Baby I want you like the roses want the rain.

There is a flour disaster in my kitchen that I'm trying to avoid right now. Flour, egg, maple syrup kinda disaster that was supposed to be fluffy American pancakes but what it really is, is a sticky disaster and there are three possible culprits. A sticky cat, a tattooed man, or a little girl. My money is on the man though. I think neither of us have a career in being Master Chefs. While I keep myself out of that sticky situation (I barely washed the syrup out of my hair just now) and dry my hair and nails…I'm back here thinking how all of my music Mondays are now music Fridays. Someone suggested that I switch days, and I never actually do what I'm told but this seemed like a good idea because he said that he could do with a ''weekend music suggestion'' and besides, Mondays are the worst possible days, who has the energy to read long blogs on some such days. Also I could use a break from drawing. I've been pretty much doing nothing but,  my desk is covered with sketches and drawings at this point, so taking a breather is very welcome. 

I'm still deciding what music to review today. Truth is I haven't been listening to much vinyl these days, or CD's. Got youtube running in the background usually while drawing with my favourite mix and that's that or even rock radio, which (despite playing things I'd be embarrassed to play on what's suppoed to be rock radio station) actually plays good music. I never take music as just background noise but while drawing it is just something so it's not complete silence. I can't stand silence, it makes my skin crawl, but also while drawing I'm so focused on the drawing itself that I don't pay enough attention to music, Metallica swapped to Nickleback the other day and I noticed pretty much when the entire album already played out. Gross. 

There's a song playing on the radio in the back right now by a band with a funny name ''Hootie & The Blowfish'' gotta admit I don't know them, but there's something about the voice and the feel of this song ''Let her cry'' that made me stop for a minute and listen. I don't know, maybe something in the lyrics helped me relate to it. Long story really but to make it short, someone ripped my heart out too and I can't seem to walk away and the falling tears don't seem to help no more. Maybe music does. Actually music always does, there's nothing and no therapy quite like a dark room, a comfy bed, a soft (non sticky, covered in maple syrup) cat and say Michael Hutchences (or whatever else is your poison) voice. 

But this is not about Hutch. Sadly. I don't own enough of their vinyl to write up reviews about them. Sadly. Or maybe lucky for you guys. Or also lucky that I am just too tired to rant about politics that's bringing our country to hell in a handbasket these days. I'ma tell you what, it's not nice going to bed with Corona virus hanging over your head and waking up in a country you no longer know. I had the strongest desire to move since I was 16. I fell in love with Berlin, a city with a special vibe, special beat and I was dead set on going till a little while ago when I suddenly realised that there is only one home. Sure it's the people, family, friends, that make a home but really there's only one place I can call home and I find it proposterous to bolt and let these hyenas ruin my home. I want to make an opportunity for myself here. At home. I want to bring people who brought me down to their knees. I wanna be the last one standing and laughing if you know what I mean. I don't want to run like a coward. I want to be the winner on my own playing field. 

But enough about that, I was supposed to rant about music and that seems to be hard to do these days...so while I'm actually in a Motley Crue mood. Come on is there anything better than ''Kickstart my heart''? No not really. Specially when gorgeous long haired and madly talented singers do covers of it on youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZRRcE4xHCM). Sorry Crue, I have a bad crush on this boy. 

This post is actually about another boy that I really like. Or well I did. I mean I do. But old stuff. New stuff is not my flavour of the month. Really. The entire last album…well I already shared some thoughts on how I feel about it. Made me wanna hug my copy of New Jersey and cry my eyes out to be honest. So in that spirit, here's a review of a single vinyl for a change, of a song that's actually one of my favorites by this band.

Bon Jovi were my first really big concert. I grew up on smaller shows near and in my town, hanging backstage with musicians, sitting on their transport boxes. All very fond memories, but before Bon Jovi I haven't seen a huge stadium show. This one wasn't as big as say the Stones or Springsteen on Austrian and Italian biggest stadiums but it's one of my fondest memories. You know how your first time is a huge deal? Well losing your concert virginity is too. You always remember your firsts. And this concert was that much more special because Richie Sambora was still where he belongs. I'm sorry you can kill me, you can hang me, you can do whatever the hell you want but to me Phil just doesn't belong. He's a great musician no question about it but he's not Richie. 

They did ''In these arms'' in Croatia of course. Early on, in the first half of the concert too if I remember right. I mostly remember entire Zagreb, street lights and posts taped with the ''Have a nice day'' red stickers. I thought that was just too cool.

''In these arms'' was written by David Bryan, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora, another glowing example why Richie is so missed. The music and the lyrics are just not as good anymore. ''This house is not for sale''? Come on…''In these arms'' is the old Bon Jovi, the Bon Jovi that I love so much and this song, well, this song is absolutely beautiful. It's about everlasting love and about devotion and about that whole fairytale forever love we all dream about. It's not a ballad though, it's more of a pop rock song, the rhythm is fast, strong bass and guitars and a light drum line. And Jon's voice, well, that is just perfect. Soulful, emotional, hair raising. 

''In these arms'' is a fan favorite, which is pretty obvious. Some songs are just obviously favourites. Like ''Living on a prayer'' you can just tell that that is one of the most loved song. The screaming, the singing along, it's such a hair raising moment. They closed their set with Living on a prayer in Croatia and it was probably the best moment of the entire concert. ''In these arms'' is one such song. It's a huge stamp in the bands setlist on  more than one tour, they obviously played it a lot on the ''Have a nice day'' tour and also ''Lost highway'' tour as well as on random playlists on pretty much all concerts. Of course years later when I saw them again in Milano Italy they played it again. 

Usually when playing ''In these arms'' (and this is a huge reason why I love it) live, Jon would let David Bryan sing a portion of the song, and I just LOVE his voice. His own version of the song also appears on a solo album released in 2000, titled ''Lunar Eclipse''.

Music video for this song is Bon Jovi preforming live on the Keep the Faith tour. 1992 and 1993. What a time to be alive huh? I'd kill to be able to see these shows live, but I think the only reason why I wasn't 20 something in the 80's is because God knew I'd be a complete fucking dumbass. 

Side B includes a song ''Save a prayer'' which you know, good song but honestly on this single it's in the way. Side B could include a live version of ''In these arms'' and that would be much better. OR in a perfect world side B would have David Bryan's version of the song. I wish. Hah.

Alright, excuse the typos all the noise and madness in this house is making it hard to focus, so I think I best go investigate if the reason that my cat is  sticky is cleared and also mostly why it feels like this entire house is engulfued in smoke. Lord Jesus help us. 

In a world that don't know Romeo and Juliet, boy meets girl and promises we can't forget.

Today I'm back to one of my favorite bands. I feel like I'm cheating on them when I'm so busy with all the rest. There's too many of my favorites really. And I really wanted to share something more private, a memory. But I realised I'm not ready for that yet. It means a lot to me and I wanted it written down somewhere while I still remember all the details but I'm not ready to share it with the world just yet. Someday.

I've seen a million concerts in my life. Literally. One of my mom's favorite dinner stories is about me being less then a year old and sleeping through an entire very loud rock concert. My parents dragged me to all kinds of shows since I was a kid. I remember being about 6 or 7 years old and helping a guitarist carry his gear. Or trying to at least. Then he let me sit on his guitar case and watch the show and even paid me for it. I fell in love with music really early, not that I ever had a chance not to, musicians daughter and all.

But I wouldn't have it any other way, music is my life and the most important thing in my life. There's been so many hardships in my life, so much pain, so much sorrow and to be quite honest I don't know if I could have gotten through it all without my bands. They give me that comfort nobody and nothing else can. And I know to some it's hard to understand, but really, I can't even explain it. You have to feel it to understand it.

Now Bon Jovi was the first really big important band I've seen. Biggest concert too and biggest stadium show. That was about 7 or 8 years ago I think. I already wrote a long ass report about his gig in Milan Italy, now a few words about Croatia, first time seeing him. It was something special alright and Richie Sambora was still with them then. I always loved Richie everyone knows that, sorry Phil, you're a great guy, great musician, I just don't like you in this band (personal opinion, do try and keep your hateful opinions to yourself this time okay?).

I was in Croatia for like a week then, booked a hotel and stayed there. Seen 30 seconds to Mars like 2 days after Bon Jovi too. Hah, one of the best weeks of my life. Back in the days when booking a hotel and buying several concert tickets wasn't a big deal. A lot has changed since.

You know I love Zagreb. It holds a few of my favorite museums, like the Broken relationships museum. That is so badass. Did you know it used to be the only such museum in the world till some American decided to copy the idea and he opened one in LA? Americans, always hogging ideas from someone.

I'm off topic now, I was so excited about this concert, all those posters and stickers all over town so my excitment came to a point that even a woman that was in this restaurant that I was at for lunch the day of the concert, completly freaking out mind you, remembered me about a year later when I came in again.

It was great, opening bands were great, people were great, experience was great. Though he didn't sing Always to me?! Really Jon? I was really upset. Imagine the hysterics in Milan when he did sing Always. I was a shaking sobbing mess. For those of you that don't know, I have a ton of favorite bands, top three being Simple plan, Guns n' Roses and Motley Crue, but my favorite song well two, they will always share number one, are Always and November rain, various reasons, and a story for another time.

I planned my outfit for months ahead that day you know. And I remember being frozen solid when security did a serious full body pat down before I got into the stadium, now I stand still in front of them with arms and legs spread without being told but that first time was something new and scary. Asking me if I have any weapons on me, lol, lady please, the only threath to the band is probably my obession, if I'd ever get the chance to hug one or all of the band members I'd never let them go.

Their crew stayed in my hotel, we shared a lift once and had a lovely chat about what my favorite place in the city is and fun fact, when checking into the hotel the first thing the receptionist asks me is ''are you here for Bon Jovi?'' lol, could I be any more obvious? Probably not. Fun fact when I said yes he was like ''fuck yeah, me too''. Haha.

Anyways back to the album then.

I take it we all know that this isn't the original cover right? This is their third studio album and it sold in about 28 000 000 copies. Now the original cover, I get a serious kick out of this one, what's so awful about an attractive woman with a tiny tear in her shirt showing her cleavage? Is that really such a crime? And if this is about the saying on her shirt, ''Slippery when wet'' well that's a matter of interpretation isn't it? If your mind is dirty and all because really, what isn't slippery when wet? What I find about the dumbest of all is that they released this album with this lamer cover art and it made them huge stars as we all know and how many women showed them their boobs then? At shows? In private?

Critics said that this album is a breakthrough not just for Bon Jovi but also for hair metal. Uhm…how about no? I'm having such a hard time with Bon Jovi being in the same hair metal basket as the rest of them. I mean so many people call Motley Crue hair metal (though let's be honest they are glam metal) and imagining Motley and Jovi in the same category that is just…jesus christ like peanut butter and glue sandwich.

But sure the album has a nice mix of pop, hard rock and metal that probably appealed a wider crowd. It's more mainstream I suppose. More girl friendly, I learned they mostly ignored the entire heavy metal scene. What the hell were they thinking huh? Nothing would make me happier then being this age I am now but in the 80's when all my bands were in their prime. No wait, let's think that through, that would probably end bad. I'd be a disgusting sleazy groupie. Ha ha. Moving on.

Slippery when wet didn't really try hiding their ambitions as in being a commercial album since they even went as far as hiring some third person (Desmond Child that worked on songs such as Heaven's on fire and I was made for loving you by Kiss, Save up all your tears by Cher, What it takes and Dude by Aerosmith, Alice Coopers Poison and again one of my personal favorites Ratt's Givin' yourself away, what an amazing career huh?) to help with song writing. Ironicaly that songwriter ended up working on two of their biggest songs Livin' on a prayer and You give love a bad name. Though that worked well in their favor given that this album wiped the floor with GN'R's Appetite (seriously what the fuck?) and also MJ's Bad and U2's Joshua tree. Cute story about Livin on a prayer, Jon Bon Jovi didn't like the original recordings, wanted to scrap the entire song but Richie convinced him that it was good enough. Can you imagine that? We came so close to not having their biggest ''anthem'' come on Jovi fans you feel me here right? We all know what the best moment and best song on a Bon Jovi concert is right?

I love this album, no matter if the Rolling stone wasn't the biggest fan when it first came out and if my family asks me what the fuck am I watching each time Social disease comes on. Hah. Even Rolling stone can't deny that this success is something every musician would give arms and legs and most likely kidneys too for.

Now the biggest hits aside, there's other songs on this record that are really great such as Raise your hands, critics called it a cliche ''nasty reputation, sticky situation,…'' go listen to some Bieber instead and let us enjoy what is clearly a total stadium anthem. Honestly if it doesn't make you sing and scream along and probably dance or headbang to live then nothing will. I love that song.

Social disease haha. It's amusing just like Rocket Queen by GN'R though I believe the back story on Bon Jovi albums is a bit more innocent then GN'R is. Ha ha. It's cheesy and the guitars squeel a bit too much but I like it anyways.

Never say goodbye? Uh yes please. Let me get my lighter or well cell phone since lighters are no longer allowed. I hate that by the way. A ''sky full of lighters'' is far nicer then a ''sky full of cell phones''. All biggest rock stars, toughest metal guys, all of them did love ballads in the 80's and I am so lame to actually love all these sappy stupid songs. Really honestly I do. Metal – rock ballads, they're my thing. And well who wouldn't love that one line about a girl losing more then just her keys in the backseat of Jon's car? And also which girl wouldn't want to be that girl? The girl he'd write all those sappy songs to?

Other songs on it are of course, Let it rock, You give love a band name and you do NOT want to be stuck in a car with me if this song comes on just saying. Wanted dead or alive which I usually turn down anyway, I know I know that's criminal, turning down Bon Jovi but really I don't like it, except that one rif by Mr. Sambora it's just meh. Without love (fuck yes), Wild in the streets and of course I'd die for you which is just oh my god, another song you don't want to be around me if it plays. My boyfriends band does that cover for me, purely because they love seeing me lose my mind to it, headbanging, air guitar, screaming along, hey I never said I'm a good singer did I? I just love music is all.

My family is so funny, I'd turn on this album, and they know full well it's one of my favorites and they'd be like ''no wonder she loves it it's full of references to teenage sex, sneaking around and drinking'' well…living that rock n roll lifestyle what can I say? Hah.

Sometimes I just love uncomplex music without the darkness but just easy rock with cheesy songs with lyrics about undying love (kill me I'm still a girl and a hopless romantic sometimes) and living in a world we live in now when love is so rare…well let's just say that if they really are considered metal then they're one of the few who made it big with teenage girls. I suppose their insanely good looks had a say in it too. Hah. I've been into Jon Bon Jovi for the longest time, I had a cat named Jovi you know? But that's besides the point everyone thinks I got the hots for Jon alone. Uhm no it's more like I've got 99 problems and they are all Richie Sambora, like I'm sorry but have you seen a 20 something Richie Sambora? I think I'd die for him to be honest.

We live in a hostile world where love is a miracle but listening to this album makes me feel love because I honest to god love love LOVE this band. So give it a try, put it on, play it loud because it really is an amazing album. Now all there's left to do is, Richie, for the love of everything holy please come back home where you belong. We all miss you.

Bonus;