Bon Jovi's X-Factor Performance

JonBon Jovi - Brief Bio

Talented performer Jon Bon Jovi first set hearts racing when he formed rock group Bon Jovi in 1983. Known for his sexy looks as much as his incredible talent, Jon has always been an idol to many. For years, many men have tried to emulate his cool style, while women everywhere harbor secret and not-so-secret crushes! Read more about the "Sex Rock God" himself in Femail's Star Snapshots!

Stage Name: Jon Bon Jovi
Full Name: John Francis Bongiovi
Nickname: Johnny

D.O.B: March 2, 1962
Born: Perth Amboy, New Jersey, USA

Star Sign: Pisces

Eye Colour: Green/Blue
Hair Colour: Light Brown
Height: 5' 10"

Current Residence: Rumson, New Jersey, USA

Famous for: Being an actor and the lead singer of successful and popular rock group Bon Jovi.

Favourites:
Artists: Aerosmith, Rolling Stones, Willy DeVille, Bruce Springsteen
Destinations: The Caribbean, Cayman Islands & cruising the Mediterranean.
Food: Italian, Mexican, Sushi
Sport: Baseball, Football
TV Shows: "Hill Street Blues" & cartoons
Clothes: Casual clothes including jeans & shirts

Hobbies: Jon likes driving cars, playing baseball, working out at the gym, football, music and spending time with his family.

Education: Sayreville War Memorial High School, Sayreville, New Jersey, USA
Studied acting with Harold Guskin

Married to: Dorothea Hurley
Children: Daughter - Stephanie Rose, Sons - Jesse James Louis, Jacob Hurley
Parents: John & Carol
Siblings: Anthony & Matthew

Best Known Character Trait: His messy hairstyle and smoldering good looks!

Discography:

ALBUMS
2002: Bounce
2001: One Wild Night
2000: Crush
1997: Destination Anywhere (solo)
1995: These Days
1994: Crossroads
1992: Keep The Faith
1990: Blaze Of Glory (solo)
1988: New Jersey
1986: Slippery When Wet
1985: 7800 Degrees Fahrenheit
1984: Bon Jovi

Filmography:

FILM
2002: Vampires: Los Muertos
2000: Pay It Foward
2000: U-571
1998: Homegrown
1998: No Looking Back
1998: Little City
1996: The Leading Man
1995: Moonlight and Valentino

TV
2002: Ally McBeal

Awards:

2001: BON JOVI take home trophy for "HOTTEST LIVE SHOW" at 2001 MY VH-1 AWARDS
2000: BON JOVI take home MY VH-1 AWARD for "MY FAVOURITE VIDEO" for "It's My Life".
1991: MTV Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award; shared with band
1990: Oscar nominated, Best Song, Young Guns II
1990: Golden Globe: Best Original Song - Motion Picture, Blaze of Glory (from Young Guns II soundtrack)
1987: American Music Award: Best Pop/Rock Band, Duo or Group; award shared with band

Achievements:

2002: BON JOVI have sold in excess of 100 million albums worldwide, played at over 2,000 shows & have released 8 studio albums (not including Jon's solo albums).
2000: Voted the "Sexiest Rock Star" by People Magazine (USA)
1996: Voted by People Magazine (USA) as one of the 50 most beautiful people in the world.

Other Facts:

Jon started his career sweeping the floor at New York's Record Plant recording studio, which led to him making demos with some of the musicians who recorded there.

Jon is an accomplished musician and can play several musical instruments including guitar, piano, harmonica and keyboards.

Jon has sensitive eyes against sunlight and cigarette smoke, which is why he can regularly be seen sporting sunglasses.

Distinguishing Marks: A Superman tattoo on his upper left arm; a Steer's head tattoo on his upper right arm & another tattoo on his ankle.

Quotes: "This is the way I look at sex scenes: I have basically been doing them for a living for years. Trying to seduce an audience is the basis of rock 'n' roll. And if I may say so, I'm pretty good at it..."

"People who have to tell you how successful they are aren't really successful. That's something I learned sweeping floors at this recording studio called the Power Station. Mediocre stars were the biggest pricks, and the big stars were the ones who came in and said, 'How're those demos going? Keep pushing, you'll get it. It'll happen for you.'"

Official Site: http://www.bonjovi.com

"Bad Medicine"

I ain't got a fever got a permanent disease
It'll take more than a doctor to prescribe a remedy
I got lots of money but it isn't what I need
Gonna take more than a shot to get this poison out of me
I got all the symptoms count 'em 1,2,3

First you need
That's what you get for falling in love
Then you bleed
You get a little but it's never enough
On your knees
That's what you get for falling in love
And now this boy's addicted cause your kiss is the drug

Your love is like bad madicine
Bad medicine is what I need
Shake it up, just like bad madicine
There ain't no doctor that can
Cure my disease

Bad, bad medicine
Bad, bad medicine

I don't need no needle
To be giving me a thrill
And I don't need no anesthesia
Or a nurse to bring a pill
I got a dirty down addiction
It doesn't leave a track
I got a jone for your affection
Like a monkey on my back

There ain't no paramedic
Gonna save this heart attack

When you need
That's what you get for falling in love
Then you bleed
You get a little but it's never enough
On your knees
That's what you get for falling in love
Now I'm addicted and your kiss is the drug

Your love is like bad madicine
Bad medicine is what I need
Shake it up, just like bad madicine
So let's play doctor, baby
Cure my disease

Bad, bad medicine
Bad, bad medicine

[Solo]

I need a respirator cause I'm running out of breath
You're an all night generator wrapped is stockings and a dress
When you find your medicine you take what you can get
Cause if there's something better baby well thay haven't found it yet

Your love is like bad madicine
Bad medicine is what I need
Shake it up, just like bad madicine
There ain't no doctor that can
Cure my disease

Your love is like bad madicine
Bad medicine is what I need
Shake it up, just like bad madicine
Your love's the potion that
Can cure my disease

Bad, bad medicine
Bad, bad medicine

Bon Jovi - If I Was Your Mother And Lyrics

If I Was Your Mother lyrics

If I was your mother
Would you let me hold your hand
Would you say you were my baby
Would you always be my friend

If I was your mother
Could I teach you what's right
Could I tell you stories
Maybe tuck you in
And kiss you sweet goodnight

Tell me what I got to do
To make my life mean more to you
I could get so close it's true
If I was your mother

Would you always believe me
'Cause I'd wake up in the middle
Of the night
Just to see if you need me

Tell me there's no mother
To who you're telling your secrets
And would you tell me
'Bout all the boys you been
Bringing home to meet me

Tell me what I got to do
To make my life mean more to you
I could get so close it's true
If I was yours

Mother, mother
If I was your
Mother, mother

When love is blood
You're never on trial
Love don't get deeper
Than a mother & child
Oh baby, I got to get that
Close to you

Tell me what I got to do
To make my life mean more to you
I could get so close it's true
If I was yours

Tell me what I got to be
To make you a part of me
There's no one else you'd ever need
If I was your

Mother, mother
If I was your mother
Mother, mother

Mother, mother
If I was your mother
Mother, mother

Never Say Goodbye

"Never Say Goodbye"

As I sit in this smokey room
The night about to end
I pass my time with strangers
But this bottle's my only friend

Remember when we used to park
On Butler Street out in the dark
Remember when we lost the keys
And you lost more than that in my backseat

Remember how we used to talk
About busting out - we'd break their hearts
Together - forever

Never say goodbye, never say goodbye
You and me and my old friends
Hoping it would never end
Never say goodbye, never say goodbye
Holdin' on - we got to try
Holdin' on to never say goodbye

Remember days of skipping school
Racing cars and being cool
With a six pack and the radio
We didn't need no place to go

Remember at the prom that night
You and me we had a fight
But the band they played our favorite song
And I held you in my arms so strong

We danced so close
We danced so slow
And I swore I'd never let you go
Together - forever

Never say goodbye, never say goodbye
You and me and my old friends
Hoping it would never end
Never say goodbye, never say goodbye
Holdin' on - we got to try
Holdin' on to never say goodbye

I guess you'd say we used to talk
About busting out
We'd break their hearts
Together - forever

Jon Bon Jovi & Richie Sambora - Bridge Over Troubled Water

Never Say Goodbye

Bed Of Roses

Bon Jovi - Band Facts

Parts of this Biography of Bon Jovi are curtesy of the Artist Network

For many bands that became popular in the facile, videocentric late '80s, it's been a case of hair today, gone tomorrow.

Not so for Bon Jovi, the New Jersey-based group that helped put pop-metal on the map, but that somehow didn't fade away, despite constant drubbings by critics and the onset of grunge in the '90s.

Indeed, the last laugh may belong to the group's frontman, Jon Bon Jovi, who has earned praise for his acting, of all things, appearing in such films as The Leading Man and U-571.

The singer was born John Francis Bongiovi March 2, 1962, in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, and grew up in Sayerville, N.J. A poor student, he spent much of his adolescence playing in local bands with friend David Rashbaum. His cousin Tony Bongiovi owned the Power Station, a prominent New York recording studio, and hired the aspiring singer as a janitor. Sweeping floors provided entrée into the world of music, though, and soon he was recording demos with the likes of rocker Aldo Nova and members of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band.

One of Bongiovi's songs, "Runaway," found a spot on New Jersey radio, and he formed a band to hit the club circuit. It featured Rashbaum on keyboards, guitarist Dave Sabo, bassist Alec John Such, and drummer Hector "Tico" Torres. Mercury Records won a bidding war for the group in 1983, though some controversy still surrounds the signing — according to some accounts, Bongiovi himself was the only one signed, with the rest of the band being regarded as little more than employees.

The name of the group became Bon Jovi, to capitalize on his success of Runaway, which clearly thrust the singer out front, also removing any ethnic traces from his name. John Bongiovi became Jon Bon Jovi, and in a similar spirit, Rashbaum became David Bryan. Before the band actually began recording, guitarist Richie Sambora replaced Dave Sabo.

The album Bon Jovi was released in 1984, and "Runaway" became a national hit, just making it into the Top 40 at No. 39, while "She Don't Know Me" made it as far as No. 48. It was, however, a Gold Record in Japan. With a degree of success came headaches, though, too — Bon Jovi's cousin Tony came calling with a lawsuit, claiming he was being cut out of the band's largesse despite having helped develop their sound. Though Bon Jovi denied the claim, they chose to settle out of court rather than go through protracted litigation.

The album 7800 Degrees Fahrenheit followed in 1985 but produced no major hits. "Only Lonely" made it to No. 54, while "In and Out of Love" charted at No. 69. The band relentlessly toured and opened for such acts as Kiss and Scorpion.

Should anyone doubt the effects of marketing research on rock and roll, they need look no further than what happened next. After bringing in hit-making songwriter Desmond Child (Aerosmith, KISS, Cher), the band played tapes of its new songs for some New Jersey teens, basing the song selection and even the running order of tunes for 1986's Slippery When Wet on their opinions.

Three additional factors led to that album's breakthrough success. The first was the material, some of it co-written by Child, including "You Give Love a Bad Name" (a No. 1 hit), "Livin' on a Prayer" (also No. 1), and "Wanted Dead or Alive" (No. 7); the immense impact of videos also boosted the album, as women in particular found Bon Jovi's chiseled looks and feathery hair irresistible. A third factor was Slippery's album cover, which was switched from the standard metal cliché of a woman in a wet T-shirt to the inoffensive image of the title sketched out on a wet surface. Bon Jovi became a metal band for the whole family, and Slippery When Wet went on to sell 9 million copies.

Formula took over for the band's next release, New Jersey, which sounded a lot like its predecessor but managed to sell 5 million copies nonetheless. The album spawned no less than five Top 10 singles: "Bad Medicine" (No. 1), "Born to Be My Baby" (No. 3), "I'll Be There For You" (No. 1), "Lay Your Hands on Me" (No. 7), and "Living in Sin (No. 9).

Following the record's release, the group stayed on the road for 18 months, even taking a trip to the Soviet Union. In the middle of the tour, the band members took time off to back Cher, who was dating Sambora at the time, on her 1989 album, Heart of Stone. After all the roadwork, the band went on hiatus.

Jon Bon Jovi went solo for the 1990 album Blaze of Glory, featuring songs from the soundtrack of Young Guns II, a film in which Bon Jovi had his blink-and-you'll-miss-him big-screen debut. The album sported guest shots by the likes of Elton John, Little Richard, Jeff Beck, and his old pals Aldo Nova; spawned the No. 1 title track, as well as "Miracle" (No. 12); and earned the singer Grammy and Academy Award nominations.

The band reunited in 1992 for Keep the Faith, which was met with less enthusiasm than its predecessors but did manage to spin off a couple of hits in the title track (No. 27), "Bed of Roses" (No. 10), and "In These Arms" (No. 27). The following year saw the release of Cross Road, a greatest-hits collection that included two new songs, one of which, "Always," went as far as No. 4, and "Someday I'll be Saturday Night" went as far as No.7 in the UK Charts. Bassist Such left the band, which remained a quartet for 1995's These Days. That album featured the No. 14 hit "This Ain't a Love Song." and "Lie to Me" (No.88). The title track of the album "These Days" topped at No.7 in the UK Charts.

In the last half decade of the millennium, Jon Bon Jovi's attention turned increasingly to acting. He appeared in films such as Moonlight and Valentino in 1995 and The Leading Man a year later. In 1997, when his solo album Destination Anywhere was released, it was accompanied by a long-form video starring Bon Jovi and Demi Moore. He appeared in Row Your Boat, Little City, No Looking Back, and Homegrown, all released in 1998. In 1999 he appeared in an episode of HBO's Sex and the City, and in the year 2000 we saw him show up in U-571 and Pay It Forward. Watch for him in 2002 in the movie "Vampires, Los Muertos", and on several episodes of "Ally McBeal".

Other band members have also pursued solo careers. Bryan released Netherworld in 1992, On a Full Moon in 1995 and Lunar Eclipse in 2000. Sambora's solo discs, Stranger in This Town and Undiscovered Soul, came out in 1991 and 1998, respectively. One of the songs from Richie's first Album "Ballad of Youth", could only go as far as No. 63 on the charts. Tico Torres concentrated his efforts in his art and baby clothes.

The band members reunited once more to record the single "Real Life" for the soundtrack of EDTV in 1999.
In the '90s they recorded songs that appeared also in the soundtracks of 'Armageddon', 'Navy Seals' and 'The Cowboy Way', among Jon's continuous support and contribution of Christmas songs for the "A Very Special Christmas" CDs which benefit the Special Olympics.
Jon and the band enlisted the help of bassist friend Hugh McDonald, who, even if not officially part of the band, toured with the band for both the 'Crush' and the "One Wild Night' tour, and I hear he even played on Jon's original demo of Runaway.
Their album, Crush, which was released June 13, 2000, went as far as No. 9 in the US, but went to #1 in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, England, Finland, Germany, Holland, India, Italy and Switzerland. It sold (as of spring 2001) more than 7 million copies worldwide. The first single from the album, 'It's My Life', won Video of the Year at the 'VH1 Music Awards', topped the charts at No. 11. It did go to #1 in the Belgium, Italian, Holland, Spain and Switzerland charts. Other successful singles from Crush are 'Say it isn't so' (topped the charts at #9 in Australia) and 'Thank you for loving me' (No. 23 in the US charts) went to #1 in Argentina. Their last single 'One wild night' went to #1 in Taiwan. Their first 'live' album, 'One Wild Night', was released on May 22, 2001 and it debuted on the top 20 on its first week of release in the US, but went to #1 in both Switzerland and Belgium. Bon Jovi stayed focus. Within a year they returned with an eighth studio effort, Bounce, which appeared in fall 2002. Tours across the globe as well as dates with the Goo Goo Dolls fared well. In 2003 Bon Jovi re-recorded many of their most well-known songs for the release This Left Feels Right and followed it in 2004 with a DVD companion of the same title.
In 2004 the band released a very unique 4-CD package which included songs never released called 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong. In September 2005 they released their latest project, Have a Nice Day! Tour to follow...

Click here to get more charts information from all over the world...

AWARDS/NOMINATIONS
:: 1988-AMA Winner; Favorite Pop/Rock Band, Duo & Group
:: 1991-MTV Music Video Awards: Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award
:: 1991-Oscar Nominee (Jon Bon Jovi); Best Music Song, for Young Guns II-for the song Blaze of Glory
:: 1991-VMA Nominee (Jon Bon Jovi); Male Video of the Year & Best Video from a Film, for Blaze of Glory
:: 1991-Golden Globe Winner (Jon Bon Jovi); Best Original Song, for Young Guns II-for the song Blaze of Glory
:: 1991-AMA Winner (Jon Bon Jovi); Favorite Single, for Blaze of Glory
:: 1996-Brith Awards: Best International Act
:: 1997-Grammy Awards: Nomination for Best Music Video for "Live From London"
:: 2000-My VH1 Music Awards Winner; Video of the Year, for It's My Life
:: 2000 Foreign "Crush" awards and nominations:
- Award for foreign rock album of the year at Gold Disc award in Japan.
- TMF Award for Best Rockband International in Netherlands.
- Best International Group award at German Echo awards.
:: 2001-Grammy Nominee for Best Rock Album and Best Rock Performance by a Duo or a Group for "It's My Life".
:: 2001-3 nominations at MTV Europe Music Awards- for Best Group, Best album of the Year and Best Rock.
:: 2001-My VH1 Music Awards Winner; Best Live Act

http://www.sleepingangel.com/bonjovi/bio_band.htm

Jon Bon Jovi's Biography

Real Name: John Francis Bongiovi, Jr.
Birthday: March 2, 1962 @ 8:45 pm ~Pisces~
Birthplace: Perth Amboy, NJ. His family moved to Sayreville when he was 4.
Grew up: Sayreville, NJ.
Currently Lives: Red Bank, NJ
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Light Brown
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 150 lbs
Shoe Size: 11
Family:
Father - John Bongiovi, Sr. (Hairdresser, from Italy)
Mother - Carol Sharkey Bongiovi (Former florist, Former Playboy bunny, President of official Bon Jovi fan club)
Siblings - Anthony Michael (October 11, 1966) and Matthew (August 30, 1971)
Wife - Dorothea Rose Hurley (High School sweethearts, Jon and Dorothea were married on April 29, 1989 in Las Vegas Nevada). Dorothea finished 4th in a US National Karate Championship in late 1992
Children - Stephanie Rose (born May 31, 1993), Jesse James Louis (born February 19, 1995) and Jacob Hurley (born May 7th, 2002)
Education: Sayreville War Memorial High School, Class of 1980, Sayreville New Jersey. Studied acting with Harold Guskin
First Instrument: His mom bought him a guitar when he was 7 years old.
Other Instruments Played: Piano, Harmonica, Keyboard
Idols: Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen.
Tatoos: Superman tattoo on his left upper arm, Steers Head on his right upper arm and a small Dragon on his left ankle.
Favorite Quote: "We've been away five years and all they could come up with is boy bands? Well, this is a man band." -- Jon Bon Jovi, 2000
Favorite Quote #2: "This is the way I look at sex scenes: I have basically been doing them for a living for years. Trying to seduce an audience is the basis of rock 'n roll, and if I may say so, I'm pretty good at it... Plus, being married and monogamous, it's the closest thing I can do to having sex without getting in trouble for it..."--Movieline, February 1998
Interesting Facts: He was named one of People Magazines 50 most beautiful people in 1996. He was named "Sexiest Rock Artist" by PEOPLE magazine in 2000.
Awards/Nominations:
1991-Oscar Nominee for Best Music Song, for Young Guns II-for the song Blaze of Glory.
1991-VMA Nominee for Male Video of the Year & Best Video from a Film, for Blaze of Glory.
1991-Golden Globe Winner for Best Original Song, for Young Guns II-for the song Blaze of Glory.
1991-AMA Winner for Favorite Single, for Blaze of Glory
2001- DOCTORATE OF HUMANITIES, HONORIS CAUSA from the Monmouth University, New Jersey

Parts of this Biography are transcripts from VH1's Behind the Music.
John Bongiovi grew up wanting to be a rock star. Still barely in his teens John began jamming with several local bands and hanging out in the Asbury Park nightclubs that span legendary rockers like Bruce Springsteen and Southside Johnny. In 1979 John formed the Atlantic City Expressway. One of the first to audition was a 17 year old David Bryan. The Expressway was a moderate hit with the locals, but it was John that commended the spotlight. Even Bruce Springsteen took notice. He would go to school in the morning at 8am after having played until 3am and he would doze off. In his senior year he met Dorothea in his history class and, as he put it, 'he held on to her with both hands and never let go' (how sweet is that?). In 1980 he got a job at the legendary Power Station Studios doing gopher jobs. Hungry for a record deal John wrote and recorded over 50 demos from 1980-1983. In 1982 John recorded the demo of a song he wrote called "Runaway". Nothing came of it until he went to a radio station in New York called WAPP. WAPP was at the time NYC cutting edge Rock radio station. In 1983 a DJ put 'Runaway' on a station sponsored album of local artists and started breaking nationwide without a band, without management and without representation... as John has said... "it was a fluke". With several major label eager to grab him, Mercury Records made John a deal he couldn't refuse. That is when he called David Bryan to put the band back together. He then signed on Alex John Such and Tico Torres. Richie Sambora caught John's act and was eager to be his guitar player. He was persistent enough that he got the job. The rest is R&R history!

During the time that 7800F came out Dorothea grew impatient of the relentless tour schedule and they broke up. It was at this time that Jon was seen dating Diane Lane. But before long he started missing Dorothea and went back begging her to come back. The two were married in 1989 in Las Vegas in a spur-of-the-moment ceremony. After the New Jersey tour was over the band decided to take a break and Jon was contacted by Emilio Estevez because he wanted to use 'Wanted Dead or Alive' for his upcoming movie 'Young Guns II'. Jon offered to write a different 'western' style song for him and ended up recording the entire soundtrack for the movie, which earned him a handful of awards and nominations and a #1 hit. It was at this time that Jon took an interest in a movie career and started taking acting lessons. The band went back to the recording studio after patching up differences to record 'Keep the Faith'. Jon and Dorothea had two babies, one in 1993 (Stephanie Rose) and one in 1995 (Jesse James Louis). It was around this time that Jon started his acting work and picked several interesting movies to appear in, even if it was a small role. He has said that it was during the filming of these movies that he came up with the ideas of 'Destination Anywhere' since he spent so much time alone in a trailer during filming. The director of the movie U-571, gave John great praise for his performance, and has said: 'Mark my words, he's going to be a MAJOR movie star'. His newest movie endeavor in which he stars in "Vampires, los muertos', is due to be released on Video/DVD in the fall of 2002, and he was a guest star in Ally McBeal for several episodes.

http://www.sleepingangel.com/bonjovi/bio_jon.htm

Living On A Prayer

Its My Life