Herbie Herbert interview

[FamilyMan]

Alright, I did it... had a change of heart.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/MKSNTB

Thank you. It deserves to be read and to be available. The misinformation leveled against the band continues to this day. VH1 Behind the Music made it seem like Perry was kicked to the curb after TBF. As Herbie makes clear, the band pretty much came to a grinding standstill from ROR until Arrival.

I don't agree with this VH1 characterization at all. It was pretty clear to me - from Perry's own mouth - that he was the one struggling to decide what to do as the band waited. And he was bothered by them pressing him. SP doesn't come off as a victim at all, I don't think.

[Monker]

Alright, I did it... had a change of heart.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/MKSNTB

Thank you. It deserves to be read and to be available. The misinformation leveled against the band continues to this day. VH1 Behind the Music made it seem like Perry was kicked to the curb after TBF. As Herbie makes clear, the band pretty much came to a grinding standstill from ROR until Arrival.

I agree....Herbie backed up things that I had been arguing for a very long time, even prior to TBF. To me, it always seemed like there was this public perception that fans were allowed to see that was sanitized with any negativity removed. But, if you start using simple common sense, a lot of that stuff just falls apart. When you read that interview, he's very skeptical that it was just another worshiper wanting their unfounded opinions validated. The bottom line is the guys in bands like Journey are simply fallible human beings who have their vices, who make mistakes, who are very much imperfect soles who really don't deserve to be "worshiped" the way some fans do. I think getting that point across was a big motivator in a lot of what Herbie was saying. There was a LOT more Perry worshiping back in 2001 then there is now....and I think he was sick of it. Obviously, Herbie wanted his share credit for Journey's success, too....he probably never felt he got it.

[Monker]

Alright, I did it... had a change of heart.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/MKSNTB

Thank you. It deserves to be read and to be available. The misinformation leveled against the band continues to this day. VH1 Behind the Music made it seem like Perry was kicked to the curb after TBF. As Herbie makes clear, the band pretty much came to a grinding standstill from ROR until Arrival.

I don't agree with this VH1 characterization at all. It was pretty clear to me - from Perry's own mouth - that he was the one struggling to decide what to do as the band waited. And he was bothered by them pressing him. SP doesn't come off as a victim at all, I don't think.

That's not the point. If you read the interview, Perry had complete editorial control over the BTM. Azoff gave that away in addition to the gag order that Herbie describes (ie: no biographies, or authorized biographies, no negative words about Perry in any way, etc)...in order to get a BTM. It was a really bad deal, and Herbie knew it right away. What he was saying is the big picture story would never be told...at least not by the band. Perry controlled it. So, when Perry says he never felt like part of the band, or the "don't crack the stone..." comment. It's not JUST Perry playing a victim. It's Perry being able to say and do whatever he wanted without any rebuttal from the other side.

[tj]

On one hand, it seems short sighted on Azoff's part to give up so much to Perry, especially if he had any concerns about Augeri's voice like so many now seem to believe was the case at the time by others. I get that Azoff was trying to find a way to get the band to move forward, that's why they hired him. But I would expect that he would have had a large role in agreeing to Augeri being the new singer and therefore would have had to expect that by giving up so much to Perry, the band would really take off like the Eagles had with their return. It obviously didn't quite work out that way.

If you look at the paths of both the Eagles and Journey after their 10+ years layoffs, it appears Azoff tried to recreate the Eagles success with Journey - only without the key person in Perry. That left Azoff with a format to follow, but a singer in Augeri who was not embraced by the fans initially (or ever for many of them) and a long, long road of touring to recreate the brand. The concerns with Augeri's voice turned out to be validated later.

The Eagles had two (arguably 3 with Joe Walsh) name brands as soloists in Henley and Frey, all of whom were at the table. Trading vocals throughout their shows not only reduced the number of songs each had to sing, but also gave them a break in between shows during songs. They had backup singers in their other instrumentalists who could carry the harmonies and limit the stress on their own voices. Journey had Augeri (and Deen for a couple of songs).

Without Perry, Journey had the songs - which are critical - and a legacy with Perry, but not much else in the general public's eye. The Eagles, though, had Grammy awards, the top selling album of all time at one point (their Greatest Hits), a string of number one hits, number one albums, and most importantly the key members that the fans knew as artists and their voices. Perry was the key to Azoff's format working with Journey. Perry probably knew it, was peeved that they would pressure him to move forward and extracted everything he could from them to let go.

I think that Azoff knew that recreating anything on the level of the Eagles success in regrouping was a long shot, but worth the try since Neal and Jon were willing to go forward.

[Monker]

It has been said many times that the Eagles reunion is what ignited the idea of TBF. But, it had nothing to do with Augeri and what followed. The problem here is you are just making stuff that just do not jive with what actually happened.

It was Neal who had the original desire to continue on. He talked to Jonathan and together they made the decision to pick up the pieces. I have heard several stories about Augeri...the common one is that years before Neal heard a Tall Stories song on the radio and thought that if he ever decided to continue Journey without Perry that he wanted that guy. The other is that Azoff brought him in. It is probably a combination of both. There was a story about his audition and when it was over he got ready to leave and at the last minute sang "Open Arms", and nailed it...and that is solidified him as the new singer. Regardless, Sony was not on board. It took two tours to convince them to release an album. The point is, nobody was expecting Journey to take off like the Eagles, but I am sure everybody wanted some level of success. The comparison of Journey with Augeri and the Eagles is just weird. Azoff/Sony saw a band on the road without Steve Perry....and making a success out of it. And, IMO, I think Sony thought maybe they could make some money back from the TBF debacle...by releasing it but doing hardly anything to promote the band.

On one hand, it seems short sighted on Azoff's part to give up so much to Perry, especially if he had any concerns about Augeri's voice like so many now seem to believe was the case at the time by others. I get that Azoff was trying to find a way to get the band to move forward, that's why they hired him. But I would expect that he would have had a large role in agreeing to Augeri being the new singer and therefore would have had to expect that by giving up so much to Perry, the band would really take off like the Eagles had with their return. It obviously didn't quite work out that way.

If you look at the paths of both the Eagles and Journey after their 10+ years layoffs, it appears Azoff tried to recreate the Eagles success with Journey - only without the key person in Perry. That left Azoff with a format to follow, but a singer in Augeri who was not embraced by the fans initially (or ever for many of them) and a long, long road of touring to recreate the brand. The concerns with Augeri's voice turned out to be validated later.

The Eagles had two (arguably 3 with Joe Walsh) name brands as soloists in Henley and Frey, all of whom were at the table. Trading vocals throughout their shows not only reduced the number of songs each had to sing, but also gave them a break in between shows during songs. They had backup singers in their other instrumentalists who could carry the harmonies and limit the stress on their own voices. Journey had Augeri (and Deen for a couple of songs).

Without Perry, Journey had the songs - which are critical - and a legacy with Perry, but not much else in the general public's eye. The Eagles, though, had Grammy awards, the top selling album of all time at one point (their Greatest Hits), a string of number one hits, number one albums, and most importantly the key members that the fans knew as artists and their voices. Perry was the key to Azoff's format working with Journey. Perry probably knew it, was peeved that they would pressure him to move forward and extracted everything he could from them to let go.

I think that Azoff knew that recreating anything on the level of the Eagles success in regrouping was a long shot, but worth the try since Neal and Jon were willing to go forward.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I don't agree with this VH1 characterization at all. It was pretty clear to me - from Perry's own mouth - that he was the one struggling to decide what to do as the band waited. And he was bothered by them pressing him. SP doesn't come off as a victim at all, I don't think.

Is that why to this day Neal has to argue with people on FB and tell them that Perry was gone from the band for 12 years? Thanks to VH1-BTM, to this day the perception lingers that the band somehow wronged Perry by moving on. The BTM episode painted Perry as a victim who was heartlessly kicked out of the band after suddenly developing medical issues. By the time of TBF, Perry had been absent for well over a decade. That is not made clear at all in the episode. To quote Neal from this very website....

"Well, you know, that was one thing in the show that caused a lot of controversy, in one section it said we waited months for him. And I called up the producer and I said months? Are you kidding? We waited years. We waited ten years and then we got back together and then it was close to two years. "

[MysteryMountain]

Alright, I did it... had a change of heart.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/MKSNTB

I had read it a few times before, but always wanted to revisit it from time to time. Thank you for putting it back up.

[FamilyMan]

I don't agree with this VH1 characterization at all. It was pretty clear to me - from Perry's own mouth - that he was the one struggling to decide what to do as the band waited. And he was bothered by them pressing him. SP doesn't come off as a victim at all, I don't think.

Is that why to this day Neal has to argue with people on FB and tell them that Perry was gone from the band for 12 years? Thanks to VH1-BTM, to this day the perception lingers that the band somehow wronged Perry by moving on. The BTM episode painted Perry as a victim who was heartlessly kicked out of the band after suddenly developing medical issues. By the time of TBF, Perry had been absent for well over a decade. That is not made clear at all in the episode. To quote Neal from this very website....

"Well, you know, that was one thing in the show that caused a lot of controversy, in one section it said we waited months for him. And I called up the producer and I said months? Are you kidding? We waited years. We waited ten years and then we got back together and then it was close to two years. "

I would expect Neal to have his own naturally biased view. I was simply saying that to the casual viewer, it was pretty plain to see that it was the band was socked by Perry - twice.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I was simply saying that to the casual viewer, it was pretty plain to see that it was the band was socked by Perry - twice.

Since VH1-BTM, the perception has hovered over the band that they screwed Perry. Only hardcore fans, who followed the ups and downs, would know about Perry's reluctance to work. Go on Neal's FB page right now. It is festooned with "Bring back Perry comments!" On a near daily basis, Neal has to explain to these "casual" fans how Perry does not and has not wanted the gig. The entire VH1-BTM was framed to paint Perry as a victim. If you can't see that, I can't help you. To be honest, the majority of your posts baffle the shit out of me. I still have Skoal stains on my keyboard from when I read your post about Neal teaming up with Gaga and Katy Perry.

[FamilyMan]

I was simply saying that to the casual viewer, it was pretty plain to see that it was the band was socked by Perry - twice.

Since VH1-BTM, the perception has hovered over the band that they screwed Perry. Only hardcore fans, who followed the ups and downs, would know about Perry's reluctance to work. Go on Neal's FB page right now. It is festooned with "Bring back Perry comments!" On a near daily basis, Neal has to explain to these "casual" fans how Perry does not and has not wanted the gig. The entire VH1-BTM was framed to paint Perry as a victim. If you can't see that, I can't help you. To be honest, the majority of your posts baffle the shit out of me. I still have Skoal stains on my keyboard from when I read your post about Neal teaming up with Gaga and Katy Perry.

There are no casual fans on Neal's Facebook page. Only Perry loons. And they would have been there whether BTM aired or not.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I was simply saying that to the casual viewer, it was pretty plain to see that it was the band was socked by Perry - twice.

Since VH1-BTM, the perception has hovered over the band that they screwed Perry. Only hardcore fans, who followed the ups and downs, would know about Perry's reluctance to work. Go on Neal's FB page right now. It is festooned with "Bring back Perry comments!" On a near daily basis, Neal has to explain to these "casual" fans how Perry does not and has not wanted the gig. The entire VH1-BTM was framed to paint Perry as a victim. If you can't see that, I can't help you. To be honest, the majority of your posts baffle the shit out of me. I still have Skoal stains on my keyboard from when I read your post about Neal teaming up with Gaga and Katy Perry.

There are no casual fans on Neal's Facebook page. Only Perry loons. And they would have been there whether BTM aired or not.

Neal's Facebook page and the band Facebook page are not private, as far as I know. Anybody can comment and the comments reflect that. For many, the publicity for Arnel was the first time they even realized Perry was gone. The accepted story remains that the band kicked out Perry, not that Perry retreated from public society starting around ROR. Your piece on CBS did very little to change that.

[The_Noble_Cause]

One of the main reasons Schon gets fans posting on his FB and Journey's. FB page about bringing SP back ... is because he invites/loves the 'drama'

You obviously don't ever look at the band's FB page or Neal's FB page. Non-Perry topics constantly get hijacked by FB users asking "Where's Perry?" The same thing JUST happened when the band announced that Smitty returned.

Like his latest 'stunt' with Santana saying he dreams of him and
Schon going to Fresno to get Perry.
The drama it creates... he loves it and at the same time stirs up interest
that possibly SP will make a surprise visit....

So Carlos Santana says something and that's a Neal stunt? Whaa?

Schon does this at the start of every tour.

Prove it. If an interviewer or a FB user asks about Perry, Neal says the same thing he has always said - that he has reached out to Perry and Perry isn't interested. Or that Perry has an open invitation, which remains true.

Not saying this is the only reason folks buy tickets, but I'm willing
to bet a lot are.

You just make shit up. If anything, Neal hopes interviewers and FB users don't mention Perry.

[tater1977]

One of the main reasons Schon gets fans posting on his FB and Journey's. FB page about bringing SP back ... is because he invites/loves the 'drama'

You obviously don't ever look at the band's FB page or Neal's FB page. Non-Perry topics constantly get hijacked by FB users asking "Where's Perry?" The same thing JUST happened when the band announced that Smitty returned.

Like his latest 'stunt' with Santana saying he dreams of him and
Schon going to Fresno to get Perry.
The drama it creates... he loves it and at the same time stirs up interest
that possibly SP will make a surprise visit....

So Carlos Santana says something and that's a Neal stunt? Whaa?

Schon does this at the start of every tour.

Prove it. If an interviewer or a FB user asks about Perry, Neal says the same thing he has always said - that he has reached out to Perry and Perry isn't interested. Or that Perry has an open invitation, which remains true.

Not saying this is the only reason folks buy tickets, but I'm willing
to bet a lot are.

You just make shit up. If anything, Neal hopes interviewers and FB users don't mention Perry.

What makes this country great, is that folks can state their opinions and not
have to agree with each other.
Not getting into a we said/they said argument.
I stated my opinion, you stated yours.
Sorry if I hurt your feelings.
Life goes on and moves forward.

[The_Noble_Cause]

What makes this country great, is that folks can state their opinions and not
have to agree with each other.

Uhh, this website is based out of Australia, dipshit.
Are you saying that America is great because it does not block access to certain sites like in China?
You haven't a fucking clue about anything, do you?

Not getting into a we said/they said argument.
I stated my opinion, you stated yours.

Saying that "Schon gets fans posting on his FB about bringing SP back" is not an opinion.
Saying that "Schon does this at the start of every tour" is also not an opinion.
These are lies.
And you can't back it up so now you are cowering under the American flag like it's your Momma's skirt.
Go take your sad clown act to the Perry forum. Pussy.

[tater1977]

What makes this country great, is that folks can state their opinions and not
have to agree with each other.

Uhh, this website is based out of Australia, dipshit.
Are you saying that America is great because it does not block access to certain sites like in China?
You haven't a fucking clue about anything, do you?

Not getting into a we said/they said argument.
I stated my opinion, you stated yours.

Saying that "Schon gets fans posting on his FB about bringing SP back" is not an opinion.
Saying that "Schon does this at the start of every tour" is also not an opinion.
These are lies.
And you can't back it up so now you are cowering under the American flag like it's your Momma's skirt.
Go take your sad clown act to the Perry forum. Pussy.

I can't discuss anything with someone when their granny panties are bunched up
and it seems like yours are right now.
So, TNC when your in a better mood, come back and talk to me.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I can't discuss anything with someone when their granny panties are bunched up
and it seems like yours are right now.
So, TNC when your in a better mood, come back and talk to me.

First, it was "America or err something." Now it's Grandma's shit-stained bloomers. You keep throwing up as many distractions as you like. What you said is a lie. Neal Schon does not dangle the carrot of Perry's return every tour. Nor does he post about SP on his FB. Fans should be appreciative that Neal answers them directly at all.

[Gideon]

To be fair, Tater is a card-carrying Loon and always has been. You know that, TNC. You shouldn't be surprised he has such a cynical view of NS compared to Saint Perry.

[Eric]

What makes this country great, is that folks can state their opinions and not
have to agree with each other.

BUT.....
2+2 doesn't = 5 AND Schon does NOT talk about Perry returning every tour to sell tix. So it's really not an opinion.

[The_Noble_Cause]

AND Schon does talk about Perry returning every tour to sell tix.

This is bullshit. If he's asked about Perry by a reporter, then, yea, Schon answers. Is that unreasonable? Should he walk out of the interview? The fact is, the band was legally obligated after splitting from Perry to list all of the current members on all touring advertising and CDs so there would be no confusion about Perry's absence. That continues to this day. Just check out the image below. The only person teasing fans about a possible comeback is Perry himself.

[tj]

It has been said many times that the Eagles reunion is what ignited the idea of TBF. But, it had nothing to do with Augeri and what followed. The problem here is you are just making stuff that just do not jive with what actually happened.

It was Neal who had the original desire to continue on. He talked to Jonathan and together they made the decision to pick up the pieces. I have heard several stories about Augeri...the common one is that years before Neal heard a Tall Stories song on the radio and thought that if he ever decided to continue Journey without Perry that he wanted that guy. The other is that Azoff brought him in. It is probably a combination of both. There was a story about his audition and when it was over he got ready to leave and at the last minute sang "Open Arms", and nailed it...and that is solidified him as the new singer. Regardless, Sony was not on board. It took two tours to convince them to release an album. The point is, nobody was expecting Journey to take off like the Eagles, but I am sure everybody wanted some level of success. The comparison of Journey with Augeri and the Eagles is just weird. Azoff/Sony saw a band on the road without Steve Perry....and making a success out of it. And, IMO, I think Sony thought maybe they could make some money back from the TBF debacle...by releasing it but doing hardly anything to promote the band.

On one hand, it seems short sighted on Azoff's part to give up so much to Perry, especially if he had any concerns about Augeri's voice like so many now seem to believe was the case at the time by others. I get that Azoff was trying to find a way to get the band to move forward, that's why they hired him. But I would expect that he would have had a large role in agreeing to Augeri being the new singer and therefore would have had to expect that by giving up so much to Perry, the band would really take off like the Eagles had with their return. It obviously didn't quite work out that way.

If you look at the paths of both the Eagles and Journey after their 10+ years layoffs, it appears Azoff tried to recreate the Eagles success with Journey - only without the key person in Perry. That left Azoff with a format to follow, but a singer in Augeri who was not embraced by the fans initially (or ever for many of them) and a long, long road of touring to recreate the brand. The concerns with Augeri's voice turned out to be validated later.

The Eagles had two (arguably 3 with Joe Walsh) name brands as soloists in Henley and Frey, all of whom were at the table. Trading vocals throughout their shows not only reduced the number of songs each had to sing, but also gave them a break in between shows during songs. They had backup singers in their other instrumentalists who could carry the harmonies and limit the stress on their own voices. Journey had Augeri (and Deen for a couple of songs).

Without Perry, Journey had the songs - which are critical - and a legacy with Perry, but not much else in the general public's eye. The Eagles, though, had Grammy awards, the top selling album of all time at one point (their Greatest Hits), a string of number one hits, number one albums, and most importantly the key members that the fans knew as artists and their voices. Perry was the key to Azoff's format working with Journey. Perry probably knew it, was peeved that they would pressure him to move forward and extracted everything he could from them to let go.

I think that Azoff knew that recreating anything on the level of the Eagles success in regrouping was a long shot, but worth the try since Neal and Jon were willing to go forward.

I don't think that the Eagles/Journey comparison is weird. I made it.

That said, it isn't really so much about the bands themselves, at least not the music. They are quite different in personnel, genre, and fan bases. It was more about Azoff's formula. He found one that worked fabulously for the Eagles, not so much for Journey.

I don't know if the whole TBF project was based on the Eagles success or not. I have read a variety of perspectives over the years, everything from Neal wanted his band back together (which he had been trying to do in my opinion since 1986) and was the primary mover to Perry owed Sony/Columbia another album and this was the way to finish his contract. Your mention above is actually the first I have heard that TBF was based on the Eagles, so that isn't what I was implying.

In fact, I recall reading something years ago about how the in the early discussions, the only way Perry would agree to a reunion pre-TBF was if Herbie wasn't managing them anymore. From that perspective, anything that Azoff was doing with the Eagles pre-TBF wouldn't have impacted Journey because he wasn't managing them yet.

Regardless, once Irving had Journey in his fold, he had the Eagles formula working, so why reinvent the wheel.
It may not have worked for Journey even if Perry had stayed and toured, etc. because the bands are different. Who knows?

The point about Augeri is that after Perry stonewalled the band for 2 years, to move forward in any way, they had to have a new lead singer. That alone punched a big hole in any direct copy of the Eagles formula that might have worked. But even still, why reinvent something if you can copy it. The Walmart distribution of Long Road Out of Eden for the Eagles and then Revelation for Journey, is an example of how it worked well for both bands (and Azoff).

[The_Noble_Cause]

The Walmart distribution of Long Road Out of Eden for the Eagles and then Revelation for Journey, is an example of how it worked well for both bands (and Azoff).

Up to a point. I see dozens of unsold copies of Eclipse at every Walmart I go to. I recall reading that the executive behind the Walmart classic rock exclusives was let go or fired. But Eagles and Revelation def. sold well.

[annie89509]

Since this dark topic surrounding the band is once again being rehashed in this thread, here’s my 2 cents:

No neutral Journey fan has ever claimed SP is/was the victim. Like F/M said, those are the perryloons. As for the relentless clamor for a Journey reunion with Steve, who in their right minds wouldn’t want to see the band come full circle with their most famous lead singer in tow?

The constant whining here about the VH1-BTM skewing favoritism toward SP is plain ridiculous. True, if one were to count minutes, Steve probably totaled more face & voice time than anyone. But, in trying to chronicle the history of Journey, don’t you have to concentrate on who actually was responsible for taking them from being obscure Bay Area band to world renown success? Like it or not, it was the voice, not Neal’s guitar playing, not Herbie’s managing, that captured people’s fancy.

And the old argument that SP demanded (and got) editorial control over the show is debatable. If that was true, he sure made himself look foolish, didn’t he, with the ending. The statement, “I never felt like part of the band” -- then letting each former band mate, including Herbie, come back with a retort. That was the singular most memorable sequence and showed SP in bad light. Now, why would he let the show end on that note (if he had editorial control), or were only interested in making himself look good?

[The_Noble_Cause]

No neutral Journey fan has ever claimed SP is/was the victim. Like F/M said, those are the perryloons.

OR casual fans who don't go on message forums, like MR, and only know that Perry was kicked out when he had a hip issues. Makes it sounds pretty callous and heartless, doesn't it? Without the added context of Perry playing games with the band for a decade, it makes him look like the victim and this is intentional.

The constant whining here about the VH1-BTM skewing favoritism toward SP is plain ridiculous. True, if one were to count minutes, Steve probably totaled more face & voice time than anyone. But, in trying to chronicle the history of Journey, don’t you have to concentrate on who actually was responsible for taking them from being obscure Bay Area band to world renown success? Like it or not, it was the voice, not Neal’s guitar playing, not Herbie’s managing, that captured people’s fancy.

Herbie was right. The entire piece about Perry's mother and Perry feeling like "he was re-entering the earth's atmosphere without heat shields" or whatever was inappropriate. As if Neal and Jon and Ross didn't lose their parents? That's part of life, sadly. And Perry's grief is not exclusive in any way.

[Eric]

AND Schon does talk about Perry returning every tour to sell tix.

This is bullshit. If he's asked about Perry by a reporter, then, yea, Schon answers. Is that unreasonable? Should he walk out of the interview? The fact is, the band was legally obligated after splitting from Perry to list all of the current members on all touring advertising and CDs so there would be no confusion about Perry's absence. That continues to this day. Just check out the image below. The only person teasing fans about a possible comeback is Perry himself.

Shit...that was meant to say doesn't. Sorry about that.

[tj]

The Walmart distribution of Long Road Out of Eden for the Eagles and then Revelation for Journey, is an example of how it worked well for both bands (and Azoff).

Up to a point. I see dozens of unsold copies of Eclipse at every Walmart I go to. I recall reading that the executive behind the Walmart classic rock exclusives was let go or fired. But Eagles and Revelation def. sold well.

May be a regional thing. I haven't seen anything other than GH1 and 2 in my local stores for quite some time.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Shit...that was meant to say doesn't. Sorry about that.

I thought it was out of character for you to say that. Of course, Neal does not talk about Perry returning in order to increase ticket sales. What a bullshit statement. That deserves to be called out.

[perryfan61]

No neutral Journey fan has ever claimed SP is/was the victim. Like F/M said, those are the perryloons.

OR casual fans who don't go on message forums, like MR, and only know that Perry was kicked out when he had a hip issues. Makes it sounds pretty callous and heartless, doesn't it? Without the added context of Perry playing games with the band for a decade, it makes him look like the victim and this is intentional.

The constant whining here about the VH1-BTM skewing favoritism toward SP is plain ridiculous. True, if one were to count minutes, Steve probably totaled more face & voice time than anyone. But, in trying to chronicle the history of Journey, don’t you have to concentrate on who actually was responsible for taking them from being obscure Bay Area band to world renown success? Like it or not, it was the voice, not Neal’s guitar playing, not Herbie’s managing, that captured people’s fancy.

Herbie was right. The entire piece about Perry's mother and Perry feeling like "he was re-entering the earth's atmosphere without heat shields" or whatever was inappropriate. As if Neal and Jon and Ross didn't lose their parents? That's part of life, sadly. And Perry's grief is not exclusive in any way.

I don't think it was inappropriate, if that was his reason for needing time away from touring. We all deal with grief differently, and the rest of the band did not, I believe, lose their parents at such a young age as SP. It IS part of life, but some don't handle it as well as others, and there is no shame in that IMHO.

[tater1977]

Shit...that was meant to say doesn't. Sorry about that.

I thought it was out of character for you to say that. Of course, Neal does not talk about Perry returning in order to increase ticket sales. What a bullshit statement. That deserves to be called out.

July 29, 2015

Neal “People ask me every day, ‘Are you reuniting?’ Steve says, ‘No,’ and I say, ‘You never know.'”

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/neal-sch ... h-journey/

------------
July 11, 2014

Neal “The door has always been open. I’ve approached him to work on a couple of things with me that were not even Journey-oriented, but he wasn’t interested in doing it. It’s fine, man. I wish him well and he says that he wishes us well.”


“He’s said numerous times now that there’s no reunion and that he’s not interested in doing anything like that.”

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/neal-sch ... y-journey/


Doesn't Schon get it ? Perry says 'NO' ..

Schon just needs to tell ALL interviewers / fans NO.
But he won't. Why ?
Is he afraid of losing what, like maybe a few fans ?
Seriously, tell me why he just won't come out each and
every time and tell E1 NO ?

All's Schon has to do is shut the open door to inviting Perry to
join them anytime.

According to Schon himself -
They sell out a lot.
They are having great tours.
Making great money.
Are now a world band.

That's excellent news, they worked hard.


- In re/to this site being based in Australia .

Seems to me that the CD's I order from MR.com...
the postage stamp , kind of gives it way, you would think.

- In re/ to me not reading Schon or Journey' FB pages ...

Go back and look up some of my posts on here.
Some are direct quotes right off of their FB pages.

- As far as the Santana thing ...

Do you really think Schon has NEVER talked to him about wanting to work
with Perry again ?

According to Carlos himself, he said Schon followed him around for a year and
everywhere he turned there was Schon re/ the Santana reunion, or
originally it was the 'guitar zoo' thing.

Why would Carlos EVEN bring up Perry ?


- Lastly, sorry if your feelings were hurt.
And that you got to the point of anger you felt the
need to call names to attempt to get your point across.

- Like I said, the band's past is water under the bridge to me.
I wasn't there, you weren't there so we don't what happened.
I just enjoy the music.

[perryfan61]

"Like I said, the band's past is bridge under the water to me."

Not to be picky, your post was spot on, but I think you meant to say " water under the bridge ".
Just thought I'd mention it before TNC jumps all over it.

[tj]

Maybe Neal keeps the "door is always open" line going to reinforce the idea that it is all Perry's fault that there is no reunion. Maybe he is really chapped about his band being sidelined for a decade, all of the lost money they could have made, the restrictions put on him by the agreement with Perry to get his band back, and having to tour like a band of traveling gypsies for the past 18 years to get back a piece of what he lost. So he takes a jab at Perry every time he is asked about a reunion and he feels a little better. Who really knows? We still have the music.