Neal Schon on Perry

[arden]

I'm sorry, but Neal still comes across as a pompous ass to me.

www.melodicrock.com/interviews/journey2005-nealschon.html


Neal: There is a reason I'm doing so many different things. I'm trying to bring some awareness to my guitar playing. Journey for so many years has been based around the song, which is fine…but at sometime in my career I want my name to be a household name – not just when they affiliate it with Journey and have people go – 'oh, that guy'.


Q: You did the Walk Of Fame a little while back and I talked to Jonathan about that, so I won't go over it too much with you. But there was one quote you gave someone in the UK I must ask you about.
You said the door is always open for Steve Perry to rejoin the band.

A: No, I said what I've been saying and I'm just trying to clear the air from all this happy horseshit that has been on the internet about me and why Steve Perry is not in the band and it's all Neal Schon's fault.
I'm mean, there has always been an open door – I invited him in front of TV, I invited him on the radio to be there, I said you need to be there and I'm really glad he showed up.
And I'd be glad if he turned up tonight and wanted to sit in on two songs. Or whatever…you know what I mean?

Q: Do you think you will ever be forgiven for Steve leaving the band, even though it was his decision?

A: I don't know….but I don't care….haha. It wasn't my fault. If he wanted to be here he would be here.
I have to feel that by this point, we are now seven years in here with not such a new line-up. It's the longest configuration Journey has even been together with anybody – with the line-up we have now.
I have to figure that he's retired unless he comes out with something soon.

Q: How does Steve Augeri feel about this though? He seems like a really understanding guy.

A: He's a team player so I'm not afraid to say anything. That's completely honest like that and I know he would feel the same way.

Q: So he would stand aside for Steve if Perry wanted to come back.

A: I think he's actually even said that in interviews.

Q: I'll ask Steve that when I talk to him. I can't imagine Perry coming back though do you?

A: No. It would be great if he showed his face once and a while and sat in, that'd be cool, but I don't think he would want to go through three hours of torture….haha
For me it's easy – I'm playing on strings, you know.

[properry]

I would just like to know how anyone could think it was "Steve's decision" to leave the band, when it was "Neal who SENT Jon" to make the "phone call to Steve" to tell him the band was hiring ANOTHER singer???

It is obvious to me that they made the decision, they fired him. And Yes, I agree with you arden, Neal still comes across as a pompous ass.

Lori

[leducred]

i kind of laughed as well, on this. as it was steve also saying "he was told to make decision" and the" other guys were offering their opinion on what he was to do as well". Gee Neal read history

[webbie]

Also...as I remember it, Steve stated in one interview (or was it Behind The Music?) that he asked them to wait and they refused.
Good Lord...Neal does need to read history!
What a dork!

[boo]

There was one good thing Neal said in the interview.....
...
"One last thing – a while back John Kalodner was working on a Neal Schon Best Of – what happened to that?
I know they are planning on putting out this Live At Houston DVD, from '81 I believe.
With a MTV special – they are working on the packaging right now."


I hope that Neal knows what he's talking about, and Steve and John ARE working on it!

[whycantthisnight]

"I'm sorry, but Neal still comes across as a pompous ass to me."



;D Well HELL yes!!

Neal....."It's the longest configuration Journey has even been together with anybody – with the line-up we have now."


..and long does not mean successful. SO WHAT NEAL??

[gina]

Neal really needs to get his facts straight...
I agree arden, Neal is really a pompous ass!!

[perrynow]

He just can't do an interview without making himself look like a jerk. Did you read the comment...something about not kicking people when they are down?? It was relating to Deen's problems and how Neal stuck by him. Well, isn't that great? He can stand by Deen, but he wouldn't stand by Perry, who made Journey a household name and helped him have all the things he enjoys today. Neal sees himself and the demise of classic Journey in a bizarre way. It can all be attributed to his gigantic ego. He sounds so bitter that he hasn't become a "household" name....like Perry. I can see how calculated the "invitation" was for Perry to come and sing with them. He did it with two things in mind....to try to take the heat off of him where classic Journey fans were concerned, and to lead people to believe Perry just might show up at one of their shows...to sell tickets! I'd be willing to bet that Herbie was involved in that little scheme to help "soften" Neal's image, after all the assinine comments he's made regarding Steve over the years. I'm so glad Steve made a public statement on exactly where he stood on the subject. They threw him out of the band and Neal still can't figure out why Perry won't come and sing "a song or two"?? Now there's a real "what's up with THAT" statement!! Neal has proven so many times that he doesn't have any capability to reason, so what else could we expect to come out of his mouth.

[perrynow]

...and one more thing! LOL! If I read that "longest running configuration" remark again, I'll scream. (configuration is a really big word for Neal. Someone fed him that one!). Like whycan'tthisnight said....."and long does not mean successful. SO WHAT NEAL??"
I found it interesting that Deen says Augeri signals him when he needs to hit high notes for him and Neal says Augeri's trouble is his mid-range. Sounds to me like its gonna be a loooong summer for Mr. "Perry with a perm! " You'd think at least Jon would see how embarassing this is to their legacy of excellence. I guess some musicians will do anything for a buck.

[properry]

perrynow said:

He just can't do an interview without making himself look like a jerk. Did you read the comment...something about not kicking people when they are down?? It was relating to Deen's problems and how Neal stuck by him. Well, isn't that great? He can stand by Deen, but he wouldn't stand by Perry, who made Journey a household name and helped him have all the things he enjoys today. Neal sees himself and the demise of classic Journey in a bizarre way. It can all be attributed to his gigantic ego. He sounds so bitter that he hasn't become a "household" name....like Perry. I can see how calculated the "invitation" was for Perry to come and sing with them. He did it with two things in mind....to try to take the heat off of him where classic Journey fans were concerned, and to lead people to believe Perry just might show up at one of their shows...to sell tickets! I'd be willing to bet that Herbie was involved in that little scheme to help "soften" Neal's image, after all the assinine comments he's made regarding Steve over the years. I'm so glad Steve made a public statement on exactly where he stood on the subject. They threw him out of the band and Neal still can't figure out why Perry won't come and sing "a song or two"?? Now there's a real "what's up with THAT" statement!! Neal has proven so many times that he doesn't have any capability to reason, so what else could we expect to come out of his mouth.

I know exacty what you mean Perrynow. Neal just makes himself look like a total hypocrit because he stood by Deen when he was sick & NEEDED his understanding & support, but when it came to Perry he wouldn't wait for him & fired him. Real Nice guy huh???


And Yes, your right Perrynow, that Neal only invited Perry to sing with Journey to take the heat off himself. Neal just wanted to put Perry "on the spot" that day in front of all the media & fans, but I believe most fans saw through Neal's insincere actions, so that was really uneffective on Neal's part.

And it shouldn't be that hard for Neal to grasp why Perry wouldn't want to sing with Journey. It certainly is not too hard for the fans to figure it out. They fired Perry when he was down & then bad mouthed him in all those interviews,when he was no longer in the band anymore.


The only thing I give Neal credit for saying right was the comment that "Perry needed to be there." (Hollywood walk of fame).

The other comment about Neal saying he doesn't care what the fans think about HIM for Perry not being in the band, of course NEAL CARES, or HE wouldn't STILL be talking about it 7 years later in interviews.


Lori

[whycantthisnight]

perrynow said:

.
I found it interesting that Deen says Augeri signals him when he needs to hit high notes for him and Neal says Augeri's trouble is his mid-range. .

This is priceless!! It sounds like this summers tour along with the Generations CD are border line disasters anyway....... and now add the three stooges interviews to really take it down LMAO!! A skeptical classic Journey fan need not say a word. The group and it's "current" fans are taking the whole thing down by themselves. Bad reviews, problems with the CD give away, joking about the MULTIPLE lead singers, contradictory statements in interviews and the list goes ON!!

Poor augeri, I always said he better not give up his day job.