"Journey, will they ever get back to be a real band ?"

I was reading through The Late Great Marcel Jacobs blogs recently. He made some good point two years ago. Granted Journey has sold bunch of copies of the last album and had many successful shows , but Marcel pointed out some good points. RIP Marcel


Wednesday 17 October, 2007

Journey, will they ever get back to be a real band ?
  

Probably not! I was planning to write about Journey later. But last night, the insomaniac that I am, I surfed sites I don't visit regularly. And I came across the information that there is a guy named Arnell Pineda that supposedly might be the new singer for Journey.
I had to check him out, like I did Jeremy and Hugo when the talk's been about them. This guy Arnell sings better than either of those two, but I still can't help but wonder what he sounds like when he is Arnell and not impersonating real vocalists...which he does pull off though.

But if I was Arnell I would think joining Journey over quite a bit. What kind of career would it be trying to be Steve Perry night after night ? Would I want to take the risk of public humiliation getting fired for no real reason, especially since I would have to sign a one way contract regulating my possibilities of giving my side of things ? Do I need to be given the silent treatment by Neal whenever he feels upset over something, which apparently happens more often than not ? Do  I need to be treated like an intruder by their callous and moneygrubbing management whenever I wonder if I'll get paid, even though I'm supposed to be in the band ?
I think I'd tell them to fuck off...

They had the chance of moving forward with some prospect of having a new sound. Instead they seem to want to, much like old people who start to reminisce, go back to what they once were. Apparently they don't see that it will be fake.  For Arnell Pineda, if he does join, maybe it will be a great move going from a cover band like the Zoo apparently is, to a better and more well paid cover band gig. For Schon & Cain maybe it's a good move going from a real singer like Jeff to someone who can fake it to their liking. For the Journey fans, well, if I was one, I would feel quite cheated.

Me, I am still angry about the inhuman manner in which Jeff was treated. Enough has been said about it, probably. I just hope people won't forget.

By the way: Edge of the blade is one of my favourite Journey songs. It was suggested some years ago that Human Clay should contribute a cover for a Journey tribute CD. That never came to fruition. But since we still have it and it will never be released anywhere, I chose to put it on here for a while, just to show interested people how cool Journey could have been had they not elected to look for a SP clone...hurry up and download, I'll eventually remove it.




 

He of course makes some good points. And he also of course had very personal views too, being so close to JSS. And I too still feel we were cheated out of a new fresh sound I was ready for. But then arnel did come along and they did make a new album that was relatively successful. They have consistantly toured and sold those tickets filling the venues with people happy and LOVING what they are seeing and hearing. Being a lover of the music and having no inside knowledge prior to JSS, I'd say they are still a relevant band. Audiences don't lie. And it IS nostalgia that is selling the tickets, so the average fan does not care if it is JSS, SA, AP or SP himself. They are there for the music we all grew up with. Very few know the inside scoop and how badly they have treated past members. Most don't care if you try to tell them. They just wanna hear the music. Look at how many people still enjoy Foreigner and they have one original member. People just want the live music.

Marcel via Behshad wrote:....Do I need to be treated like an intruder by their callous and moneygrubbing management whenever I wonder if I'll get paid, even though I'm supposed to be in the band ?

The above sentence is the one that should ring true, that fans don't want to ever consider being even remotely true....because it ruins the magic for them.

The fact remains that this is a VERY COMMON issue with Journey. They don't like paying people....if they can get away with screwing someone out of money, they will do it dispassionately.

It's not a matter of if Arnel get's stiffed....it's a matter of when and how much....and whether he's been stiffed already!

General fans don't care because they are there to hear the music. When ever I have tried to tell people things I know about the band I get an I don't care reaction or they look at me like I am some loser groupie and why should I have wanted to know all those things anyway. They see it as band business. Not fan business.

No matter how you look at it , in addition to live shows , you want your favorite band to grow.
Journey is stuck at the same place they been for two decades.
To some a band selling music and touring is being relevant , to me creativity and producing a fresh new sound that combines the bands original sound with the new centurys modern sound is the true music.

Journey will always get the recognition for their dirty dozen , but it's a shame that they limit themselves where they could actually create a new set of dirty dozens and in a way show Mr Perry that they can indeed carry on the legacy to a higher place without him.

Jeff sent me the Human Clay version of Edge back when we talked regularly. Always thought that was a cool version.

Behshad wrote:No matter how you look at it , in addition to live shows , you want your favorite band to grow.
Journey is stuck at the same place they been for two decades.
To some a band selling music and touring is being relevant , to me creativity and producing a fresh new sound that combines the bands original sound with the new centurys modern sound is the true music.

Journey will always get the recognition for their dirty dozen , but it's a shame that they limit themselves where they could actually create a new set of dirty dozens and in a way show Mr Perry that they can indeed carry on the legacy to a higher place without him.

While this is true, it really doesn't matter. The thing is ALL the classic bands are doing the exact same thing that Journey is. Making money on their past.The past sells tickets. I have been to enough Def Lep concerts in the last two years to know that for sure. When they try their new songs, people leave to the bathroom or for beer. The people buying the tickets don't care. I should say the majority of them. Die hard fans will always want more from any band they follow. But the average fan who buys a ticket to every classic concert that comes to town, wants the classic songs. Although in Red Rocks I was surprised at the people around me who knew some of the new songs.

I was in freaking Erie, Pa a couple weeks ago in a little Italian restaurant and one of the NEW Journey songs was on the radio. "Never Walk Away" was playing and I said to my husband "this sounds like journey" not paying attention to what it was right away, and then it hit me, it WAS Journey. New Journey with AP. So people are hearing the music. They did something Def Leppard has had trouble accomplishing. Getting their music played on mix stations. Def Leppard can only get their play time on country music stations these days. It's unfair to say they aren't continuing success. Only the die hard fan may be disappointed. And die hard fans of JSS

Thank you for sharing this, Behshad. It was a great read.

I agree with pretty much everything said. What I do disagree with is your statement that perhaps Jeff could carry on the legacy to a 'higher' place. As much as I loved Jeff's time in the band, I don't believe he would've been able to surpass SP. But that was ok with me. He was doing his own thing with the music, and that's why I think I was more able to accept him as their lead singer. That, plus the fact that I got to meet a lot of great people in the process of learning more about him & the band. It was a wild and crazy ride and I had a blast!!!

Oh, I would like to add. Europe would be an example of a band that has grown. They did move on to a more modern sound and kept themselves relevant. In Europe anyway. Here in the U.S., very few people know. I happen to LOVE the new sound and I am glad they continued on that path. But I bet there are fans who wish they had stayed true to their original sound. Some people want to hear that old sound they grew up with. It's a nostalgia/comfort thing or something. I am for either. Impress me with new sounds, or give me the old sound, and I am happy. I love all kinds of music and I don't expect that much from my geriatric classic bands

The thing is ALL the classic bands are doing the exact same thing that Journey is

Not exactly the case. Cheap Trick are the true known 4 and their new album kicks ass. No karaoke singer from across the world Home Depot or anything else but the real deal. Ditto with Rush.

Behshad wrote:No matter how you look at it , in addition to live shows , you want your favorite band to grow.
Journey is stuck at the same place they been for two decades.
To some a band selling music and touring is being relevant , to me creativity and producing a fresh new sound that combines the bands original sound with the new centurys modern sound is the true music.

Journey will always get the recognition for their dirty dozen , but it's a shame that they limit themselves where they could actually create a new set of dirty dozens and in a way show Mr Perry that they can indeed carry on the legacy to a higher place without him.

Seriously, do YOU believe that is even possible?

I don't.

Ed wrote:

The thing is ALL the classic bands are doing the exact same thing that Journey is

Not exactly the case. Cheap Trick are the true known 4 and their new album kicks ass. No karaoke singer from across the world Home Depot or anything else but the real deal. Ditto with Rush.

Ed, no disrespect cause I know you love them, but Cheap Trick is an opener for an opener. A lot of people dont' even take their seats until after they have left the stage. I saw it happen in the several times I've seen them with Journey last year. Their new songs are not having radio play time, and Journey's are. I am not an "Arnel" freak. I am far from it, believe me. The only two I have any respect for on that stage are Deen and Arnel because I believe them to be decent people. But I go for the live music. Nothing else.

Rush is a different story. They have always had a huge following. Of course I have no idea what any of their new music is, and I don't think I have heard any new "Rush" songs getting radio airplay either. I have never been a fan. But they have enough of a huge fan base that they have kept themselves relevant too. You can hate Journey all you want, hate Arnel all you want, but they HAVE made themselves relevant again with their new album and their publicity when he took the reigns. It shows in the audiences I have witnessed myself.

Lynn, I understand what you are saying. No disrespect taken.

I just feel that Trick are the one legitmate American Band who are in tact. I have never understood why they have always been in the background, but they have recorded tons of albums through the 80's and 90's that are quality and not rested on their laurels.

I don't hate Arnel - but if he could fly, I wouldn't cast him in a Superman movie.

what other american bands can say what CT can say as you just stated Ed? Not many. REO? Nope. 38? Nope. Survivor? No-and they are the most unfortunate ones because Jimi is a God and those idiots in Survivor do not realize what theyve lost.

Ed wrote:Lynn, I understand what you are saying. No disrespect taken.

I just feel that Trick are the one legitmate American Band who are in tact. I have never understood why they have always been in the background, but they have recorded tons of albums through the 80's and 90's that are quality and not rested on their laurels.

I don't hate Arnel - but if he could fly, I wouldn't cast him in a Superman movie.

I feel the same way about Europe. They are still intact. They have GREAT new songs and they can't seem to get noticed here in the states at all. It says a lot when a band can stay intact and that is one of the reasons I catch Def Lep whenever they are touring, even though Joe's voice gets worse and worse. I want to support that. And I am there for the live guitar, bass, drums, not just the vocals. And I enjoyed Cheap Trick live. My favorite song is The Flame. But I never followed them beyond their hits, being a casual fan, so I am lost when they sing other things. So I know how the casual Journey fan, DL fan, etc. feels when they whip out the new stuff. People like to dance and sing a long to the oldies. I just saw Heart again for the 4th time and it amazes me that Ann can still hit those notes. It IS great to hear original sound. Journey has no choice though with SP out of the picture for good. And they can't please every die hard fan, no matter who they pick for that lead vocal spot.

Ed wrote:I don't hate Arnel - but if he could fly, I wouldn't cast him in a Superman movie.

Holy crap, can you imagine that?

Up, Up and arrray!