Child had already established himself as a formidable songwriter, but his collaboration with Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora would become legendary.
The three worked together on some of the album's biggest songs, including "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "Livin' on a Prayer." Some of that songwriting happened in the basement of Sambora's mother's house in New Jersey.
The partnership was almost a perfect formula:
- Jon Bon Jovi brought the melodies and frontman instincts.
- Richie Sambora brought the guitar, musicality and rock swagger.
- Desmond Child understood how to turn a good rock song into an enormous rock song.
That combination would help create two of the most recognizable choruses in rock history.
The Producer Who Changed the Sound
Jon Bon Jovi specifically wanted producer Bruce Fairbairn after hearing the sound he had achieved on the 1985 Black 'N Blue album Without Love.
Fairbairn, along with engineer/mixer Bob Rock, helped give Bon Jovi the massive, polished sound the band needed.
Recording took place at Little Mountain Sound Studios in Vancouver, Canada, during 1986.
That Vancouver connection also played a role in one of the strangest stories surrounding the album.
Of course Bob Rock would go it alone after all this and produce & engineer Motley Crue's legendary "Dr Feelgood album which would lead Metallica to seek him out to produce and engineer their legendary "Black" album.