Gregg Rolie Update

[Marabelle]

What I remember is hearing the stories of David Ruffin ex Temptations member joining the group from the audience. Sounds like it was spontaneous (highly unlikely) on David’s part and once the audience saw who he was—those glasses with the big frame made it pretty obvious it was him -— there was the predictable wild crazy reaction from the audience. I could imagine Mr Perry walking onto the stage from behind the curtain and joining the group as they played. Just walking in and surprising everyone including the Shons and probably himself. He’d have to pick the city and know what’s playing so he would know what song he wants to sing. I know Mr Shon (?) has always said he’s invited. That would be amazing.

[danielb]

I have to say Rolie brings a "peace, love and happiness" and more old school vibe to the proceedings. Looks generally happy to be onstage. Quite a difference to Cain.

[ebake02]

Of a Lifetime:
https://youtu.be/cgM94rR0bfo

Feeling that way/Anytime:
https://youtu.be/vlqQ-uWJzXk

Just the Same Way:
https://youtu.be/uPOnbnRPBPk

With Lukather - Black Magic Woman:
https://youtu.be/Hzh2uZwhwh8

I was hoping to see Gregg play with them in person but I'm just glad at this point that it happened at all and that we can watch it on YouTube. I hope they do more stuff with Lukather though, Black Magic Women sounded good.

[danielb]

Also, say what you will about Schon, he hasn't lost a step playing wise. Of a Lifetime...

[The_Noble_Cause]

I have to say Rolie brings a "peace, love and happiness" and more old school vibe to the proceedings. Looks generally happy to be onstage. Quite a difference to Cain.

With his new found evangelical faith, Cain believes the apocalypse is near.

Hard to smile knowing the world is about to be smited by the hand of the lord!

Also, I get physically ill just hearing DSB on the radio. Can't imagine having to play it night after night......

[Monker]

I have to say Rolie brings a "peace, love and happiness" and more old school vibe to the proceedings. Looks generally happy to be onstage. Quite a difference to Cain.

With his new found evangelical faith, Cain believes the apocalypse is near.

Hard to smile knowing the world is about to be smited by the hand of the lord!

Also, I get physically ill just hearing DSB on the radio. Can't imagine having to play it night after night......

It seems to me that Jonathan approaches Journey as business professional....not a musician doing it for 'fun'. He goes out, performs his part, and moves on to the next town and that's about it.

[JourneyHard]

I was shocked to learn something about the Outfield, the band that opened for Journey back in the 1980's. All three members of the Outfield are dead. This is very shocking to me. I could see maybe one of them being dead, but all three are dead. They preached about not smoking and not doing drugs. Meanwhile, Ozzy who has smoked and done every drug possible is still alive.
I hope Steve Perry takes this shocking news to heart. He is lucky to be alive. He should swallow his pride and join Journey for one concert during this 50th Anniversary Tour. Gregg has done it and nobody thinks Gregg is part of the band now. So, nobody should think Perry is back in Journey if he performs with them for one damn show. Perry can sing five songs as the encore and then be done with it. Perry could be dead right now like all three members of the Outfield, but Perry is very much alive. It would be a huge waste if Perry doesn't show up for one show on this tour.

[Monker]

I was shocked to learn something about the Outfield, the band that opened for Journey back in the 1980's. All three members of the Outfield are dead. This is very shocking to me. I could see maybe one of them being dead, but all three are dead. They preached about not smoking and not doing drugs. Meanwhile, Ozzy who has smoked and done every drug possible is still alive.
I hope Steve Perry takes this shocking news to heart. He is lucky to be alive. He should swallow his pride and join Journey for one concert during this 50th Anniversary Tour. Gregg has done it and nobody thinks Gregg is part of the band now. So, nobody should think Perry is back in Journey if he performs with them for one damn show. Perry can sing five songs as the encore and then be done with it. Perry could be dead right now like all three members of the Outfield, but Perry is very much alive. It would be a huge waste if Perry doesn't show up for one show on this tour.

I doubt Perry would ever do this. Not because the fans will think he will rejoin Journey...but because it would open a can of worms with Neal. Neal wanting him to do it again. Neal wanting him to record. Neal wanting him to write. The last opportunity for this to happen was the HOF...if he wouldn't do it then, he'll never do it.

[jrnyman28]

I was shocked to learn something about the Outfield, the band that opened for Journey back in the 1980's. All three members of the Outfield are dead.

Alan Jackman, the drummer, is alive as far as I can tell.

[Loneman1]

I was shocked to learn something about the Outfield, the band that opened for Journey back in the 1980's. All three members of the Outfield are dead. This is very shocking to me. I could see maybe one of them being dead, but all three are dead. They preached about not smoking and not doing drugs. Meanwhile, Ozzy who has smoked and done every drug possible is still alive.
I hope Steve Perry takes this shocking news to heart. He is lucky to be alive. He should swallow his pride and join Journey for one concert during this 50th Anniversary Tour. Gregg has done it and nobody thinks Gregg is part of the band now. So, nobody should think Perry is back in Journey if he performs with them for one damn show. Perry can sing five songs as the encore and then be done with it. Perry could be dead right now like all three members of the Outfield, but Perry is very much alive. It would be a huge waste if Perry doesn't show up for one show on this tour.

I doubt Perry would ever do this. Not because the fans will think he will rejoin Journey...but because it would open a can of worms with Neal. Neal wanting him to do it again. Neal wanting him to record. Neal wanting him to write. The last opportunity for this to happen was the HOF...if he wouldn't do it then, he'll never do it.

Yeah, I don't think Perry gives even any passing thought to ever sharing the stage with Journey again, and why would he? At this point he's richer than god, has proven pretty much everything he could ever want to prove, and probably enjoying the fact that he's more than cemented his place in music history. He even had a new album break the top ten on the Billboard charts with "Traces" which was a pretty decent feat all its own after all these years. He's gotta be happier just recording things in his studio for release around the holiday season every year and I'm personally really happy with that, even if there are some misses along with the hits.

Its all just gravy at this point anyway since for the longest time everyone figured he was done with it all completely. Given all the new bullshit going on behind the scenes of Journey he's gotta be thanking his lucky stars he's so far removed from all that. Why would he want to go back to high school at his age?

[Art Vandelay]

I was shocked to learn something about the Outfield, the band that opened for Journey back in the 1980's. All three members of the Outfield are dead. This is very shocking to me. I could see maybe one of them being dead, but all three are dead. They preached about not smoking and not doing drugs. Meanwhile, Ozzy who has smoked and done every drug possible is still alive.
I hope Steve Perry takes this shocking news to heart. He is lucky to be alive. He should swallow his pride and join Journey for one concert during this 50th Anniversary Tour. Gregg has done it and nobody thinks Gregg is part of the band now. So, nobody should think Perry is back in Journey if he performs with them for one damn show. Perry can sing five songs as the encore and then be done with it. Perry could be dead right now like all three members of the Outfield, but Perry is very much alive. It would be a huge waste if Perry doesn't show up for one show on this tour.

I doubt Perry would ever do this. Not because the fans will think he will rejoin Journey...but because it would open a can of worms with Neal. Neal wanting him to do it again. Neal wanting him to record. Neal wanting him to write. The last opportunity for this to happen was the HOF...if he wouldn't do it then, he'll never do it.

Yeah, I don't think Perry gives even any passing thought to ever sharing the stage with Journey again, and why would he? At this point he's richer than god, has proven pretty much everything he could ever want to prove, and probably enjoying the fact that he's more than cemented his place in music history. He even had a new album break the top ten on the Billboard charts with "Traces" which was a pretty decent feat all its own after all these years. He's gotta be happier just recording things in his studio for release around the holiday season every year and I'm personally really happy with that, even if there are some misses along with the hits.

Its all just gravy at this point anyway since for the longest time everyone figured he was done with it all completely. Given all the new bullshit going on behind the scenes of Journey he's gotta be thanking his lucky stars he's so far removed from all that. Why would he want to go back to high school at his age?

Well said and agreed 100%

[Jodes]

Monker - As mentioned, Alan Jackman - The Outfield Drummer is still alive today.

John Spinks battled a rare form of Liver Cancer and passed away way to young in 2014. Tony Lewis, passed sadly in October of 2020. I miss them greatly. Their Music, along with Styx got me through so much when I was growing up, I don't think I would have made it without them.

As for the other "two" touring members of The Outfield during that Play Deep Tour, sadly Reg Web (Keyboards) passed away in January of 2018 also of cancer. Grahame Leslie, who is currently in Steve Harris's British Lion is alive and well.

The Outfield to me were so much more than "Oh yeah that 80s band about Josie" . Such great well crafted songs.

Sigh.

[Journey/Survivor]

Which original members of The Outfield would have still been in the band in the late 90s?

In the late 90s I went to a concert of theirs in a nightclub in Cleveland. I was only familiar with their hits. I think the concert only cost about five bucks or something like that. A friend of mine who was a fan of The Outfield couldn't go to the show because he worked the night shift. So he gave me one of his CD covers of one the bands albums and asked me if I could get him their autographs.

I did meet them and got their autographs for my friend, but I never knew any of their names.

[Jeremey]

Which original members of The Outfield would have still been in the band in the late 90s?

In the late 90s I went to a concert of theirs in a nightclub in Cleveland. I was only familiar with their hits. I think the concert only cost about five bucks or something like that. A friend of mine who was a fan of The Outfield couldn't go to the show because he worked the night shift. So he gave me one of his CD covers of one the bands albums and asked me if I could get him their autographs.

I did meet them and got their autographs for my friend, but I never knew any of their names.

Tony and John were always together in The Outfield, John was like an older brother for Tony. I knew John and worked with him and he was absolutely the most giving and genuine person I'd ever encountered in the music business. Tony's cause of death was never revealed and I respect his family's privacy but I have to think it would have been hard for him to carry on with the loss of John as a lifelong friend/brother and business partner.

Simon Dawson was the drummer for the band from 1989 (touring with Voices of Babylon - not sure if he played on the record?) until 2009. In 2011 Alan Jackman re-joined the band for their final album "Replay." John admitted to me that he always had a complicated relationship with drummers. Alan is the sole surviving member of the group.

[Jodes]

Simon Dawson was the drummer for the band from 1989 (touring with Voices of Babylon - not sure if he played on the record?) until 2009. In 2011 Alan Jackman re-joined the band for their final album "Replay." John admitted to me that he always had a complicated relationship with drummers. Alan is the sole surviving member of the group.

Actually Paul Read was the drummer for the Voices of Babylon Tour. Alan Jackman did play on that record. Simon Dawson joined the band during the Diamond Days album (I believe he is the drummer in the videos) and stayed on until 01. Alan did rejoin briefly in the early 2000s, then for the "Live At Clear Lake" CD they had a session drummer by the name of Jeffery Gish playing on that tour for them. Then yes, Alan rejoined for the Replay album and sessions (which almost two albums worth of material was recorded).

Yes, I'm that big of an Outfield fan

[Jeremey]

Actually Paul Read was the drummer for the Voices of Babylon Tour. Alan Jackman did play on that record. Simon Dawson joined the band during the Diamond Days album (I believe he is the drummer in the videos) and stayed on until 01. Alan did rejoin briefly in the early 2000s, then for the "Live At Clear Lake" CD they had a session drummer by the name of Jeffery Gish playing on that tour for them. Then yes, Alan rejoined for the Replay album and sessions (which almost two albums worth of material was recorded).

Yes, I'm that big of an Outfield fan

Ha, thanks for the corrections and filling in the holes, LOL! I had pulled the Simon Dawson dates from his wiki page I think but I wasn't even aware of the touring drummer for VOB or that Alan had played on that record.