Steve Perry as new lead singer for Journey, how would he do?

[texafana]

My personal feelings are, Steve can't quite sing the Journey catalog good enough to warrant touring, that's the only reason he isn't touring. But if he did, I think he would have to tune the songs down a half step or 2, perhaps change some of the vocal acrobatics a bit, etc, etc.

I wonder if a sub par Steve P would be better than say Arnel on his A game? For the "history" making event it would be awesome to see Steve P perform with Journey again, but I'm not so sure I'd want to see him sub par. I'd rather not have any Youtube vids of crackling voices, missed high notes, etc, etc, like there is with SteveA floating around.

[youkeepmewaiting]

Live vocals wise, what we have seen of Arnel on youtube, would probably beat Steve Perry now (Probably. We will never find out)

[Kaj]

New? and is everything about highpitch? Rob Halford cannot reach the same high notes as he once could be still he is so much
better than Ripper Owens.
Magic is what counts!

[Saint John]

Magic is what counts!

BINGO!!! I think Arnel is great, but I'd take a Steve Perry led Journey tuned down 34 steps if that's what it took. Unfortunately, it seems that Perry was more interested in writing, recording and touring with half-ass musicians and playing tiny theatres on the "Flopsome Tour" than with the team that made that "magic." Disappointing to say the least. Moreover, when the shock of this blatant betrayal set in, and Neal and Jon realized it was time to move Journey forward with a new lineup (Rolie and Chalfant), Perry pulled the ultimate "stone" crusher and recorded an album with no intention of touring, setting them back another few years. It's no wonder he can't face Neal and Jon. I wouldn't be able to either.

[Andrew]

You know what....I whole heartedly believe Steve could still do it if he wanted to. I believe he still has some pipes, even if they are a bt older these days.

Make some tempo/pitch changes and fans would be putty in his hands. It is possible - but does he have the desire/drive/confidence to do this?

As of right now - it seems not.

[Vladan]

Magic is what counts!

BINGO!!! I think Arnel is great, but I'd take a Steve Perry led Journey tuned down 34 steps if that's what it took. Unfortunately, it seems that Perry was more interested in writing, recording and touring with half-ass musicians and playing tiny theatres on the "Flopsome Tour" than with the team that made that "magic." Disappointing to say the least. Moreover, when the shock of this blatant betrayal set in, and Neal and Jon realized it was time to move Journey forward with a new lineup (Rolie and Chalfant), Perry pulled the ultimate "stone" crusher and recorded am album with no intention of touring, setting them back another few years. It's no wonder he can't face Neal and Jon. I wouldn't be able to either.

Most certainly. Anyone who is a Journey fan would take Perry over ANYONE, if he came back. I mean, c'mon this band has been around for 30 years!. You can only keep getting new and younger lead vocalists for so long to recapture that sound. There is no doubt, a Perry led Journey would be the best - no matter how he sings it, it doesn't matter. Perry on his worst day, still sounds better than anyone else! because it is Steve Perry.

[Saint John]

Magic is what counts!

BINGO!!! I think Arnel is great, but I'd take a Steve Perry led Journey tuned down 34 steps if that's what it took. Unfortunately, it seems that Perry was more interested in writing, recording and touring with half-ass musicians and playing tiny theatres on the "Flopsome Tour" than with the team that made that "magic." Disappointing to say the least. Moreover, when the shock of this blatant betrayal set in, and Neal and Jon realized it was time to move Journey forward with a new lineup (Rolie and Chalfant), Perry pulled the ultimate "stone" crusher and recorded am album with no intention of touring, setting them back another few years. It's no wonder he can't face Neal and Jon. I wouldn't be able to either.

Most certainly. Anyone who is a Journey fan would take Perry over ANYONE, if he came back. I mean, c'mon this band has been around for 30 years!. You can only keep getting new and younger lead vocalists for so long to recapture that sound. There is no doubt, a Perry led Journey would be the best - no matter how he sings it, it doesn't matter. Perry on his worst day, still sounds better than anyone else! because it is Steve Perry.

Correct. People want that "trip" down memory lane and Perry could provide that at even 50%. Roth, Sting, Emmett, Plant, Henley and Frey have done it. Fuck, I'd go see Journey in Baghdad if they played there.

[T-Bone]

Magic is what counts!

BINGO!!! I think Arnel is great, but I'd take a Steve Perry led Journey tuned down 34 steps if that's what it took. Unfortunately, it seems that Perry was more interested in writing, recording and touring with half-ass musicians and playing tiny theatres on the "Flopsome Tour" than with the team that made that "magic." Disappointing to say the least. Moreover, when the shock of this blatant betrayal set in, and Neal and Jon realized it was time to move Journey forward with a new lineup (Rolie and Chalfant), Perry pulled the ultimate "stone" crusher and recorded am album with no intention of touring, setting them back another few years. It's no wonder he can't face Neal and Jon. I wouldn't be able to either.

Most certainly. Anyone who is a Journey fan would take Perry over ANYONE, if he came back. I mean, c'mon this band has been around for 30 years!. You can only keep getting new and younger lead vocalists for so long to recapture that sound. There is no doubt, a Perry led Journey would be the best - no matter how he sings it, it doesn't matter. Perry on his worst day, still sounds better than anyone else! because it is Steve Perry.

Correct. People want that "trip" down memory lane and Perry could provide that at even 50%. Roth, Sting, Emmett, Plant, Henley and Frey have done it. Fuck, I'd go see Journey in Baghdad if they played there.

Aaaahhhh yes... The Inf1d3l Tour

[Saint John]

That was funny, T-Bone.

[T-Bone]

Just remember... If you DO go, don't refer to the people as "Towel Heads". They get very angry because they are indeed NOT towels... They are "Sheets"

[Andrew]

BTW - A certain 80s band were offered $3mil to reform as their original lineup for a summer tour this year. Not a big tour or huge venues by any stretch, but there is $$ in bands performing as their "classic" or most loved line ups.

Imagine the payola for a Perry lead Journey re-union.

My personal view is that if it couldn't be arranged/sold/put together now (as in after JSS was dropped), then it will never be arranged

[Saint John]

BTW - A certain 80s band were offered $3mil to reform as their original lineup for a summer tour this year. Not a big tour or huge venues by any stretch, but there is $$ in bands performing as their "classic" or most loved line ups.

Imagine the payola for a Perry lead Journey re-union.

My personal view is that if it couldn't be arranged/sold/put together now (as in after JSS was dropped), then it will never be arranged

The TBF $$$ was rumored to be within a VERY close range of $75 million guaranteed, and that was 1996.

[conversationpc]

Fuck, I'd go see Journey in Baghdad if they played there.

Aaaahhhh yes... The Inf1d3l Tour

[T-Bone]

And just to make it interesting, Vixen, The Donna's and Pussycat Dolls will be opening.

[ScarabGator]

I love Perry but hes starting to come off as the laziest man in rock-n-roll.

[Jeremey]

Steve Perry could change the songs and the melodies to suit his current voice, and if the tour was 20 shows instead of 80 shows, he'd be just fine. Steve's problem with touring isn't that he's lazy - I just think there's so many bad memories of what the road took out of his life, that there's a real fear of getting back on that merry go round. I think there's a perfection aspect to it and a fear aspect to it.

[Enigma869]

You know what....I whole heartedly believe Steve could still do it if he wanted to. I believe he still has some pipes, even if they are a bt older these days.

Make some tempo/pitch changes and fans would be putty in his hands. It is possible - but does he have the desire/drive/confidence to do this?

As of right now - it seems not.

I definitely agree that he would have to make some tempo/pitch changes. I've never really understood the criticisms or obsessions about how Perry's voice changed, through his Journey career. I can't think of ANY singer whose voice hasn't changed, over the course of many years! While Perry's voice clearly changed, the first time I heard something off of TBF, I didn't need anyone to tell me it was Perry! I still knew it was the same guy! If you ever need a clear illustration of a singer's voice changing, listen to Elton John perform "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" on his album from 1972, and then listen to him perform the song today! It doesn't even sound like the same person performing the song, but his fans are still quite entertained by his performances! In fact, there isn't a song from his entire and vast catalog that sounds anything like the original, in terms of his voice!

I honestly think in Perry's case it's more than just his voice. I believe the guy still has a whole lot of hurt feelings between he and Neal, that I don't think he'll ever get over. I think every time Journey rolls in the "flavor of the week", it probably just pisses Perry off more, as he believes it's tarnishing what was a great legacy! I also have always believed that there is some wisdom to leaving a great body of work (as I believe he did), and not coming back many years later, and doing anything to tarnish that. Perry is widely regarded in music circles (and I'm not referring to Journey fans) as a VERY accomplished vocalist, and he probably just wants to live the rest of his life being known for the guy he was. I also suspect that financially, there is just no reason for him to tour. The only incentive he would ever have would be a sense of "closure" and to say the goodbye to the fans that he never had the opporunity to say goodbye to. Neither one of those angles seem terribly important to him, so I don't think we'll ever see him perform again. I would be personally STUNNED if he ever performed with Journey again, including taking the stage, if they were inducted into the Rock and Roll HOF! As I said, I think the guy has a lot of bad feelings, that haven't seemed to have diminished with the passage of time!


John from Boston

[bluejeangirl76]

Aaaahhhh yes... The Inf1d3l Tour

WHEH when when am I gonna learn... NO beverages while on the internet.
That was funny as hell.

[Enigma869]

You know what....I whole heartedly believe Steve could still do it if he wanted to. I believe he still has some pipes, even if they are a bt older these days.

Make some tempo/pitch changes and fans would be putty in his hands. It is possible - but does he have the desire/drive/confidence to do this?

As of right now - it seems not.

I definitely agree that he would have to make some tempo/pitch changes. I've never really understood the criticisms or obsessions about how Perry's voice changed, through his Journey career. I can't think of ANY singer whose voice hasn't changed, over the course of many years! While Perry's voice clearly changed, the first time I heard something off of TBF, I didn't need anyone to tell me it was Perry! I still knew it was the same guy! If you ever need a clear illustration of a singer's voice changing, listen to Elton John perform "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" on his album from 1972, and then listen to him perform the song today! It doesn't even sound like the same person performing the song, but his fans are still quite entertained by his performances! In fact, there isn't a song from his entire and vast catalog that sounds anything like the original, in terms of his voice!

I honestly think in Perry's case it's more than just his voice. I believe the guy still has a whole lot of hurt feelings between he and Neal, that I don't think he'll ever get over. I think every time Journey rolls in the "flavor of the week", it probably just pisses Perry off more, as he believes it's tarnishing what was a great legacy! I also have always believed that there is some wisdom to leaving a great body of work (as I believe he did), and not coming back many years later, and doing anything to tarnish that. Perry is widely regarded in music circles (and I'm not referring to Journey fans) as a VERY accomplished vocalist, and he probably just wants to live the rest of his life being known for the guy he was. I also suspect that financially, there is just no reason for him to tour. The only incentive he would ever have would be a sense of "closure" and to say the goodbye to the fans that he never had the opporunity to say goodbye to. Neither one of those angles seem terribly important to him, so I don't think we'll ever see him perform again. I would be personally STUNNED if he ever performed with Journey again, including taking the stage, if they were inducted into the Rock and Roll HOF! As I said, I think the guy has a lot of bad feelings, that haven't seemed to have diminished with the passage of time!


John from Boston

[TRAGChick]

You know what....I whole heartedly believe Steve could still do it if he wanted to. I believe he still has some pipes, even if they are a bt older these days.

Make some tempo/pitch changes and fans would be putty in his hands. It is possible - but does he have the desire/drive/confidence to do this?

As of right now - it seems not.

Crazy....

As I was getting this post together, "Open Arms" came on the radio.

I heard about this interview on my Morning Show...did research to find it -
seems like it could fit Mr. Perry as well as Mr. Seinfeld:

An excerpt from this interview: Renee Z. asks Jerry a question from a Fan:
http://movies.aol.com/celebrity-intervi ... ext-format

Renée Zellweger: "...Alright Kevin, from Richmond VA, why has it taken you so long to do a starring role in a movie after 'Seinfeld'? We all wanna know. Why has it taken so long? What have you been doing?"

Jerry Seinfeld: "Not enough product out there for you Kevin? Not enough movies? Not enough TV? With the Internet on top of it, you sitting around twiddling your thumbs? Do you really need me? I don't know why. I guess because I'm old, I'm rich and I'm tired."

Renée Zellweger: "Because you didn't have to?"

Jerry Seinfeld: "I didn't have to."

[slucero]

I love Perry but hes starting to come off as the laziest man in rock-n-roll.

Lazy?... because he simply wants to retire and live his life his way?.....

[sniper16]

altough ive been one of the perry somewhat basher's, i would still love to see him over anyone else singing. as long as the rest of the band had some says in the set list ,and it wasnt like the ROR tour. i felt perry ruined the band when he fired steve and ross and put out lps that were wimpier than his first solo lp.
but in most bands if you have the original singer and guitar player your golden.

[FishinMagician]

holy fuck me how many times is this gonna be brought up!?!?

[perryfaithful]

holy fuck me how many times is this gonna be brought up!?!?

....until he's back!

[STORY_TELLER]

Give me Perry at his worst over Arnel (or anyone else) at their best. There's more to a voice than high or sustained notes. Perry's vocal character is unique. His chords produce a "sound and feel" that I've yet to hear from any other vocalist since.

[mistiejourney]

You know what....I whole heartedly believe Steve could still do it if he wanted to. I believe he still has some pipes, even if they are a bt older these days.

Make some tempo/pitch changes and fans would be putty in his hands. It is possible - but does he have the desire/drive/confidence to do this?

As of right now - it seems not.

Absolutely! I wouldn't care if he was a baritone now, he just doesn't want to sing.

Stubborn little bugger!

[Red13JoePa]

holy fuck me how many times is this gonna be brought up!?!?

....until he's back!

Ah, but would you really want him going back to the slimes who were but his mere "sidemen (Journey)?"

Odd random thought: Weird how variables in said sidemen seem to make a difference of about 10-15,000 in crowd size.

[Journey69]

Magic is what counts!

BINGO!!! I think Arnel is great, but I'd take a Steve Perry led Journey tuned down 34 steps if that's what it took. Unfortunately, it seems that Perry was more interested in writing, recording and touring with half-ass musicians and playing tiny theatres on the "Flopsome Tour" than with the team that made that "magic." Disappointing to say the least. Moreover, when the shock of this blatant betrayal set in, and Neal and Jon realized it was time to move Journey forward with a new lineup (Rolie and Chalfant), Perry pulled the ultimate "stone" crusher and recorded am album with no intention of touring, setting them back another few years. It's no wonder he can't face Neal and Jon. I wouldn't be able to either.

Most certainly. Anyone who is a Journey fan would take Perry over ANYONE, if he came back. I mean, c'mon this band has been around for 30 years!. You can only keep getting new and younger lead vocalists for so long to recapture that sound. There is no doubt, a Perry led Journey would be the best - no matter how he sings it, it doesn't matter. Perry on his worst day, still sounds better than anyone else! because it is Steve Perry.

Correct. People want that "trip" down memory lane and Perry could provide that at even 50%. Roth, Sting, Emmett, Plant, Henley and Frey have done it. Fuck, I'd go see Journey in Baghdad if they played there.

Aaaahhhh yes... The Inf1d3l Tour

[Journey69]

Steve Perry could change the songs and the melodies to suit his current voice, and if the tour was 20 shows instead of 80 shows, he'd be just fine. Steve's problem with touring isn't that he's lazy - I just think there's so many bad memories of what the road took out of his life, that there's a real fear of getting back on that merry go round. I think there's a perfection aspect to it and a fear aspect to it.

I agree 100%! That's what I thought all along.. Wasn't Neal getting pissed that Perry wasn't putting the effort in anymore around the time he did his solo stuff? Not rehearsing in the bus or taking a separate bus instead of going over the music?

[finalfight]

New? and is everything about highpitch? Rob Halford cannot reach the same high notes as he once could be still he is so much
better than Ripper Owens.
Magic is what counts!

No way in hell is Halford in his current form anywhere near a match for Tim 'Ripper' Owens. Not even close (and it's not just the screams). Out of respect for Halford, whose work and voice I love I haven't yet shared his raw live vocals sans music but I any more silly talk and I may have to.

As for the topic at hand - it's kind of an old lion, young lion scenario. Both are kings of the jungle but provided he has looked after his voice (which Halford appears not to have) then give me current Perry any day of the week and twice on Sunday. Like Arnel said - it's Perry's gig if and when he wants it.