Mikey’s Ultimate Jukebox: Why Journey Matters To Me
They were the greatest “commercial” rock band of all time. The band’s origins began when Neil Schon and Gregg Rolie branched out from Santana to create their own dynamic new sound in the early 70's. Upon new musical direction needed for the band to continue with added success, this new singer came cinto the band in 1977 and was perhaps the greatest rock & roll vocalist of all time. His name was Steve Perry and he had the voice of an angel. Two years later, they hired a new keyboardist who would also write many of their biggest hits. His name was Jonathan Cain. They have recorded some of the greatest rock anthems and power ballads of all time including Faithfully, Open Arms, Any Way You Want It, When You Love A Woman, and Separate Ways (Worlds Apart). Their classic, Don’t Stop Believin, has become the biggest rock anthem of all time and is an inescapable karaoke and radio staple. Their music was important to me at a young age as I began learning about the power of rock & roll in 1982. Ladies and gentleman… Journey. And why they matter to me.
Band Members: Steve Perry, Neil Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory, Steve Smith, Dean Castronovo, Steve Augeri, Arnel Pineda
Year Inducted: 2012
Years As A Fan: 34 Years (*1984)
Intro Song: Open Arms
Top 500 Songs: Separate Ways (Worlds Apart), When You Love A Woman, Don’t Stop Believin, Open Arms, After All These Years, Faithfully, Never Walk Away, All The Way
Addl. Key Songs: Be Good To Yourself, Any Way You Want It, Wheel In The Sky, Lights, Only The Young, Stone In Love, After The Fall, Signs Of Life
Key Albums: Frontiers, Escape, Departure, Raised On Radio, Trial By Fire, Arrival
Personal Music Awards: 1996 Album Of The Year (Trial By Fire)
Seen Live: 2 Times *2003 PNC Arts Center, 2006 PNC Arts Center
Photo Opp: Yes (w/Jonathan Cain)
Once again MTV played a big part in introducing me to the greatness of another rock and roll band that has been a staple on the soundtrack of my life, Journey. Up until 1982 or 1983 when seeing and hearing Journey for the first time, I had never heard such a powerful voice in music or seen such a larger than life rock star before. I didn’t know Peter Cetera, or Brad Delp, or Freddie Mercury, or Jimi Jamison from Survivor up until that point. Steve Perry’s voice was my true inspiration for enjoying power ballads and epic rock anthems. And beyond that voice, he had a very unique look with his long black hair and crooked big nose that made him seem even larger than life. I was aware of Steve Perry, but had no idea who Neil Schon or Jonathan Cain or Ross Vallory or Steve Smith were until much later. They were just a bunch of goofy rockers backing up Steve Perry’s amazing voice and showmanship in the videos. I mean, c’Mon!!!, have you not seen the cocaine-fueled brilliance of the iconic Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) music video? Those songs from 1980 to 1984 always bring me back to more innocent times as a young kid enjoying the finer things in life with my brother, friends, and dad. I sometimes get choked up when I reflect on where I was when songs that made such an impact on me back then such as Faithfully and Open Arms were playing on the radio. I didn’t own any Journey albums or 45’ records but since these songs were always on the radio even back then, did it really matter?
Much like other favorite bands of mine like KISS and Van Halen, Journey was not immune to internal drama that would destroy the band. Steve Perry had tried his hand at a solo career in 1984 with a result being his classic ballad about a girl named Sherry that ironically sounded very much like a song Journey would have recorded. He had a few more hit singles, and perhaps it got him thinking to make a name for himself on his own. He agreed to remain in the band with some changes so in 1986, Journey got trimmed down. Journey was now Perry, Schon, and Cain along with a bunch of studio musicians including American Idol’s Randy Jackson on bass. Raised On Radio album would be the last Journey studio album until 1996 and featured more great songs like Be Good To Yourself and I’ll Be Alright Without You. Steve Perry quit due to a few personal issues while Jonathan Cain and Neil Schon would connect with Cain’s old buddy from The Babys, John Waite, to create a super-group known as Bad English with the big hair and flashy wardrobes. They would gain some moderate success in the late 80’s with ballads such as the #1 Billboard smash, When I See You Smile and The Price Of Love. But it just wasn’t Journey!!!
Flash forward to 1994 when I began collecting compact discs and decided to take advantage of the Columbia House record club. One of the first albums I decided to buy was Journey’s Greatest Hits. Not only did I get my thrills from those classic songs from my childhood, but also got re-introduced to other great songs I either had forgotten about like Any Way You Want It and Don’t Stop Believin or truly had forgotten like Be Good To Yourself and Ask The Lonely. Journey was no longer recording or touring across the United States, but I was more than happy listening to that greatest hits album of theirs over and over and over again. In 1996, Steve Perry reunited with Journey to record a new album, Trial By Fire. This album featured an amazing ballad, When You Love A Woman, that even got Journey a Grammy award. But this reunion was also short-lived as Journey expected Steve Perry to be ready for a big concert tour, but Perry continued to have medical issues. So Journey decided to cut ties with Steve Perry and replace him with a new singer that looked and sounded just like him, Steve Augeri. And since that time, Journey has grown ever bigger with new songs and albums and tours. Meanwhile, Steve Perry has remained quiet and never returned to Journey to record new classics or perform the old classics ever again much to the disappointment of the masses of Journey fans.
Even Steve Augeri didn’t last very long due to some issues with his voice, although he recorded some great tunes with Journey including All The Way, Signs Of Life, and Faith In The Heartland during his tenure. And of course, he was an amazing replacement singer for Steve Perry as that’s a tough act to follow. Journey would find a Filipino singer on Youtube who not only sounded like Steve Perry, but some believe sang even better. That is definitely debatable, but Arnel Pineda officially joined Journey in 2007. I thought it wouldn’t last very long, but 11 years later, Arnel still is the Journey vocalist and the band continues to do very well on the live circuit with him. Journey has gained a resurgence over the past ten years in part to their legendary songs and because they continue to put on amazing live performances. But it has got to be that one iconic rock anthem you can’t escape from at weddings, bars, or classic rock radio stations, Don’t Stop Believin’ that really got them going again. It was already gaining steam, but being featured on the series finale of The Sopranos put the song into a while new stratosphere and has since become a favorite of ALL generations including my own kids.
As I yearn for just one final Journey reunion with Steve Perry, I did have the pleasure of seeing Journey live in the 00’s. One time as part of a package with Styx and REO Speedwagon, and another show with Def Leppard. Both times Steve Augeri was on lead vocals, although when he struggled on certain tunes on the latter show, my gut told me his days in the band were numbered. I’ve come close but never had the opportunity to see Journey with Arnel on vocals. No knock on Arnel, but after seeing Journey perform twice and having listened to the Journey classics so many times on my computer and phone, my interest in buying a ticket to see Journey live now isn’t very high. That would definitely change if Steve Perry would come back. Since it was rumored but did not happen at their Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame induction two years ago, I think that ship has already sailed. One opportunity I did take advantage of was a recent book signing Jonathan Cain participated in at Bookends in Ridgewood promoting his autobiography. Since I wanted to read the book and was pretty confident that the crowd would be light allowing for photos and perhaps more personal time with him, I attended the event with my son. I got the opportunity for photos with the man who has written and recorded many Journey classics. He was nice and grateful for my kind words, but was very low-key and seemed like he wanted to be out the door quickly. Maybe he didn’t really have an interest in book signings, or was bummed at the low turnout. Regardless, I can lay claim to having had the opportunity to chat with and get a photo with a rock & roll legend.
For years, critics and true music fans never took Journey and their music seriously. But as they gained more notoriety in the public eye and continued to kick ass live, people have come around to realize their greatness. Hence their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, I guess! Their songs contain beautiful and inspiring melodies. Songs such as Open Arms, and Faithfully, and Wheel In The Sky, and Stone In Love, and so on and so on are timeless. I am blessed to own the Journey catalog and have been blessed with their music that was influential on not just the soundtrack of my childhood, but the soundtrack of my entire life!
-Mikey Hersh
