Journey's Neal Schon Hasn't Spoken With Steve Perry Since 2005

... (hennemusic) It's been 15 years since Steve Perry parted ways with Journey, but his shadow remains a constant for the band who achieved their greatest commercial success with the singer. In a new interview with Noise 11, Journey guitarist Neal Schon spoke about Perry, who he hasn't seen in almost a decade. "You know what? I say nice things about him, and he says nice things about me," Schon tells Noise 11. "I think, all in all, I have ultimate respect for the man, and the voice that he has. I wish him the best, but we haven't quite gotten around to speaking since we received the Hollywood Walk Of Fame star [in 2005]." A tape featuring Perry made its way into the hands of Journey manager Herbie Herbert, but the guitarist wasn't sold at first. "Gregg and I heard it initially and I thought, 'the guy's got a great voice, but I don't know if it's us.' It's so far left-field compared to what we'd been doing," said Neal. "Herbie, being the manager he was, and a very good one back then, he said, 'well you guys don't have a choice, this is what going to do.' And [Gregg] and I kinda looked at each other and thought 'what?' But he was right." more on this story hennemusic is an official news provider for antiMusic.com. Copyright hennemusic - Excerpted here with permission. Journey's Neal Schon Hasn't Spoken With Steve Perry Since 2005 ... [ read more ]

Journey Skeptical of Making Another Album

... Meanwhile, 40th anniversary plans may include a tribute show at AT&T Park Journey isn't planning to let its 40th anniversary go unnoticed. The group's Jonathan Cain tells Billboard that Journey is eyeballing a special show in its home town of San Francisco, most likely at AT&T Park. "I can't really say much right now, but if we can get that to happen, that would be" the anniversary celebration, Cain says. Asked if the special show could involve former members of the band, he says "that could be" but adds it's more likely to pay tribute to one of Journey's earliest supporters. "We're thinking more of a Bill Graham tribute kind of thing," he explains. "Bill really was a big supporter of Journey, and without Bill we'd never have played the Rose Bowl. He was our sort of godfather. So we're thinking that maybe we'll sort of wrap up the bow and do a tribute to him. We think about him a lot. He was just a tremendous guy."Journey Singer's 'Surreal' Story Told in 'Don't Stop Believin' Film The show will be part of a busy year of performing for Journey. With, "Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey," ... [ read more ]

Journey Did Not Pay For Their New Documentary

... production. She explains: "It would have been different if the band came to us and said, 'Hey, make this film.' We were sort of going after that; when they finally said yes we couldn't say, 'Oh, yeah, can you pay for it?' "My producer put it on her credit cards, and when she ran out of that I borrowed money from my family. Then we got some investors from friends and family - small, small amounts of money." more on this story Classic Rock Magazine is an official news provider for antiMusic.com. Copyright Classic Rock Magazine- Excerpted here with permission. Journey Did Not Pay For Their New Documentary ... [ read more ]

Journey

(1973-1987, 1996-)

Neal Schon (guitar, vocals) 1973-
Ross Valory (bass) 1973-1986
Gregg Rolie (keyboards, vocals) 1973-1981
Prairie Prince (drums) 1973-1974
George Tickner (guitar) 1973-1975
Aynsley Dunbar (drums) 1974-1978
Robert Fleischman (vocals) 1977
Steve Perry (vocals) 1977-1987, 1996-1999
Steve Smith (drums) 1978-1986
Jonathan Cain (keyboards) 1981-
Steve Augeri (vocals) 1999-2006
Jeff Scott Soto (vocals) 2006-2007
Arnel Pineda (vocals) 2007-

Artistfacts®: You can leave comments about the artist/band at the bottom of the page.

They broke up in 1987 and reformed in 1996. Perry developed a degenerative hip condition which prevented the band from touring for their comeback album. Against his wishes, the band went on without him, touring with Augeri instead.

The entire 49ers football team joined the band on stage at the Cow Palace in San Francisco in 1981.

They opened the Rolling Stones' 1981 North American tour on September 25 in Philadelphia.

In 1999, they toured with new lead singer Steve Augeri. Augeri grew up listening to Journey albums, and did lots of Journey covers before joining the band. He sounds almost exactly like Steve Perry. The first recording with Augeri was for the Armageddon soundtrack.

Randy Jackson, who later became a judge on the US TV show American Idol, played bass for Journey in 1986 on the Raised on Radio album. He also toured with them that year and the year after. (thanks, homer - Dallas, TX)

As a teenager, Schon turned down an opportunity to join Eric Clapton's band Derek and the Dominos. He did later join Santana.

Smith's drumming has broadened over the years partially due to his involvement in the Jazz group Vital Information.

Prior to joining Journey, Perry sang in many commercials. One of them was for a Chicago Amusement Park.

Schon is the founder of Schon Guitars, which markets and sells instruments he designed himself. They are manufactured by Jackson.

Dunbar played with Jeff Beck, John Mayall, Lou Reed and David Bowie before Journey. He would later join Jefferson Starship.

Perry's band Alien Project was almost signed to CBS Records in 1978, but then their bass player was killed in a car crash. A blessing in disguise for Perry, this led to landing the vocalist spot in Journey.

Schon met Rolie while they were both members of Santana. Between their times in the two bands, Schon played with others in the San Francisco area, while Rolie opened a restaurant with his father in Seattle.

When the group formed, they held a contest on the San Francisco radio station KSAN-FM to come up with the name of the band, the winner getting tickets for life to their shows. The names terrible - stuff like Rumpled Foreskin and The Mound Pounders. John Villanueva, who worked in the band's management, came up with the name Journey, and they created a fake winner for the contest, an imaginary listener named Toby Pratt.

Valory had been bassist for the Steve Miller Band and Prince had played with the Tubes. He decided after a few gigs with Journey that he wanted to stay with the Tubes.

Tickner left the band because he was tired of touring.

Schon and Cain left in 1989 to join Bad English.

Before taking the name Journey, they were known as The Golden Gate Rhythm Section.

Steve Augeri is the voice on the single "Remember Me." He was replaced in the summer of 2006 by Jeff Scott Soto, who was dismissed in June 2007. (thanks, Kevin - Newcastle upon Tyne, England)

In late 2007 Arnel Pineda was announced as their new lead singer. He got the job after posting a video on YouTube of him performing in a Journey cover band in The Philippines called The Zoo. (thanks, Bertrand - Paris, France)

Perry didn't join the band until their fourth album, Infinity. Gregg Rolie was the vocalist for their first three.

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Comments:

I saw Journey/Frampton/John Waite concert back in 2001. When Journey played, you would swear it was Steve Perrys voice. Steve Augeri sounded just like him!

- Sherry, Middleboro, MA

In my opinion, Journey will never be the same without Steve. Just like it wouldn't be the same if Neal or Jonthan left.

- Isabella, Gresham, OR

You know the video for 'Seperate Ways' when they are all playing the 'air' instruments. That was voted the single gayest thing ever by the citizens of planet earth. Steve Perry tried hard to out-gay that video, but he never did anything quite that gay again.

- GlenorGlenda, Jone's Junction, MD

"Don't Stop Believing is the greatest song ever!!! Journey is amazing and isn't the same without Steve Perry.

- Stacey, Shawano, WI

You have to admit, Journey is one of the staples of all-time rock music. It's music continues to be featured in movies, TV shows, anthems and so on. Fortunately, other than the music produced, Steve Perry was the vocal power house that gave Journey it's sound. Unfortunately, even though the band likes to continue with their longevity, I believe they are on singer #3 since Steve Perry dropped from their line-up. Moreover, as much as the band and Steve Perry are estranged at this point, the band always seems to find someone who can produce the same vocal range of Steve Perry. Who is to say if Steve Perry and Journey would ever become one again, but as a music connoisseur, I would love to see Journey and Steve Perry reunite and return to the big stage once more.

- Rob, Jemseg, NB, -

Aynsley Dunbar had a solo album I once listened to. It was like a street corner bar in Chicago in the 1950s and he looked like he had just stepped out of it. Around time of the "Joy Scout Jamboree" and "Marriage on the Rocks".

- George, Bronx, NY

Aynsley Dunbar played with UFO for a short period

- Menzo, Glasgow, United Kingdom

Their album 'Next', the one prior to Steve Perry joining the group, is an excellent album. It sounds nothing like Steve Perry's version of Journey.

- Lester, New York City, NY

I never got to see Journey with Steve Perry or Steve Augeri but I was told by a friend of the band that Augeri wasn't the nicest person to get along with and he was asked to leave mid-tour. I saw them with Def Leppard in Milwaukee last September and they had Jeff Scot Soto, he has an amazing voice and deserves a lot of respect for getting up there and doing what he does for the fans.

- Lacy, Antigo, WI

The wheels in the sky, keepin on turnin, i don't know where i'll be tommorow....I LOVE THAT SONG!!!

- Samantha, Missouri, MO

sorry but perry was in the band way longer then augeri. just to let everyone know.... STEVE AUGERI IS NOT IN THE BAND ANYMORE. i know this band personally and they have a new singer and he is in the band officially starting a few days ago. i saw him live. no one will ever match perry's talent but he might come back some day because he DOES have the talent still.

- dani, oakland, CA

The Golden Gate Rythym Section?

- Mike, Germantown, MD

Didn't Steve Augeri lose his voice?

- Mike, Germantown, MD

In my personal opinion, Steve Perry has the greatest voice of all rock music.

- Ben, Baltimore, MD

Journey is coming to Omaha where I'm from. And I am a huge fan. I would really like to go. But it will not be Journey. The Best Lead singer in all rock history will not be the front man. Steve Perry is Journey.. !!!!

- Tracy, omaha, NE

Although I've never been lucky enough to see Journey live, they are one my all time favorite bands, and I go to tears every time I hear "Faithfully". In my opinion, no other singer can match Steve Perry on that or any of there other songs. There haven't been that many bands that have replaced a lead singer and ben the same. Now Journey will be playing Reno about September 3rd, and word here in our little town 113 miles south is that some tickets were in the $100.00 price range at first, and now they're up to $300.00 and up.....ouch!! Does anyone know the truth about this?? Thanks, Judy

- Judy, Bridgeport, CA

Wow, that was Augeri on Remember me? I thought Perry did that one. The two sounded so damn alike to me. I hate people who just try to be too critical. It's like the people who say My Sweet Lord and He's so fine sound nothing alike. They're the same song to me. Augeri sounds just like Perry. I think he rocks.

- JT, Tullahoma, TN

I'm really starting to get tired of the "I hate Augeri" bandwagon. I am a massive Journey fan and have listened to them ever since I was a kid and for the first time in my life I had the honour of seeing them live in Edinburgh on June 2nd and let me tell you that although Augeri doesn't sound like Perry, he sang the classics in his own unique way and did them justice and I'd pay to see them again, and considering Augeri's been in the band longer than Perry, to me that says something. ( I am in no way dissing Steve Perry, he was a fantastic singer in his day but I doubt very much his vocal range could take the demands of a tour anymore)

- Kevin, Newcastle Upon Tyne, England

CAPTURED--DIXIE HIGHWAY! I WAS THERE AT THE SAN DIEGO SPORTS ARENA FOR THEIR CONCERT (RECORDED LIVE IN 1981)!

- frank, fircrest, WA

journey = NOT THE SAME WITHOUT STEVE PERRY!! i mean, sure, he left for many reasons and wanted to (as neal schon asked him to also) but they don't sound the same before, back in the '80s.

- Sara MacKenzie, Middle of Nowhere, FL

I was a student teacher when one of Schon's children was in Kindergarten in Novato, CA back in 1993-1994. I was working with the teacher in the adjacent classroom. Schon attended his child's Open House. Isn't that sweet?

- James, Windsor, CA

Journey IS NOT Journey WITHOUT STEVE PERRY! HIS VOICE ALONE is what made them who they are!!

- LaToya, Dallas, TX

Agulaie DOES NOT SOUND LIKE STEVE PERRY!! We saw him at a state fair, he spent the whole time prancing aound on stage.all he needed was awand and Fairey wings. We ended up leving about 1/2 way into the show, half of the crowd also left.
msbunnie

- Joann M., Mesa, AZ

Bassist Ross Valory left the band around 1986 during the making or Raised on Radio, but came back for the making of Trial By Fire in 1995, and he is with the band to this day. And whether Steve Augeri sounds like Steve Perry is purely a matter of opinion. I don't think he sounds anything like Perry, and I can clearly tell the difference between the two.

- Dawn, Highlands Ranch, CO

Aynsley Dunbar is also the drummer on many Frank Zappa songs and played with Frank in concert.
skipper B)

- windle, montgomery, AL

Aynsley Dunbar is also the drummer on may Frank Zappa songs and played with Frank in concert.
skipper B)

- windle, montgomery, AL

Actually, the name Journey was picked by a roadie, when the radio contest produced no viable or fesable names.

- Marsha, Concordia, KS

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