Jon Bon Jovi used to work at iconic New York recording studio the Power Station, which was run by his cousin, Tony Bongiovi, before he became the rockstar we know today. His time working there led to many run-ins with famous musicians including one very funny experience with Mick Jagger.
Bon Jovi recounted the story in an appearance on the Rockonteurs podcast saying, “Shortly after John Lennon was killed, and I had a band and we were rehearsing a few blocks away. I’ll never forget this. Getting out of a cab, counting out my change to pay the cabbie…and the Stones got out of whatever car it was they were getting out of. The Stones!”
JBJ continues, “At the same time [as the Stones were] going into the studio, a photographer jumps out of a trash bin and paparazzi, starts taking pictures. I swear to God this is true…The photographer’s screaming, ‘Mick, Mick, Mick, Mick, give us a picture!’ I swear to you, he grabs me and these kids and he says, ‘Here’s my new band, the Frogs.’ And we took a f—ing picture.”
Even though that photo has never been published and Bon Jovi hasn’t been able to track it down, he adamantly says, “That picture exists.”
Bon Jovi briefly touched on other incredible moments he observed while working as a “gofer” at the Power Station.
“I witnessed [David] Bowie and Freddie [Mercury] singing the vocals to ‘Under Pressure,’” said Bon Jovi. “I looked right through the window of Studio A. I re-confirmed this with another cousin of mine who was also working in the studio. I said, ‘Weren’t we there then?’ He said, ‘Yeah.’ So, go and look at that vocal credit [on the song.] The vocal was done at the Power Station in New York.”
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