Steve Perry Fans - Music Collector

DESTINATION STARDOM

Journey's rise to the top is a musical success story. Their blend of keyboard rock and slick production was to make them one of the biggest selling groups in American history. Constantly under fire from the British critics, for being bland and unimaginative, they were never able to emulate their success on this side of the Atlantic.

JOURNEYMEN

They were formed in 1973 by guitarist Neal Schon, who having recently left Santana was looking for a more permanent aggregation. He was joined by Ross Valory (bass) and George Tickner (guitar) - both veterans of the San Francisco psychedelic scene with Frumious Bandersnatch. The line-up was complemented by drummer Prairie Prince who was concurrently a member of another San Francisco band, the Tubes. They were soon joined by Gregg Rolie

(also ex-Santana) a keyboardist and recognised vocalist. After successful local gigs they were obliged to move further afield. The double-booked Prairie Prince was unable to honour. He stayed with the Tubes. After many unsuccessful applicants they finally persuaded Aynsley Dunbar, an English session musician working in L.A. at the time, to occupy the drum stool. Having signed to Columbia Records in late 1974, they released their album, Journey some six months later. The album was dominated by Schon, who having played second fiddle to Carlos Santana was eager to show his own skill. Kohoutek, a spacey instrumental, was

impressive enough to still be played at concerts well into the eighties. Shortly after the album's release George Tickner left the band. The remaining four felt that he need not be replaced. Two more albums, Look Into The Future and Next, showed their progress, both reaching the lower reaches of the U.S. Top 100. For visual reasons as much as anything else, the band decided they needed a front man. He arrived in the form of Robert Fleischman, who after laying down some demos for the new album, was dumped.
His successor, Steve Perry, was to prove a more permanent addition. Perry's high-pitched harmonising was the ideal foil to Rolie's more soulful tones. The new album, Infinity, under the watchful eye of Roy Thomas Baker, showed a marked change in direction. One which was to benefit nearly all concerned. The track, Feeling That Way, highlighted the instant rapport achieved by the two vocalists. Infinity entered the U.S. Top Twenty.
Aynsley Dunbar, however, was unhappy with the new sound. He left to join

Jefferson Starship. A move I found counter productive due to Starship's musical direction at the time. His replacement, Steve Smith, was heavily steeped in jazz tradition, having spent five years studying at Berklee College. A drummer of immense talent, he was the ideal choice. His first album with the band, Evolution, proved to be their most successful to date, reaching the Top 20. The next two years saw Journey tour solidly and release another hit album, Departure. This was followed by a retrospective album, In The Beginning; a compilation of tracks from their first three releases. For people unlucky enough never

to have seen the band in action, a double live album, Captured, was soon available. Taken from their 1980 World Tour, it was an album of amazing power, showing the band at their heaviest. Just The Same Way and the blues workout Walks Like A Lady being my pick of the album's 17 tracks. Also recorded at this time was a soundtrack for the film, Dream After Dream. The album, however, has never been released outside of Japan (CBS 27AP1950). Constant touring was to take its toll, with Gregg Rolie leaving to record a solo album and to record once again with Carlos Santana. His replacement was ex-Baby Jonathan Cain.
The change in personnel did not affect the impetus built up by the band over the preceding months. Their new album, Escape, became their first U.S. No 1, staying in the Top 20 for over a year. The follow-up, Frontiers, secured their place as one of America's most popular bands. The period 1984-1986 saw no material from the band. Individually the members were still active, with Steve Perry embarking on a

fruitful solo career and Neal Schon reuniting with old Santana drummer, Michael Shrieve. The resulting reformation saw Valory and Smith both otherwise engaged. As a trio, with session musicians Randy Jackson and Larrie Londin filling the gaps, they recorded the album Raised On Radio. This and the obligatory Greatest Hits album are the latest releases from the band.
I, for one, do not begrudge them their fame and fortune. They are all accomplished musicians, who having paid their dues, cracked the American market. Their only crime is to have done this style of music, which is, and always will be, at variance with the majority of British tastes.

A Discography is a complete list of all the known releases by a group or artist. Music Collector discographies are divided into the various formats the material is released on. They include limited editions releases as well as everyday records and CDs. We try to make these listings as accurate as possible but welcome any corrections or additions.

Girl Can't Help It/It Could Have Been You	CBS	26902		£3-4
Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)/Frontiers	CBS	A3077	02/83	£2-4
Who's Crying Now/Open Arms	CBS	654541		£3-4
Who's Crying Now/Don't Stop Believing	CBS	A2725	08/82	£2-4
Faithfully/Edge Of The Blade	CBS	A3358	04/83	£2-4
Be Good To Yourself/Only The Young/After The Fall/Rubicon Special 4 track double pack	CBS	DA 7095		£3-5
Wheel In The Sky/Can Do	CBS	6238	04/78	£3-4
Lights/Open The Door	CBS	6392	06/78	£3-4
Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'/Daydream	CBS	7890	10/79	£3-4
Any Way You Want It/Do You Recall	CBS	8558	09/80	£2-4
The Party's Over/Wheel In The Sky	CBS	9578	03/81	£2-4
Who's Crying Now/Escape	CBS	A1467	08/81	£2-4
Don't Stop Believin'/Natural Thing	CBS	A1728	01/82	£2-4
Open Arms/Little Girl	CBS	A2057	04/82	£2-4
Stone In Love/Only Solutions	CBS	A2890	10/82	£2-4
After The Fall/Rubicon	CBS	A3692	08/83	£2-4
Be Good To Yourself/Only The Young	CBS	A7095	04/86	£2-3
Suzanne/Ask The Lonely	CBS	A7265	07/86	£2-3
Girl Can't Help It/It Could Have Been You	CBS	650116	11/86	£2-3

Don't Stop Believin'/Journey Story Picture disc	CBS	A111728	01/82	£4-8
Who's Crying Now/Don't Stop Believin'	CBS	A132725	09/82	£3-4
After The Fall/Rubicon	CBS	TA3692	08/83	£3-4
Be Good To Yourself/Only The Young/Any Way You Want It/ Stone In Love/Separate Ways (W.Apart)	CBS	TA7095	04/86	£3-4
Suzanne/Ask The Lonely/Raised On Radio	CBS	TA7265	07/86	£3-4
Who's Crying Now/Open Arms/Suzanne/Don't Stop Believin'	CBS	65451-6	01/89	£3-4

JOURNEY	CBS	80724	04/75	£4-8
LOOK INTO THE FUTURE	CBS	69203	01/76	£4-8
NEXT	CBS	81554	01/77	£4-8
INFINITY	CBS	82244	02/78	£4-8
EVOLUTION	CBS	83566	03/79	£4-7
DEPARTURE	CBS	84101	03/80	£4-7
IN THE BEGINNING	CBS	22073	09/80	£4-6
CAPTURED	CBS	88525	02/81	£4-6
ESCAPE	CBS	85138	09/81	£4-6
LOOK INTO THE FUTURE Reissue	CBS	32102	03/82	£3-5
FRONTIERS	CBS	25261	02/83	£3-5
EVOLUTION Reissue	CBS	32342	07/83	£3-5
DEPARTURE Reissue	CBS	32714	02/86	£3-5
RAISED ON RADIO	CBS	26902	05/86	£3-5
GREATEST HITS	CBS	463149-1	12/88	£3-5

CADDYSHACK SOUNDTRACK includes Any Way You Want It	CBS	70192	09/80	£4-6
HEAVY METAL SOUNDTRACK Double album includes Open Arms	Epic	88558	10/81	£4-7
TRON SOUNDTRACK includes Only Solutions/1990's Theme	CBS	70223	10/82	£5-8
RISKY BUSINESS SOUNDTRACK includes After The Fall	Virgin	V2302	02/84	£4-5
VISION QUEST (CRAZY FOR YOU) SOUNDTRACK includes Only The Young	Geffen	70263	01/85	£4-5
AMERICAN HEARTBEAT (Compilation) includes Who's Crying Now	Epic	EPC 10045	06/84	£4-7
AMERICAN DREAMS (Compilation) Double album includes Don't Stop Believin'	Starblend	SLTD12	06/85	£4-8
ROCK FURY (Compilation> includes Spaceman	Raw Power	RAWLP002	04/86	£3-5