Be Good To Yourself

[Rockindeano]

Quadruple layered backup vocals times two. God, I hated that fucking album. It really killed Journey, especialy in Asia.

I agree Don. It was basically a Steve Perry album with different musicians. The multi layered vox were so apparent, that they had no option but to go to pre recorded BG vox when in concert. However, other than Perry himself, the rest of the band can't sing except Randy. Neal and Frig can't sing for shit, and Baird was off limits there too. They had no choice. That's why the only played 4 tracks off ROR, and changed up GHCI (for the better actually) vocally. They couldn't possibly replicate the album sound. ROR the song sounded awful live, as did Suzanne(til Deen showed up), and remember BGTY? LOL, Perry sang lead AND backing on that fuckin song!

[Rockindeano]

Quadruple layered backup vocals times two. God, I hated that fucking album. It really killed Journey, especialy in Asia.

Probably more of a chick album. I love it, the raw richness of Perry's vocal tone damn near makes my toes curl......I don't care how many layers it is. Along with GCHI, easily one of my faves.........It Could Have Been You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIvLX615xUU

Are you smoking BC Bud? Perry sounded kind of rough that tour. Sure, he sounds 'good' because he's Perry, but to his standards, I believe he wouldn't be too happy. Perhaps that's why you'll never see a dvd of that tour, and also, to back up my claim of Espee having problems, well, he did quit that year due to being 'toast.' That tour wasn't anywhere near as good as Frontiers or Escape. Perry doing Foolish Heart on that tour irked me too. I didn't mind Strung Out and OS, but FH stunk.

[portland]

Quadruple layered backup vocals times two. God, I hated that fucking album. It really killed Journey, especialy in Asia.

Probably more of a chick album. I love it, the raw richness of Perry's vocal tone damn near makes my toes curl......I don't care how many layers it is. Along with GCHI, easily one of my faves.........It Could Have Been You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIvLX615xUU

Are you smoking BC Bud? Perry sounded kind of rough that tour. Sure, he sounds 'good' because he's Perry, but to his standards, I believe he wouldn't be too happy. Perhaps that's why you'll never see a dvd of that tour, and also, to back up my claim of Espee having problems, well, he did quit that year due to being 'toast.' That tour wasn't anywhere near as good s Frontiers or Escape. Perry doing Foolish Heart on that tour irked me too. I didn't mind Strung Out and OS, but FH stunk.

It's all a matter of taste....I love ROR and his solo stuff...for me Perry on his worst day is better than the rest. JMO


I know I am a Loon...for me Perry's voice makes Journey...Journey.

Maybe I am wrong....but I think I made my point last night.

[Saint John]

God, I hated that fucking album. It really killed Journey

At a time when a typical rocking Journey album would have sold a shitload of albums, Steve Cooke decided to go with a fucking R&B approach. This time period saw Hysteria and Slippery When Wet sell well over 10 million albums, while Journey was rocking out I'll Be Alright Without You, Suzanne and Girl Can't Help It. Nice move, Nostrildamus. Had he let the manager do ... the managing they, too, would have probably had a diamond album instead of ... Perry's Positive Touch.

[Deb]

Quadruple layered backup vocals times two. God, I hated that fucking album. It really killed Journey, especialy in Asia.

Probably more of a chick album. I love it, the raw richness of Perry's vocal tone damn near makes my toes curl......I don't care how many layers it is. Along with GCHI, easily one of my faves.........It Could Have Been You http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AIvLX615xUU

Are you smoking BC Bud? Perry sounded kind of rough that tour. Sure, he sounds 'good' because he's Perry, but to his standards, I believe he wouldn't be too happy. Perhaps that's why you'll never see a dvd of that tour, and also, to back up my claim of Espee having problems, well, he did quit that year due to being 'toast.' That tour wasn't anywhere near as good as Frontiers or Escape. Perry doing Foolish Heart on that tour irked me too. I didn't mind Strung Out and OS, but FH stunk.

I'm talking strictly the album. His Frontiers and ROR are his best vocal 'tone' bar none IMO. Funny, not a big fan of Foolish Heart either, but loooove Strung Out. But then I'm one who totally digs his R&B delivery on I Believe from Street Talk, love that one. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeoGyv1CXM8

Lol, BC bud.

[Rockindeano]

God, I hated that fucking album. It really killed Journey

At a time when a typical rocking Journey album would have sold a shitload of albums, Steve Cooke decided to go with a fucking R&B approach. This time period saw Hysteria and Slippery When Wet sell well over 10 million albums, while Journey was rocking out I'll Be Alright Without You, Suzanne and Girl Can't Help It. Nice move, Nostrildamus. Had he let the manager do ... the managing they, too, would have probably had a diamond album instead of ... Perry's Positive Touch.

I just pissed my pants a little with the Steve Cooke smack.

I atually think this is a solid post. I concur. However, Journey was slowly getting away from the hard rock if you can all it that. While Escape had it's moments, and Frontiers had tht 'angular' sound, it was so polished that it didn't come across as "hard." Just have to face facts..Journey is a pop band, not a true rock band.

[steveo777]

Quadruple layered backup vocals times two. God, I hated that fucking album. It really killed Journey, especialy in Asia.

I agree Don. It was basically a Steve Perry album with different musicians. The multi layered vox were so apparent, that they had no option but to go to pre recorded BG vox when in concert. However, other than Perry himself, the rest of the band can't sing except Randy. Neal and Frig can't sing for shit, and Baird was off limits there too. They had no choice. That's why the only played 4 tracks off ROR, and changed up GHCI (for the better actually) vocally. They couldn't possibly replicate the album sound. ROR the song sounded awful live, as did Suzanne(til Deen showed up), and remember BGTY? LOL, Perry sang lead AND backing on that fuckin song!

I think this speaks for why they hardly ever play any songs from ROR with the exception of BGTY, which get's played regularly, live. They probably don't have and good canned BG vocals that would work with Pineda. Deen can sing well, as we know.

Actually, come to think about it, they weren't doing any ROR stuff with Augeri either.

[Rockindeano]

Quadruple layered backup vocals times two. God, I hated that fucking album. It really killed Journey, especialy in Asia.

I agree Don. It was basically a Steve Perry album with different musicians. The multi layered vox were so apparent, that they had no option but to go to pre recorded BG vox when in concert. However, other than Perry himself, the rest of the band can't sing except Randy. Neal and Frig can't sing for shit, and Baird was off limits there too. They had no choice. That's why the only played 4 tracks off ROR, and changed up GHCI (for the better actually) vocally. They couldn't possibly replicate the album sound. ROR the song sounded awful live, as did Suzanne(til Deen showed up), and remember BGTY? LOL, Perry sang lead AND backing on that fuckin song!

I think this speaks for why they hardly ever play any songs from ROR with the exception of BGTY, which get's played regularly, live. They probably don't have and good canned BG vocals that would work with Pineda. Deen can sing well, as we know.

They have 'em Steve. I heard them. They have all the BG vox. Remember the Lippard tour? They trotted out MOL and had the Perry vocal entry on that song, which they used, in a half day's time. However, they do obviously use Castronovo, but Frig, Valerie, and Fro really aren't singing.....it's all for looks.

[Saint John]

God, I hated that fucking album. It really killed Journey

At a time when a typical rocking Journey album would have sold a shitload of albums, Steve Cooke decided to go with a fucking R&B approach. This time period saw Hysteria and Slippery When Wet sell well over 10 million albums, while Journey was rocking out I'll Be Alright Without You, Suzanne and Girl Can't Help It. Nice move, Nostrildamus. Had he let the manager do ... the managing they, too, would have probably had a diamond album instead of ... Perry's Positive Touch.

I just pissed my pants a little with the Steve Cooke smack.

I atually think this is a solid post. I concur. However, Journey was slowly getting away from the hard rock if you can all it that. While Escape had it's moments, and Frontiers had tht 'angular' sound, it was so polished that it didn't come across as "hard." Just have to face facts..Journey is a pop band, not a true rock band.

I think the album that should have come about at this time just needed to let Neal be Neal. Perry's direction with this album supressed his talents so much that it took the Journey sound away in a two-fold way ... vocally and musically. The album could've survived losing one, but not both. Hell, one could argue that you really didn't have the Perry fans were used to, the Schon fans were used to and Smitty and Valory as a team were gone (except for 2 songs Smith recorded). Fuck it ... they should have named the album Just Friga.

[steveo777]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

[Don]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

Didn't Deen Sing IBAWY in Hawaii last year? Anyway, If Neal is talking about being more rocking in the future, anything played off of ROR is going to nullify that.

[Rockindeano]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

Schon got pissed off when we talked about ROR in Boston. I mean dude fumed. He told me, " I will never ever play GCHI ever again."

True story.

[steveo777]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

Schon got pissed off when we talked about ROR in Boston. I mean dude fumed. He told me, " I will never ever play GCHI ever again."

True story.

He must hate that album because his band got all fucked up then....and he had what, 10 years to resent Perry afterwards, right up until TBF?

[Don]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

Schon got pissed off when we talked about ROR in Boston. I mean dude fumed. He told me, " I will never ever play GCHI ever again."

True story.

Does that go into File 13, along with When I see You Smile?

[Don]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

Schon got pissed off when we talked about ROR in Boston. I mean dude fumed. He told me, " I will never ever play GCHI ever again."

True story.

He must hate that album because his band got all fucked up then.

Well, when you become a follower instead of a leader, your band isn't really your band anymore.

[Rockindeano]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

Schon got pissed off when we talked about ROR in Boston. I mean dude fumed. He told me, " I will never ever play GCHI ever again."

True story.

Does that go into File 13, along with When I see You Smile?

I don't know, but he told Lula the same thing, so he must really mean it! He hates GCHI.

[steveo777]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

Schon got pissed off when we talked about ROR in Boston. I mean dude fumed. He told me, " I will never ever play GCHI ever again."

True story.

Does that go into File 13, along with When I see You Smile?

There are a couple Bad English songs I wouldn't mind hearing them cover.

[Art Vandelay]

For the life of me, I will never understand what Mike Baird had on Steve Smith.

He knew how to play to a click track, just like Deen does.

true, but when you have someone the caliber of Steve Smith in the band, you shouldn't NEED for them to play to a click track...

When the lead singer insists on pumping in synced up pre-recorded backing vocals you really don't have a choice but to play to a click track.

It wasn't Mike Baird who won over Smith's spot, it was Larrie Londin, a studio musician who mastered the art of click track playing. It's much more of a skill that it sounds and it worked for the song styles on ROR. Smith has since mastered this approach as well (which should tell you how valid click tracks actually are). Londin wasn't a touring musician, and Smith was already out of the fold at this point, so Baird got the job while auditioning for the tour.

[Eric]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

Didn't Deen Sing IBAWY in Hawaii last year?

Nobody can sing it like JSS still can.

[Eric]

I think if they threw well played renditions of IBAWY, GCHI and Suzanne into the mix next year, they'd find the audiance really loves it. As it's been, you gotta go listen to a tribute band to hear those songs live.

Schon got pissed off when we talked about ROR in Boston. I mean dude fumed. He told me, " I will never ever play GCHI ever again."

True story.

Does that go into File 13, along with When I see You Smile?

I don't know, but he told Lula the same thing, so he must really mean it! He hates GCHI.

They have nearly 300 songs...and 200 of them are better than it..so why should they?

[Michigan Girl]

Schon sure does alot of talking about what he hates and what he will never play again, yet
he didn't mind having his pockets lined by those little gems!!
For someone who continues to put out the POP music that he supposedly hates,
he sure does it a lot. This tells me that the money does mean more to him than the music
...and until he walks the walk, how can anyone respect him when he talks the talk!?!

Gripes and complains about Perry era music, WTH?!?! At what point since Perry has anything
changed, in that respect ...did they rock out at some point and I missed it?!? It is
very possible, just tell me when ...and what, where?!?!

Schon is a geat, great geetar god ...I've seen nothing else about his public image
that is respectable!!

[Ehwmatt]

I like RoR just as I like TBF. IBAWY and BGTYS are up there in my favorite Journey tracks and Suzanne is solid too.

The one RoR song people who like the album seem to go nuts over that confuses me is Happy to Give : To me, that song goes absolutely nowhere and is not good.

[Michigan Girl]

I like RoR just as I like TBF. IBAWY and BGTYS are up there in my favorite Journey tracks and Suzanne is solid too.

The one RoR song people who like the album seem to go nuts over that confuses me is Happy to Give : To me, that song goes absolutely nowhere and is not good.

Me too, Matty!! I thought I was the only one ...I have learned to love
it, but it has never been a favorite!!

[Ehwmatt]

I like RoR just as I like TBF. IBAWY and BGTYS are up there in my favorite Journey tracks and Suzanne is solid too.

The one RoR song people who like the album seem to go nuts over that confuses me is Happy to Give : To me, that song goes absolutely nowhere and is not good.

Me too, Matty!! I thought I was the only one ...I have learned to love
it, but it has never been a favorite!!

You know what song kicks ass? It Could Have Been You. I love that funky guitar riff

[brywool]

Prime Perry....

Prime Perry? Hardly. Baked Perry. His voice is thrashed. Listen to him crack at 1:39. Yikes.
You want prime, you gotta go back to 81 and the early part of 83. After that, yeah, like you said.
TOAST.

[Rockindeano]

Prime Perry....

Prime Perry? Hardly. Baked Perry. His voice is thrashed. Listen to him crack at 1:39. Yikes.
You want prime, you gotta go back to 81 and the early part of 83. After that, yeah, like you said.
TOAST.

Excellent point. He was thrashed. That's why he ended the tour in '86.

[brywool]

Prime Perry....

Prime Perry? Hardly. Baked Perry. His voice is thrashed. Listen to him crack at 1:39. Yikes.
You want prime, you gotta go back to 81 and the early part of 83. After that, yeah, like you said.
TOAST.

Excellent point. He was thrashed. That's why he ended the tour in '86.

well, yeah. That makes sense, though to quit in the middle of the tour wasn't that cool. Had the band lowered the songs a 1/2 step THEN, I wonder if all the Journey fans woulda freaked out about it like they do now. Sure would've helped Perry, though, I think it's pretty clear that his voice was only one of the issues that he was having (band politics, etc.).

[Rockindeano]

Bwool- I also think Perry, the perfectionist, wasn't too happy the way he sounded on that ROR tour. Sure we all loved it, but you know him; he has to sound perfect to appease himself. He cares greatly about his legacy. Perhaps he knew he was losing it a bit and wanted to go out on top?

I still think this is why you won't see a dvd from the ROR season.

[Don]

They performed 61 out of 63 shows on the ROR tour, with two cancellations because Cain was sick. That's a complete tour for Journey now days. As a far as stepping down, with no internet or you-tube back then, nobody would really know about it unless they actually attended a show or MTV reported it, which I doubt as they never talked about that kind of stuff even though other bands were doing it.

[Eric]

They performed 61 out of 63 shows on the ROR tour, with two cancellations because Cain was sick. That's a complete tour for Journey now days. As a far as stepping down, with no internet or you-tube back then, nobody would really know about it unless they actually attended a show or MTV reported it, which I doubt as they never talked about that kind of stuff even though other bands were doing it.

I think folks are referring to canceling plans for the second leg.