Journeys fan strategy

[jrNY]

I think RockinDetroit has it exactly right.

Do you think that Journey just changed in the last year? They've just become dishonest now? I'm pretty sure most everyone on this board has read Herbie Herbert's interview from about 6 years ago where he said basically that they were not the nice guys that their fans think they are. At that time everyone was down on Herbie saying he was bitter. No, he was just telling the truth. It's the fans that put them up on a pedestal and think they can do no wrong. Now the fans are doing the exact opposite.

They made a business decision plain and simple. It goes on every day but most people are not privy to those decisions and believe the hype that is told to cover up the real stories. I think Journey finally is convinced that they really are .............. a nostalgia band (nobody likes this but it is the truth). I think Neal was probably the last holdout and actually believed they could make new music. Wasn't he the one that wanted to go forward with Soul Sirkus but didn't management put a stop to that?

So, now they stopped fighting the inevitable and are going to stay with the dirty dozen that most of the fans want anyway. Management wants to make money and that is where the money is. Concerts featuring their hits. Wasn't it the record company that originally wanted a "singer/frontman" so they could get on the radio and.............make money. That, my friends, is what it is all about. It was that way back in 1977 and is still that way in 2007. Anyone that thinks otherwise should think again.

So, stop blaming the band members. They must do what management tells them. Just look how everyone jumped to conclusions and crucified Steve Augieri less than one year ago. Now you are doing the same to Neal and Jon. Do you really think they have that much power to play around with lead singers? These are all management decisions and band members do what they gotta do. It's just the way it is.

We all want Journey to be relevant and a force in today's music. But that will never happen. How many diehard Journey fans do you think there are compared to casual fans? That's what management is looking at and the numbers are all in favor of the casual "concert going" fan. They are the paying customers who go to the concerts wanting to hear Open Arms, etc. and that's what pays the bills.

There have been a few articles regarding the Soto firing and that's all. The only outrage is here on MR. This board makes up the core of Journey's diehard fans. I'm sorry, but if I were in a management position, I wouldn't worry or care about us. I would worry about those thousands of casual fans instead. Bottom line, we really don't count in the grand scheme.

At the end of the day it's really all about the music. The Journey catalog will always be great and nothing that happens now will ever change that.

[jemhadar]

So, stop blaming the band members. They must do what management tells them. .

Didn't Jonathan say that they sold 65 mill albums? And the bandmembers for sure are grown men who should be capable to stand up to the management or better get rid of them?

And tapegate... don't blame Augeri for that, the rest of the band smiled on stage knowing that it all was just acting. I still can't believe professional musicians allow that to happen.

Maybe a change of management is due?

[SacredEyes]

I asked this question before and feel even stronger than I did before about this. I wonder if most of you people are Journey fans or JSS fans? JSS was not even in the band for a year. You act like he was this key member of the band. He never once recorded a song with Joruney....although I know Journey officially named him a member...that was there mistake out of this....but really the only way you could be that strongly attached to JSS was if you became fans of him through this site. I have never once heard JSS on the radio here in detroit. JSS has never had a hit. He has been a favorite of Andrew and he promotes him mightily on this site. But why all this outrage? I hear mumbo jumbo that Journey just kissed there chance at relevance away by axing JSS...that is BS.....seriously what has JSS ever done commericially? NOTHING. He has a cult following. I hear Jon Cain say that he was axed because JSS did not fit the classic sound that Journey possessed and that is why he is gone. Look Journey now realizes that they are not going to have any top forty hits any more. They want a singer where when people go see Journey in concert it sounds like Journey....Journey realizes that they are now a nostalgia act....I know nostalgia act is tough for most Journey fans to accept but that is what 99% of the acts from the 70's, 80's and 90's have become....with very few groups except U2 and Bon Jovi able to keep it going. They will never have a hit again......without Steve Perry as their lead singer....Steve Perry comes back they have a chance but that is even small...not like Trial By Fire was a major hit. So why all this outrage. Look they brought in Augeri and when his voice went away they were forced by many including you diehards to let Augeri go...they needed a fast replacement and get JSS...they reevaluated their sutuation and decided to make a change. BUT PEOPLE JSS WASN'T EVEN IN JOURNEY FOR A YEAR! Got over it....continue to buy your JSS cds they will still be there...he doesn't need to be in Journey.

Maybe there is outrage at how stupid they can be! It has accumulated. First off, going back... they should have had empathy & waited for SP to have his surgery & recover instead of going behind his back & auditioning other singers - what kind of treatment was that to the one who put them on the map?! Then they screwed up hiring Augeri who had vocal problems straight from the beginning & then they screwed up even more by turning him into a puppet on stage with the use of taped vocals, and then they HIRE JSS - get all happy and then FIRE him - why did they make him permanent if that is not what they wanted? Did they give him a chance? No. They were due to start writing new material at the end of this month. And, finally the lousy way they let Jeff go by not even telling HIM personally. Did I miss anything?

Sounds like you summed it up just beautifully . . . . .