On This Day in 2022, Rock Lost the Man Who Helped Build Bon Jovi: “We Found Our Way to Each Other Through Him”

On this day (June 5) in 2022, Alec John Such died of a heart attack in his South Carolina home at the age of 70. His time as a professional musician was short but impactful. Such helped build Bon Jovi, which became an internationally lauded band before he departed in the early 1990s. He wasn’t just there when the band came together, though. He was responsible for bringing two key members into the group.

Videos by American Songwriter

Such was involved in multiple facets of the music business in his area. He played in multiple bands before joining Bon Jovi. In the early 1980s, he managed and booked talent for a club called the Hunka Bunka Ballroom in Sayerville, New Jersey. This management position led to the formation of Bon Jovi.

According to Variety, Such booked a band called Jon Bon Jovi & the Wild Ones. He was so impressed by them that he brought his former bandmate Richie Sambora to see the group. Later, when Jon Bon Jovi and David Bryan invited Such to play bass with them on a short tour promoting Bon Jovi’s single “Runaway,” he suggested that they add Sambora to the lineup. Then, he brought in his childhood friend Tico Torres to play drums.

“Alec was integral to the formation of the band,” Bon Jovi shared in a post. “To be honest, we found our way to each other through him. He was a childhood friend of Tico and brought Richie to see us perform,” he added.

Alec John Such’s Time with Bon Jovi

While Bon Jovi was a new band, all of its members were experienced musicians. As a result, they started landing opening gigs and showcases soon after they formed. This led to a deal with Mercury Records. The band recorded their self-titled debut album in 1983 and released it in January 1984.

Two years later, they released their breakthrough album Slippery When Wet. The singles “You Give Love a Bad Name,” “Livin’ on a Prayer,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” helped propel the LP to the top of charts around the world. The success led to a massive tour and pressure to follow it with something even bigger.

By the early 1990s, Alec John Such was growing tired of the grind. After roughly a decade and five albums with the band, he announced his exit. “When I was 43, I started to get burned out,” he said. “It felt like work, and I didn’t want to work. The reason I got into a band to begin with is because I didn’t want to work.”

Such ended his time as a musician when he left Bon Jovi. “I don’t miss being in a band. I don’t want any of that,” he told the Home News Tribune. He didn’t leave the music business completely, though. Such managed multiple bands and made a handful of appearances with his former bandmates. Notably, he was there when the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Featured Image by Mick Hutson/Redferns