MR

Just found this on the Evolution website (www.journeyshow.com). Its an excerpt from a New York Post article on tribute bands. Even sadder to think, given the current situation that Hugo actually wanted the job.

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The first time he hosted Evolution, in March, he had to hype the show personally and comp a few tickets so the room wouldn't look empty. When Evolution returned a month later, word of mouth alone attracted 250 Journey fans. By their third show in May, an audience of 300-plus lined up outside to buy $15 tickets.

"It's a fun night of hits," Linial says. "Everyone sings along." He admits the genre can be a little cheesy if taken too seriously - but that will hardly matter when, as he expects, 500 fans paying $20 each will fill his club to capacity Aug. 19 when Evolution returns.

"When Journey played the Beacon eight months ago, tickets were going for as much as $137.50," he recalls. Journey's current singer, Steve Augeri, "is great, but for the price, I'd have to go with Hugo." That would be Hugo Valenti. When not fronting Evolution, the 43-year-old runs an appliance repair shop in Suffolk County, L.I. "I'd always been compared to Steve Perry, so I figured, 'What the hell? I can sing it,'" says Valenti (who, as a performer, goes solely by Hugo).

Before he, well, evolved, Valenti had a taste of rock stardom with his '90s band, Valentine. He says he was signed to three major labels before getting "burned out" reaching for - and missing - the brass ring. One of those near misses, he says, was when Steve Perry left Journey and the arena-rock supergroup's manager contacted him about filling the void. "No disrespect to anyone, but I think I could've taken them where they wanted to go," Valenti says.


Oh well!

finalfight wrote:"No disrespect to anyone, but I think I could've taken them where they wanted to go," Valenti says.

No disrespect to Hugo because he's a great singer but I think the criticism of the band would've been a whole heck of a lot stronger had they hired him if only because he looks AND sounds like Perry. Augeri's voice sounded different enough at the time to make it work, though to a smaller degree.

conversationpc wrote:

finalfight wrote:"No disrespect to anyone, but I think I could've taken them where they wanted to go," Valenti says.

No disrespect to Hugo because he's a great singer but I think the criticism of the band would've been a whole heck of a lot stronger had they hired him if only because he looks AND sounds like Perry. Augeri's voice sounded different enough at the time to make it work, though to a smaller degree.

Talk about the Clone wars with Hugo-ERIC

Augeri's voice certainly sounds different enough now!

In all honesty I am saddened by recent allegations. I absolutely love Journey, specifically the outstanding vocals but Red13 and Generations left me cold and the new live clips...urgh!

I sincerely hope it all comes together again for Journey. For now they remain my favourite band and Steve Augeri (when on form) one of my favourite singers. But Steve, put your foot down - do what you need to to recover and tell Deen to shut the hell up! Either that or learn the drums

I'm so glad Neal had the brains to not take Hugo's interest seriously. I would have no interest in a Hugo fronted Journey...not then, and not now. If that had happened, I would have been pissed that they passed on Chalfant for somebody who is clearly obsessed with having a career bassed on looking, acting, and sounding exactly like Steve Perry. Neither Kevin nor Augeri did that.

finalfight wrote:Just found this on the Evolution website (www.journeyshow.com). Its an excerpt from a New York Post article on tribute bands. Even sadder to think, given the current situation that Hugo actually wanted the job.

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The first time he hosted Evolution, in March, he had to hype the show personally and comp a few tickets so the room wouldn't look empty. When Evolution returned a month later, word of mouth alone attracted 250 Journey fans. By their third show in May, an audience of 300-plus lined up outside to buy $15 tickets.

"It's a fun night of hits," Linial says. "Everyone sings along." He admits the genre can be a little cheesy if taken too seriously - but that will hardly matter when, as he expects, 500 fans paying $20 each will fill his club to capacity Aug. 19 when Evolution returns.

"When Journey played the Beacon eight months ago, tickets were going for as much as $137.50," he recalls. Journey's current singer, Steve Augeri, "is great, but for the price, I'd have to go with Hugo." That would be Hugo Valenti. When not fronting Evolution, the 43-year-old runs an appliance repair shop in Suffolk County, L.I. "I'd always been compared to Steve Perry, so I figured, 'What the hell? I can sing it,'" says Valenti (who, as a performer, goes solely by Hugo).

Before he, well, evolved, Valenti had a taste of rock stardom with his '90s band, Valentine. He says he was signed to three major labels before getting "burned out" reaching for - and missing - the brass ring. One of those near misses, he says, was when Steve Perry left Journey and the arena-rock supergroup's manager contacted him about filling the void. "No disrespect to anyone, but I think I could've taken them where they wanted to go," Valenti says.


Oh well!

Monker,

I think the interest was with Journey management, at least to begin with -

"One of those near misses, he says, was when Steve Perry left Journey and the arena-rock supergroup's manager contacted him about filling the void"