Open Letter to Neal Schon

[Saint John]

Neal moved on when he finally realized that Perry wasn't coming back. The dumbest thing he ever did was wait so long. He, along with the rest of the band, allowed Steve Perry to put their careers on hold for the better part of 11 years (1987-1998). It's become quite obvious who the asshole is. All of this shit....the forum wars, the lead singer debate, the hip arguments, the Arnel and Soto battles, are the fault of one man's unwillingness to work and be honest to his bandmates, his fans and himself. That man is Steve Perry.

While I agree that SP should've then and should now be more honest with folks, the rest of your comments are bullshit. What else could he possibly be responsible for? Global Warming? The war in Iraq? Hell, maybe SP is really Susie, and she's fooled us all these years. (*Sudden image of a Scooby Doo episode, here...*).

His unwillingness to be honest polarized the fan base and made everyone choose sides. Rather than pass the torch he did EVERYTHING humanly possible to detour and obstruct Journey's forward direction. Whether he was "toast" or he had to do a solo project or his hip hurt, he destroyed forward momentum for many years. Then, when they FINALLY decided to get back Greg and bring in Chalfant he had the fucking audacity to derail what, at the time and because of the time, could have been a relevant lineup. I believe fat ass Herbie Herbert when he says he never planned on touring. Shit, Herbie told Neal that he'd bend over and kiss his ass if Perry did one fucking show. Perry has been lying to himself and his fans for years. He couldn't be gracious and pass the torch. He just couldn't do it. Couldn't accept that his days were voluntarily over. He had to impede them with legal wrangling, fake comebacks and false hope. Your references to "Iraq" and "global warming" show your undying loyalty to a liar and a quitter, and that you'll use even the most desperate and ridiculous means possible to mask that.

[donnaplease]

Neal moved on when he finally realized that Perry wasn't coming back. The dumbest thing he ever did was wait so long. He, along with the rest of the band, allowed Steve Perry to put their careers on hold for the better part of 11 years (1987-1998). It's become quite obvious who the asshole is. All of this shit....the forum wars, the lead singer debate, the hip arguments, the Arnel and Soto battles, are the fault of one man's unwillingness to work and be honest to his bandmates, his fans and himself. That man is Steve Perry.

While I agree that SP should've then and should now be more honest with folks, the rest of your comments are bullshit. What else could he possibly be responsible for? Global Warming? The war in Iraq? Hell, maybe SP is really Susie, and she's fooled us all these years. (*Sudden image of a Scooby Doo episode, here...*).

His unwillingness to be honest polarized the fan base and made everyone choose sides. Rather than pass the torch he did EVERYTHING humanly possible to detour and obstruct Journey's forward direction. Whether he was "toast" or he had to do a solo project or his hip hurt, he destroyed forward momentum for many years. Then, when they FINALLY decided to get back Greg and bring in Chalfant he had the fucking audacity to derail what, at the time and because of the time, could have been a relevant lineup. I believe fat ass Herbie Herbert when he says he never planned on touring. Shit, Herbie told Neal that he'd bend over and kiss his ass if Perry did one fucking show. Perry has been lying to himself and his fans for years. He couldn't be gracious and pass the torch. He just couldn't do it. Couldn't accept that his days were voluntarily over. He had to impede them with legal wrangling, fake comebacks and false hope. Your references to "Iraq" and "global warming" show your undying loyalty to a liar and a quitter, and that you'll use even the most desperate and ridiculous means possible to mask that.

Hey, call it like ya see it. I like to think of myself as consistent, which is not something I can say about some around here...

I don't disagree with some of what you say. But as we have seen over the past few years, NS doesn't quite have the best track record with decision-making, does he? As for my references, Dan, they were sarcastic in nature. I would expect you to get that...

[Saint John]

Neal moved on when he finally realized that Perry wasn't coming back. The dumbest thing he ever did was wait so long. He, along with the rest of the band, allowed Steve Perry to put their careers on hold for the better part of 11 years (1987-1998). It's become quite obvious who the asshole is. All of this shit....the forum wars, the lead singer debate, the hip arguments, the Arnel and Soto battles, are the fault of one man's unwillingness to work and be honest to his bandmates, his fans and himself. That man is Steve Perry.

While I agree that SP should've then and should now be more honest with folks, the rest of your comments are bullshit. What else could he possibly be responsible for? Global Warming? The war in Iraq? Hell, maybe SP is really Susie, and she's fooled us all these years. (*Sudden image of a Scooby Doo episode, here...*).

His unwillingness to be honest polarized the fan base and made everyone choose sides. Rather than pass the torch he did EVERYTHING humanly possible to detour and obstruct Journey's forward direction. Whether he was "toast" or he had to do a solo project or his hip hurt, he destroyed forward momentum for many years. Then, when they FINALLY decided to get back Greg and bring in Chalfant he had the fucking audacity to derail what, at the time and because of the time, could have been a relevant lineup. I believe fat ass Herbie Herbert when he says he never planned on touring. Shit, Herbie told Neal that he'd bend over and kiss his ass if Perry did one fucking show. Perry has been lying to himself and his fans for years. He couldn't be gracious and pass the torch. He just couldn't do it. Couldn't accept that his days were voluntarily over. He had to impede them with legal wrangling, fake comebacks and false hope. Your references to "Iraq" and "global warming" show your undying loyalty to a liar and a quitter, and that you'll use even the most desperate and ridiculous means possible to mask that.

Hey, call it like ya see it. I like to think of myself as consistent, which is not something I can say about some around here...

I don't disagree with some of what you say. But as we have seen over the past few years, NS doesn't quite have the best track record with decision-making, does he? As for my references, Dan, they were sarcastic in nature. I would expect you to get that...

I apologize for the tone of my post, but it's finally dawned on me after all of these years who the bad guy really is. Honestly, I think Neal lets management make the decisions and he sits back and does what he does best.....play the guitar and find new women to pay alimony to.

[AlienC]

Here's a quote for ya.. read two posts up from your last.. (he problem with people like Neal is they think they are so right and are so far up their own ass they can't see daylight. So nothing will change. Please stop trying to put a square peg in a round hole!!) "WickedGail"

No venom.. what's that?

Is it venomous to tell an alcoholic that he has a problem when he won't admit it?

If you tell him his head is up his ass..yes,that is a problem! Gail is a JSS supporter..She is anti Journey now..its well known..

I agree that the current culture is one of syncophancy towards Neal. This was always kept in check by HH and his parochial relationship with Neal.

[annie89509]

Perhaps this thread should not have been started -- bringing all this grief down on SP. Donna is correct. During the Augeri years, SP was the whipping boy, justification for Journey to go on by blaming SP for anything and everything. It was only during Tapegate and the appearance of JSS that Steve was suddenly revered and given his due for all that he gave Journey.

Now, with Saint John leading the way, SP is once again being stepped on mercilessly. You should be ashamed calling yourself a Perry fan, Dan.

[Saint John]

Perhaps this thread should not have been started -- bringing all this grief down on SP. Donna is correct. During the Augeri years, SP was the whipping boy, justification for Journey to go on by blaming SP for anything and everything. It was only during Tapegate and the appearance of JSS that Steve was suddenly revered and given his due for all that he gave Journey.

Now, with Saint John leading the way, SP is once again being stepped on mercilessly. You should be ashamed calling yourself a Perry fan, Dan.

Kiss my ass. I'm a fan of him as an artist. My opinion of him as a band mate and a person in the music industry is that he's an asshole. Funny that people that have worked with and managed him and promoters alike will tell you the same thing.

[annie89509]

Perhaps this thread should not have been started -- bringing all this grief down on SP. Donna is correct. During the Augeri years, SP was the whipping boy, justification for Journey to go on by blaming SP for anything and everything. It was only during Tapegate and the appearance of JSS that Steve was suddenly revered and given his due for all that he gave Journey.

Now, with Saint John leading the way, SP is once again being stepped on mercilessly. You should be ashamed calling yourself a Perry fan, Dan.

Kiss my ass. I'm a fan of him as an artist. My opinion of him as a band mate and a person in the music industry is that he's an asshole. Funny that people that have worked with and managed him and promoters alike will tell you the same thing.

You have clearly changed, SJ. I recall you were one of the more vocal supporters of SP from the time you joined this board until just recently. You even condemned HH for "ruining" SP's voice from the relenting touring schedule. Never did you "blame" SP for anything. I think what started this recent trashing is your disillusionment that SP seemingly will not give you what you have always asked for, indeed, what we all Perryfans pray for, his singing for us. But, hey, it is his life and voice.

Lol, what people have called him an asshole? For everyone you name, I can name someone else that holds him in the highest regard.

[Saint John]

Perhaps this thread should not have been started -- bringing all this grief down on SP. Donna is correct. During the Augeri years, SP was the whipping boy, justification for Journey to go on by blaming SP for anything and everything. It was only during Tapegate and the appearance of JSS that Steve was suddenly revered and given his due for all that he gave Journey.

Now, with Saint John leading the way, SP is once again being stepped on mercilessly. You should be ashamed calling yourself a Perry fan, Dan.

Kiss my ass. I'm a fan of him as an artist. My opinion of him as a band mate and a person in the music industry is that he's an asshole. Funny that people that have worked with and managed him and promoters alike will tell you the same thing.

You have clearly changed, SJ. I recall you were one of the more vocal supporters of SP from the time you joined this board until just recently. You even condemned HH for "ruining" SP's voice from the relenting touring schedule. Never did you "blame" SP for anything. I think what started this recent trashing is your disillusionment that SP seemingly will not give you what you have always asked for, indeed, what we all Perryfans pray for, his singing for us. But, hey, it is his life and voice.

Lol, what people have called him an asshole? For everyone you name, I can name someone else that holds him in the highest regard.

Herbie did run his voice into the ground. That view hasn't changed. What has changed is the realization that Steve Perry did not want this band to move on without him. What a pompous, selfish, egotistical load of bullshit. "Don't crack the stone." Yeah, ok. Guys that WANT TO/CAN work and two of the founding members are going to change the name of a band that he had no part in starting up. Granted, he was an integral part of making them huge, but he was also responsible for bringing them down. I still can't believe he had the audacity to ask that they retire the name Journey because he couldn't or didn't want to continue. If he "never felt like a part of the band" it should have been easy to step away. The guy contradicted himself so many times it's laughable. Couple the way he plays the "privacy" card with the "gag" orders and it's painfully obvious that he wants the truth to remain hidden. Inspector Gadget could figure that out.

[Vladan]

It seems as though Neal Schon is quite the Web surfer, having spent hours on YouTube trying to find a new Steve Perry impersonator. I doubt that Neal gets on this forum, but just in case he does, I wanted to write something to him to let him know how I feel. Here goes:

Neal,

I'm sorry Neal, but Steve Perry was Journey. You are as much Journey as Elvis' lead guitarist was Elvis. You are not an Eddie Van Halen, Neal. If you were, you would have found a Sammy Hagar by now and changed the course of Journey to a different sound. However, Journey was never popular before Steve Perry joined the band. We will never know if Journey could be popular without Steve Perry until you find someone to sing who is not trying to emulate Steve Perry. You had your chance to do that last year with JSS, but you blew it.

Now you have hired another Steve Perry impersonator. All the while you expect Journey fans to put Steve Perry out of their minds and allow the new singer to have his own identity. You have even stated publicly that Steve Perry is re-releasing old Journey material just so that people will remember him. WTF? Don't you think you are doing the same by hiring another Perry impersonator? Did you hire Arnel to emulate the Steve Perry material so that people can forget about Steve Perry?

What you are doing Neal is no different than if the lead guitarist for Elvis' band would have hired an Elvis impersonator and asked fans to forget about Elvis. No new albums are going to make people forget about Steve Perry, Neal. As long as you guys are touring as Journey with a Steve Perry impersonator, you are leading a Journey cover band at best. Until you do what Eddie Van Halen did and find a singer to give Journey a completely different sound, you guys are basically just a glorified mobile karaoke service.

Good luck Neal.

Haha, while I agree with most you said. Neal still has every right to go and play music under the Journey name. It may not be the best lineup, or their best era, but he certainly has evey right as much as anyone. This band has reallly has changed. I know Schon and Cain are good people when it comes to the fans, they want to entertain, they do care about their fans, otherwise they wouldn't bother. I feel sorry for them, it's not an easy situation, I have love for Perry aswell.

I don't know, I think I might actually give these guys another chance... it's pretty crazy, but what the hell, you only live once... I'll buy their new album. Certainly it will never touch the likes of Perry, Cain, Schon combintaion, but it's just music. I'm sick of being a diehard fan, why can't we just enjoy it for what it is.

Good luck, Journey on.

[Saint John]

It seems as though Neal Schon is quite the Web surfer, having spent hours on YouTube trying to find a new Steve Perry impersonator. I doubt that Neal gets on this forum, but just in case he does, I wanted to write something to him to let him know how I feel. Here goes:

Neal,

I'm sorry Neal, but Steve Perry was Journey. You are as much Journey as Elvis' lead guitarist was Elvis. You are not an Eddie Van Halen, Neal. If you were, you would have found a Sammy Hagar by now and changed the course of Journey to a different sound. However, Journey was never popular before Steve Perry joined the band. We will never know if Journey could be popular without Steve Perry until you find someone to sing who is not trying to emulate Steve Perry. You had your chance to do that last year with JSS, but you blew it.

Now you have hired another Steve Perry impersonator. All the while you expect Journey fans to put Steve Perry out of their minds and allow the new singer to have his own identity. You have even stated publicly that Steve Perry is re-releasing old Journey material just so that people will remember him. WTF? Don't you think you are doing the same by hiring another Perry impersonator? Did you hire Arnel to emulate the Steve Perry material so that people can forget about Steve Perry?

What you are doing Neal is no different than if the lead guitarist for Elvis' band would have hired an Elvis impersonator and asked fans to forget about Elvis. No new albums are going to make people forget about Steve Perry, Neal. As long as you guys are touring as Journey with a Steve Perry impersonator, you are leading a Journey cover band at best. Until you do what Eddie Van Halen did and find a singer to give Journey a completely different sound, you guys are basically just a glorified mobile karaoke service.

Good luck Neal.

Haha, while I agree with most you said. Neal still has every right to go and play music under the Journey name. It may not be the best lineup, or their best era, but he certainly has evey right as much as anyone. This band has reallly has changed. I know Schon and Cain are good people when it comes to the fans, they want to entertain, they do care about their fans, otherwise they wouldn't bother. I feel sorry for them, it's not an easy situation, I have love for Perry aswell.

I don't know, I think I might actually give these guys another chance... it's pretty crazy, but what the hell, you only live once... I'll buy their new album. Certainly it will never touch the likes of Perry, Cain, Schon combintaion, but it's just music. I'm sick of being a diehard fan, why can't we just enjoy it for what it is.

Good luck, Journey on.

Nice thoughts.

[somethingtohide]

nevermind.

[Lori Jo]

Hi Susie

Don't want to dissapoint anyone but I'm not Susie and I use my real name for my screen name. I don't hide behind a made up screen name unless my real name isn't available, already taken.

Correct and verified.
If anyone has any suspicion of someone not being who they say they are - please PM ME - DO NOT start something within a thread about this.

Andrew, I think you're Susie. Please check your IP. I expect honest results.

ROTFLMAO!! Good one!

[Brigadier]

Herbie did run his voice into the ground. That view hasn't changed. What has changed is the realization that Steve Perry did not want this band to move on without him. What a pompous, selfish, egotistical load of bullshit. "Don't crack the stone." Yeah, ok. Guys that WANT TO/CAN work and two of the founding members are going to change the name of a band that he had no part in starting up. Granted, he was an integral part of making them huge, but he was also responsible for bringing them down. I still can't believe he had the audacity to ask that they retire the name Journey because he couldn't or didn't want to continue. If he "never felt like a part of the band" it should have been easy to step away. The guy contradicted himself so many times it's laughable. Couple the way he plays the "privacy" card with the "gag" orders and it's painfully obvious that he wants the truth to remain hidden. Inspector Gadget could figure that out.

Great post.

It is obvious that some "Journey" fans think the same way. They don't want to see a Journey without Perry. They'd rather Journey just ride off into the sunset.

[ohsherrie]

Great post.

It is obvious that some "Journey" fans think the same way. They don't want to see a Journey without Perry. They'd rather Journey just ride off into the sunset.

It's also obvious that they've actually ridden off onto the county fair grounds without him. They have the legal right to the name and all they've done with it is continue to live off the legacy of the hits they wouldn't have had without Perry.

He hasn't hindered them in any way whatsoever since 1998 except to prevent them from rerecording the classics. Is anyone really stupid enough to think they'd have been successful with Augeri if they'd rerecorded the classics with him?

They've accomplished not one damned thing that anyone other than a few hundred internet fans know about. The only way that can be blamed on Perry is if you say they really don't amount to shit without him and therefore he's guilty of not being there to keep them creative and relevant.

It's his life. He has as much right not to want to be with them as they have to want to continue trying to be Journey without him.

This need some people have to take out their anger over Neal and Jon making a fucking mess out of Journey on Perry completely baffles me. The only logical reason I can see for it is that it allows them to vent their frustration and anger at Journey on the man who personified it for all of it's relevant years and then when they decide to jump back on the Journey bandwagon again they won't have to eat any crow over shit they said about Neal and Jon.

He doesn't owe them or any of us one damned thing, but they owe the Journey legacy and the fans enough respect to allow the Journey name to retain a bit of dignity.

[PERRYLOVE]

It seems as though Neal Schon is quite the Web surfer, having spent hours on YouTube trying to find a new Steve Perry impersonator. I doubt that Neal gets on this forum, but just in case he does, I wanted to write something to him to let him know how I feel. Here goes:

Neal,

I'm sorry Neal, but Steve Perry was Journey. You are as much Journey as Elvis' lead guitarist was Elvis. You are not an Eddie Van Halen, Neal. If you were, you would have found a Sammy Hagar by now and changed the course of Journey to a different sound. However, Journey was never popular before Steve Perry joined the band. We will never know if Journey could be popular without Steve Perry until you find someone to sing who is not trying to emulate Steve Perry. You had your chance to do that last year with JSS, but you blew it.

Now you have hired another Steve Perry impersonator. All the while you expect Journey fans to put Steve Perry out of their minds and allow the new singer to have his own identity. You have even stated publicly that Steve Perry is re-releasing old Journey material just so that people will remember him. WTF? Don't you think you are doing the same by hiring another Perry impersonator? Did you hire Arnel to emulate the Steve Perry material so that people can forget about Steve Perry?

What you are doing Neal is no different than if the lead guitarist for Elvis' band would have hired an Elvis impersonator and asked fans to forget about Elvis. No new albums are going to make people forget about Steve Perry, Neal. As long as you guys are touring as Journey with a Steve Perry impersonator, you are leading a Journey cover band at best. Until you do what Eddie Van Halen did and find a singer to give Journey a completely different sound, you guys are basically just a glorified mobile karaoke service.

Good luck Neal.

steve was a moment away from being discovered back then
so lucky they got him first
be greatful and leave it at that
go on being a steve perry wanna be band will bring more money in your bank acounts then trying to replace the best ever and you prouved it so many times already YOU CANT REPLACE HIM period gosssssssssh

[Pelata]

Neal is undeniably one of the best guitarists alive, but his legacy is no more separate from Steve Perry than Joe Perry's legacy is separate from Steven Tyler.

Damn well said.

And he hates it...he hates that when people think "Journey", they by and large think "Open Arms" or "Faithfully"....he hates that he's not a "Guitar Hero" like EVH or Jimmy Page is...

[NealIsGod]

And he hates it...he hates that when people think "Journey", they by and large think "Open Arms" or "Faithfully"....he hates that he's not a "Guitar Hero" like EVH or Jimmy Page is...

How do you know?

[conversationpc]

And he hates it...he hates that when people think "Journey", they by and large think "Open Arms" or "Faithfully"....he hates that he's not a "Guitar Hero" like EVH or Jimmy Page is...

How do you know?

It seems like I remember reading an interview where he said something to the effect of wanting to be a household name or something like that.

[Pelata]

And he hates it...he hates that when people think "Journey", they by and large think "Open Arms" or "Faithfully"....he hates that he's not a "Guitar Hero" like EVH or Jimmy Page is...

How do you know?

His own words...in interviews, on TV..."I wish people would focus on my playing..."..."I want people to know I can play..."...I've read & heard him say these things.

From what I've gathered (concluded on my own...I could be wrong)...he blames it, in a sense, on Journey becoming a "ballad band"...he doesn't get to show off in Journey and when he does, it goes unnoticed by all but the die-hard Journey fans.

Neal Schon is a monster guitarist...no question how uber-talented the man is...he can shred with the best of them...and I think it bothers him that basically nobody recognizes it...hence HSAS, Hardline, Soul Sirkus (he didn't shred out much in Bad English by comparison)...it seems like a lot of times he's trying to get the world to focus on his guitar playing and not so much on "Open Arms"...

That said, I even think at some level he's a little resentful of Cain in that respect. I mean, Journey was HIS band (along w/ Rolie). It was bad enough that Herbie brought in a "crooner" (Rolie's words) to front the band (Perry) when they wanted a ROCK singer...at least Schon & Rolie still had some some room to shine...but when Cain was brought in to replace Rolie, the piano/keys took over..."Open Arms" didn't even have a solo!! This has to be devastating to the ego of someone as good as Schon is. Now, Journey is by and large known for "Open Arms" & "Faithfully"...and it irks him.

I would wager that we've not seen the last of Schon trying to form a more rocking, heavier, guitar-based side band ala Soul Sirkus...in addition to Journey's travelling jukebox routine.

[Pelata]

And he hates it...he hates that when people think "Journey", they by and large think "Open Arms" or "Faithfully"....he hates that he's not a "Guitar Hero" like EVH or Jimmy Page is...

How do you know?

It seems like I remember reading an interview where he said something to the effect of wanting to be a household name or something like that.

I remember that too...

[fightingilliniJRNY]

It's also obvious that they've actually ridden off onto the county fair grounds without him. They have the legal right to the name and all they've done with it is continue to live off the legacy of the hits they wouldn't have had without Perry.

He hasn't hindered them in any way whatsoever since 1998 except to prevent them from rerecording the classics. Is anyone really stupid enough to think they'd have been successful with Augeri if they'd rerecorded the classics with him?

They've accomplished not one damned thing that anyone other than a few hundred internet fans know about.

Yes. You're right. Journey is going to be playing county fairs from this minute on, and that's all they did since 1998. You're absolutely right.

Define what you mean by "success." Yes, Augeri-fronted Journey never had a hit on the radio. Is that what you would consider successful? Millions of people saw them live. Seems like a few more than a few hundred internet fans enjoyed seeing that from 1998-2006, and more than a few hundred internet fans are going to enjoy that from 2008 on. But you're right. Journey lived and died with Steve Perry, and Steve Perry alone.

[Brigadier]

I would wager that we've not seen the last of Schon trying to form a more rocking, heavier, guitar-based side band ala Soul Sirkus...in addition to Journey's travelling jukebox routine.

That's what I really enoyed about Hardline. Neal was free to really cook.

[Lori Jo]

I am amazed by how many psychics we have in this forum - people who know with certainty exactly what is going to happen and how all of this will play out in the coming months and years.

Someone said earlier...."wait and see." I, for one, am going to take that advice.

[Voyager]

But you're right. Journey lived and died with Steve Perry, and Steve Perry alone.

I agree, and it's good to see you coming around to reality.

[fightingilliniJRNY]

But you're right. Journey lived and died with Steve Perry, and Steve Perry alone.

I agree, and it's good to see you coming around to reality.

You left out my " " after that statement. You just love my posts, don't you?

[Pelata]

I am amazed by how many psychics we have in this forum

I want to go on record that everything I say is 100% my own conclusions & opinions based on what I've read & heard online & on TV...I claim to "know" nothing else.

[ohsherrie]

It's also obvious that they've actually ridden off onto the county fair grounds without him. They have the legal right to the name and all they've done with it is continue to live off the legacy of the hits they wouldn't have had without Perry.

He hasn't hindered them in any way whatsoever since 1998 except to prevent them from rerecording the classics. Is anyone really stupid enough to think they'd have been successful with Augeri if they'd rerecorded the classics with him?

They've accomplished not one damned thing that anyone other than a few hundred internet fans know about.

Yes. You're right. Journey is going to be playing county fairs from this minute on, and that's all they did since 1998. You're absolutely right.

Define what you mean by "success." Yes, Augeri-fronted Journey never had a hit on the radio. Is that what you would consider successful? Millions of people saw them live. Seems like a few more than a few hundred internet fans enjoyed seeing that from 1998-2006, and more than a few hundred internet fans are going to enjoy that from 2008 on. But you're right. Journey lived and died with Steve Perry, and Steve Perry alone.

Hey, if your happy with them that's fine with me. I really couldn't care less what you consider success. I don't think Neal and Jon seem to feel particularly successful or fullfilled by what they've accomplished in the last 10 years though, do you? They appear to keep wanting something more.

What I said was in my post was in response to people saying that Steve Perry is responsible for them not achieving the kind of success and recognition without him that some fans apparently think they should have.

But in response to your question, of those "millions" of people who have seen them live since '98 how many of them came just to see this line-up of Journey? Weren't the biggest audiences for the most part in attendance for multiple billed shows? I'm sure quite a few of those fans were there for Styx, REO, Foreigner, Def Leppard, etc. Of the ones that did come to see Journey how many do you think knew or cared what the names of the band members were? How many of them wanted to hear anything from Arrival? How many of them even knew Arrival existed? I'm thinking a great many of Journey's stand alone shows were in Casinos, at smaller fairs, even a rodeo or two.

I guess you could call the fact that Styx, Survivor, REO, Foreigner, Journey are still making a living in music at all a success.

So what was it that Perry kept them from doing that has some fans still so pissed at him? If they're happy with what they've had and are apparently going to get more of, what's to be mad a Perry about?

[Journey69]

Perhaps this thread should not have been started -- bringing all this grief down on SP. Donna is correct. During the Augeri years, SP was the whipping boy, justification for Journey to go on by blaming SP for anything and everything. It was only during Tapegate and the appearance of JSS that Steve was suddenly revered and given his due for all that he gave Journey.

Now, with Saint John leading the way, SP is once again being stepped on mercilessly. You should be ashamed calling yourself a Perry fan, Dan.

Kiss my ass. I'm a fan of him as an artist. My opinion of him as a band mate and a person in the music industry is that he's an asshole. Funny that people that have worked with and managed him and promoters alike will tell you the same thing.

You have clearly changed, SJ. I recall you were one of the more vocal supporters of SP from the time you joined this board until just recently. You even condemned HH for "ruining" SP's voice from the relenting touring schedule. Never did you "blame" SP for anything. I think what started this recent trashing is your disillusionment that SP seemingly will not give you what you have always asked for, indeed, what we all Perryfans pray for, his singing for us. But, hey, it is his life and voice.

Lol, what people have called him an asshole? For everyone you name, I can name someone else that holds him in the highest regard.

Herbie did run his voice into the ground. That view hasn't changed. What has changed is the realization that Steve Perry did not want this band to move on without him. What a pompous, selfish, egotistical load of bullshit. "Don't crack the stone." Yeah, ok. Guys that WANT TO/CAN work and two of the founding members are going to change the name of a band that he had no part in starting up. Granted, he was an integral part of making them huge, but he was also responsible for bringing them down. I still can't believe he had the audacity to ask that they retire the name Journey because he couldn't or didn't want to continue. If he "never felt like a part of the band" it should have been easy to step away. The guy contradicted himself so many times it's laughable. Couple the way he plays the "privacy" card with the "gag" orders and it's painfully obvious that he wants the truth to remain hidden. Inspector Gadget could figure that out.

correct +1

[Journey69]

It seems as though Neal Schon is quite the Web surfer, having spent hours on YouTube trying to find a new Steve Perry impersonator. I doubt that Neal gets on this forum, but just in case he does, I wanted to write something to him to let him know how I feel. Here goes:

Neal,

I'm sorry Neal, but Steve Perry was Journey. You are as much Journey as Elvis' lead guitarist was Elvis. You are not an Eddie Van Halen, Neal. If you were, you would have found a Sammy Hagar by now and changed the course of Journey to a different sound. However, Journey was never popular before Steve Perry joined the band. We will never know if Journey could be popular without Steve Perry until you find someone to sing who is not trying to emulate Steve Perry. You had your chance to do that last year with JSS, but you blew it.

Now you have hired another Steve Perry impersonator. All the while you expect Journey fans to put Steve Perry out of their minds and allow the new singer to have his own identity. You have even stated publicly that Steve Perry is re-releasing old Journey material just so that people will remember him. WTF? Don't you think you are doing the same by hiring another Perry impersonator? Did you hire Arnel to emulate the Steve Perry material so that people can forget about Steve Perry?

What you are doing Neal is no different than if the lead guitarist for Elvis' band would have hired an Elvis impersonator and asked fans to forget about Elvis. No new albums are going to make people forget about Steve Perry, Neal. As long as you guys are touring as Journey with a Steve Perry impersonator, you are leading a Journey cover band at best. Until you do what Eddie Van Halen did and find a singer to give Journey a completely different sound, you guys are basically just a glorified mobile karaoke service.

Good luck Neal.

Haha, while I agree with most you said. Neal still has every right to go and play music under the Journey name. It may not be the best lineup, or their best era, but he certainly has evey right as much as anyone. This band has reallly has changed. I know Schon and Cain are good people when it comes to the fans, they want to entertain, they do care about their fans, otherwise they wouldn't bother. I feel sorry for them, it's not an easy situation, I have love for Perry aswell.

I don't know, I think I might actually give these guys another chance... it's pretty crazy, but what the hell, you only live once... I'll buy their new album. Certainly it will never touch the likes of Perry, Cain, Schon combintaion, but it's just music. I'm sick of being a diehard fan, why can't we just enjoy it for what it is.

Good luck, Journey on.

This is a true fan..Everyone else take note!!

[fightingilliniJRNY]

It's also obvious that they've actually ridden off onto the county fair grounds without him. They have the legal right to the name and all they've done with it is continue to live off the legacy of the hits they wouldn't have had without Perry.

He hasn't hindered them in any way whatsoever since 1998 except to prevent them from rerecording the classics. Is anyone really stupid enough to think they'd have been successful with Augeri if they'd rerecorded the classics with him?

They've accomplished not one damned thing that anyone other than a few hundred internet fans know about.

Yes. You're right. Journey is going to be playing county fairs from this minute on, and that's all they did since 1998. You're absolutely right.

Define what you mean by "success." Yes, Augeri-fronted Journey never had a hit on the radio. Is that what you would consider successful? Millions of people saw them live. Seems like a few more than a few hundred internet fans enjoyed seeing that from 1998-2006, and more than a few hundred internet fans are going to enjoy that from 2008 on. But you're right. Journey lived and died with Steve Perry, and Steve Perry alone.

Hey, if your happy with them that's fine with me. I really couldn't care less what you consider success. I don't think Neal and Jon seem to feel particularly successful or fullfilled by what they've accomplished in the last 10 years though, do you? They appear to keep wanting something more.

What I said was in my post was in response to people saying that Steve Perry is responsible for them not achieving the kind of success and recognition without him that some fans apparently think they should have.

But in response to your question, of those "millions" of people who have seen them live since '98 how many of them came just to see this line-up of Journey? Weren't the biggest audiences for the most part in attendance for multiple billed shows? I'm sure quite a few of those fans were there for Styx, REO, Foreigner, Def Leppard, etc. Of the ones that did come to see Journey how many do you think knew or cared what the names of the band members were? How many of them wanted to hear anything from Arrival? How many of them even knew Arrival existed? I'm thinking a great many of Journey's stand alone shows were in Casinos, at smaller fairs, even a rodeo or two.

I guess you could call the fact that Styx, Survivor, REO, Foreigner, Journey are still making a living in music at all a success.

So what was it that Perry kept them from doing that has some fans still so pissed at him? If they're happy with what they've had and are apparently going to get more of, what's to be mad a Perry about?

In my opinion, they are out there performing their music. Which is more than can be said about Steve Perry. And you're right about the biggest attendances being on multiple billed shows. Except for the Generations tour, which had large crowd in amphitheatres with no opening act or co-headliner. But so what if they fill amphitheatres with Def Leppard or arenas with Styx and REO Speedwagon? Journey is performing, and those two tours in particular were successful.

I'm not one of those people who feels that Steve Perry is preventing Journey from being commercially successful. They probably won't be commercially successful again. But I do have a problem with people saying that Journey stopped being successful at all once Steve Perry left.