Steve Perry Talks - The GQ Interview

[Rick]

Sphincter.

MY HERO. best word evah

You know, it was also a Family Guy quote.

Wasn't it Harvey Korman who said "Gentlemen, rest your sphincters" lol

Yes, it was. God rest his soul. Great, great comedian.

Yes he was.

Makes me lauph just thinking about how easily Tim Conway could crack him up, lol

Oh shit, that was so classic on the Carol Burnett show. Mrs. 'a'Whiggins! Great comedy.

[Babyblue]

Just one thing - in respect to why Perry is talking at this point. I believe GQ contacted him for his take on what the band is doing at this point in time. So he can't be blamed for commenting.

Thank You ! I will not say anything about sockboy he dose it to his self everytime.I am a SP fan all the way.

[RossValoryRocks]

You know I think they are ALL to blame. Steve Perry for being unwilling to compromise...and the same for Neal and Jon...or even for not knowing how to communicate with each other in a constructive manner.

It's EVERYONES fault...and no ones fault...Steve Perry wanted to live a normal life...but he can't because HE was the LEAD SINGER FOR JOURNEY during it's biggest period of success...he paid a price for his fame...but he is not blameless

Neal and Jon wanted to tour, but wouldn't bend enough to give Steve a chance to make up his mind (Blame the time it took thing on his Portuguese stubborness) and as most people would react to an ultimatum, he balked.

I can't see any way to say that one side was at fault over the other...they are both to blame.

That being said I hope Steve Perry comes out with a killer album and that Journey has huge success with Revelations.

[strangegrey]

Stu, I couldn't have said it better than that, man!

Listen to Stu, gang. Fucker knows what he's talking about.

[Rick]

Stu, I couldn't have said it better than that, man!

Listen to Stu, gang. Fucker knows what he's talking about.

He sounds like a perfect yes man to me.

KIDDING! I echo the exact same sentiments. Perfectly said.

[fightingilliniJRNY]

You know I think they are ALL to blame. Steve Perry for being unwilling to compromise...and the same for Neal and Jon...or even for not knowing how to communicate with each other in a constructive manner.

It's EVERYONES fault...and no ones fault...Steve Perry wanted to live a normal life...but he can't because HE was the LEAD SINGER FOR JOURNEY during it's biggest period of success...he paid a price for his fame...but he is not blameless

Neal and Jon wanted to tour, but wouldn't bend enough to give Steve a chance to make up his mind (Blame the time it took thing on his Portuguese stubborness) and as most people would react to an ultimatum, he balked.

I can't see any way to say that one side was at fault over the other...they are both to blame.

That being said I hope Steve Perry comes out with a killer album and that Journey has huge success with Revelations.

Good post. Your last line is what it all comes down to.

[strangegrey]

Steve Perry says he can't even listen to his own singing voice because he sounds like Steve Perry and it's painful to remember. OMG... I love the guy, but he is a FULL ON drama queen.

LOL....would you expect anything less from him? I mean, come on! Get the guy a tampon!

Frank, dude, you CAN'T say stuff like that in front of me.
I still have the original file from when I did the tampoon thing to Frig and you know I have no boundaries.
Its a good thing I respect the guy and his career or that graphic wold be up already.

With regard to that interview.... that was a lot of rambling so I MAY have missed something, and correct me if I did, but...

Where in all that did Steve Perry say one word about recording an album? Because what *I* read in was this:

"I’m working on stuff. I’m not sure what I’m gonna do with it yet, but I got a lot of material, and a lot of it I really like"

Unless there's something that was said and not printed, I'm still not ready do a jig of glee over a forthcoming album. This is exactly how both rumors and forum fights get started.

Nah, nail on the head, sister! He never once said "i've got an album Im working on." It's no different than "I think about touring quite a bit"...LOL.

St John's fucking right. The guy's timing is impeccable. less than a week from the release of Rev's, Perry's out going 'Don't forget about me!'


Like Stu indicated, I wish both would just release killer music and shut the fuck up, leave it up to us to decide who's fucking shoveling the shit and who isnt.....

[frfksakes]

St John's fucking right. The guy's timing is impeccable. less than a week from the release of Rev's, Perry's out going 'Don't forget about me!'

It wasn't his timing, it was GQ's:

Foolish, Foolish Throat: A Q&A with Steve Perry
Journey's ex-frontman talks vocal burnout, hip replacement, rock superstardom, and coyotes with Alex Pappademas

PLUS: Journey co-founder and lead guitarist Neal Schon responds

Every time I told somebody I was writing a story about the new lead singer of Journey, I’d get the same incredulous response: “Steve Perry’s not the lead singer of Journey anymore?” Even though the piece I was writing was mostly going to be about Arnel Pineda (whose pre-Journey work can be seen here) and the present-day incarnation of the band,
I knew I couldn’t write anything about Journey without getting in touch with Steve Perry. I was supposed to talk to him for thirty minutes, but he had a lot to say—about how he joined the band, about why he left, and about the pride he still takes in the work they did together—and we ended up talking for almost two hours. The raw transcript of our interview was almost 11,000 words long; the highlights of that conversation appear below.

.

Like Stu indicated, I wish both would just release killer music and shut the fuck up, .....

Now, THAT I agree with, lol.


.

[TRAGChick]

Um...wow....

Just getting into this.... and there's 8 PAGES, AND CLOSE TO 6,000 VIEWS, ALREADY??

HAD TO hone in on this: The weirdness and frustration that come with being a Lead Singer:

As a singer, were you dealing with a different set of demands?

Well, what I’m about to say—I’m gonna come across as a prima donna, but if there’s any singers out there reading this at this point, they’ll understand completely. You must put that in there, the preface, because it’s important.

Everybody thinks singers are prima donnas. And to a degree I guess we are. But at the same time, the difference between a voice and fingers, or hands, is neurotic at best. When someone’s fingers get calluses on them, the guitar doesn’t hurt so bad. It feels better. Same for the bass. Same for the piano player, when his fingers get callused and strong. When a drummer gets calluses on his hands, they no longer chafe and they no longer blister, and that’s fantastic.

The moment a singer gets one callus, he’s finished. Singers live on the edge of being powerful, being strong, and not degrading their voice, and it’s the most difficult edge to walk. You feel like you’re on a high-wire all the time. And the pressure of walking in front of an audience every night, and wanting to be what you know they want you to be, and what you want to be for them, and to have this silly little thing in your throat that’s about as neurotic as you are, is difficult. So it can make any singer a little crazy.

It can make you just live your life in a state of insecurity and fear. Until you walk out there and open your mouth, and you see what you got, and then it tells you if it’s gonna be a fun evening or not

[jrnyjetster]

I have to say that this is the most candid interview I've read so far from Perry, he really opens up here. About time! He still clams up however, when you try to get a comment from him about the current Journey lineup. I wonder if he's listened to Revelation yet?

[RedWingFan]

He did not, however, call his band Journey, while performing them.

Ummm...he couldn't!!!

He also didn't lip to a hard drive.

[Jeremey]

I posted a thread about the worst misspelling in Journey history re Revelation and Neil Schon, and I think I have my answer!


The CD is Revelation!

Buy three copies. So they'll press more and then have to pay me again.

[stevew2]

I posted a thread about the worst misspelling in Journey history re Revelation and Neil Schon, and I think I have my answer!


The CD is Revelation!

Buy three copies. So they'll press more and then have to pay me again.

i hate it when people misspell

[YoungJRNY]

Judging by the stories and judging by this interview alone...I have formed my opinion on the he said she said. I think Perry is a crybaby who needs his bottle every night before he goes to bed. There would be nothing better in the world then for Steve Perry to come back to Journey, but to me, he is what he is.. a fucking pussy.

As I read ..it seemed like Perry was giving the respectful cold shoulder..the "I love the guys SO MUCH, but they can kiss my ass.." type responses. The part of the interview when he was explaining about Neals 2 solo albums and how that made him decide to do his album made me want to puke. It took me back to high school girlfriends once again and left me shrugging my shoulders in disgust .What a poon.

Neal was much more straight forward. To the point and in your face, rather than Perry's sand in his vagina responses. I'm with Neal on this, esp the part where he mentioned about being big boys one day and talking man to man. Sucks it has to be this way, but until Perry stops sobbing and blowing snout everywhere and until he plays with Journey again...FUCK HIM.

Wow do I wish these guys would kiss and makeup

[ProgRocker53]

I posted a thread about the worst misspelling in Journey history re Revelation and Neil Schon, and I think I have my answer!


The CD is Revelation!

Buy three copies. So they'll press more and then have to pay me again.

i hate it when people misspell

[stevew2]

I posted a thread about the worst misspelling in Journey history re Revelation and Neil Schon, and I think I have my answer!


The CD is Revelation!

Buy three copies. So they'll press more and then have to pay me again.

i hate it when people misspell

Whats up Progg?? fucker

[ProgRocker53]

I posted a thread about the worst misspelling in Journey history re Revelation and Neil Schon, and I think I have my answer!


The CD is Revelation!

Buy three copies. So they'll press more and then have to pay me again.

i hate it when people misspell

Whats up Progg?? fucker

just groovin bro, you know how i do

[stevew2]

have a good one

[larryfromnextdoor]

Buy three copies. So they'll press more and then have to pay me again.

your stating to sound like gene!

[tammy]

This is what I keyed in on:

GQ: So you were always opposed to that stuff?


SP: "Yeah. Still am. The music is dear to me. Two summers ago I was asked by Sony to oversee the remastering of the entire catalog. And Journey was on tour, so I said “Fine, I’ll do that.” And so I went down and sat with this mastering engineer. We redid everything. That was one of the most cathartic and painful and wonderful experiences I’ve ever had, to go through the entire catalog, all the B-sides of albums that I’d forgotten about, and remember everything about the sessions, and remember the writing of ‘em, the struggles, the accomplishments. And the songs— I gotta tell you, it was unbelievable. And I only bring that up to tell you that, at some level, every one of those tracks are like a painting in a gallery to me, and they’re precious to me. And I just don’t think they’re for selling dogs and burgers. And so—[sigh]—I’ve tried to maintain that that’s just not what they’re for. ‘Cause I just believe in their sincerity. Those songs, and those tracks. And they are like paintings, ‘cause they were painted in a different time and they sound like it, and that gives ‘em their quality. And they’re good."


Right on, Steve! When I re-discovered Journey in '04 - I was a fan from '78 - that was one of the things I was so grateful for...that their songs were not connected to some dumb product on a t.v. commercial that would forever be associated...it would've cheapened the songs. The way SP feels for these songs is so deep and real...honestly, I can't picture Neal or Jon feeling the same way. And, now with the re-recordings of the hits it worries me that they will go this route. That they won't be as discriminating.
I'm not saying that it is completely a bad thing for a song to be used in a t.v. commercial...BUT it has to be a really great commercial - something artistic and not for a cleaning product or dog food.
Another point that SP makes is that he was the only one to NOT want to do the arcade game. I definitely side with him on that...it did seem dumb and it wasn't necessary.

[mikemarrs]

can't blame them for moving on.perry made them wait almost a decade.then he finally comes back teases the band and public with new music and then makes them wait again.they weren't going to take chances on waiting another decade again.would you?

[Matthew]

he thinks we’re hangin’ on to his coattails. And it’s just not like that. It’s never been like that. He barely ever talks to the public, and he doesn’t want us talking about him, and he doesn’t want to talk about us, but when people ask me for stories about the band’s history, and things that went down, I’m gonna talk about it. I mean—we’re completely done. I told you about the VH1 thing, which is true, about crackin’ the stone—I’ve been wanting to set that straight for a while. It’s the truth. So fuck him.

Oh dear...Neal Schon letting himself down again. I'd find it much easier to admire all this "so fuck him" type chat if he'd done even one interesting or different thing with this band since Perry left. Instead it's been like one long homage to the Perry era...

And given that Perry has actually been speaking warmly about him recently it's a shame that Schon is acting like a surly teenage boy in return. He's just missed a real opportunity to act like a much bigger man than he's been these last few years.

Also - I'm surprised that Schon has had a total blackout about his own solo projects before '85...

Anyway - good to see Journey featured at such length in GQ...

[Red13JoePa]

he thinks we’re hangin’ on to his coattails. And it’s just not like that. It’s never been like that. He barely ever talks to the public, and he doesn’t want us talking about him, and he doesn’t want to talk about us, but when people ask me for stories about the band’s history, and things that went down, I’m gonna talk about it. I mean—we’re completely done. I told you about the VH1 thing, which is true, about crackin’ the stone—I’ve been wanting to set that straight for a while. It’s the truth. So fuck him.

it's a shame that Schon is acting like a surly teenage boy

Gag order's up so he's REALLY speaking his mind for the first time.
"I've been wanting to set this straight for a while" tells the tale.

[DracIsBack]

It wasn't his timing, it was GQ's:

Yeah - I found that claim a little hard to take too. I mean really ...

Neal goes out and talks to press in order to get promotion for the new album. Inevitably, during any interview, there's are Steve Perry questions. The journalist, to complete the story, calls up Steve Perry too. There are other interviews and quotes with Steve Perry out there when there aren't Journey albums either.

I get that people have issues with what when down (I still think it's kind of ridiculous to make personal judgements about people we don't know personally, but whatever) but this one was a bit of a stretch ...

[DracIsBack]

You know I think they are ALL to blame.

I think none of us were actually there and its kind of pointless taking sides, to be honest. I mean for crying out loud:

- A new Journey album and DVD are about to hit store shelves
- A big tour is underway with a new lead singer

That's EXCITING STUFF!

Yet we're sitting here arguing about "who wronged who" (even though none of us were there) 10 years ago, 21 years ago etc.

It's kinda silly, IMO. I honestly wonder if they come on here and laugh their asses off at the simple, black and white conclusions that we come to on complicated situations that we really probably know very little about except what comes as part of a sound byte in an interview?

[bluejeangirl76]

It's kinda silly, IMO. I honestly wonder if they come on here and laugh their asses off at the simple, black and white conclusions that we come to on complicated situations that we really probably know very little about except what comes as part of a sound byte in an interview?

I wouldn't blame any of them in the least if they did. Its ridiculous the heat that goes into this - it's almost like arguing religion. Everyone knows "for a fact"... and everyone is right about everything because they have all this knowledge, etc. WTF ever. Because any of of us were THERE? Because the so-called inside sources are always so reliable and never one-sided themselves... You could - as proven with both Perry's and Schon's GQ interviews - sit down with each one of them IN PERSON for 4 hours each - get both of their entire stories of the whole matter, and still come away with 2 completely different sets of information.

Does hearing Perry blame Cain and Schon, or hearing Neal say "fuck him" make you rock out any less when DSB comes on the radio?

No. The music is there and we love it. We're passionate about it just as much, though not in the same way, that they are. Otherwise we wouldn't be here ready to tear each others heads of about it. If Neal wants to say "fuck him" then let him. If Perry wants to put up a Jon Cain dartboard and throw a keg party, then fucking let him (and invite me - I'll win). To both sides all I would say is fucking sing and play guitar and do what we all know you're the best at, give us new music and STFU.

/rant

[ProgRocker53]

It was me hanging on the line when Cain talked to Perry, not Neal.

Cain had me over for muffin tops and ginseng water that day, before we went on a gallery hop and closed the day's festivities with a poetry reading.

[Michael Leigh]

You know I think they are ALL to blame. Steve Perry for being unwilling to compromise...and the same for Neal and Jon...or even for not knowing how to communicate with each other in a constructive manner.

It's EVERYONES fault...and no ones fault...Steve Perry wanted to live a normal life...but he can't because HE was the LEAD SINGER FOR JOURNEY during it's biggest period of success...he paid a price for his fame...but he is not blameless

Neal and Jon wanted to tour, but wouldn't bend enough to give Steve a chance to make up his mind (Blame the time it took thing on his Portuguese stubborness) and as most people would react to an ultimatum, he balked.

I can't see any way to say that one side was at fault over the other...they are both to blame.

That being said I hope Steve Perry comes out with a killer album and that Journey has huge success with Revelations.

Stu, knows WTF he's talking about.I think you should be awarded post of the day for this one, Stu.
I agree completely and whole heartedly!!

[TRAGChick]

"...my own voice is sometimes difficult to hear. Because it reminds me of so much. But I'm embracing it. And I've played some of the stuff for friends, and for some people that aren't afraid to tell me the truth.

And they've really liked it. It sounds like me, they've said.
And that's great.

It's been a love-hate thing.

All creative processes are a love-hate thing. Anything worth anything has got to be that way. Right?"

I think this says it all. Steve is just a "photographic-memory" kind of guy.

Rhetoric question time:

How would YOU feel if you were in his shoes, and heard the "Trademark Voice" again on a recording (after years of being away) that made a band huge in the 80s - knowing that YOU were responsible for it?

Pretty overwhelming stuff, if you ask me...

[tammy]

"...my own voice is sometimes difficult to hear. Because it reminds me of so much. But I'm embracing it. And I've played some of the stuff for friends, and for some people that aren't afraid to tell me the truth.

And they've really liked it. It sounds like me, they've said.
And that's great.

It's been a love-hate thing.

All creative processes are a love-hate thing. Anything worth anything has got to be that way. Right?"

I think this says it all. Steve is just a "photographic-memory" kind of guy.

Rhetoric question time:

How would YOU feel if you were in his shoes, and heard the "Trademark Voice" again on a recording (after years of being away) that made a band huge in the 80s - knowing that YOU were responsible for it?

Pretty overwhelming stuff, if you ask me...

Right. His voice for him is what an old photograph is to most of us...evokes all the memories and emotions.