An open letter to Neal and Friga

[Deb]

I hope you guys now realize what you've done. You had a true ambassador of goodwill for your band who bailed your asses out on the Def Leppard tour. You have a fan base who became invested in him and were looking forward to new music from the 5 of you.

And you stabbed him in the back and flushed it all right down the fucking toilet. Way to handle the situation guys. Jeff deserved better.

Right now I only post on this forum because of the people I've met here - people I now consider friends. Otherwise, I wouldn't bother. It has nothing to do with your band anymore. The name "Journey" just leaves a bad taste.

Good luck getting anyone to buy into anything you do ever again. Enjoy the Oklahoma State Fair, Ramada Inn lounge and wherever else the Journey continues to. Unlike some, no ill will from this fan. I don't care enough anymore to get that angry.

You've put the fans through too much to recover from. Hope it was worth it.

Standing O Ed! I agree with every word of it. I'm still flabbergasted at the stupidity of this decision. Best reviews in years, killer frontman (who brought his own fans in and brought many Perry fans back around). Gawd, Perry thought they moved on with a 'soundalike' with Augeri, can just imagine what he thinks of this decision. I think they have just put the last nail in the coffin for many Journey fans. I just wish JSS could scoop up Deen before he goes.

Rock on Jeff, this fan's behind ya 100%. I think it is going to be pretty interesting to look back a year or so from now and see how this all panned out.

[Red13JoePa]

Despite Augeri's lipping, doesn't this whole turn of events give you more sympathy for him?

Never lost mine.

The guy was good.

[Moose]

Despite Augeri's lipping, doesn't this whole turn of events give you more sympathy for him?

Never lost mine.

The guy was good.

I still contend that all of those bastards should have been roasted for the lipping. They had to have known about it, regardless of how much they might deny it. They hung SA out to dry.

[ArnelRox]

More talk about the "Sopranos" than about Jeff's departure.
Even the Press Release was literally buried under the "Soprano" news!

Spot on Laura. They took BT down so the casual fan coming to the site after the Sopranos finale wouldnt stumble upon people talking about how disgusting the band is. Isnt this obvious? Quickly erase Jeff from the site as if he never happened & dump the message board. Highlight all the interviews about the Sopranos so people ONLY read that. Save their butts as they shit all over the guy who pulled them out of a dunghole last yr. Real classy.

[Deb]

can jeff even state he was the former singer of journey,, put that sticker all over his merchandise,, OR maybe he wants no connection!

I bet he won't be allowed legally...

Guess what? Augeri isn't.

And would Jeff really want to???
It isn't like he recorded any albums for them.
He just saved their sorry asses and gave us fans
one of the best tours in years...

The correct title should be "Jeff Scott Soto, former savior of Journey."
Right Neal? Right Jon? Oh, you can finish counting your 2006 earnings and get back to me if you need to. I'll wait.

Good one, but I think one of the best quotes I've heard throughout this whole thing (I think it was Lula?) is......renaming the band:

Journey: A tribute to Steve Perry and the security of his shadow.

[Red13JoePa]

Know what?
I STILL say they did a job of covering Augeri rather than tossing him under the wheels.

None of the band said he lipped, a couple thousand fans onLINE knew but the rest of the journey ticket-buying public just bought into the chronic throat infection thing.


It looked a little ham-handed and awkward to people like us who's full attention deano had....

the JSS thing, though....that is a mystery. SOMEthing went seriously south somewhere. This was more than a simple "change of direction."

[ohsherrie]

The correct title should be "Jeff Scott Soto, former savior of Journey."
Right Neal? Right Jon? Oh, you can finish counting your 2006 earnings and get back to me if you need to. I'll wait.

This post and BJG's new avatar should go on Andrew's Best Of list for 2007.

[Rick]

Hey, quit baggin on Oklahoma, I was born and raised there!! I know that state generates a lot of jokes, but it isn't as big of a joke as Journey's attendance at their fair will be! Kiss my ass Friga and Fro! Soto rocks!

[NealIsGod]

the JSS thing, though....that is a mystery. SOMEthing went seriously south somewhere. This was more than a simple "change of direction."

Yeah, and I think nobody outside the band really knows or ever will. Just a shame.

[tammy]

My feeling is that this whole thing with Jeff and the "Sopranos" was carefully orchestrated.
Just think about it...

What are the chances for two major things like these to happen at the same time??

Kimterp wrote an article "JSS and The Sopranos, How Ironic". It's on the front page of my site which anyone can access. Really well done.

Kim really summed it up. Jeff did not deserve that - to not be called personally by the band & know what was happening before the Internet! So cowardly - and plain wrong. Now, I just feel the band is either defunct or gonna be tired & boring. From now on I'll stick with only praising the PAST Journey with Steve Perry. And, they really do treat their singers poorly, don't they? What a joke the official JRNY site is - it is embarrassing - totally unprofessional.

And, for the poster who said, "get a life - get another band" -- in a way, you're right! Most of us are through with them. Sorry, but even a statement like "due to creative differences the band & JSS have parted ways" would have been better. Gee, were NS, JC, RV, DC just FAKING IT on stage when they were so fired up & smiley with Jeff??

[larryfromnextdoor]

The correct title should be "Jeff Scott Soto, former savior of Journey."
Right Neal? Right Jon? Oh, you can finish counting your 2006 earnings and get back to me if you need to. I'll wait.

This post and BJG's new avatar should go on Andrew's Best Of list for 2007.

did you really mean , "d_ck heads of the year", man
i never thought i would say bad stuff about that band,, ,,
sotogate is no good,, someone will have to come up with something
to refer to this mess...

[ohsherrie]

Know what?
I STILL say they did a job of covering Augeri rather than tossing him under the wheels.

None of the band said he lipped, a couple thousand fans onLINE knew but the rest of the journey ticket-buying public just bought into the chronic throat infection thing.


It looked a little ham-handed and awkward to people like us who's full attention deano had....

the JSS thing, though....that is a mystery. SOMEthing went seriously south somewhere. This was more than a simple "change of direction."

By golly you do come up with a gem now and then 13.

My bet would be that what was going south was Jon's and/or Neal's ego. Another superstar frontman was looming before them.

[Red13JoePa]

They deal with one prickish diva superstar singer for 12 years ('78-'87, '96-'97) and they can't handle JSS' act, which by all accounts was far less finicky than perry's, for a year?

I'm not buying it. They were old hat at handling idosynchratic band members with LSD. There was a pivotal turn of events in this thing. It's just a damn shame it couldn't be worked out, but they seemed so knee-jerk (very tell tale of bad blood. Look how long Augeri's grill and bio stayed up on the site after we knew the dirt was tamped down on his grave compared to the swift and sure expungement of JSS' tenure in the band) in their action to part ways that now there's a press release and no going back.

[Angiekay]

did you really mean , "d_ck heads of the year"

Gosh and just think, two years ago, I was getting MY ass ripped for telling you people what you now know is true!!!

[ArnelRox]

Look how long Augeri's grill and bio stayed up on the site after we knew the dirt was tamped down on his grave compared the swift and sure expungement of JSS' tenure in the band) in their action to part ways that now there's a press release and no going back.

Maybe just maybe Augeri had more warning & time to hire some lawyers which meant they couldnt "clean house" of him till that dust settled. Learning from that, maybe they blindsided Jeff & did it all before he even had time to think about talking to a lawyer b/c he was on tour in Europe w/his former band. & maybe the Sopranos thing gave them a perfect outlet to hide all this & pretend Jeff never existed before mobs of people who knew DSB hit their site. Maybe they're craftier & dirtier than we ever imagined any human being could be. Maybe they're not even human. Or at least if they are, they're sociopaths.

[Wally_Hatchet]

Despite Augeri's lipping, doesn't this whole turn of events give you more sympathy for him?

Never lost mine.

The guy was good.

Yes he was. I'll always be an Augeri fan.

[NealIsGod]

did you really mean , "d_ck heads of the year"

Gosh and just think, two years ago, I was getting MY ass ripped for telling you people what you now know is true!!!

Now, now, Ang... Sioux Falls is still not on my list of places to visit... afraid of getting hit with a bottle.

[bluejeangirl76]

The correct title should be "Jeff Scott Soto, former savior of Journey."
Right Neal? Right Jon? Oh, you can finish counting your 2006 earnings and get back to me if you need to. I'll wait.

This post and BJG's new avatar should go on Andrew's Best Of list for 2007.

Still waiting, Neal and Jon.
Boy, you must have a LOT of 2006 funds to count! You could get Jeff to help you. Again.

Okay. Well, you know where to find me.

[brywool]

Despite Augeri's lipping, doesn't this whole turn of events give you more sympathy for him? I was upset at the entire band for that whole episode but Augeri in particular. Now I'm not so sure I blame him any more than I do the rest of the guys in the band.

I've ALWAYS had sympathy for Steve. He's a good guy who was in one hell of a tough situation with one hell of an egomaniac and tyranical boss (Schon).

I don't want to open it up again, but I feel for both Augeri and Jeff in a big way. NO band or job is worth what this has done to both of these guys.

Augeri haters everywhere- sorry, but I like the guy.

[Angiekay]

did you really mean , "d_ck heads of the year"

Gosh and just think, two years ago, I was getting MY ass ripped for telling you people what you now know is true!!!

Now, now, Ang... Sioux Falls is still not on my list of places to visit... afraid of getting hit with a bottle.

What?....did you make a chicken shit comment you had to edit?! Come on out, that first bottle over your head will be mine.

[NealIsGod]

did you really mean , "d_ck heads of the year"

Gosh and just think, two years ago, I was getting MY ass ripped for telling you people what you now know is true!!!

Now, now, Ang... Sioux Falls is still not on my list of places to visit... afraid of getting hit with a bottle.

What?....did you make a chicken shit comment you had to edit?! Come on out, that first bottle over your head will be mine.

No, I just fixed a typo. You don't scare me!

Actually, you do a little...

[larryfromnextdoor]

did you really mean , "d_ck heads of the year"

Gosh and just think, two years ago, I was getting MY ass ripped for telling you people what you now know is true!!!

Now, now, Ang... Sioux Falls is still not on my list of places to visit... afraid of getting hit with a bottle.

What?....did you make a chicken shit comment you had to edit?! Come on out, that first bottle over your head will be mine.

angie wakes up snoty today..

[stevew2]

Despite Augeri's lipping, doesn't this whole turn of events give you more sympathy for him? I was upset at the entire band for that whole episode but Augeri in particular. Now I'm not so sure I blame him any more than I do the rest of the guys in the band.

I've ALWAYS had sympathy for Steve. He's a good guy who was in one hell of a tough situation with one hell of an egomaniac and tyranical boss (Schon).

I don't want to open it up again, but I feel for both Augeri and Jeff in a big way. NO band or job is worth what this has done to both of these guys.

Augeri haters everywhere- sorry, but I like the guy.

I feel the same way, Friga is a cocksmoker also, he lipped to !! He didnt get burned for that. My bumper sticker is on it way off my truck. Augeri wont ever fully recover, at least Jeff still has a voice,He will move on and I hope will become bigger than Journey{he is already better}

[Deb]

He will move on and I hope will become bigger than Journey{he is already better}

Agreed!

[Escape Artist]

the only thing I would like to add is Journey is finished in my eyes and in my opinion will never record or tour again...good riddance

[Angiekay]

angie wakes up snoty today..

Actually, I let him sleep in today.

[ohsherrie]

angie wakes up snoty today..

Actually, I let him sleep in today.

[chad]

In the last couple of days since this whole mess started I had a strange feeling...I just couldn't put my finger on it,but this morning my eyes opened up...

My feeling is that this whole thing with Jeff and the "Sopranos" was carefully orchestrated.
Just think about it...

What are the chances for two major things like these to happen at the same time??

Cain & Schon both knew before hand that DSB will close the final episode and they knew it will hit the news big time.
My take is that they hoped to diminish the impact of Jeff's firing or even try to make people (the casual fans) focus on the Soprano news.

Just look at all the articles and the interviews with Schon and Cain...More talk about the "Sopranos" than about Jeff's departure.
Even the Press Release was literally buried under the "Soprano" news!

I hope I am wrong,as this is making them look even more vile than they are.
What a SHAME.

You're right on the money! It's PR 101.

[Rick]

In the last couple of days since this whole mess started I had a strange feeling...I just couldn't put my finger on it,but this morning my eyes opened up...

My feeling is that this whole thing with Jeff and the "Sopranos" was carefully orchestrated.
Just think about it...

What are the chances for two major things like these to happen at the same time??

Cain & Schon both knew before hand that DSB will close the final episode and they knew it will hit the news big time.
My take is that they hoped to diminish the impact of Jeff's firing or even try to make people (the casual fans) focus on the Soprano news.

Just look at all the articles and the interviews with Schon and Cain...More talk about the "Sopranos" than about Jeff's departure.
Even the Press Release was literally buried under the "Soprano" news!

I hope I am wrong,as this is making them look even more vile than they are.
What a SHAME.

You're right on the money! It's PR 101.

Yeah, I think they hoped Jeff would just slip out the back door quietly. There are too many people that have become attached to Jeff in this band, so him slipping away quietly isn't at all possible. It's going to get noticed and reacted to. Journey has not just shot themselves in the toe, they've blown the whole fucking foot off.

[larryfromnextdoor]

Journey has not just shot themselves in the toe, they've blown the whole foot off.

dude, i wish folks could understand,, Neal just wants to be a household name.. this new move will ensure him of it..