Read the last Q & A in this article

[FamilyMan]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-fra ... 96466.html

[Art Vandelay]

"We’re truly enjoying mega-success as big or bigger than we were at our height in the 80s with Arnel."

Yeah, I guess those multi-platinum selling albums and sold out stadium shows were just par for the course back then.

[STORY_TELLER]

"We’re truly enjoying mega-success as big or bigger than we were at our height in the 80s with Arnel."

Yeah, I guess those multi-platinum selling albums and sold out stadium shows were just par for the course back then.

I glossed over that part because I'm pretty sure he's quoting gross/net numbers without adjusting for inflation and increased ticket prices. Tickets for the loge didn't cost $90 per back in the 80's. They do now. Easy way to hype and oversell their success by comparison. It's not remotely accurate, but it makes for good copy.

I was more interested in how he was taking credit for bringing Cain into the band. Every story I've ever heard was that Rollie hand picked Cain and sold Herby on the idea himself. This was covered in the interviews of the VH1 BHTM. Odd that Neal would take credit for that...

[tater1977]

"We’re truly enjoying mega-success as big or bigger than we were at our height in the 80s with Arnel."

Yeah, I guess those multi-platinum selling albums and sold out stadium shows were just par for the course back then.

Yeah, I guess that's why Schon tells Arnel ....

JOURNEY - Interrview AP 2016

https://youtu.be/OXOQtW3C8C4

[tater1977]

"We’re truly enjoying mega-success as big or bigger than we were at our height in the 80s with Arnel."

Yeah, I guess those multi-platinum selling albums and sold out stadium shows were just par for the course back then.

I glossed over that part because I'm pretty sure he's quoting gross/net numbers without adjusting for inflation and increased ticket prices. Tickets for the loge didn't cost $90 per back in the 80's. They do now. Easy way to hype and oversell their success by comparison. It's not remotely accurate, but it makes for good copy.

I was more interested in how he was taking credit for bringing Cain into the band. Every story I've ever heard was that Rollie hand picked Cain and sold Herby on the idea himself. This was covered in the interviews of the VH1 BHTM. Odd that Neal would take credit for that...

BIG increase in prices since um..er... a few years ago....
Shelling out 6 bucks for lawn tickets was a lot back then ...

[STORY_TELLER]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kelly-frazier/rock-band-journey-set-to_b_11296466.html

To your point, it sounds like Neal intends to take his last breath on a stage in the middle of a guitar solo. No fear of this guy choosing to retire -- ever. And good for him. We should all be so lucky to earn our way in this world through our passion and creativity.

Way to go, Neal. #inspiring

[Journey/Survivor]

I wonder when Neal is going to release another solo album?
I badly want Journey to record/release a new album soon!
But I'd also love another solo album from Neal, and also a Soul Sirkus or Hardline type heavy Rocking band album.

[STORY_TELLER]

I wonder when Neal is going to release another solo album?
I badly want Journey to record/release a new album soon!
But I'd also love another solo album from Neal, and also a Soul Sirkus or Hardline type heavy Rocking band album.

Plus one. I loved The Calling and Vortex. Eye on U is one of my favorites. Something very cinematic about the songs on Eye. I always felt like many of the tracks could double as movie scores.

Would love to see Neal get back with Virgil Donati and Marco Mendoza on a solo rock record. Maybe pull his son in on rhythm to fill out the instruments and collaborate on songs.

He should do what Slash did on his solo record. Get a series of vocalists for different tracks. Guys he's always wanted to work with or has worked with in the past. Say Paul Rogers, Eric Martin, Beth Hart on some bluesy stuff. Michael Sadler (Saga) on some prog tunes. Robin Zander on some harder rock stuff. Etc., etc., etc....

Neal, you reading this? Sounds like fun, yes?

[Gideon]

Love Neal, but dude is a Grade A narcissist. Absolutely no denying it.

[tater1977]

Neal Schon says Journey doing fine without Steve Perry

Alan Sculley, Detroit Free Press August 3, 2016

http://www.freep.com/story/entertainmen ... /87932940/

Journey is back on the road this summer with Steve Smith returning on drums and Arnel Pineda singing songs that former vocalist Steve Perry made famous in the late 1970s and early '80s.

Plenty of people wish Perry would return to Journey, and for his part, guitarist Neal Schon maintains he’d welcome Perry if he wants to perform with the band. Still, he says one thing Perry fans shouldn’t count on the lure of a lucrative tour as a motivation to bring about a Perry-Journey reunion.

“You know what people don’t understand is that we couldn’t even possibly be doing better right now even if (Perry) was with us,” Schon said in a recent phone interview. “It has taken a lot of hard work to build it back up, but you know what? We’re here again. We’re sitting there. And management is the first one to tell me it couldn’t possibly be bigger.”

The fact is, Schon is perfectly happy with Journey as things stand, and there’s little reason for him to think otherwise.

As he mentioned, Journey has done what many considered highly unlikely — if not downright impossible: It has regained its stature as one of rock’s most bankable arena and amphitheater headlining bands despite the absence of Perry, who sang the band’s many hits (“Open Arms,” “Any Way You Want It,” “Don’t Stop Believin’ " and “Who’s Cryin’ Now,” to name a few).

The rest of the Journey lineup is now the same as the one that recorded the band’s two biggest albums, 1981’s “Escape” (which sold 10 million copies) and 1983’s “Frontiers.” It includes Schon on guitar, Jonathan Cain on keyboards, Ross Valory on bass and Smith, who handled drums from 1978 to 1985 and 1995 to 1998, back on board to replace Deen Castronovo. (Castronovo was fired from Journey after his indictment last year on multiple charges of domestic violence. The drummer has since gone through rehab for alcohol and drug problems that have plagued him at various points during his musical career.)

The group has released four albums since Perry’s departure: “Arrival” (2001),” “Generations” (2005), “Revelation” (2008) and “Eclipse” (2008). Some band members have balked at doing any additional writing and recording because the plummeting sales of albums in the Internet age make it hard to justify the expense and effort that goes into making a new album.

But Schon, who has a number of song ideas in hand and plans to start writing soon with Pineda, hopes to reverse that thinking. The success of “Santana IV,” his recent reunion album with the classic early lineup of that band, may convince his band mates that a new Journey album can be viable, he says.

The acclaimed “Santana IV” album is the culmination of a reunion that began taking shape in 2013 of the lineup that included guitarist Carlos Santana, Schon, keyboardist-singer Gregg Rolie, drummer Michael Shrieve and percussionist Michael Carabello.

Rolie and Carabello were part of Santana’s original band, which recorded the classic 1967 debut album “Santana” and the 1970 follow-up, “Abraxis.” Schon and Shrieve joined in time for the 1971 album, “Santana III,” before the group broke up.

Despite not playing together for 45 years, Schon said the lineup immediately recaptured its distinctive sound, a mix of rock, jazz, Latin and African elements. The “Santana IV” album, which sounds very much in line with the first three Santana albums, came together smoothly and spontaneously, he says.

“The coolest thing about the record was we didn’t really have to talk about it or work at it to make it come together,” Schon said. “We just kind of went in the studio and played. A lot of it was made up on the spot. I brought in a few ideas, (and) so did Gregg. ... And Carlos brought in a whole bunch of ideas, and we just sort of chipped away at it. Some days, we laid down two or three songs. That’s kind of the beauty of that band. It sounds the way it does when those people play together.”

The group is already talking about making another album, but for now, Schon will be busy touring with Journey into September as part of a bill that also includes the Doobie Brothers and Dave Mason.

Along with the hits, Schon said fans can expect Journey to dust off a song or two that hasn’t been performed in years (such as “Line of Fire” from the 1980 album “Departure”) and do a little stretching out instrumentally.

“I think right now we’ve got it going on,” Schon said. “What I did notice is that in the earlier shows we did, we tried to cram more songs in with less segues, less solos for myself and Jonathan and Steve Smith and everybody else. But really, I felt like the audience liked it better when we had them in. We’ve now put them back in, and I think we’ve got a good starting set here. And we’re going to be rehearsing more and more stuff.”

[JourneyHard]

"We’re truly enjoying mega-success as big or bigger than we were at our height in the 80s with Arnel."

Yeah, I guess those multi-platinum selling albums and sold out stadium shows were just par for the course back then.

Maybe they are making more money on these tours. The ticket prices today are well over $100 when back in 1980s they were $10. Plus, Journey is more popular now than they were back when Escape was a number one album. Look at the people at their concerts. You have old people, young people and everybody in between.

If Perry would come back for one tour, Journey could sell out baseball stadiums and make even more.

Sure. They don't get their new songs on the radio, but their classics are staples on classic rock stations and are played every minute of every day somewhere. Neal is not far off.

[Art Vandelay]

"We’re truly enjoying mega-success as big or bigger than we were at our height in the 80s with Arnel."

Yeah, I guess those multi-platinum selling albums and sold out stadium shows were just par for the course back then.

Maybe they are making more money on these tours. The ticket prices today are well over $100 when back in 1980s they were $10. Plus, Journey is more popular now than they were back when Escape was a number one album. Look at the people at their concerts. You have old people, young people and everybody in between.

If Perry would come back for one tour, Journey could sell out baseball stadiums and make even more.

Sure. They don't get their new songs on the radio, but their classics are staples on classic rock stations and are played every minute of every day somewhere. Neal is not far off.

I know...the funny thing is the old people at the concert WERE the young people back in the day. They were a top 10 band, which was driven by a young audience. It was their/our music at the time. Many of the young people today were influenced by their parents, or know of them because of DSB. Their popularity today is still driven by nostalgia from yesterday. But it's all good.

I just take a lot of Neal's quotes with a grain of salt anymore. Their success from 30 years ago (top selling albums and records, stadium tours, being a relevant band of the time) shouldn't be compared to selling out sheds on a greatest hits tour that's packaged with other classic rock acts, that charges $100+ a ticket. It's great that they're enjoying success again, but it's apples and oranges.

[FamilyMan]

Think y'all missed the headline. I intended to highlight this little subtle dig:
We’ve already proven that we can withstand any changes, at least I can.

In almost every interview Neal does now, I hear frustration about how he's seemingly the only band member not stuck in the past.

[STORY_TELLER]

Think y'all missed the headline. I intended to highlight this little subtle dig:
We’ve already proven that we can withstand any changes, at least I can.

In almost every interview Neal does now, I hear frustration about how he's seemingly the only band member not stuck in the past.

Wasn't paying attention to that, but I don't think all the other band members should be lumped in that idea. Doubtful Ross really cares too much either way, and I certainly don't think Smitty cares. The disagreements always seems to be between Neal and Jon. I think Neal's comments are designed so they don't point a finger at him directly.

[Journey/Survivor]

I love Jonathan Cain's music talent, and he seems like a pretty good guy overall. I'd prefer that he be part of Journey. But if he's unwilling to work on a new Journey album, and unwilling to change up the live concert sets, then it's time to try to bring back Gregg Rolie or bring in some new keyboardist.

Jim Peterik is a keyboardist and is every bit as good of a song writer as Cain is. If they couldn't bring back Rolie, then see if you can get Peterik.