journey singer history

Journey: Band Members and History

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For over 40 years, Journey has been one of the greatest classic rock bands of all time. The band has released 23 albums and 43 singles since 1975 and has reached worldwide album sales totaling more than 75 million. 

But how exactly did Journey come to be? The San Francisco band got its start in 1973. Santana's former road manager, Herbie Herbert, recruited two of that band's members (Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon) and former Steve Miller Band bassist Ross Valory to form the Golden Gate Rhythm Section—the band that later became Journey.

The original Journey band members included Gregg Rolie on vocals and the keyboard, Neal Schon on guitar and vocals, George Tickner on guitar, Ross Valory on bass and vocals, and Prairie Prince on drums. 

Their first album was released in 1975 and established the band's jazz-influenced progressive rock sound. After several personnel changes, Steve Perry signed on as lead vocalist, launching the band's greatest period of commercial success from the late 1970s through the mid-1980s. Many people remember Steve as the face of the band.

The Best Album

The group's seventh album, Escape,  produced three hit singles and sold over 9 million copies. In addition to its commercial success, the album also received critical acclaim that has eluded them through most of their existence. Arguably, the most popular song put out by Journey is "Don't Stop Believin'." Originally released in 1981, the song became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at No. 9. The song has been used in near countless films in American TV and cinema including  Monster, Glee , the season finale of  The Sopranos , and  Rock of Ages. 

Journey Band Members Over the Years

In 2005, the band (along with original members Schon and Valory) marked its 30th anniversary with the release of its 23rd album,  Generations  and an anniversary tour, at times featuring some of the many former members of the group. In December 2006, Jeff Scott Soto replaced Steve Augeri as lead vocalist. Soto had been filling in for several months after Augeri was sidelined with a chronic throat infection. Soto was replaced a few months later by Arnel Pineda , vocalist for a Filipino cover band who was hired as a result of a video he posted on YouTube.

The band has been on a journey as it has evolved from past members including Steve Perry to its current members. 

Past Journey band members include the following:

• Steve Perry (1977-1998)
• Aynsley Dunbar (1974-1978)
• Robert Fleischman (1977)
• Steve Smith (1978-1985, 1995-1998)
• Randy Jackson (1985-1987)
• Steve Augeri (1998-2006)

Current Journey band members:

• Neal Schon - guitar (1973-present)
• Jonathan Cain - keyboards (1980-present)
• Ross Valory - bass (1973-1985, 1995-present)
• Arnel Pineda - vocals (2007-present)
• Deen Castronovo - drums (1998-present)

Fun Facts About Journey

• Journey music has been part of the animated TV shows South Park and Family Guy, and movies Caddyshack and BASEketball.
• The group received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2005 and was inducted into the San Francisco Music Hall of Fame in 2003.
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Steve Perry

Who Is Steve Perry?

Steve Perry played in several bands before joining Journey in 1977. The band achieved tremendous pop rock success with its 1981 album Escape , which featured the now-classic "Don't Stop Believin'." As the group's lead singer, Perry became one of the era's most famous singers. He also had some hits on his own, including "Oh Sherrie." Perry left Journey in 1987, and except for a brief reunion, he remains a solo artist.

While attending high school in Lemoore, California, Perry played drums in the marching band. He tried college for a while, performing in the choir, but eventually abandoned school for his musical dreams. Hoping to break into the business, he moved to Los Angeles for a time. There, he worked a number of jobs, including singing on commercials and serving as an engineer in a recording studio. All the while, Perry played with a number of different groups as a vocalist and drummer. He seemed to be on the edge of a breakthrough with the group Alien Project, when it suddenly disbanded — tragically, one of its members was killed in a car crash.

Journey: "Oh Sherrie" and "Don't Stop Believin'"

In 1977, Perry caught his big break, landing a gig as the vocalist for Journey, which began performing as a jazz rock group in the early 1970s, in San Francisco. With Perry on board, the band moved more toward mainstream rock, and began to see some chart success with the first album with Perry, 1978's Infinity . The band's ode to San Francisco, "Lights," became a minor hit as did "Wheel in the Sky" and "Anytime."

Journey broken into the Top 20 with "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" on their next album, Evolution (1979). Buoyed by such hits as "Open Arms," "Who's Crying Now" and "Don't Stop Believin'," Escape (1981) became the band's first No. 1 album, selling more than 7 million copies. While the band was hugely popular with music fans, many critics were less than kind.

By the early 1980s, Journey had emerged as one of rock's top acts. Perry proved that while he may have been short in stature, he possessed one of the era's biggest and most versatile voices. He was equally adept at ballads, such as "Open Arms," and at rock anthems, such as "Any Way You Want It." Behind the scenes, Perry helped write these songs and many of the band's other hits. He penned their most enduring song, "Don't Stop Believin'," with guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain.

Journey continued to be one of the era's top-selling acts, with 1983's Frontiers . The album featured such songs as "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" and "Faithfully." To support the recording, the band undertook an extensive world tour. Around that time, Journey also became the first band to license their music and likenesses for a video game.

With 1986's Raised on Radio , Journey enjoyed another wave of success. However, Perry was ready to part ways with his bandmates. Perry left the band in 1987 after the album tour. In a statement to People magazine, Perry explained: "I had a job burnout after 10 years in Journey. I had to let my feet hit the ground, and I had to find a passion for singing again." Perry was also struggling with some personal issues at the time; his mother had become very sick, and he spent much of his time caring for her before her death.

Perry reunited with Journey in 1996, for the reunion album Trial By Fire , which reached as high as the No. 3 on the album charts. But health problems soon sidelined the famous singer—a hip condition, which led to hip replacement surgery—and his bandmates decided to continue on without him.

Solo Projects

While still with Journey, Perry released his first solo album, Street Talk (1984). The recording sold more than 2 million copies, helped along by the hit single, "Oh Sherrie." Burnt out after splitting with Journey, Perry took some time out before working on his next project.

Nearly a decade later, Perry re-emerged on the pop-rock scene with 1994's For the Love of Strange Medicine . While the album was well-received—one ballad, "You Better Wait," was a Top 10 hit—Perry failed to reach the same level of success that he had previously enjoyed. In 1998, he provided two songs for the soundtrack of Quest for Camelot , an animated film. Perry also released Greatest Hits + Five Unreleased that same year.

Recent Years

While he has largely stayed out of the spotlight, Perry continues to be heard in movies and on television. His songs are often chosen for soundtracks, and Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" even played during the closing moments of the hit crime-drama series The Sopranos in 2007. In 2009, a cover version of the song was done for the hit high school musical show Glee , which introduced a new generation to Perry's work.

According to several reports, Perry began working on new material around 2010. He even built a studio in his home, which is located north of San Diego, California. "I'm finishing that room up and I've written a whole bunch of ideas and directions, all over the map, in the last two, three years," Perry told Billboard in 2012.

In 2014, Perry broke from his self-imposed exile from the concert stage. He appeared with the Eels at several of their shows. According to The Hollywood Reporter , Perry explained that "I've done the 20-year hermit thing, and it's overrated." His return to performing "has to do with a lot of changes in my life, including losing my girlfriend a year ago and her wish to hear me sing again" — referring to his romance with Kellie Nash, who died in late 2012 from cancer.

Although Perry and his old bandmates had long since ventured in separate directions, the group did reunite for their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in April 2017.

In the meantime, the singer began recording again. On August 15, 2018, he released his first new song in 20 years, the ballad "No Erasin." The track arrived ahead of his new album, Traces , his first full-length studio recording since For the Love of Strange Medicine in 1994.

Regardless of what the future holds, Perry has already earned a place in rock history. Rolling Stone magazine named him one of music's top 100 singers. According to American Idol judge and former Journey bassist, Randy Jackson, Perry's voice is one of kind. "Other than Robert Plant, there's no singer in rock that even came close to Steve Perry," Jackson said. "The power, the range, the tone—he created his own style. He mixed a little Motown, a little Everly Brothers, a little Zeppelin."

QUICK FACTS

• Name: Steve Perry
• Birth Year: 1949
• Birth date: January 22, 1949
• Birth State: California
• Birth City: Hanford
• Birth Country: United States
• Gender: Male
• Best Known For: Steve Perry was the lead singer of pop rock band Journey from 1977 to 1987. He is known for having a wide vocal range, which can be heard on such popular hits as "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Oh Sherrie."
• Astrological Sign: Aquarius

We strive for accuracy and fairness.If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us !

CITATION INFORMATION

• Article Title: Steve Perry Biography
• Author: Biography.com Editors
• Website Name: The Biography.com website
• Url: https://www.biography.com/musicians/steve-perry
• Access Date:
• Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
• Last Updated: July 23, 2020
• Original Published Date: April 2, 2014

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Journey Lead Singers In Order: History and Band Members

In this article, we delve into the captivating history of Journey, an iconic rock band that has left an indelible mark on the music industry. From their humble beginnings to their meteoric rise to fame, Journey has mesmerized audiences worldwide with their unique sound and timeless hits. Join us on a journey through time as we explore the remarkable story of this legendary band.

Formation of the Band

Journey was formed in 1973 in San Francisco, California, bringing together a group of highly talented musicians. The founding members included Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory, Aynsley Dunbar, and George Tickner. With their combined musical prowess and creative vision, they set out to create something extraordinary.

Early Years and Musical Style

During their early years, Journey experimented with a fusion of rock, jazz, and progressive influences, creating a distinctive sound that set them apart from their contemporaries. Their self-titled debut album, released in 1975, showcased their musical versatility and marked the beginning of their incredible journey.

Evolution and Breakthrough Success

In 1977, Journey underwent a significant change that would forever shape its destiny. Steve Perry joined the band as their lead vocalist, injecting new energy and unparalleled vocal range into their music. This lineup change proved to be a turning point for Journey, leading to a series of chart-topping albums and unforgettable songs.

Chart-topping albums and Hit Singles

Journey’s breakthrough came in 1978 with the release of their album “Infinity,” which became a massive success. The album spawned the hit singles “Wheel in the Sky” and “Lights,” propelling Journey into the mainstream spotlight. They continued their winning streak with subsequent albums, including “Evolution” (1979) and “Departure” (1980), which produced hits like “Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” and “Any Way You Want It.”

The Iconic Album: “Escape”

In 1981, Journey released their most iconic album to date, “Escape.” This album elevated their status as rock superstars and solidified their place in music history. Featuring the mega-hits “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” and “Who’s Crying Now,” “Escape” became an instant classic, captivating audiences with its emotionally charged lyrics and powerful melodies.

The Power Ballad Era

Journey’s success continued into the mid-1980s, defined by the rise of power ballads that struck a chord with fans worldwide. Songs like “Faithfully,” “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart),” and “Send Her My Love” showcased the band’s ability to create heartfelt and anthemic ballads that resonated deeply with listeners.

A Change in Direction

As the 1990s approached, Journey faced challenges and underwent significant lineup changes. Steve Perry departed from the band in 1987, leading to a period of transition as they searched for a new lead vocalist. Despite these challenges, Journey remained resilient and continued to produce music that captivated its loyal fan base.

Journey’s Enduring Legacy

Although the band’s popularity waned in the late 1990s, their music never faded from the hearts of their dedicated fans. Journey’s timeless classics continue to resonate with audiences of all ages, thanks to their emotional depth, infectious melodies, and inspiring lyrics. Their songs have become anthems for perseverance, love, and the power of music itself.

Past Journey band members include the following:

• Steve Perry (1977-1998)
• Aynsley Dunbar (1974-1978)
• Robert Fleischman (1977)
• Steve Smith (1978-1985, 1995-1998)
• Randy Jackson (1985-1987)
• Steve Augeri (1998-2006)

Current Journey band members:

• Neal Schon – Guitar (1973-present)
• Jonathan Cain – Keyboards (1980-present)
• Ross Valory – Bass (1973-1985, 1995-present)
• Arnel Pineda – Vocals (2007-present)
• Deen Castronovo – Drums (1998-present)

Lead Singers of Journey

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The Original Journey: Gregg Rolie’s Era

Gregg Rolie, a two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, served as the original lead singer of Journey. He began his musical career as a co-founder and lead vocalist of Santana before joining forces with Neal Schon to form Journey. Rolie’s soulful voice and exceptional skills as a keyboardist and harmonicist contributed to the band’s early success. He showcased his talent on albums like “Journey,” “Look into the Future,” and “Next.” However, Rolie transitioned to co-lead vocals when Steve Perry joined the band in 1977.

Steve Perry: The Voice of Journey’s Greatest Hits

Steve Perry, widely recognized as the quintessential Journey lead singer, propelled the band to unprecedented heights during their most commercially successful era. Born with a gift for singing, Perry’s powerful and emotive vocals struck a chord with audiences worldwide. With Perry at the helm, Journey released a string of chart-topping albums, including “Infinity,” “Escape,” and “Frontiers.” Iconic songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” and “Faithfully” became anthems for a generation. Perry’s remarkable songwriting abilities and magnetic stage presence contributed to the band’s enduring legacy.

Current Lead Singer: Arnel Pineda

Following Steve Perry’s departure in 1987, Journey experienced a series of lead singer changes. Steve Augeri, known for his vocal range and stage charisma, took over from 1998 to 2006. Jeff Scott Soto briefly joined the band in 2006, leaving his mark with his distinctive style. However, it was Arnel Pineda who breathed new life into Journey as the current lead singer. Pineda’s incredible vocal resemblance to Steve Perry, coupled with his dynamic stage presence, won the hearts of fans worldwide. Since 2008, Pineda has seamlessly integrated into the band, injecting fresh energy and passion into their performances.

Journey’s Enduring Discography: Albums That Defined an Era

Over the past five decades, Journey has released a diverse and extensive discography, showcasing their musical prowess and creativity. Let’s explore some of their most iconic albums:

“ Infinity ” (1978): With Steve Perry as the lead singer, “Infinity” marked a significant turning point for Journey. It featured hit singles like “Wheel in the Sky” and “Lights,” solidifying their place in the rock music landscape.

“ Escape ” (1981): This album became a monumental success, boasting chart-topping hits such as “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Open Arms.” “Escape” catapulted Journey to international stardom and remains one of their most beloved records.

“ Frontiers ” (1983): Building upon their previous success, “Frontiers” showcased Journey’s evolution with tracks like “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and “Faithfully.” The album’s polished production and memorable hooks solidified Journey’s status as one of the biggest rock bands of the 1980s.

“ Raised on Radio ” (1986): Released during the band’s final years with Steve Perry, “Raised on Radio” featured a more radio-friendly sound and produced hits like “Be Good to Yourself” and “I’ll Be Alright Without You.” Despite tensions within the band, the album showcased their ability to create catchy, melodic rock tunes.

“ Revelation ” (2008): With Arnel Pineda as the lead singer, “Revelation” marked a new chapter for Journey. The album featured new recordings of their classic hits, reaffirming Pineda’s vocal prowess and rekindling the band’s popularity among longtime fans and a new generation.

“ Eclipse ” (2011): Continuing their musical journey with Pineda, Journey released “Eclipse,” a record that showcased their ability to evolve while staying true to their roots. The album demonstrated their enduring songwriting skills and featured tracks like “City of Hope” and “Edge of the Moment.”

“Escape & Frontiers Live in Japan” (2019): As a testament to their enduring appeal, Journey released a live album featuring their performances of the “Escape” and “Frontiers” albums in their entirety. The release showcased the band’s timeless hits in a live setting, capturing the energy and excitement of their concerts.

Journey’s Impact and Legacy

Journey’s impact on the rock music landscape cannot be overstated. With their infectious melodies, anthemic choruses, and powerful vocals, they carved out a unique sound that resonated with millions of listeners. Their music transcended generations, becoming the soundtrack to countless moments and capturing the hearts of fans worldwide.

Steve Perry’s tenure as the lead singer marked the band’s most successful period, and his distinct voice became synonymous with Journey’s sound. His emotional delivery and ability to connect with audiences elevated their songs to new heights and created an unparalleled legacy.

Arnel Pineda’s addition to the band injected new energy into Journey and allowed them to continue their musical journey. Pineda’s remarkable vocal resemblance to Perry breathed new life into the band’s live performances, earning him a dedicated fanbase and ensuring that Journey’s music lives on.

Journey’s timeless hits continue to be celebrated and embraced today. Songs like “Don’t Stop Believin'” have become cultural touchstones, appearing in films, TV shows, and sporting events, and capturing the imaginations of new generations of listeners.

Journey Band Member’s Ages

Here, is the list of all the Journey member’s ages. It seems like all of the Journey band members are above 50 and below 80.

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Lead Guitar, Songwriting

Three time Hall of Fame and Grammy Award Winning artist  Neal Schon  is one of the most accomplished and recognized guitarists and songwriters worldwide. Admired as a trailblazer and inspiration to millions, the  Journey  founder has long established his position as one of the greatest guitarists of all time, with some of the top all time best selling singles and albums, including multiple  Gold  and  Platinum  as well as two  Diamond  certifications, over 100 million records sold, and over a billion  Spotify  streams.

Neal Schon founded Journey in 1972 and has been the only consistent member, having participated in every album and tour to date. Schon is a Grammy Award winning guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist who is not only the founding member of Journey, but was a member of  Santana  at the age of 15 and has performed with a variety of other acts including  Bad English ,  Jan Hammer ,  HSAS , and has released 11 solo albums, including his latest,  Universe .

Neal Schon's guitar style has been described as soulful, melodic, and is infamously admired by such fellow legends as  Eric Clapton  and  Prince .

In 2005, Neal Schon and Journey received a  Star  on the iconic  Hollywood Walk of Fame  and were further recognized by  Billboard Magazine  with the  Legend Of Live Award  at the 2011  Billboard Touring Conference .

Neal Schon was inducted into the  Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame  as a member of Journey as well as the  Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame . Tulsa, Oklahoma  Mayor G.T. Bynum  honored Neal with the announcement of June 5th to be  Neal Schon Day  in Oklahoma. The announcement was at the  Woody Guthrie Center Museum , and Neal also made an archival contribution to the  Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture  (OKPOP) in July.

Schon has also received honors for his philanthropic work including  John Hopkins ,  Rainforest Fund ,  California Fire Relief , and numerous additional charitable foundations. He has also organized numerous fundraisers for military services and first responders.

In 2019, Neal was voted  Guitar Connoisseur Fan Favorite Guitarist  in a social media poll over the course of 15 rounds, consistently topping the list among his fellow legends.

In 2021, on the 40th anniversary of its release, Journey’s seventh studio album, Escape, was certified diamond by the  RIAA , which denotes the album has sold over 10 million equivalent units. 1981’s Escape spawned the hits "Open Arms", "Who's Crying Now", "Stone In Love", and "Don't Stop Believin'", which has over a billion streams on  Spotify alone . The band rounded out the summer with epic performances, headlining at both the iconic  Lallapalooza  and  iHeartRadio Music Festival  and Schon invited to perform “The Star Spangled Banner” at the  Las Vegas Raiders Vs. Chicago Bears  game on October 10, 2021 at the  Allegiant Stadium  in Las Vegas , NV.

JOURNEY's 1988 released, 15 time Platinum certified  Greatest Hits  was certified diamond in April of 2008, has logged 1,328 weeks on  Billboard's Catalog Albums  chart as of October 2021, and is one of the most popular 'best of' packages, at times selling close to 500,000 copies globally per year.

Journey’s worldwide sales have reached over 100 million records, making them one of the world’s best-selling bands of all time, with a wide selection of chart-topping hits like "Don’t Stop Believin­'", the most downloaded song of the last century. The band's album sales have resulted in twenty five gold and platinum albums and nineteen  Top 40  singles in the US.

Jonathan Cain

Keys, Songwriting

In 1976 Jonathan Cain released his first solo record, Windy City Breakdown. In 1979 he joined the band, The Babys, and in 1980 joined the rock band, Journey, rounding out the songwriting genius behind the defining album, Escape, which was RIAA certified Diamond this year. Cain's signature piano, synth playing and songwriting contributions with Journey, The Babys and Bad English have earned him many Billboard hits, multiple Gold, Platinum and Diamond-selling records, a Star on the Hollywood walk of fame, a GRAMMY nomination and the best-selling catalog rock song in iTunes’ history (“Don't Stop Believin'”).

Journey was named as the fifth best band in rock history in a 2005 USA Today opinion poll, was inducted to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 and continues today, selling out major venues worldwide. Cain’s solo albums that released amidst acclaim in recent years include: What God Wants To Hear (2016), Unsung Noel (2017), The Songs You Leave Behind (2018), More Like Jesus (2019) and Piano Worship (2020). Later this month (Oct. 2021), Cain will release his Oh Lord Lead Us EP featuring the title track single that became his biggest Spotify solo hit to date.

Arnel Pineda

lead vocals

After searching far and wide, watching thousands of singers on YouTube, Neal Schon was about to abandon his hunt for Journey’s next lead singer. Instead, he clicked one last link and something caught his attention. Arnel Pineda was singing with the band The Zoo, and he wasn’t even singing a Journey song. Neal continued his research on Arnel, watching all 40 videos that were posted. This unearthed Neal’s realization that Arnel is a chameleon who can sing on anything.

Neal knew Arnel was the one. He called Jonathan Cain to tell him he found the guy. After learning Arnel was located in the Philippines, Jon chuckled and said, “Jesus, can he even speak English?” Neal responded with, “Who cares! He’s singing in English, and very well.” Neal called management next, and they told him he was crazy, but they did their job and got him to the US from The Philippines in three months.

It took a few days in rehearsal, but by day three everyone clicked, and Arnel sounded amazing. Once the jet lag wore off, Neal, Jon, and Arnel hit the studio in Novato, CA to get on a couple tracks. Neal played back the audio and said, “There’s the guy.” Jon agreed.

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Anthemic arena rock outfit who achieved huge success in the 1970s and '80s thanks to musical prodigy Neal Schon and smooth tenor Steve Perry.

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The History Of Journey’s Music

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A Long Way To The Top

Unlike other bands from the 1970s, Journey had a pretty weak start in the music industry and it took them years before they broke into mainstream and got the recognition they deserved.

They formed in 1973 and released their first album in 1975 which established their sound that fused jazz and progressive rock. It didn’t work well for them though – at least not commercially.

Guitarist Neal Schon recalls, “I still think some of the stuff we did then was great. Some of it was self-indulgent, just jamming for ourselves, but I also think a lot of other things hurt us in the early days. It took a while for the politics to sort of shape up.”

They opened for popular rock acts like Black Sabbath, Target, Judas Priest and Emerson, Lake & Palmer but fame still eluded Journey.

When they got singer Steve Perry onboard, it was clear from the get-go that he suited the band perfectly. They changed their musical approach – deciding to move towards a more commercialized sound mixing guitar-driven hard rock with pop. An early progenitor of “arena rock”, they reached their peak between 1978 and the early ’80s.

With Perry’s smooth tenor and amazing range, their songs have stood the test of time. Their first LP with him, “Infinity” was an immediate success, peaking at #21 on the US Billboard 200. It spawned the popular singles “Lights” and “Wheel in the Sky” which became a staple in their live shows.

Their fifth studio effort “Evolution” gave them their first top 20 hit in the US Billboard Hot 100 -“Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin'” which was partly inspired by one of Perry’s musical influences Sam Cooke. Schon’s heavy guitar work and Perry’s soulful vocals were a match made in music heaven.

They struck gold in 1981 with the release of “Escape” – the first to feature keyboardist Jonathan Cain. The LP gave them four classic hits “Don’t Stop Believin'”, “Who’s Crying Now”, “Still They Ride”, and “Open Arms”.

By this time, they have refined and perfect their sound – infectious melody, heavy riffing, face-melting guitar solos, and Perry’s soaring vocals. It wasn’t all hard rock numbers because even their ballads were something else thanks mostly to Perry’s impeccable and effective delivery.

Riding high on the success of “Escape”, they released “Frontiers” less than two years later which included four more successful singles – “After the Fall”, “Send Her My Love”, “Faithfully”, and “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)”.

Unfortunately, it was all downhill from there. They had a couple more albums but nothing that touched the greatness of “Escape” and “Frontiers”. That’s not to say their songs are bad, they still had their moments but at the height of their career, they were simply unmatched.

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Steve Perry Walked Away From Journey. A Promise Finally Ended His Silence.

By Alex Pappademas

• Sept. 5, 2018

MALIBU, Calif. — On the back patio of a Greek restaurant, a white-haired man making his way to the exit paused for a second look at one of his fellow diners, a man with a prominent nose who wore his dark hair in a modest pompadour.

“You look a lot like Steve Perry,” the white-haired man said.

“I used to be Steve Perry,” Steve Perry said.

This is how it goes when you are Steve Perry. Everyone is excited to see you, and no one can quite believe it. Everyone wants to know where you’ve been.

In 1977, an ambitious but middlingly successful San Francisco jazz-rock band called Journey went looking for a new lead singer and found Mr. Perry, then a 28-year-old veteran of many unsigned bands. Mr. Perry and the band’s lead guitarist and co-founder, Neal Schon, began writing concise, uplifting hard rock songs that showcased Mr. Perry’s clean, powerful alto, as operatic an instrument as pop has ever seen. This new incarnation of Journey produced a string of hit singles, released eight multiplatinum albums and toured relentlessly — so relentlessly that in 1987, a road-worn Mr. Perry took a hiatus, effectively dissolving the band he’d helped make famous.

He did not disappear completely — there was a solo album in 1994, followed in 1996 by a Journey reunion album, “Trial by Fire.” But it wasn’t long before Mr. Perry walked away again, from Journey and from the spotlight. With his forthcoming album, “Traces,” due in early October, he’s breaking 20 years of radio silence.

Over the course of a long midafternoon lunch — well-done souvlaki, hold all the starches — Mr. Perry, now 69, explained why he left, and why he’s returned. He spoke of loving, and losing and opening himself to being loved again, including by people he’s never met, who know him only as a voice from the Top 40 past.

And when he detailed the personal tragedy that moved him to make music again, he talked about it in language as earnest and emotional as any Journey song:

“I thought I had a pretty good heart,” he said, “but a heart isn’t really complete until it’s completely broken.”

IN ITS ’80S heyday, Journey was a commercial powerhouse and a critical piñata. With Mr. Perry up front, slinging high notes like Frisbees into the stratosphere, Journey quickly became not just big but huge . When few public figures aside from Pac-Man and Donkey Kong had their own video game, Journey had two. The offices of the group’s management company received 600 pieces of Journey fan mail per day.

The group toured hard for nine years. Gradually, that punishing schedule began to take a toll on Journey’s lead singer.

“I never had any nodules or anything, and I never had polyps,” Mr. Perry said, referring to the state of his vocal cords. He looked around for some wood to knock, then settled for his own skull. The pain, he said, was more spiritual than physical.

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As a vocalist, Mr. Perry explained, “your instrument is you. It’s not just your throat, it’s you . If you’re burnt out, if you’re depressed, if you’re feeling weary and lost and paranoid, you’re a mess.”

“Frankly,” Mr. Schon said in a phone interview, “I don’t know how he lasted as long as he did without feeling burned out. He was so good, doing things that nobody else could do.”

On Feb. 1, 1987, Mr. Perry performed one last show with Journey, in Anchorage. Then he went home.

Mr. Perry was born in Hanford, Calif., in the San Joaquin Valley, about 45 minutes south of Fresno. His parents, who were both Portuguese immigrants, divorced when he was 8, and Mr. Perry and his mother moved in next door to her parents’. “I became invisible, emotionally,” Mr. Perry said. “And there were places I used to hide, to feel comfortable, to protect myself.”

Sometimes he’d crawl into a corner of his grandparents’ garage with a blanket and a flashlight. But he also found refuge in music. “I could get lost in these 45s that I had,” Mr. Perry said. “It turned on a passion for music in me that saved my life.”

As a teen, Mr. Perry moved to Lemoore, Calif., where he enjoyed an archetypally idyllic West Coast adolescence: “A lot of my writing, to this day, is based on my emotional attachment to Lemoore High School.”

There he discovered the Beatles and the Beach Boys, went on parked-car dates by the San Joaquin Valley’s many irrigation canals, and experienced a feeling of “freedom and teenage emotion and contact with the world” that he’s never forgotten. Even a song like “No Erasin’,” the buoyant lead single from his new LP has that down-by-the-old-canal spirit, Mr. Perry said.

And after he left Journey, it was Lemoore that Mr. Perry returned to, hoping to rediscover the person he’d been before subsuming his identity within an internationally famous rock band. In the beginning, he couldn’t even bear to listen to music on the radio: “A little PTSD, I think.”

Eventually, in 1994, he made that solo album, “For the Love of Strange Medicine,” and sported a windblown near-mullet and a dazed expression on the cover. The reviews were respectful, and the album wasn’t a flop. With alternative rock at its cultural peak, Mr. Perry was a man without a context — which suited him just fine.

“I was glad,” he said, “that I was just allowed to step back and go, O.K. — this is a good time to go ride my Harley.”

JOURNEY STAYED REUNITED after Mr. Perry left for the second time in 1997. Since December 2007, its frontman has been Arnel Pineda, a former cover-band vocalist from Manila, Philippines, who Mr. Schon discovered via YouTube . When Journey was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last April, Mr. Pineda sang the 1981 anthem “Don’t Stop Believin’,” not Mr. Perry. “I’m not in the band,” he said flatly, adding, “It’s Arnel’s gig — singers have to stick together.”

Around the time Mr. Pineda joined the band, something strange had happened — after being radioactively unhip for decades, Journey had crept back into the zeitgeist. David Chase used “Don’t Stop Believin’” to nerve-racking effect in the last scene of the 2007 series finale of “The Sopranos” ; when Mr. Perry refused to sign off on the show’s use of the song until he was told how it would be used, he briefly became one of the few people in America who knew in advance how the show ended.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” became a kind of pop standard, covered by everyone from the cast of “Glee” to the avant-shred guitarist Marnie Stern . Decades after they’d gone their separate ways, Journey and Mr. Perry found themselves discovering fans they never knew they had.

Mark Oliver Everett, the Los Angeles singer-songwriter who performs with his band Eels under the stage name E, was not one of them, at first.

“When I was young, living in Virginia,” Mr. Everett said, “Journey was always on the radio, and I wasn’t into it.”

So although Mr. Perry became a regular at Eels shows beginning around 2003, it took Mr. Everett five years to invite him backstage. He’d become acquainted with Patty Jenkins, the film director, who’d befriended Mr. Perry after contacting him for permission to use “Don’t Stop Believin’” in her 2003 film “Monster.” (“When he literally showed up on the mixing stage the next day and pulled up a chair next to me, saying, ‘Hey I really love your movie. How can I help you?’ it was the beginning of one of the greatest friendships of my life,” Ms. Jenkins wrote in an email.) Over lunch, Ms. Jenkins lobbied Mr. Everett to meet Mr. Perry.

They hit it off immediately. “At that time,” Mr. Everett said, “we had a very serious Eels croquet game in my backyard every Sunday.” He invited Mr. Perry to attend that week. Before long, Mr. Perry began showing up — uninvited and unannounced, but not unwelcome — at Eels rehearsals.

“They’d always bust my chops,” Mr. Perry said. “Like, ‘Well? Is this the year you come on and sing a couple songs with us?’”

At one point, the Eels guitarist Jeff Lyster managed to bait Mr. Perry into singing Journey’s “Lights” at one of these rehearsals, which Mr. Everett remembers as “this great moment — a guy who’s become like Howard Hughes, and just walked away from it all 25 years ago, and he’s finally doing it again.”

Eventually Mr. Perry decided to sing a few numbers at an Eels show, which would be his first public performance in decades. He made this decision known to the band, Mr. Everett said, not via phone or email but by showing up to tour rehearsals one day carrying his own microphone. “He moves in mysterious ways,” Mr. Everett observed.

For mysterious Steve Perry reasons, Mr. Perry chose to make his long-awaited return to the stage at a 2014 Eels show at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul, Minn. During a surprise encore, he sang three songs, including one of his favorite Eels tunes, whose profane title is rendered on an edited album as “It’s a Monstertrucker.”

“I walked out with no anticipation and they knew me and they responded, and it was really a thrill,” Mr. Perry said. “I missed it so much. I couldn’t believe it’d been so long.”

“It’s a Monstertrucker” is a spare song about struggling to get through a lonely Sunday in someone’s absence. For Mr. Perry, it was not an out-of-nowhere choice.

In 2011, Ms. Jenkins directed one segment of “Five,” a Lifetime anthology film about women and breast cancer. Mr. Perry visited her one day in the cutting room while she was at work on a scene featuring real cancer patients as extras. A woman named Kellie Nash caught Mr. Perry’s eye. Instantly smitten, he asked Ms. Jenkins if she would introduce them by email.

“And she says ‘O.K., I’ll send the email,’ ” Mr. Perry said, “but there’s one thing I should tell you first. She was in remission, but it came back, and it’s in her bones and her lungs. She’s fighting for her life.”

“My head said, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Mr. Perry remembered, “but my heart said, ‘Send the email.’”

“That was extremely unlike Steve, as he is just not that guy,” Ms. Jenkins said. “I have never seen him hit on, or even show interest in anyone before. He was always so conservative about opening up to anyone.”

A few weeks later, Ms. Nash and Mr. Perry connected by phone and ended up talking for nearly five hours. Their friendship soon blossomed into romance. Mr. Perry described Ms. Nash as the greatest thing that ever happened to him.

“I was loved by a lot of people, but I didn’t really feel it as much as I did when Kellie said it,” he said. “Because she’s got better things to do than waste her time with those words.”

They were together for a year and a half. They made each other laugh and talked each other to sleep at night.

In the fall of 2012, Ms. Nash began experiencing headaches. An MRI revealed that the cancer had spread to her brain. One night not long afterward, Ms. Nash asked Mr. Perry to make her a promise.

“She said, ‘If something were to happen to me, promise me you won’t go back into isolation,’ ” Mr. Perry said, “because that would make this all for naught.”

At this point in the story, Mr. Perry asked for a moment and began to cry.

Ms. Nash died on Dec. 14, 2012, at 40. Two years later, Mr. Perry showed up to Eels rehearsal with his own microphone, ready to make good on a promise.

TIME HAS ADDED a husky edge to Mr. Perry’s angelic voice; on “Traces,” he hits some trembling high notes that bring to mind the otherworldly jazz countertenor “Little” Jimmy Scott. The tone suits the songs, which occasionally rock, but mostly feel close to their origins as solo demos Mr. Perry cut with only loops and click tracks backing him up.

The idea that the album might kick-start a comeback for Mr. Perry is one that its maker inevitably has to hem and haw about.

“I don’t even know if ‘coming back’ is a good word,” he said. “I’m in touch with the honest emotion, the love of the music I’ve just made. And all the neurosis that used to come with it, too. All the fears and joys. I had to put my arms around all of it. And walking back into it has been an experience, of all of the above.”

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Journey Band History

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Journey Quick Facts Up Front

Gregg rolie, steve perry, jonathan cain, steve smith, ross valory, journey (1975); look into the future(1976); next (1977), infinity (1970), evolution (1979); departure (1980), dream, after dream (1980), escape (1981), raised in radio (1986), trail by fire (1996), arrivals (2000), revelation (2008), freedom (2022).

• Early Days Journey in their Fusion Days: Journey - Full Concert - 03/30/74 - Winterland (OFFICIAL) 
• Arguably the Best Group Lineup Performing During the Escape Tour: Journey - Don’t Stop Believin’ (from Live in Houston 1981: The Escape Tour) 
• A Recent Performance with Schon at the Helm. Pineda’s Vocal Performance is Stunning: Journey Live @ Lollapalooza Chicago 2021 

The Journey Lawsuit & Replacements

Did journey sell out.

The glorious days of arena rock would not be as memorable without Journey. There could not be a better name for a band that went through many changes, successes, and failures and almost single-handedly rose the power ballad to the charts.

Journey’s band history is the epitome of 80s rock and the clashes between some of the most extraordinary rock musicians of the time.

Like all Journey fans, the first songs I heard were Steve Perry’s lead emotional ballads. He was the perfect singer for the ideal backing band. Yet, listening years later as a musician, I understood that it was not Steve Perry’s or Neal Schon’s Journey; the group’s creative chemistry made it all happen. Apart from the most commercially relevant period, Journey was and still stands strong. This bio might introduce you to some aspects and periods of the band that are now almost forgotten.

Journey Members You Should Know

The lineup changes are crucial to Journey’s band history. Nowadays, with only Neil Schon left as a founding member, we need to go back to the early days to understand who wrote and played the songs that made them famous.

All lineups were made up of the top rock musicians of each era. Not all, though, contribute as much as others. 

Neil George Joseph Schon (born February 27, 1954, in Oklahoma) is the band’s guitar player, founding member, and occasional songwriter.

Born in a musical family, Schon soon became a child prodigy after starting playing guitar at ten and being recruited by Santana at age 17. By the time he started Journey, he had experience playing in one of the best bands in the world and was fluent in jazz, rock, and Latin music.  

Neal Schon is one of the most melodic guitar players of all time. He essentially shifted my perspective of a rock solo to a musical piece that tells a story rather than a power shred, which he occasionally tastefully adds. 

Schon was always the leader behind the scenes, taking a significant say in all the band’s important decisions and even personally firing and replacing members. As a solo artist, he released nine albums and founded the bands “Hardline” and “Bad English.”

Gregg Alan Rolie (born June 17, !947, in Washington) is a founding member and journey original keyboard player and vocalist. As a Santana band member, Rolie was already a senior musician by the time Schon joined. He arguably shared with Santana the same success as with Journey, singing and playing in some of their biggest hits.

He formed Journey in 1973 and co-wrote the band’s first six albums before being replaced by the pressure of Steve Perry’s musical choices.

Rolie was as essential as Schon in creating the “Journey Sound” with signature Hammond, piano sound, and a bed of synths that backed the band’s rock groove. 

Rolie is one of the most prolific musicians ever, with a successful solo career after his time with the band. He founded with Journey’s ex-member “The Storm.” He was part of Ringo Star’s “All Starr Band.”

Steve Ray Perry (born January 22, 1949, in Hanford, California) was Journey’s lead singer, frontman, and main songwriter in their most successful years.

Perry’s exceptional vocal range and affinity for writing ballads and pop songs gave Journey what they needed to become the biggest arena rock band in the world. His musical beginning, though, was unsuccessful, with many failed attempts, sometimes even from misfortunes.

Manager Herbert picked up one of Perry’s demos while he had returned to working on his family’s farm and called him to perform with the band while Rober Fleischman was already hired as a singer. One song performed during soundcheck with the band sealed his place as frontman.

Perry undoubtedly came at the right time in the right band to change it all for Journey. The mental cost of fame and several misfortunes, the last a degenerative bone disease, forced him out of the band. 

Jonathan Leonard Friga (born February 2, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois) was Journey’s most prolific keyboard player, coming in to replace Rolie and helping write the band’s most successful material.

Cain is a multi-instrumentalist who made a name for himself with the band “The Babys.” which opened for Journey. His ability to write with Perry was what convinced the singer to replace the already prolific Rolie.

Cain turned the already well-tuned Journey rhythm section into a hit-power ballad maker. Unlike Rolie, Cain’s signature is more straightforward melodic piano intros that laid the bed for tunes such as “In My Arms” or “Don’t Stop Believing.”

He was part of “Bad English” and recently started publishing Christian Rock records while serving as a Worship leader with his wife. 

Steve Bruce Smith (born August 21, 1954, in Whitman, Massachusetts) was Journey’s drummer through their most prolific years and is widely considered one of the best musicians to ever sit behind a kit.

Smith is one of the most recorded drummers in history, having played sessions for virtually every top charting artist. He was voted five times in a row No.1 All-around Drummer from Modern Drummer magazine and inducted into the Modern Drummer Hall of Fame.

The session legend was part of three different Journey Lineups, part of Journey member’s spin-off group “The Storm,” and led his jazz-fusion groups.

Ross Lamont Valory (born February 2, 1949, in San Francisco) is a founding member of Journey and the bass player in two different lineups.

Like the other founding members, Valory played with a legendary group before forming Journey. He was part of Frumious Bandersnatch and later Steve Miller Band. He holds a special place in Journey’s history, playing in all but one studio record. Even when he was not part of the band, he was hired to write and record bass tracks.

Valory is a master bass player who uses his variation of a “Nashville Tuning,” Where the 4-string bass is tuned to B-E-A-D. He continued his career in the 90s with “The Storm,” like most original Journey members.

Journey started as the most accidental Supergroup ever in a time when the notion was still new. Ex-member of Santana and Steve Miller members got together to form their prog rock, jazz fusion band called “The Golden Gate Rhythm Section.”

The mastermind behind much of Journey’s career was their manager Herbier Herbert who previously managed Santana. 

The band would perform as a backing band for Bay Area artists, with Schon and George Tickner on guitar, Rolie on Keyboards and vocals, Valory on bass, and Prairie Prince on drums. The latter would be replaced by Aynsley Dunbar around the same time Tickner quit.

The early “Journey” never achieved commercial success, mostly due to their previous musically complex influences and the lack of a strong frontman. Roli was an excellent keyboard player and vocalist, but his old-style appeal was not what the band needed to relate to young audiences.

As a band, Journey has evolved and changed more than most. It sounds like a different band from the 1st to their 14th studio album. I’ll detail most of their stunning discography according to their impact on the band and rock music.

The first 3 Journey albums are a musical treat for every sophisticated rock lover. The complex compositions, delicate songwriting, and individual chops of members are three key elements that made them. There are no weak songs in any of them, yet there are not many memorable ones.

The Debut album is the ex-Santana and Steve Miller Band members having fun. The prog style might be their favorite thing to do, but as prog rock was slowly going off the charts, rock audiences needed something else.

From the first to the third album, the experimentation leaves off more place for catchy tracks. With Roli at the creative front and Herbert at the back, the band seemed to tone down their fusion influences to achieve success finally.

Commercially none of the albums did exceptionally well, and most of the band’s time was spent touring and trying to promote them.

As a guitar player and prog rock freak, I love early Journey sometimes more than the Steve Perry one. I find Neal Schon’s best guitar performances when some glimpses of jazz fusion are put in the mix.

Not to say that his later solos were less iconic, but later I found he would mainly “serve the songs” while the guitars made the song on the early Records. The same can be said about every lead instrument.

Depending on your background and taste, you could either love this version of Journey or, like many new fans, skip the three albums entirely. If you belong to the second group, I will encourage you to listen to the first song from the Debut Album, “Of a lifetime, “and you might change your mind.

The Much Needed Lead Singer 

The musical chemistry, management, and inspiration were there for Journey, but their image and performances lacked the strong crowd-pleasing frontman. Behind the Keyboards, singing lead vocals, Roli did his part musically, but not stylistically.

The band’s first singer, hired with Herber’s suggestion, was glam rocker Robert Fleischman. With a high register and great stage presence, Fleischman toured successfully with Journey in 1977 until Steve Perry replaced him after he sang one in soundcheck with the band on the same tour.

Perry not only performed flawlessly exciting songs but managed to bond immediately with Neil Schon in writing their first songs together. The band changed direction and with that also their drummer. Session ace Smith replaced Dunbar, who was unhappy with the new pop direction of the band.

The first album with Perry as lead vocalist launched the band to commercial success reaching No. 21 on Billboard. “Infinity” marks the band’s change in musical direction, with Queen’s producer Roy Thomas Baker directing the shift.

The album is strong in every aspect. The songwriting, production, intent, and musicianship are top-notch. It combines the band’s collected materials and Perry’s melancholic songwriting over the years. His voice added character to the virtuoso band that needed it. My favorite song from the album is “Wheel in the Sky,” written by Fleischman and the band before Perry joined in. Perry’s voice, though, I think, does it more justice.

It starts with Neil Schon’s classically influenced guitar part and develops to a hard rock tone with a country riff. The mixture of different genres is, I think, what makes all individuals of the band shine.

The two songs that better defined the band’s musical direction were the power ballads “Lights” and “Patiently.” Slow-tempo emotional tracks with a solid vocal melody that builds up to guitar solos and live encores. Both tracks are now legendary and staples of the band’s live shows.

The following two Journey studio albums saw the band’s rise to fame, each doing better than the previous. They were headlining tours and festivals and having crowds resonate massively with their songs for the first time.

Both albums continued where “Infinity” left off, merging Perry’s now-proven hit songwriting skills with the band’s musicianship. The new frontman was now contributing to all the songs and indirectly dictating the band’s sound. Not all songs are great, though; most lack memorable hooks and fade compared to the hits.

My favorite of the two albums is “Departure.” There’s a spice more of prog rock in that album which I think brings out the best of the band. After all, the band was not originally an Arena rock act. 

“Any way you want” and “Loving’, Touchin’, Squeezin;” are widely known tracks. My favorites are the less popular “Do You Recall” and “I’m Cryin,” which Perry and Rolie co-wrote.

The next record was a musical spin-off as a soundtrack album. Beyond all expectations, the band produced the most musically intricate prog rock album of their career. 

It’s arguably the most polarising album of Journey’s catalog, yet one the band truly enjoyed making. The all-star band of virtuoso musicians couldn’t wait to stretch the musical muscles once again as in the old days. The result is fantastic prog rock, yet not one you would most likely hear on the radio.

I adore the compositions and musicianship on all the songs, especially the 8-minute opening track “Destiny.” In true prog fashion, extended instrumentation and solos weren’t missing.

It’s not an album for everyone, but those who like it, love it.

Rolie leaving the band in favor of Jonathan Cain might have consisted of one of the best musicians on earth, but it gave them the best-selling album of their career . The album almost single-handedly created the 80s sound. 

The album starts with the band’s epic rock anthem, “Don’t Stop Believin’.” The song was started by Perry and Schon and later finished by Cain, who added the piano hook and hook. As Cain relieves in an interview, those were the three words his dad told him when he wanted to quit music.

The song is today the best-selling catalog track of the digital era. It’s now beyond a rock anthem to a pop culture hit. Journey’s “Free Bird” in a sense.

Cain brought in the catchy hooks and memorable piano parts and perfectly completed Perry’s ideas. The ballad “Open Arms” they wrote together differed from previous ones. It was more delicate, straightforward, catchy, and singable. After some struggles in getting it through Schoun skeptical reception of the song, it became a fan favorite.

Journey – Open Arms (Official Video – 1982)  

The song that moves me the most is “Mother, Father.” Perry recorded the vocals in one mesmerizing take. What’s more impressive is that it is probably the hardest Journey song to sing. 

“Espace” paved the way for the next charting album in 1983, “Frontiers.” It produced hit songs and anthems and delivered on the success of the previous albums.

Success and Downfall

Journey waited three years to release an album for the first time in their career. The continuous touring and fame were starting to kick back. Schon and Perry had also released their solo records capitalizing on Journey’s Success.

Perry, at this time, dominated the band’s musical direction completely. According to him, only Schon and Cain were suited for the band as he fired Roos Valory and, slightly later, Steve Smith. As he declared in an interview, he thought it was the best decision at the time, but he regrets doing it.

His mental health was also deteriorating as the rise to fame alienated him from the rest of the world. 

Replacing both members with session musicians gave the trio more control over the songs. Perry himself took up the role of producer for the album. “Raised In Radio” is a successful attempt to top the charts through their hit song formula, but the lack of team effort is felt. 

I think the album is too poppy and sacrifices the musical input of Valory and Smith for attempted hooks. There are undoubtedly hit songs such as “Girl, I Can’t Help It” and “Be Good To Yourself,” yet it’s not an album I can enjoy listening to back to back like the rest. 

Commercially it did well, as expected. The band knew how to write hit songs and what the audience wanted by this time. Listening to it now, It feels like Perry’s rushed attempt to stay on top of the game and even outdo himself. 

Disbandment and Attempted Comeback

The problems with Perry’s control over the band and continuous isolated life lead to him wanting to stop everything. After his last show with the band in February 1987, he left the band and stopped Journey for almost ten years.

Perry never released an official statement, and some still wonder if the animosity between members was the main cause of his leaving. The fact that he released music after leaving the band makes me think he still wanted to make music on his own, in less frantic terms.

One thing is for sure; Journey couldn’t keep up their successful streak without Perry, so each went separate ways. 

In 1995 the band reunited again at Perry’s request to fire current manager Herbert for the well-known Irving Azoff, which staged the Eagles’ comeback some years prior. 

Journey was back, and a long-awaited successful album came shortly after. All members had amassed material during the years, so a musically rich album was bound to come.

“Trial by Fire” is my favorite Journey album after “Escape,” as it delivers the quality you’d expect from a great comeback. The hit song “When You Love a Woman” was surely meant to be a hit, but it’s not formulaic in any way.  

Valory and Smith back on the band brought back the original backbone of the group. Putting this album back to back with its predecessor, you will notice the difference the rhythm section had in Journey after a few tracks. It gives character to songs having individual doing their thing and not hired guns.

I wish it had some more elements of hard rock, but that might be just the nostalgia from the days of “Don’t Stop Believin’.”

This album is the last Perry contribution as he was diagnosed unexpectedly with a bone condition and was unwilling to undergo surgery to continue touring.

Modern Journey

Journey is still touring and releasing albums today, with only Schon remaining an original band member. He calls the shots about the music direction and often replaces members.

After Perry distanced himself from music, the band moved on and recruited Steve Augeri as frontman, with drummer Deen Castronovo as occasional lead vocalist. Augeri was the perfect vocalist for Journey, who needed the same high-pitched power Steve Perry had.

Of the two albums Journey released with Perry, the first one is the only one that somehow matched the previous albums’ quality. It’s not the band’s most creative work, yet it’s an album with the pure Journey sound almost intact.

The album is instrumentally great but lacks strong songwriting. Augeri contributed to some  songs, yet his role as the newcomer was to sing, according to Schon and Cain’s writing.

The song “World Gone Wild” is my favorite of the whole album, showing off Augeri skills at best and some great guitar work by Schon.

Commercially it did well, considering that arena rock was not the most popular genre of the early 2000s. I think that part of the merit goes to the fans’ curiosity and joy of having another Journey album.

The next album with Augeri, “Generations,” was the band’s least successful record after having him fired.

Ariel Pineda replaced Augeri in a dream story of Schon recruiting him after watching his Journey Covers on YouTube. The album was the band’s last big commercial success, even though the era of rock bands topping the charts was gone.

In true Journey style, Cain delivers a hit power ballad. “After All These Years” is just as good as any of the band’s legendary ballads and is only penalized by the rise of pop and dance music. I love how the band switched to a hard rock style for this record, flexing some fast-paced tempo grooves after a while.

Pineda seemed to be a bigger creative force than Augeri and an equally experienced live frontman. The live shows with the classic hits were and still are the band’s main focus, accumulating ridiculous amounts from the tour.

Having survived a pandemic, lawsuit, and personnel changes, Journey released their new record in more than a decade. Years of accumulated creativity resulted in an arena rock juggernaut. 

Cain and Schon were in charge of the production, while drummer Narada, a prolific songwriter and singer, helped write and co-produce much of the material. It starts with the power ballad “Together We Run” and the expected melodic Cain piano intro.

Listening to album after ten other Journey pop-rock records can be too much if you’re not a die-hard fan. I would have preferred a more Prog rock Journey record as that always brings new sounds.  

Notable Performances

Early days journey in their fusion days:   journey – full concert – 03/30/74 – winterland (official)  .

Arguably the Best Group Lineup Performing During the Escape Tour: Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’ (from Live in Houston 1981: The Escape Tour)  

A Recent Performance with Schon at the Helm. Pineda’s Vocal Performance is Stunning: Journey Live @ Lollapalooza Chicago 2021  

Changes in band members always come with legal issues when rights to songs are on the table. In the 80s, they maintained a good balance between members. Primarily due to solid management from Herbert, things were kept quiet.

Valory and Smith were fired from the band in 2019 after attempting to own one of the band’s corporate entities. According to the two, Perry gave them the right to hold that part of the business. Schon and Cain considered this an attempt to squeeze more money even when they were not playing. 

Journey did write beautiful songs, yet the term’ corporate rock’ started to haunt them as each charting album chased the next big thing. The bad reputation arena rock gets from rock fans sometimes comes from the many attempts to write hits and please the crowd.

My stand as a rock fan with a taste from Beatles to modern metal is that Journey didn’t sell out in the sense of chasing money. Their style evolved, sometimes in search of a bigger fanbase, but still, they delivered nongeneric hits.

They developed a successful style that pushed them to recreate the success repeatedly. The members’ egos, management pressures, and fans’ high expectations had their parts.

Answer : One roadie, John Villanueva, suggested the name after failed attempts, including a radio contest involving the fans to find a proper name. 

Answer : Journey had six lead singers in the band from the 70s to today. 

Answer : Arena rock is considered any rock genre that can fill a stadium on a one-night event. In the mid-70s and 80s, it took a slightly different meaning, becoming a synonym for successful commercial rock bands who were best known for Power Ballads. Arena rock bands deliver great spectacles with massive crowds and often have predictable, straightforward music to resonate with as many people as possible.

• Journey (band) – Wikipedia
• Journey Documentary (Behind The Music)
• Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey HD
• Journey – Raised On Radio (1986 Tour Documentary)
• Journey Music
• Journey (band)  
• Journey’s Neal Schon says he and Steve Perry are ‘in a good place’ before band’s 50th anniversary
• Journey Biography, Songs, & Albums | AllMusic
• Journey – The Brilliant Band Members, Stories & Struggles | Eagle 106.5
• Journey: Band Members and History      

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• The Police Band History
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• R.E.M. Band History

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Robert Fleischman: the forgotten Journey singer who was sacrificed for Steve Perry

Robert Fleischman was briefly Journey’s singer before Steve Perry. But history would have been very different without him

Journey’s transformation from jazz-rock noodlers into the hard rock behemoth behind Don’t Stop Believin’ coincided with the arrival of singer Steve Perry in 1977.

But Perry wasn’t the band’s first lead singer. He was briefly preceded by Robert Fleischman earlier that year, recruited by Journey’s manager, Herbie Herbert, to give the largely faceless band more of an identity.

Fleischman’s tenure in the band lasted a matter of months. He left after clashing with Herbert, who described the singer as “a pain in the ass – a pampered poodle of person.”

But Fleischman still played a significant part in Journey’s – pardon the pun – evolution, co-writing future hit single Wheel In The Sky , a song that helped point the band in a bold new direction.

After he parted ways with the band, Fleischman ended up singing on the first album by ex-Kiss guitarist Vinnie Vincent's band, the Vinnie Vincent Invasion before embarking on a solo career. He hasn’t been written out of Journey’s history, but he the part he played in their reinvention is often overlooked. Here, he shares his memories of his time in the band, and the part he played in laying the groundwork for his successor, Steve Perry.

How did you join Journey?

Robert Fleischman: “I guess Journey wasn’t doing too well at the time, and bands like Boston and Foreigner were becoming popular. So to fix Journey they decided to add a lead singer. That was the formula.”

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Were you made to feel welcome in the band?

“Yes, they were very nice to me except when we were on the road. They let me know that I was getting it easy because they had worked so hard to get to where they were at before I joined the band. Still, it was great to be in a group that was so well organised. Gregg Rolie was the most generous to me. He let me stay in his house; it was nice. Management – that was another story.”

What do you remember about touring with Journey in 1977?

“We started in Texas for some practice shows and played with REO Speedwagon and Judas Priest. Later on we opened up shows for Emerson, Lake & Palmer in Canada and some dates in the USA.”

What was the reception like from the fans at live shows?

“The band would do about three or four songs, then they would introduce me. The front row was always diehard Journey fans and they would flip me off and say, ‘Fuck you!’ It was hard for them to see a frontman in the band so every time I got up on the stage that’s what I was up against. But at the end of the show we won them over.”

Did Neal Schon have specific ideas about what he wanted from you as a vocalist?

“No, there were no demands, plus they had never played with a lead singer and songwriter before. I think it was a big education for the both of us. At that time they were the rock fusion band and I was a pop songwriter, but it worked.”

What do you remember about writing Wheel In The Sky, which ended up on Journey’s 1978 album, Infinity?

“Neal and the band had the music already; I came up with the melody. One day I was given a poem that was written by Ross Valory’s wife, Diane. So to make everyone happy I plucked out the line ‘wheel in the sky’ and then I wrote the rest.”

What was your relationship like with Journey’s manager Herbie Herbert?

“I liked Herbie but later I found out he didn’t like me. He thought I was cocky. But name me one lead singer who’s not a little cocky? I was always professional, but I do think he was a great manager. He was ambitious, he put the band on the map, he sold them like a candy bar. Who wouldn’t wanna manager like that?”

What ended your tenure in the band?

“Like any relationship you want out of, it’s always a personality difference that’s the excuse. I heard later the band was mad at him [Herbie Herbert] for squeezing me out.”

This article originally appeared in Classic Rock Presents AOR. Q&A by Neil Daniels

Classic Rock is the online home of the world's best rock'n'roll magazine. We bring you breaking news, exclusive interviews and behind-the-scenes features, as well as unrivalled access to the biggest names in rock music; from Led Zeppelin to Deep Purple, Guns N’ Roses to the Rolling Stones, AC/DC to the Sex Pistols, and everything in between. Our expert writers bring you the very best on established and emerging bands plus everything you need to know about the mightiest new music releases.

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Journey Frontman Arnel Pineda on the Band’s New Record, Dreams of a Steve Perry Reunion

By Andy Greene

Andy Greene

In early 2020, Journey frontman Arnel Pineda flew back to his native Manila after playing a corporate gig in Texas. He was gearing up for a big year in which Journey would cut their first new record since 2011’s Eclipse and play amphitheaters all over North America with the Pretenders.

The pandemic changed all that and he’s been in Manila ever since, but Journey still found a way to work remotely on the record. It’s their first full-length since parting ways with drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory. They were replaced by bassist Randy Jackson (who briefly toured and recorded with Journey in 1986–87) and drummer Narada Michael Walden, who’s doubling as the album’s producer.

We checked in with Pineda via Zoom to talk about his lockdown life in Manila, the in-progress Journey record, the upcoming biopic about his life, and why he still dreams about a Journey reunion with Steve Perry.

How are things going? Good. I arrived here in Manila last year just a week and a half before the lockdown began. I was lucky. Otherwise, I would have been stuck in America for six months before they let me back.

This must be the longest stretch of time you’ve been home since you joined Journey in 2007. Yeah. This is the longest. I like it because I got to spend a lot of time with family and the kids and more time with myself and my wife. There are other things I would rather do than tour, so I got the chance to be here. In a negative way, it’s quite bad. The survival here is a day-to-day deal. I’m the one that goes out a lot. I’m the one that goes to the market and the grocery to refill our food stocks.

You wonder if you have the virus every day. There’s a lot of paranoia going around. It’s like what is happening in America.

Do you miss playing live? Yeah. I especially miss the energy and the adrenaline of doing it. I’m delivering on the legacy that the Voice [Steve Perry] has left behind. Especially now that he formally passed the torch to me in 2017 [at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction], he made that known and he was very gracious. It was very kind of him. It was so generous of him to say that in public. It was really an honor.

What was it like to finally meet Steve after all these years? I posted on Instagram that I had waited 35 years for that. It was dreamy. I couldn’t believe I met him since he’s very reclusive and he avoids people. He didn’t want to get interviewed, at least until he released his new record [ Traces ] and then suddenly he was out there, going to radio stations and accepting interviews.

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I was really surprised that he agreed to meet me. It’s one of the most special things that happened in my life. He’s one of my heroes when it comes to singing. I remember back in the Eighties, I would sleep on the bus with my Walkman on in my ears as his voice sang all these favorite songs from Journey.

I really dug his new record. It was amazing. I’ve been teasing Jonathan [Cain] and Neal [Schon]. “Why don’t you invite Steve Perry over for a tour?” Oh, my God. I never saw them back in the Eighties. I was just a young kid in Manila, just playing around, with no chance of going to the States and seeing their show, but they were one of my favorite bands.

I’ve spoken to Steve a bunch of times in the past few years. We even talked just a few weeks ago. Oh, my God!

Judging by our talks, I’m extremely confident that he’s happy to leave the Journey baton with you. That’s even more pressure I’m getting, hearing this from you. At the same time, I’m truly honored. But I’m not losing [the hope] that one day he’ll join the band for two or three songs. It would be one of the highlights of my life if that happens.

It would almost be on the scale of Led Zeppelin or Pink Floyd re-forming at this point. My God. It would be the same thing for me with Led Zeppelin because I haven’t seen them either, or Pink Floyd. I wish they would be complete again. It’s like completing a circle, being back up onstage again.

Do you think this long break has been good for your singing voice? Has it given you time to rest the muscle? I think so. At the same time, I can’t help but sing four or five songs here every day. The problem with the voice is that it changes as you grow older. It’s like athletes. They reach their peak on their 30th birthday. As they approach 31 or 32, it starts to change. It’s the same with my voice. I just want to make sure I can be of use to the band until they decide to throw the towel in.

Those are hard songs to sing for any singer. You guys go out and do 60 straight concerts in the summer and you need to hit the high notes on “Faithfully” every single time. That would be hard for anyone at any age. We’ll do five or six shows a week. I’m just quite amazed with myself a little. Somehow I was able to take it for 13 years. Let’s see what’s going to happen in the coming days. We’re on to finishing the album. We finished six songs so far. There’s talk of going out somewhere first, maybe Las Vegas for a residency. We don’t know yet. We haven’t decided. Just to break the ice between the new members and us.

You have six songs totally done? Yeah. And maybe seven songs to go.

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Are these ballads? Rockers? For now, we’re doing the rocker songs first, not the ballads. I think the seven songs they’re working on, they’re working on something huge, like how you’ve known Journey doing ballads. It’s between [1981’s ] “Mother, Father” and [1978’s] “Winds of March.” We’re working on that song. We’ll see what happens. I’m waiting for them to send me the demos so that we can record it next week.

Working remotely like this must have been an adjustment. Normally, you’d be in the room together. I know. It’s quite hard right now. I have a few melody ideas that I’m into and want to share with them, but you can’t right now because of what is happening. I just have to listen to it and learn it. We use Zoom to record and I turn on my laptop and go into Logic Pro. They get ahold of it. If there’s something I want to change, I tell them. But it’s all pretty much done and I just record with them.

Are you doing the vocals on your laptop? Yeah. I’ll show you [ turns camera around and shows a microphone plugged into a computer in front of soundproofing foam ]. I share my computer, like mirroring. They can see what’s happening in my laptop. It allows them to hack it for a moment and then they can hear it. It happens in real time.

There’s no lag. I can hear that right now while we talk. It’s like you’re in the next room and you’re actually more than 8,000 miles away. Yeah. Thank God for the technology.

Do you think the album will come out this year? I think so. Neal thinks so. He can’t wait to release it before we do a full-on tour.

How do things sound different now that Randy Jackson and Narada Michael Walden are in the band? It’s somewhat like the sound back in the Eighties when Randy Jackson joined the band for the Raised on Radio album. It’s kind of like that, but it’s also more updated. Narada is producing my vocals and mentoring me on how to do it. He’s telling me to sing it this way and that way. It’s amazing. I’m learning a lot from Narada. It’s truly an honor and I appreciate him for doing so. It’s amazing.

Has the band even been in the same room yet? Have you met Randy and Narada in person? Right now, it’s just been virtual. It’s tough. I wanted to do it. I keep telling Neal, “If only I had been there, we would have done this in two months. Sorry it’s taking so long.” But with all these health protocols where you need to quarantine for two weeks, and then I come back and I’d be quarantined for another two weeks before I can join my family. It’s too much of a hassle, so we decided to do it this way even though Neal isn’t too happy about it. He wants it the old, classic way of making an album.

Moving on here, what’s the status of the movie about your life? It’s going to happen. I think they’re gonna start. Some people from Warner will start coming here. I think maybe with [ Crazy Rich Asians director] Jon Chu and [ Joker and The Fighter screenwriter] Scott Silver. They might come here to audition actors and actresses that will take part in my biopic.

Are you going to take them around town and show them the places you grew up? Yes. That’s the deal, of course. I want to show them where I grew up, where I was born, where everything happened before this whole magical thing.

Do you think the story will start in your childhood and show all your early bands and struggles and focus on the pre-Journey period? I think so, yeah. That’s the plan. I’ve spoken many times with Scott Silver. What’s interesting about my story is that I’ve survived two coup attempts here in the Philippines before I went to Hong Kong for 10 years. I don’t know he if plans to tell what happened to me in Hong Kong, but I had 10 years there. He might focus on my love story with my wife now.

I can see the grand finale in my head. It’ll be you walking onstage in Chile at your first Journey show. You’re nervous and they push you out and you burst into “Separate Ways.” Yeah. I was trying to back out five minutes before. I was like, “Neal, I cannot do this. This is not built for me.” They were like, “No. It’s too late. Get out there and do it.”

It was the turning point of your life. Everything is either before that moment or after that moment. You should tell Scott Silver about this idea. I’ve been implying it to him that we should end everything in Chile. And I remember when my wife decided to join me on tour in 2011. We were playing to a 30,000 crowd that night. I was telling my wife, “Remember Hard Rock Cafe when there were only three tables? Now it’s 30,000 people.” It was just unbelievable. It doesn’t get old to me. It’s still so surreal and bizarre.

I saw you at Citi Field with Fleetwood Mac and Madison Square Garden with Def Leppard. I could tell you were still having a blast. It’s still unbelievable. I’m just so blessed. I can’t thank them enough, especially Neal Schon. He was the one that was really sold that I am the one since 2007. But then again, I still think, “If only they could bring back Steve Perry.” You know what I mean?

I do, but if he came back, that would mean … I know, but I miss them so much together. Every now and then, I watch their videos together. It’s always them with Steve Perry that I watch. I mean, no offense to Adam Lambert. He’s an amazing performer and he has an amazing voice, but I still watch the old [Queen] ones with Freddie Mercury. That’s why when people say things like “No Perry, No Journey,” I understand it. Where I come from, we’re so influenced by Western music. We loved the originals, if you know what I mean.

His return would put you out of a job. That would be OK to me! I’m telling you. That’s how much I adore him and I adore Journey and how much I adore Steve Perry. Back in 2005, I resigned from my job in Hong Kong because I lost my voice due to acid reflux. I was telling my friends back then that my only regret was I lost my voice before I had the chance to sing side-by-side with Steve Perry. I was joking with them, but then a different situation happened. I just wish that one show with him … it would change my life forever. It’s been 30 years now and the band keeps changing my life in ways nobody would ever guess would happen.

Do you miss Ross Valory and Steve Smith now that they’re out of the band? I do, of course. We had a real bond that nobody can deny. [ Sighs ] When the first day came that Steve Smith went back, I could feel that he was trying to feel everything out and observe. When he got the good vibe again, we clicked. Four years with him was very special. And 11 years with Ross was amazing. I cannot ask for anything more. Those friendships I’ll take with me until the end of time.

The group has dealt with a lot of tensions and feuds during your time with them, but you always remain neutral and out of the fray. How do you do that? I try to stay away. It’s like, “Oh, the big boys are fighting.” I’d rather stick to my guns, which is just singing and delivering the legacy with them onstage. When we’re up onstage, I think everyone forgets their differences behind the scenes. That’s my happy place. When they’re having some petty quarrels, I try to stay away. I talk to everybody without having to talk about their differences.

Your White House visit caused a bit of controversy. Do you have any regrets about going there and meeting Trump? I do not. As a Filipino, I am such a big fan of the White House. It’s not about Trump. It’s not about who the president is. It’s the whole history of the White House. I was just amazed. When I went there, I looked at all the pictures of past presidents and how old everything was. And then the table where President Trump was seated was about 100 years old. Who wouldn’t want to see that? Who wouldn’t want to touch that?

His presidential guard was laughing at me because President Trump was talking to the other members [of the band] and I was just mesmerized by the table. I was like, “Wow! This is truly 100 years old?” I’m just a kid from Manila and I was in the White House for the first time, so no regrets. I guess I didn’t even have a chance to apologize to Neal. He must understand. I’m just a kid from Manila that wants to see the White House, in general.

What’s the status of your next solo record? I’m doing it right now. I’m just waiting on a couple of friends that are helping me finish it from the States. Because of the recent banning of some countries from coming in here, we got delayed. I’m expecting them to arrive here at the end of March instead of the end of January. Even my online streaming concert was moved to April 18th. It was supposed to happen in February. To those who want to get a ticket, it’ll be at sanrestreaming.com .

Back to the movie, do you think being on set and watching someone play a younger version of you will be a surreal experience? It will be weird, but it’ll be weirder if I am there portraying myself! [ Laughs ] I will not be able to stand there and look at myself. I don’t really listen to myself singing either. When the documentary Everyman’s Journey came out, I could barely watch it. The premier was in Tribeca. I was like, “Do I really have to watch this and see myself on the big screen?” I was cringing.

Do you think the actor in the movie will actually sing, or will you provide the vocals? I think I’m going to use my voice. Do you remember the Queen movie [ Bohemian Rhapsody ]? Marc Martel did the voice. I think I’m going to do that too.

I can’t wait. Crazy Rich Asians is a great movie. Jon Chu really knows what he’s doing. It’s unbelievable that he took notice of my life and my story and wants to make a movie out of it. It really humbled me.

They should film it in Manila and not somewhere else. It should look authentic. They definitely will. There’s so much to remember, I’m telling you. At one point in my life, I was really on drugs. It quite affected my memory. I need to recover all those things that happened to me when I was young. But I’ve recovered a lot of my childhood memories. Scott Silver is quite happy with what I was able to tell him.

I’m very hopeful that before 2021 ends, you’ll be back onstage with Journey. Me too. I can’t wait to see those smiling faces and that rolling-thunder sound of the audience. It’s quite an adrenaline [rush] when you experience that every night. That’s what keeps you going.

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Complete List Of All Journey Current And Former Band Members

Feature Photo: Bruce Alan Bennett / Shutterstock.com

I first fell in love with the band Journey when I was in high school and brought the band’s album Infinity when it was first released. Their record company Columbia Records at the time heavily promoted the album. It was Steve Perry’s first recording with the band and Columbia knew they had a hit on their hands. I was blown away by Steve Perry’s voice and completely floored by how great the songs were on the record. Journey became one of the biggest bands of the seventies. They helped define the term “Stadium Rock.” The band has gone through multiple lineup changes over the years.  This article takes a look at the revolving door of musicians who have come and gone as members of the band Journey .

The Orginal Journey Band Members

Neal Schon, born on February 27, 1954, in Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist for Journey. He was one of the founding members of the band in 1973. Over the years, Schon played a significant role in shaping the band’s sound and has appeared on every Journey album to date, from their self-titled debut album “Journey” (1975) to their most recent releases. He primarily plays the electric guitar but has been known to play acoustic guitar and perform backing vocals as well. Schon co-wrote some of the band’s most iconic songs like “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Wheel in the Sky,” and “Any Way You Want It.” Besides his work with Journey, Neal Schon has had a rich solo career and has also been a part of other bands like Santana and Bad English .

Ross Valory

Ross Valory, born on February 2, 1949, in San Francisco, California, is an American musician renowned for being Journey’s original bass guitarist. He joined the band at its inception in 1973 and contributed to albums like “Journey” (1975), “Infinity” (1978), “Escape” (1981), and many more. Valory played both the bass guitar and occasionally provided backing vocals. He was a part of Journey until he was fired from the band in 2020. Apart from Journey, Valory was involved in the Steve Miller Band and also had a side project called “The Vu.”

Gregg Rolie

Gregg Rolie was born on June 17, 1947, in Seattle, Washington, and is an American keyboardist and singer. He was a founding member of Journey and joined the band in 1973. Rolie played keyboards and was the lead vocalist on the band’s first three albums: “Journey” (1975), “Look into the Future” (1976), and “Next” (1977). He left Journey in 1980 to pursue other musical endeavors. Notably, he was a member of Santana before joining Journey and co-wrote and sang lead vocals on classics like “Black Magic Woman” and “Evil Ways.” After leaving Journey, he went on to form The Gregg Rolie Band and also joined Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band .

George Tickner

George Tickner, born on September 8, 1946, in Syracuse, New York, is an American musician who played rhythm guitar for Journey. He was among the original members when the band was founded in 1973 but left shortly after the release of the band’s self-titled debut album in 1975. Tickner contributed to the writing of some early songs but didn’t stay with the band long enough to participate in the more commercial phases of Journey’s career. After leaving Journey, Tickner largely retired from professional music to pursue a career in medicine.

Charles “Prairie” Prince

Charles “Prairie” Prince, born on May 7, 1950, in Charlotte, North Carolina, was the original drummer for Journey when the band was formed in 1973. However, he never officially recorded with the band and left before their debut album was made. He is best known for his work with The Tubes , a San Francisco-based rock band. Though his time with Journey was short-lived, Prince has had a significant career in music, working with artists like Todd Rundgren, and Jefferson Starship, and as a session musician for various other artists.

The Next Phase and Beyond

Aynsley dunbar.

Aynsley Dunbar, born on January 10, 1946, in Liverpool, England, is a British drummer known for his work with various rock and blues bands. He joined Journey in 1974, shortly after the band’s formation, and played on the albums “Journey” (1975), “Look into the Future” (1976), and “Next” (1977). Dunbar’s jazz-influenced drumming style added a unique element to Journey’s early sound. He left the band in 1978 before the band shifted to a more mainstream, commercial sound. Apart from Journey, Dunbar has had an extensive career, playing with artists like Frank Zappa, David Bowie, and Whitesnake.

Robert Fleischman

Robert Fleischman, born on March 11, 1953, in Los Angeles, California, is an American musician who briefly served as Journey’s lead vocalist in 1977. Though he never appeared on any studio albums with Journey, he contributed to songwriting and is credited with co-writing songs like “Wheel in the Sky.” Fleischman was replaced by Steve Perry later in the same year he joined. Outside of Journey, Fleischman had a solo career and was a member of other rock bands like Vinnie Vincent Invasion.

Steve Perry

Steve Perry , born on January 22, 1949, in Hanford, California, is an American singer known for his soaring vocals. He joined Journey in 1977 and quickly became the band’s iconic lead vocalist. Steve Perry played a significant role in Journey’s commercial success and was a key contributor to albums like “Infinity” (1978), “Evolution” (1979), “Escape” (1981), among others. He co-wrote and sang some of Journey’s most famous songs, including “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Open Arms.” Perry left the band in 1998 due to health issues and to pursue a solo career, which itself has been highly successful, featuring hits like “Oh Sherrie.”

Steve Smith

Steve Smith, born on August 21, 1954, in Whitman, Massachusetts, is an American drummer. He joined Journey in 1978, replacing Aynsley Dunbar, and played on some of their most successful albums like “Evolution,” “Escape,” and “Frontiers.” Known for his technical skill, Smith left the band in 1985 but returned for various stints, the latest being from 2015 to 2020. Outside of Journey, Smith has had a rich career in jazz and has been part of his own jazz fusion band, Vital Information.

Randy Jackson

Randy Jackson, born on June 23, 1956, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is an American musician, best known as a judge on the television show “American Idol.” He joined Journey as a bass player for a short stint during the mid-1980s and played on the 1986 album “Raised on Radio.” Jackson was part of the band’s transition towards a more pop-oriented sound during that period. Besides Journey, he has been an in-demand session musician and has produced and performed with a wide array of artists across genres.

Steve Augeri

Steve Augeri, born on January 30, 1959, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American rock singer best known for his work as the lead vocalist for Journey from 1998 to 2006. He was brought in as a replacement for Steve Perry and featured on albums like “Arrival” (2001) and “Generations” (2005). Augeri co-wrote songs for the band but had to leave in 2006 due to vocal issues. Outside of Journey, he has been involved in other bands like Tyketto and has also embarked on a solo career.

Jeff Scott Soto

Jeff Scott Soto, born on November 4, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York, is an American singer who served as Journey’s lead vocalist for a brief period from 2006 to 2007. He stepped in following Steve Augeri’s departure due to vocal issues but was in the band for less than a year. Though his time with Journey was short-lived, he did perform live with the band during that period. Outside of Journey, Soto has a prolific career, having been a part of bands like Yngwie Malmsteen’s Rising Force and Talisman, as well as a successful solo career.

Deen Castronovo

Deen Castronovo, born on August 17, 1964, in Westminster, California, is an American drummer and vocalist. He joined Journey in 1998, replacing Steve Smith, and contributed to albums like “Arrival” (2001), “Generations” (2005), and “Eclipse” (2011). Besides playing drums, Castronovo also performed backing and some lead vocals during his time with the band. He left Journey in 2015 amidst personal issues. Beyond Journey, he has played with bands like Bad English and Hardline and is known for his work in various other musical projects.

Narada Michael Walden

Narada Michael Walden, born on April 23, 1952, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, is an American musician, producer, and songwriter. He joined Journey as a drummer in 2020, replacing Steve Smith. Known for his diverse skill set across genres, Walden has a rich career outside of his time with Journey. He’s a multi-Grammy Award-winning producer and has worked with a myriad of artists including Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, and Aretha Franklin.

Arnel Pineda

Arnel Pineda, born on September 5, 1967, in Sampaloc, Manila, Philippines, is a Filipino singer and songwriter. He became the lead vocalist for Journey in 2007, discovered by Neal Schon through YouTube videos of Pineda covering Journey songs. He made his studio debut with the band on the 2008 album “Revelation” and has remained with the band since. Outside of Journey, Pineda had been a part of several bands in the Philippines and has a solo career as well.

Jason Derlatka

Jason Derlatka, born on September 8, 1972, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, is an American keyboardist, vocalist, and composer. He joined Journey in 2020 as a touring keyboardist and background vocalist. Though he hasn’t been featured on any studio albums with the band yet, he brings a wide range of musical experience to Journey. Derlatka has worked extensively in television, composing music for series like “House” and “Parenthood.”

Todd Jensen

Todd Jensen, born on October 19, 1965, in Portland, Oregon, is an American bassist. Though he never officially recorded with Journey, Jensen was involved as a touring member following Ross Valory’s departure in 2020. Known for his versatility, he has played with various artists and bands spanning multiple genres, including David Lee Roth, Ozzy Osbourne, and Alice Cooper.

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Linda Holmes

Arnel Pineda became the lead singer of Journey in late 2007. Silverdocs hide caption

Arnel Pineda became the lead singer of Journey in late 2007.

One of the oddest things about the story of Arnel Pineda is that it's not actually quite as odd as it might seem.

Pineda was a bar and club singer working in Manila in 2007, doing some original material but finding an audience mostly for his covers, when he got an e-mail from Neal Schon, the guitarist from Journey. Schon had seen videos of Pineda performing on YouTube and asked him to come to San Francisco and audition to become the band's new lead singer. From Journey fan to Journey member, because of YouTube.

That's the hook of Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey , which opened Silverdocs on Monday night. Director Ramona S. Diaz followed Pineda and the band from the time shortly after he started rehearsing with them through their very successful 2008 tour and their – the word is a cliché, but it applies – triumphant show in Manila in March 2009 when they brought him back home a hero, the successful lead singer of an iconic American band.

There is a certain fairytale quality to all of it – the guy who was singing Journey covers when he suddenly got The Call – but really, it's not that weird. Schon didn't stumble on him accidentally or get an e-mail from someone that said "You've got to see this guy!!!"; he found Pineda while specifically searching YouTube for lead singers, because it's a not-unusual way to find musicians. Maybe he was even looking for lead singers doing Journey songs. Maybe even for lead singers doing Journey songs who sounded a lot like former lead singer Steve Perry – which Pineda surely does. Other than the fact that he was in the Philippines, Schon found his guy the way he set out to find him.

Pineda isn't quite as young as he sometimes seems in the film; he can seem like a kid, but he turned 41 during the 2008 tour. He's a stretch younger than guys like Schon, who's pushing 60, but he's not Justin Bieber being plucked from YouTube because he's never done anything. The story threatens at times to become a wacky internet novelty, but at its best, it's something a bit more satisfying than that. At its best, it's about a working singer – not a YouTube fluke, but a working, day-in-day-out singer who's been playing for years and years – can suddenly find himself jumped to the head of the line, playing to 22,000 people with musicians he's admired all his life. It doesn't have a lot to do with YouTube; the better story is about a band taking a huge risk on a completely unknown quantity because they need a guy and they found one they think will be a fit.

(As a side note, as tempting as the "Don't Stop Believin'" title is, I would have gone with a variation on "Journeyman." Just a suggestion, pun-wise.)

The best parts of the film focus on Pineda; he has a playful attitude toward his own sometimes overwhelming anxiety about the situation into which he's been thrust. He turns out to be a terrific fit for the band, despite his own comment that partly because he's "so Asian," he looks like they Photoshopped him in when Journey has photos taken. In fact, one of the guys in the band comments that bringing something a little more "international" to the "all-American" group is probably an advantage – a prediction that proves true when Pineda helps the band develop an impassioned following of Filipino-American fans in addition to the people back home in Manila. (The security team notes at one point that for some of Arnel's fans, he's "like Elvis.")

But at almost two hours, the film feels long. It comes to what seems like a natural ending at one point, and then it goes on for probably another 20 minutes. There are some background segments on the general history of Journey that don't seem to have been made with the love that went into the Pineda-era stuff, and a persistent subplot about Pineda getting colds and drinking tean — while care of the voice makes a nice tour detail — keeps coming back and back and back but never really goes anywhere.

Then there is also the problem of "Don't Stop Believin'" itself. I don't think it's a spoiler – I really, truly cannot imagine how it could be – to tell you that the film builds to the performance of that particular song. This tour happened after The Sopranos put "Don't Stop Believin'" in the spotlight but before Glee put it there again, and the closing titles of the film point out that it's now the most downloaded song written in the 20 th century. But at some point, waiting for it becomes a bit of a tease, and the build to the performance (and the holding out on playing much of that song after playing most of Journey's others that are well-known, sometimes more than once) turns into a game. I would have dropped the bomb a little sooner, just to avoid the sense of inevitability.

But the film is fun, and it's worth seeing, not because it's the tale of an internet sensation, but because it's the tale of a bunch of guys who really, really want to hear crowds scream – either again or for the first time ever. As much as it's about how a band lifted an unknown singer into a dreamlike world of screaming crowds and far more money than he'd ever known, it's also about how a band found just the right guy at just the right time to help capitalize on the surprise comeback of one of the band's most famous songs. Pineda says at one point that it's like hitting the lotto, what happened to him, but in truth, Schon hit the lotto, too. You can see the guys standing around him at certain moments, looking at him or watching him perform, realizing that he's incredibly grateful to them, but in fact, without him, they are out of luck .

There's an argument to be made that when you set out to find your new lead singer looking specifically for someone who can sing your existing hits and make them sound just like they did when your old lead singer sang them – rather than being primarily focused on a guy who can contribute to whatever your next identity is – you run the risk of essentially covering your own music. Under this theory, Pineda was originally recruited to be the lead singer of the most famous Journey cover band in the world – the one called Journey. But they have since released two albums of new material, and it seems to be a little more than that. It may even be a little more than Schon expected to find on YouTube.

Journey is an American rock band that formed in San Francisco in 1973, composed of former members of Santana and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band members Neal Schon (guitar), Ross Valory (bass) and Gregg Rolie (keyboards) hired singer Steve Perry in 1977 and embarked on a more popular direction. Journey went through another line-up change when Jonathan Cain replaced Rolie, ahead of recording their 1981 album Escape. The LP sold twelve million copies worldwide and featured the songs Who’s Sorry Now and Don’t Stop Believin’, which itself had a curious sales afterlife having only reached the giddy height of 62 in 1982, became a hit again in 2009 due to its use in the US television programme Glee. Steve Perry left Journey in 1998, and Arnel Pineda took over lead vocals in 2007. Image: Marion Curtis/Starpix/Shutterstock

JOURNEY Songs stats

Journey albums stats, journey news.

Official Singles Chart

DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' JOURNEY

WHO'S CRYING NOW JOURNEY

BE GOOD TO YOURSELF JOURNEY

WHO'S CRYING NOW {1989} JOURNEY

DIGITAL EP JOURNEY

SEPARATE WAYS (WORLDS APART) JOURNEY

Official Albums Chart

ESCAPE JOURNEY

FRONTIERS JOURNEY

EVOLUTION JOURNEY

• Peak: 100 ,

RAISED ON RADIO JOURNEY

TRIAL BY FIRE JOURNEY

REVELATION JOURNEY

DON'T STOP BELIEVIN' - THE BEST OF JOURNEY

GREATEST HITS JOURNEY

ECLIPSE JOURNEY

FREEDOM JOURNEY

Official Singles Chart Update

Please note, the data displayed for this chart reflects the title's midweek position only, peak positions on this chart also relate to midweek chart positions. Official Singles Chart Update data available on officialcharts.com goes back to October 2014.

Official Singles Sales Chart

Official singles downloads chart, official albums chart update.

Please note, the data displayed for this chart reflects the title's midweek position only, peak positions on this chart also relate to midweek chart positions. Official Albums Chart Update data available on officialcharts.com goes back to October 2014.

Official Scottish Albums Chart

Official albums sales chart, official album downloads chart, official physical albums chart, official record store chart, end of year singles chart, end of year albums chart, official rock & metal albums chart.

The data displayed for this chart goes back to 1994, however we hope to be able to offer deeper historic information at a future point

Official Rock & Metal Singles Chart

OPEN ARMS JOURNEY

FAITHFULLY JOURNEY

Official Independent Albums Chart

GENERATIONS JOURNEY

LIVE IN CONCERT AT LOLLAPALOOZA JOURNEY

The data displayed for this chart goes back to 1997, however we hope to be able to offer deeper historic information at a future point

Official Music Video Chart

GREATEST HITS 1978-1997 JOURNEY

2001 JOURNEY

LIVE IN TOKYO JOURNEY

LIVE IN MANILA JOURNEY

DON'T STOP BELIEVIN - EVERYMAN'S JOURNEY JOURNEY

ESCAPE & FRONTIERS JOURNEY

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Journey would have been huge in the UK if Radio 1 had bothered to play their records. It took them over 20 years give Don't stop believin' some airplay.

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Americans have never stopped ‘believin’’ in journey’s music.

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(L-R) American rock guitarist, songwriter, and vocalist, Neal Schon, English drummer, Aynsley ... [+] Dunbar, American singer and keyboardist, Gregg Rolie, American singer and songwriter, Steve Perry and American musician, Ross Valory, of the American rock band Journey, pose for a group portrait circa August, 1978 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Randy Bachman/Getty Images)

Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” ranks as one of the most successful rock songs of all time in America, no matter how one judges that distinction. The tune was a hit when it was first released, and it’s still going strong to this day. The smash is so popular, it’s currently on the rise–and it may be helping the band in several ways when it comes to the charts.

“Don’t Stop Believin’” jumps four spaces on this week’s edition of the Rock Streaming Songs chart. That tally, published by Billboard , ranks the most-streamed tunes in the rock genre in America. This frame, the beloved composition pushes from No. 17 to No. 13. It recently passed 400 weeks on the list.

The ongoing success of “Don’t Stop Believin’” is, at least partially, to thank for the surge of another one of Journey’s titles. The band’s aptly-titled Journey’s Greatest Hits is on the rise as well–and on three different Billboard rankings, no less.

Journey’s Greatest Hits improves five spaces on the Billboard 200 this time around. It leaps from No. 80 to No. 75, thanks to a tiny increase in consumption.

According to Luminate, Journey’s Greatest Hits moved another 13,287 equivalent units last week. That figure is up less than 1% from the period before, but that proved to be enough for it to climb. The title sold 2,083 copies last time around in the U.S.

All those sales–as well as what is surely a healthy streaming figure–aided Journey’s Greatest Hits in growing on two other Billboard lists. This time around, it’s up from No. 19 to No. 15 on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums chart. On the Top Rock Albums roster, it gains from No. 16 to No. 12, nearly entering the top 10 once more.

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“Don’t Stop Believin’” is not just Journey’s signature song, it’s one of the biggest and most easily recognizable rock tunes in American history. When it was released in 1981, the tune peaked at No. 9 on the Hot 100. That’s a fairly low position for a cut that went on to spend years on a number of charts and earn a coveted spot in public consciousness that few compositions can manage.

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Legendary rock singer teases new music, return to touring

• Updated: May. 21, 2024, 12:36 p.m. |
• Published: May. 21, 2024, 11:34 a.m.

Steve Perry, the former lead singer for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Journey, has signed with a new record label and is considering a return to touring, he told Rolling Stone. "I never say never at this point," said the 75-year-old Perry. (Photo by Theo Wargo/WireImage for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame) Tribune News Service

• Zach Mentz, cleveland.com

Steve Perry, the former lead singer for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Journey, is teasing new music and a possible return to touring.

Perry served as Journey’s frontman from 1977 to 1987, and again from 1995 to 1998, but went on a 22-year recording hiatus before releasing solo album “Traces” in 2018.

Now, the 75-year-old Perry says he has additional projects in the works.

“I just signed with a new label,” Perry told Rolling Stone . “I’m very excited about it, and I’ll have an opportunity very soon to work with these very, very musically creative people. I’ll probably announce who I signed with very soon. That’s about as much as I can say, but I’m excited about that, and I am working on stuff.”

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Perry also teased the possibility returning to touring, which he didn’t do following the release of “Traces,” which he said was because “Uncle Steve is up in age, and everybody at this age has some aches and pains and things like that.” Perry played his last full-length performance with Journey at the Sullivan Sports Arena in Anchorage, Alaska, on Feb. 1, 1987, and also toured as a solo act in the mid-1990s. He reunited with Journey for the band’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Class of 2017, but chose not to perform with the group at the ceremony.

“It’s something that I’m absolutely missing terribly,” Perry said of touring. “I can’t even tell you how much, but there’s been a big soulful reclaiming of this original feeling that I had about signing that I needed to get back to. I didn’t want to go out and just turn the wheel or turn the crank.

“I never say never at this point. My life has proven me just that,” he added.

Perry also noted that his desire to return to touring isn’t only for him, but in honor of his late father, as well.

“My father was a singer that never got a chance to realize his dreams, and I did,” he said. “I got to tell him years ago, before he passed, that I was doing this not just for me, but for him, too. This is the historical relevance to what I’m going through and rekindling, I think, about my and my voice and touring.”

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Legendary classic rock singer hints at return to touring after 30 years away

• Updated: May. 20, 2024, 11:50 a.m. |
• Published: May. 20, 2024, 11:29 a.m.

Steve Perry, former frontman of Journey, has signed a new recording label contract and hinted at a return to touring. (Photo: Myriam Santos)

• Christopher Burch | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Steve Perry , the legendary ex-singer of the rock band Journey , recently hinted at a return to touring.

The former frontman, 75, told Rolling Stone he has signed with a new recording label, which he did not name.

“I’m very excited about it, and I’ll have an opportunity very soon to work with these very, very musically creative people,” Perry said. I’ll probably announce who I signed with very soon. That’s about as much as I can say, but I’m excited about that, and I am working on stuff.”

Perry took a 22-year hiatus from recording before releasing solo album “Traces” in 2018 although a tour never took place.

The rock singer attributed his absence from touring to old age, concluding “it’s a long story.” He then released an edited version of the album with alternate songs and sketches.

“It’s something that I’m absolutely missing terribly,” Perry told Rolling Stone. “I can’t even tell you how much, but there’s been a big soulful reclaiming of this original feeling that I had about singing that I needed to get back to. I didn’t want to go out and just turn the wheel or turn the crank.”

Perry’s last solo tour took place 30 years ago and his last full-length concert with Journey happened in 1987.

The vocalist performed with Journey primarily from 1977 to 1987, leading hits like “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Separate Ways,” “Faithfully,” “Any Way You Want It” and more.

He rejoined the band for a short performance honoring a late concert promoter in 1991 and to receive a Hollywood Walk of Fame star in 2005.

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