JEFF SCOTT SOTO Discusses His Dismissal From JOURNEY

[StoneCold]

This post is from the comments at the interview site.

Is it that hard to pick a phone and say "Hey Jeff, dude, we are sorry but this and that".

Is it that hard?

After JSS comes on short notice and saves them DURING A MAJOR TOUR, not only is he let go but not a single call of "thank you" from any one of them?

That is just incredulous and unacceptable.

I remember Behind The Music where they were criticizing Perry's statement of not feeling part of the band. Either Jon or Neal said, "How could he not feel part of the band when he's the leader?" Now we know.

They were just faking for the camera. Obviously jealous as hell of Perry's God given voice and talent.

This to me explains it all. I don't blame Ross or Deen as they're not making decisions for the band and are probably scared that a leaked call could get them booted too.

Whatever, makes you wish they had retired with some dignity. Now it'll never happen.

[AR]

JSS is a good dude and a major talent. I had so much fun seeing Journey with him fronting in Atlantic City, Baltimore, Mansfield and 3 Florida shows.

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

I wouldn't pay to see Steve Perry front Journey believe it or not. But I WOULD pay to see Steve Perry solo. Let Espee line his own pockets and not Frig and Fro.

[(Crazy)Dulce Lady]

That's something I guess I will never understand. I thought Jeff and Neal were friends.. friends just dont do that. I guess it only goes to show what kind of people they really are.

Neal screwed JSS twice!!!!! I still remember the betrayal that JSS felt when the Soul Sirkus thing went down.

I think SS failed because of shitty music more than anything.

Back away from the bong. Soul Sirkus was an outstanding record.

one of the best albums in my collection. ahead of MANY Journey albums. followed closely by Lost in the Translation. also ahead of many Journey albums. I think these 2 may be a little on the hard rock side, which I like more . and maybe Dan you like the more melodic stuff?

Generations is what it is, a pacifier for Steve Augeri, cuz they promised him, as they did Jeff, that they would do new material. It seems like it was an afterthought--not on the same level as most Journey albums-not even Arrival. not bad not good--just a little out of the Journey character. 95% of Generations is fabulous, however. IMHO.

following is an interview where Steve Augeri discusses it. (thanks Linda)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From an interview with MR’s Andrew:



“I'm going to give you sort of an exclusive, because nobody has spoken about this yet. Seven years has past since I have been working with the band and I don't have to tell you that Neal has always had a love for playing with as many people as he can and have as many projects going on as possible – it has always been that way – it keeps him musically satisfied and always moving forward.
And so he has done both solo records as well as other projects and Jon Cain is the same.
So after the seventh year and no new record in sight for Journey, I decided I was going to start writing music just the same. Jon Cain suggested I pick up an Apple Powerbook which has this Garage Band program in it, which is ideal for a technical moron such as myself – I mean a kid could sit down and write a record on it – I was like a kid in a candy store when I got it. I couldn't get away from it – it has all the great instrumentation and great drum loops and this and that. So I had all these songs bottled up in me and all these ideas and the moment I got my hands on it I started writing at this feverish pace.
So it was during this time, during last year's tour that Neal took notice that I always had my head buried in the thing. So I laid some songs on him and he looked at me and to put it simply, I guess he was impressed with some of the musical ideas that I was coming up with.
And I think the wheels started turning, cause Neal's always turn, and he got the notion that he thought that at least with a small inkling of what I was doing, that a new Journey album was in the works – at least a start or seed of it.

Ok.
So from that material we started building and having some writing sessions and it went from several songs of mine that were being considered, to you know…the usual…
It's understandable, I mean when you have a team like Jon and Neal in the band.
In fact, the thing with Jon…Jon is a generous, giving person and all last year while we were recording the record he always seemed to be involved in one charity or one community group or getting involved in funding his kids school events and it wasn't until the last moment of doing this record that he came in - literally into the studio with a few masterpieces.
Honestly….frankly - it was one of those healthy competition things, which is wonderful to have this great healthy tension…I'm not saying rival writers; you can print that if you want.
He thought to himself that he needed to be represented – let's face it – Jon Cain needed to be on this record first and foremost before the newcomer Steve.
So he came up with some great songs that took front seat, and I'm glad he did, because it is a better record for it.
Just so you know, the fact of the matter is – whether anybody cares to listen to it or not – when we get off the road I am planning to get some of those songs together and putting together a record and releasing a solo record.”

[stevew2]

So pretty much,Jon and Neal were setting on the asses{like they are now] Steve A.wanted to write, got a few songs started,Soul Sircus faded out ,Jon had a wild hair,Neal jumped on the wagon at the end,and there was "Generations" other then Dean on two songs, No one else but Steve should have sang on the CD. "Gone Crazy "was a fucking joke,as well as most of it.They would have problablly done the same with Jeff.Let him write a song or two,then just take control and fuck the rest of the CD.Faith In the Heartland was good,I think Fag Fringa wrote that though,gay guys are really creative,rear end crazies bring out the best of some boys

[tammy]

Thanks for posting the audio interview. Jeff's got it together...can't wait to see him next week.

[EightyRock]

I think Jeremey will be better off if he doesn't get the gig. It's better not to disrupt his life, quit his day job, leave his family and new baby behind to do a "wear your voice out" tour with a bunch of egotistical, backstabbing has-beens.

Jeff saved their asses when they needed him, then threw him away like yesterday's garbage. If anybody supports what they have done to THREE singers now....they need serious help. There are other bands to spend your ticket money on. ".

[NealIsGod]

I think Jeremey will be better off if he doesn't get the gig. It's better not to disrupt his life, quit his day job, leave his family and new baby behind to do a "wear your voice out" tour with a bunch of egotistical, backstabbing has-beens.

Jeff saved their asses when they needed him, then threw him away like yesterday's garbage. If anybody supports what they have done to THREE singers now....they need serious help. There are other bands to spend your ticket money on. ".

Nah, it would be a great move for him and his family as long as he goes in with his eyes open and a pillow tied to his back.

[EightyRock]

I was just thinking about Jeremey's post that the next Journey singer won't "have alot of chips in the game". After thinking about that some more.....I can see them hiring a non-American singer who would probably be happy with whatever they offer. Outsourcing fits right in with their m.o. They are about to completely live up to their corporate rock stigma.

[MJM1959]

That interview is pretty much proof positive that what is left of this band has absolutely no class and no balls.

[CatEyes]

If Neal is scanning these threads, dude, step up man.

could everyone one PLEASE stop with the short people jokes................................

Perhaps Neal can't reach the phone

I thought Friga was in charge of dialing duties??

[(Crazy)Dulce Lady]

So pretty much,Jon and Neal were setting on the asses{like they are now] Steve A.wanted to write, got a few songs started,Soul Sircus faded out ,Jon had a wild hair,Neal jumped on the wagon at the end,and there was "Generations" other then Dean on two songs, No one else but Steve should have sang on the CD. "Gone Crazy "was a fucking joke,as well as most of it.They would have problablly done the same with Jeff.Let him write a song or two,then just take control and fuck the rest of the CD.Faith In the Heartland was good,I think Fag Fringa wrote that though,gay guys are really creative,rear end crazies bring out the best of some boys

I'm don't get that... I love GONE CRAZY.

maybe cuz I'm .......CRAZY. and ROSS ROCKS!!

oh well. JMHO

[stevew2]

I cant stand it,thats me

[DarwinNebraska]

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

Comical. This is what I see here time and time again.... you hate the band... swear them up and down for their actions... swear to never support or see them again... and then the obligatory "unless"...

Sad.

[Deb]

Thanks for posting the audio interview. Jeff's got it together...can't wait to see him next week.

Right there with ya Tammy.

[Matthew]

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

Comical. This is what I see here time and time again.... you hate the band... swear them up and down for their actions... swear to never support or see them again... and then the obligatory "unless"...

Sad.

I guess all fans are pretty much like this. Same with sports. Fans bitch and moan the whole time and say they've had enough...but each new season comes around and the "unless" moment happens and they dutifully show up at the game... hopeful that this time it'll be different...and then the disappointment inevitably creeps in...and the bitching starts up...and the cycle starts all over again.

Same with Journey. I bet 90% of the regular posters here will take in a Journey show in 2008.

[conversationpc]

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

Comical. This is what I see here time and time again.... you hate the band... swear them up and down for their actions... swear to never support or see them again... and then the obligatory "unless"...

Sad.

You have no credibility here whatsoever (or in the Styx forum, for that matter). All you ever do is come here to bitch and moan. At least some of the B&Mers that are doing so here OCCASIONALLY produce something constructive.

[AR]

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

Comical. This is what I see here time and time again.... you hate the band... swear them up and down for their actions... swear to never support or see them again... and then the obligatory "unless"...

Sad.

Hey fucker - I know Jeremey and would support HIM. At least once anyway.

I do hate the asswipes in the band and would be holding my nose the entire time I was there. I'd do my best to sneak in. Believe me, I'd rather see Frontiers. It's probably a moot point anyway.

Going to one show to see a good guy get his chance is much different than going to see a band everytime they are anywhere remotely close, or driving to Florida to see all 3 shows with Jeff. Which is what a lot of us did.

You're the one that's pathetic. Now go away, because you really don't want my complete and undivided attention.

[Soto All The Way]

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

Comical. This is what I see here time and time again.... you hate the band... swear them up and down for their actions... swear to never support or see them again... and then the obligatory "unless"...

Sad.

You and most if not all of your comments here and in The Styx forum are grade school, even pre-school at best...Grow up and stay the fuck outta here with your stupid remarks.

e-

[Matthew]

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

Comical. This is what I see here time and time again.... you hate the band... swear them up and down for their actions... swear to never support or see them again... and then the obligatory "unless"...

Sad.

You and most if not all of your comments here and in The Styx forum are grade school, even pre-school at best...Grow up and stay the fuck outta here with your stupid remarks.

e-

I don't know about Darwin Nebraska's other posts...but this one seemed entirely reasonable to me. Nothing personal AR - but your Journey boycott is nothing but hot air and the guy busted you for it. Take it on the chin, old boy.

[AR]

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

Comical. This is what I see here time and time again.... you hate the band... swear them up and down for their actions... swear to never support or see them again... and then the obligatory "unless"...

Sad.

You and most if not all of your comments here and in The Styx forum are grade school, even pre-school at best...Grow up and stay the fuck outta here with your stupid remarks.

e-

I don't know about Darwin Nebraska's other posts...but this one seemed entirely reasonable to me.

No it wasn't. I'm someone who's seen the band like 10 times a year in recent times (or at least it seems like that). Pretty much followed them around and traveled once Jeff joined.

I've gotten to see Frontiers a lot lately too. So equating me as someone who would still be supporting the band by just going to one show in support of someone personally is offbase. I'm done spending a dime on Journey.

So you're both way off. Anyone that knows me knows this to be the case.

[Matthew]

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

Comical. This is what I see here time and time again.... you hate the band... swear them up and down for their actions... swear to never support or see them again... and then the obligatory "unless"...

Sad.

You and most if not all of your comments here and in The Styx forum are grade school, even pre-school at best...Grow up and stay the fuck outta here with your stupid remarks.

e-

I don't know about Darwin Nebraska's other posts...but this one seemed entirely reasonable to me.

No it wasn't. I'm someone who's seen the band like 10 times a year (or at least it seems like that). Pretty much followed them around and traveled once Jeff joined.

I've gotten to see Frontiers a lot lately too. So equating me as someone who would still be supporting the band by just going to one show in support of someone personally is offbase. I'm done spending a dime on Journey.

You can support Jeremey by giving him a call before the show to wish him well. It's not like you'd be needed to make up the numbers...

[DarwinNebraska]

My point was I've seen this sort of comment time and time again around here. After tape gate and now after this.

Seriously, if you're that wrapped up in a band that you can't stop seeing them even when you profess to not even liking them as people, it's time for a reality check.

[NoMoreTails]

[---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From an interview with MR’s Andrew:



“I'm going to give you sort of an exclusive, because nobody has spoken about this yet. Seven years has past since I have been working with the band and I don't have to tell you that Neal has always had a love for playing with as many people as he can and have as many projects going on as possible – it has always been that way – it keeps him musically satisfied and always moving forward.
And so he has done both solo records as well as other projects and Jon Cain is the same.
So after the seventh year and no new record in sight for Journey, I decided I was going to start writing music just the same. Jon Cain suggested I pick up an Apple Powerbook which has this Garage Band program in it, which is ideal for a technical moron such as myself – I mean a kid could sit down and write a record on it – I was like a kid in a candy store when I got it. I couldn't get away from it – it has all the great instrumentation and great drum loops and this and that. So I had all these songs bottled up in me and all these ideas and the moment I got my hands on it I started writing at this feverish pace.
So it was during this time, during last year's tour that Neal took notice that I always had my head buried in the thing. So I laid some songs on him and he looked at me and to put it simply, I guess he was impressed with some of the musical ideas that I was coming up with.
And I think the wheels started turning, cause Neal's always turn, and he got the notion that he thought that at least with a small inkling of what I was doing, that a new Journey album was in the works – at least a start or seed of it.

Ok.
So from that material we started building and having some writing sessions and it went from several songs of mine that were being considered, to you know…the usual…It's understandable, I mean when you have a team like Jon and Neal in the band.
In fact, the thing with Jon…Jon is a generous, giving person and all last year while we were recording the record he always seemed to be involved in one charity or one community group or getting involved in funding his kids school events and it wasn't until the last moment of doing this record that he came in - literally into the studio with a few masterpieces.
Honestly….frankly - it was one of those healthy competition things, which is wonderful to have this great healthy tension…I'm not saying rival writers; you can print that if you want.
He thought to himself that he needed to be represented – let's face it – Jon Cain needed to be on this record first and foremost before the newcomer Steve.
So he came up with some great songs that took front seat, and I'm glad he did, because it is a better record for it.
Just so you know, the fact of the matter is – whether anybody cares to listen to it or not – when we get off the road I am planning to get some of those songs together and putting together a record and releasing a solo record.”

After reading this again, SA's frustration with Journey's lack of motivation for creating new material and with his material not being accepted so that Cain had his quota of representation is more apparent than it was upon reading this a couple of years ago. I think it may also be revealing about the Soto situation. I wonder if perhaps the fear that JSS would be "too" assertive in the group creative process and too insistant in his ideas being used along with his chemistry working with Schon were too much of a threat. Perhaps this is more to the point than the "different direction sonically" remark. This combined with their overall indifference to recording new material at all maybe have told Cain that JSS wasn't the guy for him.

[Panther]

I just thought we all felt like this...............

There are a few left here, who I like very much by the way, that will continue to support Journey. If you have met Soto, it's hard not to support him isn't it?

Yo Deano.... I might have to throw yer name out there later this month when I meet up with Crazy Lady (and others) to see Jeff. I'll be running late (football season don'tcha know) and will need some way to clear the path to the front for my short ass. lol That just might do the trick. Would ya mind?

[Abitaman]

Hey Andrew, when will we see Augeri's or Tall Stories ne cd?-ERIC

[Andrew]

Hey Andrew, when will we see Augeri's or Tall Stories ne cd?-ERIC

No idea...I haven't had an update on either all year. Steve hasn't replied so a single e-mail since mid-last year.

[wildone]

No shot getting me to pay a nickel to ever see them again, unless Jeremey gets the gig.

Comical. This is what I see here time and time again.... you hate the band... swear them up and down for their actions... swear to never support or see them again... and then the obligatory "unless"...

Sad.

I guess all fans are pretty much like this. Same with sports. Fans bitch and moan the whole time and say they've had enough...but each new season comes around and the "unless" moment happens and they dutifully show up at the game... hopeful that this time it'll be different...and then the disappointment inevitably creeps in...and the bitching starts up...and the cycle starts all over again.

Same with Journey. I bet 90% of the regular posters here will take in a Journey show in 2008.

well I'm glad I'm in that top 10%

[ohsherrie]

....................................... I wonder if perhaps the fear that JSS would be "too" assertive in the group creative process and too insistant in his ideas being used along with his chemistry working with Schon were too much of a threat. Perhaps this is more to the point than the "different direction sonically" remark.................

That's what I've thought it was really all about ever since we heard they'd dumped Jeff.

[nikki]

....................................... I wonder if perhaps the fear that JSS would be "too" assertive in the group creative process and too insistant in his ideas being used along with his chemistry working with Schon were too much of a threat. Perhaps this is more to the point than the "different direction sonically" remark.................

That's what I've thought it was really all about ever since we heard they'd dumped Jeff.

If so, that's a piss-poor reason to fire someone.

[NoMoreTails]

....................................... I wonder if perhaps the fear that JSS would be "too" assertive in the group creative process and too insistant in his ideas being used along with his chemistry working with Schon were too much of a threat. Perhaps this is more to the point than the "different direction sonically" remark.................

That's what I've thought it was really all about ever since we heard they'd dumped Jeff.

If so, that's a piss-poor reason to fire someone.

I'm not saying I agree with the reason if this is it, certainly. But I think it adds up much more than the being jealous of JSS getting the spotlight theory. On the other hand, maybe they're not concerned abou the creative process at all and are content to tour and record no more. They certainly wouldn't tell the fans that they're letting JSS go because he insists on recording new material and 'we just want to continue to tour greatest hits to death and aren't interested in doing any new music.'