Should Journey Expand the Band?

[SteveForever]

Watching Kelly Clarkson this morning on a talk show, she has 6 people behind her...

If Journey wants to revamp should they add some back up singers (hot ones maybe?) and perhaps another keyboard player since Jon likes to be on guitar so much? maybe a string instrument? if they are going to re-vamp, even if its to "perserve their legacy" maybe they need to jazz it up.....

[larryfromnextdoor]

right now , they should just hang it up,,, . "no wire hangers!!!!"

[SteveForever]

[quote="larryfromnextdoor"]right now , they should just hang it up,,, .

yea, they probably will, especially if Azoff drops them....

[Wally_Hatchet]

Why would they pay for extra musicians?
They seem to be OK with using tapes for backing vox and keys, and you know they are all about $$$.

[Behshad]

Why would they pay for extra musicians?
They seem to be OK with using tapes for backing vox and keys, and you know they are all about $$$.

Exactly!
If anything they should get rid of Ross and replace Deen with a drum machine. This way there's more money for the 2 you-know-who's

[EightyRock]

Uh...no. They need to pack it in and call it a day. They've screwed up things way beyond repair now. Why involve other musicians at this point and dilute those checks they need so badly?

[Saint John]

Why would they pay for extra musicians?
They seem to be OK with using tapes for backing vox and keys, and you know they are all about $$$.

Exactly!
If anything they should get rid of Ross and replace Deen with a drum machine. This way there's more money for the 2 you-know-who's

If they decide to do new music, Deen has to go. He brings nothing to the table for Journey. Great drummer, but just not for this type of music.

[Arkansas]

For yrs now, I've always said that Journey should be a six-piece.
Bring back Rolie!


later~

[Granny]

Uh...no. They need to pack it in and call it a day. They've screwed up things way beyond repair now. Why involve other musicians at this point and dilute those checks they need so badly?

Who the hell would want to play with them anyway after the shit they just pulled?

[Saint John]

Uh...no. They need to pack it in and call it a day. They've screwed up things way beyond repair now. Why involve other musicians at this point and dilute those checks they need so badly?

Who the hell would want to play with them anyway after the shit they just pulled?

Anyone who wants to be a millionaire.

[squirt1]

I would choose the word disband. They are going to be in for a shock as far as fan retaliation.

[Wheels Of Fyre]

right now , they should just hang it up,,, . "no wire hangers!!!!"

Oh, Mommy, Dearest

[Saint John]

I would choose the word disband. They are going to be in for a shock as far as fan retaliation.

Fan retaliation across the country MIGHT number 1,000 total. That's about 25 people per show. Hardly enough to make Friga or Schon sweat. If they read your comment, they're bent over laughing right now.

[larryfromnextdoor]

I would choose the word disband. They are going to be in for a shock as far as fan retaliation.

Fan retaliation across the country MIGHT number 1,000 total. That's about 25 people per show. Hardly enough to make Friga or Schon sweat. If they read your comment, they're bent over laughing right now.

your right ,, we aint making a point to them,, did you ever see "saving silverman"???
we use the same premise, YOU and i have to go get schon.. its the only way,, it would make
a good movie too.. "a few dimwited fans, out to make a point,, road trip to california to
abduct their favorite guitar player... but along the way come accross 2 women .......
...that will forever change their lives...... "..............

[*Laura]

I would choose the word disband. They are going to be in for a shock as far as fan retaliation.

Fan retaliation across the country MIGHT number 1,000 total. That's about 25 people per show. Hardly enough to make Friga or Schon sweat. If they read your comment, they're bent over laughing right now.

I'm afraid you are right on that,SJ.
Funny thing is that the hardcore fans,who are in fact spending/have spent the most money on this band (CDs,merchandise,expensive tix,travelling to see them,etc) are the ones who are powerless.A paradox,but it's the sad truth.

No matter how or where these longtime fans voice their disappointments,the effect will be close to zero.Frustrating...That's why it's not really worth it.

I guess that ultimately,the casual fans will continue to be the important part for the Journey business.The ones that have no idea about the truth.

[strangegrey]

This has just been discussed over on my board...I seem to have a different opinion.


I happen to feel that Journey's fanbase has been shrinking like wildfire since Arrival's release. They got a minor bump with JSS joining the band....any gains realized there are lost for good....but there's been a constant attrition of fans, thats for sure. The big question is WHAT fans have gone. Die hard onliners or casual fans?

This is like a bad flashback to an accounting class, but it's usually LIFO...Last In, First Out. The casual fans are usually the first to go.

If that's the case...then the more attrition and time go by...the more Die Hard fans are left. If the die hard fans are the one's pissed...it might not be as insignificant as some think.

The way I see it, if the die hard fans make a difference, Journey will be gone inside 3 years. If they can milk this BS for more than 5 years, the die hard fans didn't make a dent.

[yogi]

If Journey had ever brought out on stage everyone that they let sing lead on Generations, they would have more people on stage than they had in the auidence at most shows.

As a matter of fact Journey will be a question in the upcoming Trival Pursuit Game.

The question will read: Name the Group and the CD of the only band in Rock & Roll History to have more lead singers on a CD than have CD's sold?

The answer is Journey & Generations

[Eric]

I'm not so sure it is such a small dent.

I believe that The "1,000" is closer to "10,000" if you factor in all of the hardcore active AND non-active forum participants. Additionally, when we're talking about casual fans, the hardcore contributes greatly to that. I usually go to 2-3 shows a year and on average bring 4-6 others with me. So, I don't really count as 1.....I count as 10. If I stop attending their shows, they lose 10 people. I don't think it is a stretch to say that is common among the hardcore. If everyone of us hardcore stops going I think Journey will lose close to 100,000 off of their total attendance. That is 20% - 25%. Moving forward, the casual fans we take to each show will have no chance at becoming hard core...and then will continue to decrease the next few years. I agree with Strangegrey...they are done by the end of the decade.

Additionally, I wouldn't be so sure that the casual fan will come so easy. The lead singer change is enough of a joke to be a minor story. Friends of mine have forwarded me links and said.....YOUR BAND IS A JOKE. That may or not weigh in the back of someone's mind buying a ticket. I think it will at least for upfront shows. Journey will draw well on a nice summer Friday or Saturday night, but I'm not so sure they will draw no matter what any longer.

Finally, we, the hardcore, are the ones who buy the VIP seats, wear their logos and vote in polls to make them win. Who will do that now...and how much of an affect will that have on the percieved "largeness" of Journey.

Journey averaged 6,400 on the Generations tour. Without a big turnaround of our emotions (not ruling that out) or something big done on their part.....that number will be more like 3,500-4,000 by the end of the decade. That means opening act and Fair act.

[conversationpc]

If Journey had ever brought out on stage everyone that they let sing lead on Generations, they would have more people on stage than they had in the auidence at most shows.

Ummm...They DID have everyoone on stage that sang lead on "Generations". Augeri, Schon, Cain, Valory, and Castronovo.

[yogi]

What about The Bus Driver, The Chef, The Bell Hop, The Barber, The fireman, The Indian.... etc..............................

[X factor]

I would choose the word disband. They are going to be in for a shock as far as fan retaliation.

Fan retaliation across the country MIGHT number 1,000 total. That's about 25 people per show. Hardly enough to make Friga or Schon sweat. If they read your comment, they're bent over laughing right now.

I'm afraid you are right on that,SJ.
Funny thing is that the hardcore fans,who are in fact spending/have spent the most money on this band (CDs,merchandise,expensive tix,travelling to see them,etc) are the ones who are powerless.A paradox,but it's the sad truth.

No matter how or where these longtime fans voice their disappointments,the effect will be close to zero.Frustrating...That's why it's not really worth it.

I guess that ultimately,the casual fans will continue to be the important part for the Journey business.The ones that have no idea about the truth.

It's a tough call. The internet is a mighty thing, and if enough people read sites like this one and Brian May's (and I'm sure there are others) calling them to the carpet for their actions, it could have a bigger effect. But overall, I think SJ is right too. Fan retaliation ain't gonna do Journey in... growing into an embarassing, stagnant oldies act, however, WILL do them in. These guys will be doing nothing but casinos and fairs if they keep it up. So sad...

[larocque6689]

Am I the only one who thought the Augerri-written tracks were the weakest tracks on Generations? I loved the Ross Valory song, and as I said earlier, Dean was a pleasant surprise. Ross's track was so unlike the traditional Journey sound and it just rocked out, even if he couldn't sing, I loved it. Didn't care for "Generations" though, and Neal is a horrible vocalist. But conceptually, it was good seeing them trying out something different for a change. These were the first babysteps into steeping out of the Perry shadow. I saw JSS as lead as being more or less along that same vector. Now they are just another band cashing in in strictly on former glory, with little in it creatively, and the diminishing returns year in and year out.

Was Dean really a former mega-poster on this board? I liked him. That "demo" which they stuck as a bonus track on Generations was one of the better tracks on the record. It's too bad nobody has done a complete discography of his work, he was practiaclly the house drummer for Shrapnel Records for at least half a decade.

I didnt' care for the Ripper-lead Judas Priest, but I'm reminded of this. They finally brought back Halford. So Priest puts out a comeback album which was actually weaker than the Halford solo records. Halford's solo career was basically about him touring with a bunch of kids half his age and in which he gained a whole new fanbase, while piggybacking on the hardcore Priest fans and returning to his metal roots. And they were good musicians. I don't begrudge him for coming home to Priest, but creatively speaking, his solo work was better. I'll take Bobby Jarzombeck over Scott Travis any day. (What happened to Scott?)

Anyway, I'm rambling. May and Rodgers re-inventing Queen was really the template for which Journey should have aspired.

[squirt1]

X factor- you said it better than I could. St John- Journey can only pull this so many times. I know you could be right because some only go to concerts to party and the band name draws them in. But word gets around on line and post concerts. Who wants to pay the ticket price for 3rd string. They better have one hell of an act to open for again. To use the bands usual words when firing anyone" We wish him well" . I wish the band well ! I will support Jeff. He was the next best thing to Perry !