Narada Talks Journey

[The_Noble_Cause]

Narada Walden talks about his curiously short-lived time as Journey's drummer. A few excerpts below -

-On being approached for JTT and learning all the material for Journey official.......

Yeah, I liked the idea of playing the classic hits. I love some of their classic hits. Neal had asked at one point about me doing…he had kind of a Journey band [Journey Through Time] that does more of the jam side. I wasn’t interested in that. I may have said to him along the way, “You know, I’m a fan of Steve Smith and I like a lot of the things he’s played with you cats and I like your hits. So maybe at some point, if Journey ever tours, maybe I can help on that side.” Because I like the hits. Then, that happened. [Laughs] That happened, man. Where I actually started learning the material.

After COVID, we did some shows in Chicago. We went up there to rehearse and we did [a show] at the Aragon Ballroom. It was probably the most high [of the shows we played]. I’ll never forget my drum solo on that first night playing with Journey. I actually lost consciousness, I went that high. I don’t even remember what I played. I got out of the body. On the last night we were in Chicago, we did a massive show called Lollapalooza, for 125,000 people outdoors, during the tail end of COVID. It was still going on. But they didn’t care. They wanted the rock, so we brought it, man. We brought it hardcore.

The way it all unfolded, when I went to Chicago to rehearse with the band, it was so much music. Like, I learned the first 11 songs. And then, they gave me, maybe another 13 songs. Also, I must say, they wanted to play the live versions. Not the record versions, but the live versions. Everything that Steve [Smith] had done live. Which is a lot of drumming. To memorize all of that [was a lot]. In the fifth day of rehearsals, Neal said, “We want to do more than these songs you’ve learned. Playing the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, we want to be able to draw from the hat of older material.” Early Journey with Aynsley Dunbar. [Laughs] So he said, “I suggest we bring in Deen [Castronovo], who knows that music too. You can learn from him.” I said, “Great!”

-On his final show where he reportedly head a heart attack....

The last show was in Pennsylvania and then God said that was enough. But I did my share, to really help [them] coming out of COVID, bring a new life back to that band. They had a new double album. But I’m gonna tell you something, man. Journey music is no joke.

-On Neal's wife, Michaele, and her role in the band.....

I became really close with Neal’s wife as well, Michaele. She’s a spearhead in the band, really driving with Neal and just focused on Journey and how they can keep it going and have the ownership they deserve and get it to where they feel good about it, so they can go for another 25 years! They’re really driven, man. I’ve really got to take my hat off for the amount of love they’re really trying to preserve [with] Journey, as people. It’s like going back into time warp. People hear this music and they remember where they were when they heard that music. They get excited. The whole place gets excited. I mean, “Don’t Stop Believin’” is not just a song. It’s an anthem. People get chills. They get caught up in the fever, the religion, the spirituality of it. I gotta tell you, man. It’s like a religion. Journey’s like a religion. A good religion or spirituality. It’s a high that people look forward to when they hear the music.


More at the link below.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/narada- ... view-2023/

[Eric]

Terrific interview. Very interesting hearing things from his POV.

Lotta love and respect, which is nice to hear with all the negatives surrounding things.

[Rick]

Great post, TNC. I enjoyed his perspective.

[Aaron]

Thanks TNC.