A possible scenario.

[Rick]

Neal, Jon, Ross & Deen were probably sitting around a table or in a hotel bar one night and the conversation might have sounded something like this.

Ross: "Do we HAVE to do another album? You know it isn't going to sell, nobody is going to care about it, all they want to hear is the dirty dozen anyway."

Deen: "You are right about that. The damn thing won't sell, we had to give away our last full album. We might even lose money on it. All the work of doing another album would be for nothing anyway. We need to just tour the back catalog."

Neal: "We are going to need to record, Jeff isn't going to just tour the back catalog."

Jon: "Well then maybe we should get someone that sounds more like Perry, since that's what we're going to be playing."

Neal: "What the fuck are you talking about? Get rid of Jeff? He's getting great reviews, I know he's a little more on the hard side, but damn, he's a great front man!"

Ross: "Yeah, I agree, Jeff is fun too. The crowd loves him, although Jon has a point, he doesn't have the classic sound when he sings. He doesn't sound like Perry. Who does though?"

Jon: "Kevin Chalfant does, Jeremey Hunsicker does, Hugo Valenti does, Juan Del Castillo does, there are lots of people who do. Someone needs to tell Jeff his job is done here."

Neal: "No damn way, Jeff isn't done here, not by a long shot! So let me get this straight, you idiots are just burned completely the hell out and don't want to do anything but tour the back catalog and go out like that, am I right?"

Ross: "Sounds good to me, like was said before, even if we record another album, it wont be significant, the file traders will copy the hell out of it, and we'll probably take a loss on it. Why in hell would we want to do that?"

Jon: "That's the point exactly, why would we want to do that? Look, I know Jeff is a great frontman and has been fun and all that jazz, but he's not the right guy to just tour the back catalog of this band. He wouldn't go for that anyway, Ross you brought it up, you can tell Jeff."

Ross: "Not me, hell no. I'm damn sure not the guy to tell him, it should come from one of you two."

Jon: "Well he's Neals boy, Neal brought him in, he can take him out."

Neal: "Hey, I'm happy with Jeff, and I'm not telling him shit. What the fuck is this a democracy now? This is our band yes, but why are we even discussing this? Your telling me you would replace Jeff with another singer that sounds more like Perry? I think you're all nuts!"

Ross: "Neal, you know damn well there are 10 people out there that we know of that sound much closer to Perry that would do anything to front this band. We've been doing this for a long time, let's end it the right way."

Neal: "Firing Jeff is the right way? That's bullshit!"

Jon: "Tell him he's done, it's what Ross and I both want."

Neal: "Deen, help me out here, this is insane."

Deen: "I'm with Ross and Jon, nobody is going to buy a new record, so doing one is pointless. Everybody wants to hear the back catalog and they want to hear Perry's voice singing those songs. I can't keep singing those songs, I don't mind singing a few, but not all of them."

Neal: So that's it huh? So we just fire one of the best frontmen in rock and roll, and definitely the best frontman we've had in 25 years?" This is what the three of you want is it?"

Deen: "Dude you yourself said he isn't going to settle for just singing the back catalog, and if we don't record a new album, what's the point?"

Jon: "Exactly, he's great and all, but would be better fronting Queen or Van Halen, he's not close enough to Perry for Journey."

Ross: "Yup, I think these two are right on the money. We've got a monster back catalog, all we need is a singer that sounds like Perry that we can ride off into the sunset with."

Neal: "Well I agree with one thing here, Jeff isn't going to want to ride off into any sunset singing our back catalog, he is going to want to get in the studio and make his statement with Journey, and I would too. I'm sick to my stomach about this, and you three can kiss my ass, if you want to let Jeff go, I think you are nuts, and I'm not fucking telling him. This is not my decision. One of you can tell him, but I'll be damned if I do."

Ross: "Damn, I sure opened a can of worms here."

Jon: "Well the thing is Ross, I'm kinda glad you did, I've felt the same way since we did Arrival. We worked our asses off recording that album, and the fucking thing was all over the internet being traded by pirates before the damn thing was even released. How the hell did that happen? Then we turn around and do Generations and that was another joke, we wound up giving that away. I'm done recording music if that's what is to become of it. The new records don't get radio play, or not enough to make a damn difference. It's like banging our heads against the wall, and all of you know it."

Neal: "Well, I'm not telling Jeff shit. If you assholes want him out of the band, you do it, and go screw yourselves at the same time."

Deen: "Get Azoff to tell him, why should any of us have to do it? It would be more professional for it to come from management."

Neal: "Who the hell is going to tell Irving about this? He's going to hate this idea. We've got an offer from a major label to do a record, and with Jeff, we can do something great on it, and all of you just want to sit in your cobwebs and die a musical death. Become a back catalog touring band. That just sucks."

Jon: "Dude, we play the dirty dozen, that's what we do, nobody wants to hear new shit from us, they want to hear Perry sing Don't Stop and Open Arms. We don't have Perry, and evidently he's not interested, so lets get someone that is, someone that can sing the catalog like he did. Jeff is good, but he's not enough like Perry, not for my taste."

Neal: "The man just saved our asses, and saved us from losing a ton of money, and this is how you want to treat him? How can you say that?"

Jon: "Yes, he did all of that and he was remunerated for it. He's got a whole legion of new fans and I'm sure he will do fine in whatever it is he does. This is business, it needs to be run like a business. We need to be giving our audiences what they pay to see, and since Perry isn't going to do it, we need someone as close to him as we can get. Jeff is not that guy. We can give him a nice little severance package and he will be on his way."

Deen: "You know this is going to kill him don't you?"

Jon: "He'll be fine, let management tell him, we can have a conference call with Irving tomorrow and run this by him."

Neal: "You people are fucking cowards. You want to throw Jeff out of the band, and don't have the common decency to tell him to his face. I've got a headache and I'm going to bed. Good night assholes."

Ross: "That didn't go too well."

Jon: "He'll get over it."

[Crazie Scarab]

Jeff got a text message from Neal's first ex that read:

JUROUT

[stevew2]

That was awesome. It had to happen that way. I can see it. It has to be a fucking movie!! It has all the elements,and the players.

[Crazie Scarab]

That was awesome. It had to happen that way. I can see it. It has to be a fucking movie!! It has all the elements,and the players.

JOURNEY: The Movie! Hey! If they really wanna make some big cash, that would be a quick and easy way. Only problem is, is it would have to factual. I don't think they are willing to let all the "truths" out. Not yet, anyways..

[stevew2]

You are right,we have been lied to for years.It would be a fictional movie for sure

[donnaplease]

Great story, Rick, but I think you're giving Neal too much credit.

[Rick]

Great story, Rick, but I think you're giving Neal too much credit.

I might be, but I just want to believe he stood up for Jeff. I sure hope he did.

[donnaplease]

Great story, Rick, but I think you're giving Neal too much credit.

I might be, but I just want to believe he stood up for Jeff. I sure hope he did.

I'd like to believe that too. Unfortunately, I don't happen to believe he has much loyalty to anyone. His track record isn't so great...

[Rick]

I think I'll write a fictional book about the follies of a band named Adventure. It'll have characters named Neal John, Ross Mallory, Gregg Foley, Steve Berry and Steve Schmidt. Think I could get sued for that?

[donnaplease]

I think I'll write a fictional book about the follies of a band named Adventure. It'll have characters named Neal John, Ross Mallory, Gregg Foley, Steve Berry and Steve Schmidt. Think I could get sued for that?

I say DO IT!!!

[Ms_M]

I think I'll write a fictional book about the follies of a band named Adventure. It'll have characters named Neal John, Ross Mallory, Gregg Foley, Steve Berry and Steve Schmidt. Think I could get sued for that?

Why? I don't see any resemblances...

[NealIsGod]

Good job, Rick. Sounds like Neal was channeling Deano.

[mikemarrs]

you know that 'freedom' album they were gonna do?

well they are gonna still do an album but instead of being called 'freedom' its gonna be called 'perjury' lol

[Saint John]

Good article, good read. I just have two minor problems with this sentence:

"So we just fire one of the best frontmen in rock and roll, and definitely the best frontman we've had in 25 years? This is what the three of you want is it?"

1) With all due respect, Jeff is not one of the best frontmen in rock and roll.
2) 2007 minus 25 years=1982 Are you saying that Soto is better vocally than Perry was from 82 on?

[conversationpc]

Good article, good read. I just have two minor problems with this sentence:

"So we just fire one of the best frontmen in rock and roll, and definitely the best frontman we've had in 25 years? This is what the three of you want is it?"

1) With all due respect, Jeff is not one of the best frontmen in rock and roll.
2) 2007 minus 25 years=1982 Are you saying that Soto is better vocally than Perry was from 82 on?

Can't agree with you on #1 but, yeah, what's with #2 there?

[Eric]

Good article, good read. I just have two minor problems with this sentence:

"So we just fire one of the best frontmen in rock and roll, and definitely the best frontman we've had in 25 years? This is what the three of you want is it?"

1) With all due respect, Jeff is not one of the best frontmen in rock and roll.
2) 2007 minus 25 years=1982 Are you saying that Soto is better vocally than Perry was from 82 on?

1) He is one of the best available frontman in rock-n-roll today. Name me 5 better.
2) 20 years at least. YES, he's better than Perry after 86. Not '83 though.

[Saint John]

Good article, good read. I just have two minor problems with this sentence:

"So we just fire one of the best frontmen in rock and roll, and definitely the best frontman we've had in 25 years? This is what the three of you want is it?"

1) With all due respect, Jeff is not one of the best frontmen in rock and roll.
2) 2007 minus 25 years=1982 Are you saying that Soto is better vocally than Perry was from 82 on?

1) He is one of the best available frontman in rock-n-roll today. Name me 5 better.
2) 20 years at least. YES, he's better than Perry after 86. Not '83 though.

1) You're changing it to available frontmen. Clearly not what was previously stated.
2) Soto has never been on any album as good as, or as successful as, TBF.

[conversationpc]

1) You're changing it to available frontmen. Clearly not what was previously stated.
2) Soto has never been on any album as good as, or as successful as, TBF.

I don't know about album sales here in the U.S. but Yngwie's debut was quite successful here and has probably gone platinum several times in both Europe AND Japan.

[Saint John]

1) You're changing it to available frontmen. Clearly not what was previously stated.
2) Soto has never been on any album as good as, or as successful as, TBF.

I don't know about album sales here in the U.S. but Yngwie's debut was quite successful here and has probably gone platinum several times in both Europe AND Japan.

If that is true Dave, then I retract the "or as successful as" part.

[NoMoreTails]

You may have something here if you take out Ross and Deen, give the Ross parts to Cain.

[conversationpc]

1) You're changing it to available frontmen. Clearly not what was previously stated.
2) Soto has never been on any album as good as, or as successful as, TBF.

I don't know about album sales here in the U.S. but Yngwie's debut was quite successful here and has probably gone platinum several times in both Europe AND Japan.

If that is true Dave, then I retract the "or as successful as" part.

I couldn't find the specific album sales, though I did read somewhere that Yngwie had sold 27 million albums in Russian alone and that was back in the late 80s.

BTW, does anyone know a good site to look up album sales numbers? I'm sure there's info on the RIAA web site but I believe they only list gold and platinum awards.

[Rick]

Good article, good read. I just have two minor problems with this sentence:

"So we just fire one of the best frontmen in rock and roll, and definitely the best frontman we've had in 25 years? This is what the three of you want is it?"

1) With all due respect, Jeff is not one of the best frontmen in rock and roll.
2) 2007 minus 25 years=1982 Are you saying that Soto is better vocally than Perry was from 82 on?

Neal exaggerates a lot doesn't he?

[Ratgirl]

Great story, Rick, but I think you're giving Neal too much credit.

In a perfect world that would've been a nice scenario but I think your right.