Steve Perry "Off" Night?

[Saint John]

We've talked a lot lately about singers and "off" nights. This clip, to me, sounds like Steve is holding back a bit. Maybe protecting his voice? The experts will know much more than me, as I really don't know that much. Anyway, whether he is saving his voice or I'm just dead wrong, he still sounds fantastic. It just seems to me like he's holding back a bit. He sings the song with a bit more melody than usual too. Seems like he's "finessing" it a bit to me. Any thoughts?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1uhGd_P ... ed&search=

[conversationpc]

The whole song sounds a bit subdued, not just the vocals. Perhaps it's due to the venue they played that night? Who knows.

[Enigma869]

I've seen this performance on VH1 a few times and definitely agree that it has a more "subdued" feel to it, than usual. That said, I certainly wouldn't call this an "off night" for Perry. He still sounds pretty damn good to my ears, and certainly didn't appear to have any difficulty hitting the notes! I think a lot less flattering performance was Perry's performance at the tribute to Bill Graham where he actually got his verses to "Faithfully" completely mixed up! That was embarrassing!


John from Boston

[Blueskies]

I think it had something to do with the audience he was singing to. The Japanese are reserved people...even more so then...since they hold back their reactions and are so quite I think that Perry was a little reserved in his approach....and related the song to them with a softer melody....wanted to translate it to them in the way he knew they wanted to hear it. If you see the whole show it is more reserved. Singers and bands play off their audiences.

[Saint John]

I think it had something to do with the audience he was singing to. The Japanese are reserved people...even more so then...since they hold back their reactions and are so quite I think that Perry was a little reserved in his approach....and related the song to them with a softer melody....wanted to translate it to them in the way he knew they wanted to hear it. If you see the whole show it is more reserved. Singers and bands play off their audiences.

Great points.

[SteveForever]

I think it had something to do with the audience he was singing to. The Japanese are reserved people...even more so then...since they hold back their reactions and are so quite I think that Perry was a little reserved in his approach....and related the song to them with a softer melody....wanted to translate it to them in the way he knew they wanted to hear it. If you see the whole show it is more reserved. Singers and bands play off their audiences.

Girl you got that right! The Japanese are becoming more Western in their ways now as they are exposed to more and more, but back then they were especially child-like (I know I lived there in the 80's) and he's definitely playing to them in a sweet way. He might have been coached before hand by his people or perhaps he just knew since he's an emotional and intuitive person. love you Stevie, miss you everyday...

[Melissa]

I think it had something to do with the audience he was singing to. The Japanese are reserved people...even more so then...since they hold back their reactions and are so quite I think that Perry was a little reserved in his approach....and related the song to them with a softer melody....wanted to translate it to them in the way he knew they wanted to hear it. If you see the whole show it is more reserved. Singers and bands play off their audiences.

Good point, I lived in Japan for 3 years (late 80's) & they were reserved. Never went to a concert while there though, only concert that ever came the rock we were on then was the Monkees lol

[Voyager]

I think maybe Steve just ate some bad Sushi backstage.

[treetopovskaya]

i love this version... especially the intro. bluesy.

does anyone else hear sp say pee light instead of street light towards the end? maybe it's just me! };C))

[Blueskies]

I think it had something to do with the audience he was singing to. The Japanese are reserved people...even more so then...since they hold back their reactions and are so quite I think that Perry was a little reserved in his approach....and related the song to them with a softer melody....wanted to translate it to them in the way he knew they wanted to hear it. If you see the whole show it is more reserved. Singers and bands play off their audiences.

Good point, I lived in Japan for 3 years (late 80's) & they were reserved. Never went to a concert while there though, only concert that ever came the rock we were on then was the Monkees lol

Hey!!....The Monkees were great!...loved that show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBSgF_kA0rA Daydream Believer

[Melissa]

I think it had something to do with the audience he was singing to. The Japanese are reserved people...even more so then...since they hold back their reactions and are so quite I think that Perry was a little reserved in his approach....and related the song to them with a softer melody....wanted to translate it to them in the way he knew they wanted to hear it. If you see the whole show it is more reserved. Singers and bands play off their audiences.

Good point, I lived in Japan for 3 years (late 80's) & they were reserved. Never went to a concert while there though, only concert that ever came the rock we were on then was the Monkees lol

Hey!!....The Monkees were great!...loved that show

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBSgF_kA0rA...Daydream Believer

I liked the show too lol

[Clasicrockldy]

I have this concert on DVD ! I gotta go look now !

[Saint John]

I have this concert on DVD ! I gotta go look now !

You have EVERY fuckin' concert!!!!

[Melissa]

I have this concert on DVD ! I gotta go look now !

You have EVERY fuckin' concert!!!!

She is the Journey Boot Lady lol

[SteveForever]

I have this concert on DVD ! I gotta go look now !

You have EVERY fuckin' concert!!!!

She is the Journey Boot Lady lol

She is booty-licious!!!

[Saint John]

I have this concert on DVD ! I gotta go look now !

You have EVERY fuckin' concert!!!!

She is the Journey Boot Lady lol

She is booty-licious!!!

LOL....good one!!!

[tammy]

i love this version... especially the intro. bluesy.

does anyone else hear sp say pee light instead of street light towards the end? maybe it's just me! };C))

oh, yeah, I love when there are clips with those intros - like he is cooing. I did hear that p-light - sounded like he was starting to say people before streetlight. But, still an amazing performance - I like the variety of performances, some subtle & others intense.

[larryfromnextdoor]

i love this version... especially the intro. bluesy.

does anyone else hear sp say pee light instead of street light towards the end? maybe it's just me! };C))

yea its there, looks like he wanted to sing People on the Street part.. and sang Peet Light... it didnt sound like an off night at all...

[larryfromnextdoor]

i love this version... especially the intro. bluesy.

does anyone else hear sp say pee light instead of street light towards the end? maybe it's just me! };C))

oh, yeah, I love when there are clips with those intros - like he is cooing. I did hear that p-light - sounded like he was starting to say people before streetlight. But, still an amazing performance - I like the variety of performances, some subtle & others intense.

this is 2x this has happened to tonight for me,, i think we are all starting to think alike..

[Clasicrockldy]

I have this concert on DVD ! I gotta go look now !

You have EVERY fuckin' concert!!!!

Just about saint John ! I am getting a very rare ( to me anyway !) piece of Journey history on dvd in the mail this week, and no, it isn't of Perry........

[Granny]

I have this concert on DVD ! I gotta go look now !

You have EVERY fuckin' concert!!!!

Just about saint John ! I am getting a very rare ( to me anyway !) piece of Journey history on dvd in the mail this week, and no, it isn't of Perry........

Sal...where do u get all this stuff....????? You must have great connections...if I send u blank DVD;s will burn them for me? anything Steve Perry will do....I really enjoy watching and hearing Jeff perform, but Steve Perry will always be #1 in my book....No one can do the catalog like he can and their never will be.....(cause its his)
New material with Jeff will be awesome and lets hope they tour behind it....Jeff is one charismatic personality and you are just drawn to him when he sings....

Believe in Me and Skin on Skin and Mysterious are just awesome songs....

[Clasicrockldy]

I have this concert on DVD ! I gotta go look now !

You have EVERY fuckin' concert!!!!

Just about saint John ! I am getting a very rare ( to me anyway !) piece of Journey history on dvd in the mail this week, and no, it isn't of Perry........

Sal...where do u get all this stuff....????? You must have great connections...if I send u blank DVD;s will burn them for me? anything Steve Perry will do....I really enjoy watching and hearing Jeff perform, but Steve Perry will always be #1 in my book....No one can do the catalog like he can and their never will be.....(cause its his)
New material with Jeff will be awesome and lets hope they tour behind it....Jeff is one charismatic personality and you are just drawn to him when he sings....

Believe in Me and Skin on Skin and Mysterious are just awesome songs....

Well, G, how I started was I did buy some video off of ebay about 2-3 years ago, then I started asking around about vids and audio. I did connect with some great people in the past, and we traded what we had. And thank heaven's for Guitars 101 ! I have been getting some of my audio boots from there. And then there is roknroseville, who has stuff as well.

I can do some burning for you, and I would like you to know it would take a bit of time, so don't worry about that, ok? I will PM you with my address.......

[elagpa]

About the video, the date of that concert (in Japan) is July 1981.... Escape (the album) was released in August 1981, maybe Steve do an early version of that tune... i think

[mystichealer]

It has been going around for many years that Perry was ill at this show. The band almost had to cancel apparently. Thank god they didn't as this whole show is even better than the Houston show of the same year. My fave Journey show. Awesome.

Anyone wants some Journey stuff on dvd then pm me.

[jrnyjetster]

About the video, the date of that concert (in Japan) is July 1981.... Escape (the album) was released in August 1981, maybe Steve do an early version of that tune... i think

Exactly, it's one of the first Escape shows...notice Cain didn't have his "whale" yet....I saw them the following month at the Cape Cod Colliseum.

[brywool]

I think it had something to do with the audience he was singing to. The Japanese are reserved people...even more so then...since they hold back their reactions and are so quite I think that Perry was a little reserved in his approach....and related the song to them with a softer melody....wanted to translate it to them in the way he knew they wanted to hear it. If you see the whole show it is more reserved. Singers and bands play off their audiences.

YUP. I would agree. If you watch the Frontiers tour from Japan, it was the same kind of thing. Having said that, they're both 2 of the finest Perry vocal performances. It seems that instead of trying to hype the hype-less crowd, that he focuses more on his throat. The performance of Still They Ride from the 83 tour at Budokan was one of the finest live moments of his career. It amazes me because Perry hits those notes SOOO quietly. It seems that during the latter half of the Frontiers tour, he changed and started belting the notes out more. I think that ultimately took a toll on his voice.

Strange because the Budokan audiences for Cheap Trick and Brian Adams were pretty good. For Journey, they were fairly subdued. They were pretty subdued when The Beatles played there in 66 too which you could tell threw the band off.

Anyway, I think this is a great vocal from Perry. Close your eyes and don't watch and you hear that he nails it.
There's a DVD of this entire show?? Holy crap! That'd be awesome to have. Wish someone would post it at G101. I got the Frontiers show from there. Awesome.

[Lora]

I think it had something to do with the audience he was singing to. The Japanese are reserved people...even more so then...since they hold back their reactions and are so quite I think that Perry was a little reserved in his approach....and related the song to them with a softer melody....wanted to translate it to them in the way he knew they wanted to hear it. If you see the whole show it is more reserved. Singers and bands play off their audiences.

You are exactly correct. The Japanese audiences weren't allowed to stand up and they only clap/cheer between songs. Very different audience to play to and that is why the show seems more reserved to us. It was just Journey showing the proper etiquette to the audience they were playing for.

[Clasicrockldy]

I was looking in my vid collection this morning, and I found a gem ! It is called "The Making of The Frontiers Special" from Japan. Or maybe people know it as "The Making of Budokan". It has interviews and songs in it. I will watch it all the way thru later to catch what songs are in it.