Neal Talks New Journey Music...

[The_Noble_Cause]

Seems that the band is still kicking around the idea of Revelation II.

"I hope we do another Journey album, but it's tough to get new music out there. I love working and creating in the studio, so I’ll always be releasing new music. I enjoy it more and more - I have that creative mindset and I should take advantage of it and record as much as I can. We’ve talked about re-working some older Journey material that hasn’t been heard much. I also definitely want to do some solo gigs when my new album comes out."

Instead of re-working great unheard Augeri-era tunes, why doesn't the band re-connect with Jack Blades and write NEW material of that same quality? It's time for Arrival II, not more shitty covers.

http://www.fractalaudio.com/neal-schon.php

[Monker]

That sounds pretty much like he did around the time of Generations....

[Archetype]

I'd like to hear come of the Arrival material reworked. It's by far my favorite Journey album

[SF-Dano]

http://somethingelsereviews.com/2014/03 ... nnections/
‘We’re all playing at a different level’: Neal Schon at work on three albums with Journey connections
March 2, 2014 by Something Else

The prospects of another Journey album remain unclear, but that doesn’t mean guitarist Neal Schon is sitting idly by. In fact, he’s working on three projects, all of them with Journey connections.

The first is the long-awaited Santana 4, which will also feature Gregg Rolie. Schon and Rolie originally split from Santana to found Journey in the early 1970s. Now, they have returned to fold, collaborating with Carlos Santana for the first time since Schon joined the band as a teen-aged wunderkind. “It’s fun to get back with Santana,” Schon tells Fractal Audio Systems. “It’s full circle for me.”

Schon has already completed another instrumental album with Steve Smith, as well. Smith, drummer in Journey from 1978–85 and then from 1995–1998, was part of Schon’s 2012 solo effort The Calling. This new album will also include keyboards from Jan Hammer, who Schon worked with in the 1980s. “It’s going to be a double CD,” Schon says of this collaboration with Smith and Hammer.

“It’s truly epic and stretched-out. Instead of having a bunch of songs, there are complete suites of music. It’s very organic, like a live record. It’s jammin’ — the thing is on the ceiling, man. I think we’re all playing at a different level. I’m excited for that one to come out.”

Finally, Frontiers records will be releasing So U, which finds current Journey drummer Deen Castronovo joining Schon and bassist Marco Mendoza for a trio recording.

Double CD????

[SoonerThunder]

Double CD????

Can't ever get enough Steve Smith, man!

[Gideon]

I hope Journey summons the energy and excitement to produce another album. Do an acoustic set of the DD if need be and market it as a double-CD. Throw a DVD of a small, intimate show with the acoustic arrangement if need be. But I'd like to hear 11-13 new, original tunes before they call it a day.

[brywool]

NEW MUSIC. I already bought the old stuff.
COME ON JOURNEY jees....

[Final Frontiers]

I'd like to hear come of the Arrival material reworked. It's by far my favorite Journey album?

Maybe he's talking about stuff from the first three Journey albums and Arrival on. Things that don't have anything to do with Steve Perry- except for the "fact" that Neal's been "in talks" with Steve maybe that means he'll sing "After All These Years" or "Higher Place" or re-record "She Makes Me Feel Alright". Who knows.

[The_Noble_Cause]

That sounds pretty much like he did around the time of Generations....

Agreed. And contrary to what Neal said, right now it's much easier for bands to get their music out there....
Cain just has a stick in his ass and thinks they should be selling Escape-type numbers. Keep dreaming dude.

[FamilyMan]

http://somethingelsereviews.com/2014/03/02/were-all-playing-at-a-different-level-neal-schon-at-work-on-three-albums-with-journey-connections/
‘We’re all playing at a different level’: Neal Schon at work on three albums with Journey connections
March 2, 2014 by Something Else

The prospects of another Journey album remain unclear, but that doesn’t mean guitarist Neal Schon is sitting idly by. In fact, he’s working on three projects, all of them with Journey connections.

The first is the long-awaited Santana 4, which will also feature Gregg Rolie. Schon and Rolie originally split from Santana to found Journey in the early 1970s. Now, they have returned to fold, collaborating with Carlos Santana for the first time since Schon joined the band as a teen-aged wunderkind. “It’s fun to get back with Santana,” Schon tells Fractal Audio Systems. “It’s full circle for me.”

Schon has already completed another instrumental album with Steve Smith, as well. Smith, drummer in Journey from 1978–85 and then from 1995–1998, was part of Schon’s 2012 solo effort The Calling. This new album will also include keyboards from Jan Hammer, who Schon worked with in the 1980s. “It’s going to be a double CD,” Schon says of this collaboration with Smith and Hammer.

“It’s truly epic and stretched-out. Instead of having a bunch of songs, there are complete suites of music. It’s very organic, like a live record. It’s jammin’ — the thing is on the ceiling, man. I think we’re all playing at a different level. I’m excited for that one to come out.”

Finally, Frontiers records will be releasing So U, which finds current Journey drummer Deen Castronovo joining Schon and bassist Marco Mendoza for a trio recording.

Double CD????

Sounds like Neal is already desperate to get out of the house...

[Majestic]

I don't like Jan Hammer working with Schon. I'm not suggesting Hammer isn't a talent, I just don't think the combination of the two works very well. Schon and Hammer don't write good songs together or bring out the best playing in each other. They had a couple OK songs, and I do like to hear Schon sing, but the songs are just weak. I also thought that Hammer's contribution to the Calling weakened the songs he contributed to. Oh well, if they do a double CD they might manage an EP worth of keepers.

[Eric]

That sounds pretty much like he did around the time of Generations....

Agreed. And contrary to what Neal said, right now it's much easier for bands to get their music out there....
Cain just has a stick in his ass and thinks they should be selling Escape-type numbers. Keep dreaming dude.

Yup. I'd replace him if he's holding up creativity at this point. He should step aside if he doesn't want to work.

[FamilyMan]

That sounds pretty much like he did around the time of Generations....

Agreed. And contrary to what Neal said, right now it's much easier for bands to get their music out there....
Cain just has a stick in his ass and thinks they should be selling Escape-type numbers. Keep dreaming dude.

Yup. I'd replace him if he's holding up creativity at this point. He should step aside if he doesn't want to work.

Guys -- I think Cain's just being realistic. He let Neal do the deep dive on Eclipse and make his "heavy" concept album. It fell flat. Jon's whole thing is about the "legacy sound" of the band which he believes will keep them on the road and selling tickets. Can't argue with him there. If the solo projects give Neal his hard-rock fix, then all power to him.

[Majestic]

Guys -- I think Cain's just being realistic. He let Neal do the deep dive on Eclipse and make his "heavy" concept album. It fell flat. Jon's whole thing is about the "legacy sound" of the band which he believes will keep them on the road and selling tickets. Can't argue with him there. If the solo projects give Neal his hard-rock fix, then all power to him.

I don't think Cain is realistic at all. Just because Eclipse didn't sell doesn't mean that Revelation II would have. This is not the 80s anymore, and the music market has changed to favor bands without Journey's sound, neither legacy nor Eclipse. If Journey gets lucky they could score a hit via movie soundtrack or something like that, but it would be a fluke. I wish Cain would be realistic and just record music because that's what he does and that's what he loves. If he keeps crying about it not selling, then he is sort of proving the "corporate rock" label that he hates. Isn't that what corporate rock is all about, money?

[The_Noble_Cause]

Guys -- I think Cain's just being realistic. He let Neal do the deep dive on Eclipse and make his "heavy" concept album.

Except that Cain wrote 100% of the lyrics and, by his own admission, came up with the concept of the concept album (after being inspired by New Age PBS hack extraordinaire Wayne Dyer). In recent interviews, he does seem to disown the album tho.

It fell flat.

Did it? Compared to Arrival and Red 13 and Generations, its seems like it made a bigger retail debut. With the Augeri era, they couldn't even get arrested.

Jon's whole thing is about the "legacy sound" of the band which he believes will keep them on the road and selling tickets.

Arrival was closely patterned after Trial by Fire by the Sony suits and guess what? It still bombed. Generations was a slipshod mess and really not true to the legacy sound. So Cain is just a frowning grundlepuss in my opinion, all this legacy talk is just cheap nonsense.

[slucero]

its extremely difficult for any artist these days to build anything resembling 70's, 80's longevity... even modern pop artists new releases are gone in a month.. look at Lady GagMe's latest release.. or Jay-Z... who only sold because he got Samsung to foot the bill for 1m copies of Magna Carta Holy Grail to be given away 72 hours before it officially went on sale.


The sad truth is that music styles cycle.. and we are in the part of the cycle where "one hit wonders" are the current standard.