ohsherrie wrote: Journey was nothing but a local SF band with a comparatively small core following before Steve Perry joined them.
Actually it was the addition of Jon Cain that finally put them over the top, but, eh, who's counting?
ohsherrie wrote:I personally think it's a damn shame. They should have left the name alone.
Ok. So protest with your pocket book and don't go see them. Simple enough.
ohsherrie wrote:As for the "contract" rumor, I heard it too and still think there could be something to it. All JDK said was that nobody was keeping Steve from singing. He didn't say what restrictions or conditions he may have been under contractually that made him choose not to do so.
Not so. Kalodner has commented specifically on the notion of this phantom contract between Steve and Journey which allegedly "restricts" him from singing. Kalodner has refuted it on several occasions. This guy worked for Sony and is friends with Perry. He was largely responsible for the new lineup even getting a record deal w/ Sony in the first place. If such a contract existed, you'd think he'd most certainly know. Unless the contract was hammered out in private between Schon & Perry. We do know that Perry stipulated that Cain, Schon, and Valory sign gag orders about certain topics. Ross, Cain, Neal have all mentioned it on various occasions. Neal mentioned it most recently in the article published in sfweekly.
According to Herbie the contract made the guys "give away the farm".
He said he told them that they should never, ever, have signed it.
If anything, it sounds like Journey was in no position to make any sort of exorbitant demands from Steve Perry. IMO, they just wanted for him to sign the dotted line and let them go play on tour no matter the cost.
But hey, I could be wrong.
That is just my opinion.
Here is Kalodner commenting specifically on this alleged "phantom contract".
Question:
I am a big Steve Perry fan -- I'll say that right up front! But, I believed your very wise reply about the supposed "non-competition" clause between Mr. Perry and Journey. I felt that if anyone would know about such things, it would certainly be YOU! [As you must know, since the "Journey: Behind the Music" a battle has raged on between Journey fans and Steve Perry fans, and this has been one of the MAIN sticking points.] I thought your sage pronouncement had an end to the speculation, however, the wound was once again re-opened, and the message boards are all buzzing again because some deejay from WROE in Wisconsin said this:
"That was Steve Perry and Journey from way back in 1983 with 'Separate Ways'. Steve Perry has been a very busy guy lately, writing a whole pile of songs for various artists but, because of the agreement when he left Journey, he is no longer recording them himself."
The person who posted it did not give the name of the deejay, and e-mails and calls to the station have gone unanswered. I'm not asking you to answer this again. I believe you are wise enough in the ways of the recording industry yourself to have your first answer stick. I just thought you ought to know it isn't just the fans who are hearing this nonsense, it's also people in radio now.
Thanks for being a wise and wonderful voice of reason and experience to those of us who still love rock & roll! Your appearance on the "Aerosmith: Behind the Music" was a real treat. Keep on keeping on, and God Bless!
John Kalodner:
If this is true, that deejay is just full of crap. Steve Perry can record a solo record anytime he wants to, for I imagine, almost any record company. And as far as I know, as I’ve said, his band Journey would almost certainly take him back at least for a tour and an album. As of December 14, 2002, I have no factual information that this “non-competition” clause is true.
Ya know what, HOTS? You're not a Journey fan at all, ARE YOU? Sing with THEM?? 
