Why didn't Journey hire Chalfant in 1998?

[Jeremey]

I don't have any idea about 1998, but judging by Kevin's admitted resentment over Perry's return in 1996, it's not outside the realm of possibility that he may have said some things at the time that didn't exactly leave him in good graces with Cain & Schon after Perry's return. Besides, in The Storm, Chalfant was hooked up with Herbert, Rolie, Smith & Valory - 3 guys who had nothing to do with Journey at that point.

Just because he was in a band with those guys doesn't necessarily mean that Cain and Schon were falling over themselves to work with them. If anything, Chalfant's always struck me as being Herbert's "golden boy," a guy Herbert thought he would use to finally de-throne his arch nemesis Steve Perry. I've never thought that Chalfant was "equal to" Perry as far as talent goes, but that doesn't mean he isn't a fine singer...But for Herbert to hold him up as some "Perry Killer" never did any service to Chalfant, because in reality, let's face it, Chalfant is no Steve Perry. The very fact that Herbert was pushing Chalfant at the time may have worked against him in Cain & Schon's eyes.

As for 2007, there was no way Chalfant was even in the running for that gig. Herbert had sent Cain & Schon the "Fly 2 Freedom" CD and it didn't advance his cause in the least. As one member of the band put it, they felt like the CD was just "dull...tuned down Journey covers that sounded like they were sung by Bon Jovi." It was also mentioned that Chalfant was older, less mobile and appealing on stage, and was "old news." So at least there's the scoop from 2007.

Listen, some people hold up Herbie Herbert like he is some golden god of all things Journey, because that's the image and legend he's perpetuated through the years, and that's how he wants to be seen. But just like anyone else associated with this act, he has his own agendas and politics and just like anyone else in this band, didn't always want to make the right decisions for the right reasons. But like Steve Perry, Herbie has been out of the limelight and his PAST with the band is how his legacy is reflected...and like all things in the past, the immediate truth and reasons why things did or didn't happen are distorted, exaggerated, or forgotten, and that's just the way it is.

[Gideon]

Dethrone? Arch nemesis? Either Journey politics is more cutthroat than I'd imagined or Jeremey just rented Game of Thrones, season 2.

[Jeremey]

Dethrone? Arch nemesis? Either Journey politics is more cutthroat than I'd imagined or Jeremey just rented Game of Thrones, season 2.

Herbie Herbert holds Perry personally responsible for wrestling control of the band away from him. Maybe I am reading too much into his interviews about the guy but yeah, always seemed to me that he will hold a grudge against Perry until his dying day. Who knows? Maybe they are buds. It's only rock and roll.

[Gideon]

I get that vibe too. It sounds like Perry's hip injury was no accident; hiking in Hawaii, my ass.

[Don]

Is Chalfant's Journey tribute album recorded half a step down?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LR31vKqcU1I

yes, I believe it is. That said, look at when it was recorded. 2007ish... Chalfant is about the same age as Perry. 10 years earlier, he easily had the range to do it in the original key.

He might have the range NOW to sing the songs on a random night...but nobody in their late 50s/early 60s are singing those songs in standard tuning night after night after night after night for 2 hours at a time. Pointing out Kevin not doing it really doesn't mean anything. People always talk about how awesome (for example) CJ from Firehouse still sounds live...but they never point out how Firehouse plays a WHOLE STEP down live.

It amazes me how some of us seem to love to point out "original key vs down tuned" when it comes to Journey like it's some sort of shameful thing. It's age...it's what happens to Rock singers.

I was asking if he RECORDED it a half step down. What he does live is a different subject.

[Pelata]

I was asking if he RECORDED it a half step down. What he does live is a different subject.

I know. I was just talking about the half-step thing in general. He probably recorded it that way because he planned on singing it live that way.

[FamilyMan]

I don't have any idea about 1998, but judging by Kevin's admitted resentment over Perry's return in 1996, it's not outside the realm of possibility that he may have said some things at the time that didn't exactly leave him in good graces with Cain & Schon after Perry's return. Besides, in The Storm, Chalfant was hooked up with Herbert, Rolie, Smith & Valory - 3 guys who had nothing to do with Journey at that point.

Just because he was in a band with those guys doesn't necessarily mean that Cain and Schon were falling over themselves to work with them. If anything, Chalfant's always struck me as being Herbert's "golden boy," a guy Herbert thought he would use to finally de-throne his arch nemesis Steve Perry. I've never thought that Chalfant was "equal to" Perry as far as talent goes, but that doesn't mean he isn't a fine singer...But for Herbert to hold him up as some "Perry Killer" never did any service to Chalfant, because in reality, let's face it, Chalfant is no Steve Perry. The very fact that Herbert was pushing Chalfant at the time may have worked against him in Cain & Schon's eyes.

As for 2007, there was no way Chalfant was even in the running for that gig. Herbert had sent Cain & Schon the "Fly 2 Freedom" CD and it didn't advance his cause in the least. As one member of the band put it, they felt like the CD was just "dull...tuned down Journey covers that sounded like they were sung by Bon Jovi." It was also mentioned that Chalfant was older, less mobile and appealing on stage, and was "old news." So at least there's the scoop from 2007.

Listen, some people hold up Herbie Herbert like he is some golden god of all things Journey, because that's the image and legend he's perpetuated through the years, and that's how he wants to be seen. But just like anyone else associated with this act, he has his own agendas and politics and just like anyone else in this band, didn't always want to make the right decisions for the right reasons. But like Steve Perry, Herbie has been out of the limelight and his PAST with the band is how his legacy is reflected...and like all things in the past, the immediate truth and reasons why things did or didn't happen are distorted, exaggerated, or forgotten, and that's just the way it is.

Jeremey's input always fascinates me. And I echo his thoughts about Fly 2 Freedom. Underwhelming. If that was his "audition," no wonder he didn't get the gig. However -- "dull tuned down Journey covers" could describe the "Revelation" re-records just as well (in my opinion).

[kgdjpubs]

I don't have any idea about 1998, but judging by Kevin's admitted resentment over Perry's return in 1996, it's not outside the realm of possibility that he may have said some things at the time that didn't exactly leave him in good graces with Cain & Schon after Perry's return. Besides, in The Storm, Chalfant was hooked up with Herbert, Rolie, Smith & Valory - 3 guys who had nothing to do with Journey at that point.

Just because he was in a band with those guys doesn't necessarily mean that Cain and Schon were falling over themselves to work with them. If anything, Chalfant's always struck me as being Herbert's "golden boy," a guy Herbert thought he would use to finally de-throne his arch nemesis Steve Perry. I've never thought that Chalfant was "equal to" Perry as far as talent goes, but that doesn't mean he isn't a fine singer...But for Herbert to hold him up as some "Perry Killer" never did any service to Chalfant, because in reality, let's face it, Chalfant is no Steve Perry. The very fact that Herbert was pushing Chalfant at the time may have worked against him in Cain & Schon's eyes.

As for 2007, there was no way Chalfant was even in the running for that gig. Herbert had sent Cain & Schon the "Fly 2 Freedom" CD and it didn't advance his cause in the least. As one member of the band put it, they felt like the CD was just "dull...tuned down Journey covers that sounded like they were sung by Bon Jovi." It was also mentioned that Chalfant was older, less mobile and appealing on stage, and was "old news." So at least there's the scoop from 2007.

Listen, some people hold up Herbie Herbert like he is some golden god of all things Journey, because that's the image and legend he's perpetuated through the years, and that's how he wants to be seen. But just like anyone else associated with this act, he has his own agendas and politics and just like anyone else in this band, didn't always want to make the right decisions for the right reasons. But like Steve Perry, Herbie has been out of the limelight and his PAST with the band is how his legacy is reflected...and like all things in the past, the immediate truth and reasons why things did or didn't happen are distorted, exaggerated, or forgotten, and that's just the way it is.

Jeremey's input always fascinates me. And I echo his thoughts about Fly 2 Freedom. Underwhelming. If that was his "audition," no wonder he didn't get the gig. However -- "dull tuned down Journey covers" could describe the "Revelation" re-records just as well (in my opinion).

That album was just....strange. Seemed somewhat half-hearted, and certainly did him no favors.

The thing is that Kevin Chaflant was never exactly a "Perry clone" to begin with---he just had a very similar range, and did a VERY good job on the two Journey songs that the Storm did backing up Rolie (Anytime and Just the Same Way).

The 2nd Storm album is where he really shined--which was recorded just prior to the 6-man lineup.
To Have and To Hold... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3j9JyP9w9A

If you are looking to go forward with Journey as a recording lineup in the mid 90s and need someone that is close enough to do the old stuff, but also someone who could possibly advance the band (strong vocal style and song-writing ability), Chalfant would have been a very good choice. Unlike Augeri, Chalfant had Perry's natural range, which is something Augeri never had. By the time Journey was ready for someone to replace Augeri in 2006, I suspect the criteria that they were looking for was...somewhat different.

[sniper16]

the only guy with a similar voice who hasnt lost it in some way is paul rodgers, and i dont think bad co is nesr as hard to do as journey night in and night out

[kgdjpubs]

the only guy with a similar voice who hasnt lost it in some way is paul rodgers, and i dont think bad co is nesr as hard to do as journey night in and night out

other than having some influence with soul singers, I don't see how Paul Rodgers is even comparable. Sure, he's done really well over the years keeping his voice, but he never had close to the range of Perry. Now Brian Howe seems to be pretty good (or at least was when I saw him a couple of years ago). Either way, singing Bad Co and singing Journey aren't even in the same ballpark.

The examples if you want to compare singers would be Ann Wilson on the female side and John Farnham on the male side. Both had similar ranges, similar demanding material, and both are still going strong.