Right or wrong - the guy has a problem...
The issue here is Jon Bon Jovi screwing his fans.
Besides yourself - I doubt one Bon Jovi fan would want to see the band, Bon Jovi without Ritchie Sambora.
It's a Bon Jovi concert - not a Jon Bon Jovi concert.
I think most, if not all the fans would rather them reschedule the concert to a later date.
And you're acting like you never heard of a rock star with a drinking or drug problem, the way you're coming down on the guy. Don't be all high and mighty and kick the guy when he's down. Obviously the man has a problem and he can't help himself.
And no, I'm not or never was an alcoholic.
Nah I understand what you are saying completely.
However, let's say a Colts fan in Indiana who really likes Peyton Manning buys season tickets (during a typical
non-lockout year in the NFL) and let's say a few weeks later Peyton Manning tears up his knee in the preseason and misses the entire year.
Better yet, go back to the 1990's and imagine a Bulls fan who is nuts about Michael Jordan buys tickets for 2 or 3 games only for Jordan to suffer a season ending injury 4 or 5 days into the preseason.
Does that mean the Colts or the Bulls somehow owe these people a refund, considering fine print on sports ticket purchases typically advises you that "
all sales are final"? (
a policy you generally see on concert tickets, too).
Does that mean either of them should cancel their whole season because some journeyman is now going to be taking the place of their star attraction?
Same logic applies if Manning beats up his wife in week 2 and ends up in counseling or jail all year. Is the Colts organization or the rest of the guys (52 others) on the team somehow at fault? You gotta carry on one way or another.
Those tickets may have been bought because someone wanted to see Manning or Jordan, but ultimately they bought tickets to "
the Colts" and "
the Bulls", not tickets specifically for Peyton Manning or Michael Jordan. I believe there is a difference there.
Same sort of rules apply in the music business and other businesses involving paying to see a
group or
team of people, as opposed to a single individual.
I'd agree if it were Jon Bon Jovi sitting in rehab, but he is not. The band is Bon Jovi and you are still getting "Bon Jovi" in the form of Jon. I mean they carried on without Alec Jon Such, why not Sambora?
Again, fans are promised "Bon Jovi" when they buy tickets, they aren't promised a particular band member (other than Jon perhaps).
So yes, I'm looking at this from a legal standpoint, not from a moral or ethical standpoint. Legally, Bon Jovi owes those fans nothing. Whether or not they want to do the right thing or should do the right thing isn't really the issue. Not in my point of view.
Buyer beware. You buy concert tickets, you run the risk of a key member maybe having a nervous breakdown or ending up in rehab only for the band to have to replace the guy for a few months. You buy sports tickets and your favorite player just might tear his Achilles tendon and you gotta make do with whoever his back-up is. That's life.
I know people have drug problems in rock and roll, but then I could accuse you of acting like a band has never replaced a popular guitarist before
AC/DC had to have guys sit in for Malcolm Young during tours before for one reason or another. Other than Angus, Malcolm is arguably the most popular (living) member of AC/DC.
IIRC, Metallica had to have some temp guitarist on-stage for awhile as a result of some injury (burns) to James Hetfield I believe it was.
Just because Sambora is irresponsible and never grew up, why should Jon have to pull an Axl Rose and cancel a whole year's worth of dates?
If fans get a 3-hour set of Bon Jovi music featuring everyone else in the band, minus Richie, I don't see what the problem is.