RICHIE SAMBORA Says His Role In BON JOVI Was To ‘Shut The F*ck Up’

Richie Sambora Jon Bon Jovi

During a recent chat with host Nile Rodgers on Apple Music 1’s Deep Hidden Meaning Radio, guitarist Richie Sambora talked about his time in BON JOVI.

Sambora was lead guitarist of the band from 1983 to 2013. Since his departure, Sambora has only played with BON JOVI at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction in 2018.

Richie recalled about his time in BON JOVI: “We had the most heavily armed recreational vehicle. Our bus driver used to be a green beret. We had AK-47s, and pistol. … He says, ‘Hey boss, you feel like shooting some up?’” Sambora said. “We’re painting our faces, mowing down cactuses and we weren’t hurting anybody or anything. … That’s the kind of thing when you’re on tour when you’re young like that. There was times like that where the camaraderie was very, very deep.”

When host pointed out the “strange” situation where many people assumed Bon Jovi himself did “all the singing,” Sambora added: “And all the writing. … That was part of my deal, to shut the f*ck up. If I had a coffee place, the sign would say, ‘Have a hot steaming cup of shut the f*ck up?’ That would be my coffee place. And you know what? Guess what? I did it. And it worked out because that’s what he needed, for whatever reason.”