What ever went down between VH and Bon Jovi?

**Miah** · 08.27.00, 07:36 PM

No Bozo's, I'm pretty sure Little Guitars99 is right. I thuink VH did tour with Bon Jovi during the Balance tour. VH felt that the crowds would be bigger since Bon Jovi IS bigger over in (wherever they toured with Bon Jovi). Sad but true. I think I read that in an issue of the Inside somewhere between issue 2 and 5.

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Some eras may be better than others, but VH is VH to me!

**Olen** · 08.27.00, 07:53 PM

Bon Jovi and Van Halen were scheduled to tour the same parts of Europe at the same time. Someone had an idea that the two groups could combine their efforts and reduce the costs of the European tour (w/ costs split at about 50-50).

BJ does have a larger following in Europe than VH. I think the highest charting album in the UK (for VH) was OU812, and it didn't break the top 10. Go figure.

EVH has made reference to the fact that VH opened the first show and completely floored the stadium they played in. He implies that it shook up BJ so much that they opened up w/ 'encore songs', like "Livin' On a Prayer" or "You Give Love..."

Being a fan of both, I can imagine that each grouped fueled the 'competitive juices' of the other. I would have loved to have seen that tour come through. Two great bands pushing each other to perform well every night.

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Its a prehistoric fish...Coelacanth.

**Fur Elise** · 08.27.00, 08:01 PM

Another item I remember reading had Alex totally pissed off at Jon Bon Jovi. JBJ made a statement where he said "Van Halen was our opening band", or "They opened for us in Europe", or words to that effect, pretty much implying that VH had no merit of their own to stand on in Europe. When Alex found out about that, he let loose with a volley of pissed off statements about Jon and the band Bon Jovi. If memory also serves me correctly, Alex used the term "Fuck him!" in one interview.

I think it's safe to say we won't ever have to worry about seeing them on a double-bill anytime in the near future.

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Girl: "How do you write women so well?"
Melvin: "I think of a man. And I take away reason and accountability!"
-Jack Nicholson, "As Good As It Gets"

**gigglegiggle** · 08.27.00, 08:55 PM

What's wrong with BJ saying that. It was true.
VanHalen opened for BJ on a number of dates.

Now as far as BJ being a "great band" or even a "good Band"
Well, I can't even get through that sentence without laughing.

**Lead Synth** · 08.27.00, 11:35 PM

Miah is short for Jeremiah. Don't you people know anything?!

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Dirty Faced Kids...the hope of the future!
"1989" - Maya's Van Halen Page
Offical Designated Driver for the Atomic Drunks...where everybody knows your screen name.

**MJPWolfgang** · 08.28.00, 03:24 AM

I kind of agree with JBJ. Bon Jovi had two sold-out shows in Finland just recently. They are big in Europe. But Van Halen...
Unfortunately Van Halen isn't.

Balance and 3 were both on top 10 for a week or so. But any Van Halen album hasn't sold very well here in the 90's. No gold or platinum or anything. When VH was in Finland in 1998, the place wasn't even sold-out. Only 4,000 - 5,500 people came. (I think the place had a capacity of 7,000 or even more) And it was the FIRST TIME ever in Finland!

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"I still dream big thanx to Van Halen" -Eddie_Italian

[This message has been edited by MJPWolfgang (edited August 28, 2000 at 03:25 AM).]

**MacMake** · 08.28.00, 04:09 AM

Van Halen did indeed open for Bon Jovi here in Europe. I think as Olen said, they did it to share touring costs.

The trouble between bands from promotion. The tour was promoted as "Bon Jovi wit special guest Van Halen"! That didn´t please VH at all! But, they went with it, becouse they were able to reach bigger audiences.

MJPWolfgang (Finland RULES!) described the situation well in terms of publicity with Bon Jovi and Van Halen. It´s sad, but true..

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- MacMake -

**kev eaton** · 08.28.00, 04:21 AM

my wife and i saw the van halen show. at don vallet stadium sheffield england. they brought bon jovi on at the end for a jam i can tell you this sammy was excellent, and eddie sound was unreal.van halen kicked there ass all over the stadium.we wait for there return.

**Froggyman** · 08.28.00, 06:20 AM

Bonjovi?

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

**VanEdge** · 08.28.00, 06:21 AM

JBJ is an egotistical no talent.
his audience is the same as the backstreet boys, britney, and nsync. think about it.

to this day he makes it a point to talk about how "van halen opened for us" and how he had to "console" alex because he was upset about playing to empty seats.

JBJ is so insecure around van halen because his own success has nothing to do with musical talent.

i feel sorry for richie sambora. at least he's a real rocker.

**patrice** · 08.28.00, 06:33 AM

I saw them in 1995 in Basel, Switzerland. VH had been in 1993 for the first time in Switzerland since 1984, and the concert was sold out (18000 people). In 1995, it was in a stadium (60000 people) and I think that roughly 15000 came just for VH. It was at the time when Eddie had his hips problems, Alex its neck problems, etc... I remember that Sammy had to do the show "alone" and he had a lot (much more than in 1993) of energy. In the bill, there was first a local band for 30 minutes, Thunder for 45 minutes and VH for 1h15.

**Olen** · 08.28.00, 08:13 AM

We are all entitled to our own opinions, but calling JBJ 'no talent' is a little extreme.

The guy is a decent actor.

The guy is a pretty good lyricist.

The guy is a pretty good song writer.

BJ, like VH, has sold a ton of records, both in the US and abroad. BJ's audience is as much the same as age as VH's audience. B/c of BJ's style, perhaps they might be able to tap into the 'younger market'. And JBJ is an integral part of BJ's success.

It's not as if JBJ is a talentless Roth-wannabe like, say, Kid Rock.

JBJ will never have the persona nor charisma of Roth...but name another frontman that HAS. But, JBJ has a pretty good voice and has a pretty good track record of success that is not directly attributed to pandering to 'teeny-bopping girls', like N-Suck or the BackendBoys.

Now, egos being what they are, I'm sure BJ takes great pride in having had VH as their 'guest' in Europe in '95. For a band like VH, maybe its hard to accept that their following is not as large in Europe, but its a reality. And if the much anticipated reunion w/ Roth occurs, perhaps the tables will be reversed.

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Its a prehistoric fish...Coelacanth.