Jonathan comments on Augeri
Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2006 7:20 pmhttp://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06256/721215-42.stm
Music Preview: Journey tours on with its hits despite changes in band lineup
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
What is it with the singers of those corporate rock bands of the '70s?
They just can't seem to stick with their mates. This week there's a rash of '70s bands on their way to Pittsburgh without the vocalists that made them stars. Styx and Foreigner are playing the Chevrolet Amphitheatre Sunday without Dennis DeYoung and Lou Gramm.
But, first, Journey, touring with Def Leppard, hits the stage at the Post-Gazette Pavilion tonight without Steve Perry, the high-pitched wailer who served up such hits as "Any Way You Want It," "Don't Stop Believin' " and "Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin." Perry, who said on an episode of VH1's Behind the Music in 2001 that he "never really felt like part of the band," broke off from Journey in 1998 after having hip replacement surgery.
"It's pretty hard to get a guy going for so long," says Journey keyboardist and songwriter Jonathan Cain. "It wears people out. In the end, though, it becomes more about the music than the guys. We've got the core band here."
Not only is Journey missing Perry, the band is missing its replacement singer. Steve Augeri, who left the tour due to a throat condition, is now replaced by a non-Steve, Jeff Scott Soto, who previously worked with Journey guitarist Neal Schon. (Filling out the band are longtime members bassist Ross Valory and drummer Deen Castronovo.)
"It wasn't easy to change," Cain says. "[Augeri's] my friend and you hate to see that happen, but it wasn't working and that was a tough deal. Jeff was working with Neal in a project called Soul Circuits. He already knew Jeff and knew he was able to do this. I think it's about the songs now, from what I can tell. They have to be done with good energy, and he's got great energy."
Like many bands from that bygone era, Journey comes to town to play the hits but continues to release records that fly under the radar. The latest was last year's "Generations," with Augeri, which was given to the fans who bought tickets to the shows.
"We make the records for the fans," Cain says. "We don't have unrealistic expectations. It's really a young market. There's not much focus on bands like us, but we're happy to deliver new music to the fans. There's a core audience that's going to buy it and support it, but, in the end, even if you had a giant hit, would they play it? Who knows. I don't think so."
Cain, who joined Journey in 1981 when he left the power-pop band The Babys, has his own musical missions outside of Journey, as displayed on "Where I Live," his first solo record in 12 years. Far from the grandiose pop of Journey, Cain's solo outing is an intimate singer-songwriter record that would fit on a WYEP-like format alongside David Gray and Bruce Cockburn.
"It's more of a personal statement," Cain says. "I try to go in different places musically than Journey would go. I kind of wrote the music to be able to do it myself. When you're doing songs about your kids, it's a different deal than Journey."
Music Preview: Journey tours on with its hits despite changes in band lineup
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
By Scott Mervis, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
What is it with the singers of those corporate rock bands of the '70s?
They just can't seem to stick with their mates. This week there's a rash of '70s bands on their way to Pittsburgh without the vocalists that made them stars. Styx and Foreigner are playing the Chevrolet Amphitheatre Sunday without Dennis DeYoung and Lou Gramm.
But, first, Journey, touring with Def Leppard, hits the stage at the Post-Gazette Pavilion tonight without Steve Perry, the high-pitched wailer who served up such hits as "Any Way You Want It," "Don't Stop Believin' " and "Lovin, Touchin, Squeezin." Perry, who said on an episode of VH1's Behind the Music in 2001 that he "never really felt like part of the band," broke off from Journey in 1998 after having hip replacement surgery.
"It's pretty hard to get a guy going for so long," says Journey keyboardist and songwriter Jonathan Cain. "It wears people out. In the end, though, it becomes more about the music than the guys. We've got the core band here."
Not only is Journey missing Perry, the band is missing its replacement singer. Steve Augeri, who left the tour due to a throat condition, is now replaced by a non-Steve, Jeff Scott Soto, who previously worked with Journey guitarist Neal Schon. (Filling out the band are longtime members bassist Ross Valory and drummer Deen Castronovo.)
"It wasn't easy to change," Cain says. "[Augeri's] my friend and you hate to see that happen, but it wasn't working and that was a tough deal. Jeff was working with Neal in a project called Soul Circuits. He already knew Jeff and knew he was able to do this. I think it's about the songs now, from what I can tell. They have to be done with good energy, and he's got great energy."
Like many bands from that bygone era, Journey comes to town to play the hits but continues to release records that fly under the radar. The latest was last year's "Generations," with Augeri, which was given to the fans who bought tickets to the shows.
"We make the records for the fans," Cain says. "We don't have unrealistic expectations. It's really a young market. There's not much focus on bands like us, but we're happy to deliver new music to the fans. There's a core audience that's going to buy it and support it, but, in the end, even if you had a giant hit, would they play it? Who knows. I don't think so."
Cain, who joined Journey in 1981 when he left the power-pop band The Babys, has his own musical missions outside of Journey, as displayed on "Where I Live," his first solo record in 12 years. Far from the grandiose pop of Journey, Cain's solo outing is an intimate singer-songwriter record that would fit on a WYEP-like format alongside David Gray and Bruce Cockburn.
"It's more of a personal statement," Cain says. "I try to go in different places musically than Journey would go. I kind of wrote the music to be able to do it myself. When you're doing songs about your kids, it's a different deal than Journey."
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