Steve Perry - Rock Fever Winter 1985

It was just around this time nearly eight years ago that a relative unknown group named Alien Project sent a demo tape to every single record company listed in the phone book. Columbia Records was one of those listed numbers. They weren't what you would call hard rock, nor were they really bluesy enough to be pegged as a rhythm band, but there was still something there. All too quickly, however, the dream died. One night, Alien Project's bass player was killed in an auto accident. The group went into shock. Rather than start the endless struggle of finding a new member and trying to recreate the unique chemistry, Alien Project disbanded.

At the same time, a San Francisco band called Journey was looking to change direction. They were, some said, a little too artsy to ever be commercial. Their musicianship couldn't be argued with, but hit songs need something extra. One day Journey's manager Herbie Herbert picked up Columbia's old Alien Project cassette (sitting in a stack of tapes) and plopped it onto his recorder. Within seconds Herbie was on the phone. Who was this incredible lead singer? This was just the voice Journey was looking for. Who was this Steve Perry kid anyway?
The rest of the story you know pretty well by now. Since the day in 1978 that Steve first graced Infinity with his sensual voice, Journey has been a solid hit-making band. Now Steve is on another journey. For months and months his fellow Journeymen talked of solo projects. Steve resisted. "I used to think solo albums would defuse the nucleus of the band. I thought they would make the group seem scattered and not together. I wanted us all to stay together and I was very much against anything that would

pull us apart. I was real gung-ho Journey. But no one listened to me. They all went ahead and did solo projects anyway. So I figured, if they're not worried, why should I be? I waited a really long time before recording my first solo album, but now I'm glad I did."
    While the public and critics alike loved Street Talk, Steve admits there are certain Journey members (he won't name them) who didn't care for his solo efforts. "I'll tell you this much, it's not Steve Smith. He told me he liked it. I heard it through the grapevine that there's another member, who I won't mention, who thought the album was something I can't repeat. He's entitled to his opinion, but I certainly don't like it. I'd be lying if I said otherwise."
    Even though Journey is currently in the throes of putting together another group album, there are those who hint this could be the last of Journey. "I think Steve might find himself in the same situation Lionel Richie was in a few years back with The Commodores," a close band associate confided in Rock Fever. "Everyone knew Lionel was going to be bigger on his own than with The Commodores. Things had changed. They kept trying to stay together, but it just didn't work. It was painful for everyone involved, but there's no stopping progress. And things have progressed for Steve Perry, too. He experienced real creative Fresno on Street Talk and it worked well for him. He didn't have to compromise or please anyone but himself. That's a real taste of honey. It's hard to go back and work and fight and hassel after that kind of experience. I hope the group makes it, but I gotta say, there may be some changes."
     "I'm back recording with Journey as planned," is all Steve will comment. "I'm not planning on leaving Journey."