My journey of Journey

[Tony]

Generations

In 2005 Journey released their second studio album with replacement singer Steve Augeri. Dubbed “Perry with a perm”, Augeri did okay filling in the shoe’s left behind by Perry. This would ultimately be the last album with Augeri and drummer Deen Castronovo. Augeri had been suffering from chronic throat infections and it became so bad that sometimes they would resort to prerecorded vocals. For a short while Jeff Scott Soto was the replace for Augeri before he, too, was let go.

Generations has a little bit of a twist to it by having each band member be lead vocals on at least one song. Cain sings “Every Generation”, Castronovo sings “A Better Life”, and “Never Too Late”, Schon has “In Self Defense”, and Valory sings “Gone Crazy”. Although this twist is unique, the album overall is very weak compared to Arrival. Its highest position on the Charts was #170.

My favorite song from the album would have to be “Knowing That You Loved Me” or “Faith In The Heartland”. Both aren’t that great and I feel like I’m back in pre-Perry albums with material that doesn’t stick out or capture any interest.

The band would ultimately find a Revelation in Arnel Pineda, a 40-year-old Pilipino, who will help bring them out of a rut that had since Arrival in 2001.

Track Listing:
1. "Faith in the Heartland"
2. "The Place in Your Heart"
3. "A Better Life"
4. "Every Generation"
5. "Butterfly (She Flies Alone)"
6. "Believe"
7. "Knowing That You Love Me"
8. "Out of Harms Way"
9. "In Self-Defense"
10. "Better Together"
11. "Gone Crazy"

[Tony]

Revelation

In 2008 Journey released their most recent album, Revelation, with new front man Arnel Pineda. Arnel is third person that have replaced former frontman Steve Perry. Perry, who was let go in 1998, had left a void that the band that they desperately tried to fill. Their first replacement, Steve Augeri, was a good replacement, but ultimately did not work out due to chronic throat infections. Jeff Scott Soto, who had been a part of the band for just a brief period, never recorded an album with the band.

Guitarist Neal Schon discovered Pineda as he was searching for a new lead singer. A fan of Pineda’s Pilipino band had uploaded a clip of them covering one of Journey’s songs. After a few emails and a few phone calls Pineda was on a flight to the United States to meet the band. After just a few songs they knew that Pineda was perfect for the position.

Schon and Cain wrote most of the songs of the new album while bringing over “Faith In The Heartland” which Augeri had previously recorded on their album Generations. The album sported three singles; "Never Walk Away", "Where Did I Lose Your Love", and the power ballad "After All These Years". My favorite track on the album, however, is “Like A Sunshower”. It is kind of odd, but in a pleasant a way.

This album also featured a second disc of some of Journey’s greatest hits rerecorded with Pineda. Pineda sounded fine on the first disc, but listening to him do songs by Perry I could quickly tell the differences having heard Perry’s versions so many times. Pineda does not have the range that Perry had and seems to have a slight accent at times. He also enunciates the lyrics more fully than Perry did so you actually know what he’s singing during parts where you may have wondered what Perry was belting out.

Overall, the album is great. It easily beats out Arrival and Generations for the post-Perry band. After touring across the globe for their new album they are going to do a tour here in the U.S. I will have two chances to see them which would be my first time seeing any Journey band member. In July they’ll be in Cadott, Wisconsin for Rock Fest. And on the second of September they will be in Saratoga Springs which is 40 minutes from Albany which is where I go to school.

Rock Fest will be my testing ground for hearing the band live. If they are awesome, and I’m 98% sure they will be, I’ll dumb a few hundred dollars on a VIP pass for them in Saratoga Springs and try and meet them in person. I can only imagine how surreal it would be to meet people who have influenced your life for so long.

In October or November they plan on hitting the studio to record their fourteenth studio album. Unlike the last one where Schon and Cain wrote most of the songs, they are going to bring Pineda in on it. Pineda has written his own stuff before in his other band and is no stranger to song writing. Schon has said on his blog at Journey’s website that he knows this upcoming album will be a hit. And I have to say, not knowing what they wrote but going off Revelation, I am sure he is more than right.

So ends a chapter in my journey of Journey. It is not the end, however, but a new beginning. Pineda will surely be a good replacement for Perry and they band will receive some much deserved success. And who knows, maybe Steve Perry himself will come out of his self imposed exile from the music world and whip up a new album. They are already rumors floating about that he’s been working on a new album. Great things are going to come soon and I will stand here and witness it.


Disc 1
1. "Never Walk Away"
2. "Like a Sunshower"
3. "Change For the Better"
4. "Wildest Dream"
5. "Faith in the Heartland"
6. "After All These Years"
7. "Where Did I Lose Your Love"
8. "What I Needed”
9. "What It Takes To Win"
10. “Turn Down the World Tonight"
11. "The Journey (Revelation)"

Disc 2
1. "Only the Young" (from Vision Quest soundtrack, 1985)
2. "Don't Stop Believing" (from Escape, 1981)
3. "Wheel in the Sky" (from Infinity, 1978)
4. "Faithfully" (from Frontiers, 1983)
5. "Any Way You Want It" (from Departure, 1980)
6. "Who's Crying Now" (from Escape, 1981)
7. "Separate Ways" (from Frontiers, 1983)
8. "Lights" (from Infinity, 1978)
9. "Open Arms" (from Escape, 1981)
10. "Be Good to Yourself" (from Raised on Radio, 1985)
11. "Stone in Love" (from Escape, 1981)