Jason Kelty

[perryswoman]

I know you guys have discussed him before but I just listened to some videos this weekend and he is the bomb. I always know Steve's voice but my goodness he sounds and moves just like him. I think I would rather see them than Journey at this point if they ever come to the east coast.

[ScarabGator]

I totally agree!!!! He blows my mind!

[Marabelle]

Talk about fans being fanatic he has made Perry worship an art. I have a new appreciation of how an artist gets overwhelmed by fans who worship them by sending articles of clothing ,art , pictures , and personal items but seeing this makes me feel queasy. I wonder if he not only counted how many steps left or right he made or how he shook his hair or swallowed or held which arm up or down with what note and to wear a wig and replica clothing so too much! It creeps me out like invasion of the body snatchers. It would have been flattering to just sing like him but this is eerie. It is feeling like someone would just climb inside your body and become you if they could. Resemblance is nice but replica is creepy. He has to be himself and not some mirror image. Yikes.

[perryfan61]

I agree, he has every move down pat. It's really kind of scary. I admire his voice, but I think he would do better by just being himself. But maybe the fans want a look-alike, not just a sound-alike, and he's certainly giving them that.

[Marabelle]

Nah fans want to worship and idolize the person they see on stage. To me it's not authentic, it's like the actress who said men loved going to bed with a certain beauty but waking up with someone else in bed with them. He must feel like a fake knowing people are thinking they are momentarily enjoying the fake Perry and then off stage the wig comes off, his original face returns as well as mannerisms and his genuine walk and hair and eyes and he's a fraud and feels like if only...just be himself he'd be more successful if he's honest and give the chance for the fans to learn to love him for who he actually is without the gimmick.

[Art Vandelay]

He would do well playing Perry in one of those Vegas impersonator shows.

But, like with Elvis, even if you saw the best impersonator in the world….he still ain't Elvis.

[perryswoman]

I agree dressing up and acting like Perry wouldn't get him a lead singer for Journey, but without all that perhaps. He is really good

[tj]

Nah fans want to worship and idolize the person they see on stage. To me it's not authentic, it's like the actress who said men loved going to bed with a certain beauty but not waking up with someone else in bed with them. He must feel like a fake knowing people are thinking they are momentarily enjoying the fake Perry and then off stage the wig comes off, his original face returns as well as mannerisms and his genuine walk and hair and eyes and he's a fraud and feels like if only...just be himself he'd be more successful if he's honest and give the chance for the fans to learn to love him for who he actually is without the gimmick.

The one video I have seen really strikes me as really gimmicky.

Virtually everyone knew about Elvis and his persona. Even today, probably most people couldn't name more than a couple of his songs but know the costume or voice. Similar in some ways with Beatles tribute bands, where people know the mop top persona (and probably a lot of the songs as well).

Most people know Journey music, perhaps Perry's voice, but many fewer - other than those of us on this board - know Perry's stage presence, delivery, etc. If Kelty or anyone else has a similar voice, people will be much interested in the music. The persona is a weird distraction. The wig, moves, etc., looks ridiculous to me 35 years after it was original with Perry.

[Deb]

Talk about fans being fanatic he has made Perry worship an art. I have a new appreciation of how an artist gets overwhelmed by fans who worship them by sending articles of clothing ,art , pictures , and personal items but seeing this makes me feel queasy. I wonder if he not only counted how many steps left or right he made or how he shook his hair or swallowed or held which arm up or down with what note and to wear a wig and replica clothing so too much! It creeps me out like invasion of the body snatchers. It would have been flattering to just sing like him but this is eerie. It is feeling like someone would just climb inside your body and become you if they could. Resemblance is nice but replica is creepy. He has to be himself and not some mirror image. Yikes.

Have to agree. Voice is good but just not feelin' it. If I can't have Perry in Journey anymore then I'll take Juan Del Castillo in DSB any day. He can nail all the eras vocally and their version of Girl Can't Help It (couldn't find it on YT) is easily the best I've heard besides Perry. Have seen them live and thoroughly enjoyed it. Was great to hear some deeper cuts from the catalogue too.

https://youtu.be/Szt13t_KMOQ

[Greg]

Jason Kelty's voice is awesome! On the People and Places video, there is absolutely no difference in his voice and Perry's. On his voice alone, I could dig him singing for Journey. But, I just can't get past the whole imitation thing. I think that is what bothers me about Hugo. The dude looks just like Perry, has all of his mannerisms on stage, and it just creeps me out. That's what I liked about Jeremey when he was doing the Frontiers gig. It wasn't him trying to look like Steve Perry, it was Jeremey giving a tribute to Steve Perry by trying to sound as close to him as possible, while being Jeremey. He might have did the imitation thing at one time before I got introduced to Frontiers, but he wasn't doing it when I had seen them perform.

I know when Steve Augeri joined the band, it was the whole "Steve Perry with a perm" thing. But, I never thought Augeri was trying to look like Steve Perry. Augeri had his own style. Same with Arnel. Arnel wasn't coming out with that yellow blouse (lol), or wearing a tux coat with tails. He had his own style. Same with JSS. So, I think if Neal does reform this thing (yet again) with another singer, and he does wind up getting Kelty, that he says, "Dude, just be yourself. Sounds like Perry, but be yourself."