In a recent interview, guitarist Phil X shared his perspective on the potential reunion of Bon Jovi with their longtime guitarist Richie Sambora, discussing how he would feel about the situation.
Sambora’s departure from Bon Jovi in 2013 came as a surprise to many, but lineup changes in legendary bands are not uncommon, even in their later years. Since Sambora’s exit, Phil X and John Shanks have filled in on guitar duties for the band. Although Sambora made a brief return for one performance in 2018, fans continue to wonder if there’s a possibility of him rejoining the band. They also question if the band would adopt a model similar to Iron Maiden’s late 1990s approach by including both Sambora and Phil X in the lineup.
When speaking to Phil X about the current status of Bon Jovi and his role in the band, he provided some insight into what’s happening with the band and how he views his position.
Phil X revealed that retirement isn’t on the horizon for Bon Jovi. He explained, “The last thing I heard was, retirement isn’t in the picture. We’re getting ready to do some rehearsals, and it looks like we’ll be playing this year, so I’m excited about that.”
When asked about the challenges of stepping into Richie Sambora’s shoes and performing his parts, Phil X explained that while the technical aspects were not the most difficult, capturing the emotion of Sambora’s guitar work presented its own set of challenges.
He elaborated, saying, “A lot of people ask, ‘What was the most technical difficulty, and what song to learn?’ For me, it wasn’t that anything was technically difficult, but sometimes it’s hard to capture the intended emotion.”
Using “Bed of Roses” as an example, he said, “When you play those notes, you can’t just play those notes. Anybody can just play those notes. You gotta put heart and feel into those notes so it gives people the same impression they had when they first heard it. And that could be complicated.”
Phil X further explained that performing on stage often comes with distractions, whether it’s the lights in his eyes or unexpected events happening around him. “You gotta stay focused. Then you gotta deliver that intended emotion,” he added.
Regarding the possibility of Richie Sambora rejoining Bon Jovi, Phil X was open to the idea. When asked if there could be a situation like Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, where multiple guitarists are part of the band, he responded, “I always say — the most successful tours are reunion tours. So if John called me tomorrow and said, ‘Richie’s coming back,’ I wouldn’t be surprised. I’d be like, ‘Okay, cool man. Can I be on second git?’”
Phil X’s comments suggest that he would be open to the idea of sharing the stage with Sambora again, highlighting his flexibility and understanding of the dynamics within the band.
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