Lets Get Real !!

[dugnet]

Let me first start by saying I thought JSS did a fantastic job in fronting Journey. I saw the band in the US last year and in Manchester UK this year and his energy and stage craft where 1st class on both occasions. He also has a great voice and range, however can anyone say hand on heart he was a true fit with Journey's back catalogue? I am not dissing the guy but the songs were not ideally suited to his style. Augeri, at his best, was clearly more suited to the classic songs cut by Perry.

I don't think this is a case of JSS being dumped on but a case of the band realising the fit wasn't comfortable.

Let us also not forget that JSS has raised his profile considerably outside of the circles he was previously known and hopefully this will enable him to take his career forward and upward. Brian May could do a lot worse if things don't work out with Paul Rogers, that said Freddie is a hell of an act to follow in every respect.

As for Journey they face a real dilemma, they have a exceptional body of work for which there is a significant market. The continual change of frontmen is however diluting the legacy and although everyone says it will not happen their only credible option would appear to be to reunite with Perry. The momentum of the original comeback with Augeri is long gone, the freshness that JSS brought to the stage has been discarded, they are in danger of becoming their own tribute band. No matter the desire/need of the remaining members to continue to tour and record their leagcy is being eroded which for the quality of performers involved here is very sad.

That all said the quality of the songs will always live on and there is always likely to be a desire for those songs...

Best wishes to all concerned.

[Rick]

Let me first start by saying I thought JSS did a fantastic job in fronting Journey. I saw the band in the US last year and in Manchester UK this year and his energy and stage craft where 1st class on both occasions. He also has a great voice and range, however can anyone say hand on heart he was a true fit with Journey's back catalogue? I am not dissing the guy but the songs were not ideally suited to his style. Augeri, at his best, was clearly more suited to the classic songs cut by Perry.

I don't think this is a case of JSS being dumped on but a case of the band realising the fit wasn't comfortable.

Let us also not forget that JSS has raised his profile considerably outside of the circles he was previously known and hopefully this will enable him to take his career forward and upward. Brian May could do a lot worse if things don't work out with Paul Rogers, that said Freddie is a hell of an act to follow in every respect.

As for Journey they face a real dilemma, they have a exceptional body of work for which there is a significant market. The continual change of frontmen is however diluting the legacy and although everyone says it will not happen their only credible option would appear to be to reunite with Perry. The momentum of the original comeback with Augeri is long gone, the freshness that JSS brought to the stage has been discarded, they are in danger of becoming their own tribute band. No matter the desire/need of the remaining members to continue to tour and record their leagcy is being eroded which for the quality of performers involved here is very sad.

That all said the quality of the songs will always live on and there is always likely to be a desire for those songs...

Best wishes to all concerned.

If Journey needed to let Jeff go because he wasn't a fit, I wouldn't have had a problem at all if they had done it with any class what-so-ever. But they way they handled it has left a very bitter taste in my mouth and I'm sure I can speak for a lot of others here. Journey had just better pray that this doesn't turn into some kind of nationally televised scandal. The only reason it wont is because they have become so irrelevant.

[cetera]

Why not do it at the end of the Journey/Leppard tour?

Or at the very least NOT announce him as permanent lead singer....

[nikki]

There's alot more to this story than the rest of us are getting here, There were a million ways they could've went about this whole thing and still kept their integrity intact, but they chose to take the low road, erasing all traces of Jeff from their website and even their MySpace before making a public announcement (which by the way was one of the most mechanical and emotionless things I've ever read). We'll see what went down when Jeff feels like giving his side of the story. Until then, and probably after, I'll continue to be a disgruntled fan of Jeff's. The band lost me after this debaucle.

[Deb]

Let me first start by saying I thought JSS did a fantastic job in fronting Journey. I saw the band in the US last year and in Manchester UK this year and his energy and stage craft where 1st class on both occasions. He also has a great voice and range, however can anyone say hand on heart he was a true fit with Journey's back catalogue? I am not dissing the guy but the songs were not ideally suited to his style. Augeri, at his best, was clearly more suited to the classic songs cut by Perry.

I don't think this is a case of JSS being dumped on but a case of the band realising the fit wasn't comfortable.

Let us also not forget that JSS has raised his profile considerably outside of the circles he was previously known and hopefully this will enable him to take his career forward and upward. Brian May could do a lot worse if things don't work out with Paul Rogers, that said Freddie is a hell of an act to follow in every respect.

As for Journey they face a real dilemma, they have a exceptional body of work for which there is a significant market. The continual change of frontmen is however diluting the legacy and although everyone says it will not happen their only credible option would appear to be to reunite with Perry. The momentum of the original comeback with Augeri is long gone, the freshness that JSS brought to the stage has been discarded, they are in danger of becoming their own tribute band. No matter the desire/need of the remaining members to continue to tour and record their leagcy is being eroded which for the quality of performers involved here is very sad.

That all said the quality of the songs will always live on and there is always likely to be a desire for those songs...

Best wishes to all concerned.

If Journey needed to let Jeff go because he wasn't a fit, I wouldn't have had a problem at all if they had done it with any class what-so-ever. But they way they handled it has left a very bitter taste in my mouth and I'm sure I can speak for a lot of others here. Journey had just better pray that this doesn't turn into some kind of nationally televised scandal. The only reason it wont is because they have become so irrelevant.

Good post dugnet. You bring up some valid points. And I fully agree with your JSS/Queen comment. But, like Rick, this decision and the way it went down just leaves too nasty of a taste in my mouth. I'm done.