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 (By this time, Aynsley Dunbar had been replaced by Steve Smith on drums.)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...
