Ross Valory Appreciation Thread

by **Tito** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:30 am

A total jester and very underrated bass player. Another founding member of this great band, Journey.

Before joining the band, you had one of your own named, Frumious Bandersnatch. It was during this time that you met Herbie Herbert. Soon after, you moved to the Steve Miller Band. Now, the Steve Miller Band is no small thing, but you move onto bigger things. That bigger thing being a founding member of Journey. When Herbie was putting Journey together and needed a bass player, he knew where to look.

Besides laying down some classic bass lines and coming up with stringing a 4 string bass with the bottom four strings of a 5 string set, you are one funny motherf-cker. If you were not a bass player, you should be doing standup comedy or have your own radio show. You stole the show on the band’s recent appearance on Rockline. I think it’s safe to say, “You’re the clown that makes us smile.”

Your time with Journey, second longest only to Neal Schon, has not always been great but you handled it like a pro. When they called to say they were letting you go, all you asked was, “What did I do?”

To show you’re a better man, when the shoe was on the other foot and it was time to give Perry his walking papers, you didn’t grab the phone like most would have. You didn’t say, “I want to call him and tell him his ass is fired.” You took the high road.

During your time between Journey, you started the Vu and the successful The Storm as well. The latter started with former Journey band mates Greg Rolie and Steve Smith. No one ever has a problem working with you or hanging around you.

In closing, I would like to thank Ross Valory for all his contributions to music and for a lot of laughs. Fans feel free to add your thanks and appreciation here as well.

Also, feel free to contribute to the Jon Cain http://forums.melodicrock.com/phpBB/vie ... hp?t=35500 , Herbie Herbert http://forums.melodicrock.com/phpBB/vie ... hp?t=35564 , Fleischman, Tickner, Prince http://forums.melodicrock.com/phpBB/vie ... hp?t=35690
, or Jeff Scott Soto http://forums.melodicrock.com/phpBB/vie ... hp?t=35653
appreciation threads. If you would like to view the JT thread http://forums.melodicrock.com/phpBB/vie ... hp?t=35584

by **ScarabGator** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:32 am

Ross, a "Real Man of Genious". Sorry, heard that theme song playing thru your post!

by **Michigan Girl** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:35 am

Tito has been hard at work!!! :wink:

Good Job!! I LOVE ROSS!!!

by **Tito** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:37 am

Better late than never. I probably won't do the doubleheader today. Not enough time. That's ok, that means we can stretch these out even further.

by **Rhiannon** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 6:38 am

I heart Ross Valory. Fun, cool, crazy as hell, and a good random conversationalist.

by **Tito** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:28 am

Come on people. I know everyone has a story or a compliment. This man has made me laugh at every show I've been to.

by **Michigan Girl** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:32 am

He makes funny faces!!!

by **Don** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:41 am

He does have a certain look that speaks of pre A.D. scandanavian lineage

by **Behshad** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:46 am

Ross Valory is NOT underrated!!
There are hundreds if not thousands bass players out there that can smoke him in any category there is when it comes to playing the bass guitar. He is the weakest link in Journey. Never any groovy bass lines,,,

I gotta give him some credit for his stage presence and sense of humor. So at the same time that I support this appreciation thread for him, its not cause of his talents but rather his personality and other hobbies,,,,

by **Tito** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:50 am

Wasn't he also the only one to talk to your boy, Soto? Not trying to start anything, just one of the rumors I heard. Please confirm or deny. If he did, that would be another positive.

by **Behshad** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:54 am

Tito wrote:Wasn't he also the only one to talk to your boy, Soto? Not trying to start anything, just one of the rumors I heard. Please confirm or deny. If he did, that would be another positive.

dude whats with you? You ARE trying to start shit,,, actually youre not trying to start anything,,, youre just continuing on the same old shit you have for weeks,,,, without Soto around you wouldnt have had half your posts,,, so, whos boy are you, dickwad!?

I said Ross has great personality ,,,,,
do you have to try to turn EVERY thread into a Soto related subject?
Give it a rest for fuck's sake!!!

by **Tito** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:01 am

We're all cool here, people. No flares up. Everything is cool. Back to the Ross Appreciation Thread. Thank you.

by **ProgRocker53** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:44 am

While Ross isn't a great bassist, he is good and serves Journey's music well with his understated style.

by **Enigma869** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:56 am

Behshad wrote:Ross Valory is NOT underrated!!
There are hundreds if not thousands bass players out there that can smoke him in any category there is when it comes to playing the bass guitar. He is the weakest link in Journey.

Couldn't have said it better myself, dude! Finally, someone weighing in on one of these SUPER GAY theads with some common sense! Although I'm not a musician and don't pretend to be one, I've talked to enough highly skilled musicians who have told me that Ross isn't even a "good" bass player, let along "great"! Hey Frito-Lay...Let me point you in the right direction ... www.journeymusic.com . They LOVE this mindless shit at Jackass Talk!

John from Boston

by **Saint John** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:35 am

Ross is a great bassist. He was a huge contributor on Escape and Frontiers. People don't always realize that at times you just need to compliment the superstars. Those superstars were Perry, Schon and Smith. Ross doing anything but masterfully complimenting those guys would have been a negative. He did his job by not overplaying. This dude has been jamming for 40 years for a reason. Because he's very good. Ross brings smiles and laughs and is a constant goofball. Fans love him...at least this one does. Viva Ross!!!

by **Behshad** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:38 am

Saint John wrote:Ross is a great bassist. He was a huge contributor on Escape and Frontiers. People don't always realize that at times you just need to compliment the superstars. Those superstars were Perry, Schon and Smith. Ross doing anything but masterfully complimenting those guys would have been a negative. He did his job by not overplaying. This dude has been jamming for 40 years for a reason. Because he's very good. Ross brings smiles and laughs and is a constant goofball. Fans love him...at least this one does. Viva Ross!!!

He is AVERAGE.....

by **Moon Beam** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:41 am

Ross has always been the funny one to me.
When he wasn't in the band I always missed him not being there.
I like his bass playing he has enough ability for me.

by **Saint John** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:41 am

Behshad wrote:
Saint John wrote:Ross is a great bassist. He was a huge contributor on Escape and Frontiers. People don't always realize that at times you just need to compliment the superstars. Those superstars were Perry, Schon and Smith. Ross doing anything but masterfully complimenting those guys would have been a negative. He did his job by not overplaying. This dude has been jamming for 40 years for a reason. Because he's very good. Ross brings smiles and laughs and is a constant goofball. Fans love him...at least this one does. Viva Ross!!!

He is AVERAGE.....

Thanks for your opinion. I said the same thing about Soto and you guys bitched, moaned, screamed and cried. Ross has been on album sales exceeding 80 million. Average or not, he's been a hell of a contributor to some timesless music.

by **Michigan Girl** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:42 am

Moon Beam wrote:Ross has always been the funny one to me.
When he wasn't in the band I always missed him not being there.
I like his bass playing he always had enough ability for me.

Me too Moonie....RJ is very talented, but he didn't belong. I missed Ross as much
as I missed Smitty!! :wink:

by **Enigma869** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:50 am

Saint John wrote:Ross has been on album sales exceeding 80 million. Average or not, he's been a hell of a contributor to some timesless music.

That, we ALL agree on!

John from Boston

by **Behshad** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:51 am

Saint John wrote:
Behshad wrote:
Saint John wrote:Ross is a great bassist. He was a huge contributor on Escape and Frontiers. People don't always realize that at times you just need to compliment the superstars. Those superstars were Perry, Schon and Smith. Ross doing anything but masterfully complimenting those guys would have been a negative. He did his job by not overplaying. This dude has been jamming for 40 years for a reason. Because he's very good. Ross brings smiles and laughs and is a constant goofball. Fans love him...at least this one does. Viva Ross!!!

He is AVERAGE.....

Thanks for your opinion. I said the same thing about Soto and you guys bitched, moaned, screamed and cried. Ross has been on album sales exceeding 80 million. Average or not, he's been a hell of a contributor to some timesless music.

surprise surprise.....album sales again!? dude album sales doesnt prove TALENT of ONE band member,,,,

Bon Jovi has sold millions of albums,,,, You think their drummer is GREAT? ,,,no he is just average.... this isnt just about OPINION,,, its about someone's musical talents,,,,, while Ross may be better than many of the people that read this board,, there are by far MANY bass players that are better than him,,,,

And youre correct,, as a part of the Journey legacy , he has contributed to the bands sound,success and fame,,,,, but one can always wonder how much better would Journey have been IF he has been an above average bass player,,,,

by **Saint John** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:03 am

Behshad wrote:You think their drummer is GREAT?

At playing within the context of Bon Jovi's muisc? Yes!!!

Behshad wrote:there are by far MANY bass players that are better than him

Of course there are. I never said he was the best.

Behshad wrote:but one can always wonder how much better would Journey have been IF he has been an above average bass player,,,,

This could be said about any band and any band member, so it really isn't worth contemplating!!!

Gotta run...going to see a kick ass local live band! And there's gonna be more than 10-100 people there! :lol:

by **Behshad** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:06 am

Saint John wrote:
Gotta run...going to see a kick ass local live band!

Is Tito pickin you up with his moped !? :wink:

by **Rick** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:08 am

Behshad wrote:
Saint John wrote:
Gotta run...going to see a kick ass local live band!

Is Tito pickin you up with his moped !?

by **Saint John** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:20 am

Behshad wrote:
Saint John wrote:
Gotta run...going to see a kick ass local live band!

Is Tito pickin you up with his moped !?

YES!!! It's a Vespa. Times are tough!!! :lol:

by **Rip Rokken** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 10:36 am

Behshad wrote:Bon Jovi has sold millions of albums,,,, You think their drummer is GREAT? ,,,no he is just average....

Not relating this to Ross here, but it brings up another point about talent vs. album sales. After several HUGE albums, Bon Jovi let Alec John Such go for... not being that solid a bass player.

by **ScarabGator** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:09 am

Tito wrote:We're all cool here, people. No flares up. Everything is cool. Back to the Ross Appreciation Thread. Thank you.

by **conversationpc** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:15 am

Ross is an above average bass player. Not brilliant. Not great. Above average.

by **ScarabGator** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:34 am

conversationpc wrote:Ross is an above average bass player. Not brilliant. Not great. Above average.

Your dead on. He may not be Billy Sheehan but he does whats needed for the Journey tunes...

by **conversationpc** » Sat Jun 28, 2008 11:37 am

ScarabGator wrote:
conversationpc wrote:Ross is an above average bass player. Not brilliant. Not great. Above average.

Your dead on. He may not be Billy Sheehan but he does whats needed for the Journey tunes...

The dude wouldn't have been around this long if he weren't good at what he does, especially playing with the likes of Schon and Steve Smith.

MR

Ross Valory Appreciation Thread

Ross Valory Appreciation Thread

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