WATCH: WDHA’s Reconnect With Rockers With Jon Bon Jovi

 Audio Of Jon Bon Jovi and TC Below

Welcome to WDHA's Reconnect With Rockers with JON BON JOVI! It's been a while since have spoken with Jon Bon Jovi. I have always loved him and the band. Jon is a New Jersey son, one of us, who came up working hard and became a global superstar.  I was so excited when I heard that I had the opportunity to "Reconnect" with Jon as he was coming home to "The Rock Of New Jersey" to discuss the bands' upcoming Documentary series - "Thank You, Good Night" released on Hulu as a 4 part series on Friday, April 26th, the bands' new release- "Forever", which comes out on June 7th, his early days, navigating the New Jersey club scene and becoming one of rock's most famous storytellers. And of course, we cover more!

Jon and the band have always been a part of WDHA. I remember the first time they were at WDHA, (I wasn't working there yet but rather a listener when I was in High School! That's how long we go back with Bon Jovi. The last time Jon and Ritchie were in the WDHA studios was in the early 2000s. and let me tell you, I remember that day well! A fantastic acoustic performance on air, a massive crowd in the parking lot, and a broken WDHA van....(yup, a few wild fans jumped on it....lol...no lie).

Bon Jovi - Forever- Track Listing

Check out the band's new video for "Legendary" below and some of my Bon Jovi Faves too.....

Bon Jovi - Bad Medicine

Check out the great work that the JBJ Soul Kitchen does-  https://jbjsoulkitchen.org/#close

Iconic Music Videos Shot In New Jersey- 6 Iconic Videos Shot In NJ

Info on the Bon Jovi Documentary TC's Story on the Bon Jovi Documentary 

10 New Jersey Rockers Who Have Made Us Proud - WDHA Exclusive Photos- 10 Rockers Who Have Done Us Proud!

Some of the clubs I discussed in my interview with Jon - Do You Remember Jamming At these New Jersey Rock Clubs?

Should these New Jersey Rockers Have been Bigger? I think So! 10 NJ Rockers Who Should Have Been Bigger  

Who remembers these NJ bar bands? The Bar Bands Of New Jersey    

Thank You Jon.....I love You....

TC here and the New Jersey Club Scene back in the day was amazing! Local talent, (remember Strutter, Zyris, Flossie, Bystander, Prophet, T.T. Quick, Phantom's Opera?) National talent in clubs that focused on Metal, New Wave and Punk. There was always something to do and somewhere to ROCK.

New Jersey never gets the credit it deserves for our thriving music scene back in the day.
Whether it was the "Route 35 Sunset Strip" in the 80's and early 90's, or the Punk and New Wave hole in the wall hangs, The Garden State and WDHA rocked the scene back in the day!

On any given night you could rock to local rippers or jam with Twisted Sister, Billy Idol or Meatloaf.
Loud music, fog machines and the smell of Hot Dogs! Damn.....those days were fun!
Here is a look back at our New Jersey youth. As only someone actually FROM New Jersey can really appreciate!

The Meadowbrook was always cool and on trend. I remember sneaking in and dancing to some amazing new wave bands with my bestie Phyllis and we actually saw Billy Idol there before he "Rebel Yelled"! (and we snuck in)
Big dance floor, the balcony. After it's heyday it became a dog training facility!

Fountain was a HUGE place (or so it seemed to me) and had multiple rooms. I remember seeing Twisted Sister in one room and new wave dancing in the other! Heck even Metallica played there!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwOF-h_xTP8&t=2s
Todd Rundgren at Fountain Casino

Another place I saw Twisted was Creations. In fact that was the first time I saw them and they were still in lingerie! Joan Jett, Pat Benatar and Meatloaf packed this tiny Essex County space.
They always had really cool major label acts right before they hit it big.

I called the Route 35 South Amboy/Sayreville corridor the "NJ Sunset Strip" .
There were a few short miles of clubs that were similar and were home to some great Central Jersey rock.
Mingles was no exception.

The Future at Mingles
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yk9Vf-a4Afk

Close Encounters was club band central with bands like Bystander, Zyris and a young Skid Row gracing the stage. Part of the "Route 35 Sunset Strip", Close Encounters started as a new wave dance joint, but evolved into a fun local metal hang.
On any given night you could see Zakk Wylde, members of Bon Jovi and Skid Row hanging and jamming.

Owned by club magnate "Art Stock" The Playpen was part the Rt. 35 family as well and one of the most memorable nights was a surprise visit by Bruce Springsteen in 1994.

Located on Rt. 9 South, The Birch Hill was home to some of the biggest bands around and host to many a WDHA show and night back in the day! Everyone from Slipknot to Coheed , Foreigner, Kings X and Weezer rocked the hallowed hall of The Birch Hill!
Check out Ace Frehley below!

Ahhhhh dinner and a show at the legendary Club Bene! Also on the Rt. 35 strip,
Club Bene hosted rock shows, dinner theater, comedians.....EVERYONE! I remember going there thinking Bon Jovi was playing and it was Englebert Humperdinck night!
Club Bene closed in 2004 and was torn down in 2014. Man, the stories that place could tell!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv2y1GWe-lI
John Entwistle Band at Club Bene

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrEzttAIfvw
Trixter at Studio One

On Verona Ave in Newark, Studio One was a Northern New Jersey Metal Institution.
Mercyful Fate, Ace Frehley, Machine Head, Clutch, American Angel and more rocked this two floor hole in the wall that was just SO rock and roll.

New Wave dancing in the 80's, located right off the GSP, Motionz was a basement club playing the B52's, Flock Of Seagulls and all of the early MTV New Wave jams.

The Dirt Club in Bloomfield was the coolest! One of the greatest places to enjoy the thriving Punk scene of the 80's, Johnny Dirt was a legend. Born Johnny Schroeder, he opened this club in the basement in the late 70's and it lasted through the early 90's. The only club to give you a tiny "dirtbag" at the bar.
The Smithereens were the house band of The Dirt Club early on and the vibe was total family.

R.I.P. Johnny Dirt #dirtology
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zfy4uRHAhQ

Sometimes it was a disco, sometimes a rock club, The Soap factory hosted bands just emerging like Zebra, Twisted Sister and Blue Oyster Cult, who sometimes played under the name "Soft White Underbelly" -
Check out their setlist from SETLIST FM from back in the day! And video from local band "Voices"

Stairway to the Stars
Dominance and Submission
Before the Kiss, a Redcap
E.T.I. (Extra Terrestrial Intelligence)
Demon's Kiss
Power Underneath Dispair
Take Me Away
Flaming Telepaths
Cities on Flame With Rock and Roll
Then Came the Last Days of May
Still Burnin'
Harvest Moon
Burnin' for You
Godzilla
(Don't Fear) The Reaper
Encore:
Cold Gray Light of Dawn
This Ain't the Summer of Love
The Red & the Black

Located off the beach in beautiful Sea Bright, The Tradewinds was a super cool place and I remember DHA nights there with Blackfoot and Ace Frehley.

Ramones at The Tradewinds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pd1p1KgpQCI

Located on Sussex County in Randolph NJ, Obsessions hosted club legends and national acts like White Lion and Twisted Sister! In fact a listener told me he saw TS just before they broke for 2 bucks.....YOWZA!
Before they were Obsessions, the were The Final Exam. This place was WDHA's home away from home and Curt had some amazing stories about shows he hosted at this Northern New Jersey institution.

Ramones- in 1987 at Obsessions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UC5IVqnOvw

The Rock Capitol of Brooklyn may not have been in New Jersey but no way could I not include L'Amour!
Or as we called it...."LA MORES" it started out as a dance club, went metal in 1981 and closed in 2004.
Metallica, Maiden, Slayer, Testament, Quiet Riot, Soundgarden all played this legendary space. I still proudly wear my L'Amour shirt!

The thing I remember most about Jimmy's Haunt in Morristown? WDHA Halloween parties, Morning show broadcasts and live WDHA concerts with new band Isle of Q and our Blues and Brews show starring Joe Bonamassa.
Big place, super fun. And right up the road from the station! I think they are still a steakhouse or something!

The Mother's commercial!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ER27B5_1s90

On Rt. 23 in Wayne, Mother's was the place to be. L.A. Guns, Kix, Meatloaf...they all rocked Mother's.
I think it's Condos now! *Revision from DHA listeners- It's a NJ Transit Parking facility now!

Matt. Murray's FAVE club, Matt did his WDHA Nitespace show from DD's rock nights for many years.
Stephen Pearcy, Theory Of A Deadman, Vince Neil, (fiming and episode of Queer Eye For The Straight Guy with our very own Ralph Sutton of Tour Bus fame) all rocked DHA Low Dough shows at The D and we have some great memories of rock nights at this small, loud venue.
Here is Matt and Vince Neil hanging back in the day at a DHA broadcast!