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Hard times come easy

In: Rocking in the free world Friday Apr 4,2008

Richie Sambora,hard times come easy I know a lot of people(mostly men) consider Bon Jovi as a band for women, ballads, etc, not my thing…right? Well, at one moment I came across Richie Sambora’s solo albums, and that, my friends, turned me into a a fan!

I don’t know if you have listened “Hard times come easy”. If you haven’t, I suggest you do. I have both his albums at home and I love to listen them with the light off at night. I realized that I don’t know other band to relax me the way his music does.

I guess the reason for this is the beautiful mix between the voice and the guitar, because, you know, on his solo albums, Richie Sambora plays “another” guitar.

He is closer to his blues roots and honestly I have been surprised by what he plays there. I know Richie Sambora from Bon Jovi’s albums, I am used to his playing, but the guitar on his solo album is an other thing…The guitar on his solo albums, is bluesy, he seems calm and relaxed, feeling that he succeeds to transmit to the audience. I guess it also comes from the fact that he doesn’t need to play and sing for a living anymore, right?

I have also listened Jon Bon Jovi’s solo albums, but they didn’t get through. Richie’s albums yes! I have Hard times come easy on a CD in my car and I listen it when in the mood.

Try it for yourself here and share your opinion on this.

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Tags: Bon Jovi, Richie Sambora

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11 Responses to “Hard times come easy”

Pribek
April 4th, 2008 at 3:30 pm

You know, I’ve never been a Bon Jovi fan. I remember that I had a few days of a break from being on the road and, I had the chance to spend some time with my little brother, Jim. Jim has a real wide range of things he listens to. So, I’m always curious about what he is checking out.
Anyway, Jim said: “You got to hear this Richie Sambora record”. It was the first one he released. And, I said; “I’m not going to like that, there’s just no way.”
Jim said; “No man, you’ll like this, it’s like a Tommy Bolin album.”
So, I figure if he’s comparing it to Tommy, I better take a listen.
Anyway, it’s a great record. Very moody and bluesy, like you say. I’ve heard some of the second one too and it’s real good as well.
So, you miss out on something good sometimes if you pre-judge.
Ovidiu
April 4th, 2008 at 3:51 pm

Yes, Jack, I was surprised when I’ve first listened the record, I didn’t know this guy has this music in him! I have always thought Bon Jovi is what they feel but seems that Bon Jovi is a money making machine while if set free, they play something else.
Pribek
April 4th, 2008 at 4:05 pm

Well, I wouldn’t say that they don’t “feel” the music that makes the money-I wouldn’t assume that.
Those guys are professional musicians. So, it shouldn’t be a great surprise that a guy like Sambora has more in the trick bag. But, it is sometimes because we have a tendency to typecast, the same way people do with actors. If a guy has been a cowboy for 8 movies then, all of a sudden, he’s a detective; sometimes it’s too much for the consumers to digest. They are used to seeing a cowboy and they “believe”. He may make a great detective but, you can’t get the cowboy out of your mind.
If you get to the point that you are making money with music, you don’t want to bite the hand that feeds you.
The truth is, that more often than not, musicians that reach a level of success like that, can do more than what they show.
Ovidiu
April 4th, 2008 at 4:12 pm

That is right, because they have done it for a long long time. I personally like Bon Jovi’s music, but indeed, I didn’t see the “detective” in Sambora’s playing. I have always assumed he’s into the same music but his music is more profound I guess.

OK, maybe I have exagerated a bit, if you don’t feel the music, doesn’t work and they have such energy in what they play that they can not play it like robots, they have to feel it. I would be curious to see other people involved in music doing things like this. I have seen somewhere a dispute about fans of Slash vs Sambora’s fans and this album came to discuss. I would be curious how Slash would sound on a similar material. Or Kirk Hammett of Metallica, or an other one, who knows.

For ex, think Joe Satriani in Deep purple, would you believe if somebody would tell you that and you wouldn’t know about it?
Pribek
April 4th, 2008 at 4:26 pm

That’s what I’m saying, Slash, Kirk Hammett all those guys can play more stuff. If I sat down with Slash and said; “Let’s do a blues shuffle in G”, or with Kirk Hammett and threw some jazz changes at him, I guarantee you that they have something to play.
I joined this band once, a top forty country cover band. These guys would get on the bus after the gig and play Metallica songs note for note.
Think about guys you know, most of them can cover at least a little stylistic ground.
Has Satriani played with Deep Purple? It wouldn’t surprise me a bit. Steve Morse has played with Purple and the above mentioned Tommy Bolin.
Deep Purple-those guys are veteran musicians-they want a professional guitar player, a guy that can learn the parts and bring something to the table. Matter of fact, I could see any of these guys, Slash, Kirk, Richie-holding down that gig. And, I would be interested to hear each one’s take.
Ovidiu
April 4th, 2008 at 5:03 pm

Funny one, that story with the country guys playing Metallica
Yes, Satriani joined for a short while Deep Purple, it was in late 1993 but somehow I don’t think he was a good match, IMO. Or is again the story with the detective and the cowboy?

Wiki:”In late 1993, Satriani joined Deep Purple as a short-term replacement for departed guitarist Ritchie Blackmore during the band’s Japanese tour. The concerts were such a success that Satriani was asked to join the band permanently[citation needed], but he declined, having just signed a multi-album solo deal with Sony.”

Actually I think that Steve Morse seemed to me not a good match in the beginning, but hey, I may be a bit too stuck in my “cowboy” model, right?

I am convinced that all these guys can play more, Kirk Hammett was Satriani’s student and I bet that Satriani, considering his reputation as a guitar teacher, didn’t just teach him just power chords, right?

As Wikipedia says, “Satriani studied music with jazz guitarist Billy Bauer and with reclusive jazz pianist Lennie Tristano.His most notable California students included Kirk Hammett (Metallica), David Bryson (Counting Crows), Kevin Cadogan (Third Eye Blind), Larry LaLonde (Primus, Possessed), Alex Skolnick (Testament), Rick Hunolt (Exodus), Phil Kettner (Lääz Rockit), Geoff Tyson, and Charlie Hunter.”

I would never dare to speak anything wrong abut this guy
Pribek
April 4th, 2008 at 5:17 pm

That says a lot; Charlie Hunter and Alex Skolnick, two guys with totally different things going on, learned something from a guy who learned something from a piano player like Tristano. Who did Tristano and Billy Bauer learn from?
Music is a continuum.
And, there’s always common ground-you just have to have open ears and an open mind.
Ovidiu
April 4th, 2008 at 9:54 pm

Indeed, just that most of the times, the form stops us from seeing further and we judge very. I can’t stop myself to observe how a post about Richie Sambora tuned into a discussion about Joe Satriani
pilgrim
April 5th, 2008 at 4:06 am

I’ve never been a big Bon Jovi fan, but Sambora’s solo stuff isn’t too bad–I’m not a big fan of it either–but it’s miles ahead of the Bon Jovi stuff.
Dr. J
April 5th, 2008 at 6:31 am

Hey guys, good comments! How about a list of players that defy labels (or have a massive bag ‘o tricks)? or a “Who’s the most versatile?” contest…
Ovidiu
April 5th, 2008 at 10:09 am

I am surprised to see that reactions are positive when it comes to Richie Sambora’s stuff and that nobody judges him too fast based on Bon Jovi music (even if, I confess, I like Bon Jovi)

@Dr J : who knows, I have a list of post on my desk here, and I think I will add a few more from what you say but I count on you all to help me with comments

Hard times come easy

11 Responses to “Hard times come easy”

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