Formed during the early 1980s, Bon Jovi solidified itself within the music industry thanks to songs like “Livin’ on a Prayer” and “Bad Medicine.” Just a snippet of the band’s long list of hit songs, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted them back in 2018. While the band still recorded music and performed, rumors circulated that Bon Jovi was on the verge of retiring. With fans discussing the rumors, drummer Tico Torres decided to set the record straight regarding the future of Bon Jovi.
Sharing a video on Bon Jovi’s Instagram page, the drummer insisted, “I’m here to dispel a lot of rumours that I’ve read. People have been calling me up saying, ‘Did you retire from music? From the band?’ Well, no. I have no idea how this stuff starts. Musicians don’t retire—especially me.” He promised, “Me and the boys—Jon and everybody—we’re still making music. We’re the best we’ve ever been.”
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Knowing how powerful a rumor could be on the internet, Torres hoped to put fans at ease. With the band not ready to call it quits, the musician used the moment to educate viewers. “All I can tell you is: don’t listen to what you read. It’s most likely bull****.”
[RELATED: This Month in 1983, Bon Jovi Kickstarted Their Career & Signed Their First Record Deal]
Jon Bon Jovi Doesn’t Want To Be “Fat Elvis”
Although Torres labeled the rumor “bulls**t”, it first started back in 2024 when Jon Bon Jovi discussed his voice. “If the singing is not great, if I can’t be the guy I once was … then I’m done. And I’m good with that.” The singer added, “I sing in vocal therapy every day. But I want to perform for two and a half hours a night, four nights a week — and I know how good I can be, so if I can’t be that guy … put it this way, I don’t ever need to be the fat Elvis.”
Keeping his word, Jon Bon Jovi will hit the road in September when he attends a special event at the Kings Theatre in Brooklyn. Not focusing on his own career, the singer will stand alongside actor Matthew McConaughey to support the new book Poems & Prayers.
Written by McConaughey, the event will center around “heartfelt dialogue, spoken word performances, music, and unexpected moments of connection.”
With new projects on the horizon and the band’s fire still burning, Bon Jovi isn’t saying goodbye just yet.
(Photo by Travis P. Ball/SXSW Conference & Festivals via Getty Images)
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