh, no, no, no. They interviewed Richie in London. I wasn’t there. I had nothing to do with it,” he explained. “I still haven’t seen the [finished] product.”
Sambora unexpectedly left the band in April 2013, hours before the band was set to play a show in Calgary. Canadian musician Phil X filled in for Sambora, as he had done similarly when Sambora went to rehab in 2011, for the remainder of Bon Jovi’s tour.
He became the band’s official lead guitarist in 2016.
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Phil X, pictured performing with Bon Jovi, officially became the band’s lead guitarist in 2016. (Getty Images)
Right now, Bon Jovi says he and Sambora don’t speak.
“We’re not in contact because he’s not in the organization any longer,” Bon Jovi explained of their fractured relationship. “Doesn’t mean that there’s not love forever, but it’s 11 years ago that he just didn’t show up anymore.”
While Jon Bon Jovi doesn’t consider himself to be on bad terms with Richie Sambora, he says the two men don’t speak. (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
“There were emotional issues that he was dealing with as a single dad, and there were substance abuse issues that, you know… Phil X had to show up one time, and then Phil X had to show up another time. And then, again, there’s a show that night. What are we gonna do?” Bon Jovi asked.
In 2020, Sambora spoke candidly about his decision to leave the band.
“It wasn’t a popular decision by any means, obviously, but there was really almost no choice about it. I had a lot of conscious work to do around [my personal life],” he told People magazine.
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Richie Sambora ultimately left Bon Jovi to focus on his family. (Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
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“We’ve been through a lot of things together. That was a time of psychological maintenance for the family,” he shared. “You know, I ain’t no angel. But I realized, Ava needed me to be around at that point in time. Family had to come first, and that’s what happened.”
Sambora shares daughter Ava with ex-wife and actress Heather Locklear, who has her own substance abuse issues.
“When I look back and start to list the tours… 18-and-a-half months of being on the road, 52 countries… It’s like, wow. It was really time for a break. We did that 14 times over a 31-year period,” Sambora said.
The Hulu docuseries on the rock group will premiere on April 26 and be released in four parts.
