From the moment I realized I needed to immerse myself in the world of MTV, there was no turning back. I was determined to have my MTV fix. My sister and I would sulk around the house, catching glimpses of Martha Quinn, Nina Blackwood, and Adam Curry’s phenomenal hair when we could. But our true indulgence came during Friday Night Videos. In the summer of 1982, I began babysitting, and I quickly discovered that MTV was a fantastic perk of a job that paid a measly dollar an hour. “SHHH! Kids, I can’t hear Kevin Cronin belting out ‘I Can’t Fight This Feeling.’”
When “Headbangers Ball” premiered, my sister and I were fully invested in the hair band scene. Bon Jovi dropped their iconic album Slippery When Wet in 1986, and my family couldn’t have been prouder of our New Jersey roots. I reminded all my teenage friends that I was born in New Jersey, making Jon and me practically family. During a family trip to the New Jersey shore, I purchased a T-shirt that proclaimed “Jersey girls…best in the world.” It was no wonder that every lifeguard at the beach wanted to chat. I was blissfully unaware of what that shirt truly implied at just 15 years old, and with a cheeky mom who wore a shirt featuring a cartoon with the slogan “Do it in a van,” I didn’t have much guidance.
Every time “Livin’ on a Prayer” blared on MTV, I was entranced. The hair! The frosted highlights! Richie’s hat and Tico’s soul patch! They were like rock and roll superheroes who could fly. Soon enough, a Jon Bon Jovi poster found its way to our hallway wall, but it wasn’t my sister or me who put it up; it was my 5-foot-tall, super-cool mom who loved to admire Jon every time she walked by.
I had to get my hands on the must-have item of the year: a denim jacket with white fringe. I wore that jacket everywhere, and it appeared in countless photos over the years – OK, maybe two years… fine, three years. I think my mom still has it tucked away in her closet.
The hits from Slippery When Wet felt endless. “Livin’ on a Prayer,” “You Give Love a Bad Name,” and “Wanted Dead or Alive” had us belting out karaoke long before it became a trend. Every school dance involved air guitar performances and our hands raised high as we shouted, “Whooa-o! We’re halfway there!” To this day, I can recite every verse without a second thought; the lyrics just roll off my tongue.
By the time I entered college, my Slippery When Wet cassette was worn down to its last grooves. The New Jersey album was still going strong, and “I’ll Be There for You” was my anthem as I left my childhood friends behind in 1989. Coincidentally, that was also the year my parents finally decided to get cable – thanks for that, Mom and Dad.
My new circle of friends consisted of clean-cut sorority girls and fellow fans of the hair band genre. When I joined the rowing team as a freshman, word spread that I was a head-banger who spent weekends going to concerts at Bogart’s on Vine Street. A senior rower dubbed me “Metallica” as a nod to my musical preferences, and it stuck. To this day, my rowing friends still call me “Mega.” I guess it sounds better than “Bon Jovi” as a nickname; otherwise, the novices would have mistaken my name for “Bon” instead of “Megan,” which happened more than once. Long story.
During my early college years, the boys I dated bore a slight resemblance to Jon Bon Jovi—if you squinted and viewed them from a distance, of course. As hair bands peaked in popularity, my best friend and I made it our mission to see and meet as many long-haired rockers as we could. I have snapshots with bands like Enuff Z’Nuff, Dangerous Toys, Mr. Big, Skid Row, and Danger Danger. No, I’m not sharing those photos.
Then came the early ’90s, and Nirvana shook up the rock music landscape, effectively dismantling my rock ‘n’ roll bliss. Grunge overtook metal, and fellow bands like Cinderella, Winger, and Extreme faded into obscurity. Interestingly, many of those groups still tour for nostalgic fans like me.
Now, my 4-year-old son prefers country music, growing up in Texas, but occasionally a catchy rock tune grabs his attention, and he starts to dance. His current favorites include “Beth” by KISS and “Patience” by Guns N’ Roses, both of which double as lullabies.
I assured my husband that I wouldn’t hang a Jon Bon Jovi poster in our hallway, though.
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Summary:
This nostalgic reflection chronicles the author’s teenage infatuation with Jon Bon Jovi and the vibrant culture of the hair band era. From her early days of babysitting and discovering MTV to her college years filled with concerts and rock music camaraderie, the author shares amusing anecdotes and the lasting impact of that time. The piece highlights the transition from hair bands to grunge and touches on parenting in the present day.