JSS: His voice now and his voice in 5 years.

[mystichealer]

I hasten a guess that in 5 years time there will be no Journey. Just do not see them going on that much longer. Certainly not 5 years anyway. Sorry, but just my own opinion.

Nothing wrong with that opinion. Sometimes people do not take into account - AGE. Those guys are not getting any younger.

I'm sure Jeff will be performing for much longer than that, but some of the rest of the guys will eventually want to get away from the road. Maybe release the occassional solo piece or something. Certainly I could see Neal doing that.

Just enjoy the ride. Each time a veteran band like Journey records a new piece of music or is willing to go out on another tour, I'm happy as hell. Never thought in the year 2007 I could still go see my favorite bands like Journey, Cheap Trick, Alice Cooper, Kiss, Styx, etc.

Agree 100% AR. And I am enjoying the ride mate.

[Big J]

The thing is always gonna be, "if they're gonna tune down, why not just call Steve Perry."

Case in point: Judas Priest.

Halford still sounds okay but he just kinda stands there on stage and when he does move, he looks like a robot. Gotta love the Metal God!

He's reading off a prompter at ALL times now, is why. I have no clue why he needs to. Or why he doesn't try to hide it.

[Just_Plain_Eric]

From his posts, sounds like Jeff is taking care of his voice...which is important for us 40 plussers

So given that, let it rock!

E

[WalrusOct9]

I'd be curious to hear Jeff's thoughts on this.

Your voice cant' really "adapt" to that kind of thing. Either you're singing in your range, or you're straining. A bit of straining is part of the arena rock sound...all my favorite singers from Lennon to Eddie Vedder have done it at times, but almost anyone singing Journey tunes in the original key is going to be straining most of the time.

JSS sounds great, but I do fear for his voice, and I also have wondered many times, why can't they tune down 1/2 step? People have criticized the FTLOSM tour for that reason, but I've watched videos on YouTube of it, and it sounds fine (what makes it sound like shit is the fact that Neal isn't playing the guitar parts). Bon Jovi, U2, Metallica, and countless others tune down a notch, and everyone's fine with it. A few hardcore fans (or trained musicians) will notice, but after a song or two, it really doesn't matter, because your brain gets used to all the songs being down 1/2 step. And I think everyone in the audience would rather make that tiny sacrifice if it meant Journey with JSS lasting longer, being stronger, and being able to tour more.

So, Jeff....why not?

[Greg]

I second what Deano said about Steve Perry. Journey WOULD have to drop down at least a half a step in order for Steve to sing those songs again. He just doesn't have that supernatural range like he used to, but that doesn't mean lowing the songs would make him or the songs sound bad...well at least some of the songs. Some songs aren't meant to be changed.

But, back to the point of Jeff, he has done an excellent job with covering the material on this past tour. I believe, however, that Journey SHOULD focus on weeding out the classics over the next few years, not because I think Jeff wouldn't be able to hold up to covering those songs, but I believe if Journey really wants to push toward commerical success again, they need to make people more aware of what type of band Journey is now than what they were. We all will always LOVE their classics, but eventually, a band must move on.

This might be a bad example, but since Van Halen is in the news..... when they would put out new material with Sammy Hagar, they seemed to focus more toward playing those songs in concert, than playing one or two new songs and having a concert full of DLR hits.

[Abitaman]

Where will JSS voice be in 5 years? In this throat!-ERIC

[kgdjpubs]

But, back to the point of Jeff, he has done an excellent job with covering the material on this past tour. I believe, however, that Journey SHOULD focus on weeding out the classics over the next few years, not because I think Jeff wouldn't be able to hold up to covering those songs, but I believe if Journey really wants to push toward commerical success again, they need to make people more aware of what type of band Journey is now than what they were. We all will always LOVE their classics, but eventually, a band must move on.

This might be a bad example, but since Van Halen is in the news..... when they would put out new material with Sammy Hagar, they seemed to focus more toward playing those songs in concert, than playing one or two new songs and having a concert full of DLR hits.

That works as long as you are receiving airplay and people are hearing the new material. Without a way for your potential audience to hear new material (meaning new songs they recognize), if you weed out the classics, you will be simply weeding out your audience over a period of time.

It will be interesting to see if the new cd receives any promotion. If it doesn't, it will essentially be the death knell for Journey--and potentially the last new material you will ever see from the band. This whole thing strikes me as the one final shot before hanging it up.

[WalrusOct9]

It won't recieve anymore promotion than Generations did. There's no outlet for classic rock bands to get heard anymore. The Stones, Petty, McCartney, The Who...even those guys can't get their stuff heard. Sure, they'll get a bit of promotion simply because of the name, around the time the album comes out, but does anyone outside the hardcore fanbase actually hear those records? Probably not. And those are the TOP TIER classic acts. Journey does well on the concert circuit, but let's be realistic, they're a second tier act, on the same level as bands like Skynyrd, Steely Dan, Styx, or the Moody Blues who play the same "sheds" every summer playing their "dirty dozen."

If radio won't play new albums by bigwhigs like Petty or the Stones, it's unlikely they'd be any more receptive to a band like Journey, no matter how good the material is. A nice promotional campaign might help raise awareness of the album, and could push sales up to the 200,000 level, but I doubt they'd get any higher than that without radio or TV exposure (and I mean REAL TV exposure, as in a video getting prime-time airplay, not just going on one or two of the late night shows), and since there's no videos on TV Anymore and radio plays the same 20 songs over and over again, Journey faces a major uphill battle.

Believe me, it kills me to type all this...I really believe the new lineup will make a new album that will kick our asses. I'm just not sure many people will ever get to hear it.

[Just Mindy]

I want JSS to be able to sing this stuff in 3-4 years and not end up sounding like Rod Stewart taking a shit.

I'm sure Jeff will agree with this.

[LucyFurr]

In my opinion, Jeff will never sound like Rod Stewart taking a crap (that was funny by the way!). He has been singing for 20+ years. He just gets better and better. Sure, it will probably change his voice a tad, but i believe only for the better. I'm a woman and I can sing great with Perry in his younger years,...LOVE the high notes....but for a man stretching his voice to sing those high notes could do some sort of something....but with JSS, methinks it will only do him justice (not that he needs it)!!!!!!!!!!!

[AR]

It won't recieve anymore promotion than Generations did. There's no outlet for classic rock bands to get heard anymore. The Stones, Petty, McCartney, The Who...even those guys can't get their stuff heard. Sure, they'll get a bit of promotion simply because of the name, around the time the album comes out, but does anyone outside the hardcore fanbase actually hear those records? Probably not. And those are the TOP TIER classic acts. Journey does well on the concert circuit, but let's be realistic, they're a second tier act, on the same level as bands like Skynyrd, Steely Dan, Styx, or the Moody Blues who play the same "sheds" every summer playing their "dirty dozen."

If radio won't play new albums by bigwhigs like Petty or the Stones, it's unlikely they'd be any more receptive to a band like Journey, no matter how good the material is. A nice promotional campaign might help raise awareness of the album, and could push sales up to the 200,000 level, but I doubt they'd get any higher than that without radio or TV exposure (and I mean REAL TV exposure, as in a video getting prime-time airplay, not just going on one or two of the late night shows), and since there's no videos on TV Anymore and radio plays the same 20 songs over and over again, Journey faces a major uphill battle.

Believe me, it kills me to type all this...I really believe the new lineup will make a new album that will kick our asses. I'm just not sure many people will ever get to hear it.

You are correct.

Just be happy Journey is energized and willing to record new material. "Urban" music is what dominates the charts.

Enjoy the new offering that Journey puts out and support them with ticket sales!!!!!!!!!

If they somehow breakthrough with a hit, hey AWESOME. Just enjoy the new music though and don't worry about that.