Journey Talks Tour, Album Plans & Steve Perry Reunion Rumors

[tater1977]

Journey Talks Tour, Album Plans & Steve Perry Reunion Rumors

http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/ ... ion-rumors

By Gary Graff, Detroit
May 15, 2014



Journey will be playing a lot of shows this year and has plans to make a lot of music -- most definitely with current frontman Arnel Pineda, according to guitarist Neal Schon.

Though rumors about a reunion with Steve Perry circulated earlier this year after Perry made some positive remarks to reporters at a music industry event, Schon was quick to set the record straight during a conference call to advance Journey's upcoming summer tour with the Steve Miller Band and Tower of Power.


"I think when Steve mentioned that, when somebody put him on the spot and asked him, we had been (communicating) with email, just saying, 'Hello, I hope you're well,' all that," Schon told Billboard. "But there was never anything about playing live. He opened the door and shut the door. It wasn't anybody but him that created all that media for a second, and so we do want to reassure the fans that no, Arnel has not gone anywhere. He's still right here with us."

Schon and Pineda have, in fact, recorded a new version of the Police's "Synchronicity II" for an upcoming album of Police and Sting covers to raise awareness of and money to combat the global child slavery issue. Schon says Stevie Wonder, Justin Timberlake, Slash, Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Fergie are also contributing tracks, and a concert has been broached for September in the U.K.

"All these different versions of their songs will be on the album and hopefully a live show that will probably be filmed for the benefit," Schon says. "Arnel sounds amazing (on 'Synchronicity II')...and it sounds like it was jsut jamming. We absolutely messed with the arrangement a bit in the middle, so I had some space to play and I had some fun with it. This is for a very good cause, and all I can tell you is a lot of people are involved in it. All kinds of artists are on this record." More details about the project are expected to be announced soon.

Meanwhile, some full-scale Journey recording is also on the docket after the summer tour, which starts May 14 in Chula Vista, Calif., wraps up Aug. 1 in Las Vegas, hopefully yielding the group's first studio album since 2011's "Eclipse."

"We've been talking since we've been in rehearsal and we are gonna commence, we're gonna get back together, I believe, after this tour is over, and we're gonna finish up some new records," said Schon, who releases a new solo album, "So U," this month and is also part of a Santana reunion that will yield a new release and a tour in 2015. "I don't know exactly what it'll be at this time. I know that we are talking about, of re-doing some songs -- not stuff that we did with Steve Perry but other stuff that we had done before in the past that just never kinda saw the light and redoing it, rearranging it, maybe adding some new sections to it, and writing some new stuff, too. So we've got a lot of stuff sitting started playing some stuff in rehearsal and it really sounded great. When you start doing that and you get the juices flowing, there's always gonna be new songs to come out of nowhere, and usually those are the best ones."

Bandmate Jonathan Cain added that some of that older material may become "Rival," an album Journey recorded in 2000 but ultimately scrapped.

"We were gonna go back and look at some of that music and add it 'cause we just felt that it never got recorded right and we had another singer at the time and don't think they got it right," says Cain, who hopes Journey will record at the new studio he's constructed in Nashville. "When you listen to it now, it's frustrating to hear good songs that aren't quite making it right. So we're thinking of going and possibly revisiting that album and adding some new tunes to that."

Schon, who previously toured with Miller as part of Paul Rodgers' band during 1993, says he hopes the three groups will collaborate on stage during the coming tour. Miller, meanwhile, chimed in at the end of the call, telling Schon that, "I hope we get some time to jam and have some fun. I've got some great new songs I want to drop on you," to which Schon responded, "that's awesome. You're welcome to come up and jam with us, too. We'll just pull out a blues jam and you just come up and grab it, bro!" "Well, it's really gonna be fun," Miller added.

[Art Vandelay]

It was the media, not Perry, who spun his positive vibes comment into the false reunion rumor. I'm sure that Perry is just as tired as Schon, if not more so, about hearing the false reunion rumors. Tip to Schon...if you want the old hype to disappear, stop mentioning Perry's name in every interview that you do.

[Monker]

It was the media, not Perry, who spun his positive vibes comment into the false reunion rumor. I'm sure that Perry is just as tired as Schon, if not more so, about hearing the false reunion rumors. Tip to Schon...if you want the old hype to disappear, stop mentioning Perry's name in every interview that you do.

That's hypocritical of you. If the media is responsible for the questions they asked Perry and his response, then the media is also responsible for asking questions about Perry and writing Neal's responses. It's the EXACT SAME THING>

[Monker]

Rerecording Arrival as "Rival" absolutely sucks. It wasn't recorded right and doesn't sound right? When was this opinion formed by the band? Arrival, Red 13, etc, had their time...and the only one I felt sounded bad enough to rerecord was Generations.

I just think this is very, very stoopid...almost as dumb as rerecording the Perry songs. Is that what the plan is, a double CD set of old/new stuff in a desperate attempt to up the sales to claim another gold or platinum album, a "Hey, it worked once..." moment? Lame.

This is where the shark has been jumped in the Arnel era....it wreaks of desperation.

[brywool]

"Rival"? Give me a break. Not recorded well? Red 13 didn't sound good but Arrival certainly did.
Seriously- JOURNEY WRITE AND RECORD NEW MUSIC. Your diehard fans have bought the rest of the stuff and won't buy it again.

Those who didn't buy Arrival certainly won't now. If you want to give Arrival another chance, then include the original disc with the new disc, but don't re-record it. Ugh.

The way is forward not backward. If you're going to go backward, might be better just to take a break. Who the heck is advising them to re-record stuff?

[pf1965]

They are not talking of re-recording Arrival ! They are talking about songs that were recorded around the same time that were scrapped and never released.

[Art Vandelay]

It was the media, not Perry, who spun his positive vibes comment into the false reunion rumor. I'm sure that Perry is just as tired as Schon, if not more so, about hearing the false reunion rumors. Tip to Schon...if you want the old hype to disappear, stop mentioning Perry's name in every interview that you do.

That's hypocritical of you. If the media is responsible for the questions they asked Perry and his response, then the media is also responsible for asking questions about Perry and writing Neal's responses. It's the EXACT SAME THING>

Chill out. I was referring to Neal directing the blame on Perry about the rumors and saying that he opened and closed that door...whatever that means. Perry's previous quotes were taken way out of context and the media ran with it. I'm sure that most on this board would agree on that. I know that they both get asked questions about each other. The difference is that Perry quickly squashes the reunion rumors, while Neal goes on and on about them.

[slucero]

It was the media, not Perry, who spun his positive vibes comment into the false reunion rumor. I'm sure that Perry is just as tired as Schon, if not more so, about hearing the false reunion rumors. Tip to Schon...if you want the old hype to disappear, stop mentioning Perry's name in every interview that you do.

That's hypocritical of you. If the media is responsible for the questions they asked Perry and his response, then the media is also responsible for asking questions about Perry and writing Neal's responses. It's the EXACT SAME THING>

Chill out. I was referring to Neal directing the blame on Perry about the rumors and saying that he opened and closed that door...whatever that means. Perry's previous quotes were taken way out of context and the media ran with it. I'm sure that most on this board would agree on that. I know that they both get asked questions about each other. The difference is that Perry quickly squashes the reunion rumors, while Neal goes on and on about them.

as I recall.. when all this hoopla about a reunion was being bandied about, during the numerous times Neal was asked... he never said "no" either... he was just as ambiguous about a reunion as Perry was...

yet in this interview.. he lay the blame on Perry....

what a tool.

[The_Noble_Cause]

They are not talking of re-recording Arrival ! They are talking about songs that were recorded around the same time that were scrapped and never released.

Pretty sure they're talking about Arrival. What other tunes were being recorded in 2000? There was nobody else besides SA.

[Majestic]

They are not talking of re-recording Arrival ! They are talking about songs that were recorded around the same time that were scrapped and never released.

Pretty sure they're talking about Arrival. What other tunes were being recorded in 2000? There was nobody else besides SA.

Arrival was being recorded in 2000, but read a little closer:

"...some of that older material may become 'Rival,' an album Journey recorded in 2000 but ultimately scrapped....

...stuff that we had done before in the past that just never kinda saw the light and redoing it, rearranging it, maybe adding some new sections to it, and writing some new stuff, too. So we've got a lot of stuff sitting started playing some stuff in rehearsal and it really sounded great. When you start doing that and you get the juices flowing, there's always gonna be new songs to come out of nowhere, and usually those are the best ones."

Sounds to me like songs from Arrival era, but not Arrival songs.

[slucero]

Well if they're rehashing old songs.. then they aren't writing new ones...

Which is interesting considering how prolific Neal is saying his writing has been of late... not to mention the whole Eclipse record...

Something is amiss....

[Majestic]

Well if they're rehashing old songs.. then they aren't writing new ones...

Which is interesting considering how prolific Neal is saying his writing has been of late... not to mention the whole Eclipse record...

Something is amiss....

Why?

"When you start doing that [tinkering with songs] and you get the juices flowing, there's always gonna be new songs to come out of nowhere, and usually those are the best ones."

What is it that's amiss?

[The_Noble_Cause]

Arrival was being recorded in 2000, but read a little closer..

Why read closer when an interviewer has obviously not done his homework? No album was scrapped. Both Cain and Schon sound like they are talking about Arrival material. Songs like Never Too Late and Gone Crazy and Where Did I Lose Your Love were all demos before they were recorded for Revelation and Generations. Nobody in the band said they were redoing stuff. Why? Cuz it was never on an album. If something is being redone, it was already released. Count on it.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I am actually OK with this idea. If they add maybe 5 new tracks + 5 of the best cuts from Arrival, you would have a wicked Journey record. Of course, its a slap in the face to SA tho. Why can't they make Arrival II w/ Jack Blades???

[Majestic]

Arrival was being recorded in 2000, but read a little closer..

Why read closer when an interviewer has obviously not done his homework? No album was scrapped. Both Cain and Schon sound like they are talking about Arrival material. Songs like Never Too Late and Gone Crazy and Where Did I Lose Your Love were all demos before they were recorded for Revelation and Generations. Nobody in the band said they were redoing stuff. Why? Cuz it was never on an album. If something is being redone, it was already released. Count on it.

I see what you mean about journalists not doing their homework, but it seems that he has quoted Neal. Am I wrong?

[The_Noble_Cause]

Arrival was being recorded in 2000, but read a little closer..

Why read closer when an interviewer has obviously not done his homework? No album was scrapped. Both Cain and Schon sound like they are talking about Arrival material. Songs like Never Too Late and Gone Crazy and Where Did I Lose Your Love were all demos before they were recorded for Revelation and Generations. Nobody in the band said they were redoing stuff. Why? Cuz it was never on an album. If something is being redone, it was already released. Count on it.

I see what you mean about journalists not doing their homework, but it seems that he has quoted Neal. Am I wrong?

There are no direct quotations around the Revival comment or the mention that a 2000 album was scrapped. Seems to me that the reporter is paraphrasing and got it wrong.

[slucero]

Well if they're rehashing old songs.. then they aren't writing new ones...

Which is interesting considering how prolific Neal is saying his writing has been of late... not to mention the whole Eclipse record...

Something is amiss....

Why?

Neal effuses how easy it is for him to write for his solo stuff in his interviews, and then again in the quote you referenced (below)... yet Journey has such little output that most would consider "Journey"... good or bad, Eclipse was something else, and Jon was not fond of it, hence why he called it "Neals album".

"When you start doing that [tinkering with songs] and you get the juices flowing, there's always gonna be new songs to come out of nowhere, and usually those are the best ones."

What is it that's amiss?

That Neal effuses how easy it is for him to write (which is effing great) yet it seems has such had difficulty writing with Jon, at least a vein they can agree is "Journey"... hence the limited output. Signals that there may be a writing issue between the two. Wouldn't be out of the norm.. since they have been writing together for a long time. Things get stale.

[Majestic]

There are no direct quotations around the Revival comment or the mention that a 2000 album was scrapped. Seems to me that the reporter is paraphrasing and got it wrong.

Could be. I did think the "Arrival" / "Rival" thing a bit strange. But I also remember when I Arrival leaked, they managed to come up with World Gone Wild, and Nothing Comes Close to try and rock it out a little more, and those songs just came from a pile of tunes that didn't make the cut. Probably some of the ones that Shirley thought were too cheesy, as he said in an interview. (I don't remember his actual words, but cheesy is how I remember it.) That makes me think there could be many others just like them that were vetoed by Shirley that maybe Schon still believes in.

[Navarro]

Rerecording Arrival as "Rival" absolutely sucks. It wasn't recorded right and doesn't sound right? When was this opinion formed by the band? Arrival, Red 13, etc, had their time...and the only one I felt sounded bad enough to rerecord was Generations.

I just think this is very, very stoopid...almost as dumb as rerecording the Perry songs. Is that what the plan is, a double CD set of old/new stuff in a desperate attempt to up the sales to claim another gold or platinum album, a "Hey, it worked once..." moment? Lame.

This is where the shark has been jumped in the Arnel era....it wreaks of desperation.

Amen. This is annoying as hell. SA may not have been the best live singer but his studio stuff is good, especially Arrival. I picked Generations at a K Mart. The mix sucks, but there is some good stuff on Generations with SA. Not all, but some. What an insult to whatever legacy SA has left with Journey. This sort of bush league stuff is one of the reason Perry wants nothing to do with Journey. Move forward or disband, period.

[Eric]

Well, in 99-00 they brought 36 songs to the table, if I recall correctly.

But as we discussed in a prior thread when you consider Arrival (14) and its bonus tracks (2) and then Red13's (2) songs from Arrival sessions and "Where would I lose your Love" (1) and Jack Blades solo record (2) and Mickey Thomas solo (2) and Cain's Anthology (1) and "Good Time Tonight" (1) and I believe "Pride of the Family (1) the number that never saw the light of day has to be close to single digits.

Still...its a good start and Schon did say juices were flowing for new stuff, too.

I'm just relieved they are doing something new. Journey HAS to stay active.

[Eric]

Oh also...I think the recording of Arrival was subpar. No where near as good as TBF or Revelation. Higher Place was muddy...very muddy.

[Andrew]

They are not talking of re-recording Arrival ! They are talking about songs that were recorded around the same time that were scrapped and never released.

That's all of 2 songs and 1 of those made Red 13...

[Andrew]

I'll seek clarification...

[annie89509]

Rerecording Arrival as "Rival" absolutely sucks. It wasn't recorded right and doesn't sound right? When was this opinion formed by the band? Arrival, Red 13, etc, had their time...and the only one I felt sounded bad enough to rerecord was Generations.

I just think this is very, very stoopid...almost as dumb as rerecording the Perry songs. Is that what the plan is, a double CD set of old/new stuff in a desperate attempt to up the sales to claim another gold or platinum album, a "Hey, it worked once..." moment? Lame.

This is where the shark has been jumped in the Arnel era....it wreaks of desperation.

Amen. This is annoying as hell. SA may not have been the best live singer but his studio stuff is good, especially Arrival. I picked Generations at a K Mart. The mix sucks, but there is some good stuff on Generations with SA. Not all, but some. What an insult to whatever legacy SA has left with Journey. This sort of bush league stuff is one of the reason Perry wants nothing to do with Journey. Move forward or disband, period.

I got one of those Generations concert freebies cd...a lot of fans are down on the "musical chairs lead singer" thing...I thought SA sang great on that record...especially Beyond the Clouds...great ballad.