Why We Don't Hear From Journey's Steve Perry Much Anymore
By RANI BAKER
History - Science
JOURNEY’S HIATUS
Journey was inescapable for a while, but the band took a much-needed break after several years of stadium tours. Perry recorded, and then later shelved, a solo album in 1988, and then, aside from a somewhat-successful 1994 solo shot called “For The Love Of Strange Medicine,” that was the end of the Steve Perry story for nearly 10 years.
FALSE-START REUNION
Journey got back together in 1996 and recorded the album “Trial By Fire,” which did well, but before they could support it with a tour, Perry suffered a broken hip that left him unable to perform. Perry didn’t get hip surgery until two years later, by which time the rest of the band had moved on.
REPLACED STEVE PERRY
Journey's new vocalist, Steve Augeri, didn’t have the chops to live up to Perry’s vocals, but the band ended up finding Filipino singer Arnel Pineda on YouTube, who sounded almost exactly like Perry. Pineda has been humble about his role, stating that he himself is a fan of Perry.
VOICE IS OUT-OF-SHAPE
While Perry has sung at a few major league baseball games and made guest appearances with other bands at their live shows, he’s made no solid plans to return to music. Perry stated that after so long without practice, his voice may not even be capable of pulling off the soaring high notes of the older tracks, explaining his reluctance to return.
MADE PEACE WITH LEGACY
When Journey was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in April 2017, Perry attended the ceremony, though he didn’t perform with the band. However, he thanked his former bandmates and Journey fans during his speech, showing that he’s made peace with his legacy rather than feeling bitter as he did during Journey's “Behind The Music” episode.