Two lineups of Journey in 2002 (top) and 2013 (bottom).
Journey is an Americanrock band fromSan Francisco,California. Formed in February 1973 as the Golden Gate Rhythm Section, the group was renamed Journey in the summer and originally included keyboardist and vocalistGregg Rolie, lead guitaristNeal Schon, rhythm guitaristGeorge Tickner, bassistRoss Valory and drummerPrairie Prince. The band's lineup as of 2021[update] features Schon, alongside keyboardist and rhythm guitaristJonathan Cain (since 1980), drummer and vocalistDeen Castronovo (from 1998–2015 and since 2021), vocalistArnel Pineda (since 2007), keyboardist and vocalist Jason Derlatka (since 2019), and bassistTodd Jensen (since 2021).
In March 1977, Journey addedRobert Fleischman as its first non-instrumental lead vocalist.[5] After just seven months, however, Fleischman was replaced bySteve Perry in October, at the end of a tour supportingEmerson, Lake & Palmer.[6][7] The band issued Perry's debut albumInfinity the following year, before Dunbar was dismissed in October 1978.[8] He was replaced bySteve Smith, previously ofRonnie Montrose's band, who opened for Journey on theInfinity tour. The group's new lineup remained stable for two years and three studio albums:Evolution,Departure and the soundtrackDream, After Dream.[4] By the end of 1980, however, founding keyboardist Rolie had decided to leave the band, withJonathan Cain ofThe Babys chosen as his replacement.[9][10] Cain also served as Journey's first rhythm guitarist since Tickner's departure in 1975.[11]
BassistRoss Valory and drummerSteve Smith both left Journey in 1985, returned in 1995, and were then dismissed again in 2020.
During early production for the band's ninth studio albumRaised on Radio in late 1985, both Valory and Smith left Journey – the former during the second week of recording and Smith after a couple of months.[12] Perry initially claimed that the pair left of their own accord,[13] however they later responded in an interview that the frontman had forced them out.[14] In later reports, Smith recalled that the band's changing approach to writing and recording had alienated him and Valory, which led to their departures.[15] Smith performed drums on three tracks with session bassistBob Glaub, before the two were replaced for the rest of the album byLarrie Londin andRandy Jackson, respectively.[12] For thesubsequent touring cycle, Jackson remained on bass andMike Baird took over on drums, the latter taking over from Atma Anur.[16][17]
Partway through the Raised on Radio Tour in February 1987, Perry left Journey.[18] The singer cited worsening relations with Schon, as well as the illness and eventual death of his mother during the album's recording, as reasons for his departure.[19] Journey then went on hiatus and Schon and Cain went on to formBad English.[20]
On November 3, 1991,Steve Perry,Neal Schon andJonathan Cain reunited for a one-off performance at a benefit concert for promoterBill Graham, who had died a week earlier.[21] Four years later, the "classic" lineup of Journey – including Perry, Schon and Cain, plus bassistRoss Valory and drummerSteve Smith – reformed, beginning rehearsals in October 1995 before starting recording for a new album early the next year.[22] After the release of the album,Trial by Fire, Journey planned to tour before Perry suffered an injury in a hiking accident; he refused to undergo surgery, which ultimately led to his dismissal from the group.[23]
Perry's departure was officially announced in May 1998.[23] He was replaced immediately bySteve Augeri, formerly ofTall Stories.[24] At the same time, Smith was also replaced byDeen Castronovo, with whom Schon and Cain had previously performed inBad English.[25] With the new members, Journey issuedArrival in 2001 andGenerations in 2005.[26] Shortly after the start of a tour supportingDef Leppard in June 2006, Augeri was forced to leave temporarily due to an "acute throat condition", withTalisman and formerYngwie Malmsteen vocalistJeff Scott Soto taking his place.[27] In December, the replacement was made permanent.[28]
Within six months of his permanent appointment, Soto had left Journey as the group went on a brief hiatus.[30] Speaking about the singer's sudden departure, Cain commented that the band "just wanted to move in a different direction sonically".[31] Before the end of the year, the group announced Filipino vocalistArnel Pineda as its new frontman, who was selected after band members saw videos of him singing just like Perry.[29]Revelation andEclipse followed in 2008 and 2011.[26] On June 14, 2015, Castronovo was arrested for assault following a domestic dispute.[32] He was later charged with rape, sexual abuse, coercion and unlawful use of a weapon.[33] On August 10, Castronovo was officially fired from Journey.[34] Schon initially contacted former bandmate Smith to take his place, but as he was unavailable it was taken byOmar Hakim.[35]
In November 2015, with his touring commitments fulfilled, Smith rejoined Journey for a third tenure.[36] On March 3, 2020, Schon and Cain filed a lawsuit accusing Smith and bassist Valory of attempting a "corporatecoup d'état" to take control of the band's business entity Nightmare Productions, and declared that the two were fired; Smith and Valory have filed a countersuit.[37] Two months later, the group announced the return of former bassistRandy Jackson and one-time drummerNarada Michael Walden, as well as second keyboardist Jason Derlatka.[38]
In July 2021, Schon confirmed that Deen Castronovo, who was previously in the band, had rejoined as a second drummer.[39] Meanwhile, Jackson's back surgery led to the band bringing inMarco Mendoza to play bass, with Mendoza having previously played with Schon and Castronovo in Neal Schon's Journey Through Time.[40] Mendoza's stint with Journey, though, only lasted a few months due to Schon's feeling that his bass playing did not gel with the band's sound,[41] and he was replaced byTodd Jensen, who had previously played with Schon and Castronovo inHardline.[42]
On March 1, 2022, Cain confirmed that neither Walden nor Jackson remained in the lineup, with Walden's exit following a minor heart attack following a live show in Pennsylvania. Nevertheless, both were still featured onFreedom, as they had completed their parts on the album before their departures.[43][44] Schon later stated that Walden and Jackson were still "musical members" of the band, and he would certainly write again with Walden in the future.[45] Schon also did not rule out the possibility of former members Steve Perry and Gregg Rolie returning for a reunion on the band's 50th anniversary.[46] Although Schon had confirmed that former member Rolie would appear with the band for their tour in January 2023,[47][48] He later backtracked that same month, stating that Rolie would not be joining for the 50th anniversary tour,[49][50] although Rolie would later make a guest appearance for the band's performance in Austin on February 22, 2023.[51]
^abcdTusken, Candy (May 16, 1975)."Record Industry Notes"(PDF).Radio & Records. Vol. 3, no. 19. Hollywood, California: Radio & Records. p. 24.Archived(PDF) from the original on August 23, 2020. RetrievedMay 26, 2020.
^abc"Dunbar Sues Journey"(PDF).Record World. Vol. 37, no. 1717. New York City, New York: Record World Publishing. June 21, 1980. p. 49.Archived(PDF) from the original on August 23, 2020. RetrievedMay 26, 2020.
^Cooper, Mike (May 29, 1992)."Rock Almanac"(PDF).The Hard Report. No. 278. Medford Lakes, New Jersey. p. 57.Archived(PDF) from the original on August 23, 2020. RetrievedMay 26, 2020.
^abcdeFlans, Robyn (August 1987)."Mike Baird"(PDF).Modern Drummer. Vol. 11, no. 7. Cedar Grove, New Jersey: Modern Drummer Publications. pp. 73–74.Archived(PDF) from the original on August 23, 2020. RetrievedMay 26, 2020.
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