If you watch Perry's performances with the Eels from a couple of years ago, he still has that rich tone. The legendary range is not there, but as he did more shows with the Eels, he got more confidence and got better. But simply stated, he's not the same singer he was 30-35 years ago. Pretty much no one on the planet is, except Glenn Hughes, who I swear is an alien. That guy just defies nature.
Anyway, I was bummed Perry chose not to sing, but I do get it. EVERYONE, including Perry himself, would hold Perry to his past greatness with Journey. And that's just not realistic. Perry knows it, and knows he can't deliver those songs like that any more, and doesn't want to go there. I respect that.
Schon did a couple of interviews this week (wish I had the links, but I don't, perhaps someone can look them up), where he said something along the lines of how emotional he and Perry both were, and there would have been no way he would have been able to sing given that emotion. And Perry is a very emotional guy to begin with.
Schon did say, however, that he thinks he and Perry might talk about doing something together in the future, just not as Journey. He mentioned it being more along the soulful rock lines, as opposed to the melodic, operatic pop/hard rock Journey is known for. That makes total sense to me -- not under the Journey name, there's much less of an expectation for Steve Perry to sound like Steve Perry from 1982.
I've been keeping tabs on news related to Perry's solo work. He's been working at it for about a decade now, but more more intense the last few years. He's had a lot of guys come in and work with him. I believe Nuno Bettencout has, among others (sorry, no link, going from memory). I also think I remember reading that Perry said that he plans on getting it out later this year? So we'll see. But I think the overriding notion is -- he isn't the same Steve Perry vocally as everyone remembers, and for a guy who is clearly driven by his emotions, that's hard for Perry to live up to. he can't live up to it, so he needs to feel like people will understand and accept it.
Honestly, I think his performances with the Eels really helped him, and he got better each time he performed with them. And if people listen to those performances, that's probably what I would expect from him moving forward. The tone is there. The range is not, and you have to just let his tone carry the day.
In a clearly not apples-to-apples example, it's sort of how Ray Alder sings these days in Fates Warning. That beautiful tone is there, but the range to do the No Exit and Perfect Symmetry stuff...he just doesn't want to go there. Same with Perry, except Perry CAN'T go there.
Anyway, I think Perry was pure class at the RnRHoF induction, and I really hope he does put out a solo record, tours, and eventually works with Schon. Personally, I'd like for them to do a Perry-Schon record with acoustic remakes of Journey songs, and then five or six new tunes, acoustic, that fit Perry's style and range these days. Sorta like how Sevendust did their Bonfires release a couple of years back...six old songs re-done acoustic, six new acoustic tunes.
Topic: The Journey Thread (Read 66771 times)
