Neal Schon at PRS WNAMM 2010

[xfactor]

Sorry if this has already been posted

Neal talks about writing the new album for Journey.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx0UXQOBtUc

[xfactor]

And signing autograph?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfNo0k3XDxU

[Don]

I've got a strong feeling that the re-record era is over and we can expect all NEW music which is wonderful news. Now, could this be a direct to Itunes release with no major distributor?

[steveo777]

I've got a strong feeling that the re-record era is over and we can expect all NEW music which is wonderful news. Now, could this be a direct to Itunes release with no major distributor?

Sure sounds like Neal is ready to go in a new direction. I kind of got the vibe that maybe he's thinking Itunes also, just because he said there is no radio anymore and it doesn't seem like getting on the radio is his goal. We'll see, but it sounds good so far.

[Don]

I've got a strong feeling that the re-record era is over and we can expect all NEW music which is wonderful news. Now, could this be a direct to Itunes release with no major distributor?

Sure sounds like Neal is ready to go in a new direction. I kind of got the vibe that maybe he's thinking Itunes also, just because he said there is no radio anymore and it doesn't seem like getting on the radio is his goal. We'll see, but it sounds good so far.

If he is saying forget A/C radio that could really be a radical departure for them. They have so many ballads that HAVE to be played live, it makes perfect sense to finally just get away continuously adding more of that stuff to their setlist. Not worrying about radio releases will really open the field for them to do so many different things. It sounds like the band may finally do what they want to do, not what they HAVE to do to make money. Sounds great if it indeed happens like that. My interpretation of what Neal said leads me to believe that they are not even going to try to compete with Revelation's success, jut do their own thing and enjoy it. Of course others will read things differently, I'm sure.

[fredinator]

HMMMMMMM... "Possibly a keyboard player" (there was a keyboard player in the video from NAMM that someone posted) don't know who yet"... My heart started to beat a little faster when I started speculating...

Laughed along with him re Miles giving him a run for his money... He looks a little thin to me; hope all is well with him.

[steveo777]

HMMMMMMM... "Possibly a keyboard player" (there was a keyboard player in the video from NAMM that someon posted) don't know who yet... My heart started to beat a little faster when I started speculating...

Laughed along with him re Miles giving him a run for his money... He looks a little thin to me; hope all is well with him.

I too noticed Neal looks thinner in the face and a bit baggier in the eyes.

[Jana]

HMMMMMMM... "Possibly a keyboard player" (there was a keyboard player in the video from NAMM that someon posted) don't know who yet... My heart started to beat a little faster when I started speculating...

Laughed along with him re Miles giving him a run for his money... He looks a little thin to me; hope all is well with him.

I too noticed Neal looks thinner in the face and a bit baggier in the eyes.

His eyes are fine. He just lost weight, which always shows in the face being thin. I like him better heavier like the photo towards the beginning of the interview.

Great, informative interview.

[Don]

I just had this sudden realization that Neal might try to do some cross bred Linkin Park meets Black Eyed Peas Mash up on this next release.

[steveo777]

Well, he did talk about how the band can be quite musical when they want to be.

[Don]

Well, he did talk about how the band can be quite musical when they want to be.

Are they going to teach Arnel how to play the bongos or flute? That would be pretty musical.

[steveo777]

Well, he did talk about how the band can be quite musical when they want to be.

Are they going to teach Arnel how to play the bongos or flute? That would be pretty musical.

Something struck me funny when Neal said musical. I kind of excluded Ross all of a sudden.
Maybe they could let Arnel play something and Ross could just make funny faces.

[fredinator]

Cowbell.

Neal looks great--I saw no under-eye bags. He just looks a little thin but he's been doing some much the last month or so. His hands are beautiful--they would never give away his age...

[steveo777]

Cowbell.

Neal looks great--I saw no under-eye bags. He just looks a little thin but he's been doing some much the last month or so. His hands are beautiful--they would never give away his age...

Neals hands don't slow down enough for age to grow on them.

[Don]

Well, he did talk about how the band can be quite musical when they want to be.

Are they going to teach Arnel how to play the bongos or flute? That would be pretty musical.

Something struck me funny when Neal said musical. I kind of excluded Ross all of a sudden.
Maybe they could let Arnel play something and Ross could just make funny faces.

That's so funny. My first thought was of Pineda on Bass. I didn't even give a second thought to Ross.

[Jana]

Cowbell.

Neal looks great--I saw no under-eye bags. He just looks a little thin but he's been doing some much the last month or so. His hands are beautiful--they would never give away his age...

Neals hands don't slow down enough for age to grow on them.

His hands are gorgeous.

He should play this, with his new band, from Look into the Future, but the extended version. His playing is mind-blowing on here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPRFbv7s4nY

And that's also great news, that he said he would be working on a solo album this year, too.

[fredinator]

and hopefully with Gregg--there goes my heart again, lol.

P.S. Evidently, there was a debate on this video and one of the guy's posted this:

"I count Schenker as one of the gods, but we'll have to disagree on that one friend! there is a controlled fury, a precise abandonment to this piece that really only conjures up Hendrix in my mind. Peace"

I thought this was a great comment.

[The_Noble_Cause]

New album sounds very intriguing.
I have no doubt Neal could do something a little more progressive, experimental, and non-radio friendly...sort of a modern day "Dream After Dream".
But what about Jon?
Even his solo albums are as whitebread as they come.
I just don't associate him with anything non-commercial.
That's his style.

[SherriBerry]

Cowbell.

Neal looks great--I saw no under-eye bags. He just looks a little thin but he's been doing some much the last month or so. His hands are beautiful--they would never give away his age...

Neals hands don't slow down enough for age to grow on them.

His hands are gorgeous.

He should play this, with his new band, from Look into the Future, but the extended version. His playing is mind-blowing on here.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPRFbv7s4nY

And that's also great news, that he said he would be working on a solo album this year, too.

Neal looks great in the interview and he does have beautiful musician's hands. I was excited to hear him confirm he is working on a solo album, but since he recognizes that people are getting into his older solo work all I can say is "Please rerelease Schon & Hammer or at least make it available on iTunes!".

[fredinator]

New album sounds very intriguing.
I have no doubt Neal could do something a little more progressive, experimental, and non-radio friendly...sort of a modern day "Dream After Dream".
But what about Jon?
Even his solo albums are as whitebread as they come.
I just don't associate him with anything non-commercial.
That's his style.

Hmmm, he's got his own band now and then he said he was going to do something solo so I don't know--are they one and the same or is he doing the band plus a solo project? Then he said he and JC are writing another Journey cd... He said awhile back that if he formed a new band that played old/deeper cuts of Journey, how would the fans like that? So, my hope is that he goes back to the pre-Perry Journey and picks out some of those awesome tunes there and then some of the 70s Journey tunes for his band. If he does a solo project, maybe those are the tunes he already wrote in December? Hmmmm. Either way, sounds like he is going to be very musical this year...

[Carlitto H@kk]

That was a really cool interview.
Neal did seem pretty happy about things.

I LOVE that he is bringing back the Schon Guitar
in a big way! So now he'll be playing, PRS's,
his signature Yamaha SBG line AND Schon guitars???

Neal, you really don't need THAT many guitars...
Call me, I'll give you my mailing address

[lbeau12]

I hope his solo band makes it close to the Raleigh NC area. Also great to hear Neal is looking at releasing the Schon guitar again and hope I can afford one. When they came out in the 80's I called Schon guitars and actually spoke to Grover Jackson about the models. I was going to buy one but I lived in Canada at the time and the import tax and other issues prevented me from getting one.

[fightingilliniJRNY]

Thanks for posting that. That was a really cool interview. I'm very intrigued by how this new Journey album is going to turn out. Neal seems to think that Jonathan is on the same page as far as the "concept album" direction. Neal even says he has the over-arching concept already figured out. It's going to be interesting...

[Ehwmatt]

It's interesting how he abruptly abandoned the LPs... did he have a falling out with Gibson or did he just get sick of them? He seemed to LOVE those things. I still want a signature NS LP

[FishinMagician]

It's interesting how he abruptly abandoned the LPs... did he have a falling out with Gibson or did he just get sick of them? He seemed to LOVE those things. I still want a signature NS LP

I think he is still gonna use them, but just changing it up a little. but hey, maybe he can send a few LPs our way since he is getting 4 free PRS's!

[brywool]

wow, Neal looks a lot younger in this clip than in recent years.
I'm thinking that "going in a new direction" could be disastrous, hopefully not. Not that I want them to recreate the same stuff, but hopefully, it won't be too out there. Red 13 wasn't that great of a record to me, and kind of aimless.

NEAL- PLEASE stick with Gibson and Fenders. The PRS's.... blech. The Neal Schon Les Paul was the best that Neal's guitar has sounded in a long time.

Matt- doesn't it piss you off that Neal gets guitars Free??? UGHGHGH!


Of course... my wife's bought me a few of em, so that's cool. Very cool that the Schon guitar is coming out again. Loved that look.

Interesting that he's going to hang with Brian May since BM was all over Neal about the JSS thing.

Great interview, thanks for posting.

[brywool]

It's interesting how he abruptly abandoned the LPs... did he have a falling out with Gibson or did he just get sick of them? He seemed to LOVE those things. I still want a signature NS LP

His back is probably hurting. I quite playing for a while when my daughter was born. I got back into it and I had a LP Custom. That bugger was HEAVY. My back would kill me after gigs.

[Ehwmatt]

wow, Neal looks a lot younger in this clip than in recent years.
I'm thinking that "going in a new direction" could be disastrous, hopefully not. Not that I want them to recreate the same stuff, but hopefully, it won't be too out there. Red 13 wasn't that great of a record to me, and kind of aimless.

NEAL- PLEASE stick with Gibson and Fenders. The PRS's.... blech. The Neal Schon Les Paul was the best that Neal's guitar has sounded in a long time.

That Schon LP was/is a beast... I didn't really have an issue with his PRS sound though. What didn't you like about it?

[brywool]

wow, Neal looks a lot younger in this clip than in recent years.
I'm thinking that "going in a new direction" could be disastrous, hopefully not. Not that I want them to recreate the same stuff, but hopefully, it won't be too out there. Red 13 wasn't that great of a record to me, and kind of aimless.

NEAL- PLEASE stick with Gibson and Fenders. The PRS's.... blech. The Neal Schon Les Paul was the best that Neal's guitar has sounded in a long time.

That Schon LP was/is a beast... I didn't really have an issue with his PRS sound though. What didn't you like about it?

It just didn't sound as fat as the LP did.

[Carlitto H@kk]

wow, Neal looks a lot younger in this clip than in recent years.
I'm thinking that "going in a new direction" could be disastrous, hopefully not. Not that I want them to recreate the same stuff, but hopefully, it won't be too out there. Red 13 wasn't that great of a record to me, and kind of aimless.

NEAL- PLEASE stick with Gibson and Fenders. The PRS's.... blech. The Neal Schon Les Paul was the best that Neal's guitar has sounded in a long time.

That Schon LP was/is a beast... I didn't really have an issue with his PRS sound though. What didn't you like about it?

It just didn't sound as fat as the LP did.

Yea, but was the "fatter sound" due to the guitar or the eqipment/rig Neal was using back in those days?