October 16, 2009

TURN UP THAT DIAL!

From the underground dance clubs of 1950s Memphis, Tennessee, by way of hit runs at the La Jolla Playhouse and Seattle's 5th Avenue Theatre, comes a hot new Broadway musical - inspired by actual events - with heart, soul and energy to burn. He's a young, white radio DJ named Huey Calhoun (Chad Kimball), whose love of music transcends race lines and airwaves. She's a black singer named Felicia Farrell (Montego Glover), whose career is on the rise, but who can't break out of segregated clubs. When the two collaborate, her soulful music reaches radio audiences everywhere, and the Golden Era of early rock 'n' roll takes flight. But as things start to heat up, whether the world is really ready for their music - or their love - is put to the test.

A thrilling theatrical event that combines Broadway splendor with the roots of rock, MEMPHIS features an original story by Joe DiPietro (I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change) and a brand-new score with music by Bon Jovi founding member David Bryan. Directing is Tony® nominee Christopher Ashley (Xanadu) and choreography is by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys). The cast also features Derrick Baskin, J. Bernard Calloway, James Monroe Iglehart, Tony nominee Michael McGrath and Cass Morgan.

Get ready to experience all the exuberance and the emotion...the beauty and the controversy...of a wondrous, defining time in our history. You're tuning in to MEMPHIS.

October 24, 2007

David Bryan to appear at the Only Make Believe Gala on November 5th in NYC!

David will be receiving the James Hammerstein Award for his outstanding dedication to children in need at a star-studded event to be held at the Hudson Theatre in New York City. For more information, or to purchase tickets, go to http://www.onlymakebelieve.org

Larry Rodgers
The Arizona Republic
Mar. 5, 2006 12:00 AM

Twenty-three years after being launched in New Jersey and a decade after being branded irrelevant in many quarters, Bon Jovi continues to fill arenas and sell millions of albums.

Despite critics' slings and arrows, this band of 40- and 50-somethings attracts fans in their teens and 20s, as well as the baby boomers who have been there all along.

The band has sold out its Thursday appearance at Glendale Arena as it tours to support its latest million-selling album, Have a Nice Day.

Co-founding member and keyboardist David Bryan attributes the band's longevity to perseverance. In addition, its multinational audience doesn't always follow U.S. trends, like the '90s grunge rock that made Bon Jovi's pop-flavored rock seem dated to many.

"We're a global band. In 1995, we played 42 countries," says Bryan, 44. "So when America did that trend, when grunge came in, we didn't change to be that. We stayed true to who we were, played the world and continued to grow."

Leader Jon Bon Jovi and his chief songwriting collaborator, guitarist Richie Sambora, have shown a knack for writing radio-friendly anthems, including Livin' on a Prayer and Wanted Dead or Alive, both released in the mid-'80s.

One of the pair's biggest anthems, 2000's It's My Life, put Bon Jovi back on the record charts after airplay (but not concert sales) waned in the grungy '90s.

"When It's My Life came out, there was another push," Bryan says. "It just touched everybody. Kids from 7 to 70 related to it."

A wide-reaching song such as It's My Life has made it possible for older fans to pass Bon Jovi's music on to their children or younger friends, the keyboardist says.

"It's amazing how we have fans who have been with us since the beginning, and now they have kids. You're looking at two or three generations of fans who have come to see us play."

The band ventured into political commentary in song for the first time with the title track of Have a Nice Day, released in September.

The progressive Jon Bon Jovi was vocal in his opposition to President Bush in 2004, and the song was a reaction to Bush's re-election.

"Take a look around you, nothing's what it seems / We're living in the broken home of hopes and dreams," Bon Jovi sings.

Bryan says the singer's bandmates had no fear of putting a political edge on that song and the power ballad Bells of Freedom.

"You can't just sit back in the world and let it all happen," says Bryan, who has co-written several Bon Jovi songs, including the new Last Cigarette.

"You've got to try to be a part of it and make (change) happen."

Another arena that has kept Bon Jovi's music on the pop landscape is sports.

The band's middle-of-the-road sound has made it a favorite of the National Football League, which is watched by millions five months each year.

Bon Jovi has performed at several NFL games and at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

"We're all fans of sports, so it's fun for us," says Bryan, a devotee of the NFL's New York Giants.

The keyboardist says the Bon Jovi gig remains fun, largely because the group's four members have been together since Day 1.

"We were guys who were committed to doing it together, and here we are a lot of years down the road still doing it together," Bryan says.

February 11, 2006

"To all my fans--Thanx for all the Birthday wishes--they made me have a Very Nice Day!!!!—David"

February 9, 2006

Bon Jovi Livin' on a Wing and a Prayer

Bon Jovi is dead.

(Not really.)

But that's what some media outlets reported more than a week ago when the band's private jet skidded off the runway at Canada's Hamilton Airport.

The band took the stage to play the first of four shows at the Air Canada Center in Toronto that night.

"It'll take more than a plane crash to stop me," the "Livin' on a Prayer" singer was quoted as saying.

And not to miss a beat, the band plans to take the same Boeing 707 into Nashville Tuesday for a Valentine's Day show at Gaylord Entertainment Center.

David Bryan, keyboard player of the group, called The Daily News Journal recently to chat about the plane crash that sparked rumors of the band's death, the impending show in Nashville, and the music and fans that motivate the group to keep going.

"I'm just in the car on the way to the airport right now," says Bryan from his cell phone. "We're going to St. Paul, Minn., where it won't be warm, and then to Milwaukee and Canada. It's true (the plane did crash), but we did all right, so thank God. We're working and the plane is working, so everything is a go. We're hitting it hard every day."

Bon Jovi formed in New Jersey in 1983 on the strength of the single "Runaway." But the band didn't hit it big until 1986 with the multi-platinum success of the album "Slippery When Wet" and have managed to sell out arenas for the last 20 years. While many of the bands that were on the radio in Bon Jovi's early days have faded into nostalgia, the quartet has managed to hold its own in the changing music scene.

Bryan says that is no accident.

"I think it's really about staying current in the music and not just sticking to the way it worked and refusing to move away from that," he says. "We always stayed true to our roots and we didn't copy what the fads were. I think that's why we're current. We record songs and videos that are contemporary."

That said, the band has incorporated seven songs from its latest release, "Have a Nice Day," into its 2 1/2-hour show.

"For us, the tour is all about playing songs from the new record and supporting the new record, so we play just about every track," says Bryan. "We still play songs you know and love. It's going over great."

"Have a Nice Day" contains signature Bon Jovi feel-good themes, but also packs a few surprises, such as the band's first duet with a country band. Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland is featured on the track, "Who Says You Can't Go Home."

"An opportunity came up to do it and it was right before their record came out," recalls the keyboard player. "The song had a good vibe for country, and country now really borrows a lot from rock 'n' roll. And Jennifer can sing her butt off, so we tried it and it came out great. It was a whole bunch of fun."

So do band members plan to permanently trade their leather jackets for hats and spurs? Not anytime soon, but Bryan says Bon Jovi is dedicated to getting its music out to anyone willing to listen.

"With every new album we come out with, and with every new project, it's about trying to get as many eyeballs and ears as we can get," he explains. "We always like to think outside the box, and this was definitely outside the box. There's no substitute for being heard. There's no magic formula. You just write good songs and you get out there and play for people."

Bryan has been doing just that as the keyboard player in Bon Jovi for 16 1/2 years. He says he's lucky the band has enjoyed such success because a backup plan was never something he valued.

"I never really thought about the end game," he says. "I always thought about just doing it, and that blind faith helps. Well, I don't know if it helps, but it couldn't hurt."

However, when asked if Bryan had any ideas for what he would like to do next, he chuckles and gives a surprising reply.

"I would have Bill Gates' job," he says. "That would be my dream. I mean, he's a geek and everything, but he has a lot of cash. I don't know if you can get chicks looking like that, but I bet you can buy them."

Gates shouldn't be shaking in his pocket protector just yet. Bryan and the rest of the guys still have a tour to finish and the band shows no signs of slowing down. In its first week on the charts, Bon Jovi's tour is ranked at No. 4 behind The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney and U2, with $1,512,524 in ticket sales.

"We're out there having a great time," says the keyboardist. "We're out there killing it every night. You'll see a bunch of guys that really enjoy being where we're at and one of the most successful tours out there. We don't take anything for granted."

January 20, 2006

Bon Jovi's Have a Nice Day Tour Wraps up 2005 and charges ahead into 2006!

Over 20 years have gone by and they haven't skipped a beat! David and the boys wrapped up the first leg of the Have a Nice Day tour with a whirlwind of cross-country concert dates that kicked off in NYC and wrapped up with 3 sold out shows back home in Jersey.

Now in 2006, the Bon Jovi Have a Nice Day tour goes Global! The band will start with additional date in the US and Canada and then "jumps the pond" with dates in Germany, Austria, Ireland, Switzerland and England to name a few!

Be sure to check out updated tour dates in your area! You won't want to miss one of the greatest tours of the year! (insert link to Bon Jovi tour dates) Also, read about how you can have the chance to join David and the rest of the band ON STAGE at Davidbryan.com!!

To check out photos of the first half of the tour, please visit the Eye Candy page under the Have a Nice Day Tour section.

January 20, 2006

Join David and the rest of Bon Jovi ON STAGE!

David Bryan has joined together with The Music for All Foundation once again to help raise funds by offering fans the chance to join him ON STAGE during one of Bon Jovi's Have a Nice Day tour stops!

The Foundation, which has named David as a Board Member, was created to bring awareness for the need to expand art and music education programs in public schools across the nation. David has donated a pair of VIP tickets and an ON STAGE Concert Experience for every stop on the sold out HAVE A NICE DAY Tour to the Music for All Foundation for auction. Want to be on stage during part of the hottest concert tour this year? Go to: http://stores.ebay.com/Music-for-All-Foundation. Each auction opens one week prior to show date.

Visit the Eye Candy page under the Music for All Section to check out photos of David and other members of Bon Jovi with The Music for All Foundation's C.E.O. Bob Morrison after one of the bands Madison Square Garden shows!

To learn more about The Music for All Foundation and what you can do to help keep music and arts education programs alive in our schools, please visit: http://www.music-for-all.org.

January 20, 2006

David Bryan Interviewed by PBS on His Ongoing Involvement with Music Philanthropy

DON'T MISS David Bryan's interview with PBS's Lee Little on his continued and impassioned work with The Music for All Foundation and his concern for the state of arts education in New Jersey that will air in the coming months.

David's fervent compassion and dedication to raising awareness for the need for music programs, and the rapid decline of these programs, is apparent in his dedication to the Music for All Foundation and his VH1's Save the Music program which has a fund named after David's Dad the IFH Ed Rashbaum Trumpet Fund for VH1's Save the Music..

As an accomplished musician, composer and song writer, David understands how important it is to introduce music to children at a young age. David began his musical career as a young child and has continued his melodic schooling to this day by constantly evolving his own personal style, as well as, helping to educate others.

Be sure to check in regularly at davidbryan.com for the interview air dates!

January 2006

From Only Make Believe Newsletter no. 4

On May 26, Honorary Board Member and Bon Jovi Founding Member David Bryan brought a little bit of Rock n' Roll and a lot of smiles to more than 30 children in the pediatric rehabilitation unit at New York University's Rusk Institute of Rehabilitation Medicine. Surrounded by family and friends, these kids were the first to hear the world premiere of "Rocking All Over the World," a new song that Bryan co-wrote especially for Only Make Believe with the organization's founder, Dena Hammerstein.

With lyrics encouraging the children to take a journey around the world, Bryan and the OMB actors introduced the song to the group and helped them learn the words so they could sing along. After a few renditions, the children were swaying in their seats and tuning in at the top of their lungs.

Following the interactive performance, the children were treated to an ice cream party and had the opportunity to take their picture with Bryan and ask him for autographs. One young girl was such an ardent Bon Jovi fan that she asked Bryan if she could interview him for an article for her school paper. Another young fan asked and received tips on playing the piano from Bryan.

Bryan joined the Board in the winter of 2004 after participating in his second annual OMB Benefit. He said at the time, "Dena is like a fairy godmother, overseeing this amazing organization that brings the magic of musical theatre to our most important audiences-the kids who really need it." In addition to his role as the lead keyboard player for Bon Jovi, Bryan wrote the lyrics for a new musical "Memphis," in collaboration with fellow Board Member Joe DiPietro, who introduced Bryan to OMB.

In addition to his work with Only Make Believe, Bryan is also a spokesperson for VH1's Save the Music program, a nonprofit organization dedicated to restoring music education programs in cities across the U.S. and raising awareness of the importance of music participation for children.

If you would like to hear David Bryan performing "Rockin' All Over the World", please visit www.davidbryan.com for a downloadable version.

Winter 2005

David Bryan: Starting With Middle "C"

by Aliza Davidovit, published in Lifestyles Magazine

"Wake up, wake up!" the shofar cries, for the sounds of the ancient instrument are meant to serve as an alarm clock and awaken slumbering Jewish souls. Thus, in temples across the globe, congregants listen anxiously whether the man blowing the sanctified ram's horn has the stamina to issue fourth the meaningful mighty blasts. In Temple Emanu-El in New Jersey, indeed he does. The children watch and listen in fascination as the man with the kind blue eyes delivers the most powerful and lengthy shofar call they have ever heard. And as they focus their attention toward the pulpit, they find not a long-bearded rabbi trained in shofar blowing, but rather David Bryan, a long-haired rock star whose celebrated career has not only awakened people, but brought 100 million fans to their feet. And neither Bryan nor his band are about to let them sit back now.

David Bryan is keyboardist and founding member of the legendary rock band that spirited the words "It's My Life" into a universal anthem for Generation X. His band is none other than Bon Jovi. The award-winning group, with Jon Bon Jovi as lead, Richie Sambora on guitar, Tico Torres on drums, and Bryan on keyboard, has gone well beyond "Living on a Prayer." Since forming in 1984, they have sold 100 million albums worldwide, generated $3 billion in revenues, performed in 25000 concerts in 50 countries, and circled the globe 15 times. They were recently honored at the World Music Awards with a Diamond Award, an honor bestowed on only three other recipients in the WMA's history. They also earned, among many others, the Award of Merit for their contribution to music by the American Music Awards. Indeed the title of their last release sums up 20 years of triumphant talent, 100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong.

If the fans aren't wrong, then the Bon Jovi band must be doing something right. They have done it once again with the release of their ninth album, Have a Nice Day, that will take them on tour across the globe starting in November through 2006.

The recent prerelease concert of Have a Nice Day certainly gave audiences a really great night. With all the oomph and ardor that have come to define the rock icons, Bon Jovi electrified the stage at the new Nokia Theatre at Times Square. They put on one of the largest multimedia music events in history with live simulcasts beamed via Network live to AOL Music Live, XM Satellite Radio, and via National CineMedia to 91 movie theaters nationwide and Canada.

And as a restless Jon Bon Jovi spills over the stage with deft jumping, thumping, humping, and near dance-like movements, David Bryan pivots with facility between the two Yamaha keyboards at his sides. His long fingers fly up and down the keys in a crescendo of magic as his blond curly hair bounces to the beat laden down only by the gathering sweat on his face. Though it's Jon that lunges to the periphery of the stage titillating panting females, Bryan's overwhelming talent, his beckoning blue eyes, his fiery passion vis-à-vis his cherubic countenance, and his humility are wildly entrancing and usher him alone to the foreground.

David Bryan, 44, was born in Edison, New Jersey. Before a career in rock 'n' roll truncated his name, he went by David Bryan Rashbaum and is a descendant of Polish and Russian Jews and Holocaust survivors. He bought his first keyboard not in the old-fashioned way with paper-route proceeds, but in the more time honored way with his bar mitzvah money. Influenced by his paternal grandmother and his father, who were both musicians, Bryan began taking piano lessons when he was just 7 years old. His musical talent was evident from the onset. He continued to develop that talent with Julliard professor Emery Hack for 13 years.

Regardless of the burgeoning innate talent in his fingers, Bryan says that learning music taught him the most important work ethic of all — what you put in is what you get out. "If I don't practice, I'm not good," Bryan says. "So it teaches goals and accomplishments. I'm proud of myself that I went from looking at the piano as if it were a great magic trick and then went on to study it for 15 years."

Although Bryan was trained to play classical music, his professor was open-minded and permitted him to play a variety of styles, including the Beatles and other forms that would surely traumatize Mozart. Together they'd study the theory behind the pieces and why the music worked. That open-minded approach spurred Bryan on. Even while he was at Rutgers University studying premed, he began practicing 14 hours a day to prepare for a host at Julliard. "I was always fascinated by how those 88 keys sounded different to everyone and offered a place for everyone to have their one niche," he tells. Eventually, even though he had a 4.0 GPA, Bryan dropped out of premed. And though every Jewish parent wants a doctor in the family, Bryan's commitment to music was larger than life and irrefutable.

While David Bryan was practicing scales and refining his skills, his friend, the then-unknown John Bongoivi was serving coffee and playing gofer at a music studio. Always lusting for the mike, Bongiovi convinced the right people to let him use the studio to record a song he had written called "Teenage Runaway."

And though David and John's destinies were diverging as two hands in contrary motion, one historic phone call brought both "hands" rushing back to middle "C." "Teenage Runaway" was a runaway success, but Bongiovi didn't even have a band. When Bryan picked up the phone, his good friend was on the other end. "The record company just called. We have a record deal." With that phone call, Bongiovi put down the coffeepot, Bryan hung up on Julliard and the rock legend Bon Jovi was born.

As David Bryan sits with Lifestyles at famed celebrity hangout La Fenice Restaurant on Broadway in New York City, his affable, warm, easy-going manner is incongruous with his fame and fortune. He attributes it to his trade. "Piano players are the ones who have to do all the practicing; that keeps you grounded," Bryan says.

Yet even with all that practice, Bryan, with genuine humility, says he is still not as good as his professor, Emery Hack. "I'm very hard on myself and I'm also very realistic, I know what I can do and what I can't do," he shares. "Once you say 'I know everything,' you know nothing." Always keeping his reality in perspective and driving himself forward, he says he is just lucky that he can earn a living doing what he loves to do.

One of the first luxury items he bought with his "living" was a black Porsche, a car he had dreamed about since seeing the movie Flashdance. And though he says he never named it as people often do with their first fancy car, boat, or bike, with a laugh he says, "I simply call it — mine!" No one else is allowed to drive it.

But even as he speeds down the "open highway," he hasn't traveled from the person he has always been. He still hangs out with friends from his childhood and they acknowledge that he hasn't changed a bit. And though he wishes his Yiddish-speaking grandparents who lived on Avenue J in Brooklyn for 16 years could have witnessed his economic success, he says, "Most of all, they would be proud that I was a good person and not spoiled by the stuff."

Perhaps the most indicative proof that he remains fastened to his roots is that he shows up every Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur to blow the shofar in his temple. No matter how far across the globe his success r album tours take him, he's home for the holidays, but with a competitive edge. "No one blows a tekiah gedolah longer than me, "Bryan boasts. He holds the note for 45 seconds.

Bryan also strung together a few more melodic notes when he released his own album, Lunar Eclipse, in 2000, which he composed independently from his band. It's an instrumental collection highlighting all of the aspects of his musical training and influences. He recorded all of the music in his home studio, which is fully equipped with a wide variety of technological wizardry in addition to a collection of classic pianos. Bryan says that music gives him greater pleasure than anything else. "The music is always honest," he reveals. "The music never sucks if you don't practice, you do, it's purely honest. If you work hard it comes out the other side; it never lies. He says he trusts his piano more than anything else in the world. "I trust people, but I know the piano has no hidden agenda."

Bryan himself also seems to be devoid of agenda. A father of three, he says his only politics is to help children. Enlisted by Dena Hammerstein, he is an Honorary board member of Only Make Believe, a program that brings the magic of musical theater to chronically ill children in medical facilities around New York City. The program believes in combining the magic of theater with the power of a child's imagination — to enable children to see a world of possibilities rather than disabilities.

He has also dedicated his time as a national spokesperson for VH1's Save the Music Program, a non-profit organization dedicated to restoring music education in America's publish schools. In addition, he is on the Advisory Board for the MUSIC FOR ALL foundation, which expands music and arts education programs in public schools across the country.

"Music is very important for kids because it gives them focus and a good work ethic," Bryan feels. I see kids' eyes when they watch me playas if I'm performing a magic trick. I teach them it all begins with middle 'C', and they can do it, too.

"My college professor used to say if you take the 'apostrophe t' off the word 'can't', then you 'can,'" Bryan says.

Through the children's programs, Bryan and other role models try to instill the kids with self-confidence and teach them that nothing is beyond their grasp. He advises kids to not let anyone steal their dreams away, no mater what their circumstance in life, and quoting one of this own songs he tells them, "Don't let anyone 'Steal Your Rock and Roll.'"

Perhaps it was Bryan's commitment to breaking boundaries that attracted him to a recent project that stole his imagination, heart, and creative energy: the theater production of Memphis. The story revolves around a white deejay in the segregated south who crossed racial lines in the '50s and brought African-American music to the "white" airwaves. At the time, black stations were on top of the dial because the signal was weaker. Bryan had long wanted to be part of a theater production but had passed on the many opportunities that came is way. But he really connected with Memphis, appreciating how a man went against the norm simply because he loved the music. "I connected with this story of someone who wasn't out to change the world, but one drop made a ripple."

Bryan called the producer and expressed his strong interest to be a part of the project and said he' like to send some songs his way for consideration. The producer, Joe DipPietro, who wrote the book and lyrics to the musical comedy hit I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, was surprised to hear from the famous rock star, and told him to go for it. In one night Bryan wrote songs for the production at this home studio and sent the tracks out the next day. "When I saw the lyrics, I knew the songs immediately," Bryan tells.

But for Bryan it was more than just about musical entertainment. It was an opportunity to expose the stupidity of racism through a colorful musical journey of one man. DiPietro and Bryan wound up working on the show together. It's the only rock theater production written by a real rocker and has received rave reviews. Bryan intends to take this musical extravaganza to Broadway and is also interested in pursuing film scoring and writing additional musicals. The investors are already flocking at his door.

And even when no one is at his door, Bryan says that he is never lonely; his music is his ever-present love. "When I get lonesome, I go to the piano and can make myself cry. I remember the first son I ever wrote," he shares. "It's a great gift."

Although Bryan is anything but a braggart about his musical abilities, he does say that his ego is a righteous one. "I've put in a log of hard work."

Bryan, who radiates with kindness and a generosity of spirit, attributes his grounded attitude to his upbringing and to his rabbi. He was able to relate to who he calls his "really cool rabbi" who had long hair and drove a motorcycle. "He taught me to have total respect for all mankind and to recognize the equality of all people," Bryan says. "We all walk step by step."

And as Bryan sets out to begin the global Have a Nice Day tour, the lyrics of the band's new release will be there to further guide his steps:

With every step I take I know that I'm not alone
But not the boy from his home
These are my streets, the only life I've ever known
Who says you can't go home.

Yes, he'll be back home to blow the shofar, but the exceptional Bryan will never have to blow his own horn.

People Magazine, November 21, 2005

Rockin' Rollers

Jon Bon Jovi may be handier with an electric guitar than an electric drill. But standing amid the dust and drywall in a partly built duplex in Philadelphia on Oct. 25, he is in fact admiring the fruits of his labor. After giving $50,000 of his own money — and soliciting $400,000 in corporate donations — toward the building of four Habitat for Humanity homes, the singer is using the construction site as a set for the video of his band's new single, "Who Says You Can't Go Home." Home-owner-to-be Jackie Starr can't quiet believe her luck. "I keep thinking I'm going to wake up from the dream," she says after meeting the rocker for the first time at the work site, where he pitched in with some painting. "I'm gonna tell everyone Bon Jovi sponsored my house." Teases her sponsor: "I'd say your real estate value just went up!"

Bon Jovi, 43 is profiting too — in a different way. The father of four, who lives nearly in New Jersey, loves the buzz he gets as he says, "brining families together." Already involved in community work through his arena football team the Philadelphia Soul, Bon Jovi decided to partner with Habitat for Humanity in July after writing "Home" with bandmate Richie Sambora. Starr, 47, her husband, daughter and grandson will get an 1,100-sq.-ft. house. Like all Habitat participants, Starr, who applied for a home in 2004, will put about 350 hours of sweat equity into building houses with Habitat. Which means that in addition to working a full-time job helping people with mental disabilities and studying at the Community College of Philadelphia, she is busy laying cement and putting slats on a roof, a feat even more dizzying than meeting a rock star. "I was like, "I've never been on a roof. How will I get down?" she says. Not to worry. The guy with the great hair is ready to lend a hand. "You find that thing that moves you, and you hold on to it," says Bon Jovi. "Because it can change your life."

Asbury Park Press on 11/25/05

Band of Brothers- Bon Jovi is back with a new CD and a world tour

BY KELLY-JANE COTTER
MUSIC WRITER

Two nights at Madison Square Garden — sold out.

Ditto for two nights at the Wachovia Center in Philly.

One night at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island — all tickets gone.

And three nights at the Meadowlands. Sold out? Yup, but that's a given, considering it's the "hometown" venue for Bon Jovi.

Jon Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora, David Bryan and Tico Torres have taken it on the road yet again, and fans cannot get enough. This tour supports the "Have a Nice Day" album, which is full of all the power chords and catch-phrase choruses that have made the band a veritable cottage industry for lo these 20 years.

In a recent teleconference interview, guitarist Sambora and keyboardist Bryan yakked with reporters about how understandably happy they are with their lots in life.

"It's an honor to walk on that stage and people still dig you," Bryan said.

"We're a band of brothers," Sambora said, explaining the band's chemistry onstage. "We survived the hair-band criticism . . . I think rock 'n' roll is making a comeback, and we've been lucky to be a part of it, by being ourselves."

Sambora makes it sound as if the band merely stumbles onstage and starts playing, which is disingenuous. But if by "being ourselves" he means that the band sticks to what it knows best and enjoys best, then, yes, that is the secret to Bon Jovi's success.

Jon Bon Jovi runs a tight ship, as anyone who has witnessed a sound check can attest. He suffers no fools and he is the consummate showman. The rest of the band follows suit.

Sambora and Bryan have been keeping tabs on new music, for their own listening pleasure as well as to see where Bon Jovi fits in. Sambora said he likes that he's hearing "a bit more powerful, a bit more aggressive" styles from younger bands, and said he follows everyone from "perennials" like Green Day to the San Diego-based band Louis XIV. For his part, Bryan mentions The Killers and Snow Patrol as evidence that good music is alive and well.

Their own music, under Jon Bon Jovi's leadership, has taken a turn toward the philosophic. Jon Bon Jovi campaigned vigorously for John Kerry and has let it be known that he's disgusted with current affairs. "Have a Nice Day" is a sneering response to the status quo, though Bon Jovi's bandmates don't necessarily see partisanship in the lyrics.

"Jon's particular take (on the title track) was that he saw this great divide," Sambora said. "For me, it was more of a social statement, very Clint Eastwood."

Bryan agreed, saying he felt "Have a Nice Day" was about "personal freedom."

Either way, it's a fist-pumper in the true-blue Bon Jovi tradition.

Fans might notice that the four founding bandmates have some company onstage, in addition to bassist Hugh McDonald, who has been with Bon Jovi for several years. Joining this tour are guitarist Bobby Bandiera and keyboardist Jeff Kazee, two local heroes "on loan" from Southside Johnny's Asbury Jukes.

"We're always evolving, always changing," Bryan said.

November 2005

Wanted: Live at Mohegan Sun Bon Jovi releases another classic CD

By David Friedman NEWS-TIMES MUSIC WRITER

When your band is one of the best-selling and most enduring in American music history, you're in the enviable position of being able to call the shots.

In the case of Bon Jovi — the New Jersey natives who have sold more than 100 million albums to date — being on top of the music world means being able to sustain a career for more than 22 years and still being able to set records. The band's ninth studio album, "Have A Nice Day," came out Sept. 20 on Island Records and had more first-week sales than that of any past Bon Jovi album. Surviving changes in musical trends — including grunge and rap-rock — has only made Bon Jovi stronger. So it makes perfect sense that the band will pack venues like Mohegan Sun Arena, where it will headline on Nov. 26 and again on Feb. 1. In fact, the only thing that can stop Bon Jovi is band members' need to tend to their personal lives, guitarist Richie Sambora said in a Nov. 7 conference call with The News-Times and 18 other media outlets from his home in California. Keyboardist David Bryan joined the teleconference from Chicago
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"When you have a big touring machine like we have, there's finances that come involved in it," Sambora said. "One of the reasons that we're still around after all these years is we know how long we can do it. You get to a point where a band like us that are selling out these shows very, very quickly — obviously all the ancillary businesses want you to continue to work. "And we look at each other and go, 'Hey man, you know what? How long can you do this for and keep your families and keep healthy and all that other stuff, after an extended period of time?'" Sambora added. "And you make those decisions from that mindset." Luckily, for Bon Jovi fans, the band — which also includes singer Jon Bon Jovi, drummer Tico Torres and bassist Hugh McDonald — has been able to balance private and public life. Its new album is about overcoming adversity and staking claim to what's coming to you. For Jon Bon Jovi, who worked on John Kerry's presidential campaign in 2004, the album is politically driven. For Sambora, it's more a social commentary.

"(In the song) 'Have a Nice Day,' the operative line there, was 'When the world gets in your face, I say, have a nice day,'" Sambora said. "Very Clint Eastwood, you know, coming from my standpoint."

"A lot of those songs were like the government, where there's checks and balances," Bryan said. "We have Congress, Senate — everybody has their different opinions. But when it comes down to the song, it's everybody's different takes that make it what we are. To me it's a lot about personal freedom. It's more about where you're coming from and people as a whole — not Republicans, Democrats, Green Party, Communists, you know? It's more about people."

Born July 11, 1959, Sambora grew up in Woodbridge, N.J. His influences include Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix and the Beatles. An avid golfer and New York Giants fan, Sambora is married to Heather Locklear and has a daughter, Ava Elizabeth. He has homes in Los Angeles and Laguna Beach, Calif.

Bryan, meanwhile, was born David Bryan Rashbaum on Feb. 7, 1962 and grew up in Edison, N.J. He began taking piano lessons at age 7 and counts Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin and Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes as his greatest influences. Still living in New Jersey, Bryan has three children: Colton, Gabrielle and Tyger Lily.

Bryan and Jon Bon Jovi (born John Bongiovi) were about 21 when they started the band Bon Jovi in 1983 and signed with Mercury. Rounding out the lineup were Torres, bassist Alec John Such and guitarist Dave Sabo, who's now in Skid Row. Before the band recorded its self-titled debut, Sambora approached the guys and boldly stated that he should be their guitarist. With impressive skills, he quickly replaced Sabo.

"You know what?" Sambora said. "That moment was a defining moment, obviously, in the band's history. I've never done anything like that before in my life. The bass player in the band was my bass player and I was loaning him to Jon and the guys at that point in time to do a showcase. And he said, 'You know, you should come down here because this is pretty good and this kid's a star.' "I went to see the band at a club one evening when I got back from doing some business out here in California," Sambora added. "And I just went, 'Wow, this is something real special.' I mean, I thought that Jon was a big star and the band was great. And I thought I could fill the void that was going to make something happen. And, lo and behold, you know, Jesus, I don't know how that came down. It was like divine intervention or something. But it all worked out for the best. And we started right from that point."

From Bon Jovi's 1984 debut, the song "Runaway" was a Top 40 hit. The band's third album, "Slippery When Wet," included the No. 1 hits "You Give Love A Bad Name" and "Livin' On A Prayer," plus the Top 10 hit "Wanted Dead Or Alive."

By this time, Bon Jovi were headlining arenas. Their fourth album, 1988's "New Jersey," included the No. 1 hits "Bad Medicine" and "I'll Be There For You." The guys returned with 1992's "Keep The Faith" LP and its Top 10 hit, "Bed Of Roses." McDonald replaced Such in '94.

"We were productive in the '90s," said Bryan, who works on musical theater projects in his spare time. "The music scene then was grunge. But we never really lost our following and we really never became a grunge band. We just kept evolving what we were into a better us."

As the band continues to sell albums, concert tickets and merchandise at a torrid pace, I wondered what the guys like to spend their money on.

"Listen, I'm a guitar junkie obviously," Sambora said. "I love to buy guitars. I'll buy guitars until they're going out of style. I like to drive a fast car. Is that cliche for me? I hope not. But I do. I like to get in the Ferrari and drive. I can say that. "But on the other end of it, what you have here in this band is a homespun family feel where everybody loves to be a dad," he added. "Everybody really enjoys their children. Everybody enjoys to be married. It's one of those kind of things also. So there's a juxtaposition in that particular way. But that's called growing up, you know? There's a bunch of humility that comes down as you get older and a bunch of wisdom that happens to you. You grow up, and that's what I think we've done."

November 17, 2005

New day for Bon Jovi- Veteran rockers take chance with political slant on new CD

Christina Fuoco- Contributing writer

There isn't a single love song on Bon Jovi's ninth and newest studio album, "Have a Nice Day." That's a bit surprising for a band that made its name with singing about the fairer sex.

But "Have a Nice Day" and its sarcastic title song are informed more by cultural politics than sexual ones, inspired in part by singer, founder and band namesake Jon Bon Jovi's involvement last year with Sen. John Kerry's failed presidential bid.

"It's about standing up for yourself and having your own voice in the world," guitarist Richie Sambora explained in a recent teleconference call with journalists.

"And believing in yourself," added keyboardist David Bryan.

It's a risky move for a band that's made its name with songs like "Slippery When Wet," "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Bed of Roses."

But the group - drummer Tico Torres, Sambora, Bryan and Bon Jovi - hasn't lasted for 22 years without being a little flexible. In this case, the band members followed their singer's lead.

"The whole country was bipartisan at that point, and he saw this great divide in the country," Sambora said of Bon Jovi's activism last year. "For me, it was more social. Now maybe from Jon's point of view, it's more political. So, that's what makes a band happen, you know? It's all about different kinds of morals, and different kinds of feelings and how you feel about things."

The title song can be taken in a few ways.

"I think the operative line there was when the world gets in your face, I say, 'Have a nice day.' It's very Clint Eastwood. You know?" said Sambora, who campaigned "a little bit" for Kerry.

With "Have a Nice Day" (Island) off to a good start at retail - it debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard album chart last month - Bon Jovi seems on track to keep its incredible run going. The band celebrated topping an important sales milestone with last year's "100,000,000 Bon Jovi Fans Can't Be Wrong," an exhaustive box set that celebrated its monolithic album sales figures

Sambora thinks fans are embracing the new album in part because of its heavier sound, which fits the album's more aggressive lyrical tone. It's a sound the guitarist doesn't think the group could have pulled off earlier in its party hardy, hair band days.

"I think it's contemporary again ... It gave us the opportunity (to write songs) like 'Have a Nice Day' and 'I Want to Be Loved' and 'I Am' and those kinds of songs ... where you were able to house that kind of big sound," Sambora said.

Guitarist-keyboardist Bryan said the band drew some musical inspiration from a wave of rock newcomers, such as the Killers and Louis XIV, and the revived Green Day. Now they're anxious to play the new songs for those who are keeping the Bon Jovi faithful.

"Obviously we're thrilled about this new record, No. 1. And any time that you get to play the new songs off the new record, you get really excited about it," the guitarist said.

But they know fans want to hear their old favorites, too, so the new tour, coming to The Palace of Auburn Hills Friday and Saturday, is designed to keep everyone happy.

"It's really great to play some of the classics, and it's really great to play the new songs. It's an honor to walk up on that stage and people still dig you," Bryan said.

"Everybody asks how does it feel to play 'Living on a Prayer' for the 20,000th time? And you know what?" Sambora asked. "Songs like that don't get tired."

Bon Jovi rehearsed plenty of new and old songs for the tour, but the band is at singer Bon Jovi's whim, since he picks the set list every night.

"There's times when he starts playing (a song), and we haven't played it in 20 years or six or whatever. We just follow him because it's somewhere in the cobwebs of the brain," Bryan said.

Because tickets for this tour are selling so well, Sambora and Bryan said the band didn't need a strong support band to boost box office. Instead, it opted to stage a series of talent searches in each city where they're playing, with the winners opening the shows. With two concerts in Detroit, the band tapped two different openers - Jody Raffoul for Friday and Paper Street Saints for Saturday.

"It was the perfect way to introduce local bands and, you know, just the way we were introduced on a radio station. This is kind of the way we made it. We're giving guys a chance to get a leg up, and we're going to make somebody's dream happen, hopefully. It's a lovely thing," Sambora said.

Sambora, married to actress Heather Locklear, attributes the New Jersey band's successful 22-year run to the strong ties that bind the group's members., and its ability to weather the departure of original bassist Alec John Such in 1994.

"One of the reasons that people still come to see us is because of the camaraderie of what we have together. I think that we're a band of brothers. We're out there. We're still doing it," Sambora said.

He's just as amazed as anyone else that they're still rocking after all these years.

"People want to see people stay together. They want to be entertained by people that are staying together and people that have camaraderie," Sambora said. "We still like each other. It's pretty unbelievable after 22 years."

August 22, 2005

Jersey Rocker Continues To Support Music Education At Home & On The Road

David Bryan, founding member and keyboard player for the 100 million selling band Bon Jovi has been named to the Advisory Board of the Music For All Foundation, it was announced today by the not for profit's C.E.O., Bob Morrison. 

"David has been a supporter of music in the schools for many years. We know we will benefit greatly not only from his passion for the issue but from his keen business sense to guide our strategic thinking" says Morrison.

"I am really excited about the chance to have a hands-on roll with such a great organization" said Bryan. "Music has been such an important part of my life, particularly when I was growing up, that it was a natural to join up with Music for All and support their goals."

One of David's first activities as an Advisory Board member will be to spearhead the effort to have other artists support the WearBlue Support Music Education campaign, promote the distinctive blue Music for All awareness bracelets and ribbons on the road and to offer them for sale on their web sites, along with educational information about the Foundation.  Most specifically, Bryan and Morrison are launching a personalization program where bands will work with MFA to incorporate their name and/or logo onto the bracelet.  Bryan conceived the idea and will use his twenty years of touring experience to oversee the implementation of the new program. 

The Music for All Awareness Bracelets benefit the Foundation's mission to expand access to music and arts education programs in public schools. Awareness Bracelets and Ribbons continue to be one of the hottest trends in fashion and philanthropy. "We are encouraging other artists to show their passion for this cause by selling these bracelets on tour so concert goers can support this worthy effort at the same time as the fans are learning more about the great work Music For All is doing in the schools and getting a really cool, meaningful piece of memorabilia," observes Bryan.

Bryan will also take an active roll with the foundation's research and advocacy efforts and work with the foundation staff to help develop new tools, materials, and programs to meet the organizations mission.

For more information contact: Bob Morrison at the Music for All Foundation info@music-for-all.org or (908) 542-9396

May 26, 2005

ONLY MAKE BELIEVE Founder DENA HAMMERSTEIN and OMB Honorary Board Member and Bon Jovi keyboard player DAVID BRYAN premiered OMB's new theme song which the two wrote together. Bryan and Hammerstein were inspired to write the song following Bryan's recent visit to an OMB evening workshop at the Rusk Institute.

Only Make Believe brings the magic of musical theater to chronically-ill children in medical facilities around New York City. Dedicated to the principle that freeing a child's creative spirit is a valuable part of the healing process, Only Make Believe was founded in 1999 and has already provided 480 workshops for more than 5,500 children in 13 hospitals throughout New York City. A project of the James and Dena Hammerstein Foundation, Dena Hammerstein established Only Make Believe in memory of her husband, James (son of Oscar Hammerstein). With a professional troupe of multi-racial, multi-ethnic actors, Only Make Believe actively engages the children in performance, treating them as collaborators in a theatrical experience.

The Pediatric Therapeutic Recreation unit of the Rusk Institute at NYU creates a supportive environment where children and adolescents can experience peer support, learning, and creative expression. Therapeutic recreation and creative arts professionals work with the rehabilitation team to provide a safe environment for children to ask questions, express their emotions and prepare to reintegrate into their communities.

Hear it now!

May 23, 2005

David & Friends

JERSEY ROCKER AND JOCKS CELEBRATE THEIR SUPPORT FOR MUSIC FOR ALL David Bryan, Michael Strahan & David Wells Show Off Their Music For All Awareness Bracelets - The Latest Celebrity Fashion Statement Supporting Music Education

Baseball great, David Wells (Red Sox); Football hero Michael Strahan (Giants) and Bon Jovi star David Bryan (who also serves on the Foundation's Advisory Board) show their passion for music education by wearing their Music For All Awareness Bracelets.

(New York, NY) --- You know these hands from the keyboards, baseballs and footballs they are usually entertaining us with, but when DAVID BRYAN (Bon Jovi), DAVID WELLS (Boston Red Sox)and MICHAEL STRAHAN (NY Giants) got together recently, their famous and talented hands were wrapped in the Music For All Awareness Bracelets, provided by Bryan, a member of the Music for All Foundation's Advisory Board. The Music for All Awareness Bracelets benefit the Foundation's effort to expand access to music and arts education programs in public schools. David Bryan, a long time supporter of music education, is encouraging other artists to show their passion for the cause by selling these bracelets on tour so concert goers can support this worthy effort. Awareness Bracelets continue to be one of the hottest trends for celebrities and in fashion and philanthropy. The Music for All Awareness Bracelets may be customized for each artist making them a must have collectible for the fans.

For more information on how to purchase Music For All awareness bracelets, how to become involved with the Foundation or to learn more about the customization program for touring bands, please contact: Bob Morrison at the Music for All Foundation bob@music-for-all.org or (908) 542-9396 or Jill Siegel at Jill Siegel Communications, Inc. at tojsc@aol.com or (212) 289-8533.

Published in the Home News Tribune 05/23/05

By NICHOLAS CLUNN
GANNETT NEW JERSEY

When high school sophomore Joe Farruggio picks up a No 2 pencil next year to take the test he must pass to graduate, his answers will show how well the Jackson school district taught him to read, write and apply mathematics.

The state Department of Education mandates that every school in New Jersey teach those subjects. It also requires music, a discipline that Farruggio says helped him develop in and out of the classroom.

A trumpet player, Farruggio learned how to express himself through music, breaking free of the shyness that often made it difficult for him to make friends in elementary school.

"I was a huge outcast," said Farruggio, 15. "Then I came into the high school and I had a ton of friends."

The power of music, theater, visual arts and dance to enhance self-esteem is the main reason state education officials in 1996 required every student to learn those subjects as part of New Jersey's core curriculum standards.

Until recently, however, state officials have lacked a means of knowing whether schools were fulfilling this requirement. Students could be missing out on the benefits of an arts education without the state holding deficient schools accountable.

While state officials can measure student performance and the effectiveness of educators through annual standardized tests in reading, writing, math and science, they have little way of knowing how well students understand core subjects that aren't tested, said Linda Morse, the state's manager for academic standards.

So state officials now want to survey each district to determine how they teach each mandatory subject - the arts, health, social studies, world languages, technology and life skills not tracked by standardized tests.

State officials in January finished a world-language survey. The focus is now on developing a way to gauge arts education.

"Some subjects lend themselves to pen and paper tests, but others don't," said Morse, explaining the difficulty in assessing certain subjects, including the arts.

Educators regard music as an important subject because it teaches math, cooperation and patience.

David Bryan, keyboardist for the rock group Bon Jovi and an advocate for music education, also said performing music helps children build self-worth. The art form, he said, also teaches the importance of a sound work ethic.

"If I don't practice, I'm not good, so it teaches goals and accomplishments," he said.

Bryan, who lives in Monmouth County, said he credits the music education programs he had while growing up in Edison for his success and fame. Bryan graduated from John P. Stevens High School in 1980.

Realizing the relevance, Bryan promotes music education through the Music For All Foundation, a national music and arts-education advocacy group based in Warren, Somerset County.

The foundation has a picture of Bryan, Boston Red Sox pitcher David Wells and New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan on its Web site. In it, each man is wearing blue bracelets the foundation is selling as a way to raise money for its work, which now includes spearheading the state's arts education survey.

The survey is expected to quantify student enrollment in the subject and how much each school district spends to teach it. Socioeconomic information and other context included with the survey will help put the findings in perspective.

Ultimately, the study will show whether schools are meeting state standards when it comes to providing a thorough arts education.

The results could help the state design programs to help educators teach the arts. The numbers also could help illustrate need to federal agencies that have grants to give.

"The more documents you have, the more persuasive you can be," said Rich Vespucci, a spokesman for the state Department of Education.

Morse said state officials will not use the data to punish substandard districts. Instead, they will ask county superintendents to help them improve, she said.

State officials eventually plan to survey the other state-mandated subjects not tracked through standardized tests.

Bob Morrison, chairman of the Music For All Foundation, said the arts study also could show whether school districts have pulled resources away from arts programs to help meet other provisions in the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

Eventually, state officials would like to assess every core subject annually, though a future administration may not make these appraisals a priority, Morse said.

Morrison said he would support an annual assessment for music. Educators, he said, could conduct this test by evaluating student performances and portfolios, similar to how colleges screen prospective art students.

April 8, 2005

Daily News: April 11, 2005

David Bryan takes part in a Master Class for VH-1's SAVE THE MUSIC on Friday, April 8th at grade school in Brooklyn.

This is part of the city-wide Save The Music week and a continuation of David's longstanding relationship with the Save The Music program.

David (who is an honorary Board member) and Dena Hammerstein, founder of Only Make Believe got together recently at Dena's home where they wrote this original song, "Rockin All Over The World" on Oscar Hammerstein II's piano!

The song will become the new anthem for the program which brings music and interactive play into local children's hospitals.

Hear it now!