Tribute Band to Open for Journeys Next Tour

[mrmusicman73]

So if Journey doesn't get Perry back and go the Tribute route, do you think Rob Hanna (aka Rod Stewart Tribute Man) will open for them?

What about playing in the Legends show in Vegas?

[xflajrnylvr]

Sorry to be rude but who wants to see 2 tribute bands

[ohsherrie]

If you guys are going to call them a tribute band now you also have to admit that's all it's been since Perry left. The fact that Jeremey currently has a tribute band has nothing to do with it. They had a replacement frontman trying to cover the hits as closely as possible to the way Steve Perry sang them for the entire time Augeri was with the band.

Throwing all this "tribute band" shit around now is just being pissy unless you said the same thing about Augeri. If no more of the fanbase has heard of Jeremey than had heard of Augeri then nobody but these relatively few messageboard fans are even going to know he was in a tribute band.

No Augeri fan has the right to try to be elitist now.

[conversationpc]

If you guys are going to call them a tribute band now you also have to admit that's all it's been since Perry left. The fact that Jeremey currently has a tribute band has nothing to do with it. They had a replacement frontman trying to cover the hits as closely as possible to the way Steve Perry sang them for the entire time Augeri was with the band.

Nah...During that first tour, Augeri definitely tried to sound like Perry but he started doing a bit of his own thing thereafter, especially after he got "Arrival" under his belt. I don't think he tried singing them the same way as Perry did even as much as Jeff did during this last tour. I'm not knocking Jeff, but he has more Perry-isms in his singing that Augeri does.

[ohsherrie]

If you guys are going to call them a tribute band now you also have to admit that's all it's been since Perry left. The fact that Jeremey currently has a tribute band has nothing to do with it. They had a replacement frontman trying to cover the hits as closely as possible to the way Steve Perry sang them for the entire time Augeri was with the band.

Nah...During that first tour, Augeri definitely tried to sound like Perry but he started doing a bit of his own thing thereafter, especially after he got "Arrival" under his belt. I don't think he tried singing them the same way as Perry did even as much as Jeff did during this last tour. I'm not knocking Jeff, but he has more Perry-isms in his singing that Augeri does.

I can say exactly the same thing about Jeremey. That's what the people who've never seen him live don't realize. He is in a tribute band, but there's a whole lot of Jeremey in his shows.

[Rockindeano]

If you guys are going to call them a tribute band now you also have to admit that's all it's been since Perry left. The fact that Jeremey currently has a tribute band has nothing to do with it. They had a replacement frontman trying to cover the hits as closely as possible to the way Steve Perry sang them for the entire time Augeri was with the band.

Throwing all this "tribute band" shit around now is just being pissy unless you said the same thing about Augeri. If no more of the fanbase has heard of Jeremey than had heard of Augeri then nobody but these relatively few messageboard fans are even going to know he was in a tribute band.

No Augeri fan has the right to try to be elitist now.

At least they wrote something with Augeri.

[Eric]

Yeah...I disagree Sherrie...

They created, with bonus tracks and live only tracks around 50 new songs with Augeri. And even Herbie said that Augeri started making the songs his own. Soto did pay tribute to Perry live, but still had his own "thing" and the new material was promised to be Journeyesque, but not stale. Both Soto and Augeri came from real bands, not cover bands too.

Additionally, in '98 they had a large and growing fervent hard core fanbase, hungry for live Journey shows. That has been torn apart with hiring a tribute singer, and despite their hard work creating a favorable live success rate for years to come, the crowds won't have that same hunger...and they will be losing not growing from here on out. Furthermore, when the media in every city they arrive in gets wind that they hired someone from an actual tribute band, the respect they once had will be gonzo.

Much different Sherrie...with all due respect.

[NoMoreTails]

If you guys are going to call them a tribute band now you also have to admit that's all it's been since Perry left. The fact that Jeremey currently has a tribute band has nothing to do with it. They had a replacement frontman trying to cover the hits as closely as possible to the way Steve Perry sang them for the entire time Augeri was with the band.

Throwing all this "tribute band" shit around now is just being pissy unless you said the same thing about Augeri. If no more of the fanbase has heard of Jeremey than had heard of Augeri then nobody but these relatively few messageboard fans are even going to know he was in a tribute band.

No Augeri fan has the right to try to be elitist now.

Bullshit. Augeri was not and didn't attempt to be a Perry clone. He had a tone similar to Perry and attempted to sing the same notes, he was never a Perry impersonator. If Jeremey is hired, it'll be because he is/was. You're just laying the ground work for going back on every principle you ever had as a Perryloon (again I mean that in the nicest way) in an attempt to justify your supporting your friend being in this position. If this was someone you didn't know, you would be even more outraged than you were with Augeri.

[ohsherrie]

Yeah...I disagree Sherrie...

They created, with bonus tracks and live only tracks around 50 new songs with Augeri. And even Herbie said that Augeri started making the songs his own. Soto did pay tribute to Perry live, but still had his own "thing" and the new material was promised to be Journeyesque, but not stale. Both Soto and Augeri came from real bands, not cover bands too.

Additionally, in '98 they had a large and growing fervent hard core fanbase, hungry for live Journey shows. That has been torn apart with hiring a tribute singer, and despite their hard work creating a favorable live success rate for years to come, the crowds won't have that same hunger...and they will be losing not growing from here on out. Furthermore, when the media in every city they arrive in gets wind that they hired someone from an actual tribute band, the respect they once had will be gonzo.

Much different Sherrie...with all due respect.

But Eric, (and Dean) we don't know yet what they are going to do as far as new material. I'm not saying I expect much, but still we don't know.

The bigger point is though, nothing that they did with Augeri went anywhere other than to the internet fanbase. It meant nothing as far as the name and legacy of Journey is concerned.

As far as media Eric, they have no media. They are hardly a blip on the radar. Nobody except we internet fanbase people even knew or cared who was singing in Leesville this May. They seemed to like Jeff a lot, but all they really knew is that it was Journey.

I don't think the "tribute band" label that's become such an issue on this board is going to be near as much of an issue among the general Journey concert audience. In fact, if they were to PR it right, they could make a positive out of it in this age of AI and Rock Star whoever.

[Monker]

If you guys are going to call them a tribute band now you also have to admit that's all it's been since Perry left. The fact that Jeremey currently has a tribute band has nothing to do with it. They had a replacement frontman trying to cover the hits as closely as possible to the way Steve Perry sang them for the entire time Augeri was with the band.

Throwing all this "tribute band" shit around now is just being pissy unless you said the same thing about Augeri. If no more of the fanbase has heard of Jeremey than had heard of Augeri then nobody but these relatively few messageboard fans are even going to know he was in a tribute band.

No Augeri fan has the right to try to be elitist now.

First of all, *I* am not saying they will be a 'tribute band'. They will be a silly 80's band with a tribute singer. They will be less then a tribute band, IMO.

Second, they were NOT a tribute band with Augeri. Whether you wish to admit it or not, they DID record new music and perform it in concert...perhaps not as much as you and others would have liked, but that is a FACT. Augeri also does not sound THAT much like Perry...and I don't think he tried to.

As for the 'internet fans'. That is gone. Look around you. hardly anybody on these forums passionately supports Journey any longer. In fact, most people on these forums passionately attack Cain and Schon...not support Journey's future.

[ohsherrie]

If you guys are going to call them a tribute band now you also have to admit that's all it's been since Perry left. The fact that Jeremey currently has a tribute band has nothing to do with it. They had a replacement frontman trying to cover the hits as closely as possible to the way Steve Perry sang them for the entire time Augeri was with the band.

Throwing all this "tribute band" shit around now is just being pissy unless you said the same thing about Augeri. If no more of the fanbase has heard of Jeremey than had heard of Augeri then nobody but these relatively few messageboard fans are even going to know he was in a tribute band.

No Augeri fan has the right to try to be elitist now.

Bullshit. Augeri was not and didn't attempt to be a Perry clone. He had a tone similar to Perry and attempted to sing the same notes, he was never a Perry impersonator. If Jeremey is hired, it'll be because he is/was. You're just laying the ground work for going back on every principle you ever had as a Perryloon (again I mean that in the nicest way) in an attempt to justify your supporting your friend being in this position. If this was someone you didn't know, you would be even more outraged than you were with Augeri.

Well see NMT, you have your perspective and perception of the situation and I have mine. I think I recall the reason for hiring Augeri being explained in the same way the reason for wanting someone other than Jeff was explained. They wanted someone who sounded like their catalog to sing it. As far as Augeri being a Perry clone, that's what they wanted him to be, he just wasn't good enough.

To me, if they were going to continue with Journey, Jeff was the perfect choice. I'm disgusted beyond words at what they did to him.

Since they're using "sounding like the catalog" as an excuse again this time, I think they've chosen a better singer for that purpose this time. Yes, Jeremey is my friend, and if they're damned bound and determined to continue to tour with the name Journey and have someone who sings in Perry's range, he's my choice.

[ohsherrie]

Monker, see my reply to NMT.

[Rick]

Augeri also does not sound THAT much like Perry...and I don't think he tried to.

You should listen to Tall Stories, Augeri sounds way different. If you listen to it, you will see that he was in fact trying to sound like Perry because his singing with Journey was way more like Perry than his singing with Tall Stories. I hope I made sense there.

[squirt1]

Journey had a one in a million singer/songwriter- Perry- with all the hits,radio play, HUGE venues and fame ,then Augeri who contributed what he could, and then after years of downsize Jeff . Jeff brought back some recollections of a singer that was a true musician and writer. He had the drive of Perry and they felt threatened. Some will win ,some will lose applies to Neal & Jon IMO.

[Eric]

But Eric, (and Dean) we don't know yet what they are going to do as far as new material. I'm not saying I expect much, but still we don't know.

You're right...you're right. I think it is a fair assumption based on their behavior and statements that new music isn't important, but we don't know

The bigger point is though, nothing that they did with Augeri went anywhere other than to the internet fanbase. It meant nothing as far as the name and legacy of Journey is concerned.

The point is they made an effort at creating new music at least. Critically important for me to support a band.

As far as media Eric, they have no media. They are hardly a blip on the radar. Nobody except we internet fanbase people even knew or cared who was singing in Leesville this May. They seemed to like Jeff a lot, but all they really knew is that it was Journey.

When they come into a town they usually get a little write-up. I THINK that having an actual tribute band singer will dominate that little blurb and turn off some casual potential goers. Add that to the few of us who may not go, and definitely the smaller group of friends that we will bring if we do go......and its a negative. And the trend will be down not up. They had built themselves up well in concert.....that will be gone by the end of the decade.

I don't think the "tribute band" label that's become such an issue on this board is going to be near as much of an issue among the general Journey concert audience. In fact, if they were to PR it right, they could make a positive out of it in this age of AI and Rock Star whoever.

You may be right, and maybe management has some new tricks left, but again, its a fair assumption that they don't

[Matthew]

No Augeri fan has the right to try to be elitist now.

Well said Sherrie....and it looks like you've hit a nerve here....

Whatever defence the Augeri fans put up...the fact remains that Augeri was hired for EXACTLY the same reasons as Jeremey will be hired. Maybe Augeri himself thought he was bringing a new sound...but Cain and Schon wanted it to stay as close as possible to the old one.

[Matthew]

I'm not knocking Jeff, but he has more Perry-isms in his singing that Augeri does.

It doesn't seem like the band and management share this view, Dave....

[conversationpc]

I'm not knocking Jeff, but he has more Perry-isms in his singing that Augeri does.

It doesn't seem like the band shares this view, Dave....

I didn't say he sounded more like Perry than Augeri. It's just that the Perry influences are more prominent in his singing of the Journey classics.

[Matthew]

It's just that the Perry influences are more prominent in his singing of the Journey classics.

These Perryisms were probably too subtle to keep him in the band though....

[Eric]

Whatever defence the Augeri fans put up...the fact remains that Augeri was hired for EXACTLY the same reasons as Jeremey will be hired. Maybe Augeri himself thought he was bringing a new sound...but Cain and Schon wanted it to stay as close as possible to the old one.

Augeri came from Tall Stories and Tyketto. Jeremy comes from a Journey tribute band. BIIIIG difference!

[Matthew]

Whatever defence the Augeri fans put up...the fact remains that Augeri was hired for EXACTLY the same reasons as Jeremey will be hired. Maybe Augeri himself thought he was bringing a new sound...but Cain and Schon wanted it to stay as close as possible to the old one.

Augeri came from Tall Stories and Tyketto. Jeremy comes from a Journey tribute band. BIIIIG difference!

Not in the minds of Cain and Schon though....maybe in yours....

The only criteria that matters to them is: does this guy sound close enough to the 65 million units already out there? Does Augeri? Yes. Does Jeremey? Yes. Does JSS? No.

Much as I'd love to think that Cain and Schon heard Tall Stories and thought...wow...this guy is so different from Perry we can finally take a risk and break away from that tired old sound of ours....I just can't believe they saw it that way.

Anyway..nothing is more unshakeable than the denial of a Steve Augeri fan...so I'm probably wasting my time spelling out the obvious here.

[ohsherrie]

I didn't have much time to give my responses in this thread the attention I thought they deserved last night. NMT and Eric both brought up some good points and Monker deserved a real response so I gave it some more thought this morning while I was fixing breakfast.

I remember a discussion that I was in on this board several years ago. I don't remember who all was involved but I know Jeremey and Andrew both were. The point I was trying to make at the time is that they should have tried to change up the Journey sound a little rather than pretending Perry was a replaceable part, plugging a soundalike in, and thinking they could go on just as well. The failure of Arrival made it evident that Perry was a lot more than a replaceable part.

As part of the discussion the points were made that the audiences wanted to hear the classics sounding like they remembered them so they had to have a singer who could recreate that sound. Conceding that that was true, I suggested that they'd have been better of to change the name slightly so people wouldn't be expecting them to sound just like they did with Perry. But then, if they did that they wouldn't sell as many tickets because people were buying them to see Journey for the nostalgia value.

"Round and 'round it went as usual until I finally just said something about them being their own cover band because no one cared about their new material and only wanted to think they were hearing Perry. I said that if I was going to go see a tribute singer I would rather it be Jeremey because he is better at it than Augeri.

I still feel that way. Since then add to that the fact that I now consider Jeremey and Sabrina friends of mine. I don't really care any more about what F&F have made of Journey now than I did in 1997, but I care about my friend and want to see him get a chance to use his incredible talent to it's best advantage. To that extent my stance has changed since 1997. I didn't know Augeri or like the way he sounded on the classics, but I know Jeremey and he sings the hell out of them.

I still maintain that it's absolutely no different than the circumstance when they hired Augeri. None of us has any idea yet whether they're going to try some new material. You've latched onto an off hand remark by Frig saying they want to sound like the hits. That's the same thing they said before.

I think you guys have changed your stance at least as much as I have, and IMO, not with as much justification as I have.

[Eric]

I've always maintained I will support Journey as long as they stay current. I'll state - If they do (new music) I will support them with Jeremy.

I think you have changed Sherrie.......JSS brought you back some excitement, and now you aren't ready to give this thing up AGAIN, so you want to support Jeremy. Its a good thing, and I know how you feel.

[X factor]

Wait...I thought Journey's next tour was AS a tribute band!

[ohsherrie]

I've always maintained I will support Journey as long as they stay current. I'll state - If they do (new music) I will support them with Jeremy.

I think you have changed Sherrie.......JSS brought you back some excitement, and now you aren't ready to give this thing up AGAIN, so you want to support Jeremy. Its a good thing, and I know how you feel.

That might be some of it Eric, but mostly it's just that I think Jeremey is being treated unfairly. He shouldn't go from being a respected contributor and friend on this board to being a pariah simply because he's being offered a shot a this gig.

I honestly can't see why the people who accepted Augeri with open arms( sorry) when he was hired for exactly the same reasons as Jeremey is being considered, are so down on Jeremey. I think they're the ones whose ethics have changed a lot more than mine.

Saying they don't think Augeri was trying to imitate Perry and put a lot of his style into the songs is no more credible to me than my saying Jeremey does the same thing is to them. I always thought Augeri sucked on the classics and the new stuff they did was something I could have lived very well without and never missed. So to me, since I think Jeremey sings the classics a lot better, this would be a definite improvement over Augeri.

[NoMoreTails]

I think you guys have changed your stance at least as much as I have, and IMO, not with as much justification as I have.

I don't think I've ever changed my stance, it was and is that SA was similar in tone to Perry, but was not trying to sound exactly like him. I was always frustrated that they didn't push the new music more and were too content to play the greatest hits, becoming a nostalgia act. In fact, initially Neal said SA could cover the old stuff but could go in a new direction too, just as they said about JSS. I think its cheap to plug in an imitator myself, but I felt that SA was different enough while still having the Journey sound. Its going to be ironic when you ended supporting them when they "plug a soundalike in"--a true soundalike.

[ohsherrie]

I think you guys have changed your stance at least as much as I have, and IMO, not with as much justification as I have.

I don't think I've ever changed my stance, it was and is that SA was similar in tone to Perry, but was not trying to sound exactly like him. I was always frustrated that they didn't push the new music more and were too content to play the greatest hits, becoming a nostalgia act. In fact, initially Neal said SA could cover the old stuff but could go in a new direction too, just as they said about JSS. I think its cheap to plug in an imitator myself, but I felt that SA was different enough while still having the Journey sound. Its going to be ironic when you ended supporting them when they "plug a soundalike in"--a true soundalike.

NMT, I honestly don't think Jeremey is any more a Perry impersonator than Augeri was. Augeri was hired to cover the classics as close to the original sound as possible. Jeremey has been doing the same thing. He sounds more like Perry than Augeri did, but not because he tries any harder to than Augeri did. It's because he just sounds more like him. Yeah, he puts a lot of Perryisms in his performances because they are tribute performances, but those aren't what make the songs sound so good. It's his natural voice that makes them sound the way they do. He also puts a lot of his own style in there.

I will support Jeremey singing the songs just like I do when he sings them with Frontiers. At least if all Journey is going to do is tour on the catalog the guy singing the songs will sound damned good doing it. I never thought Augeri did.

If they hadn't turned their attention to Jeremey I would much rather they just pack it in and give it up. I just don't want him to be denied the opportunity now that it's a possibility for him.

[Eric]

I always thought Augeri sucked on the classics and the new stuff they did was something I could have lived "very" well without and never missed.

HOOOOOH......did you have to add the "very" to that!

[NoMoreTails]

. He sounds more like Perry than Augeri did, but not because he tries any harder to than Augeri did. It's because he just sounds more like him. Yeah, he puts a lot of Perryisms in his performances because they are tribute performances, but those aren't what make the songs sound so good. It's his natural voice that makes them sound the way they do. He also puts a lot of his own style in there.

Perhaps. I guess I should check out his other impressions, I'll have to find the link that was posted several days ago either here or the forum. So if the Perry impression is purely natural, do the others sound like Perry doing an impression of the other folks? Then again probably all of his sites have been shut down.

[ohsherrie]

I always thought Augeri sucked on the classics and the new stuff they did was something I could have lived "very" well without and never missed.

HOOOOOH......did you have to add the "very" to that!

Actually there are some good songs on them that I enjoy listening to now and then when I take a break for my Journey catalog CDs.