Earlier this year, UMe celebrated the 40th anniversary of Bon Jovi's debut album with an extras-packed digital deluxe edition. Just in time for Christmas, that set is getting a physical 2CD release.
The self-titled effort from the New Jersey rockers sports nine extra tracks, including previously unreleased early versions of debut single "Runaway" and new mixes of previously released live material from the band's longtime engineer Obie O'Brien. The set is packaged in a standard jewel case and will hit stores November 22.
Perth Amboy, NJ-born Jon Bongiovi was a hardworking singer who'd toiled in the Garden State's local scene, even opening for Southside Johnny and The Asbury Jukes in an early band. (He'd also gotten to spend time as an errand boy for the famed New York studio The Power Station, which was owned by his cousin Tony; it was here he sung on his first professional recording, a Star Wars Christmas song.) Assembling Bon Jovi with guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, bassist Alec John Such and drummer Tico Torres, the band's self-titled debut was ironically anchored by a song that featured none of those musicians. "Runaway" was cut in 1982, with Jon and a murderer's row of session players including The E Street Band's Roy Bittan on keyboards, guitarist Tim Pierce, Scandal drummer Frankie LaRocka and bassist Hugh McDonald (who himself became a touring, then official member of Bon Jovi after Such's exit in the mid-'90s). The unsigned track became a surprise radio hit in the New York area in the summer of '83, turning audiences on to the group that would later dominate East Coast pop metal by the end of the decade with hits like "Livin' on a Prayer," "You Give Love a Bad Name," "Wanted Dead or Alive," "Bad Medicine" and others.
The album's bonus disc primarily traces the evolution of "Runaway" - first as a cassette demo, an earlier recording from 1981, and finally alternate takes and mixes of the future Top 40 hit. Also included is an alternate vocal of deep cut "Come Back" plus four live recordings from the band's Japanese tour in 1985. (These were included on a 2010 reissue of the album, a campaign that was one of the earliest things we covered on The Second Disc; engineer Obie O'Brien has gone back and remixed these recordings for the new reissue.) It's the capper for a busy year for the group: Jon Bon Jovi was honored as the MusiCares Person of the Year this past winter, a multi-part documentary on the band bowed on Hulu in April, and the group's 16th album Forever followed that summer. (Bon Jovi, Bryan, Torres and McDonald remain in the band, alongside guitarists Phil X and John Shanks and percussionist/vocalist Everett Bradley; Sambora, who departed acrimoniously in 2013, reunited with the group for their 2018 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and was interviewed for the documentary.)
You can pre-order your copy of the new expansion below, which is out November 22. As an Amazon affiliate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Bon Jovi (Deluxe Edition) (Mercury/UMe, 2024) (Amazon U.S. / Amazon U.K. / Amazon Canada)
Disc 1: Original album (released as Mercury 814 982-1, 1984)
- Runaway
- Roulette
- She Don't Know Me
- Shot Through the Heart
- Love Lies
- Breakout
- Burning for Love
- Come Back
- Get Ready
Disc 2: Bonus material (previously unreleased on CD)
- Runaway (cassette writing demo)
- Runaway (pre-production studio demo)
- Runaway (alternate version)
- Runaway (extended version - 2024 mix)
- Come Back (reference vocal version)
- Roulette (Live in Tokyo, 1985 - Obie O'Brien mix)
- Breakout (Live in Tokyo, 1985 - Obie O'Brien mix)
- Runaway (Live in Tokyo, 1985 - Obie O'Brien mix)
- Get Ready (Live in Tokyo, 1985 - Obie O'Brien mix)
Tracks 1-5 released on digital deluxe edition - Mercury/UMe (no cat. #), 2024
Alternate mixes of Tracks 6-9 released on special edition of album - Mercury B0014172-02, 2010
Rob L. says
An early version of "Runaway," produced by Tony Bongiovi, actually got airplay on KDWB Minneapolis and WCOZ Boston in 1981. It was WAPP New York that had a hit with the "unsigned" recording in 1983.
TAMMY MARSHALL says
I HAVE BEEN A. HUGE BON JOVI SINCE THE 8O'S. MY NICKNAME IS JOVI GIRL. MY FIRST CONCERT WAS BON JOVI/ SKID ROW IN CINCINNATI. IT WAS AWESOME. TAMMY FROM KENTUCKY!!😍
Tom says
The content of this deluxe version is so appaling that I wonder who signed off on that.