by tj » Sat Sep 15, 2007 8:58 am
Several thoughts:
1. No one in the band can call JSS because they management has them legally tied up and is keeping them from doing so. Sounds crazy, but fear of a litigation is a huge motivator for most management teams. Better to say nothing at all, not even I'm sorry, than to open up issues which could work against you in court.
2. Seeing the soundcheck in Tampa link in YouTube last night (never saw Journey with JSS), JSS was the only one showing any energy. Granted, it was only a soundcheck, but in seeing other clips on YouTube of live shows, JSS (and Deen - because drumming requires energy) was the only one on stage showing any excitement in what they were doing.
JSS would quickly become the focal point of fan's interest because he was interested in the fans. At one point not long after JSS joined Journey, the Journey Website posted a news update with a big picture and link to JSS personal website. At the time, I thought, "that's interesting", because I had been a frequent visitor to the site and never seen any of the other guys SA, NS, JC, RV or DC have that kind of self promotion on the Journey site. (Not saying that it was bad, inappropriate or that I disagreed with JSS having the information there).
A short time later, the picture was gone and only a small reference to his updated site was left. It was like the other guys had looked at this and said, "wait - this site is about the band - no one is bigger than the band". From there, they finished out the tour and JSS gets booted. They kept him to finish the tour, but I think the decision to dump him was made shortly after his website was update.
3. Augeri's comments earlier in this thread seem to me like he was never a part of the band - he was a hired gun who works for JC and NS as long as it works for them. His voice went out and he was gone. I think Ross and Deen are the same way. As long as they are useful, keep their mouths shut and go along, they keep their jobs. Get out of line and there are thousands of bass players and drummers world over who can play every Journey lick.
4. Finally - all of this reminds me of a corporation, which Journey the entity is. It's all about the money. Perhaps 30+ years ago it was about the music, but even then, the band played gigs and made records for the money. As the corporation grew, so did the money. Yes, the music was great and still is, but as for the nostalgic "the guys in the band are brothers", I think that's a load of crap.
The interviews and seeing how people have been treated over the years with this group show that it is just like the multinational corporation I work for. Fleischman was dumped because Perry was a much more marketable product long term. As long as it furthers the goal of making money, we will keep you around. If we think we can make more money with someone else or by going a different direction, you're gone. No explanation, no thanks. Just box your stuff and go. We can't say anymore because our attorneys told us not to.
Whatever the reasons, and we will never know completely, it doesn't change the music. It doesn't make what happened to JSS any better. He seems to be taking the high road is classy guy for it.
just puts a bigass smile on your face. 
so there is a version of WE ALL DIE YOUNG with jss singing?? how could we get that ?