Former Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora addressed fan concerns following his Kings of Chaos performance with current Bon Jovi guitarist Phil X. He shared his thoughts in a post on X (Twitter).
Some fans expressed concern that Sambora wasn’t performing at his usual level during the show. Others questioned his habit of chewing gum on stage. Sambora took to social media to respond directly to those observations.
“Wow! I had an absolute blast last week at the Kings of Chaos show!” he said. “Here’s a tidbit from Soundcheck, it was so great being with my brothers and seeing all of my fans!”
Sambora then addressed the question about chewing gum on stage, explaining that it was a long-standing habit rooted in his early career days.
“For those asking why I was chewing gum on stage, well — four sets a night in smoky Jersey dives, that’s where I learned it,” he said. “Your throat’s shot by midnight unless you figure something out.”
He went on to explain how the same technique helped him manage the challenging conditions of the recent performance.
“The desert was 116 degrees and dries your vocals out,” he continued. “That gum saved my voice on smoky nights and desert heat! Glad you asked!”
The performance marked a notable moment in rock history. It brought together two guitarists whose careers have been closely intertwined with one of the genre’s biggest bands.
Sambora departed Bon Jovi in 2013. Phil X stepped in as the band’s touring guitarist that same year. The Kings of Chaos show on August 1 was the first time the two shared a stage together — 13 years after X took Sambora’s place in the band.
The show took place at The Show at Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage in Palm Springs, California. The desert venue’s extreme heat, which Sambora referenced in his post, added an extra layer of challenge to the night’s performance.
Kings of Chaos is a rotating rock supergroup founded in 2012 by legendary drummer Matt Sorum. The band features a changing lineup of major rock musicians. The August 1 show included Glenn Hughes of Deep Purple and Black Sabbath, Kevin Cronin of REO Speedwagon, Jack Blades of Night Ranger, Steve Stevens, and both Sambora and Phil X.
For fans in attendance, seeing Sambora and Phil X on the same stage was a rare and significant occasion. It carried the weight of more than a decade of Bon Jovi history.
