New Cain Interview - Do the Math

[perrynow]

Friday, November 4 | Upstate South Carolina News, Sports and Information
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Still believin'
Journey's music, hopeful message endures

Posted Friday, November 4, 2005 - 6:00 am



By Donna Isbell Walker
ENTERTAINMENT WRITER
[e-mail]


Eighties rock and Journey - it's hard to imagine one without the other.

Songs like "Who's Crying Now" and "Open Arms" dominated the radio airwaves and high school proms for the better part of the decade. With 41 million albums sold, the band was a musical force, helping define the arena-rock sound of the era.

The albums still sell, and the World Series champs Chicago White Sox even adopted "Don't Stop Believin'" as their anthem this year.

Keyboard player Jonathan Cain thinks the band has endured because of the musical craftsmanship and the message.
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"It was the respect for melody and groove," Cain said recently, over the phone from his home in California. "We were one of the more soulful of the '80s bands. There's a sweetness to the music that keeps it young. It was about hope and faith and good stuff; we were never on the dark side."

Journey started out in the early 1970s as a jazz-influenced prog-rock band, although the sound evolved to a more mainstream rock vibe when vocalist Steve Perry came aboard in 1977. His soaring tenor soon became the band's signature. Cain joined the band in 1981, just in time to help write songs for the album "Escape," the album that catapulted the band into the stratosphere.

The band broke up in 1986 when Perry left because of health problems. When the members wanted to regroup in 1998, Perry wasn't interested in coming back, so the remaining musicians recruited sound-alike singer Steve Augeri.

There have been rumors of bad blood between Perry and his ex-bandmates over the years, but Cain dismisses most of it. Had Perry been so inclined, he could have sued the other members over using the name, but "he was classy enough" not to do that, Cain said.

Cain has nothing but praise for the music the '80s-era Journey produced and performed.

"I'm very proud of everything we did together, and I'm very mindful of our

partnership. There's no one like him, and I was so fortunate to have a

voice like that to write for. ... I know that if we got together tomorrow,

we'd write something cool."

People are often surprised to learn that the current lineup with Augeri on

vocals, together since 1998, is the longest-standing Journey incarnation,

Cain said. "They still call Steve (Augeri) the new guy. And if you think

about it, Steve Perry hasn't sung with the band in almost 20 years," Cain

said.

Journey's new album, "Generations," is both a return to form and a

departure for the band. The return to form comes with the help of producer

Kevin Elson, who worked on such classic Journey albums as "Escape" and

"Frontiers."

The difference is that this time, every member of Journey gets a turn at

lead vocals. In the old days, when Perry was on the microphone, there was

room for only one front man on stage, and the music became a little more

pop than some members wanted, Cain said.

Now, "it's less of a one-man deal. It's more of a rock band; we have more

of an edge. ... I think we're edgier than we ever were," he said.

Fans will get a chance to check out that edge for themselves next week. The

Bi-Lo Center concert will feature a mix of old and new Journey, greatest

hits as well as a few less-familiar nuggets from the early albums, Cain

said.

And Cain said he's looking forward to visiting Greenville again. He

recalled eating dinner at a downtown restaurant and touring the BMW plant

the last time Journey played here, two years ago on a bill with Styx and

REO Speedwagon.

"There's a good heart in Greenville," Cain said. "The people are authentic.

A lot of places you go, you feel this disjointed karma, but not there."



Journey performs at the Bi-Lo Center's Pepsi Pavilion Thursday.

[sherbear]

20yrs ? uhhh HELLO TBF??? wasnt that 96? LOL 9yrs jonathon!
shesh

(and to say i had daddy brain when i said it is no excuse, i have twins as well and i can still do math( and they are 5 1/2yrs old!)

s

[perrynow]

If I hear the "longest-standing Journey incarnation" or longest running line-up comment again I will puke. What on earth does that have to do with ANYthing? When you add up all they did that was worthy of the Journey name while Steve was there and look at the little they have done (and the quality) during this incarnation, I don't think I'd be pointing out how long they've been doing that! TBF was recorded in 1996? Last time I checked, Steve was singing a grammy nominated song on there, plus writing & singing the rest of them. Do the math, Jon. That's 9 years, not 20! Trying to make Steve's time with Journey seem insignificant in order to bolster their own agenda is not working. He tries too hard to make statements that praise Steve, but in the next breath, takes it all back and adds a sour twist on things. ("the music became a little more pop than some members wanted") You mean Neal...just say it! Wasn't Steve hired to get them on the radio?? Hello?? I wish Steve could go back to his youth and give his talent to form another band that appreciated and respected him so he wouldn't have to deal with these clowns in any way shape or form.

[arden]

Well, it adds up to a lot of conflicting statements, IMO. Just when you think Jon is actually going to say something nice about Steve, his inner whiner comes out. He manages to destroy his earlier comments by getting his digs in at Steve in the end, plus, rewrite some history while he was at it.

Then there is the interview a couple of days earlier where he was just downright bitter.

"I think he wishes this band would go away -- but we won't."

How bitter and childish is that?? Clearly, he has some issues with all of the attention that Perry got during the World Series. I believe it is the band that wishes Perry would go away...but he WON''T...deal with it.

cityguide.aol.com/houston/entertainment/event.adp?evid=2534263
Interview with Journey's Jonathan Cain
-- Editor's Pick

Journey wasn't supposed to perform in Houston ''after'' the World Series. As a matter of fact, no one knew the 'Stros would be in the Series on Sept. 23, the day the '80s classic rockers were slated to play Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion. Then, of course, Rita hit and the concert was postponed until Nov. 5

Since then, the Chicago White Sox (remember them?), adopted the Journey anthem 'Don't Stop Believin'' as ''its'' anthem and the group's previous frontman, Steve Perry, as its good luck charm. Well, admit it, it worked. The Sox swept the 'Stros and 'Don't Stop Believin,'' 24 years after it was released, is a hit again -- at least in Chicago.

Days before Journey's make-up gig at Cynthia Woods, AOL CityGuide spoke to Journey keyboardist -- and 'Don't Stop Believin'' co-writer -- Jonathan Cain (right, in photo) about the song and his relationship, if any, with Perry.

Will Journey play "Don't Stop Believin'" in Houston?

Jonathan Cain: Yes, Journey will be playing it.

Will you make any special mention about the song as it relates to the Sox sweep over the Astros?

JC: I don't think so. We're honored that they chose the song but it belongs to the fans, ya know. It belonged to the fans, and when we do a show, we do it for them. The Astros had a great Series and I think that's kind of distasteful to do something like that.

Do you expect to hear any booing during the song?

JC: They may boo but, in the end, it's not about baseball. It's about a rock show.

Are you annoyed Steve Perry is getting all the credit for the song?

JC: I'm not annoyed. They called him and asked him. He has the time to do it. I just finished a 60-city tour with the guys and we're knackered. We needed a little time off. So it was good that somebody from the camp went out there and made them happy. They did call us and asked us if we wanted to do something but said it couldn't be til game six or seven, so...

Were you in touch with Steve Perry during the Series?

JC: I was not. We don't have a relationship, really. I don't think he has a relationship with anybody in this band. I think he wishes this band would go away -- but we won't. -- Blair R. Fischer

[perrynow]

JC: I was not. We don't have a relationship, really. I don't think he has a relationship with anybody in this band. I think he wishes this band would go away -- but we won't.

What's wrong with....No, I haven't really seen or spoken with him since the WOF event. I guess that would have been too classy. Sockboy must have handed him some more of that dirty laundry to air. LOL

[webbie]

Oh my God...I wish I could b*tch slap that little girl...
Hey Jon: Grow up douchbag.

At least Ross, Dean and Augeri have the sense to keep their mouths shut publicly.

[gwenied]

I Think Steves reason for being so unattached to the group is for those type of words being said he has no time for back stabbing and loud mouths such as JC He's on to much better days ahead!!!!! MORE MUSIC STEVE!!!

[sherbear]

oo im sorry i thought his last round of excuses included "we wanted family time and neal has a NEWBORN DAUGHTER WHO WAS IN NICU".

oh yeah like Steve needs JC,NS LMFAO

s(look at the coverage sp ALONE got. im sorry did anyone see JC NS doing whatever the basketball thing was this past week? whatever that was, i forget= national anthem or 1/2time lounge lizard show blah blah?

oh it was SP that did DSB, NO MUSIC at the Rolling Thunder In FRONT OF 1.7 MILLION PEOPLE THERE(never mind those of us GLUED TO THE TV!)

s
ps NUFF SAID!

[sherbear]

oh yeah im not bitter lmfao

s

[sparkle2]

[Journey performs at the Bi-Lo Center's Pepsi Pavilion Thursday.








[/quote]



Glad this was clarified - for a horrible moment I pictured them on a flat-bed truck in the grocery store parking lot...

sparkle

[lecalla]

Nah, Sparkle...that's their NEXT gig! Hehehe!

Lee