Bon Jovi is one of the few bands that survived the hair metal era to sell more than 130 million albums, win multiple Grammys and become inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The band is made up of frontman Jon Bon Jovi, drummer Tico Torres, keyboardist David Bryan, lead guitarist Phil Xenidis and bassist Hugh McDonald. While the four current members have had plenty of highs, they’ve also experienced their fair share of low points. Whether it’s an unexpected member departure or the loss of a loved one, these moments have left a mark on the band and how they operate as a whole today.
The first episode of the four-part documentary Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story navigates the band’s inception and how the family culture that developed within the group helped them solidify their brand and continue to grow through four decades of success. It’s a look at how the members dealt with the challenges of their personal lives, but also how each challenge was used to strengthen the band and its music.
When the band formed in 1983, they didn’t have much in common other than their name. Pamela Maher, an employee of the Doc McGhee bar where they were playing showcases, suggested the band use the name Bon Jovi because it followed the same pattern as other famous two-word bands such as Van Halen. The rest is history.
As the group found its footing in New Jersey’s music scene, they began to expand their horizons and explore other genres. They even delved into acting, with Jon appearing on the TV show Ally McBeal for over 13 years until it ended in 2007.
After the release of the commercially successful album Keep the Faith in 1992, Bon Jovi found themselves riding high on the charts. However, after the release of a darker album called These Days in 1995, they saw their momentum start to fade. It wasn’t until 2000 that the band released Crush, an album that brought them back into the spotlight and attracted a younger audience.
The following year, they released Cross Road, an album that continued to broaden the band’s artistic style. Despite the album’s lack of major hits, it still managed to hit the top spot on Billboard’s 200 chart.
While the band continued to tour around the world, the members started to pursue solo projects and other endeavors. Sambora took on more acting roles, including starring in movies like Moonlight and Valentino. He also started his own record label, Bongiovi Records.
After Sambora’s sudden departure from the band in 2013, Bon Jovi brought on Canadian guitarist Phil X to fill in for him during their Because We Can tour. X, who has played with acts such as Avril Lavigne and Rob Zombie, officially joined the band in 2016. Despite many reports of bad blood between Sambora and the other members, Jon insisted that there is no animosity.