I was in SF in early 96 and saw the Sy Klopps Blues Band show while there. Pat Morrow was still working for Herbie. I asked Pat about the possibility of Journey getting back together, he only said there was some talk. Of course they were already working on the album by then and Herbie was already out.
There has to be a good reason for Gregg not to have been at the HWOF when he had been at the event in SF the year before. Couldn't any gig he had could have been rescheduled, did he even have one that night.... Could the statement that no one knew Perry would be there be more official bs? The band had quite a history of official statements that were not exactly accurate.
The reunion w/Gregg and Kevin and their replacement with Perry also brought the end of Abraxas Pool. Why did Gregg and Neal not continue this side project? Especially with the resurgence of Latin music. I would think it may have cause friction between Gregg and Neal except that Neal played on a song on Roots.