My interview comments
Posted: Sat Mar 29, 2008 1:57 pmI haven't read all of the other comments...but here's mine.
A few things:
What he said about REO, Styx, Foreigner, etc. having all of their hits long before Journey had theirs...and that Journey's first 'hit' was "Who's Cryin Now?" is hypocritical crap.
Journey and the others basicaly followed the same timeline. There are some deviations, obviously, but the bottom line is those bands hit BIG between 1980 and 1982 with : Hi Infidelity, Foreigner 4, Paradise Theater, and Escape. Those albums launched the genre to new popularity, and lanched all of those bands to a new level. If Journey's first hits came with Escape, then it is the same with the others and their respective albums.
I also never believed Kansas and Rush copied Journey. I would put them in the same category as Prince copying "Faithfully"...an "oops..." moment. Those songwriters are not excactly the same level as Vanilla Ice copying Freddie Mercury.
The comments about the rerecording old songs. Micky Thomas rerecording Starship is a lot different then a new singer coming into Journey and rerecording songs, IMO. Then there is the FACT that we have been treated over and over again with Sony's remasters and rereleases. We have heard this all before. I can't imagine this being anything other then a dud.
I think he nailed the comments about Chalfant. He should have been there in 1998, and with Rolie and Herbert 1995. It's not suprising to me that Herbie felt that way.
It's interesting to me, however, that he says that one reason he may not have been chosen was because of Chalfant being over 40. But, he seems to like Arnel...is he not 40?
Which brings me to the last comments that they are now headed in the right direction and it is time to support them. A couple things about that.
He said the "inmates were running the asylum" during Next. Are they not doing exactly the same thing today? In my opinion, and I don't expect Herbie to share it, the last time Journey deserved our support was in 1998. The last few years they have not shown any consideration towards their fans - at all. That entire attitude has really soured me to the entire situation. That kind of attitude does not deserve my support.
He also said Journey snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. They have done that SEVERAL times: in 1985 by letting Perry run the show, in 1995 by choosing a reunion with Perry over a real band with Rolie and Chalfant, and from 2003 or so by caring about nothing except for money and touring to get it. I, as a fan, am supposed to feel they have earned my support? I don't think so.
His comments about JSS were interesting...I basicaly totaly agreed with him back when I posted when I saw the show. DL came off as the "rock stars". Journey came off as a band still trying to find themselves and not sure what they were doing. JSS is fine singer, but it did not feel right with Journey - at all.
There were so many things that Journey could have done over the past 10yrs and they let every opportunity fade away. Nowadays, I truly feel that 'it' has faded away. There will be a Journey as long as Neal Schon is alive and people pay to see the band...However, the mystique that surrounded this band, the 'spirit', the energy, whatever, will never be there again...not like it was in the 80's, and not even like it was with Augeri.
I see them now as a band touring to perform songs they recorded up to 30yrs ago for a bunch of nostalgia fans...not for their love of the music, or the fans love of the music. They are basicaly stuck as a band some oldster saw 25yrs ago and would like to see again to remind them of what it was like to be young...Or, to the young kid who thinks it would be cool to feel what it was like to be a kid 25yrs ago. They are not doing it for reasons I can look at and give my support and thumbs up to.
A few things:
What he said about REO, Styx, Foreigner, etc. having all of their hits long before Journey had theirs...and that Journey's first 'hit' was "Who's Cryin Now?" is hypocritical crap.
Journey and the others basicaly followed the same timeline. There are some deviations, obviously, but the bottom line is those bands hit BIG between 1980 and 1982 with : Hi Infidelity, Foreigner 4, Paradise Theater, and Escape. Those albums launched the genre to new popularity, and lanched all of those bands to a new level. If Journey's first hits came with Escape, then it is the same with the others and their respective albums.
I also never believed Kansas and Rush copied Journey. I would put them in the same category as Prince copying "Faithfully"...an "oops..." moment. Those songwriters are not excactly the same level as Vanilla Ice copying Freddie Mercury.
The comments about the rerecording old songs. Micky Thomas rerecording Starship is a lot different then a new singer coming into Journey and rerecording songs, IMO. Then there is the FACT that we have been treated over and over again with Sony's remasters and rereleases. We have heard this all before. I can't imagine this being anything other then a dud.
I think he nailed the comments about Chalfant. He should have been there in 1998, and with Rolie and Herbert 1995. It's not suprising to me that Herbie felt that way.
It's interesting to me, however, that he says that one reason he may not have been chosen was because of Chalfant being over 40. But, he seems to like Arnel...is he not 40?
Which brings me to the last comments that they are now headed in the right direction and it is time to support them. A couple things about that.
He said the "inmates were running the asylum" during Next. Are they not doing exactly the same thing today? In my opinion, and I don't expect Herbie to share it, the last time Journey deserved our support was in 1998. The last few years they have not shown any consideration towards their fans - at all. That entire attitude has really soured me to the entire situation. That kind of attitude does not deserve my support.
He also said Journey snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. They have done that SEVERAL times: in 1985 by letting Perry run the show, in 1995 by choosing a reunion with Perry over a real band with Rolie and Chalfant, and from 2003 or so by caring about nothing except for money and touring to get it. I, as a fan, am supposed to feel they have earned my support? I don't think so.
His comments about JSS were interesting...I basicaly totaly agreed with him back when I posted when I saw the show. DL came off as the "rock stars". Journey came off as a band still trying to find themselves and not sure what they were doing. JSS is fine singer, but it did not feel right with Journey - at all.
There were so many things that Journey could have done over the past 10yrs and they let every opportunity fade away. Nowadays, I truly feel that 'it' has faded away. There will be a Journey as long as Neal Schon is alive and people pay to see the band...However, the mystique that surrounded this band, the 'spirit', the energy, whatever, will never be there again...not like it was in the 80's, and not even like it was with Augeri.
I see them now as a band touring to perform songs they recorded up to 30yrs ago for a bunch of nostalgia fans...not for their love of the music, or the fans love of the music. They are basicaly stuck as a band some oldster saw 25yrs ago and would like to see again to remind them of what it was like to be young...Or, to the young kid who thinks it would be cool to feel what it was like to be a kid 25yrs ago. They are not doing it for reasons I can look at and give my support and thumbs up to.
