Jon Bon Jovi is a snowbird — the nickname given to people of a certain age who flee their northern homes during the winter months to areas with warmer climates. It’s late April and the famous New Jersey native is in Palm Beach, Fla. “My license still says the great state of New Jersey,” the Bon Jovi frontman tells me on this week’s “ Just for Variety ” podcast.
“I’m there when it’s not cold. But when it’s cold, these old bones are on the beach.” The rocker, 62, is talking and thinking a lot about his age lately.
While his Hulu docuseries, “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story,” chronicles the iconic rock band’s rise to the top, the through line of the four episodes is the singer’s struggle to overcome vocal problems in time for the group’s 40th anniversary tour. As of today, Bon Jovi says the earliest he can get back on stage for a full-fledged tour is sometime next year. But even that isn’t guaranteed.
When he was about 20 minutes late for this interview, he apologized. He was in vocal therapy. “It’s a range of emotions on a daily basis,” Bon Jovi says.
“Yesterday was unbelievable. And today was less than perfection. It’s frustrating.
I know that none of us can achieve perfection, but I have to achieve excellence in order for me to do it on that level again, or I won’t.” He continues, “I don’t want to pretend to be something I was ..
. I don’t try to be that boy from 29 years ago, but I want to be the very best versi.
