EXCLUSIVE: 'Breaking up is hard to do!' Richie Sambora tells DailyMailTV about the 'dire' family situation that made him leave the band and says he and Jon Bon Jovi have 'ups and downs as any married couple'

Rocker Richie Sambora is speaking out about Jon Bon Jovi's claims that he wished he 'had his life together' and didn't leave the band years ago for 'personal reasons'. 

Speaking to DailyMailTV in an exclusive interview, Sambora opened up about his decision to leave the band in 2013 to take care of daughter Ava, now 23. 

'Obviously it hurts and you know, breaking up is hard to do,' Sambora said from his home in Calabasas, California. 'I was in a situation and it was not easy to make that decision to leave the band and the fans.

'I was in a dire situation with my family and I had to make a tough decision and I did and I'm sure people weren't happy about it,' he said.  

As far as Bon Jovi's comments, Sambora laughed and said, 'When people say I don't have my life together - are you kidding me? I'm the happiest dude on the block.' 

Speaking to DailyMailTV in an exclusive interview, Richie Sambora opened up about his decision to leave the band in 2013 to take care of daughter Ava, now 23.

Sambora gushed about his daughter Ava, saying. 'My daughter just graduated on the dean's list from LSU as a psychology major. And she's gone on to grad school now. And so and it's just, you know, she and I have just been really fantastic. And we just have a great relationship.'

Jon Bon Jovi said in an interview last week that he wished his former bandmate Richie Sambora had 'his life together' 

Sambora's comments come after Bon Jovi launched into a monologue about Sambora, 61, in a recent interview, saying: 'There's not a day that goes by that I don't wish that Richie had his life together and was still in the band.

'In a weird way, it's because of his inability to get it together anymore that we went on and wrote the This House Is Not For Sale.' 

Sambora shares daughter Ava Sambora, 23, with his ex-wife Heather Locklear

Sambora famously left the popular group in April 2013 for 'personal reasons' after three decades with the band.

Sambora shares daughter Ava Sambora, 23, with his ex-wife Heather Locklear. The two married in 1994 but divorced in 2007. 

In the subsequent years after their divorce, Locklear struggled.

There were 911 calls placed over concern about her mental health and safety, a DUI arrest, medical facility visits and a domestic violence arrest. 

But Sambora now says that despite Bon Jovi's latest comments, there is no bad blood or 'war of words' between the two.  

'We've had our ups and downs throughout the years as any married couple have,' he said of their relationship. 'Jon and I spent more time together than we spent with our families because him and I wrote the songs.

'But as you see now, my daughter just graduated on the dean's list from LSU as a psychology major and she's gone on to grad school now. And so and it's just, you know, she and I have just been really fantastic and we just have a great relationship.'

Asked if he would ever consider rejoining the band, he said, 'It would have to be a special situation for me to go back, but I'm certainly not counting it out. I have no malice toward that band.'

Sambora even spoke about his ex-wife Heather Locklear, saying, 'I love Heather now more than when we first met,' he said. 

'We still maintain a friendship and realize that we are definitely bound by blood and family. Whatever I had to do to support her, I did' he said. 

Locklear and Sambora married in 1994 but divorced in 2007. In the subsequent years after their divorce, Locklear struggled

Sambora famously left the popular group in April 2013 for 'personal reasons' after three decades with the band. He's pictured with daughter Ava

'I was in a dire situation with my family and I had to make a tough decision and I did and I'm sure people weren't happy about,' he said about his decision to leave the band. Sambora shared this throwback with daughter Ava 

A close friend of Sambora's had slammed Bon Jovi for the low-ball comment, previously telling DailyMail.com that the singer is only commenting on his old friend to 'become relevant' and labeled him a 'low class rock star.'

They added: 'This is a desperate attempt to discredit Sambora for leaving Bon Jovi when Sambora was forced to leave the band in 2013 because his daughter truly needed him.' 

In 2016, Sambora said of his departure from the band: 'I mean, I really needed to take some time to be with my daughter. She needed me, and I needed her, actually,' he shared.'

The friend added: 'History has proved she did need him and Ava has gone on to be a straight A student, now in grad school and staying out of the limelight.'

Bon Jovi also took a second swipe at his former bandmate, suggesting in the interview that Sambora's departure led him to write quality songs, saying: 'Maybe we would have gotten lazy. ... I don't know where we would have gone, but through all that pain and heartbreak came this.' 

 Sambora now says that despite Bon Jovi's latest comments, there is no bad blood or 'war of words' between the him and Jon Bon Jovi

Asked if he would ever consider rejoining the band, Sambora said, 'It would have to be a special situation for me to go back, but I'm certainly not counting it out. I have no malice toward that band'

Bon Jovi and Sambora have long traded back and forth insults since his departure in 2013.

Sambora was forced to deny Bon Jovi's comments that his shock departure was down to his history with substance abuse.

At the time, Bon Jovi, 50, hinted that Sambora may have quit their then world tour because of the same reason he quit in 2011, when he missed dates to go into rehab for alcohol abuse.

'It's getting more and more difficult every day to not just sit here and say something… Because all I can say is this - it's for personal reasons,' he said.

'He's been through it before, fortunately for us the same guy who filled in last time was available this time.'

Sambora quickly defended himself saying: 'Enough with the trash talking!

'I don't have any major problems in life right now, I love my fans and I feel bad for them at the moment. Bottom line.

'My opinion is Jon wants to see if he can pull off stadiums by himself. He is making it very difficult for me to come back.'

He added: 'Jon needs to stop talking about me publicly.'