Bon Jovi's bassist

[ack1961]

I have a confession: I'm 48 years old, originally from Jersey, and I've never owned a Bon Jovi song until this past Friday. 
They're not bad, just not my cup.

My 11 year old son (a drummer) and some friends have started a band, and they've chosen a few Bon Jovi songs to learn together...just to see what they've got.  Ironically enough, there was a documentary on those guys on last night. I think I missed the first 10-15 minutes, but I swear I watched over an hour or so (at least it seemed like over an hour)...no mention of a bass player.  Even the live shots, you got the drummer, keys, guitarist, vocalist...no bassist in any shots. I read on Wiki that the original bassist Alec John Such left the band in 1994 and he was replaced by Hugh McDonald.

I was interested in checking out the bassist because I'm going to have to learn some of their tunes to help my son practice at home.  I mean, the songs seem simple enough, but I just found it weird that in an entire documentary about a band (I almost wrote Hair Band, but didn't) there is no mention of a bassist.

I like these documentaries - even about bands I don't like much; Metallica, Motley Crue, etc...I find them real interesting and the ones that are done well give you a little more insight into the personalities within the bands.  The Metallica documentaries are insane.

Anyway, just curious about the absence of any mention, if anyone has a clue.

Thanks,
Steve

[nofi]

bon jovi is not a band it's a plague. when their original bassist left the bon jovi camp said it was because he was not good enough. i find this laughable and highly suspicious. all of a sudden after ten years he's not good enough anymore? for bon jovi?? 

[Dave W]

(Disclaimer: I know almost nothing about Bon Jovi.)

I read at the time that they were unhappy with his stage performance, and that his replacement is a hired hand, not a band member. That might explain the lack of film footage and mention.

[Nocturnal]

When the 'Behind the music' episode first aired it mentioned that A.J.S. wanted no part of the documentary and wouldn't be interviewed for it. I've always thought that the whole "wasn't a good enough player" for BJ was a bit of a joke. I mean, it's not like they were all musical genius that were just slumming with a bad bass player. Of course it's a band that I've never liked, so none of it really matters to me.

[OldManC]

I'm not a fan but I'm familiar enough with the story that I'll risk being derisively laughed at by filling in the edges.  I may be slightly off on specifics but the general story is:

There's only ever been ONE member of Bon Jovi. From the beginning it was Jon only who was signed to a contract. The other guys have always been his employees. I don't know how that affects Richie Sambora or if he's more of a partner or not (at least he probably gets publishing on his co-writes), but there ya go. AFAIK Alec John Such never did play on the albums. Hugh McDonald was their 'recording' bassist from very early on if not the beginning.

I don't like Springsteen so I certainly wouldn't like Springsteen lite, pretty hair or not. JBJ strikes me pretty much as a tool. A successful tool undeniably, but a tool nonetheless...

No, really. Ask me how I feel! 

[Dave W]

IOW, you're saying he ought to stick to his stellar acting career. 

[lowend1]

Hugh has been recording with them since the beginning. As previously mentioned, when Alec's stage performance became a liability, he was unceremoniously dumped and replaced with - guess who? So you asks yourself, why wasn't Mr McDonald in the band to begin with? NJ scuttlebutt has it that while JBJ was thrilled with his playing, his image wasn't right (hair not pouffy enough). What I find odd is that Alec's image was acceptable. I used to see him playing in the clubs back in the late 70s early 80s, with a band called Phantom's Opera and never thought of him as anything special. You probably won't either...

[ack1961]

Thanks for the replies - and now that it's been mentioned here, I remember all of the available band members kind of drone on and on about how this band was a corporation...

Yeah, this is a fairly unappealing band.  As I said earlier in the thread, I like these documentaries - they kind solidify some of the reasons I dislike of lot of bands.  Thanks for clearing up the mystery - I hate the fact that I was even thinking about Bon Jovi's musicians.

OK, not to start a war, but you can't compare JBJ to Bruce Springsteen.  Even as reprehensible as Springsteen's music has become, the only thing in common is NJ.  Bruce's stuff prior to Born in the USA was deep-rooted and honest, and the E-St. Band was never a hair band.  Garry Tallent is also a bassist that I like listening to.

Thanks again.
Steve

[ack1961]

Hugh has been recording with them since the beginning. As previously mentioned, when Alec's stage performance became a liability, he was unceremoniously dumped and replaced with - guess who? So you asks yourself, why wasn't Mr McDonald in the band to begin with? NJ scuttlebutt has it that while JBJ was thrilled with his playing, his image wasn't right (hair not pouffy enough). What I find odd is that Alec's image was acceptable. I used to see him playing in the clubs back in the late 70s early 80s, with a band called Phantom's Opera and never thought of him as anything special. You probably won't either...

I made it to :35 - what do I win?

[lowend1]

I made it to :35 - what do I win?

ummm...a copy on DVD?

[Lightyear]

Ugh, I made it to 1:01 and I feel cheated out of a minute of my life

I guess they really do have trailer parks in NJ

[Highlander]

skipped the video...

Ok Billy, you mentioned not quite cutting it, "image-wise"... how about the greaest put-down of our "careers"...

Mine, without a doubt, was a spin-off of a spin-off of Thin Lizzy (a band called Stampede, span-off from Wild Horses #5)... the vocalist said, "Man, you can play, but you just ain't got the leather trousers..."  

2 lps and they was history...   (Good Grief - just checked - they reformed... 26 years later... pass)

[lowend1]

BTW, Hugh is a good player who had a pretty cool resume before Bon Jovi, including Gladys Knight's "Imagination", Ringo Starr's "Ringo the 4th", and Willie Nelson's "Shotgun Willie" - all uncredited, since they came at a time when studio musicians' names were rarely included on album jackets. Even his "signature" lick - the opening groove from "Livin' On A Prayer" - is essentially anonymous.

[Hornisse]

AJS was also at least 10 years older than the rest of the band.  I'm sure this had something to do with it.  Nice SD Curlee bass he's playing in the vid though. 

[lowend1]

AJS was also at least 10 years older than the rest of the band.  I'm sure this had something to do with it.  Nice SD Curlee bass he's playing in the vid though. 

Hugh was born in 1950, so it's not like they went for a younger guy when they gave Alec the boot.