“My kids laugh at me,” the superstar says as he smiles for people — including Brits, Australians and an Italian superfan who sticks him on FaceTime with her uncle.
“They said, ‘Dad you need a new disguise because your disguise is a hat, sunglasses and that nose.’”
Sign up for the newsletter
Thank you!
Singer Jon Bon Jovi has announced he will run a series of gigs in the US and UK, culminating at WembleyCredit: Reuters
The legendary rock singer spoke to Bizarre’s Ellie Henman and gave an insight into his lifeCredit: Dan Charity
Millie Bobby Brown is married to Jon Bon Jovi’s son Jake Bongiovi, and they are preparing to adopt a babyCredit: Splash
His kids, Jake, Jesse, Stephanie and Romeo are bang on but, let’s be honest, no one expects to see the Bon Jovi frontman riding the Metropolitan Line at 9am on a freezing cold Friday morning.
I caught up with Jon the day after he announced his band’s four huge shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden, which will be followed by gigs in Dublin, Edinburgh and at Wembley.
And he’s in great spirits, no doubt in part to the arrival of his first grandchild, the adopted daughter of Jake and his wife Millie Bobby Brown.
“You’ve got to understand — the baby Jesus is coming,” Jon tells me with a megawatt grin as I ask about his Christmas plans.
HELPING HERO
Incredible moment Jon Bon Jovi talks woman out of jumping off bridge
‘GREATLY MISSED’
Jon Bon Jovi’s mom Carol Bongiovi dies just days before her birthday
His son Jesse is also waiting on the birth of his first child, as Jon adds: “We’re expecting another one next week. It’s going to be awesome. It’s a good year.”
Jon’s belting form is only buoyed by the fact he’s coming back to play live.
Just three years ago, he was forced to undergo major surgery after a doctor informed him one of his vocal cords was wasting away.
Asked if he considered quitting music for good if the surgery failed, Jon replies: “Yeah, I wouldn’t go out there with a sub-par body. I don’t need the money.
“I don’t want to fake it and hold the mic to the audience.
Bon Jovi caught the tube with Ellie and told her about his excitement about his grandchildrenCredit: Dan Charity
“You’re never going to see the fat Elvis. If I couldn’t be my best physically, there was no other reason to do it. I just didn’t anticipate a three and a half year.
“In retrospect, I might not have done it if the doctor said, ‘You can call me in four years.’ But I never lost faith.”
Jon has spent these long years recovering and yesterday dropped his new record Forever (Legendary Edition), which draws on his health battle and has collaborations with stars including Robbie Williams, Bruce Springsteen and Avril Lavigne.
“Robbie was the first one I asked,” Jon explains.
“We’ve become friends in the last couple of years because he’s bought a house in Florida.
“He was like, ‘I can relate’. He’s had his own trials and tribulations.
“Then I felt more comfortable asking people because he was the first one.
“There was a time ten years ago that I used to hear people say rock is dead. I think rock is alive and well again.
Jon Bon Jovi
“I don’t remember who said no, but there were people that said no. Not because they’re not fans, they were just beat up or on the road. It would be tough if you’re asking people and they go like, ‘F**k off.’
“I thought of The Beatles song, With A Little Help From My Friends, and I thought, ‘Why not call around and see who could give me a shoulder to lean on?
“Some of them never had to experience anything like it but they understood the plight of it.
“They were incredibly supportive as they knew how disappointing that would be in their own lives.”
Bon Jovi revealed that he recently attended and Oasis gig which he drew inspiration fromCredit: Dan Charity
Bon Jovi says he practices regularly to ensure he is still at the top of his professionCredit: Getty
His close pal Bruce sings with him on Hollow Man. And Jon excitedly recalls watching the new biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere — which focuses on the rock legend’s 1982 album Nebraska — with The Boss.
“He was sitting right here,” John says, slapping his thigh.
“I’m going, ‘This is a time machine, because I’m sitting now with you 43 years later.’
The biopic, which stars Jeremy Allen White as Bruce, was food for thought as Jon confirms he will do a biopic “at some point”.
With a smile he confirms he’d cast his son Jake to play him but says, somewhat poignantly, “I’m not in my final chapter yet. I’m living my next chapter.”
For Jon now is time to focus on his preparation for next year’s shows, which he explains is basically him doing four full performances a week — in his garage.
“I’m not exaggerating,” he says. “I do at least an hour and a half of songs four times a week.”
Aside from rehearsing he’s been watching as much music as he can.
Jon explains: “There was a time ten years ago that I used to hear people say rock is dead. I think rock is alive and well again.
‘Smell a rock band’
“Oasis, I will give them the credit. I saw them in New Jersey, they were great.
“I needed to just go and smell a rock band again. I was so happy that that crowd was just there to see a rock band again.
“It was a bigger venue than they’d ever played before.
“They played two nights at MetLife, which is our Wembley — it’s big. They were fantastic.”
Jon last played Wembley in 2019 and he chuckles as he tells me he almost refused to return after a mishap with the revamping of the stadium back in 2007.
He explains: “We closed the old Wembley and the deal was that I would open the new one.
“We sold out two nights (in 2006) but the stadium wasn’t finished. So they had to move 130,000 people out to Milton Keynes.
“I never played Wembley until 2019, because I was mad at them.”
As we stand together in front of the famous arches, Jon stares up at the building and excitedly takes photographs to share with his wife Dorothea and the kids.
But before we say goodbye, Jon turns to me and says with a grin: “Those sons of bitches better have chairs this time.”
They wouldn’t dare not.
- Bon Jovi’s new album Forever (Legendary Edition) is available now, and their Forever Tour heads to Edinburgh’s Murrayfield, August 28, Dublin’s Croke Park, August 30, and London’s Wembley Stadium, September 4. Tickets go on general sale Friday October 31 at bonjovi.com
Henry ode to his bully
Henry Moodie told Bizzarre how his school bully recently approached him to apologiseCredit: Getty
HENRY MOODIE has proven to be the bigger man on his debut album – by penning a sympathetic track about his school bully.
The English singer-songwriter who released collection Mood Swings yesterday, explained that the track was about his oppressor saying sorry to him.
In an exclusive chat, Henry explained: “The last song on the album is called Dear Drew and in the last verse I’m speaking about how he came up to me in the gym – I say pub in the song because it sounds better, but it was actually the gym – and he apologised to me.
“It was really nice, and it was a bit of closure because he bullied me in school and for so long I was so broken by it.”
Henry has had a busy few years, supporting The Vamps and Mimi Webb on tours and having a handful of viral tunes. But he’s experienced the negative side to fame, too.
The Drunk Text singer said: “There’s been a couple of people where we’ll go to invite them to a show and they’ll hold my hand when people are looking or pretend suddenly that we’re in a relationship because people are filming.
“I’ve definitely experienced getting slightly used by people which is such a weird experience, but I feel like your circle just becomes slightly smaller.”
And after working on his 14-track debut for so long, he has a wealth of songs and is now hoping to give away some of the tracks which didn’t make the cut to other artists.
Henry added: “I’ve written more than 100 songs in this first era of my career, so we’ve cut most of them but they’ll find a home somewhere.
“I’ll pitch them out.”
Lewis is all FOUR survival
Lewis Capaldi says he plans to release a happy album, once he gets his heartbreak over withCredit: Getty
LEWIS CAPALDI told this week how his next album will be a happy one – but he’s getting heartbreak out of the way first, on a new EP.
The Scots star, inset, will release four-track EP, Survive, on November 14.
As well as the title song, it will feature Something In The Heavens, which came out earlier in the year, plus single The Day That I Die and latest tune Almost, out yesterday.
The latter is about getting over an ex, thought to be actress Ellie MacDowall who he split from last year.
In the chorus, he sings: “I swear to God I’m almost alright, I only think about you all the time. I almost never fall asleep, wishing you were here with me. And I promise I’ve completely let you go . . . almost.”
He told Radio 2’s Breakfast Show: “I would like to start making happy music. News flash: next album I am doing, it’s happy. It’s happy, happy.”
Jenna Nevermore stunning in lace slip
Jenna Ortega wore a glamorous sheer dress to an awards ceremony in CaliforniaCredit: AP
JENNA ORTEGA dazzles in a sheer dress – a world away from her role in Netflix dark fantasy drama Wednesday.
The US actress, who has the title role in the hit series set in the Nevermore Academy, wore the frock to the InStyle Imagemaker Awards in California.
STRICTLY NEWBIES
All the stars in line to replace Tess and Claudia on Strictly
TUM HELP
The 30g diet hack that ‘PREVENTS deadly bowel cancer’… as cases surge in under-50s
She received glowing reviews for her part in the second season of Wednesday and has already signed up for a third, which is expected to go into production next year.
But I’m sure we will be seeing her in a lot more on the big screen, too.
