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by Greg Moore
Before you start reading this and think, 'Oh no. The new guy wants to chime in on the Augeri vs. Perry debate,' I want you to know that this article represents the one and only time I will offer my opinion on the subject as I don't believe in forcing my views on anyone and do believe that whatever incarnation of the band I write about, they deserve my support.
The idea for this article popped into my head for a couple of reasons. What sparked me to sit down and put my thoughts into writing were the comments of a friend I had not seen in probably five years or so. You see, last weekend my wife and I attended the wedding of one of my old college roommates who incidentally was marrying one of my old high school friends. So as you can imagine, the guest list was made up of a multitude of my college friends on the groom's side of the room, and a plethora of faces I hadn't seen since high school on the bride's side.
Shortly after the ceremony, before we all congregated to the reception hall, an old friend of mine approached me. After we exchanged all the required 'haven't seen you in years' banter, my friend recalled a time long ago when I had given him a lot of my old CDs that I had since stopped listening to. No, they weren't Journey CDs, as I would never part with those gems of my collection, but instead were Beatles CDs that I had collected during my ever so brief Beatlemania phase that came on right after they aired the Beatles Anthology special for the first time back in the 90?s. After discussing how much use he had gotten out of the CDs over the years, I informed him that my CD player had for the few years been filled with Journey albums, and considering I didn't really expect him to be a huge fan, what he said next stung all the more.
'Yeah, Journey is a good band, but they would be even better if they got Steve Perry to sing with them again? but at least the new guy sounds a lot like Perry.'
Wow. This upset me a little, which I didn't let be known considering we were at a wedding, but I gave my standard 'well Perry was the one who didn't exactly jump at the chance to tour with the band' response, and let it go. Even though it didn't cross my mind much during the reception, it did make me think on the way home, and suddenly a question resounded through my head:
What does Journey sound like? Does it sound like Steve Perry?
First off, make sure you understand what I'm asking. Is Steve Perry the definitive Journey sound? Is it not really Journey without him? Does their have to be a Steve Perry like voice to make Journey Journey? I think I know the answer of most who are reading this article and my own answer as well. No.
Even through Journey's really successful years, the band didn't always sound like Steve Perry. In my opinion, some of the best songs were sung by Greg Rollie. I can't tell you how many times I've started belting out 'Just the Same Way' in the shower or on the way to work. Forgetting about Rollie or the comparing and contrasting of Augeri and Perry, even when Steve Perry was with the band, Journey didn't always sound like Steve Perry. Perhaps the example that strikes me as the most obvious can be found on the Essential Journey album. Try listening to the first two tracks on Disc 2 and tell me that Steve Perry doesn't sound completely different singing 'Message of Love' and 'Chain Reaction'. Listening to those two songs together is like hearing the passing of almost 20 years in just a few minutes and the effect those years have on a voice, even 'the voice.' I'm not saying that Perry's voice sounds better in either of the two songs. I like both, maybe having a slight preference towards 'Message of Love' believe it or not.. I'm just saying that there is a huge difference in the sound of the voice itself.
So, once I realized that, no, Journey doesn't just sound like Steve Perry, I decided to figure out what Journey sounds like. The answer is a fairly simple one. Journey sounds like strong vocals, melodic piano, rock guitar, and powerful drumming. Not as simple as I may have thought, but the fact of the matter is that all Journey singers have always provided strong , resounding, and melodic vocals, whether it be in the ballads like 'Open Arms', or in the harder songs like 'Escape' or even 'Higher Place.' Journey has always had melodic and powerful piano or keyboard. One of songs that I believe showcases the use of piano the most is 'To Be Alive Again' from Arrival. The chords are strong and pronounced and for me at least, it's as if the piano and vocals are battling for the spotlight. I won't even give examples of the awesome shredding that Neal has always been able to unleash on the guitar no matter what song he plays. His solos are what make a lot of these songs unforgettable. Dunbar, Smith, and Castronovo have all added their own brilliance behind the drums.
So while all of this analysis and breaking down may seem confusing and redundant, the main point remains that Journey does not sound like any one thing, instrument, or voice. It sounds like a million musical brushstrokes, which when combined on the canvas of a CD, LP, cassette, or concert stage, result in harmonious works of art. Does Steve Augeri sound like Steve Perry? Maybe, but the fact of the matter is that it doesn't really matter. Perhaps the more relevant question is does Steve Augeri provide strong, heart stopping vocals to Journey's hits and new material? The answer to that question is a resounding yes, and when put together with the contributions of Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory, and Dean Castronovo, Journey sounds as much like Journey as they did in any other decade. Rock on guys.
Greg 'G Mas' Moore
Copyright © 1994-2006 Dan Stacy, Journey Digest, JourneyDigest.com
No portion of this article may be reprinted without express written permission from the author and JourneyDigest.com