Queen news..

[Enigma869]

Journey has never made it a secret that Perry isn't in the band. Perry also isn't the "original guy". There was one lead singer for several years before they even knew who Steve Perry was.

You forgot to mention that nobody had any clue who Journey was before Perry was brought into the band!!!!


John from Boston

[The Ghost Rider]

Journey has never made it a secret that Perry isn't in the band. Perry also isn't the "original guy". There was one lead singer for several years before they even knew who Steve Perry was.

You forgot to mention that nobody had any clue who Journey was before Perry was brought into the band!!!!


John from Boston

Well...Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie weren't exactly musical unknowns at the time.

[yulog]

Gregg had a number 1 song already so my guess would be that he was a "Well Known" or at least talked about.

[junky]

Journey has never made it a secret that Perry isn't in the band. Perry also isn't the "original guy". There was one lead singer for several years before they even knew who Steve Perry was.

You forgot to mention that nobody had any clue who Journey was before Perry was brought into the band!!!!


John from Boston

Well...Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie weren't exactly musical unknowns at the time.

When I first heard Look Into The Future on the radio back in 76, I though it was a new Santana song.
Wanting to find out more, I asked at school the next day about the new 'Santana song' I heard and got beat up for not knowing who Journey was.

[Abitaman]

What some people fail to see is that musicians don't write songs so the songs can die with them. The songs are supposed to last forever.

One of the best points I have read or heard why groups like Styx, Journey, REO, Queen should keep going after members of leave. If a member leaves, should the music die in concert? NO!. They don't stop plying it on the radio do they?-ERIC

[Enigma869]

Journey has never made it a secret that Perry isn't in the band. Perry also isn't the "original guy". There was one lead singer for several years before they even knew who Steve Perry was.

You forgot to mention that nobody had any clue who Journey was before Perry was brought into the band!!!!


John from Boston

Well...Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie weren't exactly musical unknowns at the time.

Any notoriety that Rolie and Schon had with Santana doesn't change the fact that Journey was a fledgling band (and that's putting it kindly!) and pretty much unheard of, outside of the bay area. I've been a Journey fan long enough to understand that there will always be those who attempt to minimize Perry's contribution to this band. It will never change what the facts are! Three things that NOBODY can dispute:

1. Journey existed before Perry with ZERO success!

2. Journey existed after Perry with ZERO success!

3. Journey was one of the most commerically successful rock bands, ever, with Perry at the helm!

John from Boston

[Vladan]

Freddie Mercury is Queen
Steve Perry is Journey

End of story!.

[conversationpc]

Freddie Mercury is Queen
Steve Perry is Journey

End of story!.

That's possibly the dumbest thing a Journey fan can say on this forum.

[junky]

Perry had less success before Journey than Journey had before Perry

[rsimpson]

Bad Company a legend? Pffft.

Yes, Bad Company IS a legend. In the grand Rock-and-Roll world...I'd say much more so than Journey.

Let's face it folks...the term "legend" is a VERY subjective term. It's easy to say a band or an artist you like is a "legend". I've looked at some industry list, and the only Bad Company album anywhere on the list is "Swan Song" that sold a whopping 5 million copies, or to put that another way, about 10 million fewer than Journey's "Greatest Hits", 4 million fewer than Journey's "Escape", or to really prove a point, about 3 million fewer copies than New Kids On The Block "Hanging Tough".

One more fact I'd point to is that Bad Company has sold a total of 15.5 million albums, in total (meaning anything and everything they've ever recorded!). Journey's Greatest Hits has sold about that many copies! I realize that fans of a given band will say album sales don't matter, but honestly, I'm not sure you can discount this. It's sort of like a professional athlete's stats. The numbers are what they are and when compared with many other artists, Bad Company has some not so impressive numbers! So, my question is...What the hell makes a band or singer a "legend"? There has to be more to it than just liking the music. For instance...I despise the Rolling Stones and think my parrot can sing better than Mick Jagger. That said, I don't know how anyone can't say the Stones are a legendary band!

John from Boston

Bad Company does not have an album called Swan Song. Swan Song is the name of the record company (Founded by Zeppelin). You may be thinking of the self titled debut. Record sales do not determine a legend. Paul Rodgers at 60 is a better singer now then anybody out there.

[conversationpc]

Paul Rodgers at 60 is a better singer now then anybody out there.

Rodgers is definitely a great rock singer but better than anybody out there? No way.

[rsimpson]

Paul Rodgers at 60 is a better singer now then anybody out there.

Rodgers is definitely a great rock singer but better than anybody out there? No way.

It's all a matter of taste. To me, some singers get better with age. I prefer Perrys TBF voice over he Escape voice

[conversationpc]

Paul Rodgers at 60 is a better singer now then anybody out there.

Rodgers is definitely a great rock singer but better than anybody out there? No way.

It's all a matter of taste. To me, some singers get better with age. I prefer Perrys TBF voice over he Escape voice

Yes, it's definitely a matter of taste. Your statement was more a matter of fact than that of an opinion.

[ohsherrie]

Freddie Mercury is Queen
Steve Perry is Journey

End of story!.

That's possibly the dumbest thing a Journey fan can say on this forum.

Not really. Most people who were fans of these two bands during their most successful eras will always associate Queen with Freddie Mercury and Journey with Steve Perry. Until either of these bands produces a CD or even a single that eclipses the success of anything produced with Mercury or Perry that will be the case among all but the die hard fans of the bands.

I was never more than a casual fan of Bad Company and only slightly more of Queen. I saw a TV special with Paul Rodgers and Queen and thought it was pretty good. Not Queen really, but good.

I agree with Matt that having Queen and Paul Rodgers pay tribute to Freddy rather than trying to erase him from the fans' memories helps the fans make the transition rather than insulting some of them like Journey did with Augeri. Like I've said before I think it would help Journey be accepted as a new incarnation if they included Jeff's name in the promotion of new music if not in the name itself.

As for true legends, like JRox I reserve that name for people like Elvis, the Beatles, Hendrix, Joplin etc. It's the impact and longevity of the influence the artist has on music that ultimately earns them legendary status. Neither Rodgers, Mercury nor Perry has met that criteria yet, IMO. Perry's voice is legendary to me because he's simply the best that I've ever heard, but that doesn't really make him a legend.

[Enigma869]

Paul Rodgers at 60 is a better singer now then anybody out there.

Paul Rodgers may be this "great" singer, in your opinion, but, at the end of the day, it's really only your opinion. I certainly don't view him as a "great" singer. Furthermore, no matter what his "legendary" status is, his voice simply doesn't work, on Queen material, for my ears. Honestly, when I first heard classic Queen songs, that I grew up listening to with Rodgers singing, I couldn't believe these were even the same songs. None of the songs I heard him sing even had the same arrangement that they had with Freddie. I'm certainly not putting that all on Paul, as I'm sure it was probably a group decision to change all these classic songs around. I just thought it was sacrilige to completely change so many great songs.

I can tell you if Journey ever decided to rearrange all of their classic material, I would never pay any attention to them again. I certainly never mind a "twist" on a classic song. In fact, I think that playing some classics, acoustically (you better have a strong vocalist to pull this off!), is always an interesting spin and makes things interesting. That said, I think changing an entire catalogue of music is just plain illogical. Sure...you may bring in some new fans. My hunch is that you'll probably end up alienating more fans than you bring in. It just doesn't make any sense!

John from Boston

[Uncle heFTy]

This is true, about the recent Q+PR tours, that the numbers of young (i.e. teenage to low twenties) people who came to the gigs gives the lie to the myth that Queen and Paul Rodgers are 'old school'. They both won a number of young fans, kids who may have been brought to the gigs by parents who were fans of either camp. In a similar way the same holds true for Journey. I would be telling porkies of the most humongous scale if I said I was a Journey fan before JSS became involved - I had certainly not heard anything outside their 'Greatest Hit' compilation - but now they sit alongside Queen+Paul Rodgers as one the bands I'd like to see again. Neither had I heard of JSS until we met 4/5 years ago and my baptism into AOR / Melodic Rock has been steady ever since.

Whilst I was a fan of Queen as a Foursome, I have had to recognise that the music cannot simply wither on the vine and I've seen them at the FM Tribute, with Elton John, on Brian and Rogers' solo tours, with the SAS band, at WWRY and no matter who fronts them the excitement is pretty much the same. When Jeff peformed at the Fan Club Convention he won many fans, alienated some who were 'purists' and didn't like the arrangements or treatments, but it certainly added life to the old beast.

I have, thus far, only seen two shows - Orlando and Fort Lauderdale and look forward to the extended ones in the UK next year, just as much as I will be looking forward to Q+PR touring their new material as well as Queen and Free/Bad Company standards. Cutting off one's nose to spite one's face has never been a favourite hobby of mine.

Uncle heFTy

[rsimpson]

Paul Rodgers at 60 is a better singer now then anybody out there.

Rodgers is definitely a great rock singer but better than anybody out there? No way.

It's all a matter of taste. To me, some singers get better with age. I prefer Perrys TBF voice over he Escape voice

Yes, it's definitely a matter of taste. Your statement was more a matter of fact than that of an opinion.

After a few too many Becks, you tend to forget a few words

[rsimpson]

Paul Rodgers at 60 is a better singer now then anybody out there.

Paul Rodgers may be this "great" singer, in your opinion, but, at the end of the day, it's really only your opinion. I certainly don't view him as a "great" singer. Furthermore, no matter what his "legendary" status is, his voice simply doesn't work, on Queen material, for my ears. Honestly, when I first heard classic Queen songs, that I grew up listening to with Rodgers singing, I couldn't believe these were even the same songs. None of the songs I heard him sing even had the same arrangement that they had with Freddie. I'm certainly not putting that all on Paul, as I'm sure it was probably a group decision to change all these classic songs around. I just thought it was sacrilige to completely change so many great songs.

I can tell you if Journey ever decided to rearrange all of their classic material, I would never pay any attention to them again. I certainly never mind a "twist" on a classic song. In fact, I think that playing some classics, acoustically (you better have a strong vocalist to pull this off!), is always an interesting spin and makes things interesting. That said, I think changing an entire catalogue of music is just plain illogical. Sure...you may bring in some new fans. My hunch is that you'll probably end up alienating more fans than you bring in. It just doesn't make any sense!

John from Boston

I wouldn't say "ONLY MY OPINION". I'm sure other people feel the same way. Since I am not a fan of Queen, them rearranging the music does not bother me at all. The only reason I saw them this year was because of Paul Rodgers.

[Vladan]

Freddie Mercury is Queen
Steve Perry is Journey

End of story!.

That's possibly the dumbest thing a Journey fan can say on this forum.

Is it now, fine. Steve Augeri will be back soon, the true frontman!... it's all good.

[Matthew]

Journey has never made it a secret that Perry isn't in the band.

Except they do edit him out of video footage on stage...whereas Queen have no such insecurities about Mercury.

Perry also isn't the "original guy". There was one lead singer for several years before they even knew who Steve Perry was.

Dave - I think you know what I meant.

I'll bet if they were touring simply as "Queen" and without Rodgers, they probably would have hired someone who sounded like Freddie.

But Queen haven't done this...

[Matthew]

In fact, Matthew, Q+PR made footage of the 'old band' and in particular Freddie a key point in the proceedings with Freddie being seen as the opener for 'Bohemian Rhapsody' on a large screen.

That's good to hear, Uncle H.

[Matthew]

Like I've said before I think it would help Journey be accepted as a new incarnation if they included Jeff's name in the promotion of new music if not in the name itself.

Yes - "Journey with Steve Augeri" would have made it easier to accept the transition - but this idea would only work with a serious name attached to the band - like "Journey with Sammy Hagar" or whoever. Augeri wasn't - and JSS isn't - well-known enough to justify joint billing, I reckon. Even though Paul Rogers hasn't had a hit record since 1974 (or did the Firm have a minor hit in '84?) he does have an A-list reputation.

Still, "Journey with JSS" does have a new feel about it - and it's totally free of pretence as well.

[ohsherrie]

Like I've said before I think it would help Journey be accepted as a new incarnation if they included Jeff's name in the promotion of new music if not in the name itself.

Yes - "Journey with Steve Augeri" would have made it easier to accept the transition - but this idea would only work with a serious name attached to the band - like "Journey with Sammy Hagar" or whoever. Augeri wasn't - and JSS isn't - well-known enough to justify joint billing, I reckon. Even though Paul Rogers hasn't had a hit record since 1974 (or did the Firm have a minor hit in '84?) he does have an A-list reputation.

Still, "Journey with JSS" does have a new feel about it - and it's totally free of pretence as well.

But Matt, Augeri was a total unknown to most people. He had no creds to bring to the table and Jeff does, if for no other reason Rockstar. Augeri also didn't have "the looks". A clip of Jeff doing a song(preferably a new one) with "the voice from Rockstar" underscoring it would go a long way. Jeff can be billed so much more effectively than Augeri could and he has the vocals and appearance to back it up. A lot of how a singer is received has to do with how they're marketed. Jeff has the kind of looks and voice that can be sold. Augeri just didn't. Jeff's HOT Augeri was not.

[Matthew]

Like I've said before I think it would help Journey be accepted as a new incarnation if they included Jeff's name in the promotion of new music if not in the name itself.

Yes - "Journey with Steve Augeri" would have made it easier to accept the transition - but this idea would only work with a serious name attached to the band - like "Journey with Sammy Hagar" or whoever. Augeri wasn't - and JSS isn't - well-known enough to justify joint billing, I reckon. Even though Paul Rogers hasn't had a hit record since 1974 (or did the Firm have a minor hit in '84?) he does have an A-list reputation.

Still, "Journey with JSS" does have a new feel about it - and it's totally free of pretence as well.

But Matt, Augeri was a total unknown to most people. He had no creds to bring to the table and Jeff does, if for no other reason Rockstar. Augeri also didn't have "the looks".

I totally agree, Sherrie. That's why I said he wasn't a serious enough name to justify joint billing.

JSS isn't either - but yes - he has the potential whereas Augeri didn't.

[ohsherrie]

I totally agree, Sherrie. That's why I said he wasn't a serious enough name to justify joint billing.

JSS isn't either - but yes - he has the potential whereas Augeri didn't.

Thing is Matt, the right kind of marketing can spin Jeff's potential into major creds. He's got all the ingredients. Someone just has to stir them right.

[Matthew]

I totally agree, Sherrie. That's why I said he wasn't a serious enough name to justify joint billing.

JSS isn't either - but yes - he has the potential whereas Augeri didn't.

Thing is Matt, the right kind of marketing can spin Jeff's potential into major creds. He's got all the ingredients. Someone just has to stir them right.

I hope so - but Journey might be too 'fixed in time' the mind of the industry/public - and given that he hasn't found mainstream success in his career so far it's a lot to ask for him to single-handedly revive Journey's fortunes now. But I agree - he's in there with a chance....

[ohsherrie]

- he's in there with a chance....

Yep! And I hope management will do him justice and make the best of that chance.