The Ballad

[Don]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

[Rick]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

Probably, but they have a ton of ballads they can dance to and cover. This one is MINE dammit, and Journey was long overdue to make it's rocking fan base a record they could enjoy. I say job well done, even if it doesn't sell as well as a result.

[Don]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

Probably, but they have a ton of ballads they can dance to and cover. This one is MINE dammit, and Journey was long overdue to make it's rocking fan base a record they could enjoy. I say job well done, even if it doesn't sell as well as a result.

I love Eclipse too Rick, just trying to put a spin on why it will fall short in the retail arena.

[Monker]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

Are you serious? It's all about a balance between the two. Going all pop and ballads is not so good (ROR), going all rock is obviously not good either.

Writing a ballad that has an attitude and feeling that makes sense for the album ("Mother Father", for example) is a good thing. Writing a ballad just to have a single to release isn't, even if it is a hit ("When I See You Smith", for example).

Journey has never been about intentionally avoiding this or that style....with two exceptions: ROR and Eclipse.

[Gideon]

Writing a ballad just to have a single to release isn't, even if it is a hit ("When I See You Smith", for example).

[Don]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

Are you serious? It's all about a balance between the two. Going all pop and ballads is not so good (ROR), going all rock is obviously not good either.

Writing a ballad that has an attitude and feeling that makes sense for the album ("Mother Father", for example) is a good thing. Writing a ballad just to have a single to release isn't, even if it is a hit ("When I See You Smith", for example).


Journey has never been about intentionally avoiding this or that style....with two exceptions: ROR and Eclipse.

Thanks, I knew you'd set me straight.

[Journey/Survivor]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

Are you serious? It's all about a balance between the two. Going all pop and ballads is not so good (ROR), going all rock is obviously not good either.

Writing a ballad that has an attitude and feeling that makes sense for the album ("Mother Father", for example) is a good thing. Writing a ballad just to have a single to release isn't, even if it is a hit ("When I See You Smith", for example).

Journey has never been about intentionally avoiding this or that style....with two exceptions: ROR and Eclipse.

When I See You Smith, I can face the world, ooh-ooh, you know I can do anything, yeah.

[steveo777]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

Are you serious? It's all about a balance between the two. Going all pop and ballads is not so good (ROR), going all rock is obviously not good either.

Writing a ballad that has an attitude and feeling that makes sense for the album ("Mother Father", for example) is a good thing. Writing a ballad just to have a single to release isn't, even if it is a hit ("When I See You Smith", for example).

Journey has never been about intentionally avoiding this or that style....with two exceptions: ROR and Eclipse.

When I See You Smith, I can face the world, ooh-ooh, you know I can do anything, yeah.

That reads about as gay as the song itself. A local dentist is using that song in his tv ad and I'm pretty sick of it now.

[Rick]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

Are you serious? It's all about a balance between the two. Going all pop and ballads is not so good (ROR), going all rock is obviously not good either.

Writing a ballad that has an attitude and feeling that makes sense for the album ("Mother Father", for example) is a good thing. Writing a ballad just to have a single to release isn't, even if it is a hit ("When I See You Smith", for example).

Journey has never been about intentionally avoiding this or that style....with two exceptions: ROR and Eclipse.

When I See You Smith, I can face the world, ooh-ooh, you know I can do anything, yeah.

That reads about as gay as the song itself. A local dentist is using that song in his tv ad and I'm pretty sick of it now.

Must be using autocorrect and it failed.

[Majestic]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

True, dat. However, Tantra and To Whom should be loveable there, and half of She's a Mystery.

[Don]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

True, dat. However, Tantra and To Whom should be loveable there, and half of She's a Mystery.

Yeah, nothing like snuggling up to those songs for a nice slow dance.

[SilvioRodrigues]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

True, dat. However, Tantra and To Whom should be loveable there, and half of She's a Mystery.

Yeah, nothing like snuggling up to those songs for a nice slow dance.

I'm really enjoying Eclipse, but I agree with Don..at this moment of their career, if they had written/recorded at least one ballad like they used to write since Escape they would have a hit, and maybe this would be the last chance to do it.

[koberry]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

True, dat. However, Tantra and To Whom should be loveable there, and half of She's a Mystery.

Yeah, nothing like snuggling up to those songs for a nice slow dance.

I'm really enjoying Eclipse, but I agree with Don..at this moment of their career, if they had written/recorded at least one ballad like they used to write since Escape they would have a hit, and maybe this would be the last chance to do it.

This makes sense to me. I'm not missing the fact that there's no true ballad on Eclipse. But it might have been the ticket to building anything out of all of last year's press.

With all of the back catalog sales based on DSB attention over the last couple of years, I would have expected some uplift to Eclipse... but that kind of intuition is just another reason why I don't play the stock market or go to Vegas

[Majestic]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

True, dat. However, Tantra and To Whom should be loveable there, and half of She's a Mystery.

Yeah, nothing like snuggling up to those songs for a nice slow dance.

Touche. You did say "romantic" ballad, and I guess that rules out loving your fellow man and what not.

[brywool]

I don't agree. When Departure came out, it wasn't "Stay Awhile" that broke the record, it was "Anyway You Want It". When "Open Arms" came out, it was first in the Heavy Metal Movie. Great song, but that album didn't go through the roof.
With "Evolution" there was no power ballad.

Not every power ballad is a hit. Not every hit is a power ballad.

Journey challenged their audience and their casual audience doesn't get it. I think it's more a fault of the audience than the artist myself. People that are in Journey's demo, just don't have the attention span to pick up on a lot of new things. Journey's hardcore fans, I would bet, would mostly dig the album. But they have to know it's there.

If we're looking for Journey to sell huge numbers, those days are over. I'm just glad they're doing ANYTHING new unlike Styx who basically have closed the door on doing new music. Eclipse may not go through the roof sales-wise, but I have and certainly will play the crap out of it.

Journey is just launching a Euro tour. That should help. Didn't the album come out there today or something? Touring, like in the olden days, will have to be the way that the band sells the album.

If they were smart, they'd play the tracks that they're not doing live over the PA before they go on. At least those in the venue will HAVE to hear it. Many of them may dig it. They should have a huge screen up with the cover and "You're now listening to Journey's NEW album ECLIPSE available at WalMart for $10.00". Have it play the stuff that they're not doing in the show. It could certainly help, and really, do we need to hear "Shook Me All Night Long" or "Sweet Home Alabama" one more time? NO.

Journey, play the album before your gig!

[amaron]

Journey's hardcore fans, I would bet, would mostly dig the album. But they have to know it's there.

I sure don't.

[Rockindeano]

Is it safe to say that 80% of Journey fans absolutely love Journey's romantic ballads. Can we go a step further and say that 90% of Journey's newer fanbase (Filipinos) love said ballads (and love songs in general) probably more than anybody else in the world?

Could many of those that went gaga over Arnel's covers of Open Arms and Faithfully on Revelation, now be taking a little step back when it comes to Eclipse and it's lack of slow dance material? With Revelation, AATY was covered almost immediately after release by local artists in the Philippines but I can't see that happening with anything on this album.

What do you guys think? Are ballads really that big a deal when it come to a new Journey album?

Probably, but they have a ton of ballads they can dance to and cover. This one is MINE dammit, and Journey was long overdue to make it's rocking fan base a record they could enjoy. I say job well done, even if it doesn't sell as well as a result.

I love Eclipse too Rick, just trying to put a spin on why it will fall short in the retail arena.

Oh I agree with Don wholeheartedly. Rick is completely wrong here. Look, Journey was never, ever, really a rock band folks...they were a brilliant mixture of pop, ballad and some upbeat rock/pop....they were never a rock band.

Don, you took the words right out of my mouth. The lone fact there is not a single radio friendly ballad on here, which Schon excels at by the way, and can play in his drunken stupor/sleep, absent , tells the picture of a measley 16K units sold.

Let me add though- I personally think, and the facts may bear me out here- that the missing element in the 'Great Journey' ballads is Steve Perry. No, he isn't a great or even good songwriter, but together with those other two assholes, makes a perfect ballad. Bryan Adams is the only guy alive who can write a better ballad than Journey and can prove it...Straight from the Heart, Please Forgive Me ,Heaven, , and Everything I Do, is your proof. Those four ballads can go head to head with Open Arms, Faithfully and WCTNGOF. Anyway, is it me, or is Steve Perry reunion needed more than ever?
Sorry fans, but Pineda cannot write to save his life. The guy cannot and has not brought shit to the table. THAT is irrefutable.Perhaps Neal should call BA and ask him to write a song for Journey. It would be a wise decision if you ask me.

[Rockindeano]

I don't agree. When Departure came out, it wasn't "Stay Awhile" that broke the record, it was "Anyway You Want It". When "Open Arms" came out, it was first in the Heavy Metal Movie. Great song, but that album didn't go through the roof.
With "Evolution" there was no power ballad.

Not every power ballad is a hit. Not every hit is a power ballad.

Journey challenged their audience and their casual audience doesn't get it. I think it's more a fault of the audience than the artist myself. People that are in Journey's demo, just don't have the attention span to pick up on a lot of new things. Journey's hardcore fans, I would bet, would mostly dig the album. But they have to know it's there.

If we're looking for Journey to sell huge numbers, those days are over. I'm just glad they're doing ANYTHING new unlike Styx who basically have closed the door on doing new music. Eclipse may not go through the roof sales-wise, but I have and certainly will play the crap out of it.

Journey is just launching a Euro tour. That should help. Didn't the album come out there today or something? Touring, like in the olden days, will have to be the way that the band sells the album.

If they were smart, they'd play the tracks that they're not doing live over the PA before they go on. At least those in the venue will HAVE to hear it. Many of them may dig it. They should have a huge screen up with the cover and "You're now listening to Journey's NEW album ECLIPSE available at WalMart for $10.00". Have it play the stuff that they're not doing in the show. It could certainly help, and really, do we need to hear "Shook Me All Night Long" or "Sweet Home Alabama" one more time? NO.

Journey, play the album before your gig!

I have to say, this is a Helluva post. I agree 100%

[Jubilee]

...Anyway, is it me, or is Steve Perry reunion needed more than ever?...

Well, I guess it was only a matter of time until this question came up. Careful there, Deano. You don't want to get the plokkers (who by the way, seem to be sitting on the sidelines thus far) all riled up.

I think we all know the answer to this question. Still, if this record isn't able to gain any traction, what's left? Is a slightly used, questionable, mercurial, drama queen superstar better than a fresh horse with no star power?

[Don]

So, how many shows in before the fans start begging for WCTNGOF and Patiently?

[steveo777]

So, how many shows in before the fans start begging for WCTNGOF and Patiently?

I'm praying for them, see?