Vintage Journey

[elduave]

Yeah, I know, lots o' y'all hate on 'em. Moving on. Some of that '78-'80 stuff is SO friggin' awesome!

[Turdus]

What you really have to keep in mind was that Greg Rollie was the band's lead vocalist on several albums before what's his name joined the band. I saw them open for Boston, and Greg friggin' rocked! The first part of the show, he sat behind the keyboards, the second half, he played front man. They were awesome! I dig that period much more than the commercial stuff.

[MCChris]

Yeah, I know, lots o' y'all hate on 'em. Moving on. Some of that '78-'80 stuff is SO friggin' awesome!

No hater here. Seeing 'em with Def Leppard in July. Schon was one of my biggest influences as a kid. Loved the Perry/Rolie era.

[Guest pirateflynn]

Nothing wrong with that......Thanks for posting!

Steve Perry eats breakfast at a local place almost every day......he is very casual and friendly. If someone could convince him to do a reunion tour they would make a mint.

[princeofdarkness56]

Put me in the camp of hating them. I did like the first album but once Steve Perry came along I lost interest quick. Yeah, I know, voted one of the best singers ever blah blah blah. IMO, once he came aboard, they started catering to the 14 year old girls and then the MTV crowd. Just my opinion, but if you enjoy them that's great.

[pesocaster]

Journey kicked ass no two ways about it ..... I was more of a fan of their "rock" material...

Most of the ballads kind of grated on me..... EXCEPT "lights" ... touched by first boobie to that song .... ah what a glorious day....

[MCChris]

Put me in the camp of hating them. I did like the first album but once Steve Perry came along I lost interest quick. Yeah, I know, voted one of the best singers ever blah blah blah. IMO, once he came aboard, they started catering to the 14 year old girls and then the MTV crowd. Just my opinion, but if you enjoy them that's great.

Yeah but there was still that ripping guitar.

I've actually never heard any of the pre-Perry Journey. I have a feeling I'm missing out.

[MCChris]

... touched by first boobie to that song ....

Your own or someone else's?

[pesocaster]

... touched by first boobie to that song ....

Your own or someone else's?

valid question...... hahahahha ... nope I as a skinny kid... no man-teets here

First girl boobie ... and what a moment that was.... Thanks Kathy!

[elduave]

... touched by first boobie to that song ....

[Brooks]

EXCEPT "lights" ... touched by first boobie to that song .... ah what a glorious day....

I used to hate journey when i was all metal, young, and angry.

not so much anymore, esp lights;

whata great song/solo/guitar tone, killer!

ps- peso, kathy says hi...

[Steve Haynie]

The pre-Perry albums are good. Not too special, though.

The Greg Rollie/Steve Perry era was the best to me. When Steve Perry started crying instead of singing I found it hard to appreciate Journey. I have liked Schon's guitar playing in every period of Journey's history.

Steve Augeri sings as well as Steve Perry, and he performs for big audiences very well. Journey does not need Steve Perry.

[Willie G. Moseley]

More than one person I know has dismissed Augieri as "Steve Perry w/ a perm" but I think he's doing a commendable job w/ what he's got to work w/ considering what the fans expect...other guys in other veteran arena rock bands like SYTX and R.E.O. say Augieri's cool as well.

The "touched my first lungwhat" anecdote validates what I note at times when I speak to groups: A member of a particular "generation" wants to hear the music it came of age w/ for the rest of his/her life. You've only got to look at pledge week concerts on PBS to validate such a notion.

Personally, the first time I ever REALLY kissed a girl, the Lovin' Spoonful's "Darlin' Be Home Soon" was on the car radio.

I don't want to get too personal, but what if I recalled that the first time I ever, er, made the ultimate progression, the MC5's "Kick Out the Jams" was playin'?

[Guest Mike Lee]

The pre-Perry stuff is much more fusion oriented with lots of instrumentals. I've listened to it on their box set, but haven't heard it for years.

Perry gave them radio appeal. The first album with Perry was Infinity, and it is one of their best, if not the best. Great songs, guitar, and singing.

The next three albums all had some great songs, and Escape marks the change in the band brought on by Jonathon Cain. Frontiers still had some good rock songs, and the ballads like Faithfully are still classics. That was the first song Regina and I danced to in college.

Raised on Radio sucked big time. Perry became a control freak, and everyone else was gone except Schon.

Willie is right, the older I get the more I go back to the late 70's and early 80's hard rock I grew up with.

[jettster]

Huge, huge Journey fan here. Similar to Mr. Big, a lot of people write them off as cheesy without realizing how much talent was there. Steve Smith is a phenomenal drummer, Perry one of the best singers ever and Schon speaks for himself.

I've been a fan since before Perry and been lucky enough to see them with Rolie and Perry, Cain and Perry as well as the new singer, Steve Augieri.

For those that weren't lucky enough to see Perry live, Augieri does a great job but, I will say that there is absolutely no comparison to when Perry was in his prime. I'm not sure Perry can still sing like he used to though, based on their last effort Trial by fire. (Which I also love) His voice didn't sound quite as strong as it used to and that was 10 years ago.

I strongly recommend the DVD that recently came out “Journey - Live in Houston 1981”

That’s what they sounded like when I saw them back in the day, just incredible!!! They are one of the few bands I would pay huge money to see reunite.

[jettster]

Raised on Radio sucked big time. Perry became a control freak, and everyone else was gone except Schon.

They lost the bass player Ross V. and the drummer Steve S.

Journey: Steve Perry (vocals); Neal Schon (guitar, background vocals); Jonathan Cain (keyboards, background vocals). Additional personnel: Randy Jackson (bass); Steve Smith, Larrie Londin (drums); Randy Goodrum (background vocals). Recorded at Plant Studios, Saucalito, California and Fantasy Studios, Berkeley, California. After a three-year layoff, Journey returned with 1986's RAISED ON RADIO. Longtime drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory had left the band prior to the album's recording, leaving singer Steve Perry, guitarist Neal Schon, and keyboardist Jonathan Cain to fend for themselves. While the album wasn't as big a blockbuster as the band's previous few releases (ESCAPE, FRONTIERS, etc.), it did spawn such hit singles as "Girl Can't Help It" and "Be Good to Yourself." After a successful supporting tour wrapped up later in the year, Journey would go on hiatus for 10 years, until 1996's TRIAL BY FIRE.

I thought it had some pretty good tunes on there.

1. Girl Can't Help It

2. Positive Touch

3. Suzanne

4. Be Good To Yourself

5. Once You Love Somebody

6. Happy To Give

7. Raised On Radio

8. I'll Be Alright Without You

9. It Could Have Been You

10. Eyes Of A Woman, The

11. Why Can't This Night Go On Forever

[Guest Mike Lee]

I meant to say the original members were all gone, with only Perry and Schon left. Either way, they ceased to be a rock band and became a pop band.

[silentman]

Neil Schon is a huge influece of mine. I spent many days playing air guitar on a tennis racket to Escape. He's a guy who's VERY underrated.

[kurtsstuff]

Back in 1977 Journey opened for Emerson,Lake and Palmer and they really kicked ass. real sparse stage setup Neil playing a Black Les Paul through a Marshall 1/2 stack....Good stuff...

[ZR]

Neil Schon was also a big influence of mine - excellent melodic sense and can burn when needed - always tasteful. I started with the Infinity album and loved it all until after Escape they started losing me a little.

I thought Toto had a similar downturn once the big money started hitting them too. I really liked their 1st 3-4 albums.

I don't like that Steve Perry is not in the band. I've heard various reports about Steve's illness and the band wanting to tour w/o him to cash in (I could be wrong but that's what I remember of it). Does anyone know exactly what happened?

I always respected Def Leppard for being loyal to their band mate - what happens when your drummer loses an arm? You go on with your band...WITH him.

[elduave]

I'm happy to see this thread evolve without the oh-so predictably smug "I don't watch American Idol-It's lame" attitude.

I didn't follow Journey before Perry, but I do have a great live video from the Departure tour that they do a couple of older jam-type things which are cool. I love bands with 2 lead voices ala Perry/Rollie (Auer/Stringfellow, Northey/Drake, Stanley/Simmons etc). I agree with ZR, I began to lose interest after Escape (Frontiers I didn't like nearly as much) and 100% they jumped the shark with the video for Seperate Ways. However, there is a killer doccumentary from that tour called Frontiers And Beyond, shot by NFL Films and narrated by John Facenda. Stellar stuff! The only time I saw them with Perry was on the Departure tour. Precious Time was incredible. How 'bout Do You Recall. Killer friggin' songs. When I played in a band with a great female singer, we covered Feelin' That Way/Anytime. I sang the Rollie, she did the Perry. How 'bout we do some Journey at the DC Gathering? Anyone here able to sing Perry?

One more quick anecdote. I have a long time pal that collects rock star autographs. He takes cool pics to hotels after shows and meets folks. He was at the Four Seasons DC after a Journey show to try and get Neal Schon to sign a GREAT Ross Halfin pic in the book Powerage (which had already been signed by easily over half the stars in it). Schon refused to sign, telling Joe "Nah man, I'm off". Oh well.

[elduave]

And speaking of my pal Joe, he sent me the pic below with the caption "Do you think I enjoyed Montrose's Bad Motor Scooter much???" This slays me! It looks like Ronnie is saying "wait for it..."

[edgar_allan_poe]

I love Journey. Especially the stuff with Rolie. The video of them in 1981 is absolutely jaw dropping. Perry had one of the most powerful voices I have ever heard. They do Anyway You Want It as their last song and he is hitting notes that aren't even on the recorded version. This aint like playing the guitar guys...to do that after singing for 1 1/2 hrs straight is like bench pressing 500lbs *after* working out for 3 hrs. It is simply amazing.

Those of you clammoring for a reunion will be sorely disappointed. They wanted to...but it will never happen. It can't happen. Perry simply can't do it anymore. The last show I saw him sing was terrible, he didn't even come close to hitting those notes. His band was tuned down a whole step. And that was a long time ago. Very sad. Three things contributed to his demise IMHO.

1. Tour schedule.....these guys toured forever. Every night, day after day, year after year. It is amazing that he held up for as long as he did.

2. Song tempo. Listen to their live albums and you will see what I am talking about. They sped everything up..bigtime... This is no big deal to guitar players, but trust me, playing a song up tempo can cause major problems with a singer being able to breathe right. If you can't breathe right, you rely more on your throat than your chest, and that puts a serious strain or your voice. I am not a trained singer so I might not have the correct words here. You will just have to trust me on this one.

3. Age. Its a simple fact of life. Eventually, the voice will wear out. Especially for guys like Perry. Combine this one with the previous two, and you can see why they don't reunite.

[Guest Mike Lee]

They were all ready to tour in '96 and Perry injured his hip so they didn't do anything. They tried to do it again and Perry had more "issues". The rest of the band finally had enough and found a new singer so they could tour.

[elduave]

I love Journey. Especially the stuff with Rolie. The video of them in 1981 is absolutely jaw dropping. Perry had one of the most powerful voices I have ever heard. They do Anyway You Want It as their last song and he is hitting notes that aren't even on the recorded version. This aint like playing the guitar guys...to do that after singing for 1 1/2 hrs straight is like bench pressing 500lbs *after* working out for 3 hrs. It is simply amazing.

Those of you clammoring for a reunion will be sorely disappointed. They wanted to...but it will never happen. It can't happen. Perry simply can't do it anymore. The last show I saw him sing was terrible, he didn't even come close to hitting those notes. His band was tuned down a whole step. And that was a long time ago. Very sad. Three things contributed to his demise IMHO.

1. Tour schedule.....these guys toured forever. Every night, day after day, year after year. It is amazing that he held up for as long as he did.

2. Song tempo. Listen to their live albums and you will see what I am talking about. They sped everything up..bigtime... This is no big deal to guitar players, but trust me, playing a song up tempo can cause major problems with a singer being able to breathe right. If you can't breathe right, you rely more on your throat than your chest, and that puts a serious strain or your voice. I am not a trained singer so I might not have the correct words here. You will just have to trust me on this one.

3. Age. Its a simple fact of life. Eventually, the voice will wear out. Especially for guys like Perry. Combine this one with the previous two, and you can see why they don't reunite.

That's all fine and good but what Perry can you sing and will you be at the DC Gathering 7/29?