journey gregg rolie reunion

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Journey’s Original Keyboardist Gregg Rolie to Join Band on Upcoming Tour

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The post Journey’s Original Keyboardist Gregg Rolie to Join Band on Upcoming Tour appeared first on Consequence .

Journey will hit the road next month on a North American tour, and you can expect a familiar face to be among them: according to guitarist Neal Schon , original keyboardist Gregg Rolie will perform with the band for the first time in over four decades.

Rolie helped found Journey back in 1973 and left the band in 1980. This past November, Schon teased the idea of a reunion, tweeting a photo of himself and Rolie with the caption, “2 original founding members. I think my brother Gregg Rolie should join us for 2023 tour. What do you think friends? He will spice it up and we will have a great variety of songs to choose from.” Now, Schon has confirmed that Rollie will appear on the “Freedom Tour 2023” in some capacity, replying to a fan on Facebook that “you’ll be seeing him” at the shows.

It’s unclear whether Rolie will perform a full set with Journey on the upcoming trek or if he’ll act as more of a special guest, particularly because Jonathan Cain , who’s held the keyboardist position in the band since 1980, will be on the tour as well. However, the relationship between Cain and Schon has been less than idyllic in recent months; the artists are in the midst of a legal battle pertaining to the band’s finances, and last month, Schon hit Cain with a cease and desist order after he performed “Don’t Stop Believin” at Mar-A-Lago. So it should be an eventful tour!

Journey’s upcoming tour coincides with Freedom , their first new album in 11 years. Grab tickets to one of their shows here , and see Schon’s statements regarding Rolie’s return below.

2 original founding members ???? I think my brother Gregg Rolie should join us for 2023 tour. What do you think friends? He will spice it up and we will have a great variety of songs to choose from. What would you like to hear for the 50th anniversary tour ? A pic.twitter.com/kausFAsdtD — NEAL SCHON MUSIC (@NealSchonMusic) November 27, 2022

Journey’s Original Keyboardist Gregg Rolie to Join Band on Upcoming Tour Carys Anderson

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Now Neal Schon Says Original Journey Keyboardist Gregg Rolie WON’T Be Part of 50th Anniversary Tour

With more plot twists than an afternoon soap opera, now Journey  guitarist  Neal Schon  says keyboardist Gregg Rolie  WILL NOT be back with the band. Schon had previously  teased that Rolie, the band's original keyboardist, would be joining them on their 50th anniversary tour, starting next month.

To bring you up to speed on the high drama surrounding the Journey keyboardist sitch, let's backtrack a couple months to the start of the friction with the current keyboardist, Jonathan Cain . Buckle up.

Schon took legal action against Cain, accusing him of using shutting him out of using a band credit card that had been set up to pay for Journey expenses. Cain responded to the suit, saying that Schon's "reckless spending" was what was really going on. This battle is still ongoing, with the latest being that Schon is claiming Cain's wife was wrongly accessing Journey's funds. This whole thing is still going through the attorneys and what not.

Then, adding to the tension, Schon went ballistic after he learned Cain played “ Don’t Stop Believin’ ” at  Donald Trump ’s Mar-a-Lago resort in late November. Loudwire reported that Cain contributed to a sing-along of  the 1981 hit  alongside politicians such as Kari Lake, Marjorie Taylor Greene and Donald Trump Jr. girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle. Schon filed a cease-and-desist order against Cain to quit using the karaoke favorite in a political setting.

Gregg Rolie, who helped found the band but left before Journey really hit the big time, enters the picture in late November. Schon hinted on Twitter  that Rolie was coming back, saying, "[Two] original founding members. I think my brother Gregg Rolie should join us for [the] 2023 tour. What do you think, friends? He will spice it up, and we will have a great variety of songs to choose from." Then a couple weeks ago, Rolie was  hyped on Schon's Facebook feed when Schon was pumping up the 50th anniversary tour. "You'll be seeing him," wrote Schon.

This reunion was apparently hammered internally, as it  leaked from Schon's wife Michaele that "two band members of the Journey current lineup are 'adamant no' against Gregg Rolie to return." This brings us to the current moment.

After a New York City radio station insta'd a story three days ago (Jan. 14) that Rolie would be returning to the band, Schon wavered. "Not at this moment," Schon tweeted. "Both Gregg and I intend to shed some real light on the subject matter very soon."

Schon, it seems, is still lobbying fan support for Rolie. Yesterday, he retweeted a music journalist who polled Journey fans on a yay for Rolie coming back to the fold.

Jonathan Cain, the band's current keyboardist, is holding firm that he will be on Journey's 50th anniversary run, at least as of a week ago. Cain said he was going to take in some skiing before "hitting the road with Journey."

Will Cain and Journey go their "Separate Ways?" Will the band eventually welcome Rolie back with "Open Arms?" This story keeps on turning. More to come, surely. Journey's tour starts Feb. 4 with Toto .

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Journey’s Original Keyboardist Gregg Rolie to Join Band on Upcoming Tour

The "Freedom Tour 2023" kicks off next month

Journey will hit the road next month on a North American tour, and you can expect a familiar face to be among them: according to guitarist Neal Schon, original keyboardist Gregg Rolie will perform with the band for the first time in over four decades.

Rolie helped found Journey back in 1973 and left the band in 1980. This past November, Schon teased the idea of a reunion, tweeting a photo of himself and Rolie with the caption, “2 original founding members. I think my brother Gregg Rolie should join us for 2023 tour. What do you think friends? He will spice it up and we will have a great variety of songs to choose from.” Now, Schon has confirmed that Rollie will appear on the “Freedom Tour 2023” in some capacity, replying to a fan on Facebook that “you’ll be seeing him” at the shows.

It’s unclear whether Rolie will perform a full set with Journey on the upcoming trek or if he’ll act as more of a special guest, particularly because Jonathan Cain, who’s held the keyboardist position in the band since 1980, will be on the tour as well. However, the relationship between Cain and Schon has been less than idyllic in recent months; the artists are in the midst of a legal battle pertaining to the band’s finances, and last month, Schon hit Cain with a cease and desist order after he performed “Don’t Stop Believin” at Mar-A-Lago. So it should be an eventful tour!

Journey’s upcoming tour coincides with Freedom , their first new album in 11 years. Grab tickets to one of their shows here , and see Schon’s statements regarding Rolie’s return below.

2 original founding members ???? I think my brother Gregg Rolie should join us for 2023 tour. What do you think friends? He will spice it up and we will have a great variety of songs to choose from. What would you like to hear for the 50th anniversary tour ? A pic.twitter.com/kausFAsdtD — NEAL SCHON MUSIC (@NealSchonMusic) November 27, 2022

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Journey's original keyboardist gregg rolie to join band on upcoming tour.

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Journey reunited with long-term frontman Steve Perry at their recent induction to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame, but their original lead vocalist, Gregg Rolie, has also revealed that he and lead guitarist Neal Schon have been discussing working together again.

The two Journey co-founders previously worked together on Santana’s 2016 album, Santana IV , while Schon is due to appear on Rolie’s forthcoming solo album. During an interview with Radio.com ahead of the induction ceremony, Rolie hinted at the possibility of them working together in the context of Journey.

The topic initially came up when Rolie was asked why he didn’t jam with Journey when they played a show with Santana last year. “Well, I’m not quite sure, other than there’s a couple of guys; I’m not in the band,” he said in response. “Neal wanted me to do that, and I wanted to do it, and I think it would be tremendous for fans, but there was a couple guys that voted no.”

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He elaborated further, saying, “And so that’s the way it went. I think it’s a shame. People would’ve loved to have seen everybody on the stage gelling together. That’s what I got into doing this for, and having it be otherwise is kind of silly. I don’t know the reasoning. I don’t care about it. If that’s what it is, that’s what it is. Neal and I will do more stuff, and that’s really where it’s at. Remember, between [former Santana manager] Herbie Herbert and Neal Schon, that’s who started this band. It’s always been Neal’s band.”

Rolie concluded the interview by saying, “I love playing with him [Schon], I always have. I’ve known him since he was 15. I got him into Santana, for God sakes. So he and I have crossed paths so many times, and we’re older and kinder, so we’ll see what happens.”

26 Comments

Chris Hammond

April 29, 2017 at 6:46 am

Totally awesome for Gregg Rolie to hook up with Journey, Neal AND the other members. I know that each member has a vote, everybody should be mature enough to let this happen. Seems like the only threat would be to Jonathan Cain??? The only other would be If Steve Smith has a beef w/Gregg???

Josephine R

July 6, 2019 at 3:20 am

Mr. Rollie I loved what you did in Journey I do love your singing. However you are no Steve Perry. I loved what Steve brought to Journey and were he took Journey. I Love were Arinal is taking Journey. All of you are are so Bless with a gift that only God could have given. During that time you all needed one another. You all still do. No one is greater than another.. Look where you all have been! Steve Perry as well; his path was for time and for always. He well always remain in time. He is timeless. He was meant to do what he did for a season. Now his return will be timeless as I said . He only needs to come out on stage not even sing. He was born for this. God had other plans for him. Mr. Rolie he still has wonderful plans for you listen for it. If you think where you’ve been is all that. You have see nothing yet. Even at this of your life God has his hand on you your music and everything you do in it. I will be listening for Journey, Steve Perry and many others from our time period. I just love music form those that put their heart into music. I want to repeat this so you’ll hear me; because you need to. There are not many Steve Perry’s is this world. Why God choses send them into the world only He knows. Steve Perry is one of a kind. He was sent to Journey for a season. Has you God put it upon his heart to stop. I want you to know I have been praying for Journey for a very long time. Also many other Artist I make it my business to keep you all in prayer. I know that being in TV business over a decade I see a lot. Sometimes more than I care to. Being a Producer it’s no easy when I see who had a gift and who thinks they do and doesn’t. I see it all the time. Some times while I’m recording. I have do what I got to do.Well on I pray you receive this. I email this with a lot of respect. Josephine

synthonaplinth

July 27, 2019 at 5:16 pm

First you say ‘However, you are no Steve Perry’, then you go on to say that ‘No one is greater than another’.

You might want to change one of those comments.

April 29, 2017 at 9:21 am

No doubt Cain. He always looks like he is irritated about something. Maybe he should leave the band and go do his Christian Misic.

April 29, 2017 at 9:24 am

No doubt Cain. He always looks irritated about something.

ElectricFrank

April 29, 2017 at 1:05 pm

Bring the guy back that was replaced by Steve Perry on vocals . Great move

Ed Olsiewicz

April 29, 2017 at 4:00 pm

Honestly I love Journey, but the first three albums are Progressive Rock Classics. I still listen to them at least once a week.

April 29, 2017 at 6:55 pm

That would be Great!Greg and Neal… the icing on the cake would be to get Steve to join you guys.. and to see the MAGIC again… Give us some Blue’s and Soul Again.. Congratulations again to All you guys… thanks for the MAGIC music!

April 29, 2017 at 7:23 pm

Original four piece journey reuniting playing material off of the first three albums would be a dream gig. I would travel thousands of miles to see this.

February 10, 2018 at 11:46 pm

That show happened last night (2/9/18) in SF. Neal Schon, Greg Rolie, Dean Castronovo, and Marco Medoza played for 3+ hours, covering tons of material from the first three Journey albums and the first three Journey with Steve Perry albums when Rolie was still in the band. Amazing show. Check out some of the vids on YouTube.

April 30, 2017 at 1:09 am

I’d love to see that reincarnation of Journey…Schon, Rollie, Dunbar and Valory…wondering who said no…me thinks it was probably Cain…

April 30, 2017 at 4:16 am

I would love to see all the originals back together for a reunion tour.Its time guys!

April 30, 2017 at 7:20 am

How come Steve Perry didn’t perform tonight?

Journey Fan

April 30, 2017 at 9:25 am

Jonathan Cain likes to portray himself as being a good Christian. He even recently released a Christian rock cd. But the guy is all about the almighty dollar these days. He no doubt does not want to share band profits with a sixth member, and his ego is too fragile to be willing to share the stage with another keyboardist of high reputation. Pretty un-Christian-like traits if you ask me. Cain needs to either dedicate himself to continuing to move Journey foreword, or step aside. No more halfheartedly being in Journey. Work on new Journey music or step aside for someone who wants to work.

Roman Picco

April 30, 2017 at 12:59 pm

both keyboardist bring entirely different skills and sounds, plus being that Perry can’t sing like he used to any assistance from Rolie in the vocal department could only help. How awesome would it be to have both Cain and Rolie in the band, Cain also can double up on guitar where needed. The sum of all these attributes could only make Journey even better and truely a super group!

August 25, 2017 at 6:29 am

Here comes the bullshit about the fact that Steve Perry can not sing the way he use to sing! This is not true! He is older now,but his voice still beautiful and perfect like always! He is a great singer and he does not need any help from anybody to sing! Stop making stupid comments like that! Love to see how you can sing any of his songs! Try to do what he does with his voice! If you do well you can perhaps pass this kinda judment!

July 6, 2019 at 1:05 pm

Roman Steve Perry is one of a kind, I repeat one of a kind. This man has something most Artist donor have. He still has his voice class, one thing he doesn’t care what people think. Amen to that he real like you & me. He knows he human. He will always be timeless because of his voice & because of the way he relates to his fans people in central. God not only gave him a voice; He gave him a very special gift to know when to stop . Move on where I want you to go. We’ll revisit music shy. God is not done with Steve Perry Roman not by far. All he has to do is walk on stage not sing the crowd will go wild. This is another gift God has given this man. If he chooses to tour I for one will go see him. If he chooses not to; that’s alright by me. Don’t say he can’t sing with out assistance. Everyone has been judging this man enough already. Let him live has God intents him to. He don’t have that right. May peace be with you. Josephine

Mr P's R&R Riot

April 30, 2017 at 6:59 pm

And the crap continues to fly . They’re not getting any younger . Better get while the gettin’s good .

May 1, 2017 at 2:29 am

That’s probably why Steve Perry is out of all this. Congrats to Steve Perry and Journey for the RRH of F induction!

May 1, 2017 at 3:01 am

The irony is that Rolie recommend Cain to replace him since Journey was going in a more pop direction and Cain had co-written a bunch of hits for the Babys. Now Cain has turned into a big baby…

June 9, 2017 at 12:14 am

Arnel pineda has given 10 years to journey and I for one dont want to see him replaced by Steve or Greg they are the ones that left and Arnel has given his all! As long as he is included Im all for it yes Neal you’ve made it clear its your band but dont forget the ones that have stood beside you thru the years your fans and their fans have been loyal!

July 27, 2017 at 4:50 pm

I BELIEVE CAIN IS THE ONE WHO GOT RID OF STEVE BY GOING THERE AND TELLING STEVE TO COME BACK NOW OR ELSE. DO IT NOW OR WE WILL REPLACE YOU. HOW DARE HE THE LITTLE HYPOCRITE. AND NEAL WENT ALONG WITH IT..THIS IS A GREAT DISAPPOINTMENT TO ME FROM NEAL WHO PERRY WAS GREAT FRIENDS WITH. STEVE HAD A MEDICAL PROBLEM. I KNOW OF THE BITCH’IN PAIN HIP SURGERY IS. BITCH’EN I TELL YOU. AT THAT TIME I HAD MINE I WONDERED HOW OUR TROOPS COULD BE SO TERRIBLE WOUNDED IN THE FIELD AND SURVIVE THE PAIN BEFORE GETTING MEDICAL HELP. I BELIEVE THE PAIN ALONE COULD KILL A MAN.. THERE’S ONLY SO MUCH A MAN CAN TAKE. I’M TALKIN ANYONE WOULD AND THERE WOUNDS ARE HUGE! I LOVE STEVE SO MUCH FOR DOING WHAT WAS RIGHT FOR HIM. HE GAVE UP SO MUCH BUT THE EYES TRULY ARE THE MIRROR TO THE SOUL AND I COULD SEE LONELINESS, HURT, SORROW MANY TIMES IN HIS EYES FROM HIS PICTURES AND HIS MUSIC. BUT WHEN HE LAUGHS ….THE SUN IS IN THAT LAUGH AND I JUST WANT TO HUG HIM. HIS BEST LOOK, WHEN HE’S AT GIANTS GAME IN HIS CAP AND HIS LUMBER JACK SHIRTS. HE LOOKS LIKE A KID. I LOVE THIS MAN. HE TRULY IS A NICE MAN. I JUST FEEL IT! GO STEVE!

August 25, 2017 at 6:39 am

PJ i really respect and love your comment! This is what I really think about Steve Perry! I first heard him singing when I was 8 years old and my brother kept listen to his music throughout the years and I just felt in love with his voice and the lyrics on each song that he did sing! He really can show his feeling with his voice and with his eyes! His smile is just like a child smiling! I really admire his work and as well his beautiful personality! Big hug to you B

January 24, 2018 at 3:13 am

If Ross was the other holdout, I know an easy to get along with 53-year-old bass player who is clean, straight, and healthy, can play Journey’s stuff and sing some backings.

Alan Arnold

June 10, 2018 at 10:44 pm

I just hope they include Aynsley Dunbar in the reunion. His drumming is what gave the original Journey the progressive sound that was so awesome. One of the best rock drummers of our time…. amazing track record and helped elevate Journey as well. http://Www.aynsleydunbar.com

December 5, 2018 at 11:17 am

No matter how hard you try You and the rest will never be the Greatest rock band again (without Steve) yourjust another retro band that old and done!! Steve Perry is was always will be Journey and his awesome Solo albums prove it they stand on they’re own! Texas

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Watch: JOURNEY Co-Founder GREGG ROLIE Joins Band On Stage In Austin During 50th-Anniversary Tour

JOURNEY co-founder Gregg Rolie rejoined the band on stage last night (Wednesday, February 22) in Austin, Texas.

Rolie came up during JOURNEY 's encore at Moody Center ATX to play several cuts from his time with the band: "Just the Same Way" from 1979's "Evolution" album, "Of A Lifetime" from 1975's "Journey" and "Feeling That Way" and "Anytime" from 1978's "Infinity" . Rolie , who was also the original lead singer of SANTANA , and JOURNEY guitarist Neal Schon , who also played with SANTANA during the latter band's early days, then covered SANTANA 's "Black Magic Woman" with help from guitarist Steve Lukather of TOTO , which is the support act on JOURNEY 's 50th-anniversary tour. The JOURNEY performance ended with a rendition of "Any Way You Want It" .

During his time on stage, Rolie told the crowd: "I just wanna say: Fifty years? Fifty years of one band going through changes, but it's like a runaway freight train that just keeps going with no brakes."

Rolie was JOURNEY 's first singer, though his role quickly diminished when Steve Perry arrived in 1977. Gregg left JOURNEY in 1980, just before the band achieved its commercial heights.

Back in 2019, Rolie told Rolling Stone magazine that he left JOURNEY "because I didn't like my life anymore. I've said this a million times and I know there's people that say, 'That's not the reason.' But I left because I was unhappy with what I was doing in my own life. I loved the management. I loved the music. I loved what we built. I just wasn't happy, so I had to blow the horn on it and just stop it.”"

He continued: "Everyone thinks it was because Perry came in and started singing all the leads. My God! Again, I was spread so thin with all these keyboards parts and singing leads, he was a welcome sight to me. And he could sing like a bird! It wasn't too hard to figure out. I was never against it."

Rolie went on to say that he was drinking too much and that he wanted to start a family. He also said that he was happy about the fact that JOURNEY became a household name after he moved on. "I felt very proud that I helped to build something that went to that extreme," he said. "I've always felt that way. Yeah, without me doing this, that might never have happened. But it's not about me. It's about all of it. It's a misconception in this business of, ‘Who does what?' We all did something."

JOURNEY 's tour with TOTO officially kicked off on February 4 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Presented by AEG Presents , the "Freedom Tour 2023" is making stops in Austin, Montreal and Memphis before wrapping April 25 at the brand-new Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, California.

The 2023 run includes rescheduled dates in Washington, D.C., plus Hartford, Toronto and Quebec, which were postponed last year due to the coronavirus.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gregg Rolie (@greggrolie)

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Journey Reflects on New Album, Whether Steve Perry Could Return for 50th Anniversary Shows (Exclusive)

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The rock legends of Journey are approaching nearly half a century of hitmaking with a new No. 1 album and a Las Vegas residency, to boot! ET was with the icons in Sin City for an exclusive look at their orchestral show and to get the inside story on their first new music in more than a decade. 

"Hearing it when it was finished it was definitely emotional," lead guitarist Neal Schon tells ET's Denny Directo of their new album, Freedom , which marks their first full-length release in 11 years. "We had recorded this album in a way different way because of COVID." 

The band recorded Freedom entirely separate from one another, laying down their respective parts individually in different parts of the world. 

"You get lemons, you make lemonade," says keyboardist Jonathan Cain, revealing the surprising silver lining they discovered through the process. "We were stuck at home. We were supposed to be on tour with The Pretenders and everything got shut down. So we just thought, 'Why not?' And we also made the record for half the price. ... We spent half the money, so we got a blessing from it." 

"It will never be the same," vocalist Arnel Pineda chimes in with a laugh. "So we'll do the same thing again to save money, right?" 

Creatively, the band drew on both past and present experiences while striving to stay true to the heart of what fans have come to know and love about them. 

"I feel that we encompassed like a lot from Infinity to where we are now in this album," says Schon, referencing Journey's 1978 full-length featuring their first Billboard Hot 100 hit, "Wheel in the Sky." 

"It's very diverse, it's very musical," he continues. "I’m happy with that. I think it really represents that band well."

In 2023, Journey will celebrate 50 years in the biz. To commemorate their golden anniversary, the group has planned a slew of upcoming performances into the years ahead, including stadium shows and -- in their words: "More pyro!" and "Firing bombs onstage right, bro!" 

With more than 100-million records sold, 19 Top 40 singles and 25 Gold and Platinum albums under their belts, Journey remains one of the best-selling bands of all-time.

Pineda has been a part of that success for 15 years after replacing lead singer Steve Perry in 2007. The 54-year-old says his life went "from black to white" when joining the group. "These guys, I owe so much to them," he says. 

As for whether they would bring back former band members Perry and Gregg Rolie for the anniversary shows, Schon is open to the possibility. 

"I think that those two guys were a big part of the band," he says, "and I think that, you know, if the city permits, I think the fans would overall love it."

Just last week, Journey rocked two of four planned performances from July 15-23 at Resorts World Theater in Las Vegas alongside Violution Orchestra. Only ET was with them for the soundcheck. 

"So much came to life with that orchestra," gushes drummer Deen Castronovo. "I mean, they were already beautiful songs and they have such a life of their own. But when you get that orchestra, it's so lush, man. I mean, it's amazing sounding. It really is." 

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The Real Reason Gregg Rolie Left Journey

While Keyboardist Gregg Rolie gained fame the first time via Carlos Santana 's titular musical group, the musician found even more recognition in the mid-1970s via Journey , a new hard rock group that paved the way to 19 Top 40 singles in the U.S. The keyboardist also took on lead vocalist duties, for the albums Journey and Look into the Future , as well as backing vocal duties on I nfinity, Evolution , and Departure.

Besides keyboards, Rolie had been lead vocalist on iconic Santana hits like "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va," reports Rolling Stone . As Santana launched its Welcome album in 1973, Rolie and lead guitarist Neal Schon had already broken off to begin what is now known as Journey. But the band that Rolie first signed up for was far from the arena rock megastars that took the world by storm in the mid-1980s with hits such as "Don't Stop Believin": "It was a jam band, based on a lot of soloing and a different kind of music, progressive rock," Rolie later said, per Best Classic Bands . "If it were a new band today, we'd be playing with the Dave Matthews Band and Phish. Then after three albums we got hold of Steve Perry through our manager, and we started writing songs for singing, instead of songs where we're going to jam and take this as high as we can."

Family first

Per Neil Daniels' biography  The Untold Story of Journey , Rolie left Journey following the 1980 Departure tour to start a family and undertake various solo projects. It was the second time in his career he had departed from a successful act — he'd also left Santana on a commercial and artistic high. Keyboardist Stevie "Keys" Roseman was brought in to record the single studio track "The Party's Over (Hopelessly in Love)" on the band's live album Captured , with Rolie suggesting that pianist Jonathan Cain of The Babys take over duties as his permanent replacement, according to We Are Classic Rockers.

"I left because I didn't like my life anymore. I've said this a million times and I know there's people that say, 'That's not the reason.' But I left because I was unhappy with what I was doing in my own life," Rolie told Rolling Stone . "I loved the management. I loved the music. I loved what we built. I just wasn't happy, so I had to blow the horn on it and just stop it ... everyone thinks it was because [Steve] Perry came in and started singing all the leads."

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The Real Reason Gregg Rolie Left Journey

Journey co-founder Gregg Rolie is attempting to dispel the myth that he quit the band because he was unhappy about Steve Perry ’s arrival.

Rolie bowed out in 1980, three years after Perry arrived – and just before the band reached their height of fame. Rolie said it has been difficult to share the real story of his departure because the false one is so prevalent on social media.

“I left because I didn’t like my life anymore,” Rolie tells Rolling Stone in a new interview. “I’ve said this a million times and I know there’s people that say, ‘That’s not the reason.’ But I left because I was unhappy with what I was doing in my own life. I loved the management. I loved the music. I loved what we built. I just wasn’t happy, so I had to blow the horn on it and just stop it.”

He continued: “Everyone thinks it was because Perry came in and started singing all the leads. My God! Again, I was spread so thin with all these keyboards parts and singing leads, he was a welcome sight to me. And he could sing like a bird! It wasn’t too hard to figure out. I was never against it.”

Among his reasons for quitting was that he was drinking too much, and that he wanted to start a family, he explained. “And by the way, my family was my best work,” Rolie added. “It truly is. My son and daughter, my wife, it’s extraordinary. I did the right thing, but it just doesn’t play well with the guys on Facebook.”

Rolie also said that he had no problem with the fact that Journey got bigger after he moved on. “I felt very proud that I helped to build something that went to that extreme,” he reported. “I’ve always felt that way. Yeah, without me doing this, that might never have happened. But it’s not about me. It’s about all of it. It’s a misconception in this business of, ‘Who does what?’ We all did something.”

Steve Perry’s arrival heralded a new approach to songwriting for the band, and Rolie said it was a good change of direction. “There was a jam thing with it, but then it got more congruent and more about the vocals and harmonies,” Rolie recalled. “I’d never done that. I found it very appealing. As a matter of fact, to this day, I use those ideas with my own music. It’s maybe not as strong or as many harmonies and triples and all that stuff, but it’s the same attitude. I learned a lot about writing music from Journey and its … journey.”

The Best Song on Every Journey Album

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New Book “Journey: Worlds Apart” Chronicles Band’s Complicated History

Journey: Worlds Apart

“History is a funny thing,” keyboardist Gregg Rolie observed during a recent Journey reunion. In Nick DeRiso’s riveting and lively new book about the complicated fifty-year history of Journey entitled Journey: Worlds Apart, Rolie’ role that night went largely unrecognized while singing the song he popularized while in Santana, “Black Magic Woman.” And some attendees likely had no inkling that long before Steve Perry ever stepped foot on stage, Journey was a Santana offshoot. The band meandered for a good five years trying to find its sound in a state of prog rock and jam limbo before cementing its identity behind the soaring voice of Perry.

In the Spring of 1978, I had the chance to interview Journey when they came to New York to headline a bill with Ronnie Montrose and a then relatively unknown opening band called Van Halen. In the interview room, drummer Aynsley Dunbar was paired with Liz Derringer of the Daily News and I sat with the band’s new lead singer Steve Perry. Perry had a likable quality to him but a certain awkwardness in his new role. It was clear he was still learning to be the front man and spokesperson of a long-standing band whose leadership was with its founders Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie. But Journey was changing and eventually Dunbar would be out and Perry assumed the reins of the band and its expansive sound.

Just three years before, guitarist Ron Wood made his debut in the Rolling Stones playing on a flatbed truck rolling down Fifth Avenue to promote their 1975 tour. It was something drummer and jazz aficionado Charlie Watts suggested based on his love of the old jazz bands in uptown Harlem. Wood started his job and quipped in 2010, “After 35 years people think I’m still the new guy.” Wood will be touring next year on the eve of his fiftieth anniversary. 

By comparison, Steve Perry,  once the “new guy” I met touring behind Infinity , headed Journey for more than a decade but transformed Journey’s nebulous sound into a commercial juggernaut. As author Nick DeRiso writes in his compelling new biography, Journey became a cultural phenomenon with “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Perry’s imprimatur still overshadows everything that preceded and succeeded him and prompted CNN anchor Andy Cohen to say as Journey performed on New Year’s Eve in Times Square, “If it’s not Steve Perry, it doesn’t count! “You get it? It’s not Journey!”

In the new book, DeRiso places Perry in the context of a much larger story and chronology. The book takes the reader through more than fifty years of Journey’s history in sequence as it happened. The book is published by Time Passages which has previously issued two books on the history of the Eagles, Eagles Before The Band and Up Ahead In The Distance . Journey: Worlds Apart details how Journey came to be, prompted by young hotshot guitarist Schon who recruited Rolie to form Journey, originally a concept that evolved out of manager Herbie Herbert’s concept of a conglomeration of San Francisco musicians, the Golden Gate Rhythm Section.

With dense chapters themed around Journey songs and interviews with band insiders, the reader can peruse different points in time at their fingertips. For those of us who grew of age in the early Seventies, DeRiso delves into the pathway albums of Santana that led to Schon and Rolie becoming Journey. Derek & The Dominos’ keyboardist Bobby Whitlock provides great insights into the teen phenomenon Schon who came of age jamming with Eric Clapton and flirted with the idea of joining the Dominos. DeRiso also taps into the vision of Journey’s late manager Herbie Herbert who spawned a whole new business of leasing Journey’s trucks and equipment to other bands and venturing into video production. While detailing the path that Perry made to become Journey’s lead singer, DeRiso charts the path of Robert Fleischman who preceded him (and Steve Augieri and Arnel Pineda who followed.)

While the CBS advertisements for Journey’s albums take you back in time, the book also chronicles the turning point for Journey when Perry joined. As the label’s head of promotion Bob Sherwood notes, “When Journey’s A&R man flew to CBS headquarters in New York City with the nearly completed track of ‘Lights,’ we all knew we had a star lead singer—finally!—and a hit track.” 

Journey’s path to success was not without its speed bumps. I was in the audience at JFK Stadium in 1981 when Journey was thoroughly booed after a rousing opening set by George Thorogood & The Destroyers. DeRiso takes you into that period and details the apathy shown by the Stones’ traditionalists but also the emergence of a loyal long-term fan base that emerged for years to come.

The book charts the path that led Babys’ keyboardist Jonathan Cain to become Rolie’s successor. In an amusing vignette, DeRiso tells the story of how Cain missed a  bus ride and ended up hanging out with Neal Schon and joining Journey. Cain’s songwriting and sense of melody reshaped Journey’s sound and led to the ascension of power rock ballad that defined the Eighties and yielded such hits as “Faithfully,” “Open Arms” and “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Cain’s own sense of estrangement on the road spurred “Faithfully.” His father encouraged his son to always pursue his dreams and coined the phrase ‘don’t stop believin’. The words stayed in Cain’s notebook for five years before Perry asked him to come up with a new idea one night. 

One of the book’s most interesting chapters asks the question “Did Height-Of-Fame Solo Endeavors Doom Journey?” DeRiso probes the events that led to Perry reluctantly making a solo album in response to Schon stepping out of the band. Sadly, the years that Journey didn’t tour led to bassist Ross Valory’s bankruptcy and the sense that Journey withdrew at the apex of its fame. 

Journey fans will revel in the story of designers Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse who created the trademark futuristic artwork for Journey’s covers beginning with Infinity . The book visually displays all of the covers together in a matrix and the book generously features an appendix of sketches of their original designs and concepts. 

DeRiso also explores the burden of legacy as Perry left Journey to be replaced by Steve Augeri. These pages detail the immense resistance the fanbase gave to Augeri. The ascension of lead singer Arnel Pineda, who was discovered on YouTube singing in a Philipines cover band, provides a fairy tale story to Journey’s timeline. The issue of father time challenging Journey’s singers to hit the high notes of their youth partly explains why Perry never reunited with his Rock and Roll Hall of Fame mates at the band’s induction and how Pineda faces the same demons as the calendar contiues to turn.  

Journey’s fractured relationships play out today in the court of social media as band members air their grievances with each other in strings of combustible threads. As Journey prepares for its 2024 tour, it’s hard not to think of Journey as a group of lawsuits masquerading as a band.

Readers will easily be able to alternate between the deep dive features and stories of the day and the choice nuggets that mark points on the extensive timeline.  In the end, the book tells the band’s story with unprecedented depth. Journey: Worlds Apart does a wonderful job of chronicling the events as they happened and providing a cohesive narrative that sums up the band’s complicated history and places it in a larger cultural context. In the end, it tells the story of what made the magic of the music to begin with.

Journey: Worlds Apart is available at Amazon as a paperback and Kindle edition. For more information check here: http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Worlds-Apart-Nick-DeRiso/dp/1734365390/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1702217207&sr=8-1

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Neal Schon Hints Journey Could Be Planning a Las Vegas Residency at Sphere

J ourney’s Neal Schon is hinting that his famous band may be one of the next artists to schedule play a residency at the new Sphere venue in Las Vegas.

Schon posted a message on his social media sites that reads, “How many [of] you would like [to see] a Journey Through Time Type concept concert playing our music spanning from beginning to now at Sphere?” His post also links to an article about jam band Phish’s recent Sphere residency, which features photos of the impressive multimedia presentation that accompanied those shows.

[Buy Journey Concert Tickets]

In a separate note, Schon wrote, “I called this a long [time] ago after evaluating Sphere. The whole thing is built for a jam band. I see … Journey doing it as I did with Journey [Through Time.] all that early material would be explosive with the hits.”

When one fan asked Schon on Facebook, “[I]s this a hint?” the guitarist responded, “[Y]es to Sphere.”

[RELATED: Don’t Stop Believin’: Journey Greatest Hits Album Reaches Rare Milestone]

About Journey Through Time

Schon’s mention of Journey Through Time is a reference to the short-lived group he put together a few years ago that focused on material from Journey’s early albums. The band, which also included founding Journey singer/keyboardist Gregg Rolie, current Journey drummer Deen Castronovo, and veteran rock bassist Marco Mendoza, that played a handful of shows in 2018 and 2019.

Fans Respond to Schon’s Sphere Residency Tease

Schon’s post garnered positive responses from plenty of fans, who posted their reactions in the comments section of his Facebook message .

“Me!!!!!!!!” one fan enthused. “We saw U2 there & after their short residency, I said, ‘We need an epic band to come play here, like JOURNEY!!’ Boy, I hope this is true!!!”

Another wrote, “I would absolutely love that idea!!!!! I wasn’t able to see [Journey Through Time] and I have never heard some of the songs that were sung there live before.”

A third fan commented, “Wish you would bring back the Journey Thru Time lineup w Rolie and make it a full blown tour!”

New Journey Photo Shoot

In other Journey news, Schon revealed that the group was in New York City on April 21 shooting new band photos with Prince’s main photographer, Brian Ach.

“We did 8 locations in 6 hours!” Schon reported. He added, “We are excited to play our last 4 shows with [Toto] before our [co-headlining] tour with [Def Leppard].”

Journey’s Upcoming Tour Plans

The current North American leg of Journey’s 50th anniversary tour, which features Toto as the opening, is mapped out through an April 29 show in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

In early June, the band will head to Scandinavia for a series of shows.

After that, Journey will team up with Def Leppard for The Summer Stadium Tour. The expansive North American trek runs from a July 6 concert in St. Louis through a September 8 performance in Denver. Cheap Trick, the Steve Miller Band, and Heart also will perform on select dates.

Journey will finish the year with a series of October shows in Japan, followed by a fall tour of Ireland and the U.K.

Tickets to Journey’s 2024 concerts are available now via various outlets, including StubHub .

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The post Neal Schon Hints Journey Could Be Planning a Las Vegas Residency at Sphere appeared first on American Songwriter .

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