Maps of Music

Bon Jovi (1984)

Where the lyrics of Bon Jovi take you, and where it was really made.

Before this album existed, the single Runaway had been sent to record companies without success, and a New York DJ's compilation pick is what got it airplay.

Key places

Power Station, Manhattan (1984)

Recording site Power Station Studio — Jon Bon Jovi began work at Power Station in Manhattan in 1980, a recording facility co-founded by his cousin Tony Bongiovi, who later co-produced this album. The studio is linked to the album recording, but the原文 does not name a specific room. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Bon Jovi: debut studio album by American rock band Bon Jovi
• Released January 23, 1984 by Mercury Records
• Produced by Tony Bongiovi and Lance Quinn
• Only Bon Jovi album with a song not written or co-written by a band member: "She Don't Know Me"
• Charted at number 43 on the US Billboard 200

Background

• Jon Bon Jovi began work at Power Station in 1980, a Manhattan recording facility co-founded by his cousin Tony Bongiovi
• Jon made several demos and sent them to record companies without making an impact
• In 1982, Jon went to WAPP 103.5FM 'The Apple'; DJ Chip Hobart liked Runaway and put it on the station's local compilation
• Mercury Records was part of PolyGram; PolyGram's A&R staff came up with the name Bon Jovi
• In March 1983, David Bryan, Alec John Such and Tico Torres joined
• Dave Sabo, a childhood friend of Jon's, was never intended as a full-time member and was soon replaced by Richie Sambora

Recording

• Studio musicians who helped record Runaway were known as The All Star Review
• Their lineup: Tim Pierce (guitar), Roy Bittan (keyboards), Frankie LaRocka (drums), Hugh McDonald (bass), with backing singers David Grahmme and Mick Seeley
• Mick Seeley also composed the distinctive keyboard riff that opens the song
• In 1994, Hugh McDonald replaced Alec John Such on bass, first as a touring and session musician, and became a full member in 2016

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Bon Jovi is an American rock band formed in Sayreville, New Jersey in 1983.
• Jon Bon Jovi began performing live in 1975 at age 13 with his first band, Raze.
• The band was named Bon Jovi on the suggestion of Pamela Maher, following the model of two-word bands such as Van Halen.
• Its debut album Bon Jovi was released on January 21, 1984, with the single "Runaway" reaching the Billboard Hot 100 top forty.

Members

• The current lineup is Jon Bon Jovi, David Bryan, Tico Torres, John Shanks, Phil X, Everett Bradley, and Hugh McDonald.
• Original bassist Alec John Such left in 1994; he died in 2022.
• Guitarist and co-songwriter Richie Sambora left in 2013.

Career

• Slippery When Wet (1986) brought global success, with "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer" reaching No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
• New Jersey (1988) produced five Billboard Hot 100 top-ten singles, a record for a hard rock album.
• Keep the Faith (1992) marked a shift to a more mature sound.
• "Always" (1994) became the band's biggest-selling and longest-charting single.
• Crush (2000) and "It's My Life" introduced the band to a younger audience.
• "Who Says You Can't Go Home" (2006) won a Grammy and became the first rock band single to top the Billboard country chart.
• The band has sold more than 130 million records worldwide and was inducted into the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Ranked 11th best rock album of 1984 by Kerrang! magazine

Reappraisal

• AllMusic has retrospectively rated the album three-and-a-half out of five stars
• Reviewer Leslie Mathew described the songs as simple, with writing prone to the clichés of the form
• Mathew praised a pretty consistent hard rock attack, passionate playing and a keen sense of melody
• Mathew called it an often-overlooked minor gem from the early days of hair metal
• Aside from the hit single Runaway, songs from the album were rarely performed live after Slippery When Wet in 1986
• On the 2010 Circle Tour, songs including Roulette, Shot Through the Heart and Get Ready were performed

Records

• US Billboard 200: charted at number 43

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• DJ Chip Hobart listened to the demos and loved Runaway, deciding to include it on the station's compilation album of local homegrown talent.
• Mick Seeley composed the distinctive keyboard riff that opens Runaway, even though he is credited only as a backing singer on that track.
• Jon wanted a band name, and the A&R staff at PolyGram came up with Bon Jovi.
• Jon later said in 2007 that the band did not become a good band until the third record.
• Shot Through the Heart should not be confused with the much better-known You Give Love a Bad Name from Slippery When Wet.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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