Comment and Review:Journey Behind the Music

Previously I have posted in my blog on the band Journey
I am going to comment on a documentary done ten years ago on VH1's
Behind The Music. Yes rock's greatest mystery, fronted by the group's
brilliant but reclusive lead singer Steve Perry, who in the series has
been portrayed as controlling , creative but a reluctant rock star.The band was formed in 1973 by two ex Santana members Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon. There you
see the interviews from past and present members of the band including co-founder
and keyboardist Gregg Rolie (1973-1980), drummer Aynsley Dunbar (1973-78), drummer
Steve Smith (1978-1986, 1996-98), keyboardist Jonathan Cain (1981-1986, 1996-present), bassist Ross Valory (1973-85, 1996-to present), and of course group founder and guitarist Neal Schon and of course the voice Steve Perry (1977-1986, 1996-98).

The documentary had never before seen interviews from its band members talking about
the good the bad and the ugly side of fame and fortune, and there their former manager Herbie Herbert talks about discovering the Portguese descndant lead singer
which is the making of a legend that was born in this mercurial band that is a blend of progressive rock and commercial sounds. Since his arrival he began to write songs
with either Neal Schon or with Jonathan Cain who would join the band after Rolie's
departure in 1980.

They even talk about making of "Open Arms" originally written for John Waite for the Babays but later Steve Perry wrote the words . Neal Schon on the other hand hated the song while recording it and when they played it live the attitude has changed even stunned the group's founder that he even said "am that song kicked ass' and Perry looked at Schon was going to kick ass after all the grief he gave him in the studio. There is a heartfelt song "Only the Young" which featured to the young kid who was dying from systic fibrosis asa dedication of the song to that young man,even
Jonathan Cain balled during the interview of the kid's death.Boo Hoo. Gte your kleenex ready

There you will see how they became so huge from a jam band to a corporate AOR prog rock supergroup and was under the genius management of Herbie Herbert.There you see
how they grew pressured from this album tour cycle, and their mercurial lead singer
became more distant from his bandmates. and how they broke up so mysteriously in 1986 and would briefly reformed in 1996 only to be break-up again. The documentary is so dramatic and hard hitting typical rock n' roll shit. Steve even says he doesn't feel like he was part of the band I am like "What the fuck is wrong with you dude?" I mean he was the dominant leader there and was calling the shots on the making of the records. His statements even puzzled his bandmates and even like me questioned it what the hell was he thinking. Was he trying to be a total schmuck? how pathetic that answer is for him to say since he work with them and achieved success at the same time. What a complete waste. But I still think Steve and Neal are the bomb.

Anyway here are videos of the Behind the Music documentary on one of the greatest rock bands of the late 1970's and early 1980's you guys be the judge join the discussion and what do you guys think.

Journey behind the music part 1

The band's genesis with Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon

Journey Behind the Music part 2 , the making of a legend Steve Perry joins
Journey and the making of a rock music history

Journey Behind the music part 3 Gregg Rolie leaves journey, Jon Cain joins and "Escape" was born

Journey Behind The music part 4, Neal Schon hates "Open Arms" which became a classic rock hit and "Frontiers" became another hit in 1983

Journey Behind The music part 5: Steve becomes more isolated from the band and the trppings of fame and Neal and Steve are at odds with each other they do
solo albums, a young dying fan meets the band and feature a classic song, Jon Cain balls in the interview

Journey Behind the Music part 6: Ross and Steve gets fired by Steve and "Raise On Radio" record and tour begin and mysteriously disbands

Journey Behind the Music part 7: Journey is over mysteriously, Neal and Jonathan Cain formed Bad English, Steve Perry becomes a hermit only to briefly do a solo record, Ross Valory filed for bankrupcy, Journey reforms for the first time in 1986

Journey and Steve Perry split again (or should I say they forced him out)
and got a Steve Perry soundalike Steve Augeri , another Steve clone, and there is Steve's answer to "I never felt like I was part of the band" you be the judge

Van Halen

Let's begin to comment and discuss the band from the 1980's
going back to high school and that is Van Halen.
There are two incarnations that have been successful one is from the
David Lee Roth era and the other is the Sammy Hagar era (aka Van Hagar)
Led by the Van halen bros. the Dutch born drummer Alex Van Halen and of course the greatest guitarist in rock history since Jimi Hendrix, Eddie Van Halen, who is ranked
as the #2 guitarist in rock history based on his skills.

There is also the vocal harmonies of bassist Michael Anthony and thundering
bass lines that provide the rhythm section with Alex Van Halen's powerful drums.
Eddie's finbger tapping technique on the fretboard has been innovative thiugh the
technque was originally pioneered by the likes of Canned Heat's Harvey Mandel,
Chicago's Terry Kath and Genesis' Steve Hackett, his fretboard finger tapping
technique proed to be more effective and more in the classical trained style since
he also was a classically trained pianist himself.

Let'also not forget the showmanship and baritone voice of David Lee Roth, the group's founding vocalist. This line-up produced platinum selling records and singles
and was even an opening act for pioneering heavy rock supergroup Black Sabbath in 1978. During that tour the young band outperfirmed the veteran group who were at the end of their creative edge.Eddie Van Halen's early influences were Eric Clapton during his days with John Mayall's Bluesbreaker and Cream.

Eddie's guitar playing has been influential since Hendrix and he came up with these amazing solos and plays extremely fast like a firecracker. Songs like "Running SWith the Devil", "Ain't Talk Bout Love", "Hot for teacher" ,"Ice Cream Man", "little guitars" and of course the guitar instrumental "Eruption", has been the main crowd pleasing songs on radio and on tour.Eddie's instrumental "Eruption" has been a classical influenced sound with an electirc vibe to it and its like hearing Bach's organ composition.That line-up also produced their only #1 hit single "Jump" which also has Eddie plays keyboards and proved to be a smash. The "1984" album and tour proved to be the beginning of the end of the original line-up.

After the tumultous departure from Roth and the Van Halen group in April 1985, they
hired a better singer who is a veteran singer and a great guitarist name Sammy Hagar.
Yes the Sammy Hagar of "I Can't Drive 55" fame and has been rock's premier heavy rock singer since Robert Plant and Paul Rodgers and scored with hits of #1 albums and tours and singles with "Why Can't This Be Love" "Dreams", "Summer Nights", and "Right Now" to name a few. Their music with Hagar was rocking but it had a commercial appeal and I dig both the Roth and Hagar. They both made gtreat contributions to that legacy.

Sammy's voice was powerful and had brought something to Van Halen's music.
1996 Van Halen split from Sammy Hagar and this story has become abit of drama queen
story. My only problem is Ed's drinking problems it has affacted the band and
his playing that during the 2004 reunion tour with Hagar , he was behaving erratically and even smashed his guitar to bits on stage and was being an asshole onstage. In 2007 Van Halen both incarnations were inducted to the Rock n' Roll Hall Of Fame.As you know that ex Extreme singer Gary Cherone became the frontman and their last album was a commercial flop and they parted ways with Cehrone. What acomplete disaster.

Now Ed is now clean and sober reunited with old frontman David Lee Roth and produced a great 2007-08 reunion tour. I saw their reunion show at MSG in November 2007 and I had a blast seeing something from the past it wa like going back to HS all over again. Van Halen kicjed ass onstage and represented great good time music without all the messages going down.

Van Halen doing "Running with the Devil" 1978" with Diamond Dave

Van Halen performing "Unchained" during the band's 2007 reunion tour with Roth, man can Eddie can really blow

Check out Eddie doing "Eruption" in 1983

an Halen doing "Right Now" with Sammy Hagar 1995 tour, this son was used in political campaigns believe it or not

Topic Arnold The Perverator

Ok let's talk about the perverator Arnold Schwarzenegger
coming down from his native Austria with his deep German accent.
A former bodybulding champion turned hot shot movie star turned
politician turned civilian splits from his wife Maria after it was
discovered that he had fathered an illegitimate child from one of
his maid 10 years back. Talk about career suicide, he has shot himself in the foot.


Can't he keep his big stroodle zippered up?
I was a big fan of his movies like "Terminator" sequels and "Twins" and other
films like "Last Action Hero". I never thought he would get into the political
season by running and winning the Governorship in California trying to pattern himself . Shame on you Arnold what were you thinking to think using tax payers
dollars for child support of his child. That is unethical and Immoral.Not only did
he hurt himself and his wife but he also hurt his children and one of them is that young man with the other woman.

His star in the Walk Of Fame should be called the Hollywood Walk Of Shame.
I have lost resoect for this man.He likes to see himself like his hero Ronald Reagan
and preaches family values and married one of the kennedy girls who was an NBC
anchorwoman turned first lady of california.He also hurt the people in Calfornia with tax payer money for his child support.

What a hypocrite and a phony he trun out. Now I don[;t have a political agenda since
I am cynical of two party system. When it comes to the family he has put shame in his
actions and I hope that the misses makes him pay for the hurt he has done for his children and the people in California whom they had voted.

So what else is new for the womanator? Only time will tell.anyway I am oer this dude.

Rush

Here is my blog concerning the Canadian prog rock trio Rush
This is a band that has an avant grade sound mixed with hard rock.
I guess you can say if you put Cream, Led Zeppelin mixed with
Pink Floyd and Genesis you have Rush.

Geddy Lee has this high pitched voice and of course his thundering bass lines
that reminds me of The late Who bassist John Entwistle, whose bass techique has been
phenomenla that is why I called him the best bass guitarist since the man I mentioned.Of course there is Alex Lifeson, a fine guitar riff master who developed textures that is very prog rock stylings of Steve Hackett of Genesis along with the blues influenced guitar stylings of Eric Clapton and uses alot of reverb in his guitar stylings that are unqiue that is what P
ink Floyd's David gilmour is known for hisblues laden tone, and let's not forget the drum god since the late john Bonham and Cream's Ginger Baker, what a powerhouse drummer and a fine lyricist.


Songs like "Closer To The Heart" "2112", "Tom Sawyer", "Limelight', "Subdivision",
"New World Man", were staples in classic rock staples in radio.The band was so tight
and the chemistry of Lifeson, Lee and Peart is tremendously strong just like Claspton, Baker and Bruce were with Cream. Neil Peart is an incredible scholar when it came to the words that he connected well with the fans including myself like "Subdivision". "Moving Pictures" and "2112" were the greatest records that they have ever made. Concert tours have been phenomenal including their stage effects that
is reminiscent to Pink Floyd's stage effects.

Lifeson's guitar riffs like "Tom Sawyer" was the bomb and he was a monster with rhythm and solos.This is another band who should be in the rock n' roll hall of fame
what is up with that damned committee.If they don't get their long overdue induction
then the rock n' roll hall of fame should be called the ROCK N' ROLL HALL OF SHAME.

Rush doing "Spirit of Radio"

Rush doing "2112" from their 1976 performance

"Tom Sawyer , with a Sotuh Park intro, man Alex Lifeson is the bomb with his guitar playing and so is Neil Peart

Journey/Steve Perry

Hello folks
here is my comment and history about rock's greatest mysteries
and that is the band Journey. People remember the voice Steve Perry,
the band's most reclusive lead singer. Journey was aunqiue band that had
a bluest keyboard influence with the stinging guitar edge of group founder
Neal Schon.
The band was formed in 1973 by keyboardist Gregg Rolie and guitar prodigy
Neal Schon and had so many line-up changes in the 35 year career. They
started out as a jam band from San Francisco but in 1977 it all change when
their manager Herbie Herbert discovered a young man with a powerful tenor voice
and his name was Steve Perry.
The band scored hits like "Lights", "Anytime", "Open Arms", "Don't Stop Believin'"
"Separate Ways", "Only The Young", "After The Fall", the list goes on an on.

They use to be the biggest selling rock band of the late 1970's and early 1980's.
They were different kind of rock they were like the AOR type. They mixed hard rock with power ballads. Gregg Rolie , the group's founding member and keysman quits the
band and being replaced by Jonathan Cain who would write songs with Steve and Neal.
Neal Schon was one soulful player very fluid with clean notes and it reminded me
of what Clapton did or Terry Kath did.Jonathan Cain brought something fresh and new to the band's musical direction with the keyboard sound and followed by bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith a great rhythm section.
Steve Perry had been the dominant voice of the band and its spokesperson and he was also the most dissitent member of the band and had been the reluctant rock star.
But his vocals has been always identifiable to the journey sound and many singers were influenced by his crisp high tenor sound.
The band split -up in 1986 after Steve decided to not do any tours since he was
exhausted from the trappings of fame and fortune which made him very uncomfortable.
The band regrouped in 1996 only to be setback by Steve's injury from hiking as they were planning a comeback tour but it was not meant to be. Steve was gone for good and the band were tired of waiting for Steve and decided to get Steve Augeri for two records but later Neal Schon would find this guy from the Phillipines name Arnel Pineda on youtube. You notice how the power of the internet works in mysterious ways?
Arnel is a pretty good impersonation of the legendary voice of Journey but to many fans there will only be one Steve Perry.The old glory days of what it once was is now a thing of the past. and the new journey is a mere tribute band that is paying homage to their mercurila frontman who remains a recluse for the past 13 years.
I had foind memories of the band listening to them on WAPP or WNEW-FM in New York and the music videos from "Escape" and "Frontiers", those were magical times in the good old 1980's and that is what I will remember from thst band that was special to alot of fans.

Journey on the Midnight Special 1979

Journey doing "Don't Stop Believin" this was used in the finale of the Sopranos and James Durbin singing the song on American Idol and used in the Tv show
"Glee", Neal Schon is one motherf--ing guitar player

Journey "Separate Ways" live in Japan 1983 loe that Jonathan Cain on keys man into

"Anyway You Want It" 1980, the last work with founding member Gregg Rolie who would leave the band only to be replaced by Jonathan Cain

Randy Rhoads

Let's talk about legendary Ozzy guitar wiz Randy Rhoads. He was a true guitar genius

very classically trained since he was a classically influenced in his music with a bit of an

edge. He actually learned to play guitar at age 7 from his mom Dolores' guitar school .

A guitar prodigy who was a bit of Andres Segovia meets Mick Ronson of David Bowie fame both whom he wa influenced with the likes of Leslie West , Ritchie Blackmore, Mick Ronson and Jeff Beck along with the classical music in his home.Whether you are a fan of his music or a guitar historian no one can say that Randy Rhoads cause he doesn't. Look at the film footages and listen to how he plays. At least he was not a dull moment.

He was a shy quiet guy who can play like a beast and with grace and beauty. He maybe a

"heavy metal" guitarist but he was more than that. He may have a flash but he had soul and

cathartism in his music as he expressed it in his writing of his music and was very patient in

perfecting his style.He reminded of Mick Ronson guitar wise and visually, plus he looked like a drag queen.

Prior to joining former Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne as his guitarist, he was a founding member of Quiet Riot, a power pop band in the LA area. His famous guitar solos like

"Crazy Train", "Mr Crowley", and "Over the Mountain" had this edge and can play fast and

he could have given his contemporaries like Eddie Van Halen and George Lynch a run for its money.When I first saw Randy I thought that was chick playing guitar. I mean he was so tiny and

frail but he was strong playing the fretboard like a monster. He loved playing the art of the instrumental whether its classical acoustic or electric. He pumped steroids on his Marshall amps

Randy was a phenomenom on top of that based on his interviews he was a humble guy and very

down to earth but when he was in the studio he was all business no fucking around. Randy accomplished alot during his brief 25 years of his life. Ozzy as a frontman was kind of gimmickry

and knows how to gie a show in the fashion of Alice Cooper.But I see an Ozzy show I see Randy

upstaging Ozzy with his fingers doing the talking. The performance at the palladium in NYC was one of the most memorable concerts , Randy outperformed Ozzy onstage and Ozzy was his typical showman though his singing was good great vocal harmony vocals but he does all these gimmicks and antics that is somewhat juvenile and cliche of what Alice Cooper did a while back.

At the time of his passing, Randy was planning to go back to school for music theory and make a classical guitar album who knows what he would have accomplished. Unfortunately, on March 19, 1982 we lost a true guitar hero since Jimi Hendrix in a tragic plane crash at age 25. He is a great influence to alot of guitar players and his legacy remains of his music on the first two albums "Blizzard Of Ozz" and "Diary Of A Madman".

Here is a clip from "After Hours" here is Ozzy with the late great Randy Rhoads with his most memorable guitar solo on "Crazy Train"

This one has a classically influenced guitar acoustic with a symphony sound with the London symphony recorded in 1981 and comes the dramatic sound with "Diary Of A Madman"

A song Randy wrote dedicated to his mom Dolores which is an instrumental acoustic song simply titled "Dee"

God bless you Randy