Jon Bon Jovi Chat AOL 17/06/1997

OnlineHost: Ask Jon Bon Jovi the difference between writing for a Bon Jovi album and writing for his own project and he's quick to explain: "When you're making a band record, it is a collaborative effort. It's not always my story or his story; it becomes our story. But this time," Jon pauses, "it's just my voice." Please welcome Jon Bon Jovi to AOL Live!

OnlineHost: Want to know what else is happening in AOL Live? The best place to find out about upcoming events is in the AOL Live Newsletter! It can be sent to you via email each Monday, FREE! To sign up, go to keyword: "HotLive" and be sure to subscribe for yours today! It's that EASY!

OnlineHost: Your emcees for tonight are Jane (AOLiveMC5) and Robert (AOLiveMC4).

AOLiveMC5: Welcome to AOL, everyone, and a special to Jon Bon Jovi. We have lots of questions so we're going to jump right in.

Question: I have to say, I really enjoy the new CD and loved seeing you live at the Showgram in NY. Any little shows coming up in NJ?
JnBonJovi: No. Tomorrow night's show in NYC is the only area show playing.

Question: Jon Bon Jovi, what is your favorite song on the new CD?
JnBonJovi: Richie is completing his album and we will tour early next year. My favorite song to play live is "Destination Anywhere."

Question: If you were to do a duet with a female singer, who would you like that to be?
JnBonJovi: Chrisy Hynde.

Question: Jon, please tell me if you are doing a Christmas show this year. And do you have more plans to model? New CD is fantastic.
JnBonJovi: There's no Christmas show planned for this year, as the band is not touring. I'm glad you like the new CD.

Question: What is your favorite thing about your career?
JnBonJovi: The favorite thing about my career is writing the songs.

Question: How is acting compared to touring?
JnBonJovi: Though I don't sleep in my own bed, I sleep in the same bed for three months at a time. The biggest differences is I don't write the material for a film.

Question: What was your favorite group as a kid?
JnBonJovi: My favorite group as a kid were Southside Johnnie and The Asbury Jukes.

Question: Why did you decide to do your own record without the band?
JnBonJovi: The reason I decided to do a record without a band was simply to bring back other experiences to the band.

Question: Jon, I really love the new CD! One of my favorite songs is "Queen of New Orleans." Was there really a queen?
JnBonJovi: No, "Queen of New Orleans" is purely fictional, as it was written after my trip to New Orleans for the Superbowl.

Question: How did you come up with the title, "Destination Anywhere?"
JnBonJovi: The thought came up in England when I was filming "The Leading Man." I don't know how but it was a fitting title.

Question: Which do you get the most satisfaction from, solo or group performances?
JnBonJovi: I enjoy both. Just the pleasure of playing is enough for me.

Question: Jon, do you think you will ever make it back to Tucson, Arizona for a concert? You promised back in 1987 and I have been waiting. I am disabled and it is impossible for me to go out of town. I would love to see you and am one of your biggest fans.
JnBonJovi: I don't having any touring plans for the rest of 1997 to Tucson. It's not in my immediate future, although I'd love to come back.

Question: Do you know when "The Leading Man" will be released in the U.S.?
JnBonJovi: No, I'm afraid I have no information regarding "The Leading Man" and the U.S. distributor.

Question: Jon Bon Jovi, I was wondering, is there a movie that you would love to star in that would be a remake? I could see you playing Eddie from "Eddie and The Cruisers."
JnBonJovi: I don't think so. It was an awful movie. It needed a script.

AOLiveMC5: But it would be so much better with you in it, Jon!

Question: Jon, where do you go from here? I mean, is there anything else you want to conquer? And your album is great. I'm listening to it now and love it. Thanks.
JnBonJovi: "Destination Anywhere" is truly fitting title for my life right now, as I have no grand master plan. I'm just having fun experimenting.

Question: Jon, do you want your children to follow in your footsteps? Are they already into music?
JnBonJovi: It's great work if you can get it, and I would certainly not discourage their wanting to be in the music business.

Question: What comes first when you write a song: the lyrics or the melody? And how long, on average, does it take to write a song?
JnBonJovi: Sometimes, it takes a half an hour. Sometimes, it takes weeks. And it's never the same twice.

Question: Did you ever take vocal lessons and, if yes, who taught you?
JnBonJovi: Yes I did take vocal lessons. Katie Agresta was the vocal coach in New York.

Question: Do you write songs mostly on guitar or piano?
JnBonJovi: I write on both guitar and piano.

Question: Has making the move to movies had an affect on your song writing?
JnBonJovi: Perhaps movie-making has made my lyric writing more concise.

Question: Hey Jon, I've been a huge fan since the beginning. I've seen you (the band) 14 times. I was wondering how come the last couple of tours, you guys haven't played any of the old stuff: "Runaway," "Roulette," "Breakout," etc.?
JnBonJovi: "Destination Anywhere" is my ninth album. Obviously, there is not enough time during one show to play every album, and you have to choose accordingly.

Question: What was it like working with Whoopi Goldberg?
JnBonJovi: Whoopi is the best as you'll see tonight in the premiere of the "Destination Anywhere" film. She is a sweetheart.

Question: I just bought your new CD and it's great. Did you do something different for the song "Queen Of New Orleans?" Your voice sounds different. Thanks.
JnBonJovi: All I did for the "Queen of New Orleans" was sing it in a lower key.

Question: Are you going to put out any more music videos to buy? I need to add to my collection!
JnBonJovi: Perhaps the "Destination Anywhere" film and the "Electronic Press Kit" will be for sale around Christmas.

Question: Jon, do you have a web page on here with pictures?
JnBonJovi: Yes, I believe we do. Polygram should have one under http://www.jonbonjovi.com.

Question: Since it sounds like "Destination Anywhere" the movie has a cliffhanger ending, is there any chance for a sequel?
JnBonJovi: Nice idea, but unlikely.

Question: Hey, JBJ! I just bought your new album today and I've listened to it again and again! It's very good! I can't wait to see your new movie tonight. Can you tell me a little bit about your character?
JnBonJovi: My character is fictionally based on me, as the album must relate to me. But it's the story of a couple dealing with the loss of a child.

Question: Being a fan of yours from way, way, way back (talking early 80's clubbing scene), it's pretty cool that you never got caught up in scandals, nor have I ever had a glimpse of your kids. Is it a hassle to keep your private life so private, especially in the 90's?
JnBonJovi: I'd like to keep my skeletons in the closet and my kids out of the spotlight. They didn't choose show business.

Question: Have you ever thought about putting out a multimedia CD that has interviews and clips on it along with the music?
JnBonJovi: No. I'm just catching up to interactive and computers.

Question: Aloha Mr. Bon Jovi! I love your music, especially now. You have cooled down in your style of music from the early days. How do fans of the old Bon Jovi react to that?
JnBonJovi: I don't know. I just hope that they give me the opportunity to grow as a songwriter. Fifteen years into record-making, you hope people give you the opportunity to grow, not only as a performer but as an individual.

Question: You are one of the few rockers with real credibility as an actor. Is there a role (in an existing play or even in a yet-unadapted-for-film novel) that you'd be particularly interested in playing?
JnBonJovi: I'm always looking for a good role. The scripts that I've been given are dialogue-driven, and that's always the type of character in a film I'm looking to play.

Question: I heard you this morning on "Howard Stern." You were great as usual. How did you like being on his show?
JnBonJovi: Howard has been wonderful to me. He was especially in a good mood this morning. I loved doing the show.

Question: What was most challenging with this album?
JnBonJovi: Trying to reinvent myself and not giving in to the pressure of trying to revert to surefire Bon Jovi hits in order to perhaps make a more commercially viable record.

Question: Jon, would you ever do a Broadway show? If so, do you have any one in mind?
JnBonJovi: No. I've had offers in the last year, but it's too similar to touring, doing eight shows a week.

Question: Jon, I know you are busy with acting and song writing, but are you still into riding Harleys?
JnBonJovi: Yes, though I have hardly ridden at all this year. I'd like to go out on another trip soon.

Question: Lyrically and musically, what was your inspiration for the tune "Bed of Roses?" It's an incredible song.
JnBonJovi: Thank you. A terrible vodka hangover and the consideration of Danny Korchmar, who convinced me to complete the song.

Question: Jon, many so-called 80's bands have tried to change for the 90's. Bon Jovi, I feel, did that very well. Were any musical changes planned in order to survive in the music biz, or did you simply grow as musicians?
JnBonJovi: The period between "Young Guns," "Stranger in This Town" and "Keep the Faith" helped us grow as musicians and as people.

Question: Jon, are you going to ask local bands to support you next time you gig in England, like the Milton Keynes dates? It was so nice seeing local talent and nice of you to give them the chance to play a once-in-a-lifetime gig.
JnBonJovi: Sure. Even as of tonight, I have no idea who the band is opening for me tomorrow night in New York. I do believe it is a local band.

Question: OK, here's a completely off the wall question: What do you like to do in your limited off time?
JnBonJovi: Sleep.

Question: I just ordered your new CD last Saturday and I love "Midnight in Chelsea," but did any of the other Bon Jovi members play any music on the album?
JnBonJovi: Dave Bryan played piano and accordion on "Staring at Your Window," and he is the only member of the band that performed on the album.

Question: What was it like working with Demi Moore for the "Destination Anywhere" film?
JnBonJovi: Incredible with a capital "I." She is the most wonderful girl you could ever want to know and also a seasoned pro. I adore her.

Question: Which Bon Jovi album are you the most proud of?
JnBonJovi: I'm proud of all of them because, at that given time in my life, it's the best record I could have made.

Question: What do you think about today's alternative music? Do ever wish it would be like the old days, good ol' rock 'n roll?
JnBonJovi: No, I enjoy the constant challenges and the reinventing of Chuck Berry's "Sweet Little Sixteen."

Question: Hi Jon. Saw you guys play at the Viacom. Great show! Who are the drummer and the percussionist? I thought Bobby B. was great and always great to see Hugh! See you July 4th.
JnBonJovi: The drummer was Sean Pelton. He is the drummer from Saturday Night Live. The percussionist was Everett Bradley.

Question: Would you consider directing a movie in the future?
JnBonJovi: One step at a time. I'm just learning about the acting process.

Question: Jon, which of your guitars is your favorite? Why? What other instruments do you play? Love you big time, Liz P., Toronto, Canada (P.S. I was your "tour manager" in '93 for Canadian leg of K.T.F.).
JnBonJovi: I love my Telecaster and Takamine acoustic guitar.

Question: How did you think of the words to "Midnight In Chelsea?"
JnBonJovi: It was my narration of a time spent in London.

Question: Hi, Jon. I've seen you in the movie, "The Evening Star." When did you get interested in acting?
JnBonJovi: I wasn't in "The Evening Star."

Question: I know you are an R&B fan. Who are some of your favorites and/or influences?
JnBonJovi: Sam Cooke, the Temps, and any early Motown.

Question: What is the song "Naked" about? It's very cool!
JnBonJovi: "Naked" is about a friend of a friend who, in so many words, knew how to look inside you and say, "Slow down. Just get back to what it is that makes you happy." And "Naked" is a metaphor for getting back to basics.

Question: Are you planning on releasing any more singles from your album?
JnBonJovi: I think we'll be releasing singles throughout '97 and '98. It depends on how much you like the album.

Question: I'm listening to your album as of right now. It is really good. I noticed that Helena Christensen was singing background on one song. I had no idea she could sing.
JnBonJovi: Helena is a big fan of singing and, at one time, sang opera.

Question: How is your son doing?
JnBonJovi: He's doing very well.

Question: What is your most enjoyable role you have done so far in your acting career?
JnBonJovi: I've been fortunate enough to have had several great experiences, but my time in London on "The Leading Man" and "Little City," which was shot in SF, thus far have been my favorites.

Question: Jon, this morning on "Howard," I heard you say that when you worked at your cousin's studio, you had the chance to meet such great people as Queen and the Stones. Were they favorites of you growing up and did they give you any advice on making it?
JnBonJovi: I always found the bigger the star, the nicer the person.

Question: Jon, what made you decide to get a Superman tattoo? I love it!
JnBonJovi: During the course of The Slippery When Wet Tour, I was flying across the arena to a platform at the back, and with the success of the album, I thought the tattoo expressed what I was feeling at the time. It was so symbolic at the time.

Question: Hi, Jon. I was at the movie yesterday and I loved it! I have also been lucky enough to have had the new CD since Friday. I love that, too. "Ugly" is my favorite. What can we expect tomorrow at the Supper Club?
JnBonJovi: I don't know. We'll see as we go along, Jennifer.

Question: I loved you in "Moonlight in Valentino." Any plans to do a romantic comedy? You would be great!
JnBonJovi: It would depend on the script. So many romantic comedies are contrived. I would have to find one that made sense.

AOLiveMC5: Sorry, but we're out of time. Thanks for answering our questions and talking with us, Jon.

JnBonJovi: Thank you all. Be sure to watch "Destination Anywhere" tonight on TV, and I hope you enjoy the album as much as I've enjoyed making it. Thanks and good night.

AOLiveMC5: I know I'll be watching and listening. Thanks for joining us, audience.

======================== More about this Event:

17/06 Jon Bon Jovi (AOL Live)

Ask Jon Bon Jovi the difference between writing for a Bon Jovi album and writing for his own project and he's quick to explain."When you're making a band record, it is a collaborative effort...it's not always my story or his story, it becomes our story. But this time," Jon pauses, "it's just my voice."

That voice comes through loud and clear on "Destination Anywhere," the second solo album from one of the world's premier singer/songwriters. Filled with emotional, intricately drawn songs that rank among Jon's best to date, "Destination Anywhere" comes equipped with an inherent goal: to challenge the notion of who Jon Bon Jovi is as an artist. That goal is achieved by refusing to play by the preconceived rules of what a Jon Bon Jovi record should sound like and the willingness to toss out the game plan is evident right from the jump. Somewhat sparse, more percussive, built on loops rather than guitar attacks, and decidedly close to the vest, "Destination Anywhere" speaks not with an anthemic shout, but with a heated, passionate whisper. If "Destination Anywhere" doesn't feel like New Jersey or The Young Guns Soundtrack, well than that's exactly what Jon had in mind.

On "Destination Anywhere," Jon joined forces with an eclectic and unlikely group of co-conspirators including producer/songwriter Dave Stewart (Eurythmics, Tom Petty) and Steve Lironi, perhaps best known for Black Grape's "It's Great When You're Straight...Yeah." As Jon tells it, "I set out to take a shot and if it didn't work, I'd throw it away. My theory going in was five producers, two tracks apiece, bam! That will be the album. But then I cut two with Steve and loved them so much and plus, I was so intrigued by how he worked. We started with Steve's programming and worked backwards....It was so different from how I make an album. I ended up having him do eight tracks and Dave did the other three. I knew that working like this was an interesting way of making a record and the main thing was that I wasn't afraid to try new ideas or to let new influences color my work."

Those influences and this radical departure in recording methods had its genesis in London. Jon had spent three months there filming "The Leading Man" and he soaked up the brave new beats that dominate the British airwaves. Jon wrote the first ten songs on the album on an acoustic guitar while holed up in a movie set trailer, eventually constructing most of the tracks in his basement studio.

Helping Jon out on "Destination Anywhere" are Bon Jovi's keyboardist David Bryan, Eric Bazilian (The Hooters), drummer Kenny Aronoff, Dave Stewart and an assortment of players, friends, baby-sitters and supermodels. "Anyone who came into the studio ended up on the album in some capacity," Jon laughs.

Despite the somewhat unorthodox ways of making this album, some things remained a constant: namely Jon's lyrical themes of faith and disillusionment. Yet this time those themes are more autobiographical in tone. On the haunting "August 7" Jon examines the painful murder of his manager's daughter. "Midnight in Chelsea," which will be the first single, is a soaring narrative of the time spent in London. The highly charged "Janie Don't You Take Your Love to Town" chronicles a fight between Jon and his wife, which Jon jokes, "has been fictionalized to protect the innocent," while "Every Word Was a Piece of My Heart" speaks with Bon Jovi's lyrical honesty.

That honesty and determination to stick to their stylistic guns have been the cornerstone of both Jon Bon Jovi the solo artist, and Bon Jovi the band. For more than 13 years, Bon Jovi has reigned as one of the biggest recording acts in rock and roll, racking up sales of over 75 million albums worldwide. In addition, the group is considered one of the industry's top concert draws and regularly sells out arenas and stadiums throughout the world. The group's last CD, 1995's "These Days" went multi-platinum and revealed the band's growing lyrical maturation. The members of Bon Jovi are currently involved in solo projects and the group has plans to enter the studio within the foreseeable future.

As for Jon Bon Jovi's immediate future, along with promoting "Destination Anywhere," Jon is continuing his film career, which began with 1995's critically acclaimed "Moonlight and Valentino." In addition to starring in a short film that will accompany "Destination Anywhere," Jon will soon be seen in the Miramax film "Little City and Homegrown," which also stars Academy Award winner Billy Bob Thornton. Jon has also been cast in the forthcoming film "Long Time, Nothing New," directed by Ed Burns of "She's the One" and "The Brothers McMullen" fame. But rest assured, while Jon plans on pursuing an acting career, he has no plans to abandon music. "The greatest creative thing I do in my life is write a song. More than recording it or performing it. Because a song is something that I created and it will be there forever."

Like the 12 songs that embody "Destination Anywhere" -- moody, evocative, playful and pensive, "Destination Anywhere" is the next step on the journey from Jon Bon Jovi.

DESTINATION ANYWHERE

"Destination Anywhere" is a contemporary film noir set on the streets of a gritty, yet colorful Manhattan neighborhood. Jon Bon Jovi stars as JON, a man on the run from his home, his gambling debts, and his marriage. He is summoned back to New York to deal with his emotionally estranged wife, JANIE, an emergency room nurse, who has never fully recovered from the hit-and-run death of their only child several years ago. Jon returns to chaos, Janie is out of control and his debts have caused his life to be in danger. He struggles to cope with the troubles at home, but has built walls that are too thick to penetrate and the problems only escalate between Jon and Janie. When an abandoned baby is found in a dumpster and brought to the hospital where Janie works, a series of events is set in motion that forces the couple to reassess the terms of their love, responsibility and commitment to one another. In the final moments of the movie, Jon is ready to walk away, but finds Janie walking home with the abandoned baby in her arms. They embrace and are reminded of their love for each other. They walk toward home as police sirens are heard in the distance and the movie fades.

Joining Jon Bon Jovi in this 45-minute film is an all-star cast, including Demi Moore as Janie, Kevin Bacon as Jon's best friend, Whoopi Goldberg who makes a cameo as a philosophical cab driver and Annabella Sciorra who plays Janie's best friend.

"Destination Anywhere" is directed by Mark Pellington, whose credits include Pearl Jam's award-winning video "Jeremy," the TV graphics for U2's Zooropa Tour, the recent PBS series "The United States of Poetry" and the upcoming fall release "Going All the Way," Mark's first feature film.

"Destination Anywhere" is scored with music from Jon Bon Jovi's new solo album of the same name that is due out on June 17th. It includes the songs "Midnight in Chelsea," "Staring at Your Window With a Suitcase in My Hand" and "Queen of New Orleans," which will be taken from the film and expanded into full-length music videos.

This concept, in which a dramatic narrative film deepens, amplifies and stands side-by-side with an important artist's album, has never been attempted before and is sure to break new ground in film and music.

Starting All Over Again Back To Transcripts