MR

Reported by Andrew himself

https://twitter.com/MelodicRock/status/ ... 0634251264


I know it's vital information. So stay tuned for the announcement of who will occupy the drummer's stool for Journey for the next 2 years.

Link isn't working

Judging by Andrew's Twitter feed, it sounds like Smitty is def. back!

"I know it's vital information. So stay tuned for the announcement of who will occupy the drummer's stool for Journey for the next 2 years."

BOOOOM!

80% of the classic lineup. Tribute band? I think not.

Now if they can just get Cain's interest back.

This is AWESOME news

I hate that Deen is no longer in the band. But Steve Smith is IMO the greatest all around drummer of all time.
Hopefully this will increase Jonathan's interest in Journey as well. If it doesn't, then it will be time to ask Rolie to come back.

Now next question...

Since Arnel says he's no longer under contract with Journey, but they have a gentlemen's agreement
for 2 more years...
think it was for 60 shows or 60 shows/yr .. not sure...
why no contract ?

tater1977 wrote:why no contract ?

Likely because of no commitment from Cain and they don't know how many shows they will do or when/if a new album would ever get done...not to mention all of the questions with Deen and who would replace him. Too many questions and they just decided to pay him "per gig" and allow him some flexibility to do his own thing if he wants. It might change with Smith back but I'm sure it had nothing at all to do with hoping Perry would walk back in.

I should add that I'd be thrilled for Gregg Rolie to go back to Journey with or without Cain.

If Cain lacks interest, I would love Rolie back. Smith is a no brainer, but it's a pity he doesn't sing. I don't know if Rolie and Pineda would work in terms of new material and writing though. Pineda is stronger at the pop oriented style of Cain, which is also what he seems more passionate about singing as well. I think Rolie's writing would be much less in his wheel house. Does anyone think Rolie can cover Cain's stuff though? Not saying he can't but Cain seems to be a much better pianist.

Well if Rolie came back, at least you might have someone on keyboards that looks like they actually want to be there.

Would love to see Rolie come back to the fold, even though the Cain/Perry/Schon era is by far my most favorite era of Journey. However, I loved what Rolie brought to the table, and loved his work with Chalfant with the Storm. Gregg and Arnel would be an interesting partnership.

Now, it's time for Journey's new DOUBLE CD "Diversity"

CD One would feature ballads and would make Jon happy.
CD Two would feature rockers and make Neal happy.
We would get the best of both worlds, and everybody should be happy.

JourneyHard wrote:Now, it's time for Journey's new DOUBLE CD "Diversity"

CD One would feature ballads and would make Jon happy.
CD Two would feature rockers and make Neal happy.
We would get the best of both worlds, and everybody should be happy.

Jon would still not be happy/interested in doing it, because it would not sell. (Except to diehards like us).

According to Neal's fb "A Master is Coming to the Fold".... Gotta be Smitty.

I saw Neal posted on FB that they are doing a co-headlining tour with Santana in 2016, as well as the Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason.

jrny84 wrote:I saw Neal posted on FB that they are doing a co-headlining tour with Santana in 2016, as well as the Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason.

4 acts?

Eric wrote:

jrny84 wrote:I saw Neal posted on FB that they are doing a co-headlining tour with Santana in 2016, as well as the Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason.

4 acts?

I imagine with Santana for a bulk of shows and the Doobies for some others. I don't know for sure though.

Eric wrote:

jrny84 wrote:I saw Neal posted on FB that they are doing a co-headlining tour with Santana in 2016, as well as the Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason.

4 acts?

No. The first part of the tour is going to be Journey and Santana co-headlining and it sounds like the second part is Journey with the Doobies and Dave Mason. Haven't heard anything more beyond that yet.

Here's Neal's reply post:
Journey: It starts soon Journey and Santana then Us and Doobies and Dave Mason
5 · November 20 at 9:06pm

Maybe I have some "false memory" but didn't Steve Smith say once that he would come back to Journey if Steve Perry came back? Wouldn't that duo coming back light up this Board!!! Oh well, I"ll keep dreaming on...and on...and on..and on...

Gina3008 wrote:Maybe I have some "false memory" but didn't Steve Smith say once that he would come back to Journey if Steve Perry came back? Wouldn't that duo coming back light up this Board!!! Oh well, I"ll keep dreaming on...and on...and on..and on...

Well, time moves on and people change their minds. That was 17 years ago. Besides, it is probably more likely that he wasn't interested being part of the rebuilding process of the band. They don't play little theaters like they did in the early Augeri years. They are far more successful now.

Easy now, they clearly played small little theaters when they first started with Augeri. I was at the first show in Louisville, saw them in indy at the Murat, and also saw them in Ft. Wayne when they were getting rolling on the "Under The Radar Tour". I also saw them at Deer Creek several times and Conceco field house with Styx and REO. All of which were with Augeri. They played big arenas with Augeri, just like they do now. Augeri built them to the arenas, Pineda has maintained it. Let's give credit where credit is due sir.

ScarabFan wrote:

Gina3008 wrote:Maybe I have some "false memory" but didn't Steve Smith say once that he would come back to Journey if Steve Perry came back? Wouldn't that duo coming back light up this Board!!! Oh well, I"ll keep dreaming on...and on...and on..and on...

Well, time moves on and people change their minds. That was 17 years ago. Besides, it is probably more likely that he wasn't interested being part of the rebuilding process of the band. They don't play little theaters like they did in the early Augeri years. They are far more successful now.

Aaron wrote:Easy now, they clearly played small little theaters when they first started with Augeri. I was at the first show in Louisville, saw them in indy at the Murat, and also saw them in Ft. Wayne when they were getting rolling on the "Under The Radar Tour". I also saw them at Deer Creek several times and Conceco field house with Styx and REO. All of which were with Augeri. They played big arenas with Augeri, just like they do now. Augeri built them to the arenas, Pineda has maintained it. Let's give credit where credit is due sir.

ScarabFan wrote:

Gina3008 wrote:Maybe I have some "false memory" but didn't Steve Smith say once that he would come back to Journey if Steve Perry came back? Wouldn't that duo coming back light up this Board!!! Oh well, I"ll keep dreaming on...and on...and on..and on...

Well, time moves on and people change their minds. That was 17 years ago. Besides, it is probably more likely that he wasn't interested being part of the rebuilding process of the band. They don't play little theaters like they did in the early Augeri years. They are far more successful now.

You're absolutely right. In the beginning, things were small though and people needed to remember who Journey was. Augeri definitely helped rebuild the brand. I am not arguing against that. I am saying they weren't playing the big places when Smith had an opportunity to continue with the band after TBF.

[/quote]You're absolutely right. In the beginning, things were small though and people needed to remember who Journey was. Augeri definitely helped rebuild the brand. I am not arguing against that. I am saying they weren't playing the big places when Smith had an opportunity to continue with the band after TBF.[/quote]

Here's a quote from an article in The Reading Eagle from May, 2015:
When Smith and the band parted ways in 1986, he returned to playing jazz. He rejoined for a brief reunion in the mid-1990s, but that fell apart when an injury to Perry prevented the band from touring and a new singer was hired to replace him. Smith wasn't interested anymore.
Over the years, lucrative offers still come for him to rejoin Journey, which still tours with yet another lead singer substituting for Perry, but he has turned them down.
"One way of looking at it is that you'll play the same 15 or 20 songs for the rest of your life," he said. "Of course you can make a lot of money, but all I can say is I can make enough money playing jazz to pay my bills. It is possible to make a living playing jazz."

That was just 5 months ago. Part of me is happy about his returning, but part of me thinks really???

Before I get slammed for this...I get it. He's stepping in to keep music that he helped create alive and well. Being a fan of his post-Journey work more than what he did with Journey, there's a slight bit of a sour taste in this for me. C'est la vie.

Art Vandelay wrote:

You're absolutely right. In the beginning, things were small though and people needed to remember who Journey was. Augeri definitely helped rebuild the brand. I am not arguing against that. I am saying they weren't playing the big places when Smith had an opportunity to continue with the band after TBF.[/quote]

Here's a quote from an article in The Reading Eagle from May, 2015:
When Smith and the band parted ways in 1986, he returned to playing jazz. He rejoined for a brief reunion in the mid-1990s, but that fell apart when an injury to Perry prevented the band from touring and a new singer was hired to replace him. Smith wasn't interested anymore.
Over the years, lucrative offers still come for him to rejoin Journey, which still tours with yet another lead singer substituting for Perry, but he has turned them down.
"One way of looking at it is that you'll play the same 15 or 20 songs for the rest of your life," he said. "Of course you can make a lot of money, but all I can say is I can make enough money playing jazz to pay my bills. It is possible to make a living playing jazz."

That was just 5 months ago. Part of me is happy about his returning, but part of me thinks really???

Before I get slammed for this...I get it. He's stepping in to keep music that he helped create alive and well. Being a fan of his post-Journey work more than what he did with Journey, there's a slight bit of a sour taste in this for me. C'est la vie. [/quote]

Wow. That is a very interesting quote. I hadn't seen that one. I wonder what changed for him then. Maybe Neal is a good talker!

I am very happy that Mr Steve Smith is going to join the band this upcoming year! Perhaps it just feels right and everyone is in a good place in their lives and each one is realizing that beyond the arguments and bickering and all else including "everything but the kitchen sink" mentality; there was a strong stream of love and brotherhood which brought and held them all together for those years. Some times you can get too caught up in the place you are standing to realize where you have come, what you have accomplished and what awaits you each day. Life is about change. Good or bad. It is all about the ....well, good grief...

Gina3008 wrote:Maybe I have some "false memory" but didn't Steve Smith say once that he would come back to Journey if Steve Perry came back? Wouldn't that duo coming back light up this Board!!! Oh well, I"ll keep dreaming on...and on...and on..and on...

I read people writing this a lot, and I don't recall him ever saying that. What I recall is he didn't want to go through the process of RE-BUILDING Journey sans Perry. I'm not even sure that reunion tour was more than he was planning with Journey even had Perry stayed on.

Eric wrote:

Gina3008 wrote:Maybe I have some "false memory" but didn't Steve Smith say once that he would come back to Journey if Steve Perry came back? Wouldn't that duo coming back light up this Board!!! Oh well, I"ll keep dreaming on...and on...and on..and on...

I read people writing this a lot, and I don't recall him ever saying that. What I recall is he didn't want to go through the process of RE-BUILDING Journey sans Perry. I'm not even sure that reunion tour was more than he was planning with Journey even had Perry stayed on.

Yeah, as far as I remember the reunion tour was going to be a one-and-done thing for him. Who's to say what would have happened if the tour did happen, though? Would they have enough in them to do ANOTHER record with Perry? We'll never know.

Regardless of my personal feelings about Smith returning...it will definitely make for a special time for the hardcore Journey fans.

They did this because of me - I'm convinced. I stated last year I was going to see Journey one more time to see Neal - and I did. Now I have to go see them one more time for Smith. And I will. It's all a ploy to take my money to hear the same songs again.