Could Perry have a LEGAL case against the band...

[EightyRock]

No, the wig, shirt, tails, shoes, etc. weren't a joke. They were part of his "act"....which was absolutely fine....for a lounge tribute act!

Not fine as being the background for Journey's next FRONTMAN. It will OFFICIALLY make them a cover act.

[ArnelRox]

Who are u? We know who Deano is. We know who he knows & doesnt know, where he's been, who he's talked to, etc. Ur just some fly-by-nite troublemaker who drifted in to give Deano a hard time. For the record, Deano doesnt gossip. There are things he knows he has never said to anyone. Now please crawl back under the rock from whence u came.

You need to hold up on your "official" statements. Your only claim to fame is an acquaintance with a terminated employee of the Band. Much of your supposed insider information is erroneous and irresponsible. And, MAY HAVE played a part in Jeff's current situation. Passion for an acquaintance' plight is one thing, spreading gossip to elevate your significance in this situation is wrong. This is NOT about you.

[Enigma869]

My mistake, then. I wasn't aware that the Perry garb was officially a part of Jeremey's "act". None of the videos I have ever come across showed Jeremey ever wearing any of these bad clothes! This is why I assumed it was just a goof. Even if it is part of the act for Jeremey with Frontiers, I can GUARANTEE you that those clothes will never see the light of day if he is the guy fronting Journey!


John from Boston

[whocares]

A person can't control who they may or may not sound like,

With all due respect John, SURE someone can control who they soundlike. Not just comic impersonators, but singers as well. It get's more freaky, when people go way far out of their way to look exactly like that famous singer, though. When you go to a tribute bands concert, you expect them to sound like the singer, but they don't have to look like them. That's just odd.

Also John, how can you guarantee that those outfits will never see the light of day again in Journey? They WANT the old days, they long for them.

[ArnelRox]

Jeremey looks like Perry about as much as I look like Dolly Parton. We both have bleached blonde hair & big boobs. The similarity ends there. But I dressed up as her for Halloween once for a laugh.

So what if he dressed up like Perry when he started his tribute band? Hugo does it. John Koha does it. Fuck, Koha grew his hair to look like Perry's!

McNeil looks like McCartney. Go to his Myspace page & see all the other people who are tribute acts & try to look like the person they imitate.

Why does this have to be a "rag on Jeremey" session? He did nothing wrong here. As a singer he was told he sounded like Perry all his life so he created a Tribute band. Augeri was told the same thing when he was w/Tall Stories. A lot of people think Augeri looked like Perry. Personally, I never got that, but it's been said over & over. I had to bring pix to my hairdresser to convince him Augeri didnt look exactly like Perry!

Why does any of this make Jeremey a bad guy?

[Calbear94]

Even if it was a simple fact of "rushing" a guy into the band to sing vocals (Jeff) it still wouldn't make sense for them to announce him as a permanent replacement then dump in a couple months later. That part is strange. I mean, they certainly could've just told Jeff that this was a one tour thing...I'm sure he would've been just fine with that.

I believe that Journey has been guilty of responding to fans' demands, at least to what they perceive a majority of the fans have wanted (at the time). Examples:

Arrival - fans criticized the album after hearing songs downloaded off Napster...more rock songs were placed on the U.S. release.

Generations - fans reaction to Red13, which was "different," but very artistic...caused Journey to put out an album with too much unrefined raw energy and no clear direction.

Tapegate - fans demanded answers as to Augeri's status. It was easier public relations-wise to make Augeri a scapegoat than to stick with him and see if his voice would recover.

Tour with Def Leppard - JSS came in with energy and gave (rock) audiences what they wanted. His voice was not the best fit, but many in the audience did not seem to care. Had Journey been paired with a more similar band like Styx, the difference might have been more of an issue with the audience.

Nov./Dec. '06 - the tour ended in Puerto Rico and Monterrey, Mex., just one month before the "official" decision was made. In interviews over the years, Cain and Schon have repeatedly analyzed audience reactions. This means that the final shows of '06, would form the last impressions that Cain and Schon would take with them into Dec. '06 and into '07. Fans in P.R. were rabid for Soto, for obvious reasons. From my personal experience, rock fans in Mexico are some of the most loyal fans in the world (my wife is from Mexico and I have seen many different bands play there). Mexican fans, perhaps because most bands don't go to Mexico regularly, are so glad to see a show that they don't care who the singer is (so long as the singer is competent). They're more into the music and the lyrics than into the "vocal style". If the members of any aging rock band need a boost to their collective ego, they would get it in Mexico.

Europe '07 - longer shows(?) meant wider variety of Journey classics to be played. Judging from the setlists and the amount of clips on YouTube, Deen was doing quite a bit of singing. He had filled in before for Augeri during the long, brutal shows that they did, but there was no urgent need for him to sing those songs instead of Soto. This suggests to me that the band (Cain, Schon, whoever?) was already kind of moving away from Soto. Had they gone to Deen, it might have been logical given the direction they were already moving. However, they knew that Deen has had no desire to step out in front and sing. So now they cut the lead singer that had just won over the U.S. fans who attended the '06 shows, most of whom probably have no idea what happened in Europe, and even fewer were privy to behind the scenes stuff in recent weeks.

Journey has made the best decisions when someone else making them for them (i.e. Herbie). This leads me to wonder what the hell Azoff is doing for them?

[Perrylover]

Found this on another site. He is certainly trying to look like Perry. Check out the URL.

http://www.geocities.com/almoststeveper ... icker.html

Yeah, a 4 year old picture. Jeremey did that for just a few shows when they first started Frontiers. He did it because he was unsure of how people would react if he didn't "appear" to be Steve Perry while singing those songs. Once he found out that people would not crucify him because he sounded so much like Steve Perry, he just does the shows as himself. He hasn't worn the wig or the Nikes for at least 3 years now. Yeah, he still wore the tails to open the show, but usually took them off after the first couple of songs. I havent seen a show in a few months, so I don't know if he is even still doing the tails for the opening numbers.

[Enigma869]

A person can't control who they may or may not sound like,

With all due respect John, SURE someone can control who they soundlike. Not just comic impersonators, but singers as well. It get's more freaky, when people go way far out of their way to look exactly like that famous singer, though. When you go to a tribute bands concert, you expect them to sound like the singer, but they don't have to look like them. That's just odd.

Also John, how can you guarantee that those outfits will never see the light of day again in Journey? They WANT the old days, they long for them.[/quote


We can agree to disagree on that point. You're working under the assumption that people can simply sound like who they want to sound like. I think that entire notion is ludicrous! I can tell you this...No matter how much I tried to or practiced, I'm not singing like Steve Perry! I'm not saying that someone who doesn't already have the same tonal quality can't go out of their way to work on certain vocal nuances and voice inflections. I still think it's absurd to advance the notion that anyone can sound like whomever they feel like sounding like! That's simply not how things work. As for my being sure his bad Perry duds won't see the light of day with Journey...I can't believe that anyone with two brain cells connected would EVER dare even attempt that!


John from Boston

[ArnelRox]

So now they cut the lead singer that had just won over the U.S. fans who attended the '06 shows, most of whom probably have no idea what happened in Europe, and even fewer were privy to behind the scenes stuff in recent weeks.

But Journey were LOVED in Europe w/Jeff. The UK is starved for Journey as they have been there so rarely. Our own king of the loons, Matthew, was even bowled over when he saw Journey in London. Quite the accomplishment.

[Calbear94]

So now they cut the lead singer that had just won over the U.S. fans who attended the '06 shows, most of whom probably have no idea what happened in Europe, and even fewer were privy to behind the scenes stuff in recent weeks.

But Journey were LOVED in Europe w/Jeff. The UK is starved for Journey as they have been there so rarely. Our own king of the loons, Matthew, was even bowled over when he saw Journey in London. Quite the accomplishment.

Yes, but even so, wasn't he upstaged just a bit by the standing ovations that were reportedly given to Deen? I think Europe is the key, because the setlists became longer. I know it is an over-simplification, but JSS would have to sing more than just Edge of the Blade. With a starved UK audience, they could have let JSS do all the songs. The fact that the didn't, suggests to me that they were already beginning to think beyond JSS as lead singer. I think the past has shown that post-Arrival, when they have turned to Deen, it was out of necessity (believed on their part). Why would they have Deen do so many songs...even songs that have not been performed live in a long, long, time? These lesser known songs would have provided a decent opportunity to establish JSS as lead singer.

[fredinator]

Henley, thought your posts were very well thought out and insightful--thanks...

[ArnelRox]

Yes, but even so, wasn't he upstaged just a bit by the standing ovations that were reportedly given to Deen? I think Europe is the key, because the setlists became longer. I know it is an over-simplification, but JSS would have to sing more than just Edge of the Blade. With a starved UK audience, they could have let JSS do all the songs. The fact that the didn't, suggests to me that they were already beginning to think beyond JSS as lead singer. I think the past has shown that post-Arrival, when they have turned to Deen, it was out of necessity (believed on their part). Why would they have Deen do so many songs...even songs that have not been performed live in a long, long, time? These lesser known songs would have provided a decent opportunity to establish JSS as lead singer.

I think Jeff has answered this a million times over. He could & would perform ALL the songs. In fact he has done so on several occasions. But after Deen started doing a few songs in 03, the fans liked it & so did Deen. By the way, in 04, Deen was doing Suzanne & Happy To Give. He also did Mother, Father on occasion. Obviously those are lesser known songs. Sure he sang some of the better known songs along the way as well. But it was b/c he wanted to & the fans liked it. Singing drummers are not a common commodity. It also gave Jeff a chance to rest his voice for the longer sets. Those songs are very hard on the cords u know! There was nothing else to this decision. Stop making a mountain out of a molehill. Don't we have enough rumors already?

[Calbear94]

I'm just speculating...one fan trying to come to grips with how they could have changed their minds regarding Soto. The official decision had come in December after the tour. It's not like they were forced to make that announced...the tour had already been completed, successfully too.

I never claimed to have any sources, nor passed on my thoughts as "facts." All I've tried to do was to have an intelligent dialogue, not start rumours. I thought you, if anyone, who is in the forum at this moment would be more supportive.

[ArnelRox]

Sorry I wont support this kind of speculation especially when Jeff has addressed these questions himself here on this very forum in the past. Some people may not have read what Jeff said. I dont want them walking away thinking there's truth to this & taking it on some other forum. That is how rumors begin. While I'm sure that wasnt ur intention, Jeff sat here & took abuse & rolled w/the punches. He answered all the naysayers & gave us the truth. If anyone wants to read what he's said to us over the last yr, they can search the forum & see if for themselves. Some wont take the time to do that so Im just trying to reiterate what he said to save everyone time.

I cant come to grips w/what Journey did to Jeff either. It is mindboggling especially in light of all they said about him & all the reviewers & fans said about him. & ur absolutely right. They had every chance to cut him loose after they got to audition him live as he saved their butts last yr. But they named him the lead singer officially & the other day, they spent hours gradually erasing him from their website one bit at a time as if he never even existed. Finally, when all traces of Jeff were gone, they came out w/an announcement buried at the botton of a loooong page about the Sopranos finale. That is just plain disgusting.

I'm just speculating...one fan trying to come to grips with how they could have changed their minds regarding Soto. The official decision had come in December after the tour. It's not like they were forced to make that announced...the tour had already been completed, successfully too.

I never claimed to have any sources, nor passed on my thoughts as "facts." All I've tried to do was to have an intelligent dialogue, not start rumours. I thought you, if anyone, who is in the forum at this moment would be more supportive.

[Calbear94]

I'm just trying to figure out why they made this decision. This is key to predicting the direction they will go in. It's pretty clear that what I've said is just my opinion. It's not like I set up a blog, in order to pass off insider information.

[lowdbrent]

Uh, no. However, Steve does have to give his approval for the use of songs he wrote and co-wrote to be used in live performances, T.V. episodes and movies, cover versions by other artists, etc. He may even have authority to approve or nix a new replacement singer for Journey. No one but those involved know the particulars of those contractual agreements. Unless it's a direct quote from one of the principals, it's heresy/gossip.

Perry says that he has nothing to do with the current band. If that is the case, then what you say is not true.

As far as approving songs for performances, that's wrong. Anyone can play anything live, anytime, anywhere, so long as it is not recorded and sold for distribution and/or profit. If the band makes a DVD, yeah, he might get royalties, publishing, etc. Who knows.

As far as the TV and movies thing goes, that is all label there. Occassionally you might have someone license a tune. But generally, in the case of Sony who has been buying up green trees of bands, remastering and rereleasing them, they put them in their movies and their TV shows to drive sales. All major labels affiliated with/under the same umbrella with movie studios do this.

[ArnelRox]

To be honest w/u I couldn't give a rat's ass what direction they go in from this point on. It's now their Journey to hell. My dollars will go to supporting Soto & Augeri w/their next projects. At least they care about their fans & they're good men. That must be why they were shit on by FrigFro. "Caring about fans" what a fucking novel concept!

I'm just trying to figure out why they made this decision. This is key to predicting the direction they will go in. It's pretty clear that what I've said is just my opinion. It's not like I set up a blog, in order to pass off insider information.

[Henley]

Uh, no. However, Steve does have to give his approval for the use of songs he wrote and co-wrote to be used in live performances, T.V. episodes and movies, cover versions by other artists, etc. He may even have authority to approve or nix a new replacement singer for Journey. No one but those involved know the particulars of those contractual agreements. Unless it's a direct quote from one of the principals, it's heresy/gossip.

Perry says that he has nothing to do with the current band. If that is the case, then what you say is not true.

As far as approving songs for performances, that's wrong. Anyone can play anything live, anytime, anywhere, so long as it is not recorded and sold for distribution and/or profit. If the band makes a DVD, yeah, he might get royalties, publishing, etc. Who knows.

As far as the TV and movies thing goes, that is all label there. Occassionally you might have someone license a tune. But generally, in the case of Sony who has been buying up green trees of bands, remastering and rereleasing them, they put them in their movies and their TV shows to drive sales. All major labels affiliated with/under the same umbrella with movie studios do this.

Well, It would make sense that using his music in live performances, T.V. episodes, cover versions by other artists. etc. would be intended for profit in most cases. If you do your research, Steve did have to give his approval for the DVD release in Vegas with Augeri. Also, you might want to read the articles recently posted on this board about the approval needed and songwriting royalties paid to Steve, Cain and Schon for the Soprano episode. As far as Sony buying green trees of bands are you referring to evergreen catalogues???

[Red13JoePa]

Pfffff.

How ? Over what?

He's out.

One of his last interviews he said that as of June such and such 1998 he has nothing more legally whatsoever to do with Journey.

Any catalogue collaboration or music licensing agreements have to be one off on a deal-by-deal basis.

No recourse there. Not that I think Perry gives a shit anyway. Otherwise he wouldn't have finalized that divorce from the band.

[Tomulator]

if they hire an exact "replica" to SP to front the band?

I mean, doesn't he own the rights to his "likeness" etc. ??

Just a thought.

I think the question you're asking is a very different question than what has been answered here. I certainly have no knowledge of what Perry's "legal" tie ins to Journey are. I can guarantee you that he certainly has no right to approve or disapprove of the next lead singer of Journey, as that would be flat-out absurd! The reality is that if Perry had any legal say on who the lead singer of Journey should be...Journey would have ceased to exist after 1996!

As for owning the rights to his likeness...That's a whole separate issue. From all the information that is out there and from Cain's quotes, it certainly looks like Journey will re-surface with a guy who sounds a lot more like Perry than Soto ever did. That said, Perry has no legal grounds to sue someone, just because they might sound like him. A person can't control who they may or may not sound like, so it would be the most frivilous lawsuit ever brought (except the dopey attorney suing for $54 million for his lost pants), in a country that invented the frivilous lawsuit! Also, if any of the information out there about them hiring Jeremey on as their next lead singer, there is certainly no "likeness" between he and Perry. They couldn't look more different!


John from Boston

Was more referring to someone along the lines of Hugo.

Hmmm...

[Rhiannon]

No recourse there. Not that I think Perry gives a shit anyway.

If he had any inkling of shit giving left, I'm sure thats out the window now.
The man's living the good life on the sunny beaches while his former bandmates have to tour to stay alive.
Yeah... pretty sure Perry's laughing his balls off right now.