Open letter to Steve Augeri

[Carlitto H@kk]

Let me ask you this:
1. Did you see JOURNEY in a where SA was lip synching?
2. If so, do you have irrefutable PROOF that he was?
3. When you left the concert did you have this proof or did you obtain it later?

Fyre - I'll say it again - and maybe this time you'll respond....THE BAND knew they were doing the wrong thing and made a change.

If they agreed with your take on this Augeri would still be in the band.

So for the love of God....let it go Fyre!

Fyre is not going to let it go until
Stevie Awesome is back in the band wearing
ass-less leather chaps, a poncho and bandolier
while shaking a tamborine to a duet with Shakira

[heardonthestreet]

Let me ask you this:
1. Did you see JOURNEY in a where SA was lip synching?
2. If so, do you have irrefutable PROOF that he was?
3. When you left the concert did you have this proof or did you obtain it later?

Fyre - I'll say it again - and maybe this time you'll respond....THE BAND knew they were doing the wrong thing and made a change.

If they agreed with your take on this Augeri would still be in the band.

So for the love of God....let it go Fyre!

Fyre is not going to let it go until
Stevie Awesome is back in the band wearing
ass-less leather chaps, a poncho and bandolier
while shaking a tamborine to a duet with Shakira

......................................

Giving us a real insight into your mentality today, right?

[Matthew]

Let me ask you this:
1. Did you see JOURNEY in a where SA was lip synching?
2. If so, do you have irrefutable PROOF that he was?
3. When you left the concert did you have this proof or did you obtain it later?

Fyre - I'll say it again - and maybe this time you'll respond....THE BAND knew they were doing the wrong thing and made a change.

If they agreed with your take on this Augeri would still be in the band.

So for the love of God....let it go Fyre!

Fyre is not going to let it go until
Stevie Awesome is back in the band wearing
ass-less leather chaps, a poncho and bandolier
while shaking a tamborine to a duet with Shakira

[Wheels Of Fyre]

Let me ask you this:
1. Did you see JOURNEY in a where SA was lip synching?
2. If so, do you have irrefutable PROOF that he was?
3. When you left the concert did you have this proof or did you obtain it later?

Fyre - I'll say it again - and maybe this time you'll respond....THE BAND knew they were doing the wrong thing and made a change.

If they agreed with your take on this Augeri would still be in the band.

So for the love of God....let it go Fyre!

You don't get it. AR won't respond and neither will bionic because I think they know what I'm getting at.

The bottom line is this:
Neither AR nor bionic knew DURING the concert that there was any funny business going on. In fact, AR noted that he couldn't even SEE SA's mouth. I suspect that they had a good time. Even if they didn't it was NOT because they were "screwed" by "the mime"!

bionic and others have been trying to build some kind of a cosumer fraud case when in fact there is no case! bionic and AR didn't even know they were being "ripped off". TNC also commented that the mighty Deano couldn't even tell at a concert - that it was difficult. Only afterwards in a non-alcohol influenced state with the help of a technician and Pro-Tools was it "confirmed". Did anyone slip this under an electron microscope, too?

This is LAUGHABLE!!! The REALITY is that these so-called "passionate" JOURNEY fans were in fact ENTERTAINED but when they realized that they were duped a la Crying Game - that their pleasure was not what they thought it was - then someone was going to pay! So VERY transparent! Yeah - Tapegate was a truly innocent effort to "help" JOURNEY. Far from it!

Tapegate has been NOTHING but a hurricane of self-serving hot air released over this forum from a bloated, constipated colon!

[Wheels Of Fyre]

Let me ask you this:
1. Did you see JOURNEY in a where SA was lip synching?
2. If so, do you have irrefutable PROOF that he was?
3. When you left the concert did you have this proof or did you obtain it later?

Fyre - I'll say it again - and maybe this time you'll respond....THE BAND knew they were doing the wrong thing and made a change.

If they agreed with your take on this Augeri would still be in the band.

So for the love of God....let it go Fyre!

Fyre is not going to let it go until
Stevie Awesome is back in the band wearing
ass-less leather chaps, a poncho and bandolier
while shaking a tamborine to a duet with Shakira

The poncho is a little extreme don't you think?

[Matthew]

Let me ask you this:
1. Did you see JOURNEY in a where SA was lip synching?
2. If so, do you have irrefutable PROOF that he was?
3. When you left the concert did you have this proof or did you obtain it later?

Fyre - I'll say it again - and maybe this time you'll respond....THE BAND knew they were doing the wrong thing and made a change.

If they agreed with your take on this Augeri would still be in the band.

So for the love of God....let it go Fyre!

You don't get it. AR won't respond and neither will bionic because I think they know what I'm getting at.

The bottom line is this:
Neither AR nor bionic knew DURING the concert that there was any funny business going on. In fact, AR noted that he couldn't even SEE SA's mouth. I suspect that they had a good time. Even if they didn't it was NOT because they were "screwed" by "the mime"!

bionic and others have been trying to build some kind of a cosumer fraud case when in fact there is no case! bionic and AR didn't even know they were being "ripped off". TNC also commented that the mighty Deano couldn't even tell at a concert - that it was difficult. Only afterwards in a non-alcohol influenced state with the help of a technician and Pro-Tools was it "confirmed". Did anyone slip this under an electron microscope, too?

This is LAUGHABLE!!! The REALITY is that these so-called "passionate" JOURNEY fans were in fact ENTERTAINED but when they realized that they were duped a la Crying Game - that their pleasure was not what they thought it was - then someone was going to pay! So VERY transparent! Yeah - Tapegate was a truly innocent effort to "help" JOURNEY. Far from it!

Tapegate has been NOTHING but a hurricane of self-serving hot air released over this forum from a bloated, constipated colon!

Maybe, maybe not - but (and here I say it for the THIRD time - and maybe THIS time you'll respond) the band itself made the change and seem to be happier for it.

If Tapegate was either a) no big deal or b) false then Augeri would still be in the band.

You seem to only care about the validity of AR, TNC and Deano's opinions. Yet the BAND made the decision to replace Augeri and the BAND choose to hang out with AR and Deano. So there's clearly no lingering resentment from Journey about Tapegate. Just from you.

[whocares]

Fyre, when was the last time you knew before a concert that the band was fucking you over? HUH? When was the last time ANY band admitted to snowing the audience before or after (for that matter) a concert? They let people think they were getting a TOTALLY LIVE concert, with LIVE lead vocals.

You yourself on this board have gone back and forth on whether or not you think it's happened. You lose people when you do that.

[Wheels Of Fyre]

Fyre, when was the last time you knew before a concert that the band was fucking you over? HUH? When was the last time ANY band admitted to snowing the audience before or after (for that matter) a concert? They let people think they were getting a TOTALLY LIVE concert, with LIVE lead vocals.

You yourself on this board have gone back and forth on whether or not you think it's happened. You lose people when you do that.

I've CLEARLY stated in THIS thread that with the MOUNTAIN of claims ranging in details from this to that and back again that I can NOT make an INTELLIGENT decision.

I've also stated that I DON'T CARE.

The POINT is that the people who claim to have been screwed actually were ENTERTAINED AT THE TIME. Therefore, what credibility does their complaint have? None as far as I'm concerned. They had a good time, right?

These same people are on this board making the same claims about Def Lep. Why aren't they trying to take them down, too? Right - because they don't "love" Def Lep like they "love" JOURNEY. Crap. According to this forum Def Lep is committing consumer fraud! A sin is a sin, right? Why aren't they being crucified?

All of this is contrived BS.

[somethingtohide]

If you bought a ring with a beautiful stone in it and you enjoyed wearing it but later found out it was a CZ instead of the diamond you thought were paying for- wouldn't you still have the right to feel ripped off ?

I went to a concert last year and had a great evening...but now I'm feeling kinda bummed about the whole experience...because now I wonder if I paid for the CZ instead of the diamond.

[Wheels Of Fyre]

Let me ask you this:
1. Did you see JOURNEY in a where SA was lip synching?
2. If so, do you have irrefutable PROOF that he was?
3. When you left the concert did you have this proof or did you obtain it later?

Fyre - I'll say it again - and maybe this time you'll respond....THE BAND knew they were doing the wrong thing and made a change.

If they agreed with your take on this Augeri would still be in the band.

So for the love of God....let it go Fyre!

You don't get it. AR won't respond and neither will bionic because I think they know what I'm getting at.

The bottom line is this:
Neither AR nor bionic knew DURING the concert that there was any funny business going on. In fact, AR noted that he couldn't even SEE SA's mouth. I suspect that they had a good time. Even if they didn't it was NOT because they were "screwed" by "the mime"!

bionic and others have been trying to build some kind of a cosumer fraud case when in fact there is no case! bionic and AR didn't even know they were being "ripped off". TNC also commented that the mighty Deano couldn't even tell at a concert - that it was difficult. Only afterwards in a non-alcohol influenced state with the help of a technician and Pro-Tools was it "confirmed". Did anyone slip this under an electron microscope, too?

This is LAUGHABLE!!! The REALITY is that these so-called "passionate" JOURNEY fans were in fact ENTERTAINED but when they realized that they were duped a la Crying Game - that their pleasure was not what they thought it was - then someone was going to pay! So VERY transparent! Yeah - Tapegate was a truly innocent effort to "help" JOURNEY. Far from it!

Tapegate has been NOTHING but a hurricane of self-serving hot air released over this forum from a bloated, constipated colon!

Maybe, maybe not - but (and here I say it for the THIRD time - and maybe THIS time you'll respond) the band itself made the change and seem to be happier for it.

If Tapegate was either a) no big deal or b) false then Augeri would still be in the band.

You seem to only care about the validity of AR, TNC and Deano's opinions. Yet the BAND made the decision to replace Augeri and the BAND choose to hang out with AR and Deano. So there's clearly no lingering resentment from Journey about Tapegate. Just from you.

That logic is flawed. The band made the change = Tapegate was a real, shameful, sin and now they're redeemed.

Nice spinning but I'm not jumping on that carousel!

Of course there's no resentment because JOURNEY did NOTHING wrong!

[RunningAlone Pgh]

That logic is flawed. The band made the change = Tapegate was a real, shameful, sin and now they're redeemed.

Nice spinning but I'm not jumping on that carousel!

Of course there's no resentment because JOURNEY did NOTHING wrong!

Yeah, right Fyre. What color is the sky in your world???

Fans paid loads of money to see what amounted to karaoke and there was nothing wrong with that? I'm not saying that Augeri was the only responsible party ~ but defraud the fans they did.

[AR]

So my next inquiry:
When you left the concert were you satisfied with it or were you dissatisfied? Why were you dissatisfied?

Frye, I'll respond. Just got back from lunch.

I did not leave the concert dissatisfied. I got a free CD, drank some beers (one reason I would never have caught the lipping), and got to hear Schon wail on guitar and Deen sing some songs.

At one point early on I remember being surprised at how spot on Augeri was. I always had liked him in the band, but never remembered him sounding so good. Never really gave it a second thought until the TG thing broke here.

Even then, I found it hard to believe. I went back and listened to the many boots, I had and read the evidence. When I looked back at the video from this particular show I noticed Augeri with a HUGE, puffy microphone. Constantly gripping it with both hands and covering his face a lot. This is not the best manor in which to project one's voice and a completely different stage manerism for him. I have posted some clips from this show shot close up in a 1,200 seat hall. There is no DOUBT the show was mimed. And I paid $100 to see it!!!! (over that now too)

Once I realized TG was true, I was astonished, but not mad. Disappointed. I sort of understood as they were trying to push Generations and maybe they were just trying to get through the tour. Get off the road and take a break.

However, a European tour using tapes was extremely ill advised let alone continuing with that in a tour with Leppard. I saw 2 of the early shows on this tour with Augeri. It was live, and it was obvious he was shot. Not the same singer I enjoyed on the Arrival tour.

In closing, I was more shocked than angry. And it's sad that things ended this way with Augeri ,but they had to. I can still listed to the studio records and watch the early tour footage with SA and enjoy that, but late 2004 till the end is laughable.

Time to move on, forget about 2005 and let it fade away.

[Wheels Of Fyre]

That logic is flawed. The band made the change = Tapegate was a real, shameful, sin and now they're redeemed.

Nice spinning but I'm not jumping on that carousel!

Of course there's no resentment because JOURNEY did NOTHING wrong!

Yeah, right Fyre. What color is the sky in your world???

Fans paid loads of money to see what amounted to karaoke and there was nothing wrong with that? I'm not saying that Augeri was the only responsible party ~ but defraud the fans they did.

The sky is whatever the day reveals and the night overshadows!

There are valid REASONS why the sky is various shades just like there were REASONS for Tapegate.

I'm reminded of a saying:
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." -Bertrand Russell

[RunningAlone Pgh]

The sky is whatever the day reveals and the night overshadows!

There are valid REASONS why the sky is various shades just like there were REASONS for Tapegate.

I'm reminded of a saying:
"The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts." -Bertrand Russell

And I am also reminded of one:

"We must not promise what we ought not, lest we be called on to perform what we cannot."
— Abraham Lincoln, 16th American president (1809-1865)

[ArnelRox]

Time to move on, forget about 2005 and let it fade away.

Well said. Who's got the dead horse?

This topic is sooooo old & boring. Let's quit living in yesterday folks. That's just pissing all over today.

[AR]

Time to move on, forget about 2005 and let it fade away.

Well said. Who's got the dead horse?

This topic is sooooo old & boring. Let's quit living in yesterday folks. That's just pissing all over today.

But since no one will, here's picture's of the puffy microphone held so close to his mouth he might as well be giving head.

http://www.concertphotos.uk.com/journey/journey06mk.htm

[jrnysc]

Let me ask you this:
1. Did you see JOURNEY in a where SA was lip synching?
2. If so, do you have irrefutable PROOF that he was?
3. When you left the concert did you have this proof or did you obtain it later?

Fyre - I'll say it again - and maybe this time you'll respond....THE BAND knew they were doing the wrong thing and made a change.

If they agreed with your take on this Augeri would still be in the band.

So for the love of God....let it go Fyre!

Fyre is not going to let it go until
Stevie Awesome is back in the band wearing
ass-less leather chaps, a poncho and bandolier
while shaking a tamborine to a duet with Shakira

[somethingtohide]

Time to move on, forget about 2005 and let it fade away.

Well said. Who's got the dead horse?

This topic is sooooo old & boring. Let's quit living in yesterday folks. That's just pissing all over today.

But since no one will, here's picture's of the puffy microphone held so close to his mouth he might as well be giving head.

http://www.concertphotos.uk.com/journey/journey06mk.htm

You know, when I first saw the pictures from the UK concerts...I just didn't think Steve looked in good health in general...that's the first thing that struck me...well before the TG buzz.

[ArnelRox]

But since no one will, here's picture's of the puffy microphone held so close to his mouth he might as well be giving head.

http://www.concertphotos.uk.com/journey/journey06mk.htm

& the really sad part is the mic never moves no matter what note he sings or how "high" he's supposed to be going. Ur video clips really demonstrated that well. Compare that to any other singer, anyone, & it's plain as day something is not rite.

[AR]

But since no one will, here's picture's of the puffy microphone held so close to his mouth he might as well be giving head.

http://www.concertphotos.uk.com/journey/journey06mk.htm

& the really sad part is the mic never moves no matter what note he sings or how "high" he's supposed to be going. Ur video clips really demonstrated that well. Compare that to any other singer, anyone, & it's plain as day something is not rite.

And on earlier video clips from pre-2005 he WOULD move the mic around and even pull away a bit like most singers do if they think they may have difficultity with a certain note.

[JeremyP]

I noticed that as well.

Also, Neal and Jon and the other guys seem to be using the same puffy mics in the vh1 Faith In The Heartland in youtube.

[JeremyP]

By other guys I mean Ross. lol

[Matthew]

That logic is flawed. The band made the change = Tapegate was a real, shameful, sin and now they're redeemed.

Nice spinning but I'm not jumping on that carousel!

Of course there's no resentment because JOURNEY did NOTHING wrong!

Okay Fyre - why did Journey make the change in your view?

[ArnelRox]

And on earlier video clips from pre-2005 he WOULD move the mic around and even pull away a bit like most singers do if they think they may have difficultity with a certain note.

Exactly. Anywhere from those 99 clips on YouTube all the way to 2003, that mic moved back & forth.

He does look kinda "off" tho in terms of health. Puffy in the face & like he aged a lot in a year. Then again, stress will do that to u & I have no doubt doing what he did was stressful. Look at what happens to Presidents (well except the current one but that's all that peanut butter & jelly!)

[ArnelRox]

Okay Fyre - why did Journey make the change in your view?

Because Steve A. has a chronic throat infection, of course. His doctors are monitoring his condition closely to see when he can return to the tour.

[fred_journeyman]

And on earlier video clips from pre-2005 he WOULD move the mic around and even pull away a bit like most singers do if they think they may have difficultity with a certain note.

I'm not disagreeing with your assessment regarding Augeri lip-sync'g, but the idea of pulling the mic away from one's mouth while singing. That is also when the singer is going to really BELT out a note and they pull the mic away slightly to ensure that the volume through the mic won't necessarily change that much. Perry did this and even I would not be surprised if JSS does it as well. To hit some of the high notes required for Journey tunes, you really have to reach down and let it flow up and out. In order for that to happen, you almost always need more air, which translates to more volume.

As I say, I'm not disagreeing with you about the lipping, just adding on to your comment about why singers pull the mic away at times. But then again, I jumped in here in the middle of the conversation too. Are you saying that Augeri went through the "act" of doing what every singer does in the normal course of a concert when they're singing LIVE?

[donnaplease]

Since this topic is about Augeri, I would guess that his crucifixtion on this board and the infamous blog, are probably the worse thing that could have been done in order to accomplish a means to an end. To coin a famous saying, "There's no going back." If the band has to pay for what was accomplished in the end result, acquiring Soto, then how they went about it, is going to cost them fans and will be a part of Journey's legacy. I'm not looking at the situation through rose colored glasses as a lot of you are, that the band is better for it now.
The use of alleged use of tapes is not half as damning to me as the band allowing their frontman to shoulder all the blame and allow his name to be so besmirched on Journey's supposed, most supportive forum. It was like doing your child's homework for him and having him fail when exams came around, then letting him take all the blame.

What an ally Steve Augeri has in you. Surely your suddenly sympathetic statements about Augeri who you bashed for years, would remain EXACTLY THE SAME if it were Perry and not JSS, who benefited from the demise of Augeri's live voice. Right

.............................

Right! EXACTLY THE SAME. Under the same circumstances as have transpired with total character assassination allowed by some fans and allowed by his bandmates, Yes!

In the short time I've been here, I can't say I've noticed "total character assassination", but rather heated disapproval in the way things have been handled, and laying more of that blame on Augeri himself, as it was STEVE AUGERI that was lipping. I can kinda understand why the rest of the band would have been afraid to take the time off to allow him to heal, as we all know what has happened not once, but twice in the past when the lead singer took time off for personal reasons. Perhaps it was past experiences that caused them to be more lenient toward what happened. And perhaps they jumped at the opportunity of a lifetime when it presented itself. Either way, what he have now is a stronger, more confident, and totally ass kicking group!

Yes, there are all kinds of people here & elsewhere with varying viewpoints on who is to blame. We just don't know (well...some of us may - not me of course) what the members of the band think, because they haven't told us yet. We may never know the whole truth.

I'm sorry, but I'm past all this. I'm looking toward a new Journey now, a great Journey now, a LIVE Journey now.

[Lula]

I'm sorry, but I'm past all this. I'm looking toward a new Journey now, a great Journey now, a LIVE Journey now.

You and me both!! The whole thing has been a pain in my ass . I did learn a lot about people I thought I knew and am glad for that lesson.... now let's move on!!

[Mark H]

Are we done yet......cos even I'm gettin bored now.

As i sit here on my grassy knowl, blowing smoke rings outa my arse and watchin the Xfiles, I leave you with this scenario.........

Just suppose that Deano was fed the tapegate information by a Journey insider and asked to give it wings so that Steve's position would be untenable and the door would be open for Jeff... would sure explain why Deano is still in good books with the band after an event that may well have cost the band a couple of million in payoff.

I sure hope I am way off base with this but wondered if the thought had crossed anyone else's mind.

Don't you just love a conspiracy theory........ (pass the asbestos....full suit i think)

[Wheels Of Fyre]

Time to move on, forget about 2005 and let it fade away.

Well said. Who's got the dead horse?

This topic is sooooo old & boring. Let's quit living in yesterday folks. That's just pissing all over today.

But since no one will, here's picture's of the puffy microphone held so close to his mouth he might as well be giving head.

http://www.concertphotos.uk.com/journey/journey06mk.htm

I'm not challenging what went on at that concert.