Sambora surprised fans when he abruptly announced that he wouldn't be taking part in the band's current tour on the day it was scheduled to kick off.

The guitarist had pulled out of an earlier tour in order to seek treatment at a rehab and when he pulled out this time it led to speculation.

TMZ reported last week that one of their unnamed "sources" claimed that Sambora dropped off the tour over a contractual dispute between him and frontman Jon Bon Jovi, a claim that Bon Jovi denies in a new interview.

"I think Richie's doing all right, (but) I haven't spoken to him," Bon Jovi told Statesman.com. "We were surprised. It was 3:30 on show day on Tuesday and we got a phone call that he wouldn't be there. It's a personal matter.