SamboraBlog

Richie said: Beckham is a good guy. He’s done so much for soccer in the US. We both recently featured in the Father’s Day edition of a Los Angeles children’s magazine with our children. Most definitely. David should come and see me. I’d gladly give him lessons. I’d be privileged.

He’s such a big name and brought soccer to a different level and it's now played in schools. It’s just a pity that he doesn’t get to play more as he’s been injured.

Richie and bandmates, keyboard player DAVID BRYAN and drummer TICO TORRES talked exclusively to The Sun ahead of the start of the band’s 22 date European tour, which kicked off in Germany on May 22.

The multi-award winning rockers have played more than 2500 concerts in over 50 countries since they started out in 1983 – however their enthusiasm for the job never wanes.

Richie said: It’s in our blood. The joy of bringing something you come up with out of thin air is a joy. We have this arsenal of songs that are a fabric of people’s lives and we have the poise and knowledge to go out and make people happy.

David added: We’ve been together for 25 years but the touring experience gets richer. Every time we step on stage it’s an honour as we know we’re incredibly lucky to be doing what we are doing.

With an astonishing 120 million records sold worldwide, it’s inevitable the guys have an ego fitting to such statistics.

They have a private jet and chef, stay in fancy hotels and have top of the range clobber – however their dressing room requests are pretty low maintenance.

David joked: We’re the same as when we started out – just a little more expensive and a little older.

Richie added: We don’t need meditation tents or anything like that. Just give me a room and I’m there.

Tico continued: Our rider is pretty streamline actually. I just need chicken soup – that’s a must have.

We may have been from vinyl to CDs, but we’ve had the same chef for 20 years. She cooks us meatloaf before the first date of our tour. Boy, that’s good.

Other necessities on the road include Halls soothers, hairdryers, herbal tea and Jon’s Frank Sinatra poster.

Hardly rock ‘n’ roll.

But Tico added they know they can’t abuse their bodies like they used to.

He quipped We like to stay healthy. Each day on the tour is pretty much the same. We’re on such a high when we come off stage that we go to bed at around 3am.

We then sleep in late, go to the gym, have some meatloaf and pick the set list. It’s different every night. Sometimes it changes midway through the show. It keeps us on our toes.

Richie added: Jon calls the set. The lead singer is your quarterback on a baseball team. His voice is a muscle so he calls the set according to what the muscle is feeling.

Charismatic Richie added that he takes an astonishing 24 guitars on the road – the most expensive is ｣200,000.

My guitars are all different flavours, he said.

It’s like having different colours of paint. Music is like a palette, but you paint with instruments like guitars. And different guitars give you different colours and shades.

But Richie finds his music and his bandmates have helped him through an eventful year.

The highs of the tour and recent Lost Highway album, have been mirrored by his high-profile divorce from HEATHER LOCKLEAR, a drink-driving arrest in March and a stint in rehab.

But he takes it all on the chin.

Being a rock and roll star doesn't exempt you from any of life’s problems, he said.

And he paid tribute to fellow rocker STEVE TYLER who was admitted into rehab for substance abuse last week.

I don’t think I’m the best person to give Steve advice, he quipped.

Steve is a big boy and he’s been through that drill quite a few times.

I knew that he was having some problems and was on pain medication so I’m guessing he went in for that. Good luck to him.

The last and final leg of the world tour ends in the UK in Twickenham on June 28.

The gig will signal another timely break for the band – however fans can rest assured they have no thoughts about retirement just yet

Hell no, said David. We’re happy and the buzz of being on stage gets better every time we play. We give 110% every time. We never want to come off stage feeling like we could have done more. We appreciate people pay big money for these tickets so we give as much as we can.

Richie added: As you grow up it’s very important to have individual enrichment. We’re a great big organisation that moves around and you need to step outside for a while and be your own person. We all support each other’s extra-curricular activities.

"I’m dying to do more solo stuff. Having time apart keeps us going. There won’t be any new material from us for a while.

Tico said: Bon Jovi is our job. The travelling gets a lot more tiring but it’s great fun.

We’ve been on the road for seven months now and I’m looking forward to doing normal things like changing light bulbs

We definitely need the time off to keep the marriage fresh. It’s what we do so we’ll be carrying on for sure.

The boys added that they hope they can match the ROLLING STONES for longevity.

Now that is something neither the fans or I would bet against.