Steve Augeri Interview May 2013

[Joe From Buffalo]

Enjoy!!!
http://rockshowcritique.com/2013/05/int ... ve-augeri/

[Archetype]

Remember when they all talked about how Steve was their brother, etc?

Basically the guys just weren’t ready to stop and I just needed to. I couldn’t persuade them to slow down the locomotive , it was on its way. So I had to step off and I have no regrets. I’m just glad I’m singing again and doing what I love and going out and reaching the fans I made along the way. On top of it having some fun writing some new music and playing that along with the Journey catalog, that everybody loves.

[MCC620]

Remember when they all talked about how Steve was their brother, etc?

Basically the guys just weren’t ready to stop and I just needed to. I couldn’t persuade them to slow down the locomotive , it was on its way. So I had to step off and I have no regrets. I’m just glad I’m singing again and doing what I love and going out and reaching the fans I made along the way. On top of it having some fun writing some new music and playing that along with the Journey catalog, that everybody loves.

they fibbed..........

[MCC620]

Enjoy!!!
http://rockshowcritique.com/2013/05/int ... ve-augeri/

great interview...nice to see someone who knows Steve's musical background...can't wait to see him Friday night!

[The_Noble_Cause]

Thanks for posting.

[mistiejourney]

The man is a class act - no question.

[Jeremey]

I wonder what kind of legal repercussions there were to Steve Augeri just quitting Journey when he realized he couldn't sing anymore and Journey didn't want to give him the break he needed, rather than continuing to tour with pre-recorded lead vocals for the next several years?

[Onestepper]

I'm sorry, but when you lip-sync to a pre recorded song when everyone thinks you're singing live...you are not a "class act". Period.

[tater1977]

RSC: Things didn’t end the way you would have liked with Journey. What caused you to have trouble singing and how long did it take to get back to normal?

SA: Well it was a combination of a couple of things. It was excessive touring, the voice just never really getting the break it needed. On top of it I had acquired a bout of some serious, very rare pneumonia. When we travelled in the southwest of the country I somehow picked up this incredibly rare infectious disease. It was so bad that they gave me an extremely high dose of antibiotic. The cure was almost as worse as the illness. I was nearly paralyzed from the antibiotics. So that was the beginning of the end. There was never time to recuperate. I never quite was a hundred percent. One day it just came to a boil. I needed to rest and they needed to keep on going. When I started with them in 98’ we were playing 1500 seaters. We had worked our way up through the years back to where they were in arenas, the big sheds and outdoor venues and playing 70,000 seat festivals. Basically the guys just weren’t ready to stop and I just needed to. I couldn’t persuade them to slow down the locomotive, it was on its way.
So I had to step off and I have no regrets.

[Pelata]

I'm sorry, but when you lip-sync to a pre recorded song when everyone thinks you're singing live...you are not a "class act". Period.

Unless you're under contract and have to play ball...just saying.

[scarygirl]

I'm sorry, but when you lip-sync to a pre recorded song when everyone thinks you're singing live...you are not a "class act". Period.

Unless you're under contract and have to play ball...just saying.

I feel for him, completely thrown under the bus.

[Don]

I'm sorry, but when you lip-sync to a pre recorded song when everyone thinks you're singing live...you are not a "class act". Period.

Unless you're under contract and have to play ball...just saying.

I don't know. They had to pay him for everything up to the point where he got sick. It comes down to what was more important to him; Money or integrity. No one put a gun to his head or threatened to break his kneecaps.
The whole No disclosure agreement issue is a farce too. If Journey did lip-sync, they could not turn around and sue Augeri for breaking his silence. You can't use a NDA to cover up fraud. That's illegal. Augeri would have to return anything he received as compensation for his closed lips but that would be it. Of course, he would be embarrassed as a musician and Journey would be scandalized so I guess when he looks into his heart of hearts, being quiet is his best option.

Nice person, caring, charismatic..maybe those can be said of SA but he may very well have been part of fraud against the fans. Nothing classy about that.

[Onestepper]

I'm sorry, but when you lip-sync to a pre recorded song when everyone thinks you're singing live...you are not a "class act". Period.

Unless you're under contract and have to play ball...just saying.

I don't know. They had to pay him for everything up to the point where he got sick. It comes down to what was more important to him; Money or integrity. No one put a gun to his head or threatened to break his kneecaps.
The whole No disclosure agreement issue is a farce too. If Journey did lip-sync, they could not turn around and sue Augeri for breaking his silence. You can't use a NDA to cover up fraud. That's illegal. Augeri would have to return anything he received as compensation for his closed lips but that would be it. Of course, he would be embarrassed as a musician and Journey would be scandalized so I guess when he looks into his heart of hearts, being quiet is his best option.

Nice person, caring, charismatic..maybe those can be said of SA but he may very well have been part of fraud against the fans. Nothing classy about that.

And that was my point. I have no intention of raking the guy over the coals. He made the decisions he made and he has to live with them. He made an incredible amount of money, and had a lot to lose. But don't give me this constant "he's so classy" BS. He participated in the fraud, whether he was in a contract or not, it doesn't make it any less of an offense. Glad he's moved on and is doing well.

[conversationpc]

And that was my point. I have no intention of raking the guy over the coals. He made the decisions he made and he has to live with them. He made an incredible amount of money, and had a lot to lose. But don't give me this constant "he's so classy" BS. He participated in the fraud, whether he was in a contract or not, it doesn't make it any less of an offense.

Yeah, I have to agree with this. It seems like a lot of fans are willing to forgive him for his part but his part was still part of deceiving the fans, whether he appears to be a nice guy to the fans in public or not. I happen to believe he is a decent human being but decent human beings do dumb things occasionally. He is just as responsible as the others.

[FamilyMan]

This continued condemnation of Augeri for singing to a track is preposterous. There was way too much on the line -- the guy has a family to support, while clinging to a fragile career. I wonder how many judgmental posters here would have jumped off that gravy train on the grounds of moral integrity when it comes to taking care of your kids...

If you want to throw stones, throw them in the direction of the band -- who already toured one legendary singer into the ground and would rather have pulled the wool over their fans eyes than give Augeri the break he needed.

Frankly, none of this tapegate stuff ever bothered me. Bands are using prerecorded tracks all over the place. Anyone been to a RUSH show lately?

[The_Noble_Cause]

Frankly, none of this tapegate stuff ever bothered me. Bands are using prerecorded tracks all over the place. Anyone been to a RUSH show lately?

Umm, as a journalist you should really go do some research and fact checking. The extent of Journey's fraud was scandalous. Out of an entire show, Augeri's mic was only turned on for LTS and to say things like "Good evening Cincinnati!" As Herbie said, it really could've been the end of the band.

[FamilyMan]

Frankly, none of this tapegate stuff ever bothered me. Bands are using prerecorded tracks all over the place. Anyone been to a RUSH show lately?

Umm, as a journalist you should really go do some research and fact checking. The extent of Journey's fraud was scandalous. Out of an entire show, Augeri's mic was only turned on for LTS and to say things like "Good evening Cincinnati!" As Herbie said, it really could've been the end of the band.

But that's the risk THEY chose to take. If they lost it all in a Milli-Vanilli like scandal, they'd have no one to blame but themselves.
Go read Clive Davis' book ... he offered to refund every person who ever bought a Milli Vanilli record. Not one person ever came forward for the claim. In the end, the fans didn't care they were duped.

[The_Noble_Cause]

And Clive's refund offer was made how exactly? There wasnt even internet back then. If Neal or Azoff offered to refund my money for those shows in 2005, I would def accept. You like being robbed blindly out the ass, do you?

[FamilyMan]

And Clive's refund offer was made how exactly? There wasnt even internet back then. If Neal or Azoff offered to refund my money for those shows in 2005, I would def accept. You like being robbed blindly out the ass, do you?

I'm not excusing this practice by any means. I simply think the persecution of Augeri is misdirected. He was the subordinate in the Journey corporate structure. And when Whitney House sang the National Anthem to a track in 1990, was she condemned?

[verslibre]

Bands are using prerecorded tracks all over the place. Anyone been to a RUSH show lately?

Geddy's lead vocals are not canned. Geddy has used tracks for bg-vox where appropriate for decades now. Alex's mic is turned down and The Professor is not a vocalist.

[FamilyMan]

Wasn't talking about the VOX.

[The_Noble_Cause]

[img]

Wasn't talking about the VOX.

Man, I truly hope you are not the best that the fourth estate has to offer. If we rely on reporters like you to inform us, then we, as a society, are truly fucked. What part of this don't you understand? The entire show, night after night, even overseas in the UK, was using fake lead vocals. Fraud on such a scale may exist on a Brittney Spears tour, but this is Journey - a band that rose to fame on the soaring live vocals of Steve Perry. It remains an outrage. Comparing it to a single song performed by Whitney Houston shows that you just don't get it. And to the contrary, there was outrage this year when a Beyonce performance of the anthem proved to be fake. She later re-did it. Live.

[verslibre]

Wasn't talking about the VOX.

So what are you referring to? Geddy's bass playing isn't ghosted by Billy Sheehan every night. Synth sequences? Rush has used those forever.

[FamilyMan]

Ok so where do you draw the line?
It's ok if bands use canned background vocals, synth sequences, drum tracks, string arrangements in a so-called live show?
It's just the lead singer you don't want faking it - is that right?

[MCC620]

Frankly, none of this tapegate stuff ever bothered me. Bands are using prerecorded tracks all over the place. Anyone been to a RUSH show lately?

Umm, as a journalist you should really go do some research and fact checking. The extent of Journey's fraud was scandalous. Out of an entire show, Augeri's mic was only turned on for LTS and to say things like "Good evening Cincinnati!" As Herbie said, it really could've been the end of the band.

where did herbie talk about tapegate? i must have missed that article.

[The_Noble_Cause]

"Yeah it did and I thought that was a healthy thing, that that came to light. Because, you know I think they dodged a real bullet there. They could have easily been reduced to Milli Vanilli quickly. What's unfortunate about that is Neal Schon's the real deal."

http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/h ... rbert.html

[MCC620]

"Yeah it did and I thought that was a healthy thing, that that came to light. Because, you know I think they dodged a real bullet there. They could have easily been reduced to Milli Vanilli quickly. What's unfortunate about that is Neal Schon's the real deal."

http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/h ... rbert.html

The extent of Journey's fraud was scandalous. Out of an entire show, Augeri's mic was only turned on for LTS and to say things like "Good evening Cincinnati!" As Herbie said, it really could've been the end of the band.

i see, you finished your own commentary, based on what was posted on this forum (the part in red), with Herbie's statement from the article as if he had said it all of it....

[The_Noble_Cause]

i see, you finished your own commentary, based on what was posted on this forum (the part in red), with Herbie's statement from the article as if he had said it all of it....

Punctuation and grammar is obviously not your strong suit. "As Herbie said" is the signal phrase. This 1) identifies a source and 2) sets-up a quote/paraphrase to follow. The preceding comments in red weren't attributed to Herbie or anyone AT ALL. My commentary didn't start with "As Herbie said" or "Herbie believes" so I really have no idea why you would even suggest that. Unless you're trying to stir up some shit. Given you're record of being a staunch Tapegate denier, even in the face of all logical evidence, I certainly wouldn't put it past you.

[MCC620]

i see, you finished your own commentary, based on what was posted on this forum (the part in red), with Herbie's statement from the article as if he had said it all of it....

Punctuation and grammar is obviously not your strong suit. "As Herbie said" is the signal phrase. This 1) identifies a source and 2) sets-up a quote/paraphrase to follow. The preceding comments in red weren't attributed to Herbie or anyone AT ALL. My commentary didn't start with "As Herbie said" or "Herbie believes" so I really have no idea why you would even suggest that. Unless you're trying to stir up some shit. Given you're record of being a staunch Tapegate denier, even in the face of all logical evidence, I certainly wouldn't put it past you.

oh it's my strong suit. i was just clarifying for those that may visit here who are not as strong at punctuation. oh and it's your not you're.

[The_Noble_Cause]

oh it's my strong suit.

No, it's def not. I never indicated that Herbie said anything but the single paraphrased quote I attributed to him. So either you're illiterate or a liar. Maybe both. Now that you mention it tho, Herbie would agree with my post 110%.

i was just clarifying for those that may visit here who are not as strong at punctuation.

You're right. Let's clarify a few things for our dear forum readers. Could you please clarify to forum newcomers how you spent the GDP of a small island nation on attending Augeri shows in 2005 and never once figured out that you were being conned? Despite it being the same identical vocal nightly and Augeri hiding his mouth with a mic cap fuzzier than Chaka Khan's pussy? If you had actually read the MR Herbie Interview, you'd find that Herbie only confirmed what Deano, Svente, and countless others said. Furthermore, in case your tiny squirrel turd brain hasn't pieced it all together yet, the only reason Andrew allowed the Tape rumors to flourish on his reputable website is because it was true and as a fan, he was pissed. So drop it already.

oh and it's your not you're.

I used the word "your" three times in the last post. So I messed up once. Big deal. At least I'm not wrong all the time. Go look in the mirror and apologize for being a shitty human being. If it was left up to fans like you, the band would still be doing their best Ashley Simpson impersonation at venues across the globe.