UK Classic Rock Interview - Neal & Ross interview.

[SusieP]

Well let's look at it another way...... many classic movies have been remade with different actors.

Some fans like both movies.
Some like the original best.
Some like the remake better.

What they are doing here is giving fans a choice.
And making a bit of money in the process.
It's business.
Jeff will get a performing royalty on the rerecording of the old stuff - which he deserves for breathing new life into the band.
The composers will get their royalties for composition - which they deserve for creating music which we still enjoy listening to.

[knox]

I wouldn't mind having a remake of certain songs I didn't care for first time around...

I like Soto's Edge Of The Blade better than the original.

Songs I like just as well and would buy as well:

Message Of Love
I'll Be Alright Without You


But, a live dvd/cd with them would be great. AND I bet would outsell the 2001 by far.

[jrnyman28]

Do they think they can improve upon absolute perfection?.

Not "improve on", I think a better term is update. Give an accurate representation of the songs as they are performed today.

[junky]

Do they think they can improve upon absolute perfection?.

Not "improve on", I think a better term is update. Give an accurate representation of the songs as they are performed today.

Exactly!

It not about replacing Perry's contributions (that's not possible).

I would buy it simply because my ears are getting tired of listening to crappy sounding boots in order to get an idea of the whole band's current interpretation of the classics.

[Matthew]

Do they think they can improve upon absolute perfection?.

Not "improve on", I think a better term is update. Give an accurate representation of the songs as they are performed today.

Exactly!

It not about replacing Perry's contributions (that's not possible).

I would buy it simply because my ears are getting tired of listening to crappy sounding boots in order to get an idea of the whole band's current interpretation of the classics.

Except the live arrangements of the songs now are virtually identical to the original studio versions. Has there really been any reinterpretation at all?

[Matthew]

I still can't for the life of me imagine why they want to redo the classics. Nothing about it makes good business or PR sense to me. What's the point?

Do they think they can improve upon absolute perfection?

Why would Jeff even want to do this? Surely he wants to create his own identity w/Journey & get away from SP comparisons for the rest of his life.

Huge mistake if they do that, Perry fans will not be happy.

You're not wrong there, Steveforever.

[junky]

Do they think they can improve upon absolute perfection?.

Not "improve on", I think a better term is update. Give an accurate representation of the songs as they are performed today.

Exactly!

It not about replacing Perry's contributions (that's not possible).

I would buy it simply because my ears are getting tired of listening to crappy sounding boots in order to get an idea of the whole band's current interpretation of the classics.

Except the live arrangements of the songs now are virtually identical to the original studio versions. Has there really been any reinterpretation at all?

Some in the arrangement, but mostly the sound, Deen's drumming and background vocals, Neal's amps, etc.

[ohsosoto]

Exactly, Matthew, that's what I don't get with Ross, and this was mild compared to the "obsessive fan with too much time on his hands" he talked about in the other recent interview. How on earth can he socialise and be friendly with the "obsessive fan" and then put him down in that way? It stinks. Ross Vallory is a two-faced bastard as far as I'm concerned.

Maybe Ross is counting on the "obsessive fan" still having the best interest of Journey in mind and understanding the situation they're in on this subject.

Well said. Ross is just towing the company line.

Let's face it, we ALL have too much time on our hands.

yes, and here we sit....

[Cheri]

Maybe they have another contract stating they can't tell the whole truth....but, my moto is: deny, deny, deny

[ohsosoto]

Maybe they have another contract stating they can't tell the whole truth....but, my moto is: deny, deny, deny

those would be my last words, "i didn't do it-i swear." i do have such the poker face.

[Uncle heFTy]

Until Jeff joined Journey as a replacement for Steve Augeri I had seldom listened to any of their material. Now I am hooked. I have seen this incarnation of the band a matter of seven times and whilst the material is all 'new' to me find that it is delivered with passion and vibrance (except at Nottingham where the sound was dire).

An apochryphal tale:
I took my son and his fiance to the second Manchester gig and some bloke came and stood next to her muttering and mumbling about how much an Augeri fan he was and how he didn't like the new singer. When asked had he heard him he said 'No, and I'm not here to listen to him.' When it came to 'Open Arms' she turned round and he was in tears and he simply said 'I'm convinced'.

For the first time on Wednesday I got to hear Jeff do virtually the whole set and I knew then what I have known ever since I first met and worked with him in 2003, this man is a wonderful performer and is now playing with consumate professionals who bring out the best in him. After the show, at which it was obvious that Deen was ill and Jeff was struggling, I sent a text which read; "The secret of a great band is that they work for each other. Tonight Journey found that secret!'

I have absolutely no axe to grind over the 'lip-synch' issue and if Steve Augeri's voice was well and truly shot then the bare fact is that, without a replacement vocalist, they wouldn't have toured and given so much enjoyment. I have two more shows to experience and I sincerely hope they will not be my last.

Uncle H

[Gibby]

If they are gonna give us a cd with all new material and include a cd of re-recorded greatest hits with Jeff on vocals, I say why not? I actually think it's a great way of introducing Jeff to the vast majority of Journey fans that have never heard him perform with the band.