Richie Sambora About Her Decision To Leave Bon Jovi

Richie Sambora (instagram @therealsambora)

JAKARTA - In a new issue of People magazine, Richie Sambora opens up about his controversial decision to leave Bon Jovi in 2013. He says he wants to spend more time with his daughter Ava, now 23.

"It was not a popular decision by any means, obviously, but there really is almost no choice about it. I have a lot of work to do around my personal life," said the 61-year-old guitarist.

"We've been through a lot together. It was a period of psychological nurture for the family. You know, I'm not an angel. But I realized Ava needed me at that time. Family comes first, and that's what happened."

Sambora, who spent time in rehabilitation in 2007 and 2011 for abuse of alcohol and prescription drugs, adds that the rock and roll lifestyle is ultimately having a bad impact.

"My God, when I looked back and started making tour lists ... 18 and a half months on the road, 52 countries," he said. "It's like, Wow. Really time to take a break. We did it 14 times over a 31 year period."

Two months ago, Sambora told the Daily Mail that he was not against the possibility of one day rejoining Bon Jovi, provided the circumstances were right. "It will be a special situation for me to come back," he said, saying it was not a priority and he did not want to spoil the harmony of the current formation.

Richie's comments evaporated just weeks after Jon Bon Jovi told Rock Antenne Germany that "not a day goes by where I don't expect Richie to live his life and still be in the band. However, in a strange way, it was because of his inability to get together again that he we went ahead and wrote This House Is Not For Sale. "

The guitarist, who joined Bon Jovi in 1983 and co-wrote most of the group's iconic hits over the next three decades, has not performed fully with the band since he left the Because We Can tour seven years ago.

Sambora rejoined Bon Jovi on stage in April 2018 at the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony in Cleveland, marking his first appearance with the band in five years. Also appearing with the group is bassist Alec John Such, who has not played with Bon Jovi since his 2001 appearance. They performed several crowd favorites, including Livin 'On A Prayer, You Give Love A Bad Name and It's My Life.

Bon Jovi's new album, 2020, was released in October via Island Records.