Richie Sambora Shares One Regret About His Time With Bon Jovi

For over 30 years, Richie Sambora played alongside Jon Bon Jovi in the legendary band Bon Jovi. Besides being the lead guitarist for the band, the musician also helped Bon Jovi write several of their hit songs. Thanks to his contributions to the band, Sambora eventually found his way into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018. But to the shock of many, in 2013, he surprisingly quit the group practically overnight. With rumors circulating his exit, the musician admitted he left to spend more time with family. And recently, Sambora offered another explanation as to why he left. 

Appearing on The Allison Hagendorf Show, Sambora was asked if he would change anything about his time with Bon Jovi. Sharing his thoughts, he said, “I probably would have left earlier. I might have left a couple of albums before because, I think Jon [Bon Jovi] was moving into a place where he wanted to not really be a band.”

Diving deeper into his comments, Sambora added, “When we first met, he was thriving to be a kind of a solo artist in a Bruce [Springsteen] way or a Rick Springfield way. And quite frankly, it was an ultimatum for me when just before Slippery [When Wet] [was made]. I went, ‘Come on, man. Let me in. We have to do this. We have to make this a band situation if we want to invade the planet and have people accept it.’”

[RELATED: Richie Sambora Would Love To Perform With Bon Jovi but There Is One Condition]

Richie Sambora Not A Fan Of New Bon Jovi Documentary

While discussing his time with Bon Jovi, Sambora also offered his thoughts on the new documentary Thank You, Goodnight. “Hey, look, this obviously was [Jon’s] personal perception. And this documentary was his perception, his baby. I really had nothing to do with it. I disagree with a lot of stuff or whatever, but I’m not really shaken by it.”

When asked what he wanted the documentary to include, Sambora said, “It could have been more of a celebration. We could have cut that down to about two hours, because, to me, the celebration would have been the great songs that we wrote and how we sold all those millions of records and played for people. I was in the band for 32 years, which is unbelievable anyway. [That] five guys could be married for 32 years, it’s incredible. That celebration of those great songs that people really took into their lives, that’s what I believed the 40-year celebration would be myself. But, like I said, it was his baby.”

(Photo by Daniel Boczarski/Getty Images for Unbridled Eve)