Journey Featuring Steve Perry

[mrmusicman73]

All this talk about Perry kind of kicks it up a notch for me. How I wish this guy would come back...some way, some how.

All your scenarios got me thinking....if you think about Perry himself, he seems like the kind of guy who thinks about all possible strategies, plays each one over and over in his head, then once he makes up his mind....he shoots the arrow from point A to B and never looks back.

With that in mind, if he is writing, rehearsing, etc...to see how it all feels, I wonder what his plan is. For some reason I'm envisioning him thinking a bit outside the box. I don't think he'd do a Journey-type CD....I see him doing something more abound...like possibly a Motown vibe...or a Sam Cooke tribute....or a colaboration with other contemporary big-name vocalists.

Which then had me wondering, would he ever even consider singing with Journey again? I honestly don't know. I think what he accomplished together with Journey was extremely special, and he may not want to tarnish what was.

Also, I don't believe money is the key motivator for Perry.....for him, I think it all has to do primarily with how he feels about his voice. For me, I'd pay big bucks to hear him one more time, even if he sang 89 octaves lower...but Perry himself has his own personal bar set. I think this is the determining factor if he ever did record again. I'm sure he misses playing to the crowds....it's an energy rush any performer keeps with them for life. But in my opinion, Perry needs to personally feel exceedingly comfortable with his voice and the product.

And that is part of why I respect him so much.

Chad

I agree totally with you, this is why he hired a vocal coach and has made these guest appearences on albums. He is testing the water with himself and with his fans. He wants to be ABLE to deliver what the public wants, with the quality that meets or exceeds his own personal standards. I think this entire process for Perry has been in the making for some time. He is taking baby steps to see if still has the fire for the music. He aknowledges that he misses the music and the fans. So time will tell.

[jrnysc]

"Since May 98....Since May 98....Since May 98....". Why do you think he keeps driving that point HOME??

Exactly. Why spend 10 years literally pointing out the very date you became free of the band if you weren't dead serious about wanting people to know you are NOT involved. It was May 8th. Why do I know that? Because he's said it like 400 times! He said it TWICE in the last Q&A thing, and one of them was after a question about death, and it was totally out of context. He throws it in at every chance because he's probable sick of being asked when he's going back to Journey...

44) "So many bands are reuniting and touring. Do you ever see yourself reuniting with Journey and doing a tour?"

SP: "Since May 8, 1998 we have been officially and legally no longer together. I'm fairly convinced we've gone our separate ways. I also know that nothing will ever take away the magic times and the music we made...... while we were together!"

"Fairly" has always been a fascinating choice of word to me, whether he said it consciously or sub-consciously. When someone is stone definite about something that's not an emphatic declaration.

Fairly is one of the first words I noticed as well. One other point I will make. As professional and particular as Perry always was, do you think for one minute he wants to see the Journey legacy end this way? Even though he had nothing to do with it, it has to be eating him up inside to see Journey remembered this way forever. I don't see him letting that happen, but I may be wrong.

[tammy]

Once again, I don't flame people here, and I'm not looking to get it either. I DO NOT expect it to happen. I am simply pointing out ANYTHING is possible.

Nobody expects it will happen, that EXACTLY why it will happen and also the reason why it will be successful. Perhaps the Walk of Fame event planted the seed and the Sopranos event fertilized that seed so it can grow.

I also don't think that Neal and Jon came to Steve Perry, I'll bet it is the other way around. Perry doesn't want to be overshadowed by a continued success with JSS. He doesn't want to RISK his legacy in Journey's music by someone who might have a shot at out doing him commercially. I think it is a combination of all these things that offer him motivation to step back up to the plate.

We will all see what happens in time, but my bet is on this scenerio.

Are you not aware that JSS is a fan of Steve Perry's and has empathically stated that he would step aside SHOULD SP ever want to rejoin? Which, is extremely, extremely unlikely from what I understand of SP's character & integrity. So, if that was the case then there wouldn't have been a need to axe JSS, right? They fired (unfairly) JSS & we & Jeff don't know the reason.

[bluejeangirl76]

I just knew someone was going to jump on the word 'fairly'.

I say that all the time when I'm speaking about being positive about something.
I'm fairly certain that he ain't coming back to Journey. See. Use it all the time.

[YoungJRNYfan]

I just knew someone was going to jump on the word 'fairly'.

I say that all the time when I'm speaking about being positive about something.
I'm fairly certain that he ain't coming back to Journey. See. Use it all the time.

Steve, is that you?

[TRAGChick]

For me, I'd pay big bucks to hear him one more time, even if he sang 89 octaves lower.

Had to isolate that....yup, me too.....that's excellent

[Foolish Heart]

Don't you think that if all the parties involved knew that Steve were coming back to Journey, that the announcements for both of these gentlemen (Perry in, JSS out) would be announced at the same time???


That would be a win-win situation. No hard feelings. JSS stated that he would step down if Steve were to come back. We would get what we have been waiting for for so long - the return of Steve Perry.

Pretty simple logic...........

[piecesofeight]

Don't you think that if all the parties involved knew that Steve were coming back to Journey, that the announcements for both of these gentlemen (Perry in, JSS out) would be announced at the same time???


That would be a win-win situation. No hard feelings. JSS stated that he would step down if Steve were to come back. We would get what we have been waiting for for so long - the return of Steve Perry.

Pretty simple logic...........

Yes. Especially since Jeff said that. If it were something fantastic I don't believe they would have done it the way they did to Jeff. I
If it's something good, why would you treat someone in such a way to not even be the one's to tell him, or tell him why.

[Mandi]

Count me in as one of those crazy enough to believe that this latest stunt has to mean there is something really big coming.
Reunion tours are big money. And these guys love big money. . A reunion tour with Steve Perry would be the ultimate gig in the music world. What a way to say goodbye to the hundreds of thousands of fans who would flock to see this act. No new music, no new cds. Just Steve Perry singing his songs, with his band. Many of the fans here wouldn't agree, but the general population of Journey's fans still think of those songs as Steve Perry's. When you say Journey, they say Steve Perry. That's just how it is out there. The main-stream fans don't want new music, don't want new energy and they don't want Steve Augeri or JSS. They want Journey with Steve Perry, and it sounds like JC and Neal are ready to give that to them.
One final hurrah, go out with a huge bang, then hang it up and everyone do their own thing.
Mr. Perry has been more public recently, and the Soprano thing just served to remind everyone how great Journey sounds with Steve Perry.
Some will argue that he can't sing those songs anymore the way he did when he was in his twenties. He doesn't have to sing them that way. This time Journey has a secret weapon. They still have Deen C. He helped carry Augeri, he sang the ballads for JSS, and he can sing along with Steve Perry and help him sound like.... him. Mr. Perry doesn't have to be perfect. He just has to be there, and sing his songs. Believe me, no one will care if they sing the songs in a lower key. Except for the fans here. But none of you will be at this reunion tour. You all hate Journey now. I don't think they will miss you. They just want to sound like they did before, sound like their old records.. Well, they have to have Steve Perry to do that.
I know Andrew says no way this will ever happen, but even Andrew could possibly come up short on this one. After all, he was wrong about JSS taking Journey in a new direction. No one saw that coming. He could be wrong about Steve Perry coming back for one final tour.
Never say never. Stranger things have happened.

[Andrew]

You heard it first on this post and a year or so from now you will look back on this post and reflect.

No we won't. Period.

[tammy]

Uh, Mandi read the NO PERRY post by Andrew. And, you aren't giving SP credit for having the brains & integrity he has. Never will it happen!

[ddregs]

Count me in as one of those crazy enough to believe that this latest stunt has to mean there is something really big coming.
Reunion tours are big money. And these guys love big money. . A reunion tour with Steve Perry would be the ultimate gig in the music world. What a way to say goodbye to the hundreds of thousands of fans who would flock to see this act. No new music, no new cds. Just Steve Perry singing his songs, with his band. Many of the fans here wouldn't agree, but the general population of Journey's fans still think of those songs as Steve Perry's. When you say Journey, they say Steve Perry. That's just how it is out there. The main-stream fans don't want new music, don't want new energy and they don't want Steve Augeri or JSS. They want Journey with Steve Perry, and it sounds like JC and Neal are ready to give that to them.
One final hurrah, go out with a huge bang, then hang it up and everyone do their own thing.
Mr. Perry has been more public recently, and the Soprano thing just served to remind everyone how great Journey sounds with Steve Perry.
Some will argue that he can't sing those songs anymore the way he did when he was in his twenties. He doesn't have to sing them that way. This time Journey has a secret weapon. They still have Deen C. He helped carry Augeri, he sang the ballads for JSS, and he can sing along with Steve Perry and help him sound like.... him. Mr. Perry doesn't have to be perfect. He just has to be there, and sing his songs. Believe me, no one will care if they sing the songs in a lower key. Except for the fans here. But none of you will be at this reunion tour. You all hate Journey now. I don't think they will miss you. They just want to sound like they did before, sound like their old records.. Well, they have to have Steve Perry to do that.
I know Andrew says no way this will ever happen, but even Andrew could possibly come up short on this one. After all, he was wrong about JSS taking Journey in a new direction. No one saw that coming. He could be wrong about Steve Perry coming back for one final tour.
Never say never. Stranger things have happened.

for the last time, I will touch the Perry subject with facts. Get all those youtube bootlegs of his last tour in '94-'95 , and you will find a SUPER singer who had lots of trouble covering his Journey tunes. All of them were heavily downtuned. An half note or a whole note in most cases. Get all those bootlegs from guitars101.com and listen first to those versions then to the originals and you shouldn't have problems noticing that.
second: what he did to Journey was all but sincerity and integrity. it's still written in Journey history what he did to Smith / Valory in the infamous ROR period. I still recall what he said to the VH1 btm special. He wasn't an angel as he's being painted these days.

next: after the 1998 trial by fire debacle , trying to beat a dead horse won't pay much. journey exposure with the sopranos could help but it's much more a joke with singers. we all know that the mighty journey is the one with perry, ecc. ecc. but we are dreaming too much.

for a single second, I wouldn't like to see Perry live with the band playing downtuned to suit his voice. What has been has been.
I really loved the JSS lineup. It was a rejuvenated band, let's talk seriously, he hasn't got Perry's range (talking of the Perry heydays, but let's not forget Soto isn't in his heydays anymore thinking he's not 20 , so his voice's doing MUCH better than Perry comparing the 2 at the same age) but he's got stage presence, he sang those songs WITHOUT downtuning night after night and hasn't been given the chance to record (and guys, those songs Believe in Me and Coming Home sounded so good and so Journey-esque).
too bad. another band gone through the Van Halen route of lies and troubles. gone forever....