When Steve Perry was asked to join Journey in 1977, he helped usher in a new era for the band that included significantly more financial success than the progressive rock years preceding him. By 1984, however, both Perry and guitarist Neal Schon had worked on solo albums and Journey was officially on hiatus. It is Perry's solo career and new album, Street Talk, that act as the focus of the interview recorded here. Throughout, Lisa Robinson seems to be digging for information that would confirm a rumor that Journey was broken up for good, which makes for some great material. …entire summary

When Steve Perry was asked to join Journey in 1977, he helped usher in a new era for the band that included significantly more financial success than the progressive rock years preceding him. By 1984, however, both Perry and guitarist Neal Schon had worked on solo albums and Journey was officially on hiatus. It is Perry's solo career and new album, Street Talk, that act as the focus of the interview recorded here. Throughout, Lisa Robinson seems to be digging for information that would confirm a rumor that Journey was broken up for good, which makes for some great material.

00:00 - First solo project
00:10 - Life before Journey
00:50 - Group vs. solo concepts
01:37 - Journey on a hiatus
01:58 - What Steve brought to Journey
02:48 - Opinion of his own voice
03:05 - Differences between solo music and Journey music
03:59 - Feeling liberated through solo work
04:45 - Possibility of leaving Journey?
06:05 - The management's role in Journey
07:24 - Inability to plan for commercial success
08:03 - Journey impersonators (Survivor)
08:47 - Performing solo at benefit concerts
09:20 - Becoming a teen idol
10:12 - Origin of the title Street Talk
10:49 - Being away from home for extended periods of time / life planning
12:50 - The power of performance
13:13 - Future goals: strings, producing
14:22 - Original obsessions with music / video killing the radio star
15:25 - Favorite song on the new album: "I Believe," "Running Alone"

 collapse