Sambora: No freedom in Bon Jovi

Richie Sambora says he felt a lack of freedom in Bon Jovi ahead of his departure last year.

Drama erupted after he pulled out of a world tour leg just hours before it was due to begin. A chain of claims and counter-claims followed – but the guitarist has repeatedly claimed he’ll return to the band at some point in the future.

Meanwhile, he’s gearing up for a European tour with his solo band, and admits he’s enjoying his career more than he has done in some time.

Sambora tells Rock Radio NI: “There’s freedom there, obviously. That’s one of the main things I was missing in music over the past years – and also in Bon Jovi, actually. There wasn’t enough room to improvise, to have that moment where you can actually lose yourself musically.”

He’s working on an album with his guitarist Orianthi, who has previously collaborated with Alice Cooper and Michael Jackson. He says his creative output is in full flow, adding: “What I’ve done is assemble an amazing group of musicians. I asked the guys in my band to express themselves and bring all the input they can.”

The process of songwriting is easier than it’s been in a long time, Sambora reports. “The songs are just coming out of me right now – I just keep writing and writing,” he says. “I always felt there was some kind of nobility centred in my desire and passion for what I do. I still have that, I think I have it even more now.

“I’m loving music right now. I feel like I’m 15.”

Last month he released a song called Lighthouse to raise awareness of painkiller and heroin abuse among young people. And Bon Jovi’s wife was rushed to hospital earlier this week after suffering a hand injury.

Review: Sambora’s Aftermath Of The Lowdown

Stef wrote close to 5,000 stories during his time as assistant online news editor and later as online news editor between 2014-2016. An accomplished reporter and journalist, Stef has written extensively for a number of UK newspapers and also played bass with UK rock favourites Logan. His favourite bands are Pixies and Clap Your Hands Say Yeah. Stef left the world of rock'n'roll news behind when he moved to his beloved Canada in 2016, but he started on his next 5000 stories in 2022.