AceShowbiz -

After months of not playing with his band on their current "Because We Can" world tour, lead guitarist Richie Sambora has been fired by Bon Jovi. After he first cited ambiguous "personal issues" reason for deciding not to perform on any of the legendary band's remaining tour dates, the 53-year-old rock musician's termination confirms previous reports it was actually due to a long-standing feud with frontman Jon Bon Jovi over money issues.

Although he stopped going on tour with his band mates, Sambora apparently has not yet called it quits with his group, with an insider even saying that "Richie wants to go back onstage -- that's his first love. He's really upset over the news." However, his band finally decided it for him, with some consolation that he will apparently still receive songwriting royalties and merchandise profits.

Sambora was replaced by Philip "Phil X" Xenidis, who makes $10,000 a month from the gig, a far cry from the $2 million and 20 percent of the profits that Sambora rakes in per month from the tour. Xenidis somehow became a beneficiary of Jon and Richie's financial feud, as he got to play the rest of the band's North America tour leg which they will resume in October and November after first completing their South American itinerary next month.

Bon Jovi just recently dealt with some criticism for choosing to perform in a private political fundraiser for Gov. Andrew Cuomo over a previously scheduled gig at the New York State Fair, which would have made $1.1 million in revenues from the band's appearance.