HISTORY PAGE
JOURNEY'S "ESCAPE" LINEUP
- FULL NAME: Stephen Ray Perry, BIRTHPLACE: Hanford, CA, BIRTHDATE: January 22, 1949, PARENTS: Mary & Raymond, SIBLINGS: None. Steve has been called the consummate composer, singer and entertainer, all appropriate terms for Journey's impassioned lead vocalist. Born and raised in Hanford California, he moved to Los Angeles at 18 to fulfill his dream of becoming a singer. Steve worked as a recording engineer and played in various local bands (the Sullies, Ice and Pieces) while waiting for his chance in the music industry. In 1977 a demo tape of Steve's blues/rock band, Alien Project, reached Herbie, then searching for a lead vocalist for Journey. Alien Project dissolved when one of the band members was killed in an auto accident; Herbie contacted Steve and in mid-1977, Steve became Journey's lead vocalist. He plays guitar, piano and drums and lists Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson and Marvin Gaye as his early musical influences.
- FULL NAME: Neal Joseph Schon, BIRTHPLACE: Midland City, OK, BIRTHDATE: February 27, 1954 PARENTS: Barbara & Matthew, SIBLINGS: None. Although Neal was born at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma (his father was in the Air Force), the family moved to California when he was very young. His mother was a singer and his father a band leader, so it's easy to see where he got his musical background. He began playing an instrument at five and formed his first I band (Crime Stompers) while in elementary school. Neal's focus has been guitar since his early childhood, and at 15 he began playing in local rock clubs. It was at a club where he was spotted by Gregg Rolie (Santana) and at only 151, Neal had to choose between joining Eric Clapton's band or Santana--he chose Santana. In 1973, Gregg and Neal made the decision to leave Santana and they joined Herbie Herbert to form a band called Journey. Neal also plays piano and lists Eric Clapton, Alan Holdsworth and Jimi Hendrix as his musical influences.
- FULL NAME: Jonathan Leonard Cain, BIRTHPLACE: Chicago, IL, BIRTHDATE: February 26, 1950, PARENTS: Nancy & Leonard, SIBLINGS: 2 Brothers. Prolific songwriter, brilliant keyboardist and singer, and enthusiastic performer are all terms easily applied to Jonathan. Born in Chicago, he decided at an early age to persue a career in music. He attended the Roosevelt University and furthered his studies at the Julliard School of Music. In 1977, the Jonathan Cain Band was formed and their debut (and only) album was called "Windy City Breakdown." In 1979, Jonathan joined the Babys and it was during the 1980 Journey tour (the Babys were the opening act) that he was spotted by Herbie as a natural replacement for the then departing Gregg Rolie. He joined Journey early in 1981. He plays piano and guitar, and lists Steve Perry as his favorite vocalist.
- FULL NAME: Ross Lamont Valory, BIRTHPLACE: San Francisco, CA, BIRTHDATE: February 2, 1949, PARENTS: Catherine & Mark, SIBLINGS: Five brothers. Ross, the only Journeyman born and raised in San Francisco, originally got into music through a friend who suggested he rent a bass guitar and begin playing in a local band. At 16, he joined his first established band, the Mystiques. They eventually became known as Frumious Bandersnatch and this is where Ross first met Herbie Herbert. After Bandersnatch disbanded, Ross went on to play with the Steve Miller Band for a short time, then joined forces with Herbie again to help form Journey. His musical interests are varied and he has a back ground in rock, jazz, Dixieland, and barbershop quartet. Ross is a multi-talented performer who not only plays bass, but piano, clarinet, guitar and drums as well.
- FULL NAME: Steven Bruce Smith, BIRTHPLACE: Brockton, MA, BIRTHDATE: August 21, 1954, PARENTS: Loraine & Bruce, SIBLINGS: 3 brothers/1 sister. When not performing onstage with Journey, you can usually find Steve with his drumsticks in his hand. He received his first drum kit at 11 and decided to become a professional drummer. After graduating high school, he attended the famed Berkelee School of Music where he studied classical and jazz. He joined Jean-Luc Ponty in 1976, then went on to perform with Ronnie Montrose. In 1979, Aynsley Dunbar left Journey and Steve (who met the band during a tour when Montrose opened for Journey was asked to join. Anyone who has seen Steve perform live soon realizes they are experiencing rock musics premier drummer. In addition to playing with Journey, Steve plays and records with his own jazz group, Vital Information, performing at small clubs around the country. Steve plays piano also and lists Jon Bonham and Steve Gadd as his favorite drummers.
- JOURNEY was born New Year's Eve, 1973 at the San Francisco music hall, Winterland. Much of Journey's success can be ascribed to the diverse talents & abilities of each individual keep the music as fresh and innovative today as it was in the beginning. During its existence (1973-present), Journey has altered its musical approach and its personnel extensively over the years while becoming a top touring and recording band. The only constant factor is guitarist Neal Schon, 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 Neal 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 after Robert Fleischman left. The results were immediately felt on the fourth album, "Infinity" (1978), which had sold a million copies by the end of the year. (By this time, Aynsley Dunbar had been replaced by Steve Smith on drums.) "Evolution" (1979) was similarly successful, as was "Departure" (after which Gregg Rolie was replaced by Jonathan Cain from the Babys). After 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 featuring Steve Perry's smooth tenor: "Who's Crying Now," "Don't Stop Believin'," and "Open Arms." The album topped the charts and has sold nine million copies to date. "Frontiers" (1983), featuring the hit "Separate Ways," was another big success, after which Steve Perry released a successful solo album, "Street Talk" (1984). When the group got back together to make a new album, Ross Valory And Steve Smith were no longer in the lineup, and "Raised on Radio" (1986) was made by Neal Schon, Steve Perry, and Jonathan Cain, who added other musicians for a tour. This, was the end of Journey for 10 years as Neal Schon And Jonathan Cain went on to form Bad English (1989-1991) with John Waite. Steve Smith and Ross Valory went on to form the Storm with Gregg Rolie (1991-present). The Greatest Hits album went on to sell over eight million to date. Steve Smith left the Storm after their first album and went to his Jazz roots in Vital Information. The boxed set "Time3" was released in 1992, and sold incredibly well, the package has been certified platinum (1 million). Also in 1992, Neal Schon and fellow Bad English band member Deen Castronovo formed the group Hardline. Steve Perry went on to release "For The Love Of Strange Medicine" (1994) his second solo album. Steve Perry's first album since Journey's "Raised On Radio" in 1986 and 10 years after Street Talk.
- In April of 1996, the members of Journey -- Steve Perry, Neal Schon, Jonathon Cain, Ross Valroy, Steve Smith -- entered the studio to record "Trial By Fire" Journey's first album of new material in a decade. "Trial By Fire" featured 15 songs (16 on Japan import with the song "I Can See It In Your Eyes") from one of the world's most popular rock bands of all-time. In fact, the band members responsible for such Mega-Platinum successes as the 9x Platinum "Escape," the 8x Platinum "Greatest Hits" album and the 6x Platinum "Frontiers" album came together again for an album of all original material. Steve Perry (vocals), Neal Schon (guitar), Jonathan Cain (keyboards), Ross Valory (bass) and Steve Smith (drums), the lineup behind major hits like "Who's Crying Now," "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Separate Ways" were poised to add to their stellar list of hits. And radio agreeed based on the immediate airplay and success of two of the album's tracks, "When You Love A Woman" and "Message Of Love" and the album went to number 3 on the charts in its first week. Produced by Kevin Shirley (Silverchair) at The Site in Marin County, "Trial By Fire" also featured the tracks "If He Should Break Your Heart," "One More," "When I Think Of You," Columbia/Sony Records announced that the album "Trial By Fire" and the single "When You Love A Woman", had gone "Platinum".
- In March of 1998 Columbia Records released "Journey Greatest Hits Live". The disc captures the band at the absolute height of their power, playing with a raw enthusiasm as if each night might be their last. These long-missing live tapes were unearthed in late 1997 in one of Sony's tape storage facilities. Capturing 1981 and 1983 concerts in Houston, Texas; Norman, Oklahoma; and Tokyo, Japan.
Kevin Shirley, who produced the band's triumphant 1996 reunion album, "Trial By Fire," remixed 16 songs of live materials from the 81-83 shows.
- In May of 1998 singer Steve Perry had announced that he officially left Journey. The split came in the wake of a January 1998 conversation between Perry and Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain in which it was decided that, if Perry's health issues (Perry had been suffering from arthritis in his hip and back) prohibited him from committing to a tour at that time, Cain and original Journey guitarist Neil Schon would reform the band with a new singer. Drummer Steve Smith had also left Journey. Over the past two decades, Steve Perry sang on the group's ten platinum-plus albums. Journey has sold more than 45 million records worldwide. Steve Perry had worked with David Foster and Carole Bayer-Sager in writing and recording "I Stand Alone," the principle track for the soundtrack to the animated feature film Quest For Camelot.
- Journey is currently comprised of new lead singer Steve Augeri
(formerly of Tall Stories), original guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Ross Valory, keyboardist Jonathan Cain, and new drummer Deen Castronovo (formerly of Bad English and Hardline). This new Journey lineup recorded "Remember Me," a track for the soundtrack to the summer blockbuster film Armageddon; "Remember Me" was written by Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain and Jack Blades and was produced by Kevin Shirley. Plans for a new Journey album, as well as a summer tour of Japan and a subsequent tour of the States, are in the works and so the Journey continues...
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