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Bon Jovi To Play Germany’s “Festival Of Freedom” on November 9th
October 21, 2009Berlin, October 21st
In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Bon Jovi are going to perform their current single “We Weren’t Born To Follow” as the unofficial song of Germany’s “Fest der Freiheit” on November 9! The historic event at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate will also mark the band’s first performance of their current single on German television!
“We Weren’t Born To Follow” is dedicated to all those who fight for freedom even in the face of adversity
In order to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, Bon Jovi are going to perform their current single “We Weren’t Born To Follow” at “Fest der Freiheit,” a commemorative event taking place at Brandenburg Gate on November 9, 2009. The title of the current single – “We Weren’t Born To Follow” – is a battle cry reminiscent of the “We are the people” chants one could hear during the entire time of the GDR’s collapse. According to singer Jon Bon Jovi, the band’s hymn to freedom is dedicated to the ones who stand up for their ideals even in the face of adversity, thus making major historic events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall possible in the first place. His intention was to honor the voice of the voiceless, the 47-year-old singer continued. In fact, Bon Jovi couldn’t have chosen a bolder statement than the current single: “Music can transcend borders and language to connect people to one another.“
You can watch the official video for “We Weren’t Born To Follow” here: http://go.universal-music.de/bonjovi/full/video/219318/
When the band was formed in 1983, the Berlin Wall was the ultimate symbol for a divided world and the Cold War. Yet the fact that the “iron curtain” could ultimately be removed, affected the singer deeply: “For more than a quarter of a century, I have performed in both the former east and what is now unified Germany. The band has shared many memories with the German fans – but none as momentous as the fall of the Berlin Wall.”
According to his own statement, he will never forget standing at Checkpoint Charlie for the first time in 1986. The border official who checked his passport at the time was about his age – so Jon could literally see the huge gap between what happened on both sides of the Wall. Three years later the singer took a piece of the Wall he chipped off himself, which he kept ever since as a reminder: even though walls can separate us geographically, they can’t conceal the fact that we’re all human beings sharing similar dreams and desires.
With a lyric such as “you got to stand up for what you believe” (from the current single) the band pays tribute to the reform movement in the former GDR, who set everything in motion and eventually put an end to the Cold War. At the same time, the current airplay-hit “We Weren’t Born To Follow” gives a first taste of their forthcoming “The Circle” album, the band’s tenth studio recording, to be released October 30, 2009 in Germany.
As its title suggests, “The Circle” marks a powerful reassertion of Bon Jovi’s commitment to the hard-hitting, uplifting rock & roll that has been the band’s indelible signature since it began. Yet, according to the singer, the album title has various meanings. The latest one is clearly, that Jon and the rest of the band have come full circle since that unforgettable moment at Berlin’s Checkpoint Charlie 23 years ago…
Bon Jovi’s new studio album, “The Circle,” was produced by John Shanks, who also worked with the band on the two preceding albums, “Lost Highway” (2007) and “Have a Nice Day” (2005). Just like the current single, the entire album has an underlying positive theme that is apparent throughout the songs: Whether it’s questioning your vitality or asking what the future holds, the songs are about the prospect of people having to find new directions in their lives. In these trying times every word relays the truth.
Furthermore, on November 20, a new live DVD entitled “Live At Madison Square Garden” will be released. Recorded during the “Lost Highway 2008 Tour,” fans get to experience the band in front of an impressive backdrop: the sold-out Madison Square Garden in New York City. Said tour was ranked as 2008’s #1 top-selling tour around the world according to Billboard.
Bon Jovi has set the standard for 25 years as one of the most successful rock bands in the world. Globally, the Grammy Award-winning band has sold more than 120 million albums and performed more than 2,600 concerts in over 50 countries for more than 34 million fans. Their last album, “Lost Highway,” debuted at #1 in Germany, the US and around the world. The next tour is scheduled for 2010.
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