Please see RockAAA’s story, “Steve Perry is not rejoining Journey” here for a reality check, as Perry continues to enjoy his retirement.
Some crazy news following Journey picking up the "Event Of The Year" honour at Classic Rock magazine's annual awards ceremony on Wednesday.
Steve Perry wants to rejoin the band.
Wow.
Perry left Journey in 1998, replaced by Steve Augeri, Jeff Scott Soto and, in 2007, Filipino YouTube discovery Arnel Pineda.
In recent years, the band’s 1981 smash, “Don’t Stop Believin’” (with Perry) has been featured in The Sopranos and covered by the cast TV’s Glee, introducing Journey to a whole new audience.
“Don’t Stop Believin’” is a phenomenon: it topped downloads in the iTunes Music Store amongst songs not released in the 21st century, and sits just outside of the top twenty best selling digital songs of all time.
In the U.K., ITV's The X-Factor 2009 winner Joe McElderry covered the song, and it went Top 10.
On Wednesday, the Marshall Classic Rock Roll Of Honours "Event Of The Year" award was presented to Journey to honor the return of "Don't Stop Believin'" to the UK Top 10 this summer. Journey guitarist Neal Schon was on hand to pick up the prize.
The song’s renewed success has Journey making headlines again, and with it, news that Perry wants back in.
The band was reportedly stunned when approached by Perry to rejoin them. Schon told Britain's Daily Star, "He seems to be enjoying the spotlight a little too much. The fact is he's no longer the lead singer. He walked out."
Ouch.
In summer 2007, Schon found YouTube videos of Pineda singing Journey songs, tracked him down for an audition, and he was announced as the band’s new voice in December of that year.
No disrespect intended but, with a Perry sound-alike in Pineda, is Schon telling the world he wants Perry’s voice in the band, but not Perry himself?
Stay tuned….
Journey - Don't Stop Believin' - Escape Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’ (Steve Perry) (1981)
Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’ (Arnel Pineda) (2008)
