Why Is Gregg Rolie Always Disrespected?

[Kor'n]

Greg Rolie "I dont think Steve Perry liked me singing"
by jrny84 » Mon Jan 13, 2014 1:36 pm

Probably true. Why do you have a problem with Rolie speaking his mind? He lived it.

Just don't know what to make of those guys, just intent on maligning Steve Perry, who has not been in the band or around them for years. Greg and Neal started the band so if Greg was not singing more it is because NO ONE else "liked" or wanted him singing more. He had three albums to deliver the goods and he FAILED. I guess they have nothing else about which they may talk. Hey Greg, how is it touring with Ringo. Guess he's bitter that Steve Lukather might be joining Ringo at Grammy, and he, Greg, would never be. SP was the top dog and they, Greg, Neal (PPV guy) and Journey are pretty much "dead in the water," so guess they would still be dredging up SP for whatever publicity they might garner.

Hopefully, Steve Perry will continue ignoring their every existence. They are nothing but deadbeat trouble.

Holy schnitzel! Dood, look. You state that, "He (Gregg) had three albums to deliver the goods and he FAILED." Going off the assumption that you are speaking only of his time in Journey.... The actuality of that time is, the whole style of music that the entire band was pursuing FAILED. While many of us greatly enjoyed the style, it was going nowhere. It said absolutely nothing of the individual members abilities. Therefore to state that Gregg failed to deliver is an entirely false premise.

Sony was interested in SALES not Semantics.

I find it, at times, hilarious when fans read an interview and assign 'bitter' tones to a response from an individual. More specifically when that individual would have never uttered a word about the subject had the interviewer not asked the question and worded it as they did. Double edged sword, though, as those same fans would have assigned some hidden intent had the same interviewee declined to speak about the subject. lol Gotta love it.

Not the first time reading of Greg's griping. He just finished touring with Ringo, and could have directed questions to that or that so call "reunion" that no one seems to care about, excepting that guitar player with a dead YT story and PPV wedding, so desperately needing some press.

[annie89509]

eh ... don't have a bone to pick with anyone in the band (past and present) or any posters here ...
Observation: K'n clearly outmatched .... anything but "owned", though .... he/she held strong .

[Art Vandelay]

I get how Gregg may have some bitter feelings, but here's my take on the situation. The band, at this point, was quickly starting to move from rock band to superstar status. While they were huge on the west coast and in the mid-west, it's been mentioned in interviews from this period that they were still struggling a bit to hit that superstar mark with the east coast fans, especially in the northeast. They were just about there, but not quite. Now that Perry was being recognized as THE front man of the group, he had to be taking notes as to how and why this was – or was not – happening...and you know he wasn't dumb about it. Perhaps the crowd interest would dwindle a bit when Gregg's material would be performed. Not a slap at Gregg, but the band was just starting to really catch fire in certain areas thanks to the recent radio hits...not because of the first three albums.This was also a time when the show's set-list was becoming very streamlined, so if you're gonna trim some fat, you gotta go all in. Again, just my theory, but knowing how the band was quickly rising at this point, it could make sense.

[Memorex]

I wonder how Gregg would have felt if another keyboardist was there and he had to compete. Seems to me that Steve was the only one who had to give up a portion of his craft to others in the band. So it's hard to say how others would have reacted - they didn't have to face it.

And by not saying ok, Steve is the singer and be bitter about it, to me, only supports Steve's thoughts about being the outsider. Had he been there from day one as "the" singer, he likely would have never had to deal with it.

I know Mickey Thomas and Grace Slick had similar feelings about each other. They both felt they were giving up their time.

Seems to me all of them have enough money and have lived a decent enough life to not worry about this stuff. But I guess one's pride is there always.

[Final Frontiers]

Funny you should mention pride. I wonder if Gregg Rolie was ever a tiny bit jealous of Jonathan Cain. He was the one to discover and offer him a role (his Rolie ) in the band. So I'm sure he felt/feels a tiny bit of pride in being able to help the guys out and not let his quiting be a detriment. But then, nobody's pride can take hearing that Journey went 9 times platnium as soon as you left. Then his solo career went nowhere, Columbia refused to promote and eventually dropped him, and when the Trial By Fire reunion came along- he was ousted by Columbia again AND worst of all his former bandmates didn't fight for him. ALL of them should've stood in unison against Columbia to get Gregg on the reunion album. The cruelest cut of all, when he tried to recreate Journey with Ross and Smitty- musical tastes changed and they fell out of fashion. Something that is death to anyone in the music biz.


Has anybody ever asked him how he felt about Journey blowing up when he quit?

[wednesday's child]

Has anybody ever asked him how he felt about Journey blowing up when he quit?

Wouldn't THAT be disrespect?

Seems an awful lot of negative projection going on in this thread,
claiming (lol) that Rolie is bitter, without any hard evidence from
the man himself... but I guess that goes for the assumption that
Gregg is so 'disrespected' to begin with.