Jon Bon Jovi insists the 'door would always be open' for Richie Sambora

Sambora doesn't feature on the band's new record

Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi in 2018
Author: Scott ColothanPublished 14th Mar 2024

Jon Bon Jovi has insisted there is no animosity between himself and Richie Sambora and the “door would always be open” for the guitarist to perform with Bon Jovi.

Earlier today, Bon Jovi announced details of their 16th studio album ‘Forever’ and they premiered the music video for lead single ‘Legendary.’

Many fans had hoped the new material might feature the return of Richie Sambora, however ‘Forever’ is Bon Jovi’s third record to feature guitarist Phil X, who replaced Sambora after he quit in 2013.

Richie Sambora stated in interviews with Planet Rock and Absolute Radio last year that he wanted to reunite with Bon Jovi to celebrate their 40th anniversary.

In a new interview with Audacity Music to promote ‘Forever’ and the upcoming Disney + series Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, Jon Bon Jovi asked what the future is with Richie Sambora and whether they would still perform a one-off show with him.

“Hey, the door would always be open,” Jon replied. “It's not that, but 11 years ago for reasons that were certainly nothing to do with the band, he walked out.

“There was no animosity, there was nothing but love. But we had a show that night and subsequently had one the next night, and for 11 years, I've been making records and doing shows. So everyone knows where the bus stops, you show up at work… But there's nothing but love.

“So Richie's gone on, on his own and he raised his daughter. So if he wanted to show up and play sometime (with Bon Jovi), he knows the songs. No animosity, I could promise you that.”

Bon Jovi 'Forever' album cover

In a separate interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Jon said he didn’t speak to Richie about the documentary, despite the guitarist’s involvement.

"Not a word. That was (director) Gotham Chopra,” Jon explained. “This wasn't a puff piece and this was no bulls---. This is not us behind the scenes pulling strings. Oh, no, no, no. They interviewed Richie in London. I wasn't there. I had nothing to do with it.”

Released on Friday 7th June 2024, ‘Forever’ features 12 all-new Bon Jovi tracks, and it opens with the lead single ‘Legendary.’

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75) Pink Floyd – ‘Wish You Were Here’ (1975)

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74) Iron Maiden – ‘Hallowed Be Thy Name’ (1982)

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73) Guns N’ Roses – ‘Paradise City’ (1987)

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72) Guns N’ Roses – ‘Estranged’ (1991)

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71) Bon Jovi – ‘Wanted Dead or Alive’ (1986)

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70) Iron Maiden – ‘Powerslave’ (1984)

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69) UFO – ‘Lights Out’ (1977)

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68) Neil Young – ‘Like a Hurricane’ (1977)

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67) Judas Priest – ‘Beyond The Realms of Death’ (1978)

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66) Free – ‘All Right Now’ (1970)

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65) Extreme – ‘Play With Me’(1989)

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64) AC/DC – ‘Back in Black’ (1981)

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63) UFO – ‘Love To Love’ (1977)

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62) Led Zeppelin – ‘Whole Lotta Love’ (1969)

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61) Eric Johnson – ‘Cliffs of Dover’ (1990)

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60) Stevie Ray Vaughn – ‘Little Wing’ (1984, released posthumously in 1991)

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59) Pearl Jam – ‘Alive’ (1991)

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58) Metallica – ‘Nothing Else Matters’ (1991)

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57) Fleetwood Mac – ‘The Chain’ (1977)

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56) Dragonforce – ‘Through the Fire and Flames’ (2005)

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55) Thin Lizzy – ‘Emerald’ (1976)

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54) Dire Straits – ‘Brothers in Arms’ (1985)

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53) Steve Vai – ‘For the Love of God’ (1990)

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52) Deep Purple – ‘Sometimes I Feel Like Screaming’ (1996)

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51) AC/DC – ‘Thunderstruck’ (1990)

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50) Rainbow – ‘Gates of Babylon’ (1977)

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49) Metallica – ‘The Unforgiven’ (1991)

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48) Rush – ‘La Villa Strangiato’ (1978)

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47) Pantera – ‘Cemetery Gates’ (1990)

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46) Pink Floyd – ‘Shine on You Crazy Diamond’ (1975)

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45) Dire Straits – ‘Telegraph Road’ (1982)

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44) Peter Frampton – ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ (2003)

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43) Slash – ‘Anastasia’ (2012)

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42) The Beatles – ‘While My Guitar Gently Weeps’ (1968)

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41) Pink Floyd – ‘Time’ (1973)

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40) Genesis – ‘Firth of Fifth’ (1973)

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39) Deep Purple – ‘Smoke on the Water’ (1972)

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38) AC/DC – ‘Let There Be Rock’ (1977)

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37) Megadeth – ‘Tornado of Souls’ (1990)

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36) Ozzy Osbourne – ‘No More Tears’ (1991)

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35) Metallica – ‘Fade To Black’ (1984)

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34) Marillion – ‘Easter’ (1990)

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33) Joe Bonamassa – ‘India / Mountain Time’ (2008)

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32) Ozzy Osbourne – ‘Crazy Train’ (1980)

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31) Cream – ‘Crossroads’ (1968)

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30) AC/DC – ‘Whole Lotta Rosie’ (1977)

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29) Led Zeppelin – ‘Since I’ve Been Loving You’ (1970)

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28) Queen – ‘Brighton Rock’ (1974)

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27) Metallica – ‘One’ (1989)

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26) Extreme – ‘Get The Funk Out’ (1990)

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25) Thin Lizzy – ‘Still In Love With You’ (1974)

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24) Metallica – ‘Master of Puppets’ (1986)

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23) The Jimi Hendrix Experience – ‘Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)’ (1968)

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22) Joe Bonamassa – ‘Sloe Gin’ (2007)

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21) Ozzy Osbourne – ‘Mr Crowley’ (1980)

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20) Derek & The Dominoes – ‘Layla’

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19) Gary Moore – ‘Still Got The Blues (For You)’ (1990)

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18) Prince - ‘Purple Rain’ (1984)

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17) Deep Purple – ‘Child in Time’ (1970)

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16) Bon Jovi – ‘Dry County’ (1992)

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15) The Jimi Hendrix Experience – ‘All Along The Watchtower’ (1967)

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14) Deep Purple – ‘Highway Star’ (1972)

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13) Gary Moore – ‘Parisienne Walkways’ (1979)

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12) UFO – ‘Rock Bottom’ (1974)

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11) Dire Straits – ‘Sultans of Swing’ (1978)

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10) Queen – ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ (1975)

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9) Rainbow – ‘Stargazer’ (1976)

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8) Guns N’ Roses – ‘Sweet Child ‘O Mine’ (1987)

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7) Van Halen – ‘Eruption’ (1978)

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6) Guns N’ Roses – ‘November Rain’ (1991)

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5) Eagles – ‘Hotel California’ (1976)

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4) Led Zeppelin – ‘Stairway To Heaven’ (1971)

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3) Alter Bridge – ‘Blackbird’ (2007)

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2) Lynyrd Skynyrd - ‘Free Bird’ (1973)

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1) Pink Floyd – ‘Comfortably Numb’ (1979)

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