New interview with Deen

[mrsp]

As much as it pains me to say this (smirk), Dean is right about one thing. Anyone who has ever spent any length of time with these guys, gotten to know them, worked for or with them, doesn't like them. Me included. And Deen isn't the only one who has many faces.

[kgdjpubs]

From what little I know about JSS (nothing more than youtube clips), I'm glad to see that he's part of TSO. I was at the very first show of the very first TSO tour, at the Tower Theater in '99. The frontmen back then had booming, soaring vocals.

well, that certainly doesn't hold for those of us on the eastern part. The male singers are by far the worst of the singers--VERY rough sounding, making Bruce Springsteen sound like early Perry. You would think they feed them a bucket of gravel prior to the show. Obviously, the western people have it better.

Changing out the girl on lead violin for some Chinese guy didn't help either---looks aside, he doesn't have half the stage presence that girl did.

[Ehwmatt]

From what little I know about JSS (nothing more than youtube clips), I'm glad to see that he's part of TSO. I was at the very first show of the very first TSO tour, at the Tower Theater in '99. The frontmen back then had booming, soaring vocals.

well, that certainly doesn't hold for those of us on the eastern part. The male singers are by far the worst of the singers--VERY rough sounding, making Bruce Springsteen sound like early Perry. You would think they feed them a bucket of gravel prior to the show. Obviously, the western people have it better.

Changing out the girl on lead violin for some Chinese guy didn't help either---looks aside, he doesn't have half the stage presence that girl did.

My parents just caught the TSO show this year [east coast version] and they said it was not good at all. They saw it last year and it was way better.

[kgdjpubs]

From what little I know about JSS (nothing more than youtube clips), I'm glad to see that he's part of TSO. I was at the very first show of the very first TSO tour, at the Tower Theater in '99. The frontmen back then had booming, soaring vocals.

well, that certainly doesn't hold for those of us on the eastern part. The male singers are by far the worst of the singers--VERY rough sounding, making Bruce Springsteen sound like early Perry. You would think they feed them a bucket of gravel prior to the show. Obviously, the western people have it better.

Changing out the girl on lead violin for some Chinese guy didn't help either---looks aside, he doesn't have half the stage presence that girl did.

My parents just caught the TSO show this year [east coast version] and they said it was not good at all. They saw it last year and it was way better.

it was pretty good here, but the crowd was VERY flat. The main issue as much as anything else was that the female violinist was a major part of fronting the band last year--and the new guy didn't hold up on that end. Played well, but a frontman, he is not. Still good players, but you lose the ability for someone to react off the crowd. With JSS taking that role in the west coast version, I'd say that lineup has an edge over the east coast band.

[Art Vandelay]

From what little I know about JSS (nothing more than youtube clips), I'm glad to see that he's part of TSO. I was at the very first show of the very first TSO tour, at the Tower Theater in '99. The frontmen back then had booming, soaring vocals.

well, that certainly doesn't hold for those of us on the eastern part. The male singers are by far the worst of the singers--VERY rough sounding, making Bruce Springsteen sound like early Perry. You would think they feed them a bucket of gravel prior to the show. Obviously, the western people have it better.

Changing out the girl on lead violin for some Chinese guy didn't help either---looks aside, he doesn't have half the stage presence that girl did.

Interesting. I had no idea there was now an east coast/west coast version (I don't follow TSO and had no clue that JSS was part of it until I read it here). Like I said, the show that I caught was 11 years ago and it was the very first live show that they ever performed (they made sure to say that a number of times). It was the original performers from the CDs that were out at the time. I think they had two CDs out at that time. We went more for the novelty of it. We just saw Mannheim Steamroller a few weeks prior, and this was much more of a metal rock performance than Mannheim. I have no idea what TSO's show is like today.

[kgdjpubs]

We just saw Mannheim Steamroller a few weeks prior, and this was much more of a metal rock performance than Mannheim. I have no idea what TSO's show is like today.

Doesn't sound like much has changed. TSO is a full-on two-guitar rock band with an orchestra and some vocalists performing, on average, a 3hr show these days. About 90 minutes of Christmas, 30 minutes of the non-Christmas material, then back into the Christmas stuff to finish it up. Also add about every special effect you can think of....a BUNCH of lights, smoke, falling snow, flying stages, walkways that go out over the crowd, lasers, fire, fireworks, etc. Never seen anything close to the amount of lights they bring from any rock band.

They are both good--just different. I personally like Mannheim on cd better, but Trans Siberian has BY FAR the better live show. Mannheim is good for what it is (and I think they have the better arrangements of the two), but I also think they are playing to a bunch of backing tracks, as you can't replicate that sound with the number of people they have on stage.

[YoungJRNY]

I recently asked Dean if he ever regretted being "in" with the band and reading some of the stuff in this thread is the reason why I asked it. I know the perks of touring with Journey around the world and kindling a partying relationship with the band defined Dean as he is today as well as the hurt and obvious anger he speaks of, but getting too close to people you admire could become disastrous and this is a perfect case scenario in all of that emotion. Deano's first hand experience with Journey,(the people/rockers/businessman) forever stained the relationship he had with the music and that's why we all post at Melodic Rock in the first place. We are just in the center of nasty NFL Threads and juicy gossip like this .

In the end, reading all of this (and I certainly have a stance with Deano and believe every word he said) if I ever had the chance to stand in front of a guy like Neal Schon, I'd simply shake his hand due to the fact that he is the engine that brought me great joy in music, nothing else, nothing more. I'd have 0 nerve to punch him straight in the jaw because of whatever personal problems he's had, or the bad decisions he's made with the people he's been involved with or hurt, business wise.

It's all about the music in my eyes, and I'm guessing that's what the guys had in mind from day one. Bring the fans the music, even when their main man was sick and couldn't sing their hit songs anymore. Lipping was the risk they were going to take to keep their heads above water in the public eye, but failed miserably. Funny thing is, is that this wheel has come full circle. Journey is doing great, the fans are back on the wagon and even the former lead singers that were ousted still got a great credential in having "Former lead singer of Journey" next to their name (let alone making a BOAT-LOAD of cash.) IMHO, everyone won except the few fans who can't simply let go.

[Abitaman]

In the end, reading all of this (and I certainly have a stance with Deano and believe every word he said) if I ever had the chance to stand in front of a guy like Neal Schon, I'd simply shake his hand due to the fact that he is the engine that brought me great joy in music, nothing else, nothing more. I'd have 0 nerve to punch him straight in the jaw because of whatever personal problems he's had, or the bad decisions he's made with the people he's been involved with or hurt, business wise.

It's all about the music in my eyes, and I'm guessing that's what the guys had in mind from day one. Bring the fans the music, even when their main man was sick and couldn't sing their hit songs anymore. Lipping was the risk they were going to take to keep their heads above water in the public eye, but failed miserably. Funny thing is, is that this wheel has come full circle. Journey is doing great, the fans are back on the wagon and even the former lead singers that were ousted still got a great credential in having "Former lead singer of Journey" next to their name (let alone making a BOAT-LOAD of cash.) IMHO, everyone won except the few fans who can't simply let go.

HAve to agree all the way. The members of the band are people, and being human we are not perfect. I let it go years ago. Good statement.

[mrsp]

YoungJRNY, I totally get where you are coming from. And yes, for the casual Journey fan I agree with you. But for the group of people who have been closely associated with Journey in some capacity, either working for or with them, it is a totally different perspective and story. There are many people who have worked long hard hours and really dedicated themselves to keeping the Journey machine rolling only to be abruptly dismissed for no apparent reason. This has happened repeatedly. (It isn't an isolated incident.)In this case, it's tough to separate the men and the music. The music has lost much of it's appeal. Obviously being an extrememly talented musician does not make you a good human being. But I do believe in karma. Treating people this badly for this long will eventually come back and bite them in the ass.

[Abitaman]

YoungJRNY, I totally get where you are coming from. And yes, for the casual Journey fan I agree with you. But for the group of people who have been closely associated with Journey in some capacity, either working for or with them, it is a totally different perspective and story. There are many people who have worked long hard hours and really dedicated themselves to keeping the Journey machine rolling only to be abruptly dismissed for no apparent reason. This has happened repeatedly. (It isn't an isolated incident.)In this case, it's tough to separate the men and the music. The music has lost much of it's appeal. Obviously being an extrememly talented musician does not make you a good human being. But I do believe in karma. Treating people this badly for this long will eventually come back and bite them in the ass.

98% of Journey fans have no idea what happened.
and sad to say 90% have no idea who JSS is
60% think Augeri and Perry is the same person
40% think AP is only the second singer to be in Journey.

[Ligzig]

98% of Journey fans have no idea what happened.
and sad to say 90% have no idea who JSS is
60% think Augeri and Perry is the same person
40% think AP is only the second singer to be in Journey.

100% of pinoys think Arnel Pineda is the founder of Journey.