How damaged is Perry's voice really?

[tinylights]

I'm a huge fan of SP... But several decades of recording and singing these songs live will take a toll on anyone's voice...

this vid speaks for itself...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=504B3iR5M_8

he started the song off in a lower key to begin with and still couldn't sing it.

I didn't like that performance either although I do take it with a bit of a grain of salt ... he was singing it without a band, backed up by a bunch of out of tune baseball players, done for goofy laughs. I always got the sense they all got up there after a bunch of beer in the back. lol.

I agree... not the best of circumstances to get up and sing after screaming through several baseball games... but still you'd think his voice would stand out a little better than those of the players. And to me it just sounded like your average guy trying to belt it out. I think, along with his voice, he's lost a lot of confidence, and just isn't interested in being measured by how many high notes he can hit at this stage of his life... One of those, fun while it lasted (or in Journey's case maybe not) but now on to other things in life... Unfortunately, his voice is the legacy that we all measured him by, and that will be hard to ever overcome as long as he is in the spotlight.

Unfortunately with the re-records of all the classics with Arnel, Steve will no longer be part of the approval process when it comes to using the tracks for TV, movies, etc... I'm sure that was one of the thoughts behind the remakes. Neal and Jon don't have to keep begging Steve for permission...

[Red13JoePa]

Him taking the self-important, arrogant stance of trying to keep Journey from continuing without him when he didn't want to work is the biggest reason for the rift in this whacked out "Togus" of a fanbase.

He could have and could STILL go a long way towards healing this sanitarium and getting loons off the band's back by retracting his childish demand or coming out and offically revising his stance on that issue.

Guess he must enjoy people hating and bashing the band.

[DracIsBack]

Him taking the self-important, arrogant stance of trying to keep Journey from continuing without him when he didn't want to work is the biggest reason for the rift in this whacked out "Togus" of a fanbase.

He could have and could STILL go a long way towards healing this sanitarium and getting loons off the band's back by retracting his childish demand or coming out and offically revising his stance on that issue.

Guess he must enjoy people hating and bashing the band.

Geez, with a post like that, your avitar is beautifully chosen!

[mistiejourney]

I'm a huge fan of SP... But several decades of recording and singing these songs live will take a toll on anyone's voice...

this vid speaks for itself...

http://youtube.com/watch?v=504B3iR5M_8

he started the song off in a lower key to begin with and still couldn't sing it.

I didn't like that performance either although I do take it with a bit of a grain of salt ... he was singing it without a band, backed up by a bunch of out of tune baseball players, done for goofy laughs. I always got the sense they all got up there after a bunch of beer in the back. lol.

LOL - not to mention that SP was probably yelling and cheering throughout the entire game. I can't sing on a normal day, I croak after I've been screaming at a football game or a NASCAR race!

[Lora]

However, to perpetuate the notion that you can still sing through outlets like Lukather, Uncle Joe Benson, and the whole "demo" bullshit, one can fairly surmise that both oars may not be in the water anymore. I mean does anyone still believe his bullshit?

Steve Perry is not perpetuating anything and the only one spouting bullshit is you. People who have heard him sing recently - like Cyndy and I, Steve Lukather, Nuno Bettencourt & Joe Benson - have stated so but certainly not at the request of SP. So, are you calling us liars? The agenda of you and your pal Tito is quite obvious, typically juvenile and sadly predictable.

[STORY_TELLER]

Unfortunately with the re-records of all the classics with Arnel, Steve will no longer be part of the approval process when it comes to using the tracks for TV, movies, etc... I'm sure that was one of the thoughts behind the remakes. Neal and Jon don't have to keep begging Steve for permission...

Doubtful those re-makes will ever see the kind of usage you're describing. At best, maybe a car commercial? But no way The Sopranos would ever have used DSB as sung by Arnel. Directors make these choices for artistic story purposes and usually to convey a period of history to the audience. The original recordings by the originating artists conveys this sense of time placement.

The reason for the re-records was the walmart deal. They couldn't close it with new material. Walmart wanted to be able to have "Journey's greatest hits" on that CD cover. It's sell through marketing strategy pure and simple. They could care less about selling a new Journey album (unless they get a hit with Pineda).

[conversationpc]

However, to perpetuate the notion that you can still sing through outlets like Lukather, Uncle Joe Benson, and the whole "demo" bullshit, one can fairly surmise that both oars may not be in the water anymore. I mean does anyone still believe his bullshit?

Steve Perry is not perpetuating anything and the only one spouting bullshit is you. People who have heard him sing recently - like Cyndy and I, Steve Lukather, Nuno Bettencourt & Joe Benson - have stated so but certainly not at the request of SP. So, are you calling us liars? The agenda of you and your pal Tito is quite obvious, typically juvenile and sadly predictable.

...and most artists also say their most recent work is their best ever. Doesn't mean that's true. Point being that sometimes we want to believe that our heroes still have it when maybe they don't. Since most of us haven't heard the guy sing recently, the fact of the matter is we don't know. We can take your word for it but what is your word based on? No one says you're lying but it's also a matter of perspective. For instance, Angiekay and I will argue until we're blue in the face that Kansas sucks (her opinion) and that they're awesome (my opinion). Neither of us is lying. It's all opinion.

Some of us think Perry's voice sounded toasted on his FTLOSM tour. Does that mean they were lying then?

[yulog]

I see their playing re-runs on MR again and again and again...............

[DracIsBack]

Some of us think Perry's voice sounded toasted on his FTLOSM tour. Does that mean they were lying then?

Out of curiosity, which show did you see him at?

[DracIsBack]

For instance, Angiekay and I will argue until we're blue in the face that Kansas sucks (her opinion) and that they're awesome (my opinion). Neither of us is lying. It's all opinion.

LOL - many a flame war comes from arguing over opinions. Sadly, a lot of it comes from people not expressing their opinions as opinions, leading to flames (however unintentional). ie.

"Everything Journey did after 1981 SUCKS ASS"

vs.

"I didn't like anything Journey did after 1981"

The first would probably make anyone who liked Journey 1981 to 2008 get pissy, while the second wouldn't even bat an eyebrow.

[Red13JoePa]

I have 2 shows + the one live bonus song from that tour on the FTLOSM remaster and I think he sounded pretty good.
Fuckin Beacon's an awesome boot.

[Pelata]

Fuckin Beacon's an awesome boot.

Absolutely!

[bluejeangirl76]

I have 2 shows + the one live bonus song from that tour on the FTLOSM remaster and I think he sounded pretty good.
Fuckin Beacon's an awesome boot.

Agreed. I've got all the (known) boots from that year and they're all pretty damn good.

[STORY_TELLER]

For instance, Angiekay and I will argue until we're blue in the face that Kansas sucks (her opinion) and that they're awesome (my opinion). Neither of us is lying. It's all opinion.

LOL - many a flame war comes from arguing over opinions. Sadly, a lot of it comes from people not expressing their opinions as opinions, leading to flames (however unintentional). ie.

"Everything Journey did after 1981 SUCKS ASS"

vs.

"I didn't like anything Journey did after 1981"

The first would probably make anyone who liked Journey 1981 to 2008 get pissy, while the second wouldn't even bat an eyebrow.

Well said!

[conversationpc]

Some of us think Perry's voice sounded toasted on his FTLOSM tour. Does that mean they were lying then?

Out of curiosity, which show did you see him at?

I didn't see any of those shows. I have several boots, though, and personally, I think he sounded pretty darn good on most of them. He had certainly lost some range but I thought, overall, his vocal performance was better than at any time since the "Escape" tour.

[scarygirl]

Some of us think Perry's voice sounded toasted on his FTLOSM tour. Does that mean they were lying then?

Out of curiosity, which show did you see him at?

I didn't see any of those shows. I have several boots, though, and personally, I think he sounded pretty darn good on most of them. He had certainly lost some range but I thought, overall, his vocal performance was better than at any time since the "Escape" tour.

Long live "the voice."

[Tito]

[The agenda of you and your pal Tito is quite obvious, typically juvenile and sadly predictable.

What did I do?

[Art Vandelay]

Is this REALLY a topic that still needs to be debated?

[bluejeangirl76]

People who have heard him sing recently - like Cyndy and I, Steve Lukather, Nuno Bettencourt & Joe Benson - have stated so but certainly not at the request of SP.

Aww, come on, sweetie, we know he paid you. j/k

Honestly, the idea of this guy running around getting his friends to float rumors about what he can still do is a little out there. Why would he need to? Let's say, momentarily, that there's some plan on his schedule to release something: does he really need to dispatch minions to convince the world he can sing? My guess would be that words "Steve" and "Perry" are going to be enough to get people to (at least!) check it out, but then again, I don't have a degree in marketing so I may be a millimeter or two off the mark.

[ttango1]

he's notorious for being a perfectionist.

Bullshit. Then why where the songs on the ROR tour sung as if you were listening a to an old cassette that someone hit "fast forward" on? Why did he choose to tour with guys on the FTLOSM tour that sounded as if their instruments were tuned at Bill's Auto Body? Where was the "perfectionist" in him then?

As for your "no going back" argument...what was there to go back to? Sitting around waiting 10 more years to record another album and then not tour behind it? Neal and Jon must have took all of 20 seconds to make that decision. It would have been a lot shorter had they been able to give an answer through their laughter.

The perfectionist in him sounded like shit during the Bill Graham tribute and killed the words to Faithfully, a song that he once sang so beautifully as if handed down from above.

[Rhiannon]

Honestly, the idea of this guy running around getting his friends to float rumors about what he can still do is a little out there.

True.
And furthermore, why is this such a debated topic? What's the BFD either way?

[scarygirl]

I gave it up a long time ago. I put the chances of released demos and Journey reunions in the same likelyhood of seeing the GREAT PUMPKIN. Not happening. No way, no how.

Now, I will be seeing the Arnel led Journey in August.

[ttango1]

Honestly, the idea of this guy running around getting his friends to float rumors about what he can still do is a little out there.

True.
And furthermore, why is this such a debated topic? What's the BFD either way?

Exactly, what's the BFD? You were once the best at your craft and now you're in seclusion living the good life. More power to you Mr. Perry.

[Red13JoePa]

[The agenda of you and your pal Tito is quite obvious, typically juvenile and sadly predictable.

What did I do?

Made your mind up the wrong way.

[Saint John]

However, to perpetuate the notion that you can still sing through outlets like Lukather, Uncle Joe Benson, and the whole "demo" bullshit, one can fairly surmise that both oars may not be in the water anymore. I mean does anyone still believe his bullshit?

Steve Perry is not perpetuating anything and the only one spouting bullshit is you. People who have heard him sing recently - like Cyndy and I, Steve Lukather, Nuno Bettencourt & Joe Benson - have stated so but certainly not at the request of SP. So, are you calling us liars? The agenda of you and your pal Tito is quite obvious, typically juvenile and sadly predictable.

The only "people" whose opinions count are the fans. Minus a one-time pit stop to throw out a few hugs, his annual self-absorbed Q&A, and the every so often release of rehashed material (which ironically usually coincides with something Journey is releasing) I'm not so sure he remembers his fans. And I'm so not interested in the testimonials of his PR secretaries, 2 guitarists in has been bands, or some acid drenched, ass kissing, hippy DJ. Are you guys liars? No, just loyal friends and employees. Biased? Yes.

[bluejeangirl76]

Honestly, the idea of this guy running around getting his friends to float rumors about what he can still do is a little out there.

True.
And furthermore, why is this such a debated topic? What's the BFD either way?

There isn't a BFD.

But by the way, if he IS looking for extra minions, he can gimme a call and sing for me and I'll be happy to contribute to the testimonials. ROFL!

[Tito]

[The agenda of you and your pal Tito is quite obvious, typically juvenile and sadly predictable.

What did I do?

I just reviewed all of my posts and I didn't see one thing I said that was negative to Perry. In regards to this thread, when I said he's either lost his mind or voice. What I was stating was in regards to his inactivity is either due to him losing his voice or being nuts (not literally) for not using or wasting his talent.

[swataz]

Fuckin Beacon's an awesome boot.

Absolutely!

Being there was even better. 3rd row, too.

[SteveForever]

Anyone else notice all these weird avatars that come out of nowhere when controversial things
are being discussed?

This thread is blasphemous !

[frfksakes]

However, to perpetuate the notion that you can still sing through outlets like Lukather, Uncle Joe Benson, and the whole "demo" bullshit, one can fairly surmise that both oars may not be in the water anymore. I mean does anyone still believe his bullshit?

Steve Perry is not perpetuating anything and the only one spouting bullshit is you. People who have heard him sing recently - like Cyndy and I, Steve Lukather, Nuno Bettencourt & Joe Benson - have stated so but certainly not at the request of SP. So, are you calling us liars? The agenda of you and your pal Tito is quite obvious, typically juvenile and sadly predictable.

The only "people" whose opinions count are the fans. Minus a one-time pit stop to throw out a few hugs, his annual self-absorbed Q&A, and the every so often release of rehashed material (which ironically usually coincides with something Journey is releasing) I'm not so sure he remembers his fans. And I'm so not interested in the testimonials of his PR secretaries, 2 guitarists in has been bands, or some acid drenched, ass kissing, hippy DJ. Are you guys liars? No, just loyal friends and employees. Biased? Yes.

Lol, you sound like you’ve been through a bitter divorce from someone you’re still hopelessly in love with