A Surefire Way To Rebound From "Eclipse"

[Jeremey]

What do you guys think about this idea ...

With the commercial reception for Eclipse being less than spectacular, the band has a few options at this point to close this party down on a high note ... I'd hate to see the band limp along on another package tour for the next year or so, release a few singles, and then go on a "what happened to ..." -style vacation as the guys all go on to other interests.

I think they can come back with a pretty respectable hit if they go back to the well on a couple of ideas that have brought them success since Perry left the band.

Release another double CD.

One of new, original material ... written pretty much in the style of 1980s Journey style rock. Just take the formulas that worked so well for the greatest hits, plug about 4-5 of those songs in there and put 2-3 "b sides" in there that are more experimental (but still reined in, dammit. Nobody likes 6 minutes of guitar wankery from Journey).

Then partner with a current country crossover act with a chick singer like The Band Perry or Lady Antebellum and write a big crossover style ballad ... get it on a big platform like a big network tv show and then go out and do all the big media stuff. Maybe get on a few CMA type award shows or something.

For the double CD, re-record 8-10 of the greatest hits but make them new. Do some different arrangements or acoustic version of them ... or an even bolder idea, get guest vocalists to sing those hits. Find some new young up and coming names that the industry has gotten behind and let them sing these hits. If you do this right, you may even chart with a single or two.

Then go out on one final last tour. Open the vaults and do the 2 hour show with some guest performers ... wrapping up a 2 night residency in San Francisco with an onstage reunion with Steve Perry, Gregg Rolie, and Steve Smith.

Then that's it. Your big final hurrah...

I realize this isn't what a lot of the small, tiny core group of fans may want to see ... but I think this could be a great rebound from the road-weary familiarity of the endless summer shed/package tours and the "so what" reception of Eclipse.

I also know this would never happen! But just wanted to see what you guys thought of these ideas?

[Arkansas]

Many of us have tossed around these exact ideas over the years. And I've long thought that farming out a few Journey songs would be very successful. From Revelation, 'After All These Years' & 'Turn Down The World Tonight' would be great country duets.


later~

[FamilyMan]

Good ideas.
I think their crossover flirts with the likes of Rascal Flatts should continue... and maybe Jon can bring the whole band to Nashville to record an album. They should get someone like John Shanks to produce the record too... He breathed new life into Bon Jovi and I love his work with Keith Urban. They need some new voices in their ears! All this self-produced tooling away in Jon's house has made them grow stale creatively. There are so many good songwriters in Nashville too. Maybe Neal and Jon will find another Perry-esque writing partnership there.

[Yoda]

I love the idea, Jeremey. I think it would work. I would be first in line to purchase something like this.

[Jeremey]

Thanks guys ... yeah, these aren't revolutionary ideas by any means.

But they do require work. Stepping out of the band's comfort zone.

It's just a matter of whether they're motivated enough to make themselves uncomfortable ... or if they're happy to just do a few more tours and then crack out a few interviews every year about how they're still in touch and just waiting to see if they are going to tour again or write or what ...

They have the management (for now) that can make this happen for them. Azoff Management basically does whatever Journey (Neal) asks them to do. They haven't done much because the band hasn't asked much of them. And they've kept them on the management roster because they are a sure-fire money maker with little maintenance involved.

Who knows, maybe they'll surprise us all.

[Gideon]

Forget being their singer, you should have managed these clowns. Give Jon a call.

[Eric]

Still not sure why they didn't release the re-done versions of DSB, AWYI, WITS, Separate Ways and Open Arms they did in 2009 on the Revelation album....

[ebake02]

Great idea Jeremy, but I would go for a double album with new material in the way you stated but instead rearranging old tunes on the second CD I would go for a killer live album. There's only two live Journey albums out there and they're both recordings from the SP era that Columbia released without any real band involvement. A brand new live CD with Arnel, or who ever is behind the mic at that point, would be a good idea.

[Yoda]

Still not sure why they didn't release the re-done versions of DSB, AWYI, WITS, Separate Ways and Open Arms they did in 2009 on the Revelation album....

I could be wrong, but I don't believe their intentions with the re-records were to release them as singles. I think they basically re-recorded the GHs so that they could package them with Revelation to sweeten up the Walmart deal. Sony/Columbia own the rights to the back catalog, so I don't think Journey was able to use the originals for the package.

Not sure the purpose for releasing the re-records as singles? I could understand if they were all re-arranged, kind of like what Jeremey is talking about, but not simple re-records with another lead singer.

[Eric]

Still not sure why they didn't release the re-done versions of DSB, AWYI, WITS, Separate Ways and Open Arms they did in 2009 on the Revelation album....

I could be wrong, but I don't believe their intentions with the re-records were to release them as singles. I think they basically re-recorded the GHs so that they could package them with Revelation to sweeten up the Walmart deal. Sony/Columbia own the rights to the back catalog, so I don't think Journey was able to use the originals for the package.

Not sure the purpose for releasing the re-records as singles? I could understand if they were all re-arranged, kind of like what Jeremey is talking about, but not simple re-records with another lead singer.

What I mean is those songs they re-arranged in concert in 2009 should have been the versions on Revelations...then the re-records would have been more interesting. Didn't mean released as singles or anything.

[scarab]

What was sad is that Eclipse had some really great radio friendly songs, and City of Hope, which is not one of them, was forced down American audiences throat while actually rocking and catch songs like resonate, edge of the moment, someone, AIP, and even an edited shes a mystery might have caught on.

City of Hope sounds like it was written by David Foster, reminds me of Night Rangers Secret of my success, a terrible song on an otherwise pretty good album, and it killed that album as well.


Journey does not need to go slumming in the "country" market. Neals wants to rock. Then rock.

[AR]

Here is what I would do.

A CD with Jeremey, Augeri, Soto, Perry and Rolie singing songs.

One can dream.

[jestor92]

I think a bit of an extended vacation would probably be a good idea for the band.

I also think the best way to sell a good amount of albums from a new release would be for them to do something with their back catalog and release it as a 2nd cd.

The best way for them to move a new album would be to release an album that is you know actually good. They haven't done that as a whole since Arrival. Generations had some good songs on it, but had way to much filler. Revelation and Eclipse for the most part both sucked ass. I think they really missed the boat with Revelation because if they would've put out an album was was excellent start to finish and then they had the re-recorded tracks on the 2nd disc I feel Eclipse would've sold more then it did. The other thing that has hurt them is that they haven't and won't play any of their new music in a live setting. How the hell are they expecting to move a product if they're on tour and aren't even playing any of the songs?

[The_Noble_Cause]

I think they really missed the boat with Revelation because if they would've put out an album was was excellent start to finish and then they had the re-recorded tracks on the 2nd disc I feel Eclipse would've sold more then it did.

"Revelation" was a very safe album. But it wasn't horrible. And I don't think it's subjective quality has anything to do with Eclipse's failure. Rev only sold because of the dozen. That is just my opinion.

[Marzdog]

What do you guys think about this idea ...

With the commercial reception for Eclipse being less than spectacular, the band has a few options at this point to close this party down on a high note ... I'd hate to see the band limp along on another package tour for the next year or so, release a few singles, and then go on a "what happened to ..." -style vacation as the guys all go on to other interests.

I think they can come back with a pretty respectable hit if they go back to the well on a couple of ideas that have brought them success since Perry left the band.

Release another double CD.

One of new, original material ... written pretty much in the style of 1980s Journey style rock. Just take the formulas that worked so well for the greatest hits, plug about 4-5 of those songs in there and put 2-3 "b sides" in there that are more experimental (but still reined in, dammit. Nobody likes 6 minutes of guitar wankery from Journey).

Then partner with a current country crossover act with a chick singer like The Band Perry or Lady Antebellum and write a big crossover style ballad ... get it on a big platform like a big network tv show and then go out and do all the big media stuff. Maybe get on a few CMA type award shows or something.

For the double CD, re-record 8-10 of the greatest hits but make them new. Do some different arrangements or acoustic version of them ... or an even bolder idea, get guest vocalists to sing those hits. Find some new young up and coming names that the industry has gotten behind and let them sing these hits. If you do this right, you may even chart with a single or two.

Then go out on one final last tour. Open the vaults and do the 2 hour show with some guest performers ... wrapping up a 2 night residency in San Francisco with an onstage reunion with Steve Perry, Gregg Rolie, and Steve Smith.

Then that's it. Your big final hurrah...

I realize this isn't what a lot of the small, tiny core group of fans may want to see ... but I think this could be a great rebound from the road-weary familiarity of the endless summer shed/package tours and the "so what" reception of Eclipse.

I also know this would never happen! But just wanted to see what you guys thought of these ideas?

The problem with your idea, with all due respect, is that it isn't NEAL'S IDEA!

[WalrusOct9]

A surefire way to rebound from "Eclipse"...


...write some songs with actual hooks. Just sayin'.