How Phil X First Connected With Jon Bon Jovi
Phil X recently shared how he unexpectedly became the guitarist for Bon Jovi, replacing longtime member Richie Sambora. As reported by Guitar Player, Phil X explained that his history with Jon Bon Jovi actually dated back to a studio session in the early 1990s, even though Jon did not initially remember him.
Trouble Within the Band in 2011
By 2011, Bon Jovi was dealing with serious uncertainty. Phil X said Richie Sambora was struggling onstage, including a televised performance where Sambora could not get through the intro of “Wanted: Dead or Alive.” With live shows at risk, Jon Bon Jovi decided the band needed a backup plan to keep touring.
Jon reached out to producer John Shanks, who then contacted Phil X. The offer was secretive and sudden. Phil X was asked to come to the studio without knowing the details. Once there, he was told he had seconds to decide whether he would fill in for Sambora.
“Jon and I go way back to a session we did in the early ’90s, but I don’t think he remembered me at first,” Phil X said. “And then, in 2011, he was having a situation with Richie. He was being anyone but Richie onstage; you didn’t know what to expect. There was one significant experience where they were on national television to play an acoustic version of ‘Wanted: Dead or Alive,’ and Richie couldn’t get through the intro.
“Jon said, ‘I need somebody. The show must go on.’ As a professional, that’s the only way you can look at it,” he continued. “He called [producer and guitarist] John Shanks, who knows everybody. John called me and said, ‘I think I have a gig for you. I can’t tell you over the phone. Can you come to my studio tomorrow?’
“It was like a total Mission: Impossible: ‘If you choose to accept this mission…’ [laughs] He goes, ‘How do you feel about filling in for Richie Sambora in Bon Jovi?’ I said, ‘I don’t know if that’s possible. Nobody can do that.’ He said, ‘Well, I told Jon you’re the guy. Here’s a contract, and here’s a statement of confidentiality. Are we doing it? You’ve got five seconds.’”
First Shows and Immediate Pressure
Phil X officially rehearsed with the band in late April 2011. His first show came at the New Orleans Jazz Fest on April 30, 2011, in front of around 50,000 fans. At the time, even band members like drummer Tico Torres were unsure who he was.
After 13 shows in 2011, Sambora returned, and Phil X stepped aside. However, in 2013, Sambora left the band mid-tour, skipping nearly 80 shows. That sudden exit led Jon Bon Jovi to call Phil X again, turning him from an emergency replacement into a full-time member.
“And then they put me on ‘hold.’ It was like, ‘You might come out, you might not. It depends on Richie’s condition.’ On April 14, 2011, Jon called and said, ‘I’d like to get you in New York at the end of the month to rehearse with the band and then put you on hold for May.’ I was like, ‘Done.’ That’s when it became real in my mind, like, ‘Shit, I’m getting on a plane…’”
“I flew to New York, rehearsed with the band, and Jon said, ‘Richie is in rehab. Looks like you’re doing May. The first show is Jazz Fest in New Orleans on a Saturday with about 50,000 people.’ So, there was no pressure, right? [laughs] We were in rehearsal, and [drummer] Tico [Torres] is like, ‘Who the fuck is this guy?’ I don’t think anybody knew the depth of Jon’s plan except Jon.”
A Lasting Change for Bon Jovi
Sambora’s struggles with substance abuse, including rehab stays in 2007 and 2011, contributed to long-term instability. His final departure in 2013 permanently changed the band. Phil X’s calm professionalism during crisis moments ultimately secured his place in Bon Jovi’s ongoing legacy.
