Jon Bon Jovi Reflects on Vocal Surgery and Recovery in ‘Thank You, Goodnight’: NPR

Jon Bon Jovi, shown here in 2011, says the group’s 1986 hit, “Livin’ on a Prayer,” has “touched more lives than I could have ever dreamed.”

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Jon Bon Jovi, shown here in 2011, says the group’s 1986 hit, “Livin’ on a Prayer,” has “touched more lives than I could have ever dreamed.”

David Bergman/Hulu

After decades of singing anthemic songs like “Livin’ on a Prayer” to sold-out stadiums around the world, Jon Bon Jovi stopped performing a few years ago because he was having trouble with his vocal cords.

“I was abusing it,” the Bon Jovi singer says of his voice. “Even though I’m trained and studied the craft for 40 years, eventually the body gives out. It’s no different from being an athlete.”

Bon Jovi tried all sorts of therapies, but when none of them proved effective enough, in the summer of 2022 he did what he hoped to avoid: he underwent vocal surgery. The new Hulu docuseries Thank You, Good Night: The Bon Jovi Story alternates between a retrospective of Bon Jovi’s life and career and his assessment of his vocal injury.

“The process has been slower than I hoped, but the progress and the process is going really, really well,” Bon Jovi said of his recovery. “I’m currently able to sing. For me now, the bar is: Can I do two and a half hours a night, four nights a week?”

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of his band’s debut album, a new Bon Jovi album, titled Forever, will be released in June. In this interview, Bon Jovi performs “Kiss the Bride,” a yet-to-be-released song from the album he wrote for his daughter, who is engaged.

“My little girl is all grown up and she’s about to walk down the aisle,” he says of the song. “I cried when we wrote it. I cried when I sang it in the studio. I haven’t played it for my daughter yet.”

Interview Highlights

During his first break, in 1983

I think all you could have prayed for was that someone would give you an opportunity. And for me, that opportunity came when I went to see a DJ in 1983 and was lucky enough that this new radio station didn’t have a receptionist. When I tapped on the window of the broadcast booth, the DJ made the “shh” sign and put his finger to his lips, and the program director walked out. He said, “How can I help you?” And I told him I’d like him to hear some music. They asked me to wait until after the shift. He came out, he heard the song “Runaway” and he said, “That’s a hit song.” I said, “I know.” And then they told me about a local talent album they wanted to support, and this song might be on that record. Little did I know it would lead to a major record deal that I still have today, some 40 years later.

On how Bruce Springsteen makes becoming a rock star achievable

I was also influenced by what was (at the time) contemporary rock and roll – Queen and Led Zeppelin and Bad Company and Elton John and whatever was on the radio in the late ’70s. But those things seemed larger than life. They were just posters on your wall. Whereas Southside Johnny and Bruce Springsteen, although they made albums and were my childhood heroes, were 25 miles south of me. So any night in these bars, you’re going to see one of these men hanging out in the bar. And it was a bit like being so close to Santa Claus, because something fictional was becoming real. You could go touch them. You could talk to them. You could watch them.

On the group’s 1986 hit “Live on a prayer”

It’s the age-old story of boy meets girl. But Tommy and Gina became the boy and girl of everyone’s love story. This song transcended language barriers, generations and political beliefs. Black, white, young, old, Democrats, Republicans. “Livin’ on a Prayer” has touched more lives than I could have ever imagined.

The anthems are what the band is known for. We’ve been pretty good at it over the years, but I think it’s the lyrical content that keeps people coming back. … “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “It’s My Life” or “Legendary,” those songs all touched people around the world, and we were lucky enough to continue to invent them.

Trying out different looks for her stage character

Growing up in public, you were going to do things, try things on and see what kind of shoes would fit you. And jeans and T-shirts were what we were supposed to be. But honestly, back in 1984, 1985, 1986, when the “record company”, managers, agents and headliners you supported were telling you, “this will help you be more successful”, we were probably trying things. shoes that didn’t fit them. And we were grouped into a certain group of bands that I had never bought their records and wasn’t necessarily a fan of. But we were cutting our teeth on the international stage, and that was good, because… we took what we learned in those formative years and then came home.

On whether the vocal injury made him consider retirement

I love what I do and the public deserves the best from me, and I can only give the best. I don’t want to go through the motions or change the keys of the songs. I’m just not interested. That said, the truth is, I can always write another record. I don’t worry about my ability to write another song. …I could have walked away. I just didn’t have to come to that conclusion because, like I said, the process and progress is constant.

At that time, I think the year 2000 was the furthest year I had ever dreamed of, because it was this magic sci-fi number. I never dreamed of 2024 and a 40th birthday. Who could have? If you thought 40 years ago about the place of rock and roll for men and women 60 and older, there was no one to look to. And now you can look (and see) the Rolling Stones are over 80, the E Street Band is over 70, and U2 and Bon Jovi are over 60 and very active.

Lauren Krenzel and Susan Nyakundi produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Daoud Tyler-Ameen adapted it for the Web.