Bon Jovi - Slippery When Wet

I would definitely call Bon Jovi a guilty pleasure of mine.

If I felt the least bit guilty.

You see, the 11 year old me wasn't really into Tortoise or Converge, he was into Bon Jovi, a lot. I even had limited edition 10 inch japanese singles, UK imports, everything. If it had to do with the Bonj, I had to have it. The funny thing is, when I look back, everything I did was a reaction to most things that my older/cooler best friend Andre was doing. He was into metal and played the drums, I wanted to be into metal and play the drums. Only difference was that he was always a step ahead of me. I was into Bon Jovi and he was into Metallica and Pantera. When I got around to them, he was into Sepultura and Slayer. Once I caught up, he was listening to Malevolent Creation and Cannibal Corpse and Death, and so forth.

When I eventually copied him and got a drum kit, We would go to each others house and just play drums all day. We had a ghetto blaster that could go loud enough, so we'd put on CD's and just take turns playing along. His band of choice was Metallica. Mine was, you guessed it, Bon Jovi.

The thing is, I'm not so convinced that its a bad thing that I grew up mimicking Tico Torres. He's pulled off some bad ass shit in his career. On Keep The Faith there is a 9 minute song called Dry County, and Tico just kills it the whole time. And don't get me started on Lay Your Hands On Me, that song is brilliant, the perfect rock song, Queen could have written it.

Now, my obsession with Bon Jovi didn't carry over into the post-Crush country music period (but I will say that not a lot of bands could have made such a successful transition from Metal to Country). The last album I bought was One Wild Night Live, and even that was more for my obsession with keeping catalogues complete, instead of a desire to actually hear it.

I was also older and my tastes sort of shot in a different direction, but i'll never turn my back on my roots. Bon Jovis music and Tico Torres' drumming are as much a part of me as some of the first friends I've had or the first books I've read. C'mon, all seriousness aside, Who wouldn't be inspired by this guy.

He looks like if John Malkovich and Fabio had a lovechild that could rock out on the drums while providing crisp, smooth back up vocals. He was definitely the total package. I mean look at those chimes.

Slippery When Wet might not be my favorite Bonj record, but it has all the hits, and that's where Tico is at his best. The guy knew how to play heavy handed, thick patterns that weren't too busy, because there needed to be room for all the other guys. Bon Jovi songs are so well structured it blows my mind. Tico had a way of playing a pattern through the verses, then shifting it just slightly for the chorus, but making it fee like something new altogether. He does it on Without Love, and it keeps that song from getting repetitive. On I'd Die For You He keeps things straight, then breaks into a Springsteen-esque snare beat, with the kick drum catching every bass note. Towards the end he starts doing some really interesting ride bell stuff, never holding up on his hard playing. I think what I like most about it is that a lot of eighties rock guys started to lighten up on their playing. Better microphones meant they didn't have to hit as hard to be heard. Not Tico though, he always beat the fuck out of his drums, and I like that.

My favorite song on this record is definitely Raise Your Hands. It's one of those eighties anthems that will just always be great. They also used it in Spaceballs, which is pretty epic.

I knew it was going to happen eventually, I was bound to write about Bon Jovi sometime soon. I guess going home this last weekend and playing a show to all the people that used to come to shows when I was a kid got me all nostalgic. Like old influences an friends, you should never forget where you came from, and what part it's played in your life.

There, now it's totally fine for you to admit you love Bon Jovi too.