Where Every Bon Jovi Band Member Is Now (& What Happened To The Ones Who Left)

The new Hulu docuseries Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story reveals many of the behind the scenes details behind Bon Jovi’s rise to fame. The four-part miniseries covers more than 5 hours of exclusive content, photos, and never-before seen footage, including modern interviews with John Bon Jovi, David Bryan, and Richie Sombora, who discusses why he quit Bon Jovi in 2013. Thank You, Goodnight was released in its entirety on April 26, 2024 and can only be streamed exclusively on Hulu. Gotham Chopra directed the project (The Love Guru, Tom vs. Time, Bulletproof Monk).

Bon Jovi formed in 1983 in Sayreville, New Jersey, which is why Bruce Springsteen, another famous rocker from New Jersey, also appears in Thank You, Goodnight. Their debut single “Runaway” was released in 1984 and quickly generated massive appeal for the band, who seamlessly blended pop, rock, and metal into a new fresh sound. As portrayed in Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, the band remains active despite several original members leaving over the years. Some of their biggest hits, such as “You Give Love A Bad Name”, “Wanted Dead or Alive”, and “Livin’ On A Prayer”, were released on their legendary 1986 album Slippery When Wet.

3 Original Members Are Still In Bon Jovi

Jon, Tico Torres, and David Bryan

Out of all the original members of Bon Jovi, only Jon, Tico Torres, and David Bryan currently remain in the band after more than 40 years of existence. Today, the entire band consists of frontman and lead singer Jon Bon Jovi, drummer Tico Torres, keyboardist David Bryan, guitarist Phil X, and bassist Hugh McDonald. Phil X replaced Bon Jovi’s original guitarist Richie Sambora after Sambora walked away from the band in 2013. Phil X was a part of several bands before joining Bon Jovi, such as the Canadian hard rock band Triumph and a Los Angeles based pop rock band named Powder.

Hugh McDonald officially joined Bon Jovi in 2016 despite being an unofficial part of the band since 1994. McDonald is currently the official bassist and backup singer of Bon Jovi after working with the band to assist during live performances for more than two decades. He was the bass guitarist for the David Bromberg Band before officially joining Bon Jovi and has worked with many other famous rock bands and musical artists over the years in both session and studio work. Some of his most famous musical collaborations include Ringo Starr, Michael Bolton, Willie Nelson, Alice Cooper, Cher, Poison, and Ricky Martin.

Original Guitarist Dave Sabo Became A Key Member Of Skid Row

Sabo and Bon Jovi grew up in the same New Jersey neighborhood

As depicted in Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, the original guitarist of Bon Jovi, Dave Sabo, left the band after joining in 1983. Dave Sabo, who is also known as The Snake, was ultimately replaced by Richie Sambora, which freed him up to explore other career opportunities with other popular bands. It wasn’t long before The Snake found a new home with another popular 1980s rock band, Skid Row. Sabo founded Skid Row as one of their guitarists in 1987, playing clubs and recording music until the band released their first album in 1989.

Sabo was a childhood friend of Bon Jovi’s as the two rock legends grew up in the same neighborhood. Sabo has recently confirmed that he and Jon Bon Jovi have remained lifelong friends, telling Guitar.com in 2022 that he had continued to be a great mentor to him throughout his career. “[Jon’s] work ethic, his commitment to music and his perseverance showed me and showed [Skid Row] that it was possible to be able to have success in the music business. He was very, very helpful at the very beginning with our band and he’s always been a great mentor to me.” Sabo is still an active member of Skid Row, who goes back on tour this summer.

Alec John Such Left Bon Jov In 1994

Such only played with the band again on 2 occasions

Alec John Such was the original bassist of Bon Jovi until 1994. As portrayed in Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, Such had played in the same hard rock band as Richie Sambora during the early 1980s called Message. Such was also the manager at the Hunka Bunka Ballroom in Sayreville, New Jersey, which is where he offered Bon Jovi one of their very first gigs before being asked to join the band in 1983. Such was a foundational glue for Bon Jovi that helped them get the talented drummer Tico Torres to join the band.

Such quit the band due to Jon’s criticism of his bass playing, agreeing to continue to tour with the band through 1994 but refusing to help them record their next album. Such was a part of the creation of Bon Jovi’s five earliest albums, including the massive critical success Slippery When Wet. Such’s departure wa sthe first major lineup change for Bon Jovi. He ended up quitting life as a band member and touring musician altogether after leaving Bon Jovi. He became a band manager and only ever performed with Bon Jovi on two other occasions, including their Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2018. Such unfortunately passed away in 2022.

Richie Sambora Quit Bon Jovi In 2013

Sambora wanted to spend more time with his family

Richie Sambora plays a major role in Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story, one of the best music documentaries on Hulu. Sambora explains that he needed to spend more time with his family as the main reason why he decided to leave the band. The last time that Sambora played with Bon Jovi was also at the 2018 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Sambora also has a solo career, beginning with 1991’s Strangers in the Town. His latest single “I Pray” was released on the same day as Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story.

Sambora went on to release two other solo albums, Undiscovered Soul (1998) and Aftermath of the Lowdown (2012). As of February 2023, Sambora was potentially in talks to return to Bon Jovi, and may tour with the band following the release of their upcoming 2024 studio album. Bon Jovi released a new single called “Legendary” on March 14, 2024, the first since 2020. Their upcoming 16th album titled Forever is set to be released on June 7, 2024.