So Tell Me How You Really Feel About IT!

[The_Noble_Cause]

But they DID, he WAS and he brought Journey all their success. Not my words, Neals. Without him, they are back to what they were, or less without Rolie.

Umm, nobody was debating that.
They were discussing the infallabilty of Herbie's calls.
What the hell is wrong with you?

[The_Noble_Cause]

Their latest c.d. is a perfect example of this. Oh wait! The guys are just having fun. Right.

Elaborate, asshole.
And, NO, saying "Augeri sounds flat" or "Too much guitar" does not pass for elaboration. Those are just bold faced lies.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Without control, you have chaos, which is the problem with Journey at this time.

Yeah, because blowing thousands to record an album, then trashing it, firing two members, replacing them, and then blowing even more money to record entirely new tracks really sounds like the epitome of control.

You dumb, deaf, blind, bastard.

[Greg]

... but I think Herbie should have allowed the players of the band to feel like they were a part of the decision making.

If they had done this, Perry wouldn't have been in the band in the first place.

On the open invitation to Perry, I believe this is nothing more than PR, an attempt to make it known that it's himself who has kept Perry out of the band.

I'm not saying to give the band total control. However, if Perry was never in the band, I'm sure in due time, Perry woud have been in another band making great music.

Even if it is PR and even if what you say is true that it was merely Perry keeping himself out of the band, then it proves what I was saying. Journey won't close the door completely on Steve Perry. If Perry decided to come back, the band would have him back in a heartbeat - guaranteed!

[Rockindeano]

Journey won't close the door completely on Steve Perry.

Not officially anyway...

If Perry decided to come back, the band would have him back in a heartbeat - guaranteed!

I'll take that bet. Dude sounds God-awful....No way. If Neal and Jon Cain said "yes" they would lose me for sure.

[ohsherrie]

Even though I'd rather have Steve do something solo than have him back with the band, I think the band would gain more than they'd lose if he did. They're doing some good music now, but there's more of the public, and the industry(including radio)that would accept them as Journey if they had Steve. JMO

[NoMoreTails]

I'm not saying to give the band total control. However, if Perry was never in the band, I'm sure in due time, Perry woud have been in another band making great music.

I would agree with you here except for the fact that Perry had given up on music after the death of his pre-Journey band's bass player. Herbie called him up from the turkey farm he was working on so the story goes.
I don't doubt that Journey could have continued to make great music, commercial success is possibly a different story. I don't doubt they made have made some great music with a different singer too, maybe successful to a lesser extent.

Even if it is PR and even if what you say is true that it was merely Perry keeping himself out of the band, then it proves what I was saying. Journey won't close the door completely on Steve Perry. If Perry decided to come back, the band would have him back in a heartbeat - guaranteed!

I'm not sure, I think they may pack it up before taking him back, maybe not, I definitely don't think it would be in a heartbeat though.

[Rockindeano]

Even though I'd rather have Steve do something solo than have him back with the band, I think the band would gain more than they'd lose if he did. They're doing some good music now, but there's more of the public, and the industry(including radio)that would accept them as Journey if they had Steve. JMO

Your mind may change by Tuesaday. I would be shocked if you absolutely do not fall over from the CD's I sent you.

[NoMoreTails]

Even if it is PR and even if what you say is true that it was merely Perry keeping himself out of the band, then it proves what I was saying.

I don't think it proves that at all. I think it was Perry's decision to make. I think the saying Perry can return thing is due to the perception of some that it was Neal's fault he was out.
Neal has also said at times that Perry could join them for a song at a show or some shows, maybe implying that you wasn't invited to actually re-join the band.

[Greg]

My point here, since you didn't get it--no surprise--was just to point out that this was one of the decisions Herbie made and forced the band to accept, not that it was the wrong decision. NIG and I were not necessarily disagreeing wth Greggie, merely stating that one of the decisions Herbie rammed down their throats was hiring Perry in the first place. Merely trying to point out that most of Herbie's decisions were good for the band.
On the other hand most of Perry's were bad. And when the band didn't listen to Herbie, that's where they really screwed up, giving Perry too much control.

I agree that most of what Herbie decided for the band turned out to be good for the band. Again, I think my biggest point isn't about who made the right or wrong decisions, but it was about two guys, Perry and Herbert, struggling to gain control over the band because both - IMHO - are control freaks. What I took away from the interview is that Herbie had the attitude of "this is the way I want it and this is how it is going to be laid out." Which again, he made good decisions and I think it's fine if everybody is in agreement.

However, my impression was that the rest of the band was going to go along with whoever gained control because they were scared to death to have Journey end - which was the reason why they took Perry's side eventually. Maybe this is why Perry didn't feel a part of the band, because the other guys didn't try to defuse the situation and make all sides happy to work together. For instance, "Steve, man, look - Herbie hasn't steered us wrong yet. I realize you two conflict with each other on several decisions, but man - the rest of us feel both you and Herbie are instrumental to the success of this band. We all need to sit down and work out what it is that is keeping us from moving on with this band." I doubt this conversation or the sort ever took place and it should have.

[yak]

If Perry decided to come back, the band would have him back in a heartbeat - guaranteed!

I'll take that bet. Dude sounds God-awful....No way. If Neal and Jon Cain said "yes" they would lose me for sure.

Same here. Because with Perry there would be no Journey. I believe Neal has learned his lesson finally; he has the band back on track after basically having to start over with Steve Augeri. It's been a long road, in many ways like starting out again with a new band, and Neal has been more than gracious in inviting Perry to sit in for a tune or two. But nix Augeri in favor of a one time deal? It'll never happen.