Mr. Media Interviews By Bob Andelman

Today's Guest: Jon Bon Jovi, singer, Bon Jovi   Bon Jovi, featuring Jon Bon Jovi, center Today--March 2--is singer Jon Bon Jovi's birthday. I've been intent on publishing my January 19, 1984, phone interview with him for a long, long time, but I just cannot locate the original print version of the story to accompany it, so today I am throwing up my hands and we'll just go with the audio. At the time of this interview, Bon Jovi was a hard-working, fast-rising Jersey Shore band that made itself media accessible and media friendly. The guys frequently played baseball against local radio station DJs as they toured the country, generating good feelings and lots of extra spins of their debut record. JON BON JOVI podcast excerpt: "My mom is a florist; my dad is a hairdresser. They always said, 'Do whatever makes you happy.' They knew I wanted this; there was a lot of of support." I remember being struck by how nice Jon was in this interview and how surprised I was to discover his hometown was Sayreville, NJ. I gre