yak wrote:fred_journeyman wrote:I think all the guys give each other a great deal of leeway and freedom to create and I think there is a lot of respect for one another as well. Someone said earlier in this thread that Augeri uses "honey" as opposed to vinegar. It's probably true. I think Neal is probably a hell of a lot more willing to "give" nowadays, to someone who doesn't demand that he give. At the same time, I really don't think that Augeri is at all infatuated with having to be in control either, like Perry. We all know why Rolie left (or at least we seem to know by reading between the lines). He got tired of arguing and being in a constant tug-of-war with Perry. As talented as Perry might have been (or remains), when you run roughshod over people because of your particular vision, it gets really tiring for people.
I think Augeri is a team player and offers his opinion, but not in a demanding way. My opinion...
- Fred
I agree! Great post! The working conditions for the guys these days must be a lot more pleasant than they were in the past. The days during touring are grinding enough, without having to deal with a dictator.
Stick around this time Fred!
In my opinion only, I tend to feel that some of the best work is born out of pressure-filled, tense situations when artists are feeling the demands of satisfying the greater vision. Not always the case, of course but some of those shit-hot Van Halen records were forged in pure piss and vinegar...epic ego clashes between a guitar God and a lunatic lead singer with an artistic vision and a more than forceful approach to the creative process. Metallica's "Black" album? Ever heard the stories there regarding the tension in the studio? The hard-driving producer that would force hundreds of takes of the same guitar line until it was perfect in his mind? The heavy-handed band leader that all but dictated to the lead guitarist and the bass player how they were to play their parts and fought the equally strong-willed drummer to the bone about creative direction? That album went gazillion-platinum...and then some. I can think of quite a few other examples but I'll spare you for now. My point here is that while I'm sure all of the guys are holly-jolly happy about the creative freedom that comes along with the absence of both a major label breathing down their necks and a superstar lead singer/producer driving them to perform to his standards, ultimately their art begins to lose an edge. I love the feeling I get when my boss is out of town too. Sometimes I do some good work during that time but for the most part my productivity definitely drops down a couple of notches.
While it's great that Journey carries on and all of these guys continue to share their immense talents with us on stage and on record, it can't go without notice that they aren't exactly setting the world on fire with their new compositions. They've written some good stuff and each has put forth some great performances but in my opinion there's always something that keeps the song from being great. I'm not saying that Steve Perry's missing vocals are what holds the band back...the new Steve is very capable. In fact, I felt the lack of ooompf on Trial By Fire. The songs were fantastic but they felt...cold, for a lack of better words. They just felt "okay"...half-baked...nothing truly exceptional (minus When You Love A Woman). It sounded as though the guys were all just having a good time writing music and attempting to be as laid back as possible, which works in alot of situations but doesn't seem to work here with these guys. I don't hear the hunger anymore and it seems to me that Journey always seemed to produce their best work when being pushed by major expectations of both record label and manager (Escape), massive success and the need to maintain it (Frontiers) or a lead singer/producer with a big solo success under his belt, solid creative vision and the will to move the band into an entirely new direction altogether (ROR).
What's cool and very good for Journey and their die-hard fans is that they have a legacy that enables them to continue to perform and record. They have some fantastic fans that seemingly enjoy everything they release AND they're having a great time playing for them and giving them new music. They are more accessable than ever before and can basically write at will so it's really a win-win situation for both them and the fans. However, it's that "dirty dozen" that makes it all possible and those are songs that were forged under exceptional circumstances. Superstardom, High-pressure, relentless touring schedules, new loves, marriage and divorce, hyper-inflated egos and struggles with some very personal demons, a manager that worked his ass off to pave the way for hit singles and a tempermental, perfectionist of a lead singer who pushed everyone involved to meet his standard...all of it contributed to the creation of some very special tunes.
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2005 1:34 pm
