Richie Sambora Return To Bon Jovi Will Happen! Legendary Axeman Wants More Credit 'I Built This Band, Too!'

Richie Sambora has chosen not to join his former band Bon Jovi  in their tour last year, and it eventually led to the band letting him go. The band's founding member and lead guitarist has moved on with a solo tour, but he's not entirely at peace yet.

Bon Jovi had to continue the "Because We Can" Tour last year, and they replaced Sambora with Phil X. Sambora understands, but he does not exactly favor it.

From Melbourne's Herald Sun "At the end of the day, if you're going to buy a can of Coke, you want the real thing,". "Jon (Bon Jovi) just has a different mentality. I know Mick Jagger wouldn't tour without Keith Richards and call it the Rolling Stones."

"For the longest time, even now, I'm considered Jon Bon Jovi's side arm, or something. Hey, I built this band, too. You know what man? There's no malice. Everyone has their different capacities (for touring) I guess," he says.

"Check this out. I am the guy who writes the songs and co-produces and plays guitar and sings. So I am writing for four or five months, then in the studio for four or five months and the last tour I did was 18 ½ months in 52 countries. Thirty years of that is a good run.I had 14 cycles of that. I realised I really, really missed a lot of my daughter's life."

Ultimately, it led to his decision to quit the tour: "It's something I needed to do for my family and myself. I admit it was a bit selfish (to quit the tour) and it wasn't a popular decision, I know, and I apologise to the fans. My daughter needed me and I needed her."

Despite the misunderstanding, Sambora is still open to returning to Bon Jovi. There wasn't a real 'fight' between him and their frontman Jon Bon Jovi. The door is still open.

From the Herald Sun: "I'm not saying this band will not get back together at some point, or not," There will have to be a lot of communication, a lot of talking."

"I haven't been home for a year ever. I've missed a lot of life. And the currency of love and happiness is worth a lot more than the currency of money. And I'm sure it wasn't a popular decision, but I had to make it."

Sambora tells FasterLouder.com: "It was an unpopular decision with the fans and the band, but sometimes a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do for his family. It certainly didn't come down to money. I can see why they (fans) are hostile. Because they went out and bought tickets, and they expected to see me play, too. So, there's a certain hostility I think, that would come along with that."