Jon Bon Jovi breaks silence on why there's 'no contact' with Richie Sambora 11 years after he left band
18 March 2024, 13:38
The Bon Jovi singer spoke out about the estrangement ahead of the release of a documentary about the band.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
Jon Bon Jovi has spoken out about his non-existent relationship with Richie Sambora, 11 years after the pair's acrimonious split.
The 62-year-old singer has confirmed the pair are still not on speaking terms, despite the highly-anticipated release of a new four-part documentary in April.
- Jon Bon Jovi and wife Dorothea's 40-year romance, and their secret to long-lasting love
- Jon Bon Jovi casts doubt on his band’s future after vocal cord surgery: "If I can't be great, I'm out"
- Richie Sambora facts: Bon Jovi guitarist's age, wife, children and career explained
Best known as the lead guitarist of Bon Jovi from 1983 to 2013, Sambora shocked fans when he suddenly left the band mid-tour in April 2013, hours before Bon Jovi was set to take to the stage in Calgary.
Speaking ahead of the band's documentary Thank You Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, Jon has conformed that even filming didn't bring the duo back together.
Speaking to Ultimate Classic Rock, Jon said: "We’re not in contact because he’s not in the organisation any longer."
The singer then went on to add that he 'had nothing to do with' Sambora's involvement in the series.
"They interviewed Richie in London. I wasn't there," he explained, adding: "I had nothing to do with it."
- Bon Jovi reveal emotional trailer for upcoming documentary: Thank You, Goodnight
- Jon Bon Jovi reacts to son Jake's engagement to Stranger Things star Millie Bobby Brown for first time
- When Jon Bon Jovi went undercover to surprise fans at a karaoke bar, and they lost their minds
Despite the pair not speaking for over 11 years, Jon did say he still had 'love' for his former bandmate, saying their estrangement "doesn’t mean that there’s not love forever".
It's not the first time Job has spoken positively about the split.
In a 2016 interview with People – just three years after Sambora left the band – Jon said Richie was "wonderful friend" and "wonderful collaborator", adding: "I’m never going to bad mouth the guy."
Richie's decision to leave Bon Jovi after 30 years shocked fans in 2013, however in the years since, the star has spoken candidly about why he suddenly left.
In a 2020 interview, Richie said he had 'no choice' but to leave in 2013.
"It wasn't a popular decision by any means, obviously, but there was really almost no choice about it.”
The guitarist explained that his decision was made around his family, specifically his daughter Ava who he shares with ex-wife Heather Locklear.
He said: "Ava needed me to be around at that point in time. Family had to come first, and that's what happened."
The trailer for the documentary Thank You, Goodnight was released last month and is set to stream on Disney+ in April
In what marks the first-ever official documentary to be sanctioned by the band, the four-part series will cover their meteoric rise, the fallouts, and the band's uncertain future.
Prince Harry sings with Bon Jovi
Thank You, Goodnight will offer new insight into Bon Jovi's past through exclusive interviews and never-before-seen or heard photos and demo songs.
The trailer shows the trials and tribulations of the band, culminating in the ominous phrase: "I don't know if there's going to be a happy ending," hinting that the combination of issues with Jon Bon Jovi's voice and tensions between the band might scupper any 40th anniversary plans.
The singer explained what happened to his voice during a recent appearance as a speaker for the Pollstar Live! conference.
Jon said that "one of my cords was literally atrophied" and the "strong one was literally taking what was left of the weak one. So they put a plastic implant in, and for the last two years now, I've been in this rehab, getting it back together."
He cast doubt on the future of Bon Jovi, admitting that "if I can't be great, I'm out. And I think that the documentary that we're about to put out addresses all of that."
