I think we should all recognize what a good guy Fil actually is. He went out of his way to explain the less than stellar vocals in this video. I've never cared much for Bon Jovi, but I recognize the real issue of vocal fatigue in artists now that Fil explained it. Good job and thanks for the work.
Agreed. I’m also a little worried he may be upsetting an apple cart belonging to a very powerful machine. You interfere with the money making machine, and they go for the jugular. Some people can handle that, some cannot. It’s like some people can play the stock market without worry. Some people play the stock market and end up with an ulcer, or worse. It’s important to know yourself.
Whether one likes John Bon Jovi or not, one has to acknowledge the fact that he had kept his marriage together for 32 years - something very unusual for such a famous person. Well done, John.
RJ... I could not agree with you more, regarding Fil; and I've felt that way long before this specific instance. His appreciation for music covers an enormous and very broad landscape, I have found... and he's an excellent player as well. He has, in this post, gone out of his way to be sure that this was not an attack on the guy's singing capability; but rather a discussion on the technicality issues present in today's popular music scene, and perhaps even the market's expectations from the 'suits' point of view. It was not a 'vocals' critique. I like the band actually, from an instrumental perspective, but I have always disliked John's 'bubble gum' vocals that have kept me away from any real interest in the group. I always look forward to Fil's posts and have a great interest in what he has to say. That's why I subbed after the first time checking this channel out. 💥😎👌💥
I met him once, entirely by accident. I was waiting for a dinner date in the piano bar of the Mariott Hotel in Hamburg. Outside, for no reason I knew of, were loads of screaming young girls, faces pressed against the glass! Well, I was just sat there, waiting, and spotted this guy at the bar. So I went over, sat on the stool next to him. I asked him "Any idea what all this is outside"? "Oh, don't ask... " he says, looking very gloomy and staring into his drink. Short guy. So I get him and me another drink, and chat about this and that in typically bloke-ish fashion. "You here for work?" "Yeah, sort of" "Me too." That type of thing. Anyway, after about ten minutes, my date arrives, waves at me from the door and I bid my sombre drinking buddy good evening. "Sorry I'm late" she says, "Client call went on a bit. Who was that at the bar?" "Dunno. Just some bar guy. Seemed a bit sad and lonely" She had a look and said "You know who that is? That's Jon Bon Jovi!" Suddenly all the screaming girls outside made sense, but I felt a bit sorry for him. If I'd asked him if he'd like to come along I'll bet he'd have said yes. He seemed really sad and lonely, and relieved to talk to someone who didn't know him and didn't want anything from him. And that's my Jon Bon Jovi story!
Great story Erny. I met a few celebs in my life, by chance and through job - and made it a rule to always treat them like a regular person, practically all of them liked that normal approach. Cheers from a Hamburg guy.
Much like the kicker for the Chicago Bears, who I found myself sitting next to at a bar I used to frequent. When he found out I have no interest in football, he relaxed, and we had a nice conversation. I wouldn't mind being rich, but I'd hate like hell to be famous.
@@richiebonjovi1 Counting backwards, I guess that would have been 1993. I've never been what you might call a big Bon Jovi fan, but I know when I was there - working with a management consultancy who put us up in the best hotels - happy days!
I've always thought that with fame comes all the misery that accompanies it. Would I ever truly want it? No. Being an unknown and having the freedom to go anywhere and do anything without constant scrutiny is truly a gift. I'd hate to have that snatched away from me, because anonymity never comes back once it's gone.
When Pink Floyd reunited for the live 8 show, I waited all day and watched it live online. During the original stream, Dave and Roger were off multiple times. At some points, it sounded terrible, they were so off vocally. That same night, when I went to rewatch the performance, everything sounded perfect! I searched, but could never find the true live audio from that night. That was my first time noticing the pitch correction thing. Blew my mind.
@@goodmorningsundaymorning4533 Good for you bc they are putting out h@rmfuI frequencies... Notice ppl saying they lost their memory of the CONcert they were just at?
Fil thank you for your kindness. Rather than just trashing him you explain what he was going through on that night and why he struggled. And for helping those of us listening to understand why and how the voice ages.
Hi there, I totally agree. Fil has explained it perfectly, while absolutely and totally not slating Jon. Because as a singer myself, I have been there on many occasions, and sometimes still do!! I hate when people slag off an artist if they don't hit the notes on the money. That's totally their ignorance in not understanding how much pressure a voice can be put under. I have to say in my humble opinion, the untreated vocal still sounds good and raw 😊 If the guitar player or bass player is out of tune, we're in the great position that we can tune our guitars, but it's not that clear cut for a vocalist. I enjoyed reading your comment. Sending blessings from Ireland 🤟☘🤟
"That's exactly how I intend to keep things on this channel". I applaud your honesty and integrity and consistency. Plus you strive to be positive about each artist/act. That's why I keep watching your channel. Although I would like to see you occasionally rip into a bad performance and point out the mistakes in a "not so positive" way.
Very much agree , but thought I'd share a personal story that i think is also common for vocal issues that few people are aware of. About 15 years ago ( I'm 57) i started losing my singing and talking voice. I had trouble swallowing, was always hoarse , ears popped ,and my range, pitch and tone were declining fast despite being trained on proper technique. I was scoped and no damage was found. Speech therapy didn't help. In the end it turned out to be an issue with my NECK that had to do with misalignment with the atlas bone . In short I wasn't getting proper nerve flow to my throat and ears. The muscles had bound up as well and were squeezing my throat and adams apple. I had the atlas bone adjusted and some deep tissue massage done to loosen things up and all the issues cleared up . I have seen this same thing happen to friends that sing and they had the same great result with the same treatment. So don't forget to get your neck looked at if you are a vocalist .
Yes it happens...i loved singing but my voice suddenly became horse & it turned out to be my neck...unfortunately mine's due to Rhumatoid Arthritis and cant be fixed...i sing now & then tho lol 🤘🏻
I'm not a trained vocalist but about 20 years ago I started writing music I never I always loved music I just didn't put myself into it and I noticed in the last 5 years maybe more my voice is gone it's like I'm told Jeff and what you just told me is I don't know if you're familiar with fibromyalgia but your muscles and your nerves and everything are all messed up like I'm in pain all the time from a really just under my shoulder blade all the way to the bottom of my foot and I'm very in degrees cuz some days it's not too bad today is really bad that being said those nerves there are nerves and muscles that go you know even the tip of my head from where I'm talking about we're talking about my sciatica in this particular thing I have several issues and I also have chronic fatigue that means my whole body will just stop it'll just feel like I can't go on another second and it can be like a light switch like I can be doing pretty good and then that light switch will turn off and I mean I have to go to bed I'm going to start crying and I'm not aware I really not even for 70 year old lady and so while I probably won't go to an extensive thing to find out about my voice cuz I'm certainly not a professional I'm not even a choir singer in the church but I love to sing and I can hear for myself how bad it is I sing anyway but thanks for the information it's really kind of cool to learn this stuff
Such a clear and concise explanation of vocal fatigue! Fil has the ability to explain what’s happening so well. The explanation of pitch correction was also excellent.
That's why Alice Cooper has always made sure his band and studio musicians don't make the music they're recording so complex and difficult that it's virtually impossible to replicate live. It has to be able to be played live, and played well, he's always said.
Genesis - Supper's Ready, Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick, Pink Floyd - Echoes, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Dream Theatre - The Dance of Eternity, ... (any one of those bands has 10s of songs that are incredibly complicated)
With this explanation I'm even more impressed with performers like Elvis & Janis & so many other "classic" or "old" musicians. Elvis performed 2 or 3 shows a night for WEEKS in Vegas. No auto tune, no sweetening, just pure raw talent. I'm more in awe of real talent as time goes by. We all have "off" days. Jon just had an "off" night! Love the video.
Yeah nothing like the older bands & singers. I read a quote from Rick Wakeman where he said a friend of his told him you have to see this new band they sound great to which Rick said yep & they’ll sound the same every night his friend asked what he meant he said a lot of new bands play & sing with backing tracks & pitch correction.
@@donaldcook3112 Elvis did 2 shows a night, about an hour and a half, for one month, twice a year. 3 shows sometimes on Saturday night. Tahoe, and grueling road touring in between throughout the 70's. Nobody, ever worked more than Elvis worked. I saw much of it. In the middle he did a Hawaii concert, seen by a billion and a half people via satellite in '73. He could not have lived a long life working as he did. He should not have been on stage the last year, but I saw him December '76 in Vegas, still at it with road shows ahead. And, bless his heart, all the while never turning down autographs of any of his millions of beloved fans. I have hundreds of pictures of him signing. He so loved his fans.
Fil, I want to address this to you. I've been a subscriber of yours for awhile now. I have learned much while watching your videos. You make music assessable to people like me. I really appreciate your honesty and integrity and background with all the artists you analyze with all types of music. Please keep up the great work.
I went to an Eagle's concert at Lake Tahoe. It was great. When they sang "In the City" Joe Walsh and someone else both missed their high note twice. They looked at each other and started laughing. On the third round , they nailed it!
Your insight into the challenges that vocalists face during a gruelling tour is an eye opener! I saw Bon Jovi live back in 1987 at Castle Donnington. He was , of course, superb. He even excelled while clambering up the lighting rig!! A great performance by a brilliant band. Thanks Fil for flexing your expertise. Always enjoy your videos. 😊
I saw that show. I was stationed there while in the USAF. I remember that all day the bands were more metal. After Dio, I thought Bon Jovi would let me down. But I was impressed.
What You said in the intro of this analysis video what set you apart from others on UA-cam. You are an excellent music appreciation teacher of all genre and era of music. 👍🤘 Thanks Fil
@@cindypowers4993 Hi friend... I am taking each day one by one on the road to recovery. Thanks for brightening up my Friday night I hope all is okay with you. 😊💜✌
Ah, you really are such a thoughtful, nice guy, Fil! This could easily have gone to a nasty place. Instead, you’re sympathetic & very informative here. Well done, Fil! Btw, I’ve met Jon & he’s also an extremely nice guy. 👍
I consider myself fortunate to have seen Bon Jovi live in his prime during the late 80's and early 90's. The power of his voice was mind blowing! You talk about voice fatigue. One of the performances I saw was in pouring rain. His voice powered through perfectly nonetheless. It's sad that the years seem to have taken a toll on that once mighty voice of his. But it sure hasn't killed the man's passion to rock on! God bless him.
Wonderful video, Fil. Back in the day, I heard artists that astounded me when I heard them sing live, using limited technology: The Hollies with Graham Nash and later Crosby, Stills and Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Andy Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Liza Minelli, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Three Dog Night, Robert Plant (Led Zep, Central Park, 1969) You simply could not fake it back then...you had to be good. No digital witchcraft.
I seen/heard Bon Jovi in the early 80's. Bon Jovi was the warm up band for Van Halen. When Van Halen came on stage, DLR made a comment that they were going to have to step it up to top that performance. I agreed, at that time I didn't even know of the band Bon Jovi . I'm 54 now, then I was only 'bout 14. How time flies on by. I appreciate what you do. Gives us all a more appreciation of the arts. Including you as well. Brilliant!
I saw Bon Jovi open for Ratt back in the day. anybody even remember Ratt? That night no one had a clue who this Bon Jovi was but they blew Ratt off the stage. After Bon Jovi Ratt‘s performance seemed rather dull. lol lol. Spoiled we were
Is it just me or does any else like "real" live music. No miming, no auto tune, no pitch correct. Just raw music imperfections and all. If I want to listen to musicians sounding like their studio albums than I will just stay home, instead of spending loads of money on tickets, parking, food, & drink. Having to get the day off of work etc...
Omg TOTALLY agree!! If they can sing & play the instruments then go for it!! Who knows....they may improve lol Thats why losing great live performers like Stevie Ray Vaughan is even more tragic 🤘🏻
Great job … and so very educational! I totally want to hear my chosen artists “live” and without pitch correction. I’m quite sure Steve Perry with Journey didn’t use and many of the other 70’s rock bands DIDN’T use pitch correction! Thanks, also, for standing up for Jon and pointing out that he had probably done quite a few interviews and had not been able to rest his voice.
I saw Bon Jovi once. Opened for the Scorpions. They literally got boo'd off the stage. Jon made it worse by crying "This isn't fair. We came all the way out here to play for you guys....." in a really whiney, self-entitled tone of voice. My friend turned to me and said, "Who the h*** asked him to? We came to see the Scorpions, not this bozo!" Some time later, I started hearing Bon Jovi on the radio. I couldn't believe it was the same band.
I agree. I don’t know what happened to his voice. What brought it about? Is it sickness? But you can definitely hear the difference and you can see that it’s very difficult for him to sing and he now has many back up singers that they try to hide this with. Maybe if he died his hair back to brown it would help him sing.
Fil, I appreciate the way you always approach these analysis videos, with tact, understanding, and transparency. Along with your breakdown skills, including situational analysis and impacts, we get to look beyond the results, whether good, bad, or ugly. Anyone who has not played live events cannot fully understand the many things that have to go right to get as close to perfect as possible, including the venue, the tech support & sound and so much more. Thank you Sir!
Over the age of 50 singers,they all sound different,some better than others,I saw Bon-Jovi in 1986 with the The Slippery When Wet Tour,and he was great,who cares if they can't do it now,they were still better then than alot of people will ever be.
I've been a full-time acoustic solo for 30 years and at 54, I wouldn't trade todays voice for my 24 or 34 year old voice. I can hit higher notes than ever, have a nice rasp to sing CCR, Springsteen, Rod Stewart stuff and a deeper, fuller bottom end...and my vibrato happens effortlessly and automatic where I used to force it. I play 4 hour+ high energy gigs and during the Summer I play over 100 gigs in a row without a day off and sometimes twice a day. Anyway, not bragging as I'm no one famous but I hate when people thing that you just "lose" your voice after a certain age. Depends on your overall health and habits, lifestyle etc. In my experience weed and beer seem to help lol
@@timzauto I didn’t mean better now, but through the decades after the 70’s. Of course this is matter of opinion, and also he covered more material in the 2000’s than ever, so we got exposed to more of his voice. Anyhow, great voice in the 70’s and still a great voice.
As always, thank you for the musical education. And, more importantly, your kindness. From all accounts, Jon Bon Jovi is a good and giving human. No one wants to be remembered for the moments when their voices failed them.
Steve Miller's comments about the RRHOF (2016 induction) Give him a listen. A cut and paste. When asked to elaborate on his criticisms, he revealed that the whole induction process is "unpleasant" and said "they need to respect the artists they say they’re honoring, which they don't."
@Sick Squid Or Little Feat, or Blue Oyster Cult? Two bands who have been around for 50 years (or nearing for BOC). The powers - that - be at RRHOF are clueless!
Fil, a lot of the comments are mentioning old singers needing to give up, which makes me think of the new ABBA album. The vocals by the ladies in their seventies sound not only powerful and accurate, but also very natural to my ears. Particularly the track Bumblebee. Any chance of an analysis? If pitch correction is being used, then it's very good, I'd be fascinated in your findings
I used to work next to an amp repair tech that used "dancing Queen" as his test song. Nothing else, ever. I had to hear it incessantly every day. This is why I think that ABBA should have quit in 1975, and tried for crimes against humanity...
As a Monitor Sound Engineer for live sound I would also like to add that his pitch problem may have been related a monitor mix problem. It is critical that singers hear themselves at a comfortable level and that they can hear the band mix well for pitch cues. A poor monitor mix can ruin a singers performance. That may be in part what happened at this performance. In addition, as singers get older and have fried their ears from years of listening to loud monitors it can be difficult for them to sing on pitch even with a great monitor mix. Not saying the Bon Jovi has hearing problems but if I were a betting man I would bet that his ears are compromised.
Although what you say is 100% true and a good live mix/monitor mix can definitely make a great band sound terrible, that's 100% not what's going on with Jon's voice.
I do love your work - it is a fantastic insight into not only the processes themselves but also where and when they are helpful. I still would love to see someone such as Pavarotti singing, say, Nessun Dorma. This is not just about whether he hits the notes, or perhaps rather how quickly he hits the notes, but, given the software you use, it would fascinating to see what makes his signing voice so special. Your comments would be incredibly helpful. Thanks again for your work.
@@micheladonofrio2285 Whenever I have this same discussion with someone, I use McCartney as the perfect example. He had perfect pitch way back when, but he's absolutely cringe worthy now. Actually for at least 15 years. Remember seeing him on SNL 10 - 20 years ago, and it was painful. That's how awful he was, sad to say.
@@micheladonofrio2285 I like Paul’s newest. Yes, he’s older, and his vocals aren’t the same as back in his heyday, but what he’s doing now may be a different vocal attack from what your ears want to hear, but it’s still good art.
I love this guy, he has been my music hero since the day I saw him in concert in Detroit singing Dead or Alive in 1986 . He has brought a lot of joy to my life. Thanks John !!!
Was signed to an independent label in Manhattan, mid 80s. Guess about '86. I wanted to increase my range to belt out higher notes. Reluctantly (my falsetto got a lot of attention) my manager sent me to a vocal coach. Several times in a short period my classes were canceled. While venting about it to another student i learned that our coach had been flying out to different cities around the country. Apparently, one of his students was playing stadiums for the first time and was having some difficulties. A few months later i arrived a bit early for my class and the previous student was just leaving. Ripped jeans, shaggy blond hair. Ahhh! It all suddenly added up.
I have a hunch that even Jon himself wouldn't consider his singing extraordinary. I believe he was more about getting up on stage, rockin' out, singing songs about working class life and entertaining the masses. Sure, he can sing a song. He's great looking, has undeniable charisma, is an excellent front man, the girls go wild over him and he's non-threatening to men. He had a dream and he went for it. What's not to like?
you brought my Thougts to words, thx for that. Besides him beeing an passioned hard working man, not easy for his go along Bandpeople i bet, but that isnt something some is to blame for.
@@fourthtunz Huh? Are you off your rocker? Check out Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple fame. He's almost 70 and his vocals are killer live. Age is just a number. Jon can't sing live any more.
Paul here (not my wife). I had a similar experience - less about the trials & tribulations (advantages/disadvantages) of being 'popular', but an up lifting musical chat. Meeting John Lord (& his mate George Harrison - gob smacked of course) in a bar in a Swiss Ski resort - mid 1980s, late night in a 'jazz' wine bar (which the live 3 piece jazz band initially attracted me in). No one else there in the bar. George was getting up & leaving (as i was being introduced by the bar tender- blow me down), but non the less, got to shake his hand. John on the other hand, was still finishing up hes drink, and was graceful enough to acknowledge me, allow me to sit & chat. WHAT DO I SAY ????....He asked me what i did, & i said naturally, "im a musician (too) - & LOVE your work. Get this ....he asked me straight up - "ARE YOU BRILLIANT" ? ie; he's bored already - wants to go to bed. I said - "YES, POTENTIALLY". That (some how) worked, got he's attention, he stayed - bought me a drink, and we had a wonderful chat of life's opportunities, and how precious their are. I put it to him that he - AS WELL AS ME, had all the given natural gifts & talents to obviously be a fantastic keyboard player/musician/composer (im a drummer/guitarist), BUT - he was in the right place, at the right time.....NOT ME (physically, & mentally) ! = A blessed timing opportunity (weather one realizes it or not) of that blessing. He bought me another drink, as it interested him of my journey, over his journey. Nothing came of it of course...he, as me, were both tired (from skiing). BUT - what a moment to meet (one of your) musical heroes, and have a normal engaged chat. No (phone) cameras back then, and it never occurred to me to bug him for a 'selfie'. So i only have this fading memory of an encounter with a famous person ! It wasn't a dream.
Hey Fil, I'd be really interested to hear your Pitch analysis of Patsy Kline singing almost anything. She's such a great example of expressive and musical application of non diatonic tones. She slides around all over the place and it sounds great, but may look disordered on screen. Whaddaya think?
God I love her. Never really occurred to me that she used glissandos all over the place but now you say it I realise how true that is. I’ll never unhear it now. 🧐
In Bon Jovi's defense; it is now learned that he had an issue with his vocal chords after years of singing. He needed sugery. I know this was probably posted years before anyone knew....
I'm so glad you talked about vocal rest and exhaustion and the challenges of touring and interviews. It's clear listening to him that he was tired. I guess there's an implication that it's improper to use vocal modification software in live performances. The reality is that the voice has been modified since the introduction of electronics, and before that, in the acoustic design of performance venues. This is why opera singers sing the way they do to be clearly heard in an opera house or concert hall above an orchestra - because they (usually) don't use amplification because they're representing the raw voice and a time where that was the only option. The formants in opera singers have harmonics way above instruments. The introduction of the microphone and amplification allowed singers to sing very differently because they didn't have to compete with their accompaniment and fill a room with their voice and that dramatically changed popular music. In the end, it's about entertainment and creating good music. We can admire perfect spectacular singing and also musical artistry that moves us. After all, that's the purpose of music. The lines are blurring and perhaps that's okay. It's not all about athleticism. It's only an issue if an artist is misrepresenting themselves.
Love your channel❤You absolutely did this in the most loving & classy way. 👏 ❤Some of our youth do not realize how manipulated some of their favorite artist have been. There seems to be a massive abuse of autotune & voice manipulation, which is not true music in my opinion, but what do I know🤔?
I've never been much of a Bon Jovi fan, but I have heard about his vocal struggles in more recent years. In all fairness, this is a natural struggle for most people. You can't expect them to sound the same decades later. Unfortunately, Autotune and Pitch Correction are a standard part of audio production. Old School singers have had to give into this because their imperfections wouldn't be considered marketable. I prefer to hear the human side, blemishes and all. Great upload, great analysis!
Good analysis. Jon always was at the very top of his range on that early Bon Jovi stuff. He cannot do this anymore, and there's no shame in that. He's an old man now. It happens to us all.
Thanks, I've watched a fair amount of your channel over the years! I agree, given that most young singers can't nail Bon Jovi songs live, continuing in the same key is tough for anyone. Add in the advancing years, touring, smoking (!) they all take their toll. It must be tough for Jon, he obviously still wants to do it all live which is very commendable. I'd probably make him take it all down a tone and spread the shows out a lot!
There are a lot of old singers like John Farnham, Steven Tyler, Glen Hughes, Michael Kiske or Mickey Thomas who still sings great. They simply sing with a much better vocal technique than Jon. Jon switched coach after the New Jersey tour (1990). There his decline started. He started using more mask and less support making his voice weaker and pinchier. There he lost the guts in his voice.
@@mariabromwich8897 I am 50 and my husband is 51. We openly admit that we're old. We simply do not have the same energy as we did when we are twenties and thirties. There is no shame in admitting that. He is a 59. He couldn't handle the activities of the day and sing the way he normally does live. When he was younger, it would have been no problem. Now, it's easier to get worn out. That's just how life is
I don’t know how many thousands of shows he’s done. I saw him, he was great in 93. I don’t know when ur voice ages. He doesn’t have anymore, I can accept that. He could sing live when he was a recording and touring star. Was he considered the greatest singer, I don’t think so. But he pleased many fans, and I don’t ever think he was a lip sync. Thanks for the music I enjoyed Mr Bon Jovi
I agree . Thats what makes every individual performance unique to the listener . The fact that he wasn`t pitch perfect compared to a production recorded version is the value in purchasing a live performance ticket . It`s the soul capturing of the moment and the listeners experience of that moment that makes it special and sets it apart from any other live perfomance of the same song on a different night . That`s what live should be . Any auto/pitch corection live ; then just stay home and listen to the CD . Besides John still sounded pretty good even if some notes were a half tone off ; Any singer would take that live all day long .
I stumbled on this channel. I love it! Very original honest unbiased content! It shows music has many cheat codes. But we know who the real artists are! Keep the music going!
@@kelleyforeman you are spot on. I love Tom and cover his songs regularly. JBJ had a much more demanding and athletic style which would be much more prone to fail under pressure or due to age.
Fil, you are a true gentlemen! You are always very considerate with all of the talents that you analyze. I agree with several people who commented that anyone, if you sing long enough, can have an off day or for some an off week. We all age differently and so do our voices. I also agree with the people that commented on ELVIS and JANIS JOPLIN. Sadly, neither of them really had to face the hands of time. They did not have the opportunity! But in my heart of hearts, I truely believe that both of their voices would have endured a full lifetime. ELVIS sometimes would do 2 shows in the morning and maybe one longer one at night when he was in Vegas. Heavens, that would kill anybody! I loved them both! I think that ELVIS still sounded good throughout 1976. I can't bring myself to watch anything from 1977. He still sounded good but looked like he was in so much pain. However, I believe that ELVIS, given the opportunity, would never have wanted his voice altered in anyway. I actually wish that auto tune or anything that would take away the authenticity of any voice had never been invented. A beautiful song or voice is a GOD given talent and it almost feels like an imitation or a little cheat when auto tune or improvements are made. As always Fil, you are always spot on and I really enjoy your very authentic reactions. Stay true, we all love you!
Really admire how Fil can accurately describe something; ie auto tune, almost pulling the words out of thin air , to make something easy to understand.
JBJ has been struggling with those notes for the better part of 25 years now -- this is not a new development. But, he always had Richie Sambora to help him out when he was having a rough night -- until recently, that is, since Richie has left the band. And the not-so-big secret is that Richie was actually the better vocalist. Soulful with great range, and great harmonies. There's nobody in the band now that has as strong of a voice to back Jon up and it shows.
@@alexhowatson I've only heard Phil X live with Bon Jovi and his voice is either buried in the mix or just it's just not that apparent. Or maybe he's just not a good vocal compliment for Jon. I'll have to check out some of Phil's other stuff. With Richie, it's almost a Michael Anthony situation - - you don't realize how much he brings until he's gone.
@@ticatcrash Yeah, something happened around that time, alright -- Richie left the band. Like I said, Richie and Jon complimented each other exceptionally in the vocal department to point where you sometimes couldn't tell them apart. Which was great when Jon was having a bad night. Once Richie was gone, it was laid bare just how bad Jon's voice had gotten over the years. It didn't happen overnight but if you look around, you'll find that Jon was already avoiding a lot of those high notes in the mid-90's.
Your explanation is well said and spot on. Bon Jovi along with other greats are destroying their legacy, probably because, nobody is telling them that they are terrible now. These singers like John were a great source of inspiration and I looked forward to a exciting future, but now they do the complete opposite and I cringe and get depressed at what happens when you get old. I don’t think, wow it’s inspirational that John and other old singers are still doing what they love, its like watching my grandpa up there and it’s weird. It’s very depressing to me, I can’t watch these guys anymore.
Agreed. I was never very impressed by his singing. Certainly not one of the greats. Great frontman, yes. Great vocalist, no. Put him alongside Pail Rogers, Chris Cornell (RIP) or Sammy Hagar in his prime - JBJ wasn’t close. I don’t really buy the excuses on his behalf. I’ve heard other performances where he falls very flat. If the pre-performance talking is the cause, then it suggests a lack of professionalism to me. The great singers in their later years generally prioritise their vocal condition/performance above the media circus.
@@edwardjons8684 Richie was THE singer in the group. Saw him perform Stranger in this Town in a small venue in Red Bank, Nj - Wow!! Incredible experience
@@amagickalmeliss ..Richie covered a LOT of the high notes once Jon could no longer hit them. Now Jon just points the mic at the audience to let them cover it.....Richie's not a bad "scratch" guitar player either :-)
Great analysis. Thank you for explaining the situation regarding the strain on an inductees vocal chords, it made a huge difference for me to understand that.
The real truth is that many artists aren't as good live (or were ever good live) than they are in the studio. Studio tracks are many takes and you're creating a record for a lifetime of listening. It has to be treated that way. Live performances should reflect the meaning and attitude of the song and don't need to be perfect or close to perfect. Especially from artists that are 40 years into their career and aging like we all do...
I've seen many concerts in the past 40 years (John Denver, Elton John, Cliff Richard, America, The Police, Demis Roussos, Fleetwood Mac, Don McLean, The Jackson 5, Gene Pitney, and many more - some multiple times) and every performance has sounded as great as their records. Going to concerts costs a fortune these days so it'd be an insult for the artist to pretend. Where there is talent there's ability to perform live.
I've seen him live 3 times - his voice has severely deteriorated in the last few years. Back in the day, he sounded as good as the recordings. Richie has always been my fave but I can admit he sounds better doing back up vocals than he does taking the lead, so I'm not being unfairly biased. Jon needs to retire.
The chorus for Livin’ on a Prayer, Jon hasn’t sung the ‘response’ half live for years, even 20+ years ago on that part of the chorus he always held the mic out to the crowd. Obviously at RnR HOF they used the backing track to fill that space because the crowd wouldn’t have been anywhere near the size that Bon Jovi play to on an actual tour date. I think I heard somewhere he wore his voice down or completely blew it out back in the late 80s/early 90s and made the decision not to sing those high belts anymore? I also noticed he tends to miss the first word of a line, it’s very obvious on the first verse of YGLABN he was skipping the first word on every line.
People really need to get off this notion that the human voice is supposed to be perfect at any and all time. The overuse of autotune and pitch correction by the industry have only exacerbated this notion with listener. Not to mention it puts undue pressure on singers themselves for no good reason.
@@bring-out Yes it is. If all recordings done in the studio, carried, let's say, a world recognised logo which signified that the recording had been tuned manually or auto - then maybe, a number of people wouldn't expect perfection at a live gig. I do think though, that the majority of people know that a live performance will not be the same as an official recording.
@@chrissymoss514 But since they can't say why they really don't know at all. Knowing a thing is being able to explain it to someone else. most people can only say it don't sound right.
@@msb8013 Very true, I hadn't thought of that. But, maybe, having the "logo", denoting auto tune has been used, would indeed indicate to those people that there must be a difference 🤷♀️
John can’t hit the high notes for years, not much to do with interviews. His voice just endured a lot of wear and tear during the years, it is what it is.
Range is not a main problem in Jon's case. Breathing is. And also his tone is f up now. He can't control his voice. In fact, the quality of his high tones are better than singing plain simple mid/low voice line.
@@arturama8581 saw Tom Jones very recently, his voice is very fit for a man his age, yes it’s altered slightly but he has adapted how he performs to sound almost like he did 40, 50years ago. Rod Stewart is another good performer who has adapted well. What Fil has said is spot on mind, vocal fatigue will play a big part in any performance.
In lots of videos I'm not positive I hear the differences you are pointing out with the graphics. This time, I could immediately hear the difference. I've learned a lot from your videos. Thank you.
These videos are showing that these technologies, although often overused, can have benefits. The correction here has been well done, as Fil says. And whilst it can often remove expression to the detriment of the song, here the corrected version sounds much better. These tools can be used well, and this is an example.
You shouldn't feel bad Phil, you want to Hear Jon knock it out of the park, youre routing for him that he does.... the song is what 35 years old.... Jon had always sang at the top of his voice, blown it out, kept pounding on it night after night for about 4 decades... he got caught lip syncing awhile back and stopped doing it.. it's nice to know he's still trying to be honest with the fans. I'd like to think the pitch correction was the doing of the Hall and not a request of Jon's...the entire night was probably pitch corrected for its TV release.
Growing up I was a huge Bon Jovi fan went to several concerts the whole bit... but it was because I liked Bon Jovi..n most of the bands songs...but I never really thought that jon had a wonderful or exceptional vocal voice. He's ok.. there's better there's worse. He just worked well in the band BC the ladies LOVED HIM. 😏👍 still do love him! BC he's a good person hubby dad... Is BEAUTIFUL. THAT SMILE ALWAYS GETS ME !!!! He's quite a man of class in his later years here.
Richie sang far better than Jon ever did. What Jon had was incredible stage presence and charisma. A true frontman and the songs he wrote were unmatched. Richie was so boring on his own but fit perfectly next to Jon.
Fantastic review and tutorial Fil. MUCH appreciated. The ‘industry’ as a whole..is madness for a musician/vocalist to say the least. “Thanks” for the complex explanations of how the game’s played brother..Play on!
Casual listener here, can't tell the difference 😂 I can see it in the waveforms, as there's the visible lines to compare it to, but still can't hear the difference. It's like my brain immediately forgets what it just heard when the other version starts 😆 I did hear it in the video where Fil autotuned Freddie Mercury, but only when the effect was immediate. The more subtle versions are just too subtle for me. I need to really know a song so well that I know exactly what to expect, only then can I tell if something's off.
@@durabelle Admire the honesty 😂. Interesting point of bouncing between the two, but try closing your eyes on just the first example he plays. I do wonder if I’d have any clue prior to picking up guitar and vocals 15 years ago ha. Bon Jovi’s still a legend in my book!
You’re a good egg. Thanks for the honest assessment. Seen Bon Jovi live twice and it was an amazing experience. To paraphrase the post below, they always have passion.
Interesting stuff. I'm not a fan of Bon Jovi, but recognize their talent. When I was still gigging with an original music group, we as a band always made sure we stayed the whole night, made sure we encouraged our fellow local acts as well as the traveling bands, applauding after every song, not because we necessarily LIKED everyone's songs, but appreciated their efforts and recognized their talent even if we didn't sync musically. For context, we were an Americana Rock band heavily influenced by Punk and Progressive Rock (weird, I know) and mostly played shows with Metal bands and Alternative bands with wide-ranging sounds/styles. There needs to be less unhealthy competition (as opposed to healthy competition) and more camaraderie with musicians, especially in the original music space.
I was in a band for a while and it was a band rule that we showed early and encouraged the acts that came before us and we stayed after to encourage those that came after. We were never thanked or even acknowledged. and that's fine, it was just supporting others who are willing to get up there and give it a go.
Great comment! I was just talking to my cousin in another state who is also a musician... We were talking about how caustic a LOT of musicians are nowadays... Very little camaraderie and a LOT sniping... Petty shit and jealousy really.... Terrible...
I am not a musician. I have no perfect pitch, or even a sense of rhythm, but i love how you break things down. I don't know why anyone would want pitch correction. To me this is like using a photograph to correct the works of Leonardo.
One thing that we must remember. We usually don’t know the singer’s personal lifestyle. Have they been heavy smokers, did they use drugs, did they drink a lot of alcohol, did they spend a lot of time singing in a range that was stretching their vocal cords to the max, did they develop sinus/allergies or other medical issue? Or, did they spend their career taking care of their vocal cords? Seeing specialists to make sure they were the recommended care by their vocal coaches? Whitney Houston was one of the most amazing vocalists. So was Mariah Carey (though I didn’t like her style). By what I understand they both smoked and Whitney used drugs. With that lifestyle they lost some of their range. A God given gift to not take the utmost care to maintain. I am amazed Steven Tyler can still hit some of the notes - but is he?
This is so difficult to really address properly. And I think you do it really well. There are many factors to take in, when trying to assess someone's vocal performance. Fatigue and especially what the actual stage volume is going to be like, is the most important factors. I cannot tell you how many times, I have tried to sing well in a "too" loud setting and been too sharp, or been in a situation where I have been too fatigued and been too flat, to sing well enough for my own liking, or even anyone elses taste for that matter. Just think about how terrible it must be, to be as well known as Jon Bon Jovi, and not be able to actually do well enough to be pleased yourself. I have been to enough Bon Jovi shows to know, that Jon does not really care too much himself about correcting pitch. The idea, that live performances cannot be autotuned, is in this day and age ridiculous, it is the easiest thing in the world. Never have I ever been to a Bon Jovi show, where he, or the band, was in any way, shape or form autotuned. Actually it seems like he takes great pride in sucking with style when he just can't cut it (because of fatigue), or humorously when the monitoring is sub par. The funny thing about Jon Bon Jovi is, that no matter how good or bad his pipes are, on any give night, his performance is really much more, than "just" the vocal performance. I was at what objectively would be a terrible show here in Denmark, where Bon Jovi was headlining with Def Leppard as the supporting act. And you can ask anyone who sang the best, and they would say Def Leppard, but no matter what, as soon as Jon walked on stage, he electrified the audience, and not a single person cared whether or not he was able to sing well enough, which he didn't, it was like as if he had a terrible cold (which he likely did). But even then, literally within the first 2 minutes, he had the entire venue worshipping his every move, out of tune, fatigued or not. While Def Leppard had been trying their best to even be noticed on stage, in comparison of course. So what some TV executive decides to do, should not reflect poorly on Jon, and really, neither should a fatigued voice or bad monitoring do either. However I don't believe any good singer can blame bad monitoring, for being too flat, he must have been too fatigued for the producers liking, which is too bad, but absolutely natural in a setting like that. And I am 100% sure he did not ask to be pitch corrected, although someone definitely did do some pitch correction.
I agree. I was at an open air Bon Jovi concert in Sydney where it hailed and rained and Jon performed for 2.5 hours because the fans stayed in the rain...best concert ever..no one cared if his pitch was off...lol we were all singing off key with him anyway standing in the mud and loving it. The 2 support acts pulled out but Jon and his band slayed it.
Jon Bon Jovi has absolutely LOST HIS VOICE! Whatever the technical term is does not negate the fact that he’s struggling during every song he sings! Anyone with hearing knows this! I honestly believe that the attempt to have Richie Sambora rejoin the group is a diversion to take the focus temporarily away from Jon’s vocal issues! It’s very sad but, I would say it’s time for Bon Jovi to “hang it up” unless there is some way to resolve his vocal problem!
Yea, I agree. One of the greatest voices ever in rock is gone. I was shocked last time I saw them. I do believe bringing richie back might help, I don’t hate auto tune for an aging performer , like Brian Wilson in 2012 tour. Loved seeing him and why would you want him to struggle and be embarrassed as he is a genius and if he needed a little help , I’m ok with that.
Maybe it's time but, he could be having vocal problems, lymph node problems, ect. Or a cold or allergies. Sore throat. I would not write him off just yet. singers always have off performances or vocal problems. age does not matter.
@@DianeLake-sw3ym Age does matter; voices change. Female mezzo-sopranos become contraltos and male tenors become baritones. Listen to some of the older singers who just can't seem to reach 'those' notes anymore.
There are rock singers Jon's age whose voices are still in excellent shape, take Tommy Shaw from Styx or Joseph Williams from Toto for example. Jon never had a good vocal technique, which coupled with smoking since the early 90s and near-constant touring from 1985 onward has absolutely shredded his voice.
As a singer for close to 50 years I have definitely noted changes in my pitch control, range, and endurance. I have had to adjust and reinvent how I sing. The difference is that the pros have a body of work that they are outliving and nature will not allow them to continue to sing their catalogue the way they're used to so they turn to the available technology for help. I can get away with changing a key or skating around a note....they don't have that luxury.
Excellent analysis as always. I would add to the fact that Jon is at the age, 59, where he is slowly starting to lose strength in a lot of aspects, which includes his hearing and his voice. His voice isn't quite where it used to be. It is slowly going downhill. I enjoy Bon Jovi and hope they can go a few more years before Jon can't perform anymore. I'm 49 and see differences in what I used to be able to do in the military, U.S. Army, back in my early 20s versus what I am still able to do now while I still serve. Jon's differences are going to be that much bigger at 59. I wish him the best and hope all goes well for him and the band. They truly are legends and deserve their fame and fortune.
@@summerrose1545, you fail to understand where I am coming from. I'm nearly done with my 2nd Master's degree in Psychology, more specifically Applied Behavior Analysis. Which includes multiple courses in human development across the life span, from conception to death. This goes over the different stages of life for people and among other things, the age range at which they start to lose their abilities. I also have 10 years in piano training, 7 years in the trombone, and well over two dozen years in being vocally coached and practice. I hear when people are not at their best. I hear the sharps, flats , weak notes, strong notes, etc. I've been trained in it. my piano teacher didn't like the fact that I can play by ear as well as reading the notes. I promise you, What I said was accurate and I stand by it. Not every person ages or loses their ability at the same rate or time frame. That's why there is an age range. People typically start losing their ability in their 50s. Some people don't lose much of it until they hit even their 70s. Not only that, but the majority of it depends on how well you take care of your voice and yourself. Steve Perry still sings well, but he's not where he used to be, neither is Jon Bon Jovi, Phil Collins, Geoff Tate, etc. None of them are in their prime anymore and you can hear it in their voices, well at least I can. These other guys are probably the exception as there are usually exceptions to the rule, Rob Halford, etc. How do you know Eric Adams hits his high notes with ease? Unless you have my kind of musical training, you probably wouldn't unless he says so. Even then, it can be hard to tell if they are having an easy time hitting the high note. A great example is myself. People keep mentioning how hitting the high note in "Dream On" by Aerosmith is hard. I get to argue that point because I can hit it easily without warming up. The point being that whether or not someone can hit a high note easily is subject to opinion. Only the person singing it knows for sure. Another example is "Carry on My Wayward Son" by Kansas. People tend to think that hitting the high note in it is hard. Singing the song in the original key is kind of hard, but the high note is relatively easy compared to the rest of the song. In the end you can make assumptions, but you really don't know. Being trained in music can help give you a better idea, which is where I am coming from. Thanks for playing though.
@@galenblack8321 ok thanks I guess. Agreeing on every individual's different. I guess I can still live with voice degradation as that is not a choice anyone wants to take but the songing out of tune....urrmmmm IDK. But yeah I agree with most you have typed, thanks.
@@summerrose1545, no worries, I wouldn't be true to what I know if I didn't agree on everyone being different. voice degradation happens. There's no stopping it, unfortunately. I wish there was a way around it, but there's not. Professionals don't usually sing out of tune. Mostly it is because of all the hard work and practice they put in.
Out of the 1000 or so live shows I've seen, only a handful of them had spot-on vocals... back in the day. These days, if they're actually singing live at all, it's a bonus. I've seen Bon Jovi a number of times in different venues, and they were always a tight act. The older you get, the harder it is to sing, especially for males (from hair bands). Add interview after interview, show after show, and your pipes are thrashed. I'm sure they chose to correct this in post well before the performance happened. Since he was so off, auto-tune would have completely destroyed his vocals live. His choice to sing live is an integrity move! Cheers!
Thats because they don’t know how to properly preserve their voices. Vocal coach Ken Tamplin explains exactly why this happens with so many vocalists and how they could have avoided the damage.
I've been to many c9ncerts and only a few where trash live. And I started going in the early 80s, the last one was ZZ Top's 50th anniversary and they were pretty awesome. Opening act was Cheap Trick, they had sound issues when the sound was up they were very good. You can't expect perfection but you should expect the to at least be on key and actually live instead of using sampling or autotune .
My father had an incredible tenor voice, but over time, he was missing the notes. It was grueling for me, because I didn't understand why. So now he is almost completely deaf and now I know what was going on. Jon is now in the age group where hearing is effected. Sad, but it could be hearing as well as vocal cords completely fatigued.
That maybe, but also a number of rock bands have detuned by a a half step to make things easier and meatier. Since it's apparently exactly 1/2 step off it could be that is the case and by this time he is "programmed mentally" to repeat that. Or maybe it's the old " the sound man can make you or break you" and his monitor mix was not good for him. Rock on John !
That’s exactly what I was thinking. I’ve heard many singers have the same issue with finding the notes. It didn’t seem as much he couldn’t get up there as he couldn’t tell where to go. I’m wearing $10K worth of hearing aids, but on a bad day I can’t tell Rick James from Earth Wind And Fire!
After watching a pile of your videos, I finally did it! I was able to differentiate between the pitch corrected version & the actual version. I’m getting there. Thank you for informative videos.
Must be a difficult thing for a successful artist to lose a good amount of his/her ability to perform. I grew up in the era when Bon Jovi were at their biggest (graduated HS in 88). I was into most hard rock/hair metal bands, but they weren't one of my favorites. Nothing against them, but they were a bit pop for my taste. I believe he's been struggling with his voice for several years now. I saw a video a few years back in which he was attending a wedding as a guest and the wedding band was doing a cover of Living on a Prayer. They hounded him to come up and sing alongside the female singer. He was very reluctant, but probably didn't want to come across as a tool, so he obliged them. It was pretty rough. Hard not to feel for him because by all accounts I have ever heard, JBJ is a very good guy.
Raise all the hopes of everyone you see. phil you are the gentleman of the business & encourage the best performance from everyone you see, meet & & hear.
I just hope he’s ok ! I went to see him in Tampa this year and it was obvious he was struggling with his voice but honestly It didn’t matter it was still Amazing to see him live after 35 years ❤ I will always love Bon Jovi I just hope he’s ok !
Once again, I was thoroughly entertained by this video! I always learn so much from you. When you said that live bands these days use a lot of this technology and you "rarely" will hear the real deal, that was pretty shocking to me. I think that's a shame, really, for younger audiences. Autotune and pitch correction are sort of the audio equivalent of a hologram, aren't they? What you're hearing isn't really there. It's not real. I remember back in the day, you'd be humiliated and drummed right out of the industry if you dared try to fake something live or otherwise. I've gotta say, I liked it that way. So thank you, Fil, for another eye opening video!
Just watched the 4-part Jon Bon Jovi series on one of the streaming services (in Australia) - I want to say Disney+ but could have been Amazon Prime. It covers this period I think. It must be very hard and emotionally very challenging when the thing you've relied on and have been known for for so long starts to let you down. According to the series, it was vocal cord atrophy I think, which happens as we age. I'm pretty sure this hall of fame moment was before his corrective surgery, while he was struggling with it. Which would explain the vocal fatigue, which is a symptom (along with reduced volume and some other things). To be honest, I was never really into Bon Jovi, though I liked a couple of their songs, but I really appreciate your thoughtful and considerate approach to this analysis Fil. In my opinion it took real guts for Jon to get up there knowing his voice wasn't really up to it, and still manage a decent approximation to the song.
I'm a big fan of Bon Jovi not only as an artist, but as a wonderful human being. I appreciated he wants to be transparent in his singing. I think he's lost a lot of his vocal range due to all the years of touring, and the fact he is aging. I'm still going to love him. Good or bad. Thank you for the analysis.
Fil, you so rock, man. I write, sing, and play (since '76, gawd I'm old), and am still learning, every day, about theory, tech advancements, perfectionism, arrangement, patience, and everything music. You and your channel are amazing! Liked, subbed, and spreading the word. Peace!
Got to remember Jon was having vocal issues during the New Jersey era and Richie helped out big time with vocals on tour. Age has also taken its toll on Jon's vocals
We must also remember that Bon Jovi are probably, in the world, the rock band with the highest number of concerts in relation to the career duration. Jeez, the "Jersey Syndicate" tour, alone, counted about 237 shows! This is insane. And their catalogue, (especially the older songs) is all but simple vocally. Obviously Jon Bon Jovi has damaged his vocal chords in all these years, much much more than Richie Sambora. Bruce Springsteen once said he has never performed so much concerts in a row in his career.
I saw Bon Jovi live a couple of times in the early 90s. I was so impressed when Jon would sing a cappella for parts of songs just how excellent his voice was. PS I love Fil's analysis.
Just read the sad news that Alec John Such, died today at age 70, with Jon Bon Jovi, was one of the founding members of the group and played bass from (1983-1994) Rest in Peace Alec John Such November 14, 1951 - June 5, 2022, Thanks for being a part of the early years with the band.
I think we should all recognize what a good guy Fil actually is. He went out of his way to explain the less than stellar vocals in this video. I've never cared much for Bon Jovi, but I recognize the real issue of vocal fatigue in artists now that Fil explained it. Good job and thanks for the work.
Agreed. I’m also a little worried he may be upsetting an apple cart belonging to a very powerful machine. You interfere with the money making machine, and they go for the jugular. Some people can handle that, some cannot. It’s like some people can play the stock market without worry. Some people play the stock market and end up with an ulcer, or worse.
It’s important to know yourself.
Fil is an old soul whose parents raised him right.
I agree with what you say about Fil. Also I have never been a fan of Bon Jovi
Whether one likes John Bon Jovi or not, one has to acknowledge the fact that he had kept his marriage together for 32 years - something very unusual for such a famous person. Well done, John.
RJ... I could not agree with you more, regarding Fil; and I've felt that way long before this specific instance. His appreciation for music covers an enormous and very broad landscape, I have found... and he's an excellent player as well.
He has, in this post, gone out of his way to be sure that this was not an attack on the guy's singing capability; but rather a discussion on the technicality issues present in today's popular music scene, and perhaps even the market's expectations from the 'suits' point of view. It was not a 'vocals' critique.
I like the band actually, from an instrumental perspective, but I have always disliked John's 'bubble gum' vocals that have kept me away from any real interest in the group.
I always look forward to Fil's posts and have a great interest in what he has to say. That's why I subbed after the first time checking this channel out.
💥😎👌💥
I met him once, entirely by accident. I was waiting for a dinner date in the piano bar of the Mariott Hotel in Hamburg. Outside, for no reason I knew of, were loads of screaming young girls, faces pressed against the glass! Well, I was just sat there, waiting, and spotted this guy at the bar. So I went over, sat on the stool next to him. I asked him "Any idea what all this is outside"? "Oh, don't ask... " he says, looking very gloomy and staring into his drink. Short guy. So I get him and me another drink, and chat about this and that in typically bloke-ish fashion.
"You here for work?"
"Yeah, sort of"
"Me too."
That type of thing. Anyway, after about ten minutes, my date arrives, waves at me from the door and I bid my sombre drinking buddy good evening. "Sorry I'm late" she says, "Client call went on a bit. Who was that at the bar?"
"Dunno. Just some bar guy. Seemed a bit sad and lonely"
She had a look and said "You know who that is? That's Jon Bon Jovi!"
Suddenly all the screaming girls outside made sense, but I felt a bit sorry for him. If I'd asked him if he'd like to come along I'll bet he'd have said yes. He seemed really sad and lonely, and relieved to talk to someone who didn't know him and didn't want anything from him.
And that's my Jon Bon Jovi story!
Great story Erny. I met a few celebs in my life, by chance and through job - and made it a rule to always treat them like a regular person, practically all of them liked that normal approach. Cheers from a Hamburg guy.
Much like the kicker for the Chicago Bears, who I found myself sitting next to at a bar I used to frequent. When he found out I have no interest in football, he relaxed, and we had a nice conversation. I wouldn't mind being rich, but I'd hate like hell to be famous.
What year is that bro
@@richiebonjovi1 Counting backwards, I guess that would have been 1993. I've never been what you might call a big Bon Jovi fan, but I know when I was there - working with a management consultancy who put us up in the best hotels - happy days!
I've always thought that with fame comes all the misery that accompanies it. Would I ever truly want it? No. Being an unknown and having the freedom to go anywhere and do anything without constant scrutiny is truly a gift. I'd hate to have that snatched away from me, because anonymity never comes back once it's gone.
When Pink Floyd reunited for the live 8 show, I waited all day and watched it live online. During the original stream, Dave and Roger were off multiple times. At some points, it sounded terrible, they were so off vocally. That same night, when I went to rewatch the performance, everything sounded perfect! I searched, but could never find the true live audio from that night. That was my first time noticing the pitch correction thing. Blew my mind.
Excellent example, I waited all day too. It was a very long wait with the promise that they were coming up next….
I had this exact experience with that performance. I thought I was crazy and didn't hear what I know I heard.
We've all been duped. Over and over and over again. I stopped going to concerts in 2022.
@@goodmorningsundaymorning4533
Good for you bc they are putting out h@rmfuI frequencies...
Notice ppl saying they lost their memory of the CONcert
they were just at?
Zeppelin did this on the Celebration Day DVD as well. Plant's vocals were touched up compared to the live performance.
Fil thank you for your kindness. Rather than just trashing him you explain what he was going through on that night and why he struggled. And for helping those of us listening to understand why and how the voice ages.
Hi there, I totally agree. Fil has explained it perfectly, while absolutely and totally not slating Jon. Because as a singer myself, I have been there on many occasions, and sometimes still do!! I hate when people slag off an artist if they don't hit the notes on the money. That's totally their ignorance in not understanding how much pressure a voice can be put under. I have to say in my humble opinion, the untreated vocal still sounds good and raw 😊 If the guitar player or bass player is out of tune, we're in the great position that we can tune our guitars, but it's not that clear cut for a vocalist. I enjoyed reading your comment. Sending blessings from Ireland 🤟☘🤟
Totally!
the voice doesn't age. It's lack of proper training mixed with misuse
Fil, you are a “musician’s musician” and a terrific human being! Never stop doing what you do. The world needs you bro!
"That's exactly how I intend to keep things on this channel". I applaud your honesty and integrity and consistency. Plus you strive to be positive about each artist/act. That's why I keep watching your channel. Although I would like to see you occasionally rip into a bad performance and point out the mistakes in a "not so positive" way.
Very much agree , but thought I'd share a personal story that i think is also common for vocal issues that few people are aware of. About 15 years ago ( I'm 57) i started losing my singing and talking voice. I had trouble swallowing, was always hoarse , ears popped ,and my range, pitch and tone were declining fast despite being trained on proper technique. I was scoped and no damage was found. Speech therapy didn't help. In the end it turned out to be an issue with my NECK that had to do with misalignment with the atlas bone . In short I wasn't getting proper nerve flow to my throat and ears. The muscles had bound up as well and were squeezing my throat and adams apple. I had the atlas bone adjusted and some deep tissue massage done to loosen things up and all the issues cleared up . I have seen this same thing happen to friends that sing and they had the same great result with the same treatment. So don't forget to get your neck looked at if you are a vocalist .
Thanks for the warning.
Yes it happens...i loved singing but my voice suddenly became horse & it turned out to be my neck...unfortunately mine's due to Rhumatoid Arthritis and cant be fixed...i sing now & then tho lol 🤘🏻
I'm not a trained vocalist but about 20 years ago I started writing music I never I always loved music I just didn't put myself into it and I noticed in the last 5 years maybe more my voice is gone it's like I'm told Jeff and what you just told me is I don't know if you're familiar with fibromyalgia but your muscles and your nerves and everything are all messed up like I'm in pain all the time from a really just under my shoulder blade all the way to the bottom of my foot and I'm very in degrees cuz some days it's not too bad today is really bad that being said those nerves there are nerves and muscles that go you know even the tip of my head from where I'm talking about we're talking about my sciatica in this particular thing I have several issues and I also have chronic fatigue that means my whole body will just stop it'll just feel like I can't go on another second and it can be like a light switch like I can be doing pretty good and then that light switch will turn off and I mean I have to go to bed I'm going to start crying and I'm not aware I really not even for 70 year old lady and so while I probably won't go to an extensive thing to find out about my voice cuz I'm certainly not a professional I'm not even a choir singer in the church but I love to sing and I can hear for myself how bad it is I sing anyway but thanks for the information it's really kind of cool to learn this stuff
Vitamin B1 will help with that. It strengthens the phrenic nerves and extra water for hoarseness!
@@donnahilton471 thank you ✝️🛐💙
Such a clear and concise explanation of vocal fatigue! Fil has the ability to explain what’s happening so well. The explanation of pitch correction was also excellent.
Fil is a gem, he knows how to analyze with utmost Respect & expertise 👌🏽
That's why Alice Cooper has always made sure his band and studio musicians don't make the music they're recording so complex and difficult that it's virtually impossible to replicate live. It has to be able to be played live, and played well, he's always said.
Tool…..
Genesis - Supper's Ready, Jethro Tull - Thick as a Brick, Pink Floyd - Echoes, Shine on You Crazy Diamond, Dream Theatre - The Dance of Eternity, ... (any one of those bands has 10s of songs that are incredibly complicated)
@@dr_jacko u black?
That explains why his music is so awful.
Glen Cambell is really great then as he was a session musician who transitioned and became arguably the greatest country guitarist live ever.
With this explanation I'm even more impressed with performers like Elvis & Janis & so many other "classic" or "old" musicians. Elvis performed 2 or 3 shows a night for WEEKS in Vegas. No auto tune, no sweetening, just pure raw talent. I'm more in awe of real talent as time goes by. We all have "off" days. Jon just had an "off" night! Love the video.
They also died before their voices had time to be wracked by age
Yeah nothing like the older bands & singers. I read a quote from Rick Wakeman where he said a friend of his told him you have to see this new band they sound great to which Rick said yep & they’ll sound the same every night his friend asked what he meant he said a lot of new bands play & sing with backing tracks & pitch correction.
Considering Janis died at 27…
What was the duration of an 'Elvis show' ?.. Around an hour or so per 'show' ?..
@@donaldcook3112 Elvis did 2 shows a night, about an hour and a half, for one month, twice a year. 3 shows sometimes on Saturday night. Tahoe, and grueling road touring in between throughout the 70's. Nobody, ever worked more than Elvis worked. I saw much of it. In the middle he did a Hawaii concert, seen by a billion and a half people via satellite in '73. He could not have lived a long life working as he did. He should not have been on stage the last year, but I saw him December '76 in Vegas, still at it with road shows ahead. And, bless his heart, all the while never turning down autographs of any of his millions of beloved fans. I have hundreds of pictures of him signing. He so loved his fans.
Fil, I want to address this to you. I've been a subscriber of yours for awhile now. I have learned much while watching your videos. You make music assessable to people like me. I really appreciate your honesty and integrity and background with all the artists you analyze with all types of music. Please keep up the great work.
Thanks for the kind words!
Yes absolutely. Fil, you’re a wealth of talent and knowledge. Love your reviews. Very chill and relaxing demeanor.
He is just like a friend you have but very knowledgeable and having a good talk/discussion with you. Great person and youtuber imo!
👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Well said!
@@niklaslundh8944
Aàaa 🔥 thanks 😊
I went to an Eagle's concert at Lake Tahoe. It was great. When they sang "In the City" Joe Walsh and someone else both missed their high note twice. They looked at each other and started laughing. On the third round , they nailed it!
What song was it?
@@lds251 You can't read?
@@mellotronn oh sorry, missed it,
I wish UA-cam had laugh reactions...lol @ comments 😆
Now Henley lip-syncs
Your insight into the challenges that vocalists face during a gruelling tour is an eye opener! I saw Bon Jovi live back in 1987 at Castle Donnington. He was , of course, superb. He even excelled while clambering up the lighting rig!! A great performance by a brilliant band. Thanks Fil for flexing your expertise. Always enjoy your videos. 😊
I saw them that year too. Remember him singing while in a flying rig out over the crowd.
I saw that show. I was stationed there while in the USAF. I remember that all day the bands were more metal. After Dio, I thought Bon Jovi would let me down. But I was impressed.
I too was at that gig and every Monster of Rock after.
Thats when they were young and full of energy..1987 was bon jovis prime
Can remember that and there being more women attending lol
What You said in the intro of this analysis video what set you apart from others on UA-cam. You are an excellent music appreciation teacher of all genre and era of music. 👍🤘 Thanks Fil
Thanks for the kind words!
Fil's an excellent teacher, no doubt about it! He's the BEST! Hope you're feeling better Drew. 🤗
@@cindypowers4993 Hi friend... I am taking each day one by one on the road to recovery. Thanks for brightening up my Friday night I hope all is okay with you. 😊💜✌
@@drewpall2598 Glad to hear that Drew! I am well, thank you! ☮️💙
"As you can tell by my hair". Lol!
Ah, you really are such a thoughtful, nice guy, Fil! This could easily have gone to a nasty place. Instead, you’re sympathetic & very informative here. Well done, Fil! Btw, I’ve met Jon & he’s also an extremely nice guy. 👍
I consider myself fortunate to have seen Bon Jovi live in his prime during the late 80's and early 90's. The power of his voice was mind blowing! You talk about voice fatigue. One of the performances I saw was in pouring rain. His voice powered through perfectly nonetheless.
It's sad that the years seem to have taken a toll on that once mighty voice of his. But it sure hasn't killed the man's passion to rock on! God bless him.
I saw him in 93, he was great. I enjoyed the show. It was good enough for the thousands of fans that night in Pensacola Florida
Wonderful video, Fil. Back in the day, I heard artists that astounded me when I heard them sing live, using limited technology: The Hollies with Graham Nash and later Crosby, Stills and Nash, Linda Ronstadt, Andy Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Liza Minelli, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Three Dog Night, Robert Plant (Led Zep, Central Park, 1969) You simply could not fake it back then...you had to be good. No digital witchcraft.
They were all great singers in their prime. Jon Bon Jovi was never close to being in their league.
@@justintime42000 Maybe, but on a good night Jon could rock your soul.
@@radiojet1429 I saw the Central Park concert live and Jon and the band did well that night.
@@justintime42000 I'm glad you had a good time. I love Central Park and the outdoor concerts I saw there.
I seen/heard Bon Jovi in the early 80's. Bon Jovi was the warm up band for Van Halen. When Van Halen came on stage, DLR made a comment that they were going to have to step it up to top that performance. I agreed, at that time I didn't even know of the band Bon Jovi . I'm 54 now, then I was only 'bout 14. How time flies on by.
I appreciate what you do. Gives us all a more appreciation of the arts. Including you as well. Brilliant!
I saw Bon Jovi open for Ratt back in the day. anybody even remember Ratt? That night no one had a clue who this Bon Jovi was but they blew Ratt off the stage. After Bon Jovi Ratt‘s performance seemed rather dull. lol lol. Spoiled we were
Is it just me or does any else like "real" live music. No miming, no auto tune, no pitch correct. Just raw music imperfections and all. If I want to listen to musicians sounding like their studio albums than I will just stay home, instead of spending loads of money on tickets, parking, food, & drink. Having to get the day off of work etc...
It's getting harder to find...But I couldn't agree more.
Omg TOTALLY agree!! If they can sing & play the instruments then go for it!! Who knows....they may improve lol Thats why losing great live performers like Stevie Ray Vaughan is even more tragic 🤘🏻
1000%
Dave Matthews Band is better live and they never do the same set list so ya never know which songs they will do. He's all about live versus studio.
Absolutely!
Great job … and so very educational! I totally want to hear my chosen artists “live” and without pitch correction. I’m quite sure Steve Perry with Journey didn’t use and many of the other 70’s rock bands DIDN’T use pitch correction! Thanks, also, for standing up for Jon and pointing out that he had probably done quite a few interviews and had not been able to rest his voice.
Unfortunately, rest or not - Jon's voice is permanently damaged.
There really isn't a good night for him anymore.
I saw Bon Jovi once. Opened for the Scorpions. They literally got boo'd off the stage.
Jon made it worse by crying "This isn't fair. We came all the way out here to play for you guys....." in a really whiney, self-entitled tone of voice.
My friend turned to me and said, "Who the h*** asked him to? We came to see the Scorpions, not this bozo!"
Some time later, I started hearing Bon Jovi on the radio. I couldn't believe it was the same band.
@@jerroldshelton9367 You should avoid Axl Rose then. It's just sad hearing the difference
I agree. I don’t know what happened to his voice. What brought it about? Is it sickness? But you can definitely hear the difference and you can see that it’s very difficult for him to sing and he now has many back up singers that they try to hide this with. Maybe if he died his hair back to brown it would help him sing.
@@serenityr943 Really bad technique that's what brought it about.
why the heck dont they stop then, he has more than enough money, explain it and call it a day.
I find all this kinda stuff fascinating. Thank you for putting these balanced reviews out there on UA-cam. What a professional.
Nice job here Wings of Pegasus. You called it down the middle my friend. Let the good times roll!
Fil, I appreciate the way you always approach these analysis videos, with tact, understanding, and transparency. Along with your breakdown skills, including situational analysis and impacts, we get to look beyond the results, whether good, bad, or ugly. Anyone who has not played live events cannot fully understand the many things that have to go right to get as close to perfect as possible, including the venue, the tech support & sound and so much more. Thank you Sir!
Over the age of 50 singers,they all sound different,some better than others,I saw Bon-Jovi in 1986 with the The Slippery When Wet Tour,and he was great,who cares if they can't do it now,they were still better then than alot of people will ever be.
And still better than anything these days
Imho Rod Stewart got better with age
@@Zach-ls1if no he didn't,he sounded great in the 70's,not so good now.
I've been a full-time acoustic solo for 30 years and at 54, I wouldn't trade todays voice for my 24 or 34 year old voice. I can hit higher notes than ever, have a nice rasp to sing CCR, Springsteen, Rod Stewart stuff and a deeper, fuller bottom end...and my vibrato happens effortlessly and automatic where I used to force it. I play 4 hour+ high energy gigs and during the Summer I play over 100 gigs in a row without a day off and sometimes twice a day. Anyway, not bragging as I'm no one famous but I hate when people thing that you just "lose" your voice after a certain age. Depends on your overall health and habits, lifestyle etc. In my experience weed and beer seem to help lol
@@timzauto I didn’t mean better now, but through the decades after the 70’s. Of course this is matter of opinion, and also he covered more material in the 2000’s than ever, so we got exposed to more of his voice. Anyhow, great voice in the 70’s and still a great voice.
As always, thank you for the musical education. And, more importantly, your kindness. From all accounts, Jon Bon Jovi is a good and giving human. No one wants to be remembered for the moments when their voices failed them.
Steve Miller's comments about the RRHOF (2016 induction) Give him a listen. A cut and paste. When asked to elaborate on his criticisms, he revealed that the whole induction process is "unpleasant" and said "they need to respect the artists they say they’re honoring, which they don't."
Steve Miller really ripped RRHOF a new one that night! It should be re - named The Rock & Roll Hall Of Fraud!
@@markmiwurdz202 ...well you have Janet Jackson in the HOF ...but not Badfinger ??
@@marksc1929 Or Mark Farner and Ted Nugent, I wonder why?
@Sick Squid Or Little Feat, or Blue Oyster Cult? Two bands who have been around for 50 years (or nearing for BOC). The powers - that - be at RRHOF are clueless!
@@sicksquid3258 Nugent doesn't fit their narrative.
Fil, a lot of the comments are mentioning old singers needing to give up, which makes me think of the new ABBA album. The vocals by the ladies in their seventies sound not only powerful and accurate, but also very natural to my ears. Particularly the track Bumblebee. Any chance of an analysis? If pitch correction is being used, then it's very good, I'd be fascinated in your findings
I used to work next to an amp repair tech that used "dancing Queen" as his test song. Nothing else, ever. I had to hear it incessantly every day. This is why I think that ABBA should have quit in 1975, and tried for crimes against humanity...
😂
Joni Mitchell wrote and performed Clouds when she was a teenager. It was brilliant but her performance of the same song in her 60s was sublime.
@@pamwatson5905 and Bowie's Blackstar album could only have been sung by a dying man of his age.
That is because ABBA is ABBA not have ever needed autotune crap they just sing naturally good
As a Monitor Sound Engineer for live sound I would also like to add that his pitch problem may have been related a monitor mix problem. It is critical that singers hear themselves at a comfortable level and that they can hear the band mix well for pitch cues. A poor monitor mix can ruin a singers performance. That may be in part what happened at this performance. In addition, as singers get older and have fried their ears from years of listening to loud monitors it can be difficult for them to sing on pitch even with a great monitor mix. Not saying the Bon Jovi has hearing problems but if I were a betting man I would bet that his ears are compromised.
I love my personal monitor. I can turn up any vocalist or instrument in my ear buds as I need to. I use the tar out of it for individual songs.
I was on stage as a drummer and my monitor wasn't on first song..I couldn't hear anything..was a disaster...
Although what you say is 100% true and a good live mix/monitor mix can definitely make a great band sound terrible, that's 100% not what's going on with Jon's voice.
He's mainly deaf
WHAT??? sry cant hear you@@1manshtshowandautobodystuf891
I do love your work - it is a fantastic insight into not only the processes themselves but also where and when they are helpful. I still would love to see someone such as Pavarotti singing, say, Nessun Dorma. This is not just about whether he hits the notes, or perhaps rather how quickly he hits the notes, but, given the software you use, it would fascinating to see what makes his signing voice so special. Your comments would be incredibly helpful. Thanks again for your work.
The hardest part of a singers career is knowing when to stop.
So true. If they don't get it, then somebody needs to tell them.
Case in point: Paul McCartney.
It's hard to tell someone to hand over the car keys because they shouldn't drive anymore, ...or sing......
@@micheladonofrio2285 Whenever I have this same discussion with someone, I use McCartney as the perfect example. He had perfect pitch way back when, but he's absolutely cringe worthy now. Actually for at least 15 years. Remember seeing him on SNL 10 - 20 years ago, and it was painful. That's how awful he was, sad to say.
@@micheladonofrio2285
I like Paul’s newest.
Yes, he’s older, and his vocals aren’t the same as back in his heyday, but what he’s doing now may be a different vocal attack from what your ears want to hear, but it’s still good art.
That’s not the case. Bruce is way older than him. And there are others. It’s just he was never good.
That was very interesting and once again I learned more about music in one of your videos then I have in my entire life. Thank you for sharing.
I think you’ve been very fair to all the artists you’ve analyzed, as you intended. Thank you.
I love this guy, he has been my music hero since the day I saw him in concert in Detroit singing Dead or Alive in 1986 . He has brought a lot of joy to my life. Thanks John !!!
Was signed to an independent label in Manhattan, mid 80s. Guess about '86. I wanted to increase my range to belt out higher notes. Reluctantly (my falsetto got a lot of attention) my manager sent me to a vocal coach. Several times in a short period my classes were canceled. While venting about it to another student i learned that our coach had been flying out to different cities around the country. Apparently, one of his students was playing stadiums for the first time and was having some difficulties. A few months later i arrived a bit early for my class and the previous student was just leaving. Ripped jeans, shaggy blond hair. Ahhh! It all suddenly added up.
I have a hunch that even Jon himself wouldn't consider his singing extraordinary. I believe he was more about getting up on stage, rockin' out, singing songs about working class life and entertaining the masses. Sure, he can sing a song. He's great looking, has undeniable charisma, is an excellent front man, the girls go wild over him and he's non-threatening to men. He had a dream and he went for it. What's not to like?
you brought my Thougts to words, thx for that. Besides him beeing an passioned hard working man, not easy for his go along Bandpeople i bet, but that isnt something some is to blame for.
Very well said❤
He can't even sing the song though anymore
@@popland1977 Most people could never have sung it in the first place.
He's 60 and that's what happens to our voices as we age,
he's still great.
@@fourthtunz Huh? Are you off your rocker? Check out Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple fame. He's almost 70 and his vocals are killer live. Age is just a number. Jon can't sing live any more.
Paul here (not my wife).
I had a similar experience - less about the trials & tribulations (advantages/disadvantages) of being 'popular', but an up lifting musical chat. Meeting John Lord (& his mate George Harrison - gob smacked of course) in a bar in a Swiss Ski resort - mid 1980s, late night in a 'jazz' wine bar (which the live 3 piece jazz band initially attracted me in). No one else there in the bar.
George was getting up & leaving (as i was being introduced by the bar tender- blow me down), but non the less, got to shake his hand. John on the other hand, was still finishing up hes drink, and was graceful enough to acknowledge me, allow me to sit & chat.
WHAT DO I SAY ????....He asked me what i did, & i said naturally, "im a musician (too) - & LOVE your work. Get this ....he asked me straight up - "ARE YOU BRILLIANT" ? ie; he's bored already - wants to go to bed. I said - "YES, POTENTIALLY". That (some how) worked, got he's attention, he stayed - bought me a drink, and we had a wonderful chat of life's opportunities, and how precious their are.
I put it to him that he - AS WELL AS ME, had all the given natural gifts & talents to obviously be a fantastic keyboard player/musician/composer (im a drummer/guitarist), BUT - he was in the right place, at the right time.....NOT ME (physically, & mentally) ! = A blessed timing opportunity (weather one realizes it or not) of that blessing. He bought me another drink, as it interested him of my journey, over his journey.
Nothing came of it of course...he, as me, were both tired (from skiing). BUT - what a moment to meet (one of your) musical heroes, and have a normal engaged chat. No (phone) cameras back then, and it never occurred to me to bug him for a 'selfie'. So i only have this fading memory of an encounter with a famous person ! It wasn't a dream.
What a great story!!!!🔥
Very cool memory!
Hey Fil, I'd be really interested to hear your Pitch analysis of Patsy Kline singing almost anything. She's such a great example of expressive and musical application of non diatonic tones. She slides around all over the place and it sounds great, but may look disordered on screen.
Whaddaya think?
God I love her. Never really occurred to me that she used glissandos all over the place but now you say it I realise how true that is. I’ll never unhear it now. 🧐
I do love this channel. You’re so good at what you do, and your delivery is stellar. Well done on this channel.
In Bon Jovi's defense; it is now learned that he had an issue with his vocal chords after years of singing. He needed sugery. I know this was probably posted years before anyone knew....
I agree amigo.
So true. He sounds pretty good on his new album.
It's crazy how much music integrity we've lost over the years. Respect to Bon Jovi for going out there and doing it honest.
werd
Maybe I'm missing something but what was honest?
Honest? Lmao.
I'm so glad you talked about vocal rest and exhaustion and the challenges of touring and interviews. It's clear listening to him that he was tired.
I guess there's an implication that it's improper to use vocal modification software in live performances. The reality is that the voice has been modified since the introduction of electronics, and before that, in the acoustic design of performance venues. This is why opera singers sing the way they do to be clearly heard in an opera house or concert hall above an orchestra - because they (usually) don't use amplification because they're representing the raw voice and a time where that was the only option. The formants in opera singers have harmonics way above instruments. The introduction of the microphone and amplification allowed singers to sing very differently because they didn't have to compete with their accompaniment and fill a room with their voice and that dramatically changed popular music.
In the end, it's about entertainment and creating good music. We can admire perfect spectacular singing and also musical artistry that moves us. After all, that's the purpose of music. The lines are blurring and perhaps that's okay. It's not all about athleticism. It's only an issue if an artist is misrepresenting themselves.
Love your channel❤You absolutely did this in the most loving & classy way. 👏 ❤Some of our youth do not realize how manipulated some of their favorite artist have been. There seems to be a massive abuse of autotune & voice manipulation, which is not true music in my opinion, but what do I know🤔?
I've never been much of a Bon Jovi fan, but I have heard about his vocal struggles in more recent years. In all fairness, this is a natural struggle for most people. You can't expect them to sound the same decades later. Unfortunately, Autotune and Pitch Correction are a standard part of audio production. Old School singers have had to give into this because their imperfections wouldn't be considered marketable. I prefer to hear the human side, blemishes and all. Great upload, great analysis!
Good analysis. Jon always was at the very top of his range on that early Bon Jovi stuff. He cannot do this anymore, and there's no shame in that. He's an old man now. It happens to us all.
Thanks, I've watched a fair amount of your channel over the years! I agree, given that most young singers can't nail Bon Jovi songs live, continuing in the same key is tough for anyone. Add in the advancing years, touring, smoking (!) they all take their toll. It must be tough for Jon, he obviously still wants to do it all live which is very commendable. I'd probably make him take it all down a tone and spread the shows out a lot!
He’s older, I agree, but calling him ‘an old man’ is a bit rough! He’ s 59, not 80! 😁
There are a lot of old singers like John Farnham, Steven Tyler, Glen Hughes, Michael Kiske or Mickey Thomas who still sings great. They simply sing with a much better vocal technique than Jon. Jon switched coach after the New Jersey tour (1990). There his decline started. He started using more mask and less support making his voice weaker and pinchier. There he lost the guts in his voice.
@@mariabromwich8897 I’m 59 and I’m old! No shame in being old. You should be so lucky!
@@mariabromwich8897 I am 50 and my husband is 51. We openly admit that we're old. We simply do not have the same energy as we did when we are twenties and thirties. There is no shame in admitting that. He is a 59. He couldn't handle the activities of the day and sing the way he normally does live. When he was younger, it would have been no problem. Now, it's easier to get worn out. That's just how life is
We all age. With age comes change. This man should be honored for the charitable work he is doing after having a fabulous music career.
I don’t know how many thousands of shows he’s done. I saw him, he was great in 93. I don’t know when ur voice ages. He doesn’t have anymore, I can accept that. He could sing live when he was a recording and touring star. Was he considered the greatest singer, I don’t think so. But he pleased many fans, and I don’t ever think he was a lip sync. Thanks for the music I enjoyed Mr Bon Jovi
I enjoy the "imperfections" in a live performance. The music sounds natural and conveys emotion better in my opinion.
Totally agree
Not this many though! For once the pitch corrected version sounded better IMHO.
I agree . Thats what makes every individual performance unique to the listener . The fact that he wasn`t pitch perfect compared to a production recorded version is the value in purchasing a live performance ticket . It`s the soul capturing of the moment and the listeners experience of that moment that makes it special and sets it apart from any other live perfomance of the same song on a different night . That`s what live should be . Any auto/pitch corection live ; then just stay home and listen to the CD . Besides John still sounded pretty good even if some notes were a half tone off ; Any singer would take that live all day long .
Small imperfections are fine but, Jon was so far off it was painful to my ears.
@@don7294 agreed. That wasn't expressive, it was out of tune.
I stumbled on this channel. I love it! Very original honest unbiased content! It shows music has many cheat codes. But we know who the real artists are! Keep the music going!
Love to see you analyze the various voice stylings of Paul McCartney. His range was amazing from Lady Madonna to Here,There & Everywhere.
Saw Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers 4 times and every single time they sounded even better live
Saw Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers 4 or 5 times myself, and can attest to that in every way...✌️
I saw them only once, but it was later in Tom’s life, and he sounded wonderful! Tom had a very easy, sustainable singing style, though.
@@kelleyforeman you are spot on. I love Tom and cover his songs regularly. JBJ had a much more demanding and athletic style which would be much more prone to fail under pressure or due to age.
Saw Tom live 3 times and I agree!
Judas Priest was another band that sounded better live too.
Cool story but they don’t have a song in their catalogue which takes the stamina required to sing parts like the chorus to Living On A Prayer.
Fil, you are a true gentlemen! You are always very considerate with all of the talents that you analyze. I agree with several people who commented that anyone, if you sing long enough, can have an off day or for some an off week. We all age differently and so do our voices. I also agree with the people that commented on ELVIS and JANIS JOPLIN. Sadly, neither of them really had to face the hands of time. They did not have the opportunity! But in my heart of hearts, I truely believe that both of their voices would have endured a full lifetime. ELVIS sometimes would do 2 shows in the morning and maybe one longer one at night when he was in Vegas. Heavens, that would kill anybody! I loved them both! I think that ELVIS still sounded good throughout 1976. I can't bring myself to watch anything from 1977. He still sounded good but looked like he was in so much pain. However, I believe that ELVIS, given the opportunity, would never have wanted his voice altered in anyway. I actually wish that auto tune or anything that would take away the authenticity of any voice had never been invented. A beautiful song or voice is a GOD given talent and it almost feels like an imitation or a little cheat when auto tune or improvements are made. As always Fil, you are always spot on and I really enjoy your very authentic reactions. Stay true, we all love you!
I like how this guy is so fair and explains why Jon is out. I would consider myself blessed if i had a few friends like him.
Really admire how Fil can accurately describe something; ie auto tune, almost pulling the words out of thin air , to make something easy to understand.
JBJ has been struggling with those notes for the better part of 25 years now -- this is not a new development. But, he always had Richie Sambora to help him out when he was having a rough night -- until recently, that is, since Richie has left the band. And the not-so-big secret is that Richie was actually the better vocalist. Soulful with great range, and great harmonies. There's nobody in the band now that has as strong of a voice to back Jon up and it shows.
Have you heard Phil X sing ??? .. he's a better singer than the two of them put together .. with all due respect 🤷♂️
@@alexhowatson I've only heard Phil X live with Bon Jovi and his voice is either buried in the mix or just it's just not that apparent. Or maybe he's just not a good vocal compliment for Jon. I'll have to check out some of Phil's other stuff. With Richie, it's almost a Michael Anthony situation - - you don't realize how much he brings until he's gone.
without Richie they are not the same and not as good.
Nah. 2010-2013 he was ok. 2014 something happened. 2019-21 be can't sing anymore.
@@ticatcrash Yeah, something happened around that time, alright -- Richie left the band. Like I said, Richie and Jon complimented each other exceptionally in the vocal department to point where you sometimes couldn't tell them apart. Which was great when Jon was having a bad night. Once Richie was gone, it was laid bare just how bad Jon's voice had gotten over the years. It didn't happen overnight but if you look around, you'll find that Jon was already avoiding a lot of those high notes in the mid-90's.
Your explanation is well said and spot on. Bon Jovi along with other greats are destroying their legacy, probably because, nobody is telling them that they are terrible now. These singers like John were a great source of inspiration and I looked forward to a exciting future, but now they do the complete opposite and I cringe and get depressed at what happens when you get old. I don’t think, wow it’s inspirational that John and other old singers are still doing what they love, its like watching my grandpa up there and it’s weird. It’s very depressing to me, I can’t watch these guys anymore.
Appreciate what you're doing -- removing the smoke and mirrors dividing unaltered human voices from digitally altered ones.
Jon Bon Jovi will be remembered for the songs he wrote and how he performed them, not for being a great singer.
But he WAS a fantastic singer
Agreed. I was never very impressed by his singing. Certainly not one of the greats. Great frontman, yes. Great vocalist, no. Put him alongside Pail Rogers, Chris Cornell (RIP) or Sammy Hagar in his prime - JBJ wasn’t close. I don’t really buy the excuses on his behalf. I’ve heard other performances where he falls very flat. If the pre-performance talking is the cause, then it suggests a lack of professionalism to me. The great singers in their later years generally prioritise their vocal condition/performance above the media circus.
@@edwardjons8684 Richie was THE singer in the group. Saw him perform Stranger in this Town in a small venue in Red Bank, Nj - Wow!! Incredible experience
@@amagickalmeliss ..Richie covered a LOT of the high notes once Jon could no longer hit them. Now Jon just points the mic at the audience to let them cover it.....Richie's not a bad "scratch" guitar player either :-)
And, for being ridiculously hot.
Great analysis. Thank you for explaining the situation regarding the strain on an inductees vocal chords, it made a huge difference for me to understand that.
The real truth is that many artists aren't as good live (or were ever good live) than they are in the studio. Studio tracks are many takes and you're creating a record for a lifetime of listening. It has to be treated that way. Live performances should reflect the meaning and attitude of the song and don't need to be perfect or close to perfect. Especially from artists that are 40 years into their career and aging like we all do...
Elvis Presley aside
I've seen many concerts in the past 40 years (John Denver, Elton John, Cliff Richard, America, The Police, Demis Roussos, Fleetwood Mac, Don McLean, The Jackson 5, Gene Pitney, and many more - some multiple times) and every performance has sounded as great as their records.
Going to concerts costs a fortune these days so it'd be an insult for the artist to pretend.
Where there is talent there's ability to perform live.
I've seen him live 3 times - his voice has severely deteriorated in the last few years. Back in the day, he sounded as good as the recordings. Richie has always been my fave but I can admit he sounds better doing back up vocals than he does taking the lead, so I'm not being unfairly biased. Jon needs to retire.
JBJ was very consistent, live, for many, many years. Sounded as good, live, as the original recording.
jon was good live, hes killed his voice. He needs to get some vocal therapy if he wants to carry on. Man be struggling its a shame to see/hear.
The chorus for Livin’ on a Prayer, Jon hasn’t sung the ‘response’ half live for years, even 20+ years ago on that part of the chorus he always held the mic out to the crowd. Obviously at RnR HOF they used the backing track to fill that space because the crowd wouldn’t have been anywhere near the size that Bon Jovi play to on an actual tour date. I think I heard somewhere he wore his voice down or completely blew it out back in the late 80s/early 90s and made the decision not to sing those high belts anymore?
I also noticed he tends to miss the first word of a line, it’s very obvious on the first verse of YGLABN he was skipping the first word on every line.
I have no technical knowledge of music but I find your analyses so interesting and I am learning a lot! Thank you!
People really need to get off this notion that the human voice is supposed to be perfect at any and all time. The overuse of autotune and pitch correction by the industry have only exacerbated this notion with listener. Not to mention it puts undue pressure on singers themselves for no good reason.
I agree with your point 💯%
@@bring-out
Yes it is. If all recordings done in the studio, carried, let's say, a world recognised logo which signified that the recording had been tuned manually or auto - then maybe, a number of people wouldn't expect perfection at a live gig.
I do think though, that the majority of people know that a live performance will not be the same as an official recording.
@@chrissymoss514 But since they can't say why they really don't know at all. Knowing a thing is being able to explain it to someone else. most people can only say it don't sound right.
@@msb8013
Very true, I hadn't thought of that. But, maybe, having the "logo", denoting auto tune has been used, would indeed indicate to those people that there must be a difference 🤷♀️
@@chrissymoss514 maybe then it would lose meaning like free range or organic. It's a good idea.
John can’t hit the high notes for years, not much to do with interviews. His voice just endured a lot of wear and tear during the years, it is what it is.
Absolutely agree also the voice tends to deepen a bit as you age.
Range is not a main problem in Jon's case. Breathing is. And also his tone is f up now. He can't control his voice. In fact, the quality of his high tones are better than singing plain simple mid/low voice line.
How about Tom Jones' voice then? Or Dolly Parton's, Barbra Streisandt's? Genetics? Better technique? Less booze?
@@arturama8581 saw Tom Jones very recently, his voice is very fit for a man his age, yes it’s altered slightly but he has adapted how he performs to sound almost like he did 40, 50years ago. Rod Stewart is another good performer who has adapted well. What Fil has said is spot on mind, vocal fatigue will play a big part in any performance.
Maybe he should quit smoking
In lots of videos I'm not positive I hear the differences you are pointing out with the graphics. This time, I could immediately hear the difference.
I've learned a lot from your videos. Thank you.
Good stuff my man. Thanks for keeping it real and not covering for musicians just because you like them.
These videos are showing that these technologies, although often overused, can have benefits. The correction here has been well done, as Fil says. And whilst it can often remove expression to the detriment of the song, here the corrected version sounds much better. These tools can be used well, and this is an example.
Perfect analysis, as always , Fil !!!! Thank you so much for all you do 🎵🎶🎶🎵🎶🎵🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟You rock !!!!👍😁🌟❤️
You shouldn't feel bad Phil, you want to Hear Jon knock it out of the park, youre routing for him that he does.... the song is what 35 years old.... Jon had always sang at the top of his voice, blown it out, kept pounding on it night after night for about 4 decades... he got caught lip syncing awhile back and stopped doing it.. it's nice to know he's still trying to be honest with the fans. I'd like to think the pitch correction was the doing of the Hall and not a request of Jon's...the entire night was probably pitch corrected for its TV release.
Growing up I was a huge Bon Jovi fan went to several concerts the whole bit... but it was because I liked Bon Jovi..n most of the bands songs...but I never really thought that jon had a wonderful or exceptional vocal voice. He's ok.. there's better there's worse. He just worked well in the band BC the ladies LOVED HIM. 😏👍 still do love him! BC he's a good person hubby dad... Is BEAUTIFUL. THAT SMILE ALWAYS GETS ME !!!! He's quite a man of class in his later years here.
exactly agree
@@ltejle 🎀👍
Richie sang far better than Jon ever did. What Jon had was incredible stage presence and charisma. A true frontman and the songs he wrote were unmatched. Richie was so boring on his own but fit perfectly next to Jon.
Fantastic review and tutorial Fil. MUCH appreciated. The ‘industry’ as a whole..is madness for a musician/vocalist to say the least. “Thanks” for the complex explanations of how the game’s played brother..Play on!
I like to look back to the 80s when Bon Jovi made their arrival. And dancing away to living on a prayer at my local nightspot. Great memories.
This is THE example I’d give a non-musician to do an eyes closed test. I, personally, believe a casual listener could distinguish the two on this one.
Absolutely. These two are completely different.
Casual listener here, can't tell the difference 😂 I can see it in the waveforms, as there's the visible lines to compare it to, but still can't hear the difference. It's like my brain immediately forgets what it just heard when the other version starts 😆
I did hear it in the video where Fil autotuned Freddie Mercury, but only when the effect was immediate. The more subtle versions are just too subtle for me. I need to really know a song so well that I know exactly what to expect, only then can I tell if something's off.
@@durabelle Admire the honesty 😂. Interesting point of bouncing between the two, but try closing your eyes on just the first example he plays. I do wonder if I’d have any clue prior to picking up guitar and vocals 15 years ago ha. Bon Jovi’s still a legend in my book!
Definitely agree.
You’re a good egg. Thanks for the honest assessment. Seen Bon Jovi live twice and it was an amazing experience. To paraphrase the post below, they always have passion.
Well explained, and so true. I appreciate your empathy.
Interesting stuff. I'm not a fan of Bon Jovi, but recognize their talent. When I was still gigging with an original music group, we as a band always made sure we stayed the whole night, made sure we encouraged our fellow local acts as well as the traveling bands, applauding after every song, not because we necessarily LIKED everyone's songs, but appreciated their efforts and recognized their talent even if we didn't sync musically. For context, we were an Americana Rock band heavily influenced by Punk and Progressive Rock (weird, I know) and mostly played shows with Metal bands and Alternative bands with wide-ranging sounds/styles. There needs to be less unhealthy competition (as opposed to healthy competition) and more camaraderie with musicians, especially in the original music space.
I was in a band for a while and it was a band rule that we showed early and encouraged the acts that came before us and we stayed after to encourage those that came after. We were never thanked or even acknowledged. and that's fine, it was just supporting others who are willing to get up there and give it a go.
@@diegooland1261 that's great! I'll thank you 👍👏
Great comment! I was just talking to my cousin in another state who is also a musician... We were talking about how caustic a LOT of musicians are nowadays... Very little camaraderie and a LOT sniping... Petty shit and jealousy really.... Terrible...
I am not a musician. I have no perfect pitch, or even a sense of rhythm, but i love how you break things down. I don't know why anyone would want pitch correction. To me this is like using a photograph to correct the works of Leonardo.
One thing that we must remember. We usually don’t know the singer’s personal lifestyle. Have they been heavy smokers, did they use drugs, did they drink a lot of alcohol, did they spend a lot of time singing in a range that was stretching their vocal cords to the max, did they develop sinus/allergies or other medical issue? Or, did they spend their career taking care of their vocal cords? Seeing specialists to make sure they were the recommended care by their vocal coaches?
Whitney Houston was one of the most amazing vocalists. So was Mariah Carey (though I didn’t like her style). By what I understand they both smoked and Whitney used drugs. With that lifestyle they lost some of their range. A God given gift to not take the utmost care to maintain. I am amazed Steven Tyler can still hit some of the notes - but is he?
This is so difficult to really address properly. And I think you do it really well. There are many factors to take in, when trying to assess someone's vocal performance. Fatigue and especially what the actual stage volume is going to be like, is the most important factors. I cannot tell you how many times, I have tried to sing well in a "too" loud setting and been too sharp, or been in a situation where I have been too fatigued and been too flat, to sing well enough for my own liking, or even anyone elses taste for that matter. Just think about how terrible it must be, to be as well known as Jon Bon Jovi, and not be able to actually do well enough to be pleased yourself.
I have been to enough Bon Jovi shows to know, that Jon does not really care too much himself about correcting pitch. The idea, that live performances cannot be autotuned, is in this day and age ridiculous, it is the easiest thing in the world. Never have I ever been to a Bon Jovi show, where he, or the band, was in any way, shape or form autotuned. Actually it seems like he takes great pride in sucking with style when he just can't cut it (because of fatigue), or humorously when the monitoring is sub par.
The funny thing about Jon Bon Jovi is, that no matter how good or bad his pipes are, on any give night, his performance is really much more, than "just" the vocal performance.
I was at what objectively would be a terrible show here in Denmark, where Bon Jovi was headlining with Def Leppard as the supporting act. And you can ask anyone who sang the best, and they would say Def Leppard, but no matter what, as soon as Jon walked on stage, he electrified the audience, and not a single person cared whether or not he was able to sing well enough, which he didn't, it was like as if he had a terrible cold (which he likely did). But even then, literally within the first 2 minutes, he had the entire venue worshipping his every move, out of tune, fatigued or not. While Def Leppard had been trying their best to even be noticed on stage, in comparison of course.
So what some TV executive decides to do, should not reflect poorly on Jon, and really, neither should a fatigued voice or bad monitoring do either. However I don't believe any good singer can blame bad monitoring, for being too flat, he must have been too fatigued for the producers liking, which is too bad, but absolutely natural in a setting like that. And I am 100% sure he did not ask to be pitch corrected, although someone definitely did do some pitch correction.
I agree. I was at an open air Bon Jovi concert in Sydney where it hailed and rained and Jon performed for 2.5 hours because the fans stayed in the rain...best concert ever..no one cared if his pitch was off...lol we were all singing off key with him anyway standing in the mud and loving it. The 2 support acts pulled out but Jon and his band slayed it.
You are incredibly knowledgeable...Your analysis is so appreciated. Thank you!
Jon Bon Jovi has absolutely LOST HIS VOICE! Whatever the technical term is does not negate the fact that he’s struggling during every song he sings! Anyone with hearing knows this! I honestly believe that the attempt to have Richie Sambora rejoin the group is a diversion to take the focus temporarily away from Jon’s vocal issues! It’s very sad but, I would say it’s time for Bon Jovi to “hang it up” unless there is some way to resolve his vocal problem!
Yea, I agree.
One of the greatest voices ever in rock is gone. I was shocked last time I saw them. I do believe bringing richie back might help, I don’t hate auto tune for an aging performer , like Brian Wilson in 2012 tour. Loved seeing him and why would you want him to struggle and be embarrassed as he is a genius and if he needed a little help , I’m ok with that.
Maybe it's time but, he could be having vocal problems, lymph node problems, ect. Or a cold or allergies. Sore throat.
I would not write him off just yet.
singers always have off performances or vocal problems. age does not matter.
@@DianeLake-sw3ym Age does matter; voices change. Female mezzo-sopranos become contraltos and male tenors become baritones. Listen to some of the older singers who just can't seem to reach 'those' notes anymore.
He can't get out of the machine 😢
There are rock singers Jon's age whose voices are still in excellent shape, take Tommy Shaw from Styx or Joseph Williams from Toto for example. Jon never had a good vocal technique, which coupled with smoking since the early 90s and near-constant touring from 1985 onward has absolutely shredded his voice.
As a singer for close to 50 years I have definitely noted changes in my pitch control, range, and endurance.
I have had to adjust and reinvent how I sing. The difference is that the pros have a body of work that they are outliving and nature will not allow them to continue to sing their catalogue the way they're used to so they turn to the available technology for help. I can get away with changing a key or skating around a note....they don't have that luxury.
Well said. And wise insight.
Excellent analysis as always. I would add to the fact that Jon is at the age, 59, where he is slowly starting to lose strength in a lot of aspects, which includes his hearing and his voice. His voice isn't quite where it used to be. It is slowly going downhill. I enjoy Bon Jovi and hope they can go a few more years before Jon can't perform anymore. I'm 49 and see differences in what I used to be able to do in the military, U.S. Army, back in my early 20s versus what I am still able to do now while I still serve. Jon's differences are going to be that much bigger at 59. I wish him the best and hope all goes well for him and the band. They truly are legends and deserve their fame and fortune.
Ehem Rob Halford's older by 10 years. Eric Adams hits high notes with ease. Bruce Dickinson? So....
@@summerrose1545, you fail to understand where I am coming from. I'm nearly done with my 2nd Master's degree in Psychology, more specifically Applied Behavior Analysis. Which includes multiple courses in human development across the life span, from conception to death. This goes over the different stages of life for people and among other things, the age range at which they start to lose their abilities. I also have 10 years in piano training, 7 years in the trombone, and well over two dozen years in being vocally coached and practice. I hear when people are not at their best. I hear the sharps, flats , weak notes, strong notes, etc. I've been trained in it. my piano teacher didn't like the fact that I can play by ear as well as reading the notes. I promise you, What I said was accurate and I stand by it. Not every person ages or loses their ability at the same rate or time frame. That's why there is an age range. People typically start losing their ability in their 50s. Some people don't lose much of it until they hit even their 70s. Not only that, but the majority of it depends on how well you take care of your voice and yourself. Steve Perry still sings well, but he's not where he used to be, neither is Jon Bon Jovi, Phil Collins, Geoff Tate, etc. None of them are in their prime anymore and you can hear it in their voices, well at least I can. These other guys are probably the exception as there are usually exceptions to the rule, Rob Halford, etc. How do you know Eric Adams hits his high notes with ease? Unless you have my kind of musical training, you probably wouldn't unless he says so. Even then, it can be hard to tell if they are having an easy time hitting the high note. A great example is myself. People keep mentioning how hitting the high note in "Dream On" by Aerosmith is hard. I get to argue that point because I can hit it easily without warming up. The point being that whether or not someone can hit a high note easily is subject to opinion. Only the person singing it knows for sure. Another example is "Carry on My Wayward Son" by Kansas. People tend to think that hitting the high note in it is hard. Singing the song in the original key is kind of hard, but the high note is relatively easy compared to the rest of the song. In the end you can make assumptions, but you really don't know. Being trained in music can help give you a better idea, which is where I am coming from. Thanks for playing though.
@@galenblack8321 ok thanks I guess. Agreeing on every individual's different. I guess I can still live with voice degradation as that is not a choice anyone wants to take but the songing out of tune....urrmmmm IDK. But yeah I agree with most you have typed, thanks.
@@summerrose1545, no worries, I wouldn't be true to what I know if I didn't agree on everyone being different. voice degradation happens. There's no stopping it, unfortunately. I wish there was a way around it, but there's not. Professionals don't usually sing out of tune. Mostly it is because of all the hard work and practice they put in.
Spot-on, chap!
Love your work, Fil 🤘❤
Out of the 1000 or so live shows I've seen, only a handful of them had spot-on vocals... back in the day. These days, if they're actually singing live at all, it's a bonus. I've seen Bon Jovi a number of times in different venues, and they were always a tight act. The older you get, the harder it is to sing, especially for males (from hair bands). Add interview after interview, show after show, and your pipes are thrashed. I'm sure they chose to correct this in post well before the performance happened. Since he was so off, auto-tune would have completely destroyed his vocals live. His choice to sing live is an integrity move! Cheers!
Spot-on analysis Fil!!! Keep up the great work!!!!
Thats because they don’t know how to properly preserve their voices. Vocal coach Ken Tamplin explains exactly why this happens with so many vocalists and how they could have avoided the damage.
I've been to many c9ncerts and only a few where trash live. And I started going in the early 80s, the last one was ZZ Top's 50th anniversary and they were pretty awesome. Opening act was Cheap Trick, they had sound issues when the sound was up they were very good.
You can't expect perfection but you should expect the to at least be on key and actually live instead of using sampling or autotune .
My father had an incredible tenor voice, but over time, he was missing the notes. It was grueling for me, because I didn't understand why. So now he is almost completely deaf and now I know what was going on. Jon is now in the age group where hearing is effected. Sad, but it could be hearing as well as vocal cords completely fatigued.
That maybe, but also a number of rock bands have detuned by a a half step to make things easier and meatier. Since it's apparently exactly 1/2 step off it could be that is the case and by this time he is "programmed mentally" to repeat that. Or maybe it's the old " the sound man can make you or break you" and his monitor mix was not good for him. Rock on John !
@@labelzmusicchannel9270 half a tone drop on guitar is no big deal, but much harder on pichted clean vocals...that chest / headvoice bridge note...
That’s exactly what I was thinking. I’ve heard many singers have the same issue with finding the notes. It didn’t seem as much he couldn’t get up there as he couldn’t tell where to go. I’m wearing $10K worth of hearing aids, but on a bad day I can’t tell Rick James from Earth Wind And Fire!
After watching a pile of your videos, I finally did it! I was able to differentiate between the pitch corrected version & the actual version. I’m getting there. Thank you for informative videos.
Cool!
I can't imagine singing night after night on tour even with a few days gap in between. How hard it must be.
Must be a difficult thing for a successful artist to lose a good amount of his/her ability to perform. I grew up in the era when Bon Jovi were at their biggest (graduated HS in 88). I was into most hard rock/hair metal bands, but they weren't one of my favorites. Nothing against them, but they were a bit pop for my taste. I believe he's been struggling with his voice for several years now. I saw a video a few years back in which he was attending a wedding as a guest and the wedding band was doing a cover of Living on a Prayer. They hounded him to come up and sing alongside the female singer. He was very reluctant, but probably didn't want to come across as a tool, so he obliged them. It was pretty rough. Hard not to feel for him because by all accounts I have ever heard, JBJ is a very good guy.
Raise all the hopes of everyone you see. phil you are the gentleman of the business & encourage the best performance from everyone you see, meet & & hear.
I just hope he’s ok ! I went to see him in Tampa this year and it was obvious he was struggling with his voice but honestly It didn’t matter it was still Amazing to see him live after 35 years ❤ I will always love Bon Jovi I just hope he’s ok !
Hello Tricia how are you doing today?
Once again, I was thoroughly entertained by this video! I always learn so much from you. When you said that live bands these days use a lot of this technology and you "rarely" will hear the real deal, that was pretty shocking to me. I think that's a shame, really, for younger audiences. Autotune and pitch correction are sort of the audio equivalent of a hologram, aren't they? What you're hearing isn't really there. It's not real. I remember back in the day, you'd be humiliated and drummed right out of the industry if you dared try to fake something live or otherwise. I've gotta say, I liked it that way. So thank you, Fil, for another eye opening video!
Just watched the 4-part Jon Bon Jovi series on one of the streaming services (in Australia) - I want to say Disney+ but could have been Amazon Prime. It covers this period I think. It must be very hard and emotionally very challenging when the thing you've relied on and have been known for for so long starts to let you down.
According to the series, it was vocal cord atrophy I think, which happens as we age. I'm pretty sure this hall of fame moment was before his corrective surgery, while he was struggling with it. Which would explain the vocal fatigue, which is a symptom (along with reduced volume and some other things).
To be honest, I was never really into Bon Jovi, though I liked a couple of their songs, but I really appreciate your thoughtful and considerate approach to this analysis Fil. In my opinion it took real guts for Jon to get up there knowing his voice wasn't really up to it, and still manage a decent approximation to the song.
Bon Jovi's appearance on Oprah is something that should have kept them out of the R&R Hall Of Fame lol
I'm a big fan of Bon Jovi not only as an artist, but as a wonderful human being. I appreciated he wants to be transparent in his singing. I think he's lost a lot of his vocal range due to all the years of touring, and the fact he is aging. I'm still going to love him. Good or bad. Thank you for the analysis.
Fil, you so rock, man. I write, sing, and play (since '76, gawd I'm old), and am still learning, every day, about theory, tech advancements, perfectionism, arrangement, patience, and everything music.
You and your channel are amazing!
Liked, subbed, and spreading the word.
Peace!
Got to remember Jon was having vocal issues during the New Jersey era and Richie helped out big time with vocals on tour. Age has also taken its toll on Jon's vocals
We must also remember that Bon Jovi are probably, in the world, the rock band with the highest number of concerts in relation to the career duration. Jeez, the "Jersey Syndicate" tour, alone, counted about 237 shows! This is insane. And their catalogue, (especially the older songs) is all but simple vocally. Obviously Jon Bon Jovi has damaged his vocal chords in all these years, much much more than Richie Sambora. Bruce Springsteen once said he has never performed so much concerts in a row in his career.
I saw Bon Jovi live a couple of times in the early 90s. I was so impressed when Jon would sing a cappella for parts of songs just how excellent his voice was.
PS I love Fil's analysis.
Another great review, thanks Fil 😊!
Just read the sad news that Alec John Such, died today at age 70, with Jon Bon Jovi, was one of the founding members of the group and played bass from (1983-1994) Rest in Peace Alec John Such November 14, 1951 - June 5, 2022, Thanks for being a part of the early years with the band.