Jon Bon Jovi's HOF acceptance speech

I was never really fan liked a half dozen songs maybe but glad they got the nod whatever that nod means in the big picture of it all - The idea of the RnR Hall makes me feel a little uncomfortable because my perception of it was that the hall was never about rock n roll i.e just having fun and good times and more political i.e important songs about important subject matter that the 12 year old me would never have liked and most likely would never strum a guitar or asked my parents for a drum kit if it was about "important stuff"

 

A lot of comedy gold in this thread.

I'll have to search for a Madonna RRHOF thread, back in the day. A few of you must of blown a gasket (and hope you are still with us).

 

My Grandma told me has was added to some Hall of Sales awards show.
She really likes his songs like " Your love is like doin' laundry" and the song used to catch crabs.

 

Seems like a fairly inoffensive speech to me, honestly.

 

As I've alluded, those are apples/oranges comparisons, especially because I think the Bon Jovi audience has gotten more female over the years. I think they had more appeal across genders 30 years ago but somehow eventually turned into a "chick band".

Anecdotally, I know a lot of women who like the band but not a single guy...

I did a scan of photos I found online and would estimate those crowds were 65-70% female. A good # of guys, but female dominant.

Not that I actually think any of this matters. If Bon Jovi gets a primarily female audience, that's fine with me - it shouldn't cast aspersions on their music.

I like artists who largely appeal to men. I like artists who largely appeal to women. I like artists who get similar support from both genders. In the end, who cares?

 

He's stayed married to his high school sweetheart and he handled a difficult situation with his daughter with grace and good parenting skills a couple years ago. He's okay in my book.

 

Well arent you just a freak without warning with an appetite for love....haha

Ill tell you who cares, uptight people in the world with a glass half empty view of life.
If theres any joy, any respite from misery, theyll be there to keep it "real" and stamp on it real quick with something negative.

And you can bet yr life on it, just like you'll be able to wager on sports in the US like an adult.
Cant believe NJ ended up winning that, a 7 year battle....but I digress.

 

You’re having fun with this , aren’t you?

 

..please note...for what it's worth, i never said that the band doesn't deserve recognition; in fact, even as a non-fan, I've said quite the opposite. My "problem" is with the man himself. I'm well aware of the good things he's been a part of in terms of charities and helping others; but somehow I've always gotten the very strange feeling that all the good he does for others, is really a means of directing attention toward himself. I could be dead wrong; I never met him or got to spend any time with him. It's just a feeling that's stuck with me for a very long time. I didn't sit through his speech to 'decide" i didn't like him; just the opposite, in fact. I wanted to hear what he had to say and very much wanted to come out of it thinking, "maybe I'm wrong about this guy". Unfortunately, that didn't happen.

 

So what do you think is wrong with you?

But seriously, thats not an unknown phenomenon, having a contrary to popular opinion on celebrities/public figures.
Sometimes you're occasionally right, and most times completely off base.
Generally thats why its wise just to keep uninformed opinions to oneself.

Now let me tell you why I thought Mother Teresa was a cruel fraud......(and file that under keeping ones unpopular opinion to oneself!)

 

...I'm all ears

 

Plenty of guys liked Bon Jovi back in the day (guys were juts as nuts about them when I was in 7th grade as girls were), but if we can assume that is not true, why does that matter?

While not much of a fan of Bon Jovi (I can say I probably like 10 songs of theirs and actively listen to maybe 1 or 2, the ones that pop up on my 80's playlist), I think they were big enough for a 3-4 year stretch where I have no problem with them making it. Shoot, they were arguably the biggest rock band in the world for a spell, when Slippery When Wet was hitting it big and prior to the releases of The Joshua Tree and Hysteria, and even then they were neck and neck with those guys for a bit. When you consider the sheer volume of acts now in the R&RHOF, if you at one point can say you were the biggest rock band in the world, even if it was just for a month, you are probably getting in.

 

They were fine as an 80s Hard Rock/Arena Rock band. But once the mid 90s hit and they dropped the Hard Rock then they just became pretty meh. As for the RNRHOF not all that bothered by it.

 

I agree it shouldn't matter, and I agree that 30 years ago, Bon Jovi appealed to fans of both genders in abundance. It's only been the last decade or so where they turned into a "chick band"... ;shrug:

 

The show was better than expected. Glad I went. Wish Richie Sambora was still in the band though.

 

I decide based on the Beavis and Butthead test. In this case.......

 

No idea what JBJ is like as a person. Going by what I read in the press, there are more irritating rock stars out there.

As for the music, I really like the first four albums with the debut being the one I still spin regularly, but then they seemed to run out of steam although they still release the odd good song.

Interestingly, I remember a review of the debut (possibly from Kerrang! magazine) which described them as the new Night Ranger, another band that ground to a halt after a seriously strong start.

 

There are plenty of worthy contenders. Where's Talk Talk for starters.

 

I am not really a fan but I think they definitely deserve to be in there. I also think JBJ came across pretty bitter and defensive in his HOF speech...which is not unusual for him. He has a huge chip on his shoulder over not being taken more seriously as an artist.

 

Anybody who couldn’t stay together for more then 10 ten years shouldn’t be allowed in the HOF.

 

Watched some of Jon's speech. I didn't catch if he mentioned or thanked his cousin the producer Tony Bongiovi who was pretty influential in launching Jon's career

 

Yeah, I say this all the time. You have to treat the R&R HoF like you would any sports hall of fame. There are certain statistical achievements in baseball that pretty much guarantee induction. I think you have to allow for that in the R&R HoF as well, and by that standard Bon Jovi is HoF worthy. Are sales everything? No. But it should count for something, especially when taken over a 30 year career of delivering "the numbers".

 

He didnt in fact. Odd that he thanked a lot of other people.

 

I love Bon Jovi. I don’t care about the Hall Of Fame or any other award ceremony. That’s really all I had to say.

 

So no Beatles, eh?