Richie Sambora Feels ‘Second Obligation’ to Reunite With Bon Jovi

Bon Jovi’s rumored reunion with classic-era guitarist Richie Sambora seems to be inching nearer to fruition.

Sambora, who performed with the big-haired hitmakers from 1983 to 2013 and co-wrote a lot of their biggest hits, mentioned the prospect of rejoining his former bandmates in a current interview with the U.Ok.-based Absolute Radio. “We’re talking about it,” he mentioned. “I don’t think there’s any reason not to at this point.”

This replace comes simply three months after Sambora addressed rumors that he would be part of Bon Jovi at this 12 months’s Glastonbury pageant, telling Metro in November, “It’s a possibility. We’re talking a bit.”

Sambora additionally briefly touched on singer Jon Bon Jovi’s alleged vocal points, which had been some extent of debate amongst followers and critics throughout the band’s 2022 tour. “Jon was having a hard time with his voice a little bit there and he needed to take a little bit of a breather,” the guitarist mentioned. “I don’t know when Jon’s going to get his voice together and [when the Bon Jovi reunion is] going to happen, but we have to get out there and do it for the fans, really. I feel a second obligation.”

Although he left the band in 2013 for unspecified “personal issues,” Sambora insisted he nonetheless has a very good relationship together with his former bandmates. “You know what, there’s no malice,” he mentioned. “I mean, we did something … there’s not a lot of bands that did what we did. I mean, obviously, bands like the Rolling Stones, Pink Floyd and U2.”

While he did not come out and make sure the reunion outright, Sambora did reply affirmatively when requested if he would write new music with the namesake frontman. “Oh, if he doesn’t let me, he’s crazy,” he mentioned. “I’m on a tear.” Sambora was additionally fast to word, “Actually, I did write that other [Bon Jovi] stuff, too.” The rockers solely settled on their title as a result of “we just couldn’t think of anything else really.”

“People think that I just come up with the guitar parts and something like that,” he continued. “But songwriting is conceptual. You have to have a concept. It’s a story. And it can sometimes just come from looking out the window and observing. And a lot of times, it comes from your own life, and for the most part of Bon Jovi, my life was a lot [more] colorful than everybody else’s in the band!”

Sambora, recent off a stint on The Masked Singer actuality singing present, can be channeling his recent burst of creativity right into a solo LP. “There’s a new [solo] album coming out, probably at the end of the end of March or the beginning of April, and [it’s] with [producer] Bob Rock,” he mentioned. “It’s a rock record. Yeah, it’s a lot of fun and the songs are good, and I’m thrilled and I can’t wait to get out and play again.”