Where is Steve Augeri and is he better??

[Aaron]

Dear,

I've listened to a lot of boots and also went to the Indy show with JSS singing lead for Journey so I've heard = it live. Our opinions my disagree but please don't consider me closed minded or uneducated ... I'm neither.

Cheers,

Aaron

Mac,

I love you dearly and your board but I have to disagree with your comment. JSS is a great guy, great stage personality and has a powerful voice for sure. But, when you use the word melodic, I'd argue your point. A melodic vocalist is someone whom has a shitload of range as a starting point but also has a very smooth delivery in their vocal content. The following are melodic vocalist in my opinion that come to mind:

Steve Perry
Hugo Valenti
Kevin Chalfant
Lou Graham
Brad Delp
Graham Bonnett
Sammy Hagar

In my view, JSS fits more of the metal/hard rock genre of vocalist which would include:

Ozzy Osbourne
Rob Halford
Jim Hetfield
Etc.

I agree with JSS being a good rock vocalist, but in my view, JSS being a melodic rock style of vocalist is a stretch at best. If you think Journey still sounds like Journey then you won't agree with my opinion.

Now as far as Augeri is concerned, I believe Arrival is a damn good record, better than ROR or TBF because it has some good rock songs on it and doesn't come across as an adult contemporary, gay CD. Generations is a hog podge of crap in my view with no consistent vocals that makes it a turd in my opinion as it does not fit the AOR genre for record with multiple lead vocalist. We'll see what any new Journey music brings to the equation.

Now let the bashing begin,

Aaron

I am still an Augeri Fan. I know Rockin' Deano isn't and many arent and this site and board is VERY pro-JSS and even more so pro PErry but, for me I liked the albums SA sang on and most of the songs better than the last 2 Perry cd's and I just wanted to know as a fan if anyone has any knowledge if he's better, singing again, performing or what have you!

This is a pro JOURNEY board...that includes appreciation for what Steve Augeri brough to the band during his tenure. Arrival is an amzing record...love it.
I'm sure there will be news soon.

As for Jeff not being as melodic a vocalist - WOWSERS! You need to do some research into JSS my friend. Soul and melody oozing from every pore.

Ok Sammy Hagar and melodic sounding? no..

but if you go and listen to Jeff's music - youi will know he does absolutely have a melodic voice. Listen to his essential ballads. Then make your determination.

[(Crazy)Dulce Lady]

A melodic vocalist is someone whom has a shitload of range as a starting point but also has a very smooth delivery in their vocal content. The following are melodic vocalist in my opinion that come to mind:


Graham Bonnett

Graham Bonnet? The guy was a shouter.. there was nothing "smooth" about his delivery. We are talking about the former Rainbow, MSG and Alcatrazz vocalist right?

former nothing. Alcatrazz is touring Japan with Howie Simon, Glen Sobel, and Tim Luce.

[Aaron]

Ohsherrie,

Thanks for the post and I appreciate your view. Opinions vary for sure on the subject. It my be a difference in opinion on definition for sure but I do respect you position. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. And just so you know, Hugo Valenti is THE MAN ... in my eye of course.

Cheers,

Aaron

Mac,

I love you dearly and your board but I have to disagree with your comment. JSS is a great guy, great stage personality and has a powerful voice for sure. But, when you use the word melodic, I'd argue your point. A melodic vocalist is someone whom has a shitload of range as a starting point but also has a very smooth delivery in their vocal content. The following are melodic vocalist in my opinion that come to mind:

Steve Perry
Hugo Valenti
Kevin Chalfant
Lou Graham
Brad Delp
Graham Bonnett
Sammy Hagar

In my view, JSS fits more of the metal/hard rock genre of vocalist which would include:

Ozzy Osbourne
Rob Halford
Jim Hetfield
Etc.

I agree with JSS being a good rock vocalist, but in my view, JSS being a melodic rock style of vocalist is a stretch at best. If you think Journey still sounds like Journey then you won't agree with my opinion.

Now as far as Augeri is concerned, I believe Arrival is a damn good record, better than ROR or TBF because it has some good rock songs on it and doesn't come across as an adult contemporary, gay CD. Generations is a hog podge of crap in my view with no consistent vocals that makes it a turd in my opinion as it does not fit the AOR genre for record with multiple lead vocalist. We'll see what any new Journey music brings to the equation.

Now let the bashing begin,

Aaron

No bashing Aaron, but a difference of opinion. I think Jeff's delivery on melodic songs is smoother than Lou Gramm's or Sammy Hagar's. Maybe it's a difference in how we define smooth, or just a difference in the way we hear the music.

[(Crazy)Dulce Lady]

JSS not melodic???? what??? JSS is the most well rounded vocalist-he outperforms EVERYONE in EVERY genre. (don't do country Jeff-I'll hafta slap ya)

resume bashing if you can find a leg to stand on. Leave SA alone for goodness sake. MOVE ON or I'll have to sic my attack poodles on you.

[Matthew]

A melodic vocalist is someone whom has a shitload of range as a starting point but also has a very smooth delivery in their vocal content. The following are melodic vocalist in my opinion that come to mind:


Graham Bonnett

Graham Bonnet? The guy was a shouter.. there was nothing "smooth" about his delivery. We are talking about the former Rainbow, MSG and Alcatrazz vocalist right?

former nothing. Alcatrazz is touring Japan with Howie Simon, Glen Sobel, and Tim Luce.

Wow...Bonnet looks about a 100 years old. So weird...the last time I saw him was in the "God Blessed Video" promo in 1985.

And is JLT in drag nowadays?

[(Crazy)Dulce Lady]

A melodic vocalist is someone whom has a shitload of range as a starting point but also has a very smooth delivery in their vocal content. The following are melodic vocalist in my opinion that come to mind:


Graham Bonnett

Graham Bonnet? The guy was a shouter.. there was nothing "smooth" about his delivery. We are talking about the former Rainbow, MSG and Alcatrazz vocalist right?

former nothing. Alcatrazz is touring Japan with Howie Simon, Glen Sobel, and Tim Luce.

Wow...Bonnet looks about a 100 years old. So weird...the last time I saw him was in the "God Blessed Video" promo in 1985.

And is JLT in drag nowadays?

bash bash.

I'm happy for them as they are excited to be on the road again.

be happy.

[Matthew]

bash bash.

I'm happy for them as they are excited to be on the road again.

be happy.

Actually, Bonnet and JLT are two of my all-time favourite singers. I guess those photos made ME feel like an old fart too.

[Nunnayerbiz Ness]

hi gang, I wanted to ask this question as I really want to know. I for one blame the ENTIRE Journey organization for the fukkin B.S. that was "Tape Gate".

The way the acted was B.S. Nothing against JSS I think he's great , he's different, not as melodic as Augeri but strong singer and great showman. I luved Soul SIkUs and RockStar Sntk (both his and steelheart dudes songs) and I liked the show I saw in late July last year but...

I am still an Augeri Fan. I know Rockin' Deano isn't and many arent and this site and board is VERY pro-JSS and even more so pro PErry but, for me I liked the albums SA sang on and most of the songs better than the last 2 Perry cd's and I just wanted to know as a fan if anyone has any knowledge if he's better, singing again, performing or what have you!

I luv the few songs I heard from the debut of Tall Stories and I hope " Stevie" is alive and well and will be putting out some music soon.

Anything on MR. Augeri??



c.m.

Sorry , but what the hell do you mean when you say Jeff isnt as melodic as Augeri!? Get your ears checked.

If you really think that this site is pro-Soto, then why would you even ask us about auggie?
This site isnt about Pro-Soto or Anti-Augeri,,,, This site is PRO-MUSIC and ANTI-CHEATING!!

Right...and if this site IS "anti cheating", then why the hell aren't you boycoting the whole band? It's really amazing to me the way some seem to put the whole tape gate thing at Steve A's feet...what- the rest of the band just didn't know? They were in the dark, while Steve A and the sound guys covertly pulled off this elaborate charade? Hardly...if you're gonna call yourself anti cheating, then spread blame all the way around.
I don't know...I've kept quiet and read what folks have posted over the past 12 months or so on this, and the thing that bothers me is more than anything is that I feel the band AND many of the fans pushed Augeri under the bus when this thing happened. Hell, the guy was in a bind, and was trying to keep his gig. Could any of us claim to have so much integrity that we wouldn't do the same thing if confronted with that dilemma? I don't know...I'd like to think I wouldn't but I can't swear to it, and if you're honest, I think you'd agree. But above all, to say that the rest of the organization was blameless in all of this is naive and more than a bit unfair. None of this went without the approval of Neal and Jon, you can bet your ass on that. And yet strangely, I 've never heard anyone calling for their heads.

I don't mean to sound inflamatory. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. I'm really just posing some questions. Hell, I like the band better with Soto, and I think when they do get around to recording again, it's gonna rock my ass off- much more so than any of their post-Perry work.
But what the hell do I know? I still think Perry's gonna come back before it's all said and done...

I read so much about the band being as much to blame but no one says anything about the band having contractual agreements that need to be fulfilled & instead of cancelling & thinking/hoping/guessing the singer's voice might be better the next night so he didn't have to lip. Maybe this band of brothers stuck by their man hoping he could eventually eliminate the tapes live & get back to business as he did when he first joined the band. I am surprised if there aren't a number of bands who have these backups ready for off nights & would rather lip through than get a bad review from a fan who paid hard earned cash for a show expecting perfection. So what, he got caught, so what, the band knew about it & althouth they probably didn't like it, they did what they had to so they could see the next day.

This is in no way a pro or anti statement regarding the situation, but Journey's legacy is far superior to this incident hence the fact that they did something about it when they knew their 'guy' was not going to be coming back to the plate anytime soon...whoever gets the finger pointed at them, the music lives on.

[JSS]

Wanna hear something non-Hetfield/Halford/Dio? Check out Gin & Tonic Sky on my myspace page....tell me I'm not a melodic singer then & that's where I have to tell you take the bees out of your ears...not melodic, what a fucking joke!

[Aaron]

Dude,

I appreciate the response and your participation on the board. Its a pretty rare treat to get actual interaction from someone in the band on any topic, including this one. Cheers for participating.

I'll have a listen to your suggestion shortly for sure. However, if I still have the same opinion of the situation then I say fuck off bro as I'm not a joke for sure. I can put a singer and guitarist on your plate that can hang with what you have and what you've played with for sure. Now, if I can just get my ego inflated to equal yours ....

Seriously, I'll have a listen and let you know my opinion but, its still my opinion so I don't expect to be called a fucking joke if my opinion differs from yours.

Cheers,

Aaron

Wanna hear something non-Hetfield/Halford/Dio? Check out Gin & Tonic Sky on my myspace page....tell me I'm not a melodic singer then & that's where I have to tell you take the bees out of your ears...not melodic, what a fucking joke!

[Granny]

I already listened and it is superb...Maybe that person needs a hearing aid?

[Aaron]

JSS,

I had a listen to Gin and Tonic Sky on your site. Its a great, slow ballade for sure. Cheers on great song. However, I'll stand by what I said in my previous post after listening to this tune. Maybe our definitions of "Melodic" differ and that is where I'm at fault but, in my view, a melodic song is sung several steps up from Gin and Tonic Sky. Maybe that's not a fair definition but it is the one I use for my own "melodic" tastes. It's a great song for sure but not what I'm looking for.

So I guess that makes me a fucking joke for a having a difference of opinion on your performance. Sorry for not having the same view as you. Now if you want to get serious on my definition of "melodic" rock, come to Indiana with no reverb, not echo, effects and etc. Bring yourself and a guitarist and I'll go head to head with you with my guitarist, deal? I can set up the sing off with a great local band here that can bring the backing band and voting audience of needed.

Cheers,

Aaron

Wanna hear something non-Hetfield/Halford/Dio? Check out Gin & Tonic Sky on my myspace page....tell me I'm not a melodic singer then & that's where I have to tell you take the bees out of your ears...not melodic, what a fucking joke!

[NealIsGod]

Bring yourself and a guitarist and I'll go head to head with you with my guitarist, deal?

Uh, you wanna go up against JSS and Neal?

Can I have some of what you're smoking?

[Lady Luck]

Bring yourself and a guitarist and I'll go head to head with you with my guitarist, deal?

Uh, you wanna go up against JSS and Neal?

Can I have some of what you're smoking?

I'd pay good money to see that.

[Granny]

Bring yourself and a guitarist and I'll go head to head with you with my guitarist, deal?

Uh, you wanna go up against JSS and Neal?

Can I have some of what you're smoking?

I'd pay good money to see that.

I'm with you on that!!!!!

[Aaron]

And one more thing bro,

You can send front row tickets, back stages passes and plane tickets for the next Journey show like has happened before if you like but, my opinion will stay the same.

L8r,

Aaron

[NealIsGod]

And one more thing bro,

You can send front row tickets, back stages passes and plane tickets for the next Journey show like has happened before if you like but, my opinion will stay the same.

L8r,

Aaron

Modern technology is a wonderful thing, Aaron. Post some clips. We'll be honest with you.

[Aaron]

NIG,

You're welcome to stay at my place if needed. Anyone else is welcome to stay as well and I'll take your money with no problem.

Aaron

Bring yourself and a guitarist and I'll go head to head with you with my guitarist, deal?

Uh, you wanna go up against JSS and Neal?

Can I have some of what you're smoking?

[JSS]

Dude, calm yourself, your comment was a fucking joke, not you! And perhaps by only knowing my work with Yngwie or Rock Star, you think I am only a metal guy where the metal part was a tiny part of who I am. I was weened on Perry, Mercury, Wonder, Gramm & all the greats who OWN melody. If u look into things like Eyes, Talisman or even my 2nd solo album, you'd see there was far more substance you know of me. Regarding ego, come on man, don't even go there....ego is not to be confused with confidence, with confidence I implore you to see/hear what you're missing....even after the acoustic version of Coming Home on the page, if you get nothing there, then yes, it's all matter of opinion. But I will correct you on the melodic part, melody is my life!

[NealIsGod]

NIG,

You're welcome to stay at my place if needed. Anyone else is welcome to stay as well and I'll take your money with no problem.

Aaron

Is that ego or confidence?

[ohsherrie]

I think I liked Coming Home even better than Gin and Tonic Sky. They're both great though.

[larryfromnextdoor]

dude, jeff, you waste too much time on folks that aint gonna get it !! the ones of us that do get it , get it , and get it good... .. btw.. no joke, that was a killer song man!!

[****]

dude, jeff, you waste too much time on folks that aint gonna get it !! the ones of us that do get it , get it , and get it good... .. btw.. no joke, that was a killer song man!!

nah its not wasting time - just proving a point .. with gusto

[larryfromnextdoor]

dude, jeff, you waste too much time on folks that aint gonna get it !! the ones of us that do get it , get it , and get it good... .. btw.. no joke, that was a killer song man!!

nah its not wasting time - just proving a point .. with gusto

amen to that ,, but you cant prove much of a point with someone with the idea of, "oh yea,, my dad can beat up your dad" ,, mentallity,, people just dont appreciate the lead singer of a famous band coming on here and sharing.. dust'em,, then move on..

[*Laura]

What?A melodic battle against the NS-JSS team? Huff and puff some of that stuff East,please.

All kidding aside...Aaron,I'm not sure I truly understand your definition of the melodic singer,but hey,that's the way you hear things,so it's ok.

IMO,and in the way I perceive music,a melodic singer is someone who (obviously,lol) can sing melodic rock songs (and we all know the genre),but what's the most important thing is that this singer is capable of conveying a considerable amount of feelings in his delivery...The tone of the voice is soulful and rich,it's clear when the song asks it,it can get raspy when needed,it can soar effortlessly...all in all a very flexible voice that can express a lot.It's all in the delivery,not in how many steps up it can go.

I believe JSS has this amazing vocal flexibility that makes him able to sing whatever he wants to,from melodic to metal.I can't put his voice in a certain category,because he can cover them all.
Just like a great actor who can do equally comedy & drama and naturally get in the skin of any character,that's how I see Jeff as a singer.I guess he was born with this.


p.s. The acoustic "Coming Home" is a great example of a melodic flexible voice,as well as Gin and Tonic Sky...Melody ALL the way.

[Red13JoePa]

dude, jeff, you waste too much time on folks that aint gonna get it !! the ones of us that do get it , get it , and get it good... .. btw.. no joke, that was a killer song man!!

nah its not wasting time - just proving a point .. with gusto

Agree, I appreciate Jeff dealing with this.

The other guy is spazzing out.

[ohsherrie]

IMO,and in the way I perceive music,a melodic singer is someone who (obviously,lol) can sing melodic rock songs (and we all know the genre),but what's the most important thing is that this singer is capable of conveying a considerable amount of feelings in his delivery...The tone of the voice is soulful and rich,it's clear when the song asks it,it can get raspy when needed,it can soar effortlessly...all in all a very flexible voice that can express a lot.It's all in the delivery,not in how many steps up it can go.

That's the same way I would define it. To me the key or register a song is sung in doesn't have a lot to do with it as long as the song is within the singers range. Jeff sure doesn't have any range problems.

[JrnyScarab]

Melodic to me is a type of singing that rises above the mundane type of singing out there today. It is usually very catchy and tends to use the full range of notes in a fluid manner. Think Journey not Motorhead, Surivivor not Lamb Of God, Boston not Korn. That's not to say these other bands can't have a melodic song or two but generally they are not melodic and tend to just holler out repetitive drivel. And yes, Aaron, plenty of JSS solo stuff is VERY melodic.

Ed

[Clasicrockldy]

Dude, calm yourself, your comment was a fucking joke, not you! And perhaps by only knowing my work with Yngwie or Rock Star, you think I am only a metal guy where the metal part was a tiny part of who I am. I was weened on Perry, Mercury, Wonder, Gramm & all the greats who OWN melody. If u look into things like Eyes, Talisman or even my 2nd solo album, you'd see there was far more substance you know of me. Regarding ego, come on man, don't even go there....ego is not to be confused with confidence, with confidence I implore you to see/hear what you're missing....even after the acoustic version of Coming Home on the page, if you get nothing there, then yes, it's all matter of opinion. But I will correct you on the melodic part, melody is my life!

Exactly Jeff ! I have come across people who see the word "Metal" on your site, and they shut down completely! They don't go as far as listening to the other music you have done over the years. I have asked them to check out your other work, but no go. I am sick and tired of hearing that you are only a metal singer and not the right fit for Journey. I think you are, and that is what counts for me !

[Deb]

Actually just got the World Play SS cd about a week ago and was surprised by the mix on that cd, I was expecting most of it to be much heavier than it was. After listening to each song, Coming Home was an instant fav (I may be biased, cuz I thought Jeff was totally channelling Perry on that one, loved it). Other favs are Praise, Highest Ground and My Sanctuary.

All I have seen of Jeff's early metal/Yngwie stuff is a vid or 2 on youtube, wasn't into it. But after discovering his past work, it really isn't that big a part. Discovering all this past work kinda makes me sad, don't get me wrong........I'm happy as hell that he is fronting Journey now and doing a great job, but damn I'm just getting into all this Solo, Queen, Talisman (or as Behshad would call it becoming "Talismanized")......where the hell have I been for the last 10 years.