Original subtitles

We're at a cusp now,

having been at this for 20-plus years.

I sold 100 million albums.

I could play stadiums around the globe.

But we're-we're in danger

of becoming The Rolling Stones and The E Street Band

in that you don't sell as many records as you used to,

and on the radio as often,

- but the legacy is there. - [interviewer] Yeah.

And people are gonna come and see you live

because they're accustomed to that kind of a show.

I would not be shocked if 15 years from now,

if you wanted to be, as you're approaching 60,

you're gonna be up on stage and I'm gonna be in that audience.

We could be. We could be.

At this point, somebody had asked me a very logical question.

They said, "You're past the point of breaking up, aren't you?"

And I said, "That's a very smart question, because the answer is yes."

- [interviewer] Yeah. - All the trials and tribulations

of youth and money and success

and-and-and having hit records

and then failures as records, we're all through that.

[♪ "Life is Beautiful" playing]

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪

- [Jon Bon Jovi] Obe! - [Obie laughs]

I'm scared.

Did you change your money? Bring your passport?

I brought a passport.

I'm in fucking Delaware, you motherfucker. [chuckles]

Welcome. Well, you're in Delaware, but...

I know. I know where we're going.

- Okay. - Alright, let's go.

- Y'all ready? - I'm ready.

♪ I can't save me from my sins ♪

[Jon] I sang for two hours yesterday.

- [Obie O'Brien] And? - [Jon] I was very happy.

It sounded, like, really good.

You know, I'm staying in the right range.

Um, but then it beat me up. I was exhausted.

And then my voice was really shot last night.

- [Obie] I imagine. - [Jon] But it bounced right back.

♪ The sad goodbye ♪

♪ Life is beautiful ♪

♪ The sky is cracked ♪

♪ We can't go back ♪

Here we are.

- [Obie] Here we are. - [Jon] Casa Obie.

[both laugh]

Obie Town.

♪ Life is beautiful ♪

[door creaks]

Oh. [laughs]

Ah.

I can see all the bits and pieces of our studio.

Come on in.

Hi, everybody. I'm Obie O'Brien.

- And this... - [drums beat]

Yeah. [laughs]

What about that fill going...

Yeah, this is-- And yeah--

- There's our sign. - [Obie] Yep.

- There's our clock. - [Obie] Yep.

We have to be decisive. That's what this week is about.

[sings] ♪ It wasn't a bad-- ♪

[band laughs]

[Jon] Let's see the control room.

Hey, Mike.

There's our old console.

This was our console in our Jersey studio.

- [Obie] Yeah. - [Jon] Our tape machines.

[band member] Sure it's gonna work?

Is this place always this clean?

[Obie] Yes.

How come you never kept our studio clean?

[Obie laughs]

[Obie] Some of these demos that we did

in that little studio came out...

uh, just amazing.

[Jon] Hm. Yeah, let's put on Prayer.

[Obie] Yeah, okay.

- Run it for me, Mike. - [Mike] You might wanna mute 25, 26.

- That's where I got the... - [Obie] Yeah.

This is a walk down memory lane.

[♪ "Livin' On A Prayer" playing]

♪ Tommy used to work on the docks ♪

♪ Union's been on strike, he's down on his luck ♪

♪ It's tough ♪

♪ So tough ♪

♪ She says, "We've gotta hold on" ♪

♪ Ready or not ♪

♪ You live for the fight when that's all that you've got ♪

♪ Whoa, we're halfway there ♪

♪ Whoa oh, livin' on a prayer ♪

♪ Take my hand and we'll make it, I swear ♪

♪ Whoa ♪

- [Obie] Yeah. - You know that regrets, I have a few?

- That key change is one of them. - [Obie] [chuckles] Yeah.

- But it's so great. - It's impossible.

You can't be 60 years old

and expect to hit those fuckin' notes anymore.

[Obie] See, if you had watched the Phillies game the other night,

- you know what you would've heard? - Hmm?

The crowd singing Livin' On a Prayer.

- Not in that key. - [laughter]

♪ Just hang tough and we'll make it, I swear ♪

"Just hang tough."

Different line.

♪ Livin' on a prayer ♪

♪ Whoa, we're halfway there ♪

What a, what a great moment in time, and none of us knew it.

- Just wrote a song. - Yeah.

But amen, hallelujah. [claps]

Many, many years later.

What an incredible... thing to even say.

Yes, I co-wrote that.

Yeah. And the thing is, we've been around the world.

It doesn't matter what language people speak.

Everyone knows this song, and everybody sings along, yeah.

That's the magic of any good song.

[clears throat] Yeah.

It's pretty amazing.

[♪ soft music playing]

[presenter] Coming to a city near you...

[♪ hard rock music playing]

...Bon Jovi live.

- The man, the band... - ♪ Whoa oh ♪

- ...the hits. - ♪ Livin' on a prayer ♪

For tickets and tour information, go to bonjovi.com.

[♪ pensive music playing]

[Jon] 2013, there is a plane on the runway,

a car in the driveway, and a suitcase in the trunk.

Richie never makes it.

And we have a show that night.

Now I gotta make a decision.

Tell 15, 18,000 kids to go home... or play.

[John Shanks] When you get the machine up and running,

meaning when you have 150 people on the road

and dates booked

and you're at the beginning of this juggernaut tour...

We had commitments and tickets sold

and road crew that were depending on paychecks

and concert promoters and fans who were traveling.

When you pull one of those things out of the equation,

what do you do?

You know, do you keep going?

[Jon] Fuck, man, there was a show.

We had a show that night.

And, subsequently, 80 other shows on that tour.

[Matt Bongiovi] Being in the role of tour manager,

it was a scary moment.

'Cause when you see somebody

who was such a major part of this organization,

but can now no longer be there,

we all as crew thought we were goin' home.

[Hugh McDonald] By the time Richie finally didn't show,

Bobby Bandiera, who was the second guitar player at the time,

and Jon had to cover all the guitar parts.

[David Bryan] Between me and Bobby, and thank God there was a teleprompter,

'cause I don't know all the words,

I know the words I'm supposed to sing.

So I sang some of 'em, he sang some of 'em.

He did guitar solos, I did the keyboard solo.

Anything, you know, to cover for it.

[Matt] Jon is very good at preparing for the worst.

There was a reason why there was a second guitar player.

It was certainly expected for it to happen.

Not if, it-- it's just a matter of when.

[David] And I remember Richie's rig was there

and they just kinda put it, the microphone down,

you know, and the look.

And it was like, oof.

You know, and keeps lookin' over and there's a different guy there.

[Jon] We were quite angry and disappointed and shocked.

But we'll get through the night and we'll figure it out.

[audience cheering]

[Obie] You lose an integral member of the band.

Not just the guitar playing but that voice.

[Matt] We didn't know if Richie was going to be gone

for a show, a week, a leg.

At the time, you didn't wanna believe

that you wouldn't see him on that stage again.

[Paul Korzilius] The one thing about Bon Jovi is it is a brotherhood.

These guys do love each other, and it extends around.

That's the great thing about Jon as a leader.

I mean, there isn't one person that works with Bon Jovi

that doesn't buy in and get it and believe in it.

There's a respect for the band

that only comes from them being good at what they do.

[Obie] So now John is like, "I gotta do more."

You-you couldn't ask him to do anymore.

He gives 150% every show.

I saw the strain.

I mean, it was... [groans]

[clapperboard clacks]

[Dorothea Bongiovi] There was never a moment where Jon said,

"The show can't go on."

The show always goes on,

because he doesn't wanna disappoint those fans

and, and he's going to continue to move forward.

But it doesn't make it any easier

when, you know, you're trying to plug in different pieces

and different parts to create a whole.

I run this like a quarterback, but you can't do it

without the line and receivers, you know what I mean?

So, it's the Henry Ford theory.

You have to surround yourself with the best people.

Yeah, that's it.

[interviewer] Is that you running a pass? [laughs]

100%. I'm waiting for the ball.

- [interviewer] Yeah, right. - Right.

[laughter]

[Jon] Everybody contributed. Everybody.

'Cause we had to. We had to.

I've got a job to do.

It's-it's next man up.

We had 80 more shows to do,

and there was no way that I wasn't going to do it.

That was a pivotal point in the band right there.

Because that's the two front guys that work together,

that wrote together.

And what was more important was not so much that,

but you try to help somebody, but it's difficult.

And you love 'em, and it hurts.

[David] We looked and go, "I don't wanna walk away.

"Tico didn't wanna walk away. Jon doesn't wanna walk away.

We wanna be here."

And it really blows that we didn't have the guys

we started out the journey with.

That's heartbreaking.

So I think that's, that's more therapy.

You could quit working tomorrow if you want.

Yeah, why do people say that?

Why-- Do people say that to you all the time?

- Yeah. -"You can quit and put your feet up."

No, you can't. I-I don't want to.

I love my job. Why would I wanna quit?

It wasn't ever about money.

It's not about money, it's not about success.

It was about doing the art forms, the thing you love to do.

I signed this record deal alone in 1983.

There was no, "I'm quitting the band

because the guitar players aren't showing up."

I got a hole to fill.

It sucks, but I'm filling the hole.

The decision, that was not hard to make.

It just hurt to make it.

No, not for lack of fucking tryin'.

[reporter] Uh, guitarist Richie Sambora

will skip the first leg of the band's spring tour

for, quote, "personal reasons."

Sambora missing previous tour dates in 2011

for substance abuse treatment.

[Shanks] It wasn't the first time.

Back in 2011, I remember getting a call

and Jon said, you know, "Who should I call?

Do you know somebody?"

So I was like, "Well, I know this guy.

[laughs]

"And he's Canadian, and he's really nice,

and he sings his ass off, and he, and he's a great player."

[♪ strings strum]

Hey, man, what's going on? It's Phil X.

Glad to be back. Had a gr-- uh, killer summer.

Just went up to Canada, um, taught at a band camp,

which was amazing.

You know, a bunch of kids,

teaching 'em how to rock for six days.

Jon called him and said, "Hey, if I need a guy,

who would be the guy?"

And at the time, Shanks had been watching

a ton of my vintage guitar demos on YouTube.

[♪ strumming heavy rock music]

[♪ picking heavy rock music]

[Phil X] When I met him in his studio, he's like,

"I just, I couldn't stop watching your videos last night.

"And you can play and sing anything and you're funny.

It's just entertaining."

What's up?

[♪ playing hard rock music]

Two weeks later, Shanks called me and he said,

"I think I have a gig for you.

How do you feel about filling in for Richie Sambora?"

I'm like, "That sounds impossible." [laughs]

That sounds, like, totally...

there's no way that could happen.

This guy might be an alternative

while our friend figures out what he wants to do.

[Phil] The strange part for me was

that sounded like an intense

and complicated position to be in.

'Cause how about getting a gig in a mega band

but at somebody else's detriment?

It was an awkward spot. And at one point, I didn't wanna do it.

[Obie] You're asking a really incredibly talented musician

who has a style of his own.

Now he has to mimic what was on those records

and what Richie would play.

That's an impossible task.

[audience cheering]

[Phil] People ask me if I was nervous a lot.

'Cause it was 50,000 people.

I just stayed out of my head.

"Dude, you've been playing and singing your entire life.

Now it's just Bon Jovi songs. You could totally do this."

And I walked on stage and I just knew

if I didn't hold it together, that I'd be going home.

One show, it didn't work. "Thanks, see ya."

Musically, I needed to play keeping Richie in mind,

Jon in mind, the band in mind, the fans in mind.

I had to respect all four of those ingredients.

Send this out to our brother Richie.

[Phil] And Jon didn't even mention me,

until, like, 90 minutes later into the encore.

"I wanna thank Phil X for helping us out today."

But for the 90 minutes that we were on stage,

that he didn't say anything,

I could sense 50,000 people aggressively confused.

"Who the fuck is that?"

Phil X came in and, as Jon would put it, saved the day.

It's a different animal playing with Phil than with Richie.

You know, obviously personality-wise, style-wise.

[Jon] The first time in 2011, he was an easy fit.

Real pleasure to be around.

His demeanor is unbelievable.

He got us through that dozen or so shows,

and we said our goodbyes.

So 2013, I called Phil X from Calgary and said,

"Do you still have that notebook with the chords?"

And he said, "Yeah."

"Good, there's an airplane coming to get you.

Will you do these shows until he gets it together?"

"Yeah."

Gets on the plane. God bless him.

The next day, he performs cold.

[audience cheering]

[♪ "That's What The Water Made Me" playing]

He came in, you know, as a temporary fix. Could've been a day or a week.

♪ Baby, baby, baby ♪

♪ No use in trying to save me ♪

Hugh, David, Tico, and I had to plug a dark hole

on the other side of the stage and fill that

20% in the show.

It's good to be back here. Now, I'm sure you heard,

and I got a little bit of explainin' and I'm gonna move on.

Richie's not here with us tonight,

and I understand.

Personal matters are keeping him at home right now.

But I promise you this, for the next two and a half hours

I'm gonna take you on a roller-coaster ride

like you've never been on.

One, two, three, four.

♪ Close the door, leave the cold outside ♪

I learned a lot from Jon as a frontman, as a band leader.

And having the help of the whole band was, like, unbelievable.

Tico's, like, tempos.

And then David's helping me with chords, and Hugh's helping me with chords,

and Bobby's helping me with vocals.

♪ We got somethin' to believe in ♪

So people are gonna look at me.

I wanna play, like, the record as much as I can.

Like solos, Born To Be My Baby.

I love that solo on that record.

And over the years, Richie transformed it

into this completely different solo.

For me, if I do that solo, people are gonna like,

"He's not doing the solo from the record."

Richie can stray. Phil can't stray from the records.

[♪ playing guitar solo from "Born To Be My Baby"]

He was able to immediately, you know, get up to speed.

And I mean immediately. We didn't cancel a single show.

[reporter] Good morning again.

Rock Band Bon Jovi played two shows in Melbourne over the weekend.

The first shows on their Australian tour,

which is pretty much sold out.

In fact, it's the biggest tour of 2013

despite the absence of lead guitarist Richie Sambora.

[♪ rock music playing]

[Shanks] You know, that first year,

I mean, I went to a lot of those shows

because there was a big transition.

I think Phil had a much harder time.

Because I used to see the signs out in the crowd.

Now imagine walking on stage and they say, "Where's Richie?"

I saw those signs.

[Phil] Obviously, at the beginning,

there's people holding up signs saying, "Where's Richie?"

And you have people, "It's not Bon Jovi without Richie."

But then you have people pouncing on them saying,

"Well, if you were true fans,

you'd appreciate the band just wanting to play."

[David] I think our fans could have ended us.

I think, you know, it's like, you know, Mick and Keith.

You know, if Keith goes, I don't know what The Rolling Stones are.

The fans saw that it wasn't us by taking the high road and just--

I think they saw what the truth was.

We still wanna go on.

♪ Back ♪

Now if they all booed us, now that would affect me.

But they didn't. They embraced us.

And they loved it. And they really had a good time.

- ♪ Before we knew it all ♪ - [crowd chanting]

- ♪ Back ♪ - [Jon] We did the entire world tour.

That's a real compliment to Phil

and to the organization that 80 shows happened

and we didn't miss.

[interviewer] It's gotta be some kind of record.

The biggest tour of the year.

[Jon] Thank Jesus. [laughs]

- [interviewer] How does that sit with you? - [Jon] It sits very nicely.

You know, it's amazing

when you get to have a little mementos.

When you look back and you see on the 30th anniversary of the band,

you're going to be the biggest tour on the planet,

who would've thought?

And then at the end of the day, you know,

there was disappointment and sadness and anger,

but it didn't matter to the public.

And it was the number-one grossing tour

in the world that year, and that was that.

[♪ pensive music playing]

I think that the idea that we have a lot to say

and now nothing to prove pretty much sums it up for me.

You know, this is who we are.

This is where we are in our lives and our careers.

Sure there's been speed bumps along the way.

Nobody expected Richie to quit in the middle of the night.

But at the end of the day,

that's what makes the journey so amazing.

That nobody knows where their life is gonna lead 'em.

We're back.

Uh, Jon, uh, Jon and the band,

uh, knew exactly why I didn't get on the plane that night.

That's-- That part again.

People have this preconceived notion of Richie Sambora.

'Cause they read about me in the tabloids,

because they see the Bon Jovi machine.

It's a band, you know.

It's really, really hard to be married to four other guys...

[laughs] ... and be in close quarters

and that coupled with, um,

my daughter coming of age.

She said, "Hey, man, you should, you know, clean your act up."

You know, that was a big, a big thing for me.

'Cause she's my kid. So we were going through it as a family together.

24/7, 30 years, you don't get to come home.

There's a huge sacrifice to that.

You know, I missed a lot of my daughter's life.

I went to rehab with another worker

who's writing 21-page reports, everything.

Your fans are so disappointed

- that you're not touring right now. - I know. I know.

You know what? Listen, I love my fans, I love the band.

You know, Jon and I had been relying on each other for 30 years.

Any chance we'll see you at that London gig in July?

Uh, I think that's too soon. That's too soon.

You know, you always hold out for hope.

I think it's sort of like you're in a marriage

or family that has a situation like this

and you're always hoping that the family member

is gonna get better and everything's gonna be peachy.

[Richie Sambora] Well, I guess if you're in the mafia,

the only thing you could possibly do is disappear.

And, um...

I did.

I think it's-- it was a combination of several things

that he allowed to build up and not discuss with anybody.

So he, I think, reached his own breaking point.

A lot of energy was spent on getting him back.

And it took a while before it sunk in

that he just doesn't wanna come back, and that's that.

But I know Jon carried that for quite some time,

that he felt it was his fault.

[laughing] I haven't. Ten years later, I still haven't.

[interviewer] The relationship within your band, what's it like?

I mean, you've been together a long time.

There's five people, so that's 25

different possible combinations, right?

[Jon] One day led to a week, to a month.

And the long and short of it then is...

[interviewer] It's like a team.

- Yeah. - It is, truly.

[Jon] ...he never came back.

I don't regret leaving the situation,

but I regret how I did it.

So I'd like to apologize,

you know, fully right now to the fans especially,

and also to the guys because...

um, my feet and my spirit would just not let me...

walk out the door.

Richie and I were like, we were the brothers in arms.

Like, him and I, we had a fucking blast in the '80s.

Really. It was like we went out every-- we rode together.

See? A band that stays together plays together.

And it really, it hurt.

[Jon] There'll always be that void.

The true magic of our live performance

was when we sang together.

And when we sang together, that was our unique spot.

It was as identifiable as any great,

you know, combination that made one and one three.

[♪ indistinct singing]

And I don't think that, you know, th-that's been replaced.

No, no.

[♪ indistinct singing]

[Richie] Jon and I touched the planet with those songs.

♪ Shot through the heart ♪

♪ And you're to blame ♪

[Richie] You realize that, you know, you were warriors

that love each other and watched each other's back,

told each other the truth.

♪ You and me and my old friends ♪

♪ Hoping it would never end ♪

- ♪ Say goodbye ♪ - ♪ Say goodbye ♪

♪ Never say goodbye ♪

If anybody doesn't think that we were

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

or Jimmy and Robert or any, any way you wanna slice it,

oh, come on.

[audience cheering]

[♪ pensive music playing]

[Jon] In 2014, I just gave my guitar the finger.

I couldn't even look at it,

let alone sing or write or do anything.

You know, from there, we just, you know, '14 came,

'15, '16, '17, and things go on.

[thunder rumbles]

♪ That's what the water made me ♪

♪ That's who I am and what I'll be ♪

♪ That's what the water ♪

♪ That's what the water ♪

[interviewer] What is the lure for you

to keep on taking those songs out on tours

that can go uptight in that song?

[Jon] Touring is my least favorite.

But you tour because you're excited about a record.

Writing obviously is, is first, and then recording second

because you wanna see if it turned out

as well as you'd think it in the notebook.

And then if it did, you wanna go out and support it.

[♪ lively guitar music playing]

♪ Here I am ♪

♪ A hollow man ♪

[Jon] I am turning up the heat for sure.

I mean, at this point, I'm singing songs

that I haven't sung confidently in over a decade.

You know, it started very slow,

and it's just been building since.

♪ On a one-night stand ♪

♪ I'm just a... ♪

The writing started before the operation

but picked up steam from the operation going forward.

And the good news is, is that that means in my heart

that I, you know, I wanna make music.

♪ I am ♪

♪ A hollow man ♪

There you go.

One of the new ones.

You know, uh, I've been writing a bit...

- [Billy Falcon] Mm-hmm. - ...um, looking for somethin',

you know, to get the engines goin'...

- Mm-hmm. - ...and get the rust off.

So, um, the things I have ar-are all personal

- around the healing and the hurting, so... - Mm-hmm.

But we can... Let's-let's get out of that vibe.

Okay.

[Jon] Writing a song is the heart and soul of what I do.

That's all I care about.

That is first and foremost on the list

and has been for, like, number, number of years.

[Billy] We wanna go with, like, a mid-tempo kinda.

[Jon] You know, I'm not locked into anything.

It-it's always just somethin' to get the juices flowin'.

That is my favorite aspect of anything to do with this business.

If you write a song,

it's the closest you'll ever come to immortality.

That the voice is inside...

♪ Let the voice inside guide you back home ♪

The voice, let the voice in your head. Let the voice...

You know, what's fun is when you hear them

in the context of satellite radio.

[♪ rock song playing on car stereo]

It's not like I sit around listening to CDs of our records.

You know, you really don't.

Um, and you hear them and you go, "Wow, that was worth working on."

Of course, some are better than others,

but at the time you thought it was the best work

you could do for that period in time.

I remember the melody, I just don't remember the lyric.

In the verse, I just remember that...

♪ In that same old restaurant that they all ♪

♪ They all know your name ♪

[Richie] I don't think it was F, it was simpler.

'Cause I remember there was a B minor in there.

[Jon] Was You Give Love a Bad Name,

just, you know, cute tongue in cheek?

♪ You give love a bad name ♪

[Jon] Yes, not very deep but a lot of fun.

And at that age, in that time, great.

Great song, fun song.

Maybe for the first time,

I'm a little more introspective than ever before.

I'm not just writing about love or being on the road,

because those are the only things I knew from 1982 to 1990.

When you write Bed of Roses,

I asked for a piano put in my room

and that's one of the hits I write by myself.

♪ Sitting here wasted and wounded at this old piano ♪

Because the piano is in my room and I'm wildly hungover,

"Sitting here wasted and wounded at this old piano,

"trying hard to capture the moment,

but this morning I don't know."

♪ This morning I don't... ♪

"'Cause a bottle of vodka still stuck in my head

and some blonde gave me nightmares, I think she's still in my bed."

♪ 'Cause a bottle of vodka still lodged in my head ♪

Guilt, piano, write.

To tell you the truth, I think a lot of the naysayers expected us

to come back with the same role.

But this is now, and I couldn't repeat myself.

I'm not in that place anymore.

I couldn't write Livin' On a Prayer again.

It just... You know, it's not me anymore.

Time, experience, perspective

helps you to have a different opinion,

because not in my wildest imagination did I ever dream

that I would have been sitting here 40 years on

at this level of success

and still here with the desire to go on.

G.

So that's where I'm at.

♪ She run outta road ♪

♪ I'm calling on angels to bring you back home ♪

[Billy] That's nice. That's nice. I like that.

- [thunderclap] - [reporter 1] The most powerful hurricane

to hit Haiti in more than...

[reporter 2] And final of the 2016 presidential debate.

[Lin-Manuel Miranda] Art fights chaos, and art fights violence and senselessness.

[waves crashing]

You know, I realize it's been four years since What About Now.

And it sounds like a lifetime.

And I was just in this fog,

and there was a lot of things that I had to process,

uh, so that I could get to a place to write it down into music

that, you know, I could share with people.

♪ I got some blood under my nails ♪

♪ I got some mud on my face ♪

[♪ "God Bless This Mess" playing]

♪ My voice is shot, I'm going gray ♪

♪ These muscles all ache ♪

[David] There's always like, you know, the burning

and then the rising from the ashes.

And I think that was a big burning,

and then there's a big rise from the ashes.

♪ I may be gritting my teeth ♪

♪ Can't get back where we started ♪

♪ These days I'm doing just fine ♪

[Jon] The writing was the end result of the breakdown... [laughs]

the turmoil, the-the coming to that crossroads

and figuring out, "What the hell happened to me

and where am I going with this?"

We went back to a place that I started,

the same place that I used to sweep the floors

and run the errands in September of 1980.

We went back to what used to be called the Power Station.

♪ God bless this mess, this mess is mine ♪

♪ Won't pound my chest or criticize ♪

[Jon] And we're going in there to write

not big anthemic pop songs,

but personal, defining songs.

♪ I ain't livin' with the ghost ♪

♪ No future livin' in the past ♪

[Tico Torres] It was the obvious move to keep going.

There had to go some healing first,

and then we had to go into the restructuring

and then mentally going, "Okay, let's do this,"

and really do it right.

♪ How can I scream, I'm scared to breathe ♪

♪ I wrote each word, you gave the toast ♪

♪ But we were fire and gasoline ♪

♪ Now I ain't livin' with the ghost ♪

[Jon] Title track is called This House Is Not For Sale.

And, uh, as the song goes on, it talks about this house,

this heart, this soul is not for sale.

And I think it sets the tone for everything that this record is about,

this career has been about.

If you look at the picture on the album cover,

that-that is a metaphor for where we're at in our lives.

That album cover, to me, depicts who and what we are.

Big, proud stone house that was meant to be there forever

and was beat up and-and fallin' apart but still standing.

The thing about This House is Not for Sale

is out of, out of great pain comes great art.

And so there was a lot to say.

And these last three years have not been easy.

[Shanks] It's interesting. If you look when Richie left,

"This House is Not for Sale,"

even though it's years kind of later,

it was the first real album addressing some of that stuff.

♪ These four walls have got a story to tell ♪

♪ Baptized in a muddy river, not a wishing well ♪

When we did This House is Not for Sale, he became an open book.

And then the lyrics became very profound

about being a unit and a family.

And this is our house, and all you guys are in this house.

♪ No time for lookin' back, the wolf is at the door ♪

♪ This heart, this soul, this house is not for sale ♪

[wings flutter]

[Jon] You know, when you write a song for yourself

and if it rings true to you,

what happens is other people find meaning

in those lyrics and make 'em their own.

You know, the, the deep roots of that home,

tha-that place that you call home,

no matter what it is or where it is,

um, it redefined who we are and what we are as a, as a band.

[Phil] That's a-a guy with a huge status

on the status of life...

putting his heart on his sleeve, and the fans ate it up.

[audience cheering]

[interviewer] I mean, I hear more vulnerability

maybe than I've heard in previous albums.

Would you agree?

You know, we had always believed in writing

- the u-upbeat, optimistic anthem. - [interviewer] Mm-hmm.

[Jon] Songs of inclusion,

telling you that you could do it too.

And it was good for me to never, um,

show too much of that hurt or vulnerability

probably because I didn't want

in my slice of your life to let you down.

That's the line in the sand where you go, "I'm here.

This is what I was, and this is what I'm gonna be,"

and like, no, this is not for sale. Like, we built this thing.

You know, that to me was like, bang.

You know, I still, when we play that song, it's like, we're fuckin' here.

♪ This house is not for sale ♪

♪ I set each stone and I hammered each nail ♪

♪ This house is not for sale ♪

[Paul] Let there be no mistake.

This is a Bon Jovi that has no Richie Sambora,

not as a writer, not as a producer, not as a player.

Not at all.

His choice. Not anybody else's, but his choice.

And Bon Jovi will live on.

[Phil] And then we're gonna bring in Hugh

and we're gonna be a five-piece again on the record,

on the album cover, in the videos.

[Jon] If you're gonna do it, let's do it. Be on the record.

Instead of playing Richie's parts,

you know, now you can develop your own parts.

[♪ "This House Is Not for Sale" playing]

♪

[Jon] When we recorded it, that record, that album,

it was very emotional for all those reasons.

And, you know, this heart, this soul,

this house it's not for sale,

it wasn't gonna be compromised.

There was just no fuckin' way

I was laying down for Richie's departure,

even my throat not working, and it was a number-one record.

♪ This house is not for sale ♪

High atop of South Carolina.

We are on the plane on the way to the first show.

This is the moment we've been waiting for, kids.

See you down there.

[♪ expectant music playing]

We went back out to tour and the side man, Bobby Bandiera,

uh, was no longer gonna tour with us.

So the logical choice was that John Shanks,

who had to have played on a number of songs,

he was the next man up.

[Obie] John Shanks goes from being the producer of the record,

now he becomes a side man.

Phil is anointed. That's the guy.

He's taken Richie Sambora's spot and that spotlight.

[Shanks] I didn't have to go through what Phil went through.

That whole idea of stepping into somebody else's shoes,

I definitely did not have it as hard as Phil did.

Because I'm the other guy. [chuckles] That's the joke.

I'm the other guy.

[Jon] Well, I was confident in the ability of both of those guys

to more than fill the holes

because they're incredible musicians.

You know, in truth, with all of the problems

that I had had physically,

I also needed that sounding board vocally.

Somebody up there that was a real singer

the way that Richie was.

So I brought Everett in.

[announcer] Let me introduce to you

Mr. Everett Bradley here.

[indistinct]

People, I think, know me as a live performer.

And I like to dance on stage

and create a party and a celebration.

[Jon] Everett Bradley played with me in '97

on the Destination Anywhere Tour.

Everett came in because that had a very percussive bass to it.

That was my first sort of vision of him

as a captain of the ship.

[Jon] He's playing and singing

and just the sweetest, nicest guy with a great energy.

And I needed all the help I could get in these last couple years.

[audience cheering, applauding]

I came back to Jon when the band had reconfigured,

when Richie was gone.

♪ We were young, unafraid ♪

[Jon] With the addition of Phil X,

John Shanks, and Everett Bradley,

I know that Tico, Dave, Hugh, and I

are really proud to be back on the big stage.

♪ Writing every page together ♪

♪ Those days were not to last forever ♪

[Everett Bradley] Jon had gone through a big change.

♪ When we were us ♪

And he had made the decision

that he's not going anywhere. [laughs]

[audience cheering]

And he is rooting this situation,

and he's going to grow and move forward.

[Phil] People forget that artists grow.

So it-- in some cases, it doesn't matter who's in the band.

You're not writing the same songs that you wrote

when you were 25.

When you're 20, you don't have much to look back on.

There's been high school, this my... seventh, eighth album.

I don't even know. Uh...

You hope that you have more to say.

I think the band was able

to ultimately stand that test of time

because they evolved with the time

but keeping true to themselves.

Matt, there's, um, there's the possibility

that you might wanna join show business someday too.

Yeah, uh, I'm gonna take my brother's manager's job.

I've grown up in the organization.

Everything from production assistant, you know, learning my bones on the road

to working in the management office

and various roles in between.

[Jon] He was sort of like the little kid that would hang around.

But because he always hung around, he was listening and he was learning.

[Matt] To see that magic that was happening in his home,

in the room that, you know,

that's where that song was written,

you know, growing up around that

was pretty wild to watch them evolve.

[Jon] He has blossomed into an incredible man.

He is no longer the little boy or the assistant to anybody.

[Tico] I think you always grow as an artist,

because you strive to be the best you can

and then you try to take that spice that you've learned in your life

and put it into what you're doing.

[Jon] I wanted to make movies. I wanted to own a football team.

I wanted to do this.

I encourage my band to go and do whatever they want,

because you bring in more information back to the fold, you know.

Do you have anything that you would like to do

maybe in the future if you had a choice?

Yeah, th-these musicals I'm involved with are real exciting.

This is another chapter completely different of the band.

Nobody really gave a shit about that Bon Jovi meant anything in Broadway.

They're like, "Who?"

And the Tony Award goes to...

- Memphis. - [audience cheering]

[David] It just broadened my horizons.

So it was like all this knowledge that I learned outside

I could bring back in.

[Jon] To me, it's really about continuing growth.

Or I would be in the "Where Are They Now" category

- and go, "Guess what? - [interviewer laughs]

The new disco version of Livin' on a Prayer.

Not gonna happen.

You know, we just evolved, did what I felt natural doing

and I'm very proud of that.

You know, it's nothing to be ashamed of,

to grow old gracefully.

[interviewer 1] What's in the future for, for the band Bon Jovi?

Are you guys gonna stay together forever? What kinda...

[interviewer 2] So what still keeps this fresh for you?

[interviewer 3] How far ahead do you picture Bon Jovi working?

[interviewer 4] Are hits still the goal,

or what's really the reason you wanna do this?

[interviewer 5] The future for Bon Jovi.

[audience cheering, applauding]

[presenter] Please welcome the king of all media,

Howard Stern.

[audience continues cheering]

Yes, the dream has been realized.

The dream I'm talking about

is that this great band of brothers

are finally joining their fellow musicians.

It's my honor to induct into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Hugh McDonald, Tico Torres, Sir Alec John Such,

David Bryan, Richie Sambora,

and the one and only Jon Bon Jovi, the band Bon Jovi.

[audience continues cheering and applauding]

[Jon] It was good to get in.

You know, I was, for a long time,

my ego got in the way, and I was upset

that we weren't in there earlier.

But for the-the people who supported the band

as well as the band, you know,

and for the teenager that wanted to be in the room

with the greats.

So when it did happen,

much like where I'm at now in my life of recording,

I appreciated it more.

[audience continues cheering and applauding]

I've been writing this speech

since I first strummed a broom

and sang from the top of the stairs of my childhood home.

I've actually written it many ways, many times.

Some days, I write the thank you speech.

Other days, I write the fuck you speech.

[audience laughing, applauding]

To you, to us, to all of you,

thank you for making this dream a reality.

[audience cheering, applauding]

The last time the whole band saw Richie

was when he walked off the tour in 2013.

Cleveland, Cleveland, Cleveland!

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame!

[Phil] So nobody had talked to him for five years.

[cameras clicking]

Passion and blind faith drove us beyond our wildest dreams.

[Tico] The night was amazing.

I had my kids, my wife, and my family,

you know, it was, it was great.

Thank you for that. I get to stand on this stage

with some of the finest musicians I ever worked with.

[audience cheering, applauding]

[Hugh] To my brothers in the band, thank you for the inspiration.

Thank you to the fans for your devotion.

I'm honored and humbled.

[audience continues cheering]

[Jon] It was a-a beautiful thing,

being up there with everybody who had made that happen.

Alec, Richie, the current band.

I enjoyed it immensely.

Go on.

[audience continues cheering and applauding]

Now, to my bandmates.

These guys are the best.

I could get a little teary here so bear with me.

Did you ever get to talk to Al?

No. Uh...

That was the high point of the Hall of Fame,

was reconnecting with him, for me.

We had so many great times together

and I just, we wouldn't be here if it wasn't for those guys.

Love 'em to death. Always will.

[Hugh] On the outside, it seems like it would be

a very strange relationship,

and I didn't find it to be that way.

Alec looked great, sounded great.

Laughing, funny as all get out.

Really good to have him back on stage.

It was great to see Al. I haven't seen Al in a million years.

We talked and had a great time and got his number.

We were talking to each other and texting each other.

[reporter] Some sad news to report this morning

from the music world.

Bassist Alec John Such, a founding member of Bon Jovi,

has died at the age of 70.

Such was...

[Jon] Saturday morning, uh, Tico sent a text

to David and Hugh and myself

that he had received word

that at 3 o'clock that morning, uh,

Al had a heart attack and died in his bed.

[♪ somber music playing]

[Tico] He was a true rock star, you know.

And not just to pay homage to him, you know.

It's a... It's nothing you-- You can never replace him.

[Jon] One of the things that hit me is

this isn't a grandparent or a parent

or somebody that was old and supposed to die,

this was a, a band member.

This was a first.

I'm realizing that we're only all here

for a short amount of time.

You know, I was once having one of our many get-togethers

with just me and Bruce.

Ladies and gentlemen, the one and only Bruce Springsteen.

[audience cheering]

We've become good, deep friends.

And we can talk openly, honestly, deeply.

We've become much closer

probably as we've gotten older here,

you know, recently as being, you know,

well, you know, two guys in the same game here.

[Jon] And now we go out of our way to take drives.

[car engine revving]

We just, the two of us, get in the car,

no phones, no radio, and drive for a hundred miles.

It means the world to me.

Someone who's a step down in the road, on the journey.

One time, a few years back,

when we were comparing where we were in our lives

and as it pertained to life, journey, career,

he brought up that word of "mortality,"

and that never crossed my mind at that time.

And I was like, "Oh, yeah, mortality. That's still on the horizon."

So I have a different perspective now.

You know, it's in my face.

[♪ somber music fades]

[engine revving]

[Jon blowing raspberry]

♪ You rattle on me ♪

♪ When these hands don't strum ♪

[♪ upbeat bright music playing]

♪ When these hands don't strum and I can't find the chords ♪

♪ My voice don't wanna sing ♪

♪ When my feet say dance, but I can't find the floor ♪

♪ Will you still lie here with me? ♪

♪ When your mind's out to wonder, can I come along ♪

♪ Is there some place that you gotta be? ♪

- [voice fades] - [♪ pensive music playing]

So... it's not good.

And, um, it sounds raspy,

and, uh, it's not good.

So I'm contemplating not doing it

because to push it would just not help things.

It's not-- I'm not doing myself favors with it.

I don't even sound like me.

[♪ sentimental guitar music playing]

♪ I wrote you a song ♪

♪ Almost afraid to sing it ♪

♪ How could I ever ♪

[fingers tapping]

I don't like it. Just don't like it.

[♪ pensive music continues]

[interviewer] I hear that you're-- there's a new album on the horizon?

[Jon] Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Just this week, I, um, explained the album is called 2020.

And although it would seem that,

you know, it's a presidential campaign, and why not,

I couldn't do any worse,

- um... - [interviewer chuckles]

...th-the idea here is that, you know, I have clear vision.

And in light of everything that we've been through as a band,

uh, this is a-- it's a real statement record.

- [interviewer] That's a great name. - Yeah.

[interviewer] I mean, you've always been very socially conscious, so...

Yeah, it's a very socially conscious record.

It's not political, but it's very socially conscious.

You know, just awareness of so many things

that are going on in the world right now.

2000 was really the first foray into politics.

- [crowd cheering] - Will you please help me in welcoming

the next president of these United States?

Mr. Al Gore and Mrs. Tipper Gore.

[Dorothea] We had Al Gore at our house for a fundraiser.

That was like the turning point where we got really actively involved.

It's been reported here that George W. Bush

is gonna be the next president, the 43rd president of the United States.

[Jon] That was tough obviously.

But being at the vice president's house

on the night that he conceded and being with him,

we all let our hair down that night to, uh, just move on.

I have been active since.

[reporter] We caught up with Bon Jovi in Newark, New Jersey.

He was there as part of his new role as the only celebrity

on President Obama's White House Council for Community Solution.

[Jon] And our job is to help disenfranchised youth

gain employment and help them with education.

Whether it was 2004, 2008...

[Barack Obama] We are choosing hope over fear.

[Jon] ...'12, '16, and '20.

[Dorothea] There was definitely always a part to give back.

We also came from simple means.

You know, we weren't born with a lot.

You're grateful for what you get

and so that you always wanna try to help other people.

Even when Jon was doing, like, a Christmas show,

we would do a can drive.

You know, he was always trying to give back to the community.

And he did those Christmas shows for, I don't know, how many years in Red Bank.

Well, good evening. Welcome to the fifth annual Bon Jovi Christmas concert.

[audience cheering]

And I'd start thinkin', I said, "Let's do a show.

"But every nickel will go

to the various New Jersey charities."

- We need all the help we can get. - [Jon] Yeah.

[Dorothea] You know, they say a rising tide raises all boats.

I think that's kind of our philosophy.

Nobody gets there by themselves. Jon Bon Jovi didn't get there by himself.

Our mission is trying to break the chains of poverty,

whether it's assisting in homeless issues, social service.

But then we started to build more housing,

and we thought, "Now wait a minute,

"this is something that can affect anybody,

Republican, Democrat, Black, white."

It was fun to watch them grow and change with the times,

especially Jon.

And I understand that for some of you,

seeing the name Jon Bon Jovi on today's list of guest speakers

may have raised an eyebrow.

[Everett] Paying attention to things that were happening in the world

like hunger and politics and freedom.

[Jon] You're taking care of a part of your community

that is in dire need.

Places like the Kitchen need to exist.

[Dorothea] On the philanthropy side, it was kinda just buckshot.

Like when Jon started the, the Soul Foundation,

I actually was watching a TV show,

and they were talking about community restaurants

and I just, I became, like, obsessed with this idea.

[Jon] I think that the philanthropy gets

as much attention as the music does today.

50/50, you know.

And I'm really surprised by it, but pleased.

Because it just comes from a pure place.

These guys all volunteer,

and they're empowered by participating in the model.

So they'll work in the garden or sweep the floor

or bus a table, and then they get fed.

- Hey! How are you? - [crew member] How are you?

Good, good. Did you make corned beef and cabbage today?

- Yes, absolutely. - Yes.

[Jon] This was just somethin' that came pure of heart,

and that's why it works.

People travel 'cause they wanna witness it

or people that are truly in need are out there,

and they're-they're meeting each other.

You know, different walks of life and-and different economic backgrounds.

And, you know, they come together in a place like this

and everybody's the same over breaking bread.

You know, there wasn't a meal served that was there for publicity.

You don't start a foundation all those years ago

to be in a rock band.

It's just not how it works.

[Shanks] So that's four hits.

[speaks indistinctly] Do your walk up again.

[Jon] It's... [♪ sings indistinctly].

It's the last one.

♪ It's a hard rain ♪

♪ Don't give a damn who you are... there's a-- ♪

- And you start [imitates drums]. - [band member speaks indistinctly]

It's not a stop, I don't think. No, I think it's...

[Shanks] You know, you write from where you are at.

And the people that love you and are fans

are gonna go along on the journey with you.

So when you're not chasing the singles,

sometimes those are the most interesting songs to me.

I wanna know who you are, you know, as a human being.

Sorry, play the loop again. Let me sing the chorus for you.

I remember when we went down to Nashville

with a-a bunch of songs and thought,

"Okay, we've got an album."

Yes. But not so good.

Breath on the first thing was great.

Keep breathing on...

We were enjoying the process

and being in a big room together was very reminiscent

of the old Power Station.

[Shanks] Try that. [♪ scats]

- Let's try that. - In the chorus?

Well, just overall. That feel of the song that you were-- wanted to explore.

[Jon] And the record was slated to come out,

and the tour was being assembled

and then COVID.

[♪ somber music playing]

The craziest year in the history of man

for the last 100-plus years.

So everything is put on hold.

Talk about a doomed title. A doomed year.

A doomed, everybody's like,

"Oh, I hear the next pandemic is gonna be here.

When was the last one?" "Oh, 100 years ago."

Each album takes on where he's at in his heart

and what he's listening to and what he's inspired

and the world around him.

[Jon] Shortly thereafter,

the George Floyd incident happens in Minneapolis.

[speaker] I watched a white officer

assassinate a Black man.

And I know that tore your heart out.

[Jon] And I think because we're all home and we can't go anywhere else,

you don't look with one eye and then, you know, change the channel or leave.

America was paying attention.

And I take that record and open it up again.

Change lyrics around, write other songs.

And 2020 takes on a much different meaning.

I-it is you. It's Bon Jovi. There you go. It's the band.

- 2020. - [Jon] Yep.

Okay, that's a bold name for an album. A lot happened this year.

[police siren wailing]

[reporter] Chaos in the street.

You see that inferno of these demonstrations.

They are playing out across the country.

♪ America's on fire ♪

[protesters shout indistinctly]

♪ There's protests in the street ♪

[reporter 1] Daily protests have been going on

for almost two weeks now.

[reporter 2] The largest civil rights protest the world has ever seen.

[reporter 3] It's a reckoning of race,

justice, and policing.

[protesters] [chanting] Black Lives Matter!

♪ Her conscience has been looted ♪

♪ And her soul is under siege ♪

[Jon] And once again, I grabbed the guitar,

and I carefully wrote down what I saw.

[Everett] He sent me the song, he sent me the lyric

and wanted to know my thoughts about it.

And I told him stories about how I grew up

and how I was not welcome in our neighborhood.

[protesters] [chanting] We don't want to integrate!

And how deep that was for me and my family.

And I think that's why he's relevant

and still recognized worldwide,

because he keeps paying attention.

♪ Another mother's cryin' ♪

[protester] Nothing has changed. What are we supposed to do?

[voice breaking] Nothing has changed.

- ♪ I can't breathe ♪ - [reporter] These marches come

at a critical moment for America

with a battle to fix centuries' long injustices.

[Shanks] Sometimes it's not about production.

It's like how simple can we make this

in order for the lyric to come through?

Because I'm gonna talk about something that's really uncomfortable.

I'm gonna talk about things that are not hit singles.

And as a writer, you have to do that.

♪ God damn those eight long minutes ♪

♪ Lyin' face down in cuffs on the ground ♪

♪ Bystanders pleaded for mercy ♪

[Obie] His songs are changing and what he's singing about.

And he's affected by what goes on in the world

and people around him, what goes on in their life.

♪ When did a judge and a jury ♪

♪ Become a badge and a knee ♪

♪ On these streets ♪

I think it's a socially conscious record.

I think it's a, it's a record that [clears throat]

is a moment in time.

Because you're so well known throughout the world,

people think they know you.

And maybe they know different parts of your life and career, depending.

This album is so topical, at times so serious,

it might be different than some of the Jon Bon Jovi they know.

♪ Is our American reckoning ♪

♪ Our story written in blood ♪

♪ Or in love ♪

♪ Or in peace ♪

[Jon] I love the record.

But unlike any other record,

this one was released into a black hole.

We couldn't really do much in way of television, promotion.

There were no shows slated.

So it was disappointment

because any opportunity to perform as a band

was in an empty theater for a drive-in show.

No idea how the songs are gonna work live.

So there was this whole period of my life that happened,

from the summer of '18 through the fall of '20,

that these songs were just here but not there.

[♪ soft music playing]

Cut to finally 2022,

where we got to play some of those songs for the first time.

[Jon] When we rehearsed with the band

for the three weeks getting ready to do the tour...

[audience cheers]

...I was anxious to see how the songs were gonna work live

because they felt good to me on the stage.

[Shanks] And you start seeing, like,

there's some songs off the record that we play,

and the fans like it.

♪ Love ♪

♪ Is a beautiful drug ♪

[Obie] A couple shows in, I knew he was struggling.

There were some uncomfortable conversations with Jon.

You know, he'd say, "Tell me the truth."

And I tried to tell him the truth,

which was no fun for me.

[Everett] To sing with him

and hear that he's not at 100%...

was heartbreaking.

[♪ tender music playing]

[Phil] I feel like there were times

when I could see Jon pulling the plug

like, "It's not working. Let's go home."

And I knew that whatever the decision was,

we would support that decision.

[Matt] My brother Anthony had come back by the dressing room,

and Jon had a moment where he was telling Anthony and I

that, uh, that was it, no more.

That was the moment, um...

I-- I get emotional now just thinkin' about it.

"You may have just witnessed

the last show ever."

All you can do is give 'em all you got. That's it.

It killed me to watch him struggle.

Fun to be on stage, not fun to see him hurting.

Something was wrong. Something is wrong.

I heard it. You know, he just wasn't-- He-he wasn't singing great.

[Dorothea] Jon Bon Jovi, surprisingly,

is not the most patient person in the world

'cause he's used to controlling everything and just, you know, making it.

I always say, by sheer will, he will make it happen.

He is very hard on himself.

Jon wants to always be at his best.

You know, that's something that he's gonna have to come to terms with

one way or the other.

[Jon] I'm not gonna overdo it.

It's gonna be hour and a half each day.

It's not training camp...

[♪ vocalizing]

...but it's not the first game of the season.

It's more like, you know, a pre-season game.

Play a couple quarters and be happy with where we're at.

And I-- if I can wrap my head around that, then it'll be good.

That's the expectation.

And if not, then not.

- [vocal coach laughs] - No, I don't wanna overdo it here either.

[vocal coach] I was just gonna say, are you gonna start with...

- No. - ... Prayer a capella?

[Tico] Whatever it is, it is. You can't rush it.

And if it's a year from now, then let's rock.

It'd be nice to do a 40th anniversary.

If not, it's been great.

[laughs] Without a doubt.

[Jon] There's a hell of a lot more life to live

than singing a song on a stage.

It's not who I am, it's what I do.

- [audience member whistles] - [audience applauds]

Good evening. Welcome down to the Fast Lane.

We're the Atlantic City Expressway.

This is by The Wild Ones, this is for the wild ones.

- [audience member] Yeah! - [Jon] This one's named after the band,

and this one's called The Wild Ones.

This has gotta be for you.

♪ Ho, choke it up ♪

- [Jon laughs] - [audience cheering]

This album, because the title came from here

and all the heart came from right here in Vancouver.

You know what I mean?

[audience cheering]

If the next phase and stage is to say goodbye to it,

there's no shame in that.

Like I'd said, my last album, I loved.

My last show, I loved.

The body of work speaks to everything I'd hoped for,

the journey with any and all of the members of the band.

I've been incredibly blessed.

So if it's time to turn left...

[scoffs] ... not bad.

[audience cheering]

[♪ gentle music playing]

[♪ bright guitar music playing]

♪ What do you sing when the song's been sung? ♪

♪ Who do you fight when the war is won? ♪

♪ And what do you write when the book is done? ♪

♪ What do you sing when the song's been sung? ♪

♪ How do you pray till you find your prayer? ♪

We hadn't certainly played music together

since that night in Nashville

where we walked off the stage and I contemplated retirement.

[audience cheering]

♪ Here I am ♪

♪ The hollow man ♪

♪ Tellin' stories... ♪

So it's very emotional.

But just the idea that these guys

who believed and stuck by me

through all of the difficulties of this journey...

♪ The hollow man ♪

...it's just beautiful.

♪ The hollow man ♪

[Jon blows raspberry]

♪ Come on, Jon ♪

[♪ David sings indistinctly]

[Jon] I couldn't look into everyone's eyes

and all the folks that were standing behind me

because I didn't wanna get emotional.

I wanted to work, I wanted to focus.

♪ One, two, two, two, two ♪

[band member] Ah.

[♪ sentimental instrumental music playing]

♪ Who are you and who am I ♪

♪ To think that we could ever fly ♪

♪ You don't appear to even try ♪

♪ Work, get paid, and just get by ♪

♪ Sons of sons, bricks on bricks ♪

[muffled voices]

♪ Got what I want 'cause I got what I need ♪

♪ Got a fistful of friends that'll stand up for me ♪

♪ Right where I am ♪

♪ Is where I wanna be ♪

♪ Friday night comes around like a song ♪

♪ Sweet Caroline and we all sing along ♪

♪ Got my brown-eyed girl ♪

♪ And she believes in me ♪

♪ Legendary ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

[♪ gentle music playing]

[Jon] It really was joyous, you know,

and beyond my expectations

by my very hard standards.

You know, like I wasn't moving from that mic stand

'cause I was like, "This is too perfect."

[laughs]

[Tico] Once he found it, I mean, that was, that was a moment

because you're like, "There he is.

There's that rock star."

[David] There was so much uncertainty for so long.

And it's all trending towards Jon wanting to go back on the road

because he has his tools again.

You know, he said he hasn't been that happy in 10 years

and he's joyful.

[band member] There you have it.

[Obie] This is what we were looking for.

It's been a long time just to see everybody happy.

[Jon claps]

[people speaking indistinctly]

[Phil] We're a team, we're a family.

You know, we're all gonna make it to the finish line,

and we're gonna be fine.

And you know what?

Next year, wait till next year.

We're gonna come out guns a-blazing.

[♪ pensive music playing]

[sighs sharply]

[♪ pensive music continues]

[Jon] Well, you know, we set out on a journey

to a dream 40 years ago.

I think that legacy is cemented

anytime you turn on the radio and hear one of those songs,

anytime you have a memory of having been at one of those shows,

anytime you utilize one of those lyrics to get you through good, hard times

or sad or mad times.

- [audience cheering] - And as I reflect on it,

I realize that the journey continues.

As I've said before, I may not tour again.

I may not be able to tour again.

It doesn't mean that the desire is lost.

But at the core, there's been a lot of love.

Love for each other, love for the mission,

love for the music,

love for the people whose lives it touched.

And for that, I'll be eternally grateful.

We're not supposed to still be here.

[band members chuckle]

History yet again.

[band member] That's right.

Because I set out to do somethin'

and was able to dare to dream.

I truly, like it or not, am a romantic.

You know, I still believe in... in the dream,

and in thinkin' that any kid

watching this right now in his garage can do this.

Where am I a year later, a year after the surgery?

I'm participating in the process and measuring the progress.

I love that I'm still full of piss and vinegar

at 61 years old.

I love that I got up at 6:30 this morning

and first played tennis, then went to the gym,

then went to vocal therapy all before noon.

You know, it's-- but that's what makes me who I am.

That's my story.

I work at it every day

with the hope that I can say "One, two, three, four"

one more time, and I'm trying.

One, two, three, four!

As we sit here today,

you know, I still have 26 new songs sitting in a notebook

ready to go for a next record

because there's always that opportunity

to write down another memory

and bring it to life and share it with others.

[audience cheering]

But as I'd said all along, that if I can't do it at 102%,

then I say, "Thank you and goodnight."

[♪ "Legendary" playing]

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

♪ Ooh oh ♪

♪ Who are you and who am I ♪

♪ To think that we could ever fly ♪

♪ You don't appear to even try ♪

♪ Work, get paid, and just get by ♪

♪ Sons of sons, bricks on bricks ♪

♪ What's broken you don't try to fix ♪

♪ Down here, there ain't no whys and ifs ♪

♪ You don't pick up what you can't lift ♪

♪ I raise my hands to the sky ♪

♪ Don't need more to tell me ♪

♪ I'm alive ♪

♪ Got what I want 'cause I got what I need ♪

♪ Got a fistful of friends that'll stand up for me ♪

♪ Right where I am ♪

♪ Is where I wanna be ♪

♪ Friday night comes around like a song ♪

♪ Sweet Caroline and we all sing along ♪

♪ Got my brown-eyed girl ♪

♪ And she believes in me ♪

♪ Legendary ♪

♪ I know this town like the back of my hand ♪

♪ Every crack in the sidewalk tells me who I am ♪

♪ Living in love is the law of the land ♪

♪ These are my dreams that's where we stand ♪

♪ I raise my hands to the sky ♪

♪ Don't need more to tell me ♪

♪ I'm alive ♪

♪ Got what I want 'cause I got what I need ♪

♪ Got a fistful of friends that'll stand up for me ♪

♪ Right where I am ♪

♪ Is where I wanna be ♪

♪ Friday night comes around like a song ♪

♪ Sweet Caroline and we all sing along ♪

♪ Got my brown-eyed girl ♪

♪ And she believes in me ♪

♪ Legendary ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ♪

♪ Ooh ♪