Jon Bon Jovi Reveals Why He’s ‘Not in Contact’ with Former Bandmate Richie Sambora

Jon Bon Jovi is opening up about the status of his relationship with longtime friend and former bandmate Richie Sambora.

Sambora, 64, left Bon Jovi in ​​the middle of the band’s 2013 world tour for personal reasons — and 11 years later, the Bon Jovi frontman, 62, says the two are not on speaking terms.

“We’re not in touch because he’s no longer with the organization,” the rocker told Ultimate Classic Rock. “[That] it doesn’t mean that love doesn’t exist forever, but it’s been 11 years since he appeared again. And there were emotional issues that he was dealing with as a single father, and there were substance abuse issues that, you know… Phil X had to come up once, and then Phil X had to come up another time. And then, again, there’s the show that night. What are we going to do?”

Both Bon Jovi and Sambora are set to appear in upcoming docuseries Thank you good night: The story of Bon Jovi, premiering on Hulu next month as part of the band’s 40th anniversary. However, the “Livin’ on a Prayer” singer says that he and Sambora, a childhood friend, did not work together on the film at all.

Richie Sambora, Jon Bon Jovi.

Kevin Mazur/Getty; Emma McIntyre/Getty

“It’s not a word. It was [director] Gotham Chopra. This was not a piece of paper and this was nothing,” he told the newspaper. “This is not us behind the scenes pulling the strings. Oh no, no, no. They spoke to Richie in London. I wasn’t there. I had nothing to do with it. No, I still haven’t seen it [finished] product.”

Although Sambora told PEOPLE in November that a reunion with his former band “could definitely happen,” the guitarist had to skip MusiCares’ 2024 Person of the Year ceremony honoring Bon Jovi in ​​February.

Richie Sambora Says Bon Jovi Reunion Tour ‘Could Definitely Happen’: ‘It’s Just a Question of When’ (Exclusive)

Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi in ​​1995.

Dave Hogan/Getty

A source told PEOPLE at the time that Sambora’s 89-year-old mother “tripped on the carpet” and broke her hip, and that he was at home in New Jersey taking care of her.

“She didn’t want to stay in the hospital, so he got her 24-hour care. He’s an only child and a devoted son,” the source said. “They are first generation immigrants, so family is very important to him.”

After 30 years as Bon Jovi’s lead guitarist, Sambora abruptly left the band in 2013 in the middle of the Since We Can world tour.

Richie Sambora and Jon Bon Jovi in ​​2012 Jesse Grant/Getty Richie Sambora opens up about controversial decision to leave Bon Jovi: ‘My daughter needs me’

“It was obviously not a popular decision by any means, but really there was almost no choice. I had to do a lot of conscious work [my personal life]”, he told PEOPLE in 2021. “I had people around me who loved me, and it was good that I survived it… I understood [daughter] Ava needed me close at that moment. Family had to come first and that’s what happened.”

Bon Jovi himself broke the story to PEOPLE in 2016, saying there were “no fights or money issues” involved in his departure.

“Nobody expected Richie to quit in the middle of the night for no reason. He didn’t get fired; he just didn’t come to work,” he said. “I will never swear at a guy. He is a wonderful friend, a wonderful colleague.”

On Thursday, Bon Jovi announced their upcoming 16th studio album, Foreverwill be released on June 7.

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Source: HIS Education