Gregg Rolie Talks Santana, Journey and Ringo Starr’s All-Sta

[tater1977]

Gregg Rolie Talks Santana, Journey and Ringo Starr’s All-Starr Band

By Brian Ives / April 17, 2016

http://radio.com/2016/04/17/gregg-rolie ... ngo-starr/

Lots of musicians have passed through the ranks of Santana over the decades. Lots of artists have sung on the band’s most well known songs, but the band’s original vocalist is founding keyboardist Gregg Rolie. He’s the guy you hear on “Evil Ways” and “Black Magic Woman,” among other songs.

Rolie left the band in 1971, and along with ex-Santana guitarist Neal Schon, formed Journey. Rolie left that band in 1980; in recent years, he’s fronted his own solo band, and he also plays in Ringo Starr’s latest All-Starr Band.

But now, Rolie, Schon and founding Santana drummer Michael Shrieve and percussionist Michael Carabello have rejoined Santana; on Friday, they released their new album, Santana IV. Radio.com caught up with Rolie for a few minutes to talk to him about all of his current projects.

So, you’re a busy guy lately!

It’s amazing. My son brought this up to me. He said, “So, your choices are Santana, Journey and Ringo Starr?”

How has it been, being back in Santana?

Getting back with Santana has been so wonderful, it’s where my roots really are. When I sit down just to play, I end up playing this kind of stuff. Blues based music. It may go somewhere else, but it starts there.


You once told me that one of the reasons that you left in the first place is the direction that Carlos was going in after Santana III. Had that not happened, do you think you would have stayed?

There were other differences as well, and we took those differences seriously. We were very serious. Perhaps too serious. Or not serious enough. At any rate, going back to try to figure that out… here’s who I am now, and I like everybody here. We’ve grown, it’s almost like this is meant to be. I always get the same question about leaving Journey. People [back then] said, “You’re gonna miss that.” No, I didn’t. And I don’t. And it’s OK. Journey went on to do great things. I helped build something.

What was your reaction when you heard that Carlos and Neal were getting this lineup back together?

I was in, instantly, when we talked about this. And then when we sat down to do it, it was great. This album touches on everything that we do. But it’s a little different.

The last time I saw you perform, it was with Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band. How have you been enjoying that?

That was more of a chore for me, because I don’t [normally] play other people’s music. But those guys turned it into a band. [Guitarist Steve] Lukather [of Toto] had a lot to do with that. He said, “We should play this like a band: don’t just play everything that someone else played [on the record].” Ringo is a band guy. He’s the king of that court, by the way, no doubt about it. But he’s open. He’s a real good leader. He just wants to play. There aren’t that many Hammonds [organs] on Beatles songs. There’s a bunch now [when we play]. The guys are great, the band’s terrific. Everybody gets along so well, and looks forward to doing it. If you’re having fun playing it, people will enjoy listening to it. Santana’s like that now.

It seems like the current All-Starr Band [which also features Todd Rundgren and Mr. Mister’s Richard Page] has been together longer than any other All-Starr Band.

This will be the fourth year. I’m honored by that, by the way.

When you play with Ringo, the only songs that you sing are Santana songs; I’d think Journey’s “Just the Same Way” or “Feeling That Way/Anytime” would work well there.

It’d be cool, but Ringo goes for hit songs. Those Santana songs are big hits.

I saw a YouTube video of you joining Journey onstage: it seemed you enjoyed it and so did the crowd.

That was in austin. it was cool, it was great! It came off really well. One of the comments [on the YouTube video] was, “That guy can’t hit the notes.” I was like, “That’s the guy in the audience, I was doing fine! If he would be quiet for a second! But I was honored that he was singing along.”

[STORY_TELLER]

Thanks Tater. I would love to see him get involved in writing/recording with Journey for the next album with Smitty. Fingers crossed Neal can make that happen.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Thanks for posting. Diggin' the new Santana. Very old school vibe with long form jamming that you can get lost in.

[tj]

Thanks Tater. I would love to see him get involved in writing/recording with Journey for the next album with Smitty. Fingers crossed Neal can make that happen.

I don't see that happening as long as Jon's still in the band. From Neal's comments, Jon seems to be the one who is reluctant to really go out and try something different. I would love to see all of the old guys come back in from time to time and play, from Prairie Prince all the way through JSS, but don't see the egos ever letting that happen. I mean, look at this list:

Prairie Prince
Gregg Rolie
Neal Schon
Ross Valory
George Tickner
Aynsley Dunbar
Robert Fleischman
Steve Perry
Steve Smith
Jonathan Cain
Mike Baird
Randy Jackson
Steve Augeri
Deen Castronovo
Jeff Scott Soto
Arnel Pineda
(I am probably missing a couple of people who are also credited as having played on an album or live with the band at some point over the past 40 years. Please add them in for me).

There is a lot of talent and history in that group. Inside Journey and out. If you put together a list of the bands that these guys have played with or in over the years, it's a who's who of Rock. A combination of those guys, beyond the team touring today, would be awesome.

[steveo777]

Thanks Tater. I would love to see him get involved in writing/recording with Journey for the next album with Smitty. Fingers crossed Neal can make that happen.

I don't see that happening as long as Jon's still in the band. From Neal's comments, Jon seems to be the one who is reluctant to really go out and try something different. I would love to see all of the old guys come back in from time to time and play, from Prairie Prince all the way through JSS, but don't see the egos ever letting that happen. I mean, look at this list:

Prairie Prince
Gregg Rolie
Neal Schon
Ross Valory
George Tickner
Aynsley Dunbar
Robert Fleischman
Steve Perry
Steve Smith
Jonathan Cain
Mike Baird
Randy Jackson
Steve Augeri
Deen Castronovo
Jeff Scott Soto
Arnel Pineda
(I am probably missing a couple of people who are also credited as having played on an album or live with the band at some point over the past 40 years. Please add them in for me).

There is a lot of talent and history in that group. Inside Journey and out. If you put together a list of the bands that these guys have played with or in over the years, it's a who's who of Rock. A combination of those guys, beyond the team touring today, would be awesome.

Stevie Roseman

[Journey/Survivor]

Thanks Tater. I would love to see him get involved in writing/recording with Journey for the next album with Smitty. Fingers crossed Neal can make that happen.

I don't see that happening as long as Jon's still in the band. From Neal's comments, Jon seems to be the one who is reluctant to really go out and try something different. I would love to see all of the old guys come back in from time to time and play, from Prairie Prince all the way through JSS, but don't see the egos ever letting that happen. I mean, look at this list:

Prairie Prince
Gregg Rolie
Neal Schon
Ross Valory
George Tickner
Aynsley Dunbar
Robert Fleischman
Steve Perry
Steve Smith
Jonathan Cain
Mike Baird
Randy Jackson
Steve Augeri
Deen Castronovo
Jeff Scott Soto
Arnel Pineda
(I am probably missing a couple of people who are also credited as having played on an album or live with the band at some point over the past 40 years. Please add them in for me).

There is a lot of talent and history in that group. Inside Journey and out. If you put together a list of the bands that these guys have played with or in over the years, it's a who's who of Rock. A combination of those guys, beyond the team touring today, would be awesome.

Stevie Roseman

I have separately seen both Steve "Keys" Roseman and Tim Gorman listed as having been the keyboardist on "The Party's Over."
Larrie Londin played drums on the ROR album, in addition of course to Steve Smith. Bob Glaub played some bass on the ROR album. And there were a couple of other additional guest musicians on the ROR album.

[tj]

Was Tim Gorman credited with the keyboards on The Party's Over in the Time3 credits? I remember seeing it somewhere years ago, but can't place it.

[JourneyHard]

Imagine if Journey did a new CD with everybody who has ever been associated with Journey performing on at least one track. They would need 16 tracks. They could call the CD "Reunion."

[Journey/Survivor]

Was Tim Gorman credited with the keyboards on The Party's Over in the Time3 credits? I remember seeing it somewhere years ago, but can't place it.

Most of the listings that I have seen for who played keyboards on "The Party's Over" are for Stevie "Keys" Roseman. However, I know for a fact that at least one thing that I read once listed Tim Gorman as the keyboardist on TPO.
Gorman was the keyboardist with Ross Valory, Prairie Prince, and Kevin Chalfant in "The V.U."

OK, yes, I just checked, and you are right. It was the Time 3 booklet that says that it was Tim Gorman that was the keyboardist on TPO.

[Journey/Survivor]

Imagine if Journey did a new CD with everybody who has ever been associated with Journey performing on at least one track. They would need 16 tracks. They could call the CD "Reunion."

I'd also like to see Neal record at least one new song each with many of the drummers that he's worked with in the past. Some of those being....

Prairie Prince
Aynsley Dunbar
Steve Smith
Mike Baird
Omar Hakim
Deen Castronovo
Michael Shrieve
Greg Errico
Virgil Donati
Jan Hammer
Lenny White

[tj]

Imagine if Journey did a new CD with everybody who has ever been associated with Journey performing on at least one track. They would need 16 tracks. They could call the CD "Reunion."

That would be cool. Even if they re-did some of the originals. It made me think of all of the back and forth that Yes went through over the years with the different factions. Getting Steve Howe to play on Trevor Rabin's songs with them both on stage was quite a feat from what I have read.