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Author Topic:  Journey
Larry Miller

 

From:
Dothan AL,USA
Post  Posted 1 Jun 2008 9:26 am    
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This story was on CBS Sunday Morning. Here is the video that Neal Shoen saw while looking for a singer to replace Steve Perry, who did not want to resume his career. Notice the lack of applause at the end. Neal immediately called his bandmates, and directed them to this youtube video. Within 2 days Arnel was in the United States, rehearsing in a warehouse with Journey.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HjcCzgCCX0

you might have to copy and paste this address
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Larry Miller

 

From:
Dothan AL,USA
Post  Posted 1 Jun 2008 9:36 am    
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Here is the new Journey....he got some applause at the end of this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ouRzPQur5vw
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Bob Bowden


From:
Vancouver, BC, Canada * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 1 Jun 2008 10:00 am    
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When I first heard about this, I thought it was just another internet urban legend. It took a visit to Neil Schon's site to confirm it. The youtube videos of Arnel in the Philippines were interesting. An amazing singer with an incredibly weak band. It was a lucky fluke on Schon's part to find those videos but it looks like it has made for a good combination.
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Pete Finney

 

From:
Nashville Tn.
Post  Posted 1 Jun 2008 10:57 am    
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Slightly off topic, but... who'd have ever thought that someday Journey would be part of the "roots of country music"? Cool

I've often thought that a lot of current "country" records sound like a Journey track with a touch of steel or fiddle added (with a fake or exaggerated southern accent optional).

I won't name the "today's hot new country" artist, but she used to do a Journey cover and a Tammy Wynette cover in her set; the Journey cover fit right into the rest of her set, the Tammy Wynette cover sounded completely out of place...

I'm just saying...
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Bob Bowden


From:
Vancouver, BC, Canada * R.I.P.
Post  Posted 1 Jun 2008 1:00 pm    
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Pete Finney wrote:
I've often thought that a lot of current "country" records sound like a Journey track with a touch of steel or fiddle added (with a fake or exaggerated southern accent optional).


Actually I was wondering if Bon Jovi has gone country or has country gone Bon Jovi?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GP7FY_IZmU&feature=related
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Ron Whitfield

 

From:
Kaaawa, Hawaii, USA
Post  Posted 1 Jun 2008 2:21 pm     Don't stop believing!
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After the CBS show, I can't wish Arnel and the band enuf success. I havn't been as moved by anything in a long time.

Steve Perry should finally call Neal and tell him this is the reason that he's held out on them for so long, even if he's just now realizing it.
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Carl Morris

 

From:
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 1 Jun 2008 2:41 pm    
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Wow.

I didn't think I'd ever bother seeing Journey live, why bother without Steve? I say that as a big fan of Neil's playing...but it's still not enough by itself for me to buy a ticket.

But...I'm sold. Thanks for posting this.
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Leslie Ehrlich


From:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Post  Posted 1 Jun 2008 3:16 pm    
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Pete Finney wrote:
Slightly off topic, but... who'd have ever thought that someday Journey would be part of the "roots of country music"?


Way off topic. What does country music have to do with Journey? Rolling Eyes Even today's country music doesn't come anywhere close.
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Pete Finney

 

From:
Nashville Tn.
Post  Posted 2 Jun 2008 6:02 am    
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Leslie Ehrlich wrote:

Way off topic. What does country music have to do with Journey? Rolling Eyes Even today's country music doesn't come anywhere close.


Hey, just my opinion, no need to get upset... but for example: in my opinion a contemporary "ballad" by Martina/Faith/Carrie etc. typically has much more in common in terms of arrangement and production with a Journey "power ballad" of the 70's or 80's than it does with any classic Patsy/Loretta/Tammy country record; with maybe a token amount of steel or fiddle to make it "country". And a typical guitar player touring with a major "country" artist now is at least as likely (and probably more likely) to sound like, and be influenced by, Neil Schon and rock players from that era as by any of the classic "country" players like Hank Garland, Grady Martin, Don Rich or Roy Nichols.

Been to a big touring "country" arena show lately? Not that I would recommend it Cool but for better or worse that's what I see and hear a lot of out there in the world of modern "country" music.
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David L. Donald


From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
Post  Posted 2 Jun 2008 7:56 am    
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I always thought Steve Perry was one of the best rock voices ever.
He could sing feelings and get them across on record and in concert.

I liked Arnel's Faithfull, but had to listen to
Don't Stop Believing to be sure.
This kid's got the voice for sure.
And a nice stage presence.

Good for him he's got the voice.
Not 100% Steve Perry. But I have a feeling
this kid can imitate most anybody he wants.

He did a fine version of Open Arms too.
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Dave Mudgett


From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
Post  Posted 2 Jun 2008 9:19 am    
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Quote:
Way off topic. What does country music have to do with Journey? Even today's country music doesn't come anywhere close.

I completely disagree - I don't think Pete's off-base at all. There are strong connections between Journey, Def Leppard, and contemporary so-called country music like Shania Twain - for example, producers like Twain soon-to-be-ex Mutt Lange and his understudy Nigel Green, the latter of whom has worked with both Journey and Def Leppard.

One can like or dislike this stuff - but it is not out of line to point out the extreme similarity. I think this is what gets the hardcore country folks so riled up: country = big-hair-rock? Yikes. But that's the reality, IMHO.
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Carl Morris

 

From:
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 2 Jun 2008 9:34 am    
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Yeah, it cracked me up to hear Shania's first big record after she got together with Mutt. It was full of little things straight out of Bryan Adams and Def Leppard (maybe even a bit of AC/DC) songs. Not a problem for me since I liked all that stuff anyway, but I can see how it would annoy anyone who was getting that on their radio when they were looking for traditional country.

If the pattern continues, look for "country" records by Dave Grohl within a few more years, as his audience ages out of whatever the grumpy teenagers come up with next.
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Leslie Ehrlich


From:
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
Post  Posted 2 Jun 2008 5:34 pm    
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I really don't care what's happening to country music these days. I don't listen to the radio and I don't watch music videos on TV. If I want to hear good country music I know where to find it.

As for Journey, they fall into the sub-genre of rock music known as 'corporate rock' (sometimes called 'arena rock'). It's that highly polished hard rock music of the late 1970s and early 1980s, featuring US-based bands like Journey, Styx, Kansas, Heart, Foreigner, REO Speedwagon, Jefferson Starship, Toto, and Survivor. I was never really into that kind of stuff, but I will say that Arnel can sing just as good as Steve did.
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Carl Morris

 

From:
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 2 Jun 2008 5:48 pm    
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I've had friends that described Journey the same way, but I see them as being in a different category if you have an appreciation for Neil's guitar work and the interplay between it and the lead vocals. One of my favorite things they did was the last half (well, actually the whole thing but especially the last half) of "Stone In Love". Everybody is entitled to their opinion, but there's no way I'd call playing like that "corporate". It IS suitable for arenas, though Smile.
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Chris LeDrew


From:
Canada
Post  Posted 2 Jun 2008 6:04 pm    
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I was never into Journey, but Arnel gives me goose bumps. The man has passion. He is 40-odd, so he does have lots of experience.
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Ben Elder

 

From:
La Crescenta, California, USA
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2008 6:10 pm    
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I saw the Sunday Morning piece and still wouldn't be able (nor would it improve my life in any way to know how) to tell Journey from Boston from Foreigner from...from...from...numerous other middling seventies sonic clones. Whether Tony, Carmela and Meadow bit it or not at the end of "The Sopranos" bothers me not nearly as much as the lightweight choice of Journey to close the epic series. Movie equivalent: if Lawrence Welk had done the soundtrack for "Chinatown."
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Carl Morris

 

From:
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2008 6:34 pm    
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I've made statements like that myself in the past regarding genres that I had no appreciation for. Different people "feel" different things. My biggest blind spots are the stuff in the "Pearl Jam" and "Grateful Dead" categories. People I respect tell me how great that stuff is and I just don't hear/feel it at all and don't see how anyone could listen to it.

For the people who are into late 70s/early 80s guitar-based rock, the differences between the three bands you mention are huge. But yeah, if it all sounds the same to you, then there's no way it's ever going to do anything for you.
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Chris LeDrew


From:
Canada
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2008 6:41 pm    
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I must confess: Arnel's got me hooked. He is a fabulous vocalist. I've been looking at some other clips. The man has tone.
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David L. Donald


From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2008 7:23 pm    
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Ben Elder wrote:
I saw the Sunday Morning piece and still wouldn't be able (nor would it improve my life in any way to know how) to tell Journey from Boston from Foreigner from...from...from...numerous other middling seventies sonic clones.


Ben I can only conclude you have no knowledge of the style.
These three bands are so drastically different
there is no real comparison except they have
a high voiced tenor lead singer,
use distorted guitars much of the time
with drums with bass.

Not only are the general meters quite different,
but the sounds were quite differentiated

Journey was the most female oriented and slow.
MUCH more piano oriented and as noted closer
to the current country in some ways.

Not having heard them in a while I was amazed
I had forgotten how SLOW these guys played.
And also how fine their piano player is.

Boston is the most technically adept, musically and sonically.
As well as tying the southern rock double
lead sound to a more hard rock sound.
This originally comes from the country double lead sound of steel and guitar.
So there really is a tie in between them and you.

When Boston came out NO ONE AT ALL sounded even close to them.
A heavy sound, but much lighter than typical for the time,
Strongly melodic and smart lyrics.
And much more clarity in production and a totally new guitar tone.
It was a sea change and sold 8 MILLION albums...
I am proud to say I knew these guys BEFORE they made it.
NICE ADULT PEOPLE.

Foreigner the most synth oriented,
but with a more central hard rock guitar from Mick Jones, (notRichie Blackmoor).
They took the Flock of Seagulls era synth dance sound
and successfully grafted it to rock pop.
'Jones's' made them stand out and Lou Gram has
a big voice a bit lower in range than the other two.
I always thought he would have been a killer country singer.
He had a baritine like tone that could go that way if need be.

Yes it is all 70's rock,
but calling these three interchangable is like
calling Hag, Ray Price and The Statler Brothers
interchangable 70's country...

If you know the style, it is that glaring a differentiation.

I cut several eye teeth in the studio in those days,
I absolutely know the production differences involved.
because people regularly asked me to make them
sound like ALL of these guys.

I also played much of this stuff.
The Boston stuff was REALLY hard to play live,
80% of bands couldn't even try...
I was gigging country at the time too,
the steelers were the challenge, but you could
put a decent country band together and work quickly.

Boston cover bands are far and few between.
I can not lump these guys in with most another band of that era.

By the way I heard a country track Tom Scholz of Boston did, not for album.
It sounded a lot like Bakersfield sound.

I am not expecting you to suddenly like this music,
but what you said was just not said from a
position of actually COMPARING them.

Thanks to Jon M. for catching a name mistake I made.
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Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many!


Last edited by David L. Donald on 3 Jun 2008 11:44 pm; edited 2 times in total
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Carl Morris

 

From:
Boulder, Colorado, USA
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2008 8:39 pm    
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David,
I did my best to avoid boring everyone with my opinions on how under-appreciated Tom Scholz is, but it's nice seeing I'm not the only one who remembers him.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Scholz

This quote from him at that page is something probably everyone here can appreciate:

"The [music] business would be a good thing, except that it's dominated by drug addicts and businessmen"

He basically invented everything I like about rock guitar. He was/is the Les Paul of his generation.
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Carl Morris
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David L. Donald


From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
Post  Posted 3 Jun 2008 11:54 pm    
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He used my dad's Scully 8 track to bounce between
his Scully 12 track for the 1st albums tracks.
He mod'ed the electronics and this deck never sounded better.
Plus the 2 tracks that all the lable shopping dubs were copied on.

I can attest that his home recordings were every bit has good
and usually BETTER than most studios of the day.
That's why he never wanted to go into other studios.
Bu the label foolishly couldn't believe it could be so...

A brilliant and very likable and extraordinarily TALL fellow.
Not at all surprising to see he played basket ball,
I rarely remember him inside without head bent to clear the ceiling.

You can't argue with 8 million LP album sales on.
And his technical advancement of guitar amps set
a new standard and jump-started a new industry
for effects and guitar processing.
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DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.

Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many!
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Chris LeDrew


From:
Canada
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2008 6:31 am    
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There are redeeming qualities about Foreigner, Journey and Boston. Amidst the sometimes cheesy lyrics or overblown production exist some really good arrangements, songwriting and playing.

Styx are pretty lame, though. Smile
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Theresa Galbraith

 

From:
Goodlettsville,Tn. USA
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2008 7:57 am    
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Good for Arnel! Smile

Steve Perry should be proud. Arnel compliments Steve well! Smile
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David L. Donald


From:
Koh Samui Island, Thailand
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2008 8:09 am    
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Styx never thrilled me as a whole,
but they had a few really nice things,
especially with the blond guitarist
writing and arranging, I think he's Tommy Young.

A lot of it music WAS over wrought
for lack of a better word.

I think the disconnect for many was the lack of 'blues' in this band.
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DLD, Chili farmer. Plus bananas and papaya too.

Real happiness has no strings attached.
But pedal steels have many!
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Chris LeDrew


From:
Canada
Post  Posted 4 Jun 2008 8:32 am    
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Theresa, I know you don't like negative posts, but I do have to point out the reality of Steve Perry in the midst of things here. Apparently he was due for hip surgery in 1996. The band waited a year and he didn't get it done. So they went in search of a new lead singer and have been ping-ponging guys in and out of that position ever since. I don't think the parting was amicable, so I highly doubt Steve Perry is proud of Arnel; he's more likely seething at the resurgence of Journey as a result of a sound-alike version of himself. I'm sure the royalties are still sweet, though. So whatever crying he's doing is probably into a guitar-shaped pool in the Hollywood hills. Smile

I think Arnel is a great singer, and like I admitted above, I've become a fan of his voice on the strength of video clips alone. But I did A-B Arnel and Steve Perry back to back on youtube. Steve Perry beats the pants off him, when you get right down to it. But Arnel, I believe, can breathe some new energy into Journey and possibly make them a better band than they ever have been - if the songs are there.
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