Biography of Journey

During its 14-year existence (1973-1987), Journey altered its musical approach and its personnel extensively while becoming a top touring and recording band. The only constant factor was guitarist Neal Schon (b. Feb. 27, 1954), 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 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 (b. Jan. 22, 1953). 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 (By this time, Dunbar had been replaced by Steve Smith.) Evolution (1979) was similarly successful, as was Departure (after which Rolie was replaced by Jonathan Cain). 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 Perry's smooth tenor: "Who's Crying Now," "Don't Stop Believin'," and "Open Arms." The album topped the charts and had sold seven million copies by 1989.Frontiers (1983), featuring the hit "Separate Ways," was another big success, after which Perry released a successful solo album, Street Talk (1984). When the group got back together to make a new album, Valory and Smith were no longer in the lineup, and Raised on Radio (1986) was made by Schon, Perry, and Cain, who added other musicians for a tour. Following the Raised on Radio tour, Journey disbanded. Perry went into a prolonged period of seclusion as Cain formed Bad English with vocalist John Waite. Bad English had several hit singles, including the number one "When I See You Smile," before breaking up. Perry returned to recording in 1994, releasing For the Love of Strange Medicine. Although the album was a minor hit, it was a commercial disappointment, leading Perry to re-form Journey with Cain in 1996. That fall, Journey released Trial By Fire, which became a hit on adult contemporary radio. The new millennium sparked a new turn for the band; Steve Perry bowed out of a reunion with Cain and Schon due to internal conflicts within the band. The remaining members, however, trudged on with a Steve Perry vocalic copy cat, Steve Augeri. A new album Arrival and a summer tour with Peter Frampton and John Waite followed in 2001. ~ William Ruhlmann