Will Bon Jovi Reunite With Former Members at Rock Hall Induction?
It isn't a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction without some speculation regarding at least one reunion between former bandmates in a newly inducted act, and this year's no different — largely due to the lingering question of whether Bon Jovi will perform with former guitarist Richie Sambora and their old bassist Alec John Such at the induction ceremony.
Such left the lineup first, moving on prior to the release of 1995's These Days LP. Although his departure was portrayed as a personal decision motivated by a desire to step away from the multiplatinum grind, it's long been believed that bad blood played a role. And Sambora's surprise departure from the lineup in the midst of the band's 2013 tour led to months of public back-and-forth between the two sides, raising the question of whether they'd ever see eye to eye long enough to play together again.
Since being named among this year's Rock Hall nominees, however, past and current members of Bon Jovi have said all the right things regarding an induction ceremony reunion. "I think so, yeah," said Sambora when recently asked whether he'd be up for it. "Everything's cool. Everything's copacetic."
Those sentiments were echoed by keyboardist David Bryan when asked by Rolling Stone whether Such would return to play with the current lineup at the Hall. "I would hope so. The idea is that it's a celebration of what we were and what we are, so that was definitely what we were and we are what we are now," he pointed out. "I think it's a celebration of both those things. You'll see the current lineup and then see the original. It should be a fun night."
Bon Jovi fans will have a chance to see for themselves on April 14, 2018, when the band — along with the rest of 2018's class of nominees — convenes in Cleveland for its 33rd annual induction ceremony.