MR

I remember Journey announcing their "new" drummer in this Rockline interview.
I know it was not Michael Baird.
Was it Omar Akim? Anyone remember or better yet have the interview?
Always wondered why they made this big announcement and then switched it.

scarab wrote:I remember Journey announcing their "new" drummer in this Rockline interview.
I know it was not Michael Baird.
Was it Omar Akim? Anyone remember or better yet have the interview?
Always wondered why they made this big announcement and then switched it.

Larry Londin?

nope, i remember it sounded like a middle eastern name,
listened to it a few times, but lost the cassette many years ago.
it was broadcast 07/07/1986.

scarab wrote:nope, i remember it sounded like a middle eastern name,
listened to it a few times, but lost the cassette many years ago.
it was broadcast 07/07/1986.

They announced their drummer as Omar Akim. Cyndy and I were there in the Rockline studio when they were doing that show. It was a trip watching that whole process. I'm old now so I can't remember why they didn't go with Omar Akim but I'm guessing some band members wanted him and others did not.

very cool, thank you. always wondered why they didn;t go with him.
was a great rockline interview.

scarab wrote:I remember Journey announcing their "new" drummer in this Rockline interview.
I know it was not Michael Baird.
Was it Omar Akim? Anyone remember or better yet have the interview?
Always wondered why they made this big announcement and then switched it.

I've got a cd recording of this show (back when I did a ton of Journey swapping--was a passion)... .. the host, at one point in the middle of the show, did indeed made an announcement that "Journey has hired Omar Akim as their drummer" to go on tour with. Of course, we know they settled on Mike Baird ...his mug was in all the ROR tour videos, promo pics, and the ROR late night documentary. I recall HH (in one of his interview rants) knocked the Band for going through audition after audition then took the "worst" drummer of the lot ... guess Herbie wasn't a fan of Mike Baird.

Several fans called in asking what happened with Ross and Smitty? SP seemed annoyed with those questions...lol. JC was the pragmatic one, not surprisingly.

Omar Akim or Hakim? I'm only asking 'cause I'm not sure if they are two different people. If it was Hakim...wow, what a great drummer, and a solid replacement for Smith. Played with a whole list of great artists back in the day (Madonna, Michael Jackson, Sting) and does a great track on the Buddy Rich tribute CD that also featured Steve Smith. I always liked Hakim's playing. They passed up on a great drummer with him (if it was Hakim)...but he benefitted by playing with the best of the best.

I also remember reading in Modern Drummer that Rod Morgenstein, another great 80's rock drummer (Winger), was considered. He said that he spent a lot of time learning DSB, note-for-note. He played it note for note in his audition, and they said something like "that was great, but play it in a new way for us". The audition was pretty much over at that point.

Hakim played on Schon's Late Nite release a few years after ROR.

I remember Neal making it sound like it was SP that didn't want Omar. Wish I could remember the source.
Great player. Certainly liked him better than Baired.

Couple of years ago I had a chat with one of the drummers who did audition for the ROR tour.
He told me that there was an argument between Perry,Schon and the hired drummer(Hakim),Hakim said something that ticked off Perry or Schon or both.
I don't know if that story is true but the guy sounded very serious when he told me.