JOURNEY BAND PAGE
 JOURNEY
|
CURRENT NAME
|
Journey |
|
FORMER NAMES
|
- |
|
ORIGIN
|
California, USA |
|
STATUS
|
Active |
|
FORMED IN
|
1973 |
|
LABEL
|
Columbia Records |
|
GENRE
|
AOR |
|
STYLE
|
- |
|
LYRICAL THEME
|
- |
|
BAND ADDED
|
2005-02-24, 00:00 |
|
LAST UPDATE
|
2007-10-24, 09:32 |
During its initial 14 years of existence (1973-1987),
Journey altered its musical approach and its personnel extensively while
becoming a top touring and recording band. The only constant factor was
guitarist Neal Schon (b. Feb. 27, 1954), a music prodigy who had been a
member of Santana in 1971-1972. The original unit, which was named in a
contest on KSAN-FM in San Francisco, featured Schon, bassist Ross
Valory, drummer Prairie Prince (replaced by Aynsley Dunbar), and guitarist
George Tickner (who left after the first album). Another former Santana
member, keyboard player and singer Gregg Rolie, joined shortly
afterwards. This lineup recorded Journey (1975), the first of three
moderate-selling jazz-rock albums given over largely to instrumentals. By 1977,
however, the group decided it needed a strong vocalist/frontman and hired
Steve Perry (b. Jan. 22, 1949). The results were immediately felt on
the fourth album, Infinity (1978), which sold a million copies withi!
n a year. (By this time, Dunbar had been replaced by Steve Smith.)
Evolution (1979) was similarly successful, as was Departure (after which
Rolie was replaced by Jonathan Cain). Following a live album, Captured
(1981), Journey released Escape, which broke them through to the top
ranks of pop groups by scoring three Top Ten hit singles, all ballads
highlighting Perry's smooth tenor: "Who's Crying Now," "Don't Stop
Believin'," and "Open Arms." The album topped the charts and had sold nine
million copies by 1996. Frontiers (1983), featuring the hit "Separate Ways,"
was another big success, after which Perry released a double-platinum
solo album, Street Talk (1984). When the group got back together to make
a new album, Valory and Smith were no longer in the lineup and Raised
on Radio (1986) was made by Schon, Perry, and Cain, who added other
musicians for a tour. Following the tour, Journey disbanded. Perry went
into a prolonged period of seclusion as Schon and Cain formed Bad E!
nglish with vocalist John Waite. Bad English had several hit singles,
including the chart topper "When I See You Smile," before breaking up.
Perry returned to recording in 1994, releasing For the Love of Strange
Medicine. Although the album went gold, it was a commercial
disappointment by previous standards. In 1996, Perry, Schon, Cain, Valory, and
Smith staged a Journey reunion, releasing the million-selling Trial by
Fire, which featured the gold-selling Top 20 single "When You Love a
Woman," and going on tour. Perry and Smith opted out of the reunion after the
tour, but Journey continued, hiring a new lead singer, Steve Augeri
(formerly of Tall Stories), and a new drummer, Bad English's Deen
Castronovo, who made their debuts on "Remember Me," a track on the 1998
Armageddon soundtrack. The band next re-convened in 2001. Arrival, Journey's
11th new studio album, was released in April. Keep an eye out for their
new album in 2005 or 2006.
| Session musicians Add - Fetch |
| Unknown / none |
|
Official releases
Add
|
| Unknown / none |
