Vote your least favorite band member off the Journey island.

by **Tomulator** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:06 am

NealIsGod wrote:Neal's name shouldn't even be up there. Arnel gets my vote.

Mine too.

by **Deb** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:09 am

Love the new SIG Gunbot......too damn cute. :lol:

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:09 am

Matthew wrote:Sure...but it was never schmaltz was it?

To varying degrees, much of the Journey catalogue could be classified as schmaltzy.
CFTB is not insufferably so, like, say, "Let it Take you Back" - where Cain bemoans the passing of some Norman Rockwellian alternate reality compised of soda jerks, malt shops, and Ford Thunderbirds.

by **Matthew** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:24 am

The_Noble_Cause wrote:
Matthew wrote:Sure...but it was never schmaltz was it?

To varying degrees, much of the Journey catalogue could be classified as schmaltzy.

I'd agree with that...and the schmaltz tendency dates back to '78 and not just '81.

The 'earnestness' is a consistent feature too - and I was surprised you felt the band had lost this quality back in 1981. In fact, I'd be hard-pressed to pick out a single knowingly ironic or witty moment in the band's history...

CFTB is not insufferably so, like, say, "Let it Take you Back" - where Cain bemoans the passing of some Norman Rockwellian alternate reality compised of soda jerks, malt shops, and Ford Thunderbirds.

The lyrics are pretty contrived - and on this one song alone Arnel's nationality is a problem I reckon - but at least this vision of Americana is more appealling and evocative - to a Euro anyway - than the flag-waving, blue collar posturings of Faith In The Heartland. I'm all for Journey sounding like a Coke advert most of the time but this song saw them straying into Toby Keith territory I thought....

by **SusieP** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:30 am

As this is just a game - I've ignored writing credits etc.

I voted for Mr Cain.
Because, he called us alcoholics and psycopaths and cried.
He played air piano very badly in the Separate Ways video - and I'll never know how such a good pianist could play air keyboards so badly.
He played keytar. Which is unforgivably naff IMO.

I considered Neal - but no matter what I think of him as a bloke, I don't think another guitarist could duplicate his magical sound.
I considered Ross, but his daft facial expressions in photo's make him rather endearing to me.
I also considered Deen, because I don't like his tattoos, but I am interested to see what happens next to his hair. maybe he will take the garden shears to it and carve out the shape of an animal.

by **strangegrey** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:33 am

I think Neal is very replacable. There's a ton of guitarists that sound just like him and heck, I'm sure at least one of them is available on youtube and isn't saddled by 5 alimony checks...

by **Matthew** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:35 am

SusieP wrote:He played keytar. Which is unforgivably naff IMO.

That's like criticising someone for wearing flares in 1975....

by **Smoothie** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:36 am

Since Led Zep isn't reuniting anytime soon, I'd have to vote Neal off the island and replace him with Jimmy 'f^ck!n' Page. Otherwise it has to be Ross on the chopping block but only if Randy 'the idol' Jackson comes out of retirement to bass again for the J-boys :mrgreen:

by **Matthew** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:38 am

strangegrey wrote: There's a ton of guitarists that sound just like him

There was a time when this wasn't remotely the case. I'm not totally sure it's the case now...but he's definitely lost some of his identity over the years.

by **SusieP** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:38 am

Matthew wrote:
SusieP wrote:He played keytar. Which is unforgivably naff IMO.

That's like criticising someone for wearing flares in 1975....

Not quite. Some people look cool when wearing the fashion of the time.
Mr C, bless him still managed to look more naff than everyone else. To me anyway.
:lol:

by **The_Noble_Cause** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:38 am

Matthew wrote:I'd agree with that...and the schmaltz tendency dates back to '78 and not just '81.

The 'earnestness' is a pretty consistent feature too - and I was surprised you felt the band had lost this quality back in 1981. In fact, I'd be hard-pressed to pick out a single knowingly ironic or witty moment in the band's history...

Something about Rolie's lyrics didn't ring nearly as hollow as Cains'.
Maybe I'm just confusing the men with the music. Don't ask me to break out the flow charts and quantify this, but I think Cain relies alot more on cliches and idioms in his writing.
"Good Morning Girl" and "Natural thing" are schamltzy, yes, but they don't feel nearly so plastic.
Does that make sense to anyone?

Matthew wrote:The lyrics are pretty contrived - and on this one song alone Arnel's nationality is a problem I reckon - but at least this vision of Americana is more appealling and evocative - to a Euro anyway - than the flag-waving, blue collar posturings of Faith In The Heartland. I'm all for Journey sounding like a Coke advert most of the time but this song saw them straying into Toby Keith territory I thought....

Eh, I like to think the American ideals in the songs transcend nationality.
Really more a mind over matter issue.
I too have discussed the slippery slope of entering Toby Keith territory.

http://forums.melodicrock.com/phpBB/vie ... om#3728966

by **Matthew** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:38 am

Smoothie wrote: Otherwise it has to be Ross on the chopping block but only if Randy 'the idol' Jackson comes out of retirement to bass again for the J-boys

Now you're talking...

by **Matthew** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:40 am

SusieP wrote:
Matthew wrote:
SusieP wrote:He played keytar. Which is unforgivably naff IMO.

That's like criticising someone for wearing flares in 1975....

Not quite. Some people look cool when wearing the fashion of the time.
Mr C, bless him still managed to look more naff than everyone else. To me anyway.

Susie...please post me a picture of someone who still looks cool wearing the fashions of 1986....

by **ProgRocker53** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:40 am

Matthew wrote:
Smoothie wrote: Otherwise it has to be Ross on the chopping block but only if Randy 'the idol' Jackson comes out of retirement to bass again for the J-boys

Now you're talking...

That would be siiiiiiiiiick. I LOVE Randy Jackson's low-down funky bass grooves.

by **SusieP** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:40 am

Matthew wrote:
strangegrey wrote: There's a ton of guitarists that sound just like him

There was a time when this wasn't remotely the case. I'm not totally sure it's the case now...but he's definitely lost some of his identity over the years.

Yes his face does look a bit different. :lol:

by **conversationpc** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:41 am

strangegrey wrote:I think Neal is very replacable. There's a ton of guitarists that sound just like him and heck, I'm sure at least one of them is available on youtube and isn't saddled by 5 alimony checks...

I don't know...I've not heard anyone that sounds quite like him. I can usually tell if it's him playing, though it's obviously not as easy to spot his playing as easily as, say, an EVH or Hendrix.

by **Rhiannon** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:41 am

Matthew wrote:
Smoothie wrote: Otherwise it has to be Ross on the chopping block but only if Randy 'the idol' Jackson comes out of retirement to bass again for the J-boys

Now you're talking...

Replace Ross with Randy "Spandexaholic-Really-Riding-the-Coattails-Using-Journey-As-My-Credibility-on-American-Idol" Jackson? ...Matthew, to speak your own language. You're daft. :lol:

by **SusieP** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:44 am

Matthew wrote:
SusieP wrote:
Matthew wrote:
SusieP wrote:He played keytar. Which is unforgivably naff IMO.

That's like criticising someone for wearing flares in 1975....

Not quite. Some people look cool when wearing the fashion of the time.
Mr C, bless him still managed to look more naff than everyone else. To me anyway.

Susie...please post me a picture of someone who still looks cool wearing the fashions of 1986....

8o's? Tough call Matthew!
That's very different to 70's flares. So I can't think of anyone who looked cool in 1986 on the spur of the moment.
Except probably Bowie. He tends to look cool no matter what. :shock:

And I did say some people look cool wearing the fashion of the time. I didn't say some people look cool wearing 70's or 80's fashions NOW!

by **Don** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:44 am

strangegrey wrote:I think Neal is very replacable. There's a ton of guitarists that sound just like him and heck, I'm sure at least one of them is available on youtube and isn't saddled by 5 alimony checks...

Here's a viable replacement , He's used to playing other people's catalogs (LRB, Men at work) and NO ALIMONY CHECKS!

Simon Hosford

by **SusieP** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:45 am

ProgRocker53 wrote:
Matthew wrote:
Smoothie wrote: Otherwise it has to be Ross on the chopping block but only if Randy 'the idol' Jackson comes out of retirement to bass again for the J-boys

Now you're talking...

That would be siiiiiiiiiick. I LOVE Randy Jackson's low-down funky bass grooves.

But not the polka dot Bass or the PVC trousers or the Simon Cowell haircut ! :shock:

by **Matthew** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:47 am

The_Noble_Cause wrote:Something about Rolie's lyrics didn't ring nearly as hollow as Cains'.
Maybe I'm just confusing the men with the music. Don't ask me to break out the flow charts and quantify this, but I think Cain relies alot more on cliches and idioms in his writing.

No flow diagrams but perhaps this Hallmark moment from the late 1970s catalogue will do:

"I covered you with roses
Like the stars at night
I covered you with love
Like a blanket on a cold winter's night
I covered you with joy
To make your lifetime big and bright."

Eh, I like to think the American ideals in the songs transcend nationality.
Really more a mind over matter issue.

Well, I don't think America has a monopoly on the values of faith and hard work...but I take your point. Journey's 'aspirational' lyrics are definitely one of the band's strong points. Funnily enough though..if
you look at the true 'mind over matter' Journey classics...it's usually Cain who has written the lyrics.

by **Don** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:49 am

SusieP wrote:
ProgRocker53 wrote:
Matthew wrote:
Smoothie wrote: Otherwise it has to be Ross on the chopping block but only if Randy 'the idol' Jackson comes out of retirement to bass again for the J-boys

Now you're talking...

That would be siiiiiiiiiick. I LOVE Randy Jackson's low-down funky bass grooves.

But not the polka dot Bass or the PVC trousers or the Simon Cowell haircut !

RANDY JACKSON??

Get back on the bus Ross, I rescind my earlier decision.

by **Saint John** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:50 am

GH has sold 15 million copies. How many songs on there are Rolie songs? I like to bag on Le Frig as much as anyone but there's no denying his songwriting skills.

by **bluejeangirl76** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:53 am

SusieP wrote: I voted for Mr Cain.
Because, he called us alcoholics and psycopaths and cried.

He did not. :twisted:

SusieP wrote:He played air piano very badly in the Separate Ways video - and I'll never know how such a good pianist could play air keyboards so badly.

I said the same thing. The horrible "pawing" action - wtf was THAT about?! :shock:

by **Suzanne** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:55 am

I voted Arnel because I'm tired of them getting "Steve Perry wannabes". I was offended as a fan (and quit being one) when they got Steve A. in there and then Pineda- just get a decent replacement. Didn't they have that before now? I've been reading this forum for a while and read how much people like Kevin and JSS. Why did they get canned if they were good? I actually listened to their new song today on XM Radio and I don't think it's bad ( I didn't love it) but it's freaking hilarious that they think they have to have a Steve clone. (Even though I don't think Pineda sounds like Steve Perry. He should be so lucky.) :lol:

by **Matthew** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:56 am

SusieP wrote:So I can't think of anyone who looked cool in 1986 on the spur of the moment.
Except probably Bowie. He tends to look cool no matter what.

Well...maybe not all of the time...

by **Michigan Girl** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 5:58 am

Gunbot wrote:
Michigan Girl wrote:
Gunbot wrote:
Deb wrote:
Saint John wrote:When the fucking opening keys start in Don't Start Believin' virtually the whole world instantly recognizes the song. Man, everyone was a star on that particular song. But Friga was the leadoff hitter.

That's opinion, too subjective, it's not definitive! I need stats damnit!

When that video came on MTV for the first time and the intro shot showed Cain hitting the beginning keys of that song, Journey had freakin arrived. That was their introduction to the world of Super Stardom, courtesy of Jonathan Cain.

No argument there but, that was then....he's outgrown is usefulness...grab your spear and exit!!!!

You're gonna let him take his spear? Be careful there MG ( Oh that's right, I had forgotten about who you work for, never mind Cheerio!! )

OOPS!!! My mistake, I don't watch this show and someone here informed me they have a fire, not a spear!!!
So~put out your fire JC and get off the Island!!!! No excuses about deceased grandmothers!!! :shock:

We appreciate all you have done for this band...So LONG!!! :wink:

by **bluejeangirl76** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:02 am

Suzanne wrote:I voted Arnel because I'm tired of them getting "Steve Perry wannabes".

I voted for Arnel because Journey is probably gonna vote him off in a year or two ANYWAY. :lol:

by **Michigan Girl** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:04 am

bluejeangirl76 wrote:
Suzanne wrote:I voted Arnel because I'm tired of them getting "Steve Perry wannabes".

I voted for Arnel because Journey is probably gonna vote him off in a year or two ANYWAY.

Not if we vote Cain off first!!! I understand you have to have an alliance!!! :wink:

by **Rhiannon** » Wed Jul 23, 2008 6:05 am

bluejeangirl76 wrote:
Suzanne wrote:I voted Arnel because I'm tired of them getting "Steve Perry wannabes".

I voted for Arnel because Journey is probably gonna vote him off in a year or two ANYWAY.

Two quick changes in a year is tacky, yes. But is not a basis for making an example of M.O... c'mon. Don't be such a puckerfucker. :shock:

MR

Vote your least favorite band member off the Journey island.

Which current member of Journey gets the axe!

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