Journey Looking Forward: Best Case Scenario

[Jubilee]

Journey has kicked off its 2009 tour to rave reviews. Work on the new CD will likely start following this tour. Assuming everyone stays healthy, and the current line-up remains in tact, what in your opinion is the prognosis for Journeys future? Factoring in today's musical tastes, radio play difficulties, etc., can Journey ever really be relevant again? How good does this tour and the up coming CD have to be to get Journey back in the game?

What, in your opinion, is the best case scenario?

[scarab]

Would love to hear the new Journey on the radio.
I think the novelty of having a youtube singer will die down and
Journey will have to come up with something else to keep them relevant.

Best case scenario is Steve coming back for one more album and a tour.
Hopefully w/ Gregg

Anything else would just be settling.

[Don]

They seem to be in a comfort zone where they're at now. They're as relevant as Def Leppard, Poison, Motley Crew and those types. They are all happy playing their past hits and catering to their casual fans.
Popularity wise, I don't think they will climb up to the next tier of performers (Bon Jovi, U2, Aerosmith, Van Halen, etc.) but they really don't need to. They have their Asian niche they can play to and which should keep them going until retirement comes along.

[bluejeangirl76]

Would love to hear the new Journey on the radio.
I think the novelty of having a youtube singer will die down and
Journey will have to come up with something else to keep them relevant.

Already has. Radio mentions have stopped cold. If they mention anything other than the song sitle, they're back to talking about Steve Perry when they spin a J tune, which is funny to me. Journey is "doing something", Steve is not (that we know of) but still its "Perry this" and "Perry that".

Journey has, essentially, a new (and much smaller) fanbase. The fans of old, save for the real die hards, don't really care anymore. The casual fans really don't care. Neither group will give it much attention unless the Holy Grail returns, and we all know that scenario doesn't have an angel's chance in hell.

Arnel brought them a group of fans they didn't have before and would not have had without them. If Arnel goes, those fans will go with him, and never give Journey another listen. Bet on that.

But they're going to have to come up with something better than cheating their way to platinum and I don't see it happening.

[strangegrey]

They seem to be in a comfort zone where they're at now. They're as relevant as Def Leppard, Poison, Motley Crew and those types. They are all happy playing their past hits and catering to their casual fans.
Popularity wise, I don't think they will climb up to the next tier of performers (Bon Jovi, U2, Aerosmith, Van Halen, etc.) but they really don't need to. They have their Asian niche they can play to and which should keep them going until retirement comes along.

This made me chuckle a little bit. Just last night, I was watching the cruefest concert on VH1 and I was shocked at how many people were in the arena. It was like 1987 all over again. Frankly, I dont think that Journey can pull that off these days. While I dont think Def Leppard has the pull that Journey has, they were a good pairing if only Journey didn't have a black cloud of bullshit over them regarding tapegate. But shit...I'd put Crue a few notches above Journey these days. Crue's actually got 20-somethings with flat bellies and firm tits showing up at their shows. The last time ANYONE saw this at a Journey show was like 1983!

Also, I dont think I'd lump Van Halen in with Bon Jovi, Aerosmith or U2 (no matter how much I despise U2). These bands are worldwide huge. Unless EVH straightens himself out and records GOOD new music, they will very quickly become a lower tier band....especially if they continue to tour without supporting anything new....

[ebake02]

I see Journey continuing as the way they now unless the new Steve Perry album rumor are true. If they are, Journey's album sales will die down considerably. If Perry were to do a tour then the boys be playing much smaller venues too.

[Don]

This was slightly funny, I heard KOST playing their pre-recorded programs one night and one of those recorded voices after the the list of songs came on, ".. and Steve Perry of Journey with Foolish Heart". At least they didn't say "with", but still I still got a chuckle out of it.

[BobbyinTN]

Sales overseas could give them multi-platinum albums since their rebirth with Arnel.

When Air Supply died out in the mid 80's, they took their music to Asia and other parts of the world. Recently they played for 90,000 people and they had more success over there and longer than they did here in the states.

The U.S. can be so fickle when it comes to supporting musical acts, or maybe it's simply the music biz people that are the assholes who don't support or promote anyone over 25.


As long as they continue to put out new music and don't wait 5 to 7 years between albums, it'll get better for them. If they use touring alone as their only avenue to popularity, they'll be back where they were before Arnel and the controversies with Augeri and Soto.

[Don]

They seem to be in a comfort zone where they're at now. They're as relevant as Def Leppard, Poison, Motley Crew and those types. They are all happy playing their past hits and catering to their casual fans.
Popularity wise, I don't think they will climb up to the next tier of performers (Bon Jovi, U2, Aerosmith, Van Halen, etc.) but they really don't need to. They have their Asian niche they can play to and which should keep them going until retirement comes along.

This made me chuckle a little bit. Just last night, I was watching the cruefest concert on VH1 and I was shocked at how many people were in the arena. It was like 1987 all over again. Frankly, I dont think that Journey can pull that off these days. While I dont think Def Leppard has the pull that Journey has, they were a good pairing if only Journey didn't have a black cloud of bullshit over them regarding tapegate. But shit...I'd put Crue a few notches above Journey these days. Crue's actually got 20-somethings with flat bellies and firm tits showing up at their shows. The last time ANYONE saw this at a Journey show was like 1983!

Also, I dont think I'd lump Van Halen in with Bon Jovi, Aerosmith or U2 (no matter how much I despise U2). These bands are worldwide huge. Unless EVH straightens himself out and records GOOD new music, they will very quickly become a lower tier band....especially if they continue to tour without supporting anything new....

Yeah, you're probably right about VH. I read at the end of the tour, everything fell apart as far as ticket sales went and some promoters lost a lot of money at some of the venues.

[Don]

Sales overseas could give them multi-platinum albums since their rebirth with Arnel.

When Air Supply died out in the mid 80's, they took their music to Asia and other parts of the world. Recently they played for 90,000 people and they had more success over there and longer than they did here in the states.

The U.S. can be so fickle when it comes to supporting musical acts, or maybe it's simply the music biz people that are the assholes who don't support or promote anyone over 25.


As long as they continue to put out new music and don't wait 5 to 7 years between albums, it'll get better for them. If they use touring alone as their only avenue to popularity, they'll be back where they were before Arnel and the controversies with Augeri and Soto.

Air Supply still has the same two guys singing. Whenever one of them sings alone on a side gig it's a totally different story popularity wise.

Bon Jovi, Y&T, Wasp were all hugely popular in Asia before Bon Jovi hit it big in the states. I think Wasp and Y&T would trade all of their Pacific theater success for a chance to be well known in the states.
I guess Journey has to decide what market they want to cater to. Asia brings dollars and America brings acclaim. Look at John Farnham. Never made it big here in the States but everyone else in the world knows him. I think he just accepts it now, but Journey was so huge here before, do they try to recapture past glory or just concentrate on new markets instead?

[bluejeangirl76]

but Journey was so huge here before, do they try to recapture past glory or just concentrate on new markets instead?

They've already hit on a new market thanks only to Arnel so they might as well stick with it while they can. They can't recapture what they had in the 80s, especially in the US, so they may as well stick with what is working now, if they want to make any kind of bank.

[Jubilee]

but Journey was so huge here before, do they try to recapture past glory or just concentrate on new markets instead?

They've already hit on a new market thanks only to Arnel so they might as well stick with it while they can. They can't recapture what they had in the 80s, especially in the US, so they may as well stick with what is working now, if they want to make any kind of bank.

Exactly. Why keep trying to crack the nut of a fickle US audience, when they can just mop up the gravy of a clamoring Asian market? On the other hand, by capitalizing on Arnel, don''t they also run the risk of being at the mercy of the cult-like following of their lead singer once again? Heaven forbid something happen to Arnel -- they'd be back to square one.

[Don]

but Journey was so huge here before, do they try to recapture past glory or just concentrate on new markets instead?

They've already hit on a new market thanks only to Arnel so they might as well stick with it while they can. They can't recapture what they had in the 80s, especially in the US, so they may as well stick with what is working now, if they want to make any kind of bank.

That's a given with all the talk about the Legacy sound. They have pretty much admitted they don't want to change anything, where as for better or worse, Bon Jovi and U2 have changed things up enough to keep doing stadium shows every few years instead of having to tour constantly year in and year out in smaller venues.

Neal likes touring though, so maybe they are happy playing all these festivals and Amphitheaters, I don't know.

[xflajrnylvr]

Heard on the 360 tour this year they are doing stadiums due to the fact they can still sell them out and that the stage show takes 120 semis to haul around and get set up at each show

[Don]

Heard on the 360 tour this year they are doing stadiums due to the fact they can still sell them out and that the stage show takes 120 semis to haul around and get set up at each show

The 360 stage will allow even more seating as they don't have to block off one of the ends like they usually do when they set up the stage.

[bluejeangirl76]

but Journey was so huge here before, do they try to recapture past glory or just concentrate on new markets instead?

They've already hit on a new market thanks only to Arnel so they might as well stick with it while they can. They can't recapture what they had in the 80s, especially in the US, so they may as well stick with what is working now, if they want to make any kind of bank.

Exactly. Why keep trying to crack the nut of a fickle US audience, when they can just mop up the gravy of a clamoring Asian market? On the other hand, by capitalizing on Arnel, don''t they also run the risk of being at the mercy of the cult-like following of their lead singer once again? Heaven forbid something happen to Arnel -- they'd be back to square one.

Yep. Its already happened. What happens to that whole audience if they lost/fired/replaced Arnel? Those people are gonna stick around for Journey's next move? No way. They're going where Arnel goes because they have no prior vested interest in Journey. Journey becamse "JOURNEY!" with Steve Perry, so all parts made the whole and there was still interest after Perry. That's not going to happen with a bunch of fans who are following the hero story.

[Don]

but Journey was so huge here before, do they try to recapture past glory or just concentrate on new markets instead?

They've already hit on a new market thanks only to Arnel so they might as well stick with it while they can. They can't recapture what they had in the 80s, especially in the US, so they may as well stick with what is working now, if they want to make any kind of bank.

Exactly. Why keep trying to crack the nut of a fickle US audience, when they can just mop up the gravy of a clamoring Asian market? On the other hand, by capitalizing on Arnel, don''t they also run the risk of being at the mercy of the cult-like following of their lead singer once again? Heaven forbid something happen to Arnel -- they'd be back to square one.

Yep. Its already happened. What happens to that whole audience if they lost/fired/replaced Arnel? Those people are gonna stick around for Journey's next move? No way. They're going where Arnel goes because they have no prior vested interest in Journey. Journey becamse "JOURNEY!" with Steve Perry, so all parts made the whole and there was still interest after Perry. That's not going to happen with a bunch of fans who are following the hero story.

A lot of these fans won't even buy the older catalog, they would rather have Journey re-release everything as re-records. Not exactly a money making venture there, for sure.

[stevew2]

They seem to be in a comfort zone where they're at now. They're as relevant as Def Leppard, Poison, Motley Crew and those types. They are all happy playing their past hits and catering to their casual fans.
Popularity wise, I don't think they will climb up to the next tier of performers (Bon Jovi, U2, Aerosmith, Van Halen, etc.) but they really don't need to. They have their Asian niche they can play to and which should keep them going until retirement comes along.

This made me chuckle a little bit. Just last night, I was watching the cruefest concert on VH1 and I was shocked at how many people were in the arena. It was like 1987 all over again. Frankly, I dont think that Journey can pull that off these days. While I dont think Def Leppard has the pull that Journey has, they were a good pairing if only Journey didn't have a black cloud of bullshit over them regarding tapegate. But shit...I'd put Crue a few notches above Journey these days. Crue's actually got 20-somethings with flat bellies and firm tits showing up at their shows. The last time ANYONE saw this at a Journey show was like 1983!

Also, I dont think I'd lump Van Halen in with Bon Jovi, Aerosmith or U2 (no matter how much I despise U2). These bands are worldwide huge. Unless EVH straightens himself out and records GOOD new music, they will very quickly become a lower tier band....especially if they continue to tour without supporting anything new....

i ve seen quite a few hotties at Journeys show, there is a mixture, i see quite a few collage age people at the shows

[Don]

St John needs to get a smartphone so he can post at work. Having to wait hours for his scathing rebuttals kills the momentum of the thread. Also why are the Kentucky Bobbsey twins absent from this conversation? They should have been here already telling us why Journey is going to set the world on fire this upcoming tour.

[texafana]

Journey is doing pretty frickin well...right now. The only thing that could take them even higher is if Steve "Weary" Perry would care to sing with the band again.

[Jubilee]

St John needs to get a smartphone so he can post at work. Having to wait hours for his scathing rebuttals kills the momentum of the thread. Also why are the Kentucky Bobsy twins absent from this conversation? They should have been here already telling us why Journey is going to set the world on fire this upcoming tour.

I was wondering about that myself. Maybe a certain nocturnal marsupial put one or both of them on some sort of "double secret probation". Still..

[brywool]

The best case scenario is that everyone remembers that it's no longer 1983 and LETS the band move on. Journey is still a great band to hear and see live. If people don't go, it's their loss because this version is firing on all cylinders.

[Don]

St John needs to get a smartphone so he can post at work. Having to wait hours for his scathing rebuttals kills the momentum of the thread. Also why are the Kentucky Bobsy twins absent from this conversation? They should have been here already telling us why Journey is going to set the world on fire this upcoming tour.

I was wondering about that myself. Maybe a certain nocturnal marsupial put one or both of them on some sort of "double secret probation". Still..

I don't mind them. Living near West Hollywood, I'm used to their type of verbage.

[Ehwmatt]

The best case scenario is that everyone remembers that it's no longer 1983 and LETS the band move on. Journey is still a great band to hear and see live. If people don't go, it's their loss because this version is firing on all cylinders.

Right. Too many people think it's supposed to be an episode of Jerry Springer or a family drama where one is forced to take sides. Dumb.

[Don]

The best case scenario is that everyone remembers that it's no longer 1983 and LETS the band move on. Journey is still a great band to hear and see live. If people don't go, it's their loss because this version is firing on all cylinders.

I was waiting for you to say something to balance out the thread a little bit, Good show old man.

[Don]

The Bat Signal seems to have just been activated.

[brywool]

The best case scenario is that everyone remembers that it's no longer 1983 and LETS the band move on. Journey is still a great band to hear and see live. If people don't go, it's their loss because this version is firing on all cylinders.

I was waiting for you to say something to balance out the thread a little bit, Good show old man.

Been lurkin'. Too many of the same kinds of posts. This one though... gee, let's move on peeps...
'OLD MAN'???? Dang....

[Don]

The best case scenario is that everyone remembers that it's no longer 1983 and LETS the band move on. Journey is still a great band to hear and see live. If people don't go, it's their loss because this version is firing on all cylinders.

I was waiting for you to say something to balance out the thread a little bit, Good show old man.

Been lurkin'. Too many of the same kinds of posts. This one though... gee, let's move on peeps...
'OLD MAN'???? Dang....

It's an expression I picked up from reading Victorian mysteries, it doesn't really signify that you are old, as even teens will say it to each other on occasion.

[Don]

The best case scenario is that everyone remembers that it's no longer 1983 and LETS the band move on. Journey is still a great band to hear and see live. If people don't go, it's their loss because this version is firing on all cylinders.

I was waiting for you to say something to balance out the thread a little bit, Good show old man.

Been lurkin'. Too many of the same kinds of posts. This one though... gee, let's move on peeps...
'OLD MAN'???? Dang....

Where is your zest for debate?

[Deb]

This made me chuckle a little bit. Just last night, I was watching the cruefest concert on VH1 and I was shocked at how many people were in the arena. It was like 1987 all over again. Frankly, I dont think that Journey can pull that off these days. While I dont think Def Leppard has the pull that Journey has, they were a good pairing if only Journey didn't have a black cloud of bullshit over them regarding tapegate. But shit...I'd put Crue a few notches above Journey these days. Crue's actually got 20-somethings with flat bellies and firm tits showing up at their shows. The last time ANYONE saw this at a Journey show was like 1983!

Also, I dont think I'd lump Van Halen in with Bon Jovi, Aerosmith or U2 (no matter how much I despise U2). These bands are worldwide huge. Unless EVH straightens himself out and records GOOD new music, they will very quickly become a lower tier band....especially if they continue to tour without supporting anything new....

Crue's got more guys with those qualities showing up at their shows too. Pretty much agree with the rest of your post, as far as show numbers go I think Crue is more of a pull these days. Considering Arnel is a much better singer than Vince, I think Vince is a better frontman though (and original).

Best case scenario is Steve coming back for one more album and a tour.
Hopefully w/ Gregg

My first thought was Oh gawd ya would that be cool but a lot of what I liked about those days are the vocal contrast, duets between those two. And they wouldn't be the same now as Rollie's and especially Perry's vocals have changed. I much prefer Perry's raw, more mature smokey vocals he acquired later, but totally dug his higher vocals when contrasting with Gregg's vocals. Absolutely love Just The Same Way and Someday Soon.