Gary Graff / Billboard
David Bryan and Tico Torres of Bon Jovi are bracing for a memorable and likely emotional evening when the band — alongside original members Richie Sambora and Alec John Such — is welcomed into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 14 in Cleveland.
“You never really know how you’ll react,” drummer Torres shared with Billboard during a conference call promoting the second North American leg of Bon Jovi’s This House Is Not For Sale Tour, which begins March 14 in Denver. “But talking to Alec on the phone was truly wonderful. We shared that journey together as a group at various points, and it’s fantastic that we can recreate that moment — not just for ourselves, but for the fans. Whenever you reunite with old friends, deep emotions are bound to surface.”
Bryan added that it’s about time Bon Jovi, which secured the fan vote for the Rock Hall, received this recognition after being eligible for nine years. “It’s a bit delayed, but we’re finally in the club,” the keyboardist remarked. “It’s an incredible club to belong to — alongside Elvis, the Beatles, the Stones — and it’s truly an honor.”
Bryan confirmed that the reunited Bon Jovi will perform “a couple songs” at the ceremony with the former members, which he described as “pretty cool. We’re really excited about it.” This marks the first time John Such, who left the band in 1994, has played with Bon Jovi since a one-off appearance in 2001, and Sambora’s first since his contentious departure in 2013.
Bon Jovi will also celebrate the induction on the road, with 28 dates scheduled through May 14. The group recently released an expanded edition of This House Is Not For Sale, featuring two new tracks. Echoing comments Jon Bon Jovi made to Billboard in December, Bryan said “When We Were Us” is “a song inspired by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and where we are in our career; it reflects on where we’ve been, where we are now, and where we’re heading.” Meanwhile, “Walls” is “about unity, not division,” with both personal and political themes. “It mirrors what’s happening in the world — building walls within yourself,” Bryan explained. “There are many metaphors involved. It’s like ‘Keep the Faith’ was a reflection of its time. Our writing still captures the mood of the moment.”
A video for “When We Were Us” is available exclusively on Tidal.
Bon Jovi, set to receive the Icon Award on March 11 at the iHeartRadio Music Awards, is releasing these new songs to refresh This House Is Not For Sale for the tour and plans to include them in the setlist. However, Bryan doesn’t view them as a shift toward releasing singles rather than albums. “Who knows what the future holds, but we typically make records,” he said. “I don’t think we’ll just put out songs. These are additions to the album because it’s a continuation of the tour, a new leg.” The production and 360-degree seating for this leg remain the same as last year’s show, while the setlist will vary slightly from night to night. “We enjoy playing both old and new songs, and we mix it up to keep things fresh,” Bryan said. “We have so many to choose from, so we change sets each night, swapping out a few songs.” Torres added, “The new songs make it fun and fresh. It’s amazing that we’re still relevant today. We constantly have to pinch ourselves.”
This article originally appeared on Billboard.
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