what year did journey form

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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The History Of Journey’s Music

via journey/YouTube

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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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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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

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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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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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• Live Rock Performances

Journey Through the Decades: Exploring the Legacy of the Iconic Rock Group Journey

Rock group journey: a step-by-step guide to their success.

Journey, the iconic rock group that dominated the charts in the 70s and 80s, is one of the most successful bands in music history. Known for their electrifying stage presence and memorable anthems, Journey continues to inspire new generations of fans worldwide.

In this blog post, we will take a step-by-step look at Journey’s success story and explore what made them stand out from other bands during their time.

Step 1: The Early Days Formed in San Francisco in 1973, Journey initially started as a progressive rock band with humble beginnings. The original lineup consisted of guitarist Neal Schon, keyboardist Gregg Rolie, drummer Prairie Prince, bassist Ross Valory and vocalist George Tickner. Their debut album did not achieve much commercial success, but it laid the foundation for what was to come.

Step 2: A New Sound Journey’s sound started evolving in their third album “Infinity” which marked the first time lead singer Steve Perry lent his powerhouse vocals to the mix. This partnership with Perry played a crucial role in shaping Journey’s signature sound that would cement their place in music history.

Step 3: Chart-Topping Hits With Perry onboard as their frontman, Journey’s fourth album “Escape” became an overnight success that catapulted them into superstardom. With hits like “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Open Arms,” and “Separate Ways,” Journey quickly became one of the top-selling acts of all time.

Step 4: Resilience Despite significant commercial success under their belt by the mid-80s, tensions between members led to multiple breakups and changes within the band ‘s lineup. Instead of succumbing to these challenges though—Journey persevered. They bounced back stronger than ever before each breakup preceding another chart-topping hit such as “Send Her My Love,” “Why Can’t This Night Go On Forever?” and “Be Good To Yourself.”

Step 5: Legacy Today, Journey remains one of the most heavily-lauded bands in music history. They have been honored with induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, amid countless other accolades. The band’s style and sound continue to inspire new artists that keep their music alive for future generations.

Journey is a true testament to perseverance, resilience, and dedication in pursuing one’s dreams with an unwavering spirit. Their story is proof that greatness can come through hard work, collaboration with new talent— all while staying true to oneself throughout the journey.

In conclusion, Journey remains one of the pioneering forces in rock music that has stood the test of time. Their legacy continues on through their chart-topping hits, electrifying live performances & inspiring lyrics that have inspired legions of fans worldwide. If you haven’t already, take some time today to listen to Journey’s timeless anthems and appreciate what it means to be truly great!

Your Rock Group Journey FAQs, Answered

The world of rock and roll can be both exhilarating and confusing, especially for new bands just starting out. With so many questions about the process of forming a group , touring, and finding success, it can be difficult to navigate the industry as a new band. Luckily, we’ve compiled some of the most frequently asked questions about rock group journeys and are here to provide you with some answers.

1. How do I form a successful rock band?

Forming a successful band involves several key steps. Firstly, you’ll need to gather talented musicians who share your passion for music and who work well together. Once you have your lineup sorted, it’s vital to spend time developing your sound; this means writing original material that showcases your individuality as a group .

Additionally, networking with other local bands is an excellent way to gain exposure and build connections within the music scene . Keep in mind that being professional – showing up on time for gigs, respecting venues and their staff members – can go a long way toward establishing yourselves as serious artists.

2. How do we get our music heard by more people?

Thanks to social media platforms like YouTube and Facebook, getting your music out there has never been easier! You can also gain exposure by playing live shows in different venues – put together an EPK (electronic press kit) with music recordings, photos of the band performing live etc., approach influential blogs or radio stations in order to get recognition.

Building relationships with other bands can also lead to more gig opportunities: Consider organizing joint shows or collaborating on projects together for wider audience reach.

3. What should we expect when taking our band on tour? Touring is simultaneously exciting yet grueling experience for any Rock-n-Roll outfit — from managing finances while away from home base i.e., paying gas/food bills – it’s necessary that every member pull equal weight in sharing these responsibilities if one falls ill or becomes fatigued- keeping track of equipment, navigating unfamiliar cities and venues with clear directions or GPS, promotional material distribution (to be shared among different show audiences), meeting new fans before moving on.

It can be tough to keep morale up when times are tough such as having little turnout in the audience, sleeping for days in cramped van quarters or not knowing where your next meal will come from. You might experience some transient “road life blues” but if your group manages to stay strong & motivated through rough patches – you will inevitably stick together as a tight-knit team with lasting memories that are both meaningful and epic.

4. What makes a great Rock-n-Roll group?

Great rock bands often share common traits: a powerful, entertaining live presence; a willingness to take risks with their music while staying true to their sound; and creative drive. These groups also tend to have dedicated fan bases thanks to consistent touring and promotion.. Innovation in songwriting is key as well – think about pairing lyrical relatability that resonates with listeners along with technically accomplished musicianship.

Ultimately, it takes personality and hard work too! — the perseverance required of sticking upstanding persistent dedication—all combined together make up that indefinable “X-factor” which draws fans in for an exciting journey.

These four FAQs offer just scratching the surface when it comes to the world of rock band formation, touring footwork & success factors. However, by putting these answers into practice and maintaining passion/commitment throughout the process — you’ll be well on your way towards achieving the rock star status you’ve always dreamed of!

The Top 5 Facts You Didn’t Know About Rock Group Journey

Journey is a household name for anyone who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s. Their music has stood the test of time and they continue to be one of the most beloved rock groups out there. But, did you know that there are several interesting and unknown facts about this iconic band ? Here are the top 5 surprising facts you didn’t know about Journey.

1. Steve Perry wasn’t their first lead singer When most people think of Journey, they immediately picture Steve Perry’s remarkable vocals. However, Steve Perry was not their original lead singer! In fact, Journey had three other lead singers before Perry joined the group in 1977 – Gregg Rolie (who went on to join Santana), Robert Fleischman, and George Tickner.

2. The song “Don’t Stop Believin'” almost didn’t make it onto their album “Don’t Stop Believin'” is without a doubt one of Journey’s biggest hits, but it almost didn’t make it onto their classic album Escape. The band initially left it off the album because they felt like it needed more work. It wasn’t until their producer convinced them to record it again that they finally agreed to include it on the album – and we’re so grateful they did!

3. They’ve broken up multiple times Despite being known as one of the bands that defined an era, Journey have actually broken up multiple times throughout their career. After increasing tensions within the band led to temporary break-ups in 1980 and 1983, guitarist Neal Schon was determined to keep Journey going even when others were uncertain about whether or not they should stay together as a group .

4. Their hit song “Separate Ways” has an infamous video The music video for “Separate Ways” is notorious among fans as one of the worst music videos ever made. Shot entirely in front of green screens with very basic graphics, the video features the band members awkwardly playing their instruments while poorly choreographed female models dance around them. The result is cringe-inducing, but has still managed to become a cult classic in its own right.

5. Journey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame… without Steve Perry In 2017, Journey was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame – but Steve Perry didn’t show up to perform with them. In fact, they performed with their singer at the time, Arnel Pineda, who had been discovered on YouTube by guitarist Neal Schon. While some fans were disappointed that Steve Perry didn’t make an appearance, his contributions to Journey’s legacy were not forgotten during their induction speech.

In conclusion, Journey may have been around for decades and produced timeless classics like “Don’t Stop Believin'”, but there are still plenty of lesser-known facts about this iconic band that will surprise even diehard fans! From lineup changes to notorious music videos and Hall of Fame inductions sans lead singers – these five facts just scratch the surface of what makes Journey such a fascinating group .

A Look At The Discography Of Rock Group Journey

Journey is a classic rock band that has been captivating audiences around the world for over four decades. With their powerful vocals, energetic guitar riffs, and memorable choruses, this group has left an indelible mark on the music industry. Their timeless songs have continued to inspire generations of fans and musicians alike, solidifying their place as one of the greatest rock bands in history.

Let’s take a closer look at the discography of Journey, starting with their first album “Journey” released in 1975. This album featured hits such as “Of A Lifetime,” “In My Lonely Feeling/Conversations,” and “To Play Some Music,” which showcased the band’s progressive rock sound . Although it did not achieve commercial success at the time of its release, it set the foundation for future albums to come.

Their second album, “Look Into The Future” was released in 1976 and helped to further establish Journey’s unique sound . The album featured songs such as “I’m Gonna Leave You,” “People,” “Nickel And Dime,” and more that were notable because they incorporated elements of progressive rock mixed with traditional blues-rock elements.

Their third album, titled “Next” was released just one year later in 1977. This time around Journey opted for a mainstream rock sound with songs like “Spaceman” and “Kahoutek”. Things really picked up steam for the band after lead vocalist Steve Perry joined forces with them in 1978.

With Perry onboard, Journey’s fourth studio album titled “Infinity” was released which proved to be a game changer for them on the charts. Released in 1980 it contained hits like “Feeling That Way”, “Anytime” & “Wheel In The Sky”, amongst many others – helping the album go platinum three times.

The next year brought forth another significant milestone for Journey as they released Escape (1981), an album that defined their sound in the mainstream, highlighted by tracks such as “Don’t Stop Believin’,” “Open Arms,” “Who’s Crying Now”, and “Stone In Love”. All of which helped this blockbuster album achieve the sales accolade of a diamond certification.

Their seventh studio album, Frontiers (1983), continued in the vein of Escape with anthems like “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” and power ballads such as “Faithfully.” They also mixed things up with a bit more synthesizer use than their previous albums, depicting a new era for Journey’s musical style.

Journey’s eighth album Raised on Radio (1986) marked another creative shift. With Perry at the helm once again on lead vocals, they moved away from their signature rock guitar sound to include funk R&B beats on songs like “Girl Can’t Help It” and “Be Good To Yourself.”

Subsequent journeys into reunited line-ups have seen continual sonic changes over time, however many fans will always identify Steve Perry as providing the trademark trademark awareness throughout much of Journey music history.

In conclusion, Journey has left a lasting impression in rock history with an impressive discography that spans several decades. From their early days as a progressive rock band to their rise to chart-topping success with hits including “Don’t Stop Believin’,” and incorporating sounds ranging through blues-rock into pop-rock throughout its careers; it’s clear that each album spotlights something unique about them. Whatever your favorite era or lineup may be — one thing is certain: Journey’s music will continue to inspire and captivate fans around the world.

Inside Story Of The Rise And Fall Of Rock Group Journey

As one of the most beloved American rock bands of all time, Journey captured the hearts and minds of fans across the globe with their soaring ballads and electrifying performances. From their humble beginnings in San Francisco to their meteoric rise to fame in the 1980s, the story of Journey is a tale of triumph and tragedy that will forever be etched into the annals of music history.

The genesis of Journey dates back to 1973 when former members of Santana, Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie, joined forces with drummer Prairie Prince, bassist Ross Valory, and guitarist George Tickner to form a new group. The band’s early sound was heavily influenced by jazz fusion and progressive rock, but as they began recording and touring extensively throughout the mid-70s, they gradually evolved into a more mainstream rock outfit.

In 1977, Journey released their fourth album “Infinity,” which marked a turning point in their career. The record was a commercial success thanks to hits like “Lights” and “Wheel In The Sky,” launching them onto arena stages across America. By 1981’s chart-topping “Escape,” which gave us epic power ballads like “Open Arms” and “Don’t Stop Believin’,” Journey had cemented themselves as one of the biggest acts on the planet.

However, behind closed doors things were far from rosy for the band . Struggling with addiction issues and personal conflicts between members led to lineup changes over the years including Steve Perry replacing Rolie on lead vocals in 1977 before himself being replaced by Arnel Pineda in 2007 amid Perry’s struggles with vocal damage.

In addition to those internal problems member infighting also led to break ups following differences over style-disconnect after Shearhart stopped writing songs when they hired Jonathan Cain causing some frictions between member.

Despite these challenges though, Journey remained an incredibly popular live act, drawing huge crowds to their shows with their catchy hooks and anthemic choruses. They continued to release albums throughout the 90s and beyond, but the magic of the peak years was never quite recaptured.

Today, many fans fondly remember Journey for their iconic hits, from “Open Arms” to “Don’t Stop Believin’,” as a testimony that despite hardships and failure one can rise back stronger than ever. Their story reminds us that success in music requires not only talent but also perseverance, grit, and resilience; journey showed strength even in moments when they had all odds against them. And though their era might have passed into history books but always an adventure continues for rock lovers as they follow other great bands hoping tales-such journeys repeat through innovation or interchanging achievements even today to lead future generations towards endless possibilities rather than repetition of same glory-days narratives.

Experience the Evolution of Music with Rock Group Journey

Journey is one of the iconic rock bands that took the world by storm in the late 70s and early 80s. The band’s distinctive blend of rock, classical, and progressive music marked them out as visionary musicians whose sound would continue to influence audiences for decades to come.

The history of Journey dates back to their founding in San Francisco in 1973. The group originally started out with the name Golden Gate Rhythm Section but quickly changed it after they recruited Neal Schon, a guitar prodigy who had played with Carlos Santana on his first three albums. Alongside keyboardist Gregg Rolie and drummer Aynsley Dunbar, Schon helped create a unique style that blended traditional rock with more experimental sounds .

Journey’s early years were characterized by a constantly changing line-up, but in 1977 things came together when Steve Perry joined as lead vocalist. With Perry’s soaring voice fronting the group, they began recording hit songs like “Wheel In The Sky,” “Lights,” and “Any Way You Want It.” These tracks helped propel Journey onto the national stage making them one of America’s most popular rock groups .

One notable example of their talent is their iconic song “Don’t Stop Believing” which has stood the test of time becoming an anthem for generations. Its catchy melody combined with meaningful lyrics made it an instant classic among fans and critics alike. In fact, this song is so widely appreciated that it even appeared in many films including “Rock of Ages”, “Family Guy: Partial Terms of Endearment” among others.

Journey continued to evolve throughout their career, experimenting with different musical styles while staying true to their core values as musicians. There is no doubt that without Journey’s contribution to rock music there wouldn’t be modern-day classics like ‘Arnel Pineda’s Faithfully’ which was released about Thirty-seven years after Arnel joined the band in 2007. Although the members have changed over time, their music remains timeless; proving that they were not just a fleeting trend, but rather one of rock music ‘s greats.

So there you have it, Journey’s musical evolution from a group of talented musicians seeking to create something original and memorable to becoming one of rock’s most influential bands. With their legacy firmly cemented in the annals of music history, Journey will continue to inspire and captivate audiences for generations to come!

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INDUCTED BY

Pat Monahan

Call the style what you will-arena rock, stadium rock, concert rock-Journey dominated in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

Journey performed ballads and scorchers with equal skill and passion led by Neal Schon’s remarkable guitar and the soaring vocals of Steve Perry.

HALL OF FAME ESSAY

By Robert Bourke Warren

In the seventies, and especially the eighties, rock music became an international force, with album sales resulting in packed arenas and stadiums.

Thanks to technology and a shrinking globe, bands suddenly reached untold millions; a hit song, beamed via satellite from culture to culture, could now touch hearts globally. Few groups embraced such unprecedented reach with as much enthusiasm and skill as Bay Area-based Journey.

The Californians not only rode the tsunami wave with panache, they created a template for bands aspiring to this level of engagement with fans. Most impressive, they are still at it, four decades on.

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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

Van Halen Lead Singers In Order: A Journey Through the Years

Black Sabbath Singers In Order: Ever-Changing Lineup of Black Sabbath

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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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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A lthough once described in the Los Angeles Times as "America's most soulless band," Journey has sold 75 million albums worldwide.

The band formed in San Francisco in 1973 when two former members of Carlos Santana's group came together at the urging of Santana's former manager, Herbie Herbert. Neal Schon on guitar and Ross Valory on bass guitar were initially joined by George Tickner, guitar; Prairie Prince, drums; and Gregg Rolie on vocals and keyboard.

Journey's heyday did not begin until Steve Perry took over as lead singer in 1978, a role he held until leaving to pursue a solo career in 1987. Although a frequent target of critics — "histrionic" is a common label for his singing — Perry was considered technically among the best rock singers of his generation.

In 1981, when Journey toured in support of its hugely successful "Escape" album, Times rock critic Robert Hilburn placed the group amid the "Big Buck bands" that put together "several highly successful rock elements and blended them into a slick, highly accessible package."

More recently, the band — which has a petition on its website urging fans to push for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame — has enjoyed renewed interest in "Don't Stop Believin'," a song that topped out at No. 9 on the charts when it was originally released.

Its use in the famous last episode of "The Sopranos" in 2007 was so definitive that one might have thought any future soundtrack appearances, at least unironic ones, had been whacked. Yet it is still played for purposes of sincere inspiration too, offering a self-contained climax to Fox's pilot of the new series "Glee" or Broadway's "Rock of Ages."

Current keyboardist Jonathan Cain doesn't credit "Sopranos" creator David Chase with the revival. He credits Adam Sandler — he knew something was up when the song provided a laugh in 1998's "The Wedding Singer."

"Adam Sandler didn't actually sing it, but there was this little string quartet playing it, and that was the beginning. Who knew?" Cain said.

Those strings might have been going for nostalgic chuckles, but few other uses of the song have — least of all sports teams such as the Chicago White Sox, which adopted it as its theme for the 2005 World Series. Multiple Detroit franchises employ it because of the lyrical mention of "south Detroit" (even though most Michigan natives contend there is no such place). The entire crop of "American Idol" contestants sang it on a 2009 results show. TV dramas "Cold Case" and "CSI" bring it out as a cultural reference point. Performers not known for their sense of irony, including Martina McBride and Kanye West, have earnestly encored with it on tour.

Cain says he had just signed on with Journey when he, Perry and Schon cowrote the song. "I had the title and the last chorus, so I brought it in and we worked backward. That was one of those great days to be in a band," he said.

Perry briefly united with the band in 1997. Journey still tours with original members Schon and Valory, as well as Cain, who replaced Rolie on keyboards in 1980. Deen Castronovo has played drums for the last decade, and Philippine-born Arnel Pineda has been the lead singer since 2007.

— Megan Garvey for and Chris Willman in the Los Angeles Times June 28, 2010 and July 1, 2009

• 'Don't Stop Believin' ' as pop-cultural touchstone
• More from the archives about Steve Perry

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Journey Artistfacts

• 1973-1987, 1996- Neal Schon Guitar, vocals 1973- Ross Valory Bass 1973-1986, 1995-2020 Gregg Rolie Keyboards, vocals 1973-1981 Prairie Prince Drums 1973-1974 George Tickner Guitar 1973-1975 Aynsley Dunbar Drums 1974-1978 Randy Jackson Bass 1985-87, 2020- Steve Perry Vocals 1977-1987, 1996-1999 Steve Smith Drums 1978-1986 Jonathan Cain Keyboards 1981- Steve Augeri Vocals 1999-2006 Jeff Scott Soto Vocals 2006-2007 Arnel Pineda Vocals 2007- Deen Castronovo Drums 1998-2015 Jason Derlatka Keyboards 2020- Narada Michael Walden Drums 2020-
• The group started out as more of a prog-rock band with the vocals downplayed. For their first three albums, Gregg Rolie was their singer as well as their keyboard player. Their label, Columbia wasn't happy with their poor sales numbers, and pushed the group to get tighter and more radio-friendly. Adding Steve Perry did the trick; he joined for their fourth album, Infinity , and set them on a course for stardom. Rolie left in 1981.
• They broke up in 1987 and re-formed in 1996 for the album Trial By Fire . Perry developed a degenerative hip condition which prevented the band from touring for the album, but against his wishes, the band went on without him, touring with Augeri instead.
• A wildly popular band, Journey was often dismissed by critics as disposable pop. Grammy voters clearly disdained them, giving them only one nomination (Best Pop Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal for "When You Love A Woman" in 1997 - they lost to " Free As A Bird " by The Beatles). They were eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000, but weren't let in until 2017, when it was abundantly clear that people were still listening to Journey and would be for quite some time.
• In 1999, they toured with new lead singer Steve Augeri. Augeri grew up listening to Journey albums, and did lots of Journey covers before joining the band. He sounds almost exactly like Steve Perry. The first recording with Augeri was for the Armageddon soundtrack.
• Randy Jackson, who later became a judge on the US TV show American Idol , played bass for Journey in 1986 on the Raised On Radio album. He also toured with them that year and the year after. >> Suggestion credit : homer - Dallas, TX
• As a teenager, Schon turned down an opportunity to join Eric Clapton's band Derek and the Dominos. He did later join Santana.
• Smith's drumming has broadened over the years partially due to his involvement in the jazz group Vital Information.
• Prior to joining Journey, Perry sang in many commercials. One of them was for a Chicago Amusement Park.
• Schon is the founder of Schon Guitars, which markets and sells instruments he designed himself. They are manufactured by Jackson.
• Dunbar played with Jeff Beck, John Mayall, Lou Reed and David Bowie before Journey. He would later join Jefferson Starship.
• Perry's band Alien Project was almost signed to CBS Records in 1978, but then their bass player was killed in a car crash. For Perry, this led to landing the vocalist spot in Journey.
• Schon met Rolie while they were both members of Santana. Between their times in the two bands, Schon played with others in the San Francisco area, while Rolie opened a restaurant with his father in Seattle.
• When the group formed, they held a contest on the San Francisco radio station KSAN-FM to come up with the name of the band, the winner getting tickets for life to their shows. The names terrible - stuff like Rumpled Foreskin and The Mound Pounders. John Villanueva, who worked in the band's management, came up with the name Journey, and they created a fake winner for the contest, an imaginary listener named Toby Pratt.
• Valory had been bassist for the Steve Miller Band and Prince had played with the Tubes. He decided after a few gigs with Journey that he wanted to stay with the Tubes.
• According to Jonathan Cain, Steve Perry brought a Bible into the studio when they recorded their last album with Perry, Trial By Fire (1996). Cain later found religion and married the renown megachurch preacher Paula White in 2015. "This really opened my eyes," Cain said of Perry's affirmation of faith. "I was still in the wilderness, but God was planting seeds in me."
• Schon and Cain formed Bad English in 1987 with John Waite, who was lead singer in Cain's pre-Journey band The Babys. They had a #1 hit in 1989 with " When I See You Smile ."
• Before taking the name Journey, they were known as The Golden Gate Rhythm Section.
• Steve Augeri is the voice on the single "Remember Me." He was replaced in the summer of 2006 by Jeff Scott Soto, who was dismissed in June 2007. >> Suggestion credit : Kevin - Newcastle upon Tyne, England
• In late 2007 Arnel Pineda was announced as their new lead singer. He got the job after posting a video on YouTube of him performing in a Journey cover band in The Philippines called The Zoo. >> Suggestion credit : Bertrand - Paris, France
• They opened the Rolling Stones' 1981 North American tour on September 25 in Philadelphia.
• Neal Schon pronounces his surname "sh - on" (not "sh - own"). He says he's more concerned with folks spelling his first name correctly - he's often listed as "Neil."

Comments: 30

• Anonymous from Rockland Maine Steve Perry was once seen wearing an ACDC shirt and I for one think that he is a little strange. but he is a good singer.
• Dave from South West Michigan Listen to Deen Castrnovos vocals. He rivals all of them and still is writing and performing new music..you would be hard pressed to think it sounds like perry or penida. Or they sound like him (Still they ride) and playing the drums at the same time !
• Mo from Mesa Arizona I just saw Journey in Las Vegas, they were awesome. Great musicians, but I just wished Steve Perry would appear from backstage. Still, Arnel sang the words, but Perry brought the emotion. The first time I saw them, it was Soundstage, I believe that was the name. It was a long time ago...
• Sherry from Middleboro, Ma I saw Journey/Frampton/John Waite concert back in 2001. When Journey played, you would swear it was Steve Perrys voice. Steve Augeri sounded just like him!
• Isabella from Gresham, Or In my opinion, Journey will never be the same without Steve. Just like it wouldn't be the same if Neal or Jonthan left.
• Glenorglenda from Jone's Junction, Md You know the video for 'Seperate Ways' when they are all playing the 'air' instruments. That was voted the single gayest thing ever by the citizens of planet earth. Steve Perry tried hard to out-gay that video, but he never did anything quite that gay again.
• Stacey from Shawano, Wi "Don't Stop Believing is the greatest song ever!!! Journey is amazing and isn't the same without Steve Perry.
• Rob from Jemseg, Nb, - You have to admit, Journey is one of the staples of all-time rock music. It's music continues to be featured in movies, TV shows, anthems and so on. Fortunately, other than the music produced, Steve Perry was the vocal power house that gave Journey it's sound. Unfortunately, even though the band likes to continue with their longevity, I believe they are on singer #3 since Steve Perry dropped from their line-up. Moreover, as much as the band and Steve Perry are estranged at this point, the band always seems to find someone who can produce the same vocal range of Steve Perry. Who is to say if Steve Perry and Journey would ever become one again, but as a music connoisseur, I would love to see Journey and Steve Perry reunite and return to the big stage once more.
• George from Bronx, Ny Aynsley Dunbar had a solo album I once listened to. It was like a street corner bar in Chicago in the 1950s and he looked like he had just stepped out of it. Around time of the "Joy Scout Jamboree" and "Marriage on the Rocks".
• Menzo from Glasgow, United Kingdom Aynsley Dunbar played with UFO for a short period
• Lester from New York City, Ny Their album 'Next', the one prior to Steve Perry joining the group, is an excellent album. It sounds nothing like Steve Perry's version of Journey.
• Lacy from Antigo, Wi I never got to see Journey with Steve Perry or Steve Augeri but I was told by a friend of the band that Augeri wasn't the nicest person to get along with and he was asked to leave mid-tour. I saw them with Def Leppard in Milwaukee last September and they had Jeff Scot Soto, he has an amazing voice and deserves a lot of respect for getting up there and doing what he does for the fans.
• Samantha from Missouri, Mo The wheels in the sky, keepin on turnin, i don't know where i'll be tommorow....I LOVE THAT SONG!!!
• Dani from Oakland, Ca sorry but perry was in the band way longer then augeri. just to let everyone know.... STEVE AUGERI IS NOT IN THE BAND ANYMORE. i know this band personally and they have a new singer and he is in the band officially starting a few days ago. i saw him live. no one will ever match perry's talent but he might come back some day because he DOES have the talent still.
• Mike from Germantown, Md The Golden Gate Rythym Section?
• Mike from Germantown, Md Didn't Steve Augeri lose his voice?
• Ben from Baltimore, Md In my personal opinion, Steve Perry has the greatest voice of all rock music.
• Tracy from Omaha, Ne Journey is coming to Omaha where I'm from. And I am a huge fan. I would really like to go. But it will not be Journey. The Best Lead singer in all rock history will not be the front man. Steve Perry is Journey.. !!!!
• Judy from Bridgeport, Ca Although I've never been lucky enough to see Journey live, they are one my all time favorite bands, and I go to tears every time I hear "Faithfully". In my opinion, no other singer can match Steve Perry on that or any of there other songs. There haven't been that many bands that have replaced a lead singer and ben the same. Now Journey will be playing Reno about September 3rd, and word here in our little town 113 miles south is that some tickets were in the $100.00 price range at first, and now they're up to $300.00 and up.....ouch!! Does anyone know the truth about this?? Thanks, Judy
• Jt from Tullahoma, Tn Wow, that was Augeri on Remember me? I thought Perry did that one. The two sounded so damn alike to me. I hate people who just try to be too critical. It's like the people who say My Sweet Lord and He's so fine sound nothing alike. They're the same song to me. Augeri sounds just like Perry. I think he rocks.
• Kevin from Newcastle Upon Tyne, England I'm really starting to get tired of the "I hate Augeri" bandwagon. I am a massive Journey fan and have listened to them ever since I was a kid and for the first time in my life I had the honour of seeing them live in Edinburgh on June 2nd and let me tell you that although Augeri doesn't sound like Perry, he sang the classics in his own unique way and did them justice and I'd pay to see them again, and considering Augeri's been in the band longer than Perry, to me that says something. ( I am in no way dissing Steve Perry, he was a fantastic singer in his day but I doubt very much his vocal range could take the demands of a tour anymore)
• Frank from Fircrest, Wa CAPTURED--DIXIE HIGHWAY! I WAS THERE AT THE SAN DIEGO SPORTS ARENA FOR THEIR CONCERT (RECORDED LIVE IN 1981)!
• Sara Mackenzie from Middle Of Nowhere, Fl journey = NOT THE SAME WITHOUT STEVE PERRY!! i mean, sure, he left for many reasons and wanted to (as neal schon asked him to also) but they don't sound the same before, back in the '80s.
• James from Windsor, Ca I was a student teacher when one of Schon's children was in Kindergarten in Novato, CA back in 1993-1994. I was working with the teacher in the adjacent classroom. Schon attended his child's Open House. Isn't that sweet?
• Latoya from Dallas, Tx Journey IS NOT Journey WITHOUT STEVE PERRY! HIS VOICE ALONE is what made them who they are!!
• Joann M. from Mesa, Az Agulaie DOES NOT SOUND LIKE STEVE PERRY!! We saw him at a state fair, he spent the whole time prancing aound on stage.all he needed was awand and Fairey wings. We ended up leving about 1/2 way into the show, half of the crowd also left. msbunnie
• Dawn from Highlands Ranch, Co Bassist Ross Valory left the band around 1986 during the making or Raised on Radio, but came back for the making of Trial By Fire in 1995, and he is with the band to this day. And whether Steve Augeri sounds like Steve Perry is purely a matter of opinion. I don't think he sounds anything like Perry, and I can clearly tell the difference between the two.
• Windle from Montgomery, Al Aynsley Dunbar is also the drummer on many Frank Zappa songs and played with Frank in concert. skipper B)
• Windle from Montgomery, Al Aynsley Dunbar is also the drummer on may Frank Zappa songs and played with Frank in concert. skipper B)
• Marsha from Concordia, Ks Actually, the name Journey was picked by a roadie, when the radio contest produced no viable or fesable names.

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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

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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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When Did Everything Become a ‘Journey’?

Changing our hair, getting divorced, taking spa vacations — they’re not just things we do; they’re “journeys.” The quest for better health is the greatest journey of all.

By Lisa Miller

Drew Barrymore has been talking with Gayle King about her perimenopause “journey ,” and the soccer phenom Carli Lloyd has just divulged her fertility “journey .” By sharing her breast cancer story, Olivia Munn has said she hopes she will “help others find comfort, inspiration, and support on their own journey.” A recent interview with Anne Hathaway has been posted on Instagram with a headline highlighting her “ sobriety journey ,” and Kelly Clarkson has opened up about what Women’s Health calls her “ weight loss journey .” On TikTok, a zillion influencer-guides lead pilgrims on journeys through such ephemeral realms as faith, healing, grief, friendship, mastectomy, and therapy — often selling courses, supplements or eating plans as if they were talismans to help safeguard their path.

Listen to this article with reporter commentary

“Journey” has decisively taken its place in American speech. The word holds an upbeat utility these days, signaling struggle without darkness or detail, and expressing — in the broadest possible way — an individual’s experience of travails over time.

It’s often related to physical or mental health, but it can really be about anything: “Putting on your socks can be a journey of self-discovery,” said Beth Patton, who lives in Central Indiana and has relapsing polychondritis, an inflammatory disorder. In the chronic disease community, she said, “journey” is a debated word. “It’s a way to romanticize ordinary or unpleasant experiences, like, ‘Oh, this is something special and magical.’” Not everyone appreciates this, she said.

According to the linguistics professor Jesse Egbert at Northern Arizona University, the use of “journey” (the noun) has nearly doubled in American English since 1990, with the most frequent instances occurring online. Mining a new database of conversational American English he and colleagues are building, Egbert could show exactly how colloquial “journey” has become: One woman in Pennsylvania described her “journey to become a morning person,” while another, in Massachusetts, said she was “on a journey of trying to like fish.”

Egbert was able to further demonstrate how the word itself has undergone a transformative journey — what linguists call “semantic drift.” It wasn’t so long ago that Americans mostly used “journey” to mean a literal trip, whereas now it’s more popular as a metaphor. Egbert demonstrated this by searching the more than one billion words in a database called COCA for the nouns people put before “journey” to clarify what sort they’re on. Between 1990 and 2005, the most common modifier was “return,” followed by words like “ocean,” “train,” “mile,” “night,” “overland,” and “bus.”

But between 2006 and 2019, usage shifted. “Return” remains the most common noun modifier to journey, but now it’s followed closely by “faith,” “cancer,” and “life.” Among the top 25 nouns used to modify “journey” today are: “soul,” “adoption,” and “hair.”

In almost every language, “journey” has become a way to talk abstractly about outcomes, for good reason: According to what linguists call the “primary metaphor theory,” humans learn as babies crawling toward their toys that “‘purpose’ and ‘destination’ coincide,” said Elena Semino, a linguist at Lancaster University who specializes in metaphor. As we become able to accomplish our goals while sitting still (standardized tests! working from home!), ambition and travel diverge. Yet we continue to envision achievement as a matter of forward progress. This is why we say, “‘I know what I want, but I don’t know how to get there,’” Semino explained. “Or ‘I’m at a crossroads.’”

So it’s not surprising, perhaps, that as Americans started seeing good health as a desirable goal, achievable through their own actions and choices — and marketers encouraged these pursuits and commodified them — the words “journey” and “health” became inextricably linked. In 1898, C.W. Post wrote a pamphlet he called “The Road to Wellville,” which he attached to each box of his new product, Grape-Nuts. In 1926, the Postum Cereal Company republished the pamphlet as a small book , now with the subtitle, “A Personally Conducted Journey to the Land of Good Health by the Route of Right Living.”

The language (and business) of self-help so completely saturates culture, “it gets kind of hard to trace where a word started and where it came from,” said Jessica Lamb-Shapiro, author of “Promise Land: My Journey Through America’s Self-Help Culture.” Americans like to put an optimistic, brave spin on suffering, and “journey” seeped in because, Lamb-Shapiro speculated, it’s bland enough to “tackle really difficult things,” yet positive enough to “make them palatable and tolerable.”

“Journey” had fully entered medical speak by the 2010s. Many cancer patients recoiled from the “battle” language traditionally used by doctors, as well as by friends and relatives. In “Illness as Metaphor,” Susan Sontag had noted back in 1978 that “every physician and every attentive patient is familiar with, if perhaps inured to, this military terminology.” But now, opposition to the notion of disease as an enemy combatant reached a crescendo. To reflexively call an experience of cancer a battle created “winners” and “losers,” where death or long suffering represented a failure — of will, strength, determination, diet, behavior, or outlook — on the part of the patient.

Many patients “detest” the military metaphor, Robert Miller conceded in Oncology Times in 2010. Knowing this, Miller, then a breast cancer oncologist affiliated with Johns Hopkins, said he struggled to find the right words in composing a condolence note to a patient’s spouse. “I welcome suggestions,” he wrote.

“Journey” seemed less judgmental, more neutral. In Britain, the National Health Service had started to almost exclusively use “journey” language in reference to cancer (treatments were “pathways”). Semino, the metaphor expert whose father had died of cancer at a time when patients’ diagnoses were hidden from them, wanted to examine how patients talked about it — and whether that language caused them harm. In a research paper Semino published with colleagues in 2015, she looked at how patients talked about their cancer on forums online and found that they still used “battle” as often as they did “journey,” and that “journey” could be disempowering, as well.

For some people, talking about cancer as a “journey” gave them a sense of control and camaraderie — buddies traveling the same path — but others used the term to convey their exhaustion. Having cancer “is like trying to drive a coach and horses uphill with no back wheels on the coach,” one man wrote. Patients used “journey” to describe just how passive they felt or how reluctant to bear the burden of their disease. Separately, patients have told Semino how much they hate the word “journey,” saying it trivializes their experience, that it’s clichéd.

But it was too late: The metaphor already was everywhere. In 2014, Anna Wintour was asked which word she would like to banish from the fashion lexicon and she said, “journey.” The following year, Yolanda Foster, the mother of Gigi and Bella Hadid, told People magazine that while she was on her Lyme disease journey, two of her children were afflicted, too. Medical journals and government publications began describing insomnia , the effort to achieve health-care reform , diabetes , and the development of RSV vaccines as a journey. The term “healing journey,” in use since at least the mid-2010s, blew up around 2021. The phrase in news media referenced the experience of cancer , celebrity weight loss , trafficking of Indigenous children , Sean Combs’s creative process , spa vacations , amputation , and better sex .

On the Reddit channel Chronic Illness, one poster eloquently fumed that persistent sickness is not a journey. “It’s endless, pointless and repetitive. There’s no new ground to gain here.” The cultural insistence on illness as a journey, from which a traveler can learn useful, or even life-changing lessons, becomes something to “disassociate from, survive, endure.” It “causes social isolation.”

Although she concedes its downsides, Stephanie Swanson likes to think of herself as on a journey. Swanson, who is 37 and lives in Kansas City, was an engineer by training, with three young children, a career and a sideline as an aerialist, when she got long Covid in the summer of 2022. The things that had made her successful — her physical stamina, her ability to solve problems — evaporated. “I’ve had to give up my career, my hobbies, my physical abilities,” she said. “I’ve gained 30 pounds on my tiny dancer body. I’m doing the best I can with what I have.”

Swanson makes a distinction between “journey” and “trip”: The latter is circumscribed by a start, an end, and hotel and restaurant reservations along the way. She sees “journey” as a way to capture the arc of a whole life.

When she was running operations at a medical center at the University of Kansas, she always imagined slowing down to enjoy her kids more or to read a book, but “I felt like my head was going to explode.” Now Swanson has become a person who must rent a wheelchair for her upcoming trip to New York City, and she likes how “journey” accommodates all the challenging, unexpected circumstances she confronts. “To me, the word ‘journey’ resonates with choosing to be on a path of acceptance but not standing still,” she said. “I’m not giving up, but recognizing that this is the path I’m on.”

Ramani Durvasula uses “journey” advisedly. A clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who treats women in emotionally abusive relationships, she recognizes how “journey” has been “eye-rollingly cheapened” and has started to experiment with alternatives. She’s tried “process.” She’s tried “healing trajectory.” But she falls back on journey, because it, more than any other word, expresses the step-by-step, sometimes circular or backward nature of enduring something hard. “Arguably, a journey doesn’t have a destination,” she said. “Have you ever taken a hike in a loop? And you end up exactly where you parked your car?”

But Durvasula does object to the easy-breezy healing so many journey hashtags promote, what she calls the “post-sobriety, post-weight-loss, now-I’m-in-love-again-after-my-toxic-relationship” reels. Too many TikToks show the crying in the car then the cute party dress, skipping over the middle, when people feel ugly, angry, self-loathing, and hopeless. “I want to see the hell,” she said. “I want to see the nightmare.”

When in 2020 a Swedish linguist named Charlotte Hommerberg studied how advanced cancer patients describe their experience, she found they used “battle” and “journey,” like everyone else. But most also used a third metaphor that conveyed not progress, fight or hope. They said cancer was like “imprisonment,” a feeling of being stuck — like a “free bird in a cage,” one person wrote. Powerless and going nowhere.

Read by Lisa Miller

Audio produced by Tally Abecassis .