Documentary series about Bon Jovi offers a peek into the band's private history

Rock band Bon Jovi has decided to open up about their 40-year career in the new documentary series “Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story”.

In the four-episode production, archival footage and personal videos and photos are intertwined with current interviews and scenes of the group embarking on their 2022 tour. The series documents the rise of the American band in the early 1980s and the sharp turn of learning they went through as they transitioned from Jersey Shore clubs to stadiums around the world.

“We didn’t want to create a vanity piece. It was quite a journey. With any real career, especially when you're talking about 40 years, there will always be peaks and valleys. And we wanted to be honest about that,” said frontman Jon Bon Jovi at the series premiere in London on Wednesday (17).

“It’s like we’re pulling back the curtain on the band, individually and collectively,” added keyboardist David Bryan.

In contrast to the glory days, the series also allows audiences to see more vulnerable moments, including Jon Bon Jovi's problems with his voice due to a condition called vocal cord atrophy.

“He (Jon) was initially just thinking about looking back, remembering the 40 years. I started to notice that something was happening with his voice. And I thought, 'That's interesting. Let's follow this,” said director Gotham Chopra, famous for documentaries about elite athletes.

“And it ended up being a four-part series that follows, of course, the 40-year odyssey, but also this journey that he's been on for the last two years to get back on stage.”

Chopra and his team interviewed the band's members, including former guitarist Richie Sambora, their managers and collaborators over the years, and combed through lots of footage.

“Jon is a collector, as I learned. He collected things. There were also tons of media files. These guys exploded in the 80s, and with the rise of MTV and VH1, there was a lot of material,” Chopra said.

“For us to see that was incredible. And the amount of stuff we did was inspiring and I thought, 'Well, this is why we're tired,'” Bryan said of watching the series.

Jon Bon Jovi said he was happy with the result.

“I think legacy is important. We were always very proud of what we were doing. And we wanted to be remembered a certain way and we worked towards that.”

Four decades later, Bon Jovi still has a lot to give, said the 62-year-old singer. The group's 16th album, “Forever”, will be released in June.

“I think it’s the best album we’ve made in 20 years,” he said, adding that he’s not thinking about touring for now.

“One day at a time. Let’s enjoy tonight, release the album and work on getting back to touring.”

“Thank You, Goodnight: The Bon Jovi Story” premieres on Disney+ in the UK and Hulu in the US on April 26. In Brazil, the responsible streaming service is Star+.