Steve Lukather on Steve Perry & More...

[Andrew]

Luke sent me this message to post here after reading some of the debate surrounding Mr. Perry's appearance at Luke's solo album recording sessions.
It's a perfect message for this (and many other) boards.
To hang with Luke and just chill is a very special treat, because he is one of the most down to earth, laid back, easy going guys in this business.


Over to Luke -



As I have time and our sold out gig was cancelled in Indonesia last night cause they LOST OUR GEAR, I am in my room on the net. I Never watch TV anymore. It is either BAD news or just shit. The internet is awesome for passing the time. We are making up the gig tonight but man.. its hard playing places that no one goes to but are very happy we are here.
I digress.

Steve [Perry] came by to hang in the studio as a friend and Randy Goodrum a songwritng partner and dear friend to us both was there too. Nothing weird, just old friends.

Steve DID start singing in the room and the guy can still sing great. THAT voice is still there. At least what I heard. It is HIS choice to do what he does and why? I dont know.
I dont know him that well. He has always been very cool to me and my son as well. People who THINK they know whats up really dont know shit unless they are in the room or are dear friends. I cant speak for Steve Perry. I could never do that.

I love Neal [Schon] and he is a dear friend and one of my fave players, I did Jonathan Cain's first solo record in 1977 and he was writing tunes that good then! I dont know the deep shit that goes on behind closed doors. Do YOU?

...and I love all the guys and I am a fan!
I have No agenda nor am I some gossip fuck. I am just a guitar player that has cool and very talented friends. People ask me "Whats up whith Eddie" and shit. I dont know. If I did I wound never say anything but Ed is a dear soul brother and one of the best of the best!

I am on the road and my friends I keep very dear to my heart and I would NEVER betray that. I was not looking for "press" cause Steve was in the room diging my music. I was happy he was there and he told me he keeps Journey VERY dear to his heart.
I dont and wont go into dynamics that I have no business being a part of. I love all my muso friends and I have many in all styles and walks of life. It was just a HANG, nothing more. My son is a good friend of Miles Schon and he has been to my house and Neal treats Trev like a bro as well. Neal has always been straight up and very supportive of what I do.

JSS is also a dear friend and someone I will do some music with down the road. WHY do people pontificate on bullshit? I dont get it. Message boards are great fun but they can also be evil and hateful for no reason. There is no "Better than this or that". That is just kindergarten bullying.

Hey, anyone can hide behind a screen name and say "Luke sucks, or Bobby and me sang out of tune or Toto Sucks, Journey rocks, Queen rules Van Halen , Led Zepplin etc etc and on and on and on and on and fucking ON.. . what the FUCK guys??
Can you walk the walk and do it yourselves? I have been out for 2 /12 YEARS, 30+ in reality. It fucking HARD night after night and the travel days are NOT a day off. Much worse than a gig day! We aint 20 years old anymore.
I cant run as fast as I did when I was 15. Except from my ex wifes lawyer. hahaha
But even that is all cool now. Time heals...Let it do so.

We are all just FRIENDS and we support each other. I am NOT into gossip and or tabloid bullshit. I read the shit at the check out stand like most people do and I am friends with alot of the people IN them. Its 99% lies and it is meant to hurt the innocent and entertain people that have nothing to do but to judge people they do not KNOW! Life is more complicated. I suggest cleaning your own backyard in a metaphoric way. I fuck up we ALL fuck up.

What the fuck? We are ALL sharing time on this planet. Some more lucky, or more talented than others that never got the break, but at the end of the day.. what does it all mean? I didnt deserve to win some poll. I get a nice one and the next one says I suck the ass of the dead seagulls. Which one do I believe?
Answer? NONE!

I have a GREAT job, one that is a very luck of the draw. I aint shit. I am just a VERY lucky guitar player who gets to live the dream. There are TRILLION guys better than me and I just got lucky. I am honored and humbled about it. Some guy saw me drunk in a bar in 1996 does not know me or WHY I am tortured in my heart sometimes. NO ONE gets away without pain. It aint the charmed life 24/7. Its fucking lonely alot of the time which is why some of us get into trouble. Me included.

So, just wanted you to get MY point of view, Not THE point of view, but unless you have walked the walk and been doing it for 30+ years and had ALOT and GREAT things and alot of bad things in circumstances, well the "screen name' people have not lived in my shoes nor the ones they bash or lift up! Please give me and all of us a break.
Mere mortals that have kids, wives, ex wives and shit that NONE of you could know, or maybe you have.. but maybe you should look in the mirror of your own souls.
Please chill and look at the blessings in your life. I do. It is what keeps me somewhat sane.

God bless and have a great day and a huge thanks for the people out there that have given me this great life and its an honor and a joy!
For those of you that dont like what I do.. Cool but no one has to be an asshole about it.

Luke on the road.

[CatEyes]

Luke sent me this message to post here after reading some of the debate surrounding Mr. Perry's appearance at Luke's solo album recording sessions.
It's a perfect message for this (and many other) boards.
To hang with Luke and just chill is a very special treat, because he is one of the most down to earth, laid back, easy going guys in this business.


Over to Luke -
[...]
WHY do people pontificate on bullshit?
[...]
Luke on the road.

BRAVO!!!!!!!

Sounds like a pretty wise man to me - oh yeah, and a kick-ass guitar-player!!!

Thanks, Luke!!!

Cat

[youkeepmewaiting]

Perry can still sing. Steve Lukather is great. All sounds good to me

[Perrydise]

Thanks Luke, very well said.

Thanks Andrew for posting this.

[NealIsGod]

Hey, anyone can hide behind a screen name and say "Luke sucks, or Bobby and me sang out of tune or Toto Sucks, Journey rocks, Queen rules Van Halen , Led Zepplin etc etc and on and on and on and on and fucking ON.. . what the FUCK guys??

Yeah, WTF indeed?

[Deb]

Over to Luke -




Steve [Perry] came by to hang in the studio as a friend and Randy Goodrum a songwritng partner and dear friend to us both was there too. Nothing weird, just old friends.

Steve DID start singing in the room and the guy can still sing great. THAT voice is still there. At least what I heard. It is HIS choice to do what he does and why? I dont know.
I dont know him that well. He has always been very cool to me and my son as well. People who THINK they know whats up really dont know shit unless they are in the room or are dear friends. I cant speak for Steve Perry. I could never do that.

That is great to hear! Luke sounds like a down to earth guy, and well respected by his peers, now that is good to see. Thanks for sharing that, Andrew!

[youkeepmewaiting]

...
on and on and on and on

.... dont stop...

[Moon Beam]

We are all just FRIENDS and we support each other. I am NOT into gossip and or tabloid bullshit. I read the shit at the check out stand like most people do and I am friends with alot of the people IN them. Its 99% lies and it is meant to hurt the innocent and entertain people that have nothing to do but to judge people they do not KNOW! Life is more complicated. I suggest cleaning your own backyard in a metaphoric way. I fuck up we ALL fuck up.

For surely we do Sir!
My dearly departed Daddy used to always say.....
"mind your own chickens in the backyard before searching for someone else's eggs to fry"

Thanks Wombat and Mr Lukather.

[ProgRocker53]

I LOVE when a Luke quote/interview/message is posted. Dude tells it like it is and makes a lot of sense every time.

Thanks for your insights Luke, and thanks for sharing 'em with us Andrew.

Good read to start out the day, and glad to hear Steve still has it!!

[Memorex]

It often occurs to me that we take all of this way too seriously. I think the boards have changed course for some bands some times, but overall it's just a lot of wind blowing through.

That being said, I think artists take our opinions a little too seriously at times.

[larryfromnextdoor]

Luke!! that was a great read.. thanks for everything over the years...

you always keep it real!!

[ohsherrie]

Thanks Andrew, and Luke.

[cyndy!]

thanks for the reality check.

[ForeverInBlue]

Great read, thanks for sharing that Wombat!

[brandonx76]

Luuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuukkeeee


You rock bro...keep makin' music.

(you too Drew)

[tammy]

THANK YOU FOR THAT LUKE & ANDREW! He does sound like a cool & open guy without crossing lines (I don't know who he is other than what he said) and I laughed at the "ass of the dead seagulls". Absolutely we don't know what it is like living like that on the road & missing out on family events, etc. Or what goes on behind the door.
I'm so glad he mentioned SP's singing! I'm just gonna hold onto that...'course, I envy those who got to hear...but, very happy to read this.

[Granny]

Thanks Andrew for posting that and thanks especially to Luke for writing it.....

[Ratgirl]

Thanks Andrew and Luke.. a great read!

[Rockindeano]

What Luke needs to understand before he runs off at the mouth, is we here at MR know what we are talking about and he just speculates

Naw, that guy is cooler than the other side of the pillow, and he can play more than just guitar.

[Red13JoePa]

I love when rockstars get all jacked up over internet criticism.

[Tomulator]

Luke is great...really cool and always lays it out there like it is!

I still say he's "losing it" though...his playing isn't what it used to be. I hear that he has had a persistant "hang nail" issue with his left-hand ring-finger which has really slowed down his fast ascending runs. You know, Hendrix never had this problem. He always was able to play perfectly. Luke seems like maybe he is having issues in his life that are affecting his dedication to his craft...don't think his heart is really in it anymore. I wonder if he is contemplating retirement?? Maybe, he'll take up chess and "ease into" his elder years...hmmm. Also, I hear he has had a severe sinus infection which may have been throwing off his equillibrium a bit, causing his note choices to become erratic if not "suspect". No, he's definitely not the player he was in his younger years...

Just KIDDING!!

Seriously, your point was WELL TAKEN Luke.

Thanks for stating it straight out.

[MrsPerry]

Steve starting singing in the room. O M G. I would have fallen over dead.


Lukather is a Guitar GOD. thanks for the goodie Andrew:)

and yes STEVE CAN STILL SING!

[Playitloudforme]

Booyah. Well said Luke!

[Lora]

I love when rockstars get all jacked up over internet criticism.

Criticism? He's not getting "jacked up" over criticism. He's pissed at self-righteous know-it-alls spouting speculation and garbage all over the Internet. I think it's pretty awesome that he took the time to respond, but I doubt anything will change. Kudos to him for speaking out and to Andrew for posting his message.

[Lula]

Toto rocks!!

[*Laura]

I've always loved Luke and reading this made me love him even more.He must be one of the most honest,coolest guys in the bizz.Class act also.
He is way too humble - a lot of the guitarists out there wouldn't have the right to carry his guitar case.

Thanks for posting this Andrew.


Oh and...Steve can sing?LOL...That's old news.

[Carlitto H@kk]

Steve [Perry] came by to hang in the studio as a friend...
Steve DID start singing in the room and the guy can still sing great.
THAT voice is still there. At least what I heard.
It is HIS choice to do what he does and why? I dont know.

I have a GREAT job, one that is a very luck of the draw.
I aint shit. I am just a VERY lucky guitar player who gets to live the dream.

'

Yea, rub it in, buddy!
Bad enuff YOU got to live the dream
but then you got a private performance from Perry
recently too?!?!?!? God, MY life sucks

Great post Andrew.
Thank Mr Lukather for all of us.

[Tomulator]

I've always loved Luke and reading this made me love him even more.He must be one of the most honest,coolest guys in the bizz.Class act also.
He is way too humble - a lot of the guitarists out there wouldn't have the right to carry his guitar case.

Thanks for posting this Andrew.


Oh and...Steve can sing?LOL...That's old news.

Amen to that.

[CatEyes]

Steve [Perry] came by to hang in the studio as a friend...
Steve DID start singing in the room and the guy can still sing great.
THAT voice is still there. At least what I heard.
It is HIS choice to do what he does and why? I dont know.

I have a GREAT job, one that is a very luck of the draw.
I aint shit. I am just a VERY lucky guitar player who gets to live the dream.

'

Yea, rub it in, buddy!
Bad enuff YOU got to live the dream
but then you got a private performance from Perry
recently too?!?!?!? God, MY life sucks

Ditto!!!

[Red13JoePa]

I love when rockstars get all jacked up over internet criticism.

Criticism? He's not getting "jacked up" over criticism. He's pissed at self-righteous know-it-alls spouting speculation and garbage all over the Internet.

Like who?