Neal...ask yourself this question please.

[Escape Artist]

I love SP but he has done much more damage to Journey than Neal or anyone else.
W/O Neal there would be no Journey right now, take it or leave it.

[brywool]

Neal would have done what needed to be done to get himself back out on the road fastest. He wouldn't have warbled in uncertainty for 2 fucking years. Perry has an excuse for everything. Problem is that his fucking excuses are about as ridiculous as Ebstein's from Welcome Back Kotter.

Yeah, Perry had a lot of people depending on him. Get the effing hip replaced, rehab and tour the next year. That way you're still in the band, too.

Or at least tell the band SOMETHING in the way of a timeframe. You can't keep them in limbo and expect they won't move on.
I've always sided with Journey on this and not Perry. As much as I love the guy, he just kind of thought "oh well, I'll tell them when I'm ready. Whenever that is. Could be next year. Could be five years". C'mon (arnel's voice)- If you did that on a normal job, you'd get disability for a while, but at some point, it would run out. Journey had TONS of folks on it's payroll. To make them all suffer because of one guy's lack of nads is ridiculous. Hip replacement surgery is a pretty common thing. It's not like he was going in to have nodes removed....

[EightyRock]

[quote="froy"]
"He is really up the creek now with Arnel in the band
The re-record of the classics all but closes the book on Mr Perry"

Wake up. Augeri, Pineda, or (you fill in the blank) other singer of whatever quality could re-record those classics and it would be absolutely meaningless. Perry's legacy is cemented in Journey, period. The Journey book will never close on "Mr. Perry", nomatter what singer they hire, or how long they keep him on life support. Case in point....the GQ interview. They couldn't think about interviewing Arnel and this lineup of Journey without ALSO interviewing Perry.


{quote = "froy"}
He has nobody to blame but himself
I would say Perry lost JRNY and its members 50 million dollars from his absence in the band.

Nobody to BLAME but himself for what? Helping make the band millions of dollars and fame they are still touring on now?
Some warped people think he should to be harassed despite their success, when he was in the band, instead of appreciated for it.

A few people here need to think about how much of Journey's continued ability to tour and draw ANY audience is due to Perry nearly killing his voice multiple nights in a row for years.

If he had no dedication to either the band or his craft, there wouldn't be a catalog of classics for Arnel to re-record. Unlike Arnel, who just gets to show up and re-record songs Perry co-wrote, Perry spent years with Neal and Jon cementing a legacy for the band. I'd say his contributions far outweigh the negativity of him needing to walk away for personal reasons. If he didn't stay long enough for the R & R Hall of Fame or long enough for some of you young twits to see them together, tough shit. It is what it is. Get over it. At least Journey is still touring on a portion of his sweat and creativity. That should be enough for some of you obsessive types.

[WykkedSensation]

"He is really up the creek now with Arnel in the band
The re-record of the classics all but closes the book on Mr Perry"

Wake up. Augeri, Pineda, or (you fill in the blank) other singer of whatever quality could re-record those classics and it would be absolutely meaningless. Perry's legacy is cemented in Journey, period. The Journey book will never close on "Mr. Perry", nomatter what singer they hire, or how long they keep him on life support. Case in point....the GQ interview. They couldn't think about interviewing Arnel and this lineup of Journey without ALSO interviewing Perry.


{quote = "froy"}
He has nobody to blame but himself
I would say Perry lost JRNY and its members 50 million dollars from his absence in the band.

Nobody to BLAME but himself for what? Helping make the band millions of dollars and fame they are still touring on now?
Some warped people think he should to be harassed despite their success, when he was in the band, instead of appreciated for it.



A few people here need to think about how much of Journey's continued ability to tour and draw ANY audience is due to Perry nearly killing his voice multiple nights in a row for years.

If he had no dedication to either the band or his craft, there wouldn't be a catalog of classics for Arnel to re-record. Unlike Arnel, who just gets to show up and re-record songs Perry co-wrote, Perry spent years with Neal and Jon cementing a legacy for the band. I'd say his contributions far outweigh the negativity of him needing to walk away for personal reasons. If he didn't stay long enough for the R & R Hall of Fame or long enough for some of you young twits to see them together, tough shit. It is what it is. Get over it. At least Journey is still touring on a portion of his sweat and creativity. That should be enough for some of you obsessive types.

Very good post.

[Sarah]

SP is a perfectionist. I think he would have waited for Neal so he could keep the 'best' lineup together.

[Abitaman]

Why doesn't Neal ever mention the fact that the band was in the process of reforming prior to Perry's TBF intervention?

Perry isn't to be credited for reuniting the Escape lineup for TBF, so much as he is for putting the brakes on an even better Journey lineup (Schon/Cain/Rolie/Chalfant/Valory).

I would have been in Rock and Roll heaven with that line up!!!!!!!!!-ERIC

[Babyblue]

Q: If you suffered permanent damage to your playing hand through years of use and could no longer play the Journey catalog, how would YOU feel watching Perry, Cain, Valory, etc. pick up with a "sound alike" guitarist and continue on with the name "Journey" and attempt to essentially "erase" your contributions in the eyes of the public? Would it bother you?

That is EXACTLY what Perry has had to deal with and really explains alot of his actions over the years. Not saying he has been a "saint"...no way but, think about it...what would something like that do to you and your psyche? It no doubt has eaten away at SP for years...

Mend the fences.

I'm not going to attempt to psychoanalyze him, but Neal is already on record saying he'd be perfectly ok with the guys moving on without him if it came to that.

That is just BS he could not take it.

[mikemarrs]

Why doesn't Neal ever mention the fact that the band was in the process of reforming prior to Perry's TBF intervention?

Perry isn't to be credited for reuniting the Escape lineup for TBF, so much as he is for putting the brakes on an even better Journey lineup (Schon/Cain/Rolie/Chalfant/Valory).

who would the drummer have been if this would've happened?

[Eric]

Neal would have done what needed to be done to get himself back out on the road fastest. He wouldn't have warbled in uncertainty for 2 fucking years. Perry has an excuse for everything. Problem is that his fucking excuses are about as ridiculous as Ebstein's from Welcome Back Kotter.

I gotta note
from my mutha

[Saint John]

Neal would have done what needed to be done to get himself back out on the road fastest. He wouldn't have warbled in uncertainty for 2 fucking years. Perry has an excuse for everything. Problem is that his fucking excuses are about as ridiculous as Ebstein's from Welcome Back Kotter.

I gotta note
from my mutha

"....." signed Ebstein's Mutha

[Rick]

Neal would have done what needed to be done to get himself back out on the road fastest. He wouldn't have warbled in uncertainty for 2 fucking years. Perry has an excuse for everything. Problem is that his fucking excuses are about as ridiculous as Ebstein's from Welcome Back Kotter.

I gotta note
from my mutha

"....." signed Ebstein's Mutha

[Journey/Survivor]

Neal would have done what needed to be done to get himself back out on the road fastest. He wouldn't have warbled in uncertainty for 2 fucking years. Perry has an excuse for everything. Problem is that his fucking excuses are about as ridiculous as Ebstein's from Welcome Back Kotter.

Yeah, Perry had a lot of people depending on him. Get the effing hip replaced, rehab and tour the next year. That way you're still in the band, too.

Or at least tell the band SOMETHING in the way of a timeframe. You can't keep them in limbo and expect they won't move on.
I've always sided with Journey on this and not Perry. As much as I love the guy, he just kind of thought "oh well, I'll tell them when I'm ready. Whenever that is. Could be next year. Could be five years". C'mon (arnel's voice)- If you did that on a normal job, you'd get disability for a while, but at some point, it would run out. Journey had TONS of folks on it's payroll. To make them all suffer because of one guy's lack of nads is ridiculous. Hip replacement surgery is a pretty common thing. It's not like he was going in to have nodes removed....

I've never even believed the hip problem story. I don't think Perry had any intention of touring for the TBF album?

[squirt1]

Steve Smith said the hip was true. These guys need doctors armed with sodium pentathol to sort it all out.

[froy]

"He is really up the creek now with Arnel in the band
The re-record of the classics all but closes the book on Mr Perry"

Wake up. Augeri, Pineda, or (you fill in the blank) other singer of whatever quality could re-record those classics and it would be absolutely meaningless.

You missed the point
Its a cold slap in the face to Perry
Now when they play the tags in commercials Steve Perrys voice will no longer be used
Sure his songs will still be on the radio but fans will hear AP and say wow the guy has the pipes he sounds good
Lets go see JRNY

Perry's legacy is cemented in Journey, period.

Cemented as a guy who quit
And stopped the band full force

The Journey book will never close on "Mr. Perry", nomatter what singer they hire, or how long they keep him on life support.

I would say you were right until I heard AP
The guy can sing and the new cd sounds better than ever.
What has Perry done lately ?
What JRNY book are you reading ?

Case in point....the GQ interview. They couldn't think about interviewing Arnel and this lineup of Journey without ALSO interviewing Perry.

Yea and Perry showed us all a few things
1 He is full of fear to sing live
2 He is filled with spite
3 He needs to grow up and stop thinking he is the end all beat all.

{quote = "froy"}
He has nobody to blame but himself
I would say Perry lost JRNY and its members 50 million dollars from his absence in the band.

Nobody to BLAME but himself for what?

Quitting
Giving up and leaving the fans and the JRNY family to rot
He lost that band 50 to 100 million dollars by walking away.
No wonder Neil said Fuck Him.

Helping make the band millions of dollars and fame they are still touring on now?

Im not so sure they are touring on Perry anymore
12 songs does not mean that much

A few people here need to think about how much of Journey's continued ability to tour and draw ANY audience is due to Perry nearly killing his voice multiple nights in a row for years.

Perry killed his voice because he yelled and screamed when he sang
He actually over sang on the 86 tour
I saw it 8 times and he was doing just to much



If he had no dedication to either the band or his craft, there wouldn't be a catalog of classics for Arnel to re-record.

Of course





Unlike Arnel, who just gets to show up and re-record songs Perry co-wrote, Perry spent years with Neal and Jon cementing a legacy for the band.

I agree
Not taking that away from Perry
The guy was the best singer and stage presence but he lost it



I'd say his contributions far outweigh the negativity of him needing to walk away for personal reasons.

We all have personal reasons in our lives
Perry needs to get his head on straight
When he hears his voice it hurts him because he sounds like Steve Perry
That line alone shows he is not all there.

[Playitloudforme]

Neal would have done what needed to be done to get himself back out on the road fastest. He wouldn't have warbled in uncertainty for 2 fucking years. Perry has an excuse for everything. Problem is that his fucking excuses are about as ridiculous as Ebstein's from Welcome Back Kotter.

Yeah, Perry had a lot of people depending on him. Get the effing hip replaced, rehab and tour the next year. That way you're still in the band, too.

Or at least tell the band SOMETHING in the way of a timeframe. You can't keep them in limbo and expect they won't move on.
I've always sided with Journey on this and not Perry. As much as I love the guy, he just kind of thought "oh well, I'll tell them when I'm ready. Whenever that is. Could be next year. Could be five years". C'mon (arnel's voice)- If you did that on a normal job, you'd get disability for a while, but at some point, it would run out. Journey had TONS of folks on it's payroll. To make them all suffer because of one guy's lack of nads is ridiculous. Hip replacement surgery is a pretty common thing. It's not like he was going in to have nodes removed....

I've never even believed the hip problem story. I don't think Perry had any intention of touring for the TBF album?

Hip story was true. I personally know two people who knew him during that time frame. Absolutely true hip issue.

[annie89509]

My $.02:

The Chalfant/Schon/Cain/Rolie/Valory reformation of Journey is just speculation. Yes, Kevin has said there was “stuff” written from the sessions stashed in his sock drawers. So why haven’t anyone heard any of it? He’s recorded/done tons of stuff since that “aborted” attempt. Why not release those songs written with Journey, if indeed there were complete songs written in the first place.

Who was to be their drummer? And, is it really viable to have 2 keyboard players in a Journey band? I don’t doubt that the guys got together to contemplate it. It must have been especially galling for Neal/Jon to find out that Steve was finally ready to get back to music-- only not with them.

The fact of the matter is Sony and John Kalodner used whatever means it had at their disposal to keep the classic lineup intact. Moyes Lucas said as much in print, that label exes would show up at the concerts, dogging Steve and undermining their efforts as a working band. I don’t believe it was Steve’s ego about another singer replacing him that caused him to make the call to Jon, at that time.

[jrnyjetster]

The guaranteed TBF tour money was way more than that.

Really?

[Red13JoePa]

Q Mend the fences.

Er, Neal said he's attempted.
He's not allowed to have Gretta Garbo's phone number, though.

[FishinMagician]

"He is really up the creek now with Arnel in the band
The re-record of the classics all but closes the book on Mr Perry"

Wake up. Augeri, Pineda, or (you fill in the blank) other singer of whatever quality could re-record those classics and it would be absolutely meaningless.

You missed the point
Its a cold slap in the face to Perry
Now when they play the tags in commercials Steve Perrys voice will no longer be used
Sure his songs will still be on the radio but fans will hear AP and say wow the guy has the pipes he sounds good
Lets go see JRNY

Perry's legacy is cemented in Journey, period.

Cemented as a guy who quit
And stopped the band full force

The Journey book will never close on "Mr. Perry", nomatter what singer they hire, or how long they keep him on life support.

I would say you were right until I heard AP
The guy can sing and the new cd sounds better than ever.
What has Perry done lately ?
What JRNY book are you reading ?

Case in point....the GQ interview. They couldn't think about interviewing Arnel and this lineup of Journey without ALSO interviewing Perry.

Yea and Perry showed us all a few things
1 He is full of fear to sing live
2 He is filled with spite
3 He needs to grow up and stop thinking he is the end all beat all.

{quote = "froy"}
He has nobody to blame but himself
I would say Perry lost JRNY and its members 50 million dollars from his absence in the band.

Nobody to BLAME but himself for what?

Quitting
Giving up and leaving the fans and the JRNY family to rot
He lost that band 50 to 100 million dollars by walking away.
No wonder Neil said Fuck Him.

Helping make the band millions of dollars and fame they are still touring on now?

Im not so sure they are touring on Perry anymore
12 songs does not mean that much

A few people here need to think about how much of Journey's continued ability to tour and draw ANY audience is due to Perry nearly killing his voice multiple nights in a row for years.

Perry killed his voice because he yelled and screamed when he sang
He actually over sang on the 86 tour
I saw it 8 times and he was doing just to much



If he had no dedication to either the band or his craft, there wouldn't be a catalog of classics for Arnel to re-record.

Of course





Unlike Arnel, who just gets to show up and re-record songs Perry co-wrote, Perry spent years with Neal and Jon cementing a legacy for the band.

I agree
Not taking that away from Perry
The guy was the best singer and stage presence but he lost it



I'd say his contributions far outweigh the negativity of him needing to walk away for personal reasons.

We all have personal reasons in our lives
Perry needs to get his head on straight
When he hears his voice it hurts him because he sounds like Steve Perry
That line alone shows he is not all there.

what if the radio stations use the re recorded greatest hits?!?!

[Arkansas]

... Its a cold slap in the face to Perry
Now when they play the tags in commercials Steve Perrys voice will no longer be used
Sure his songs will still be on the radio but fans will hear AP and say wow the guy has the pipes he sounds good
Lets go see JRNY
...

So is FITH a 'cold slap' to Augeri?
And btw, whenever a car company goes retro with a new model, is that a 'cold slap' to the former builder?

I don't think it's disresptful at all. I think it's applause that these old songs still have the legs to be alive today.
Perry (& his fans) should consider it flattery and be happy. You should also be happy that the world's #1 retailer wants to keep these songs alive. (This will also promote sales of the back catalogue.)

And as far as going to the shows go, why deny today's generation the opportunity to see this great band play all this great music? Do you want Perry to just die and go away? I don't. I want the music to live on...in whatever form.


later~

[YoungJRNY]

Perry said these SONGS are the bands Children.

Children grow.. and CHANGE for the most part. I don't look at it as a slap in the face to re-record anything..even the hits. It's the songs that are being re-born and given a second chance for the world to give a listen. It's not so bad as people talk it up to be.

[Journey/Survivor]

Who was to be their drummer? And, is it really viable to have 2 keyboard players in a Journey band? I don’t doubt that the guys got together to contemplate it.

Based on everything I've ever heard it would have been Steve Smith on drums.

Although, I have heard that Steve Smith was not going to be the drummer on the Trial By Fire tour had it happened. I've heard that it would have been Prairie Prince that would have been the drummer on the tour.

Yes, I think they could have pulled off the 2 keyboardists thing.
Jonathan Cain can also play rhythm guitar, and Gregg Rolie could have done some lead vocals. Plus, Cain and Rolie have different styles on keyboards. Cain could have handled most of the piano and synth work except when he was on rhythm guitar, with Rolie playing the Hammond Organ styled stuff and the piano/synth when Cain was on guitar.

[StoneCold]

Why doesn't Neal ever mention the fact that the band was in the process of reforming prior to Perry's TBF intervention?

Perry isn't to be credited for reuniting the Escape lineup for TBF, so much as he is for putting the brakes on an even better Journey lineup (Schon/Cain/Rolie/Chalfant/Valory).

Hey now!

Don't forget the Mr. Smithers!

[ProgRocker53]

Who was to be their drummer? And, is it really viable to have 2 keyboard players in a Journey band? I don’t doubt that the guys got together to contemplate it.

Based on everything I've ever heard it would have been Steve Smith on drums.

Although, I have heard that Steve Smith was not going to be the drummer on the Trial By Fire tour had it happened. I've heard that it would have been Prairie Prince that would have been the drummer on the tour.

Yes, I think they could have pulled off the 2 keyboardists thing.
Jonathan Cain can also play rhythm guitar, and Gregg Rolie could have done some lead vocals. Plus, Cain and Rolie have different styles on keyboards. Cain could have handled most of the piano and synth work except when he was on rhythm guitar, with Rolie playing the Hammond Organ styled stuff and the piano/synth when Cain was on guitar.

Cain and Rolie playing together would get me hotter than Shania Twain making out with Kate Beckinsale.

Man I'm getting bothered thinking about all the interlocking keyboard intricacies these two ivory-tickling geniuses could concoct.

[Magwheels]

I have to wonder, now that Neal has admitted the alcoholism.... if that was a factor in keeping the band apart. Touring with an active alcoholic would not be a fun thing to do. I sure as hell wouldn't want to commit to that. I'm guessing it may have been a factor.

I agree.(but they don't want to talk about that)

[Rick]

I have to wonder, now that Neal has admitted the alcoholism.... if that was a factor in keeping the band apart. Touring with an active alcoholic would not be a fun thing to do. I sure as hell wouldn't want to commit to that. I'm guessing it may have been a factor.

I agree.(but they don't want to talk about that)

I doubt he was the only one hardening his liver.

[Magwheels]

I have to wonder, now that Neal has admitted the alcoholism.... if that was a factor in keeping the band apart. Touring with an active alcoholic would not be a fun thing to do. I sure as hell wouldn't want to commit to that. I'm guessing it may have been a factor.

I agree.(but they don't want to talk about that)

I doubt he was the only one hardening his liver.

Like I said...they don't want to talk about it

[Rick]

I have to wonder, now that Neal has admitted the alcoholism.... if that was a factor in keeping the band apart. Touring with an active alcoholic would not be a fun thing to do. I sure as hell wouldn't want to commit to that. I'm guessing it may have been a factor.

I agree.(but they don't want to talk about that)

I doubt he was the only one hardening his liver.

Like I said...they don't want to talk about it

They may not remember it.

[donnaplease]

Perry said these SONGS are the bands Children.

Children grow.. and CHANGE for the most part. I don't look at it as a slap in the face to re-record anything..even the hits. It's the songs that are being re-born and given a second chance for the world to give a listen. It's not so bad as people talk it up to be.

Yeah, but when the parents divorce the parents don't just kick out their kids and bring in a new kid to replace the one they just got rid of. Or, in the case of being 're-born'... suppose parents have a child that dies. Then they have another one. Do they name the second child the same as the first, and try to pretend that the first one never existed? Of course not.

No matter how hard Neal & Co. try to make the world forget about SP and his contributions to their fame, it will never happen. There is a whole legion of us Perryloons out there to see to that.

[wednesday's child]

Perry said these SONGS are the bands Children.
... suppose parents have a child that dies. Then they have another one.
Do they name the second child the same as the first, and try to pretend that the first one never existed? Of course not.

Jeez, DonnaP...
I was pretty freaked out by the whole idea of the WalMart re-dos,
and by how they eventually butchered DSB in particular, but ....C'mon! (Arnel voice, heheh)
that's some stretch you've got going on there.
I don't think they're trying to erase the original cuts.

Cheers,
wech