This only goes to show again the fact that its not always bad if record company is trying to guide their bands.
I think there is a difference between how labels 'guide' their bands today compared to the 70's. It seems to me they no longer allow bands to grow and find their niche in the market. I doubt Journey would have been signed today, let alone not have a gold album after their third release. Back then, it seems labels more often looked at some bands as a long term investment...if they had the talent.
If Journey hadn´t done the changes CBS suggested I´m sure they wouldn`t have sold millions of records and probably wouldnt exist anymore.
I think that's hard to say. It seems I read an interview with Neal, or one of the others, that said Journey was one of the first to play to the Progressive rock crowd...then after they stopped, that audience moved on to Yes and Genesis and those bands became popular. I don't think that's quite true (I believe Yes started in the late 60's...) but it's a bit presumptious to say Journey could not have become popular with that sound.