Does anyone remember when Journey was a bad ass musician's band who explored jazz fusion, progrock more raw yet with more complex compositions?
Does anyone remember when Journey was a bad ass musician's band who explored jazz fusion, progrock more raw yet with more complex compositions?
Although I came to them during the Perry era ("Infinity" was my first Journey album), I eventually went back and explored these and agree they are quite good.
I've said several times over the years, Next was the first Journey record I ever bought and it's still my favorite Journey album. I have the first 3 albums. At one point I had Infinity and Escape on cassette but lost them over the last 25 years. But Next is my favorite, hands down. I played it recently.
Add Look into the Future too.
A great trio of albums. Before they succumbed to the delights - and most importantly riches - of godforsaken AOR.
Those early albums have their moments, but their “prog” content is rather overblown. Look Into the Future is the best of them, but it’s really more of a LZ-style hard rock album with some jazzy diversions. The one injecting most of the prog seems to have been early member George Tickner, responsible for the most progressive moments of the debut (notably the excellent instrumental “Topaz”). Next was pretty much already in the AOR style that made them stars, the only things missing were Steve Perry and memorable songs.
Confirmed Bachelors: the dramedy hit of 1883...
As a kid I would often see these LPs in the 3 for $10 bins at record stores. The main thing that always got my attention was Neal's hair on Next. When I finally heard the records 20 years later I thought they were pretty good but there was nothing to make me keep listening. Solid B+ efforts.
Yeah, he had that big ass afro through most of the 70's, going back to his days with Santana. I think he only cut it off during the Evolution or Departure era. They must have hired a new image consultant or something.Originally Posted by arturs
Tickner and bassman Ross Valory had both been members of The Frumious Bandersnatch, one of the most overlooked S.F. acid-rock bands and decidedly one of the most oddball of the lot (along with Mad River). If you listen to the Golden Sons of Libra anthology from 2003 (with recordings from '67-69), there's little wonder how the vintage Journey turned out somewhat, er, "progressive". Although perhaps not as much as Asia or GTR.
The first two Journey albums are very good. I think.
"Improvisation is not an excuse for musical laziness" - Fred Frith
"[...] things that we never dreamed of doing in Crimson or in any band that I've been in," - Tony Levin speaking of SGM
I'm a huge fan of the first 3 discs, and they bring back a lot of good memories. I enjoyed the first one with Perry, too, but after that, I came to my senses.
The "prog & jazz" contents went declining since their great debut album
If the debut is near-flawless, Look in The Future has only half the tracks I like (usually the longer ones, if memory), and TBH, Next is little more than an AOR album with a bit of complexity, but really nothing to write home about
I always wished they released a live album during that early era
The Pontiac Firebird Trans-Am hood artworked-albums never interested me, including the Captured Live album, filled with turds.
yeah, it wasn't "corporate" enoughYeah, he had that big ass afro through most of the 70's, going back to his days with Santana. I think he only cut it off during the Evolution or Departure era. They must have hired a new image consultant or something.
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Am I the only person that's not hearing any AOR in Next? I guess we hear music differently. I'm hearing some Beatles, Hendrix psychedelia and heavy mettalish vibes. For 1977 it sounded dated but damn I think it's heavy. The keyboards are great, guitars are great, the songs are great, IMO.
No man, you are not. More probable is that you have actually listened to the record.
Depends I guess in how broad your definition of AOR is. For me, Next is better than anything REO Speedwagon or TOTO ever dished out, but it's still hard-rocking AOR to my ears, though not that slick either. In itself, how can a mid-70's album where Rollie, Schon and Dunbar play be bad ?? But it just doesn't match the exuberance and freshness of their debut, IMHO.
Next is a little Styx-y (that's not a bad thing, especially from the same era: Equinox to Po8). and I think it starts out fairly well, but the middle of the album is noisy and inspiration-poor. and later on, if memory serves, on the N&D instrumental track, there are some hints of Rush (again not a bad thing), but then again, that track is a leftover from the debut album. I'm also not a fan of Schon's singing, and here he gets a few lead vocals, but Rollie's Here We Are is the worse track on it.
As if people here condemn albums they've never heard. some (including me) could reassess before re-stating their 20 to 30 y.o. opinions.
Though in this case, my review of Next on PA dates from +/- 10 years ago.
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Styx-y?
Yeah, we hear music differently.
I will say that on the early albums there were some obvious attempts at trying to create radio singles, sort of like what Kansas did on some of those early albums. Label pressure?
For me personally I like every single track on Next. Part of it is nostalgia, being I'm originally from San Francisco. That whole Santana/Journey thing was a big part of my musical background. I was a shade young during the Summer of Love but it did influence me.
^ So what's your definition of AOR then? Does it include ultra heavy guitars, crushing drums, maximum sonic intensity and some quiet complex instrumental passages?
Their style didn't change from Look Into The Future to Next. Judgements about the quality is another thing altogether.
First three are great, especially the first two, no matter how you categorize them.
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I'm a big fan of those first three albums and find a little something of interest on each of the following releases during Steve Perry's tenure. And for those of you looking for a live document from this early period, check out the grey area/unofficial mass produced silver double disc release entitled "Live At The Cow Palace" from a 1977 show.
It's been a long time since I've listened to the first three albums. The main thing I remember is, on Look Into The Future, that cover of It's All Too Much, the Beatles song. I like the intro they come up with, but then they just sing the chorus a couple times, and the rest of the track is them jamming. Not a bad track, as such, I guess I just wanted to hear them do the entire song, not just the chorus. I remember someone suggesting maybe nobody could remember the words to the rest of the song (and what? They couldn't run down to the nearest record store and buy a copy of Yellow Submarine?!), and that's why they only do the chorus.
Anyway, unlike a lot of people around here, I like most of the Steve Perry era records, up through Frontiers (though I've never heard the live album, Captured). Yeah, I guess they're less (ahem) "progressive" than the pre-Perry records, but I think there's a lot of good songwriting and fine guitar work from Neal on all of them. I like stuff like Any Way You Want It, Precious Time, Stone In Love, and Separate Ways (World Apart). Hell, I like the ballads too, like Faithfully, and I like to sing along with the refrain on Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'. (shrug) So sue me.
But then, every so often, they'd throw in something that was a little less..."radio friendly", shall we say? I'm thinking of songs like Winds Of March on Infinity, People And Places on Departure, and the almost heavy metal-ish Chain Reaction on Frontiers. It was like once they had "the singles" taken care of, they felt free to toss in a couple things that were a little different.
BTW, I also like the second Schon & Hammer record too. I've never heard the first one, but Here To Say had some good stuff on it. I find it amusing that in the video for No More Lies, Jan Hammer was already dressed like a Don Johnson wannabe, even though Miami Vice was still a couple years away.
I really like their first three albums.
Maybe their closest to Prog is "Dream after Dream" though, an album that
is always forgotten as is wasn't released everywhere.
Don't formalize on Styx, as I could've indeed said Kansas (which sound AOR-ish from Masque onwards, IMHO)
I know what you mean though: I'm not from Frisco (only been there twice), but yeah, the whole 67 to 73 era resonnates particularly strongly with me, even with bands that are seldomly remembered from the Bay area (CCR and Steve Miller Band, for ex...)
Yup, of course of all those ingredients are part of Boston, THE AOR band par excellence, mon cher.
as for LITF
I didn't call Next bad or trash, right?? And indeed Next is sort of in the line of LITF (but neither are really in the line of the debut), but it lacks the long tracks, has a few more average tracks, and if Schon is in fine form on the third album, Rollie is not doing as well as in the first two. Dunbar remaining himself, but Valory seems almost absent (not that I ever considered him as a force to be recknoned with). LITF could classify as well as AOR in my book, but certainmly not the debut.
BTW: Fleetwood's Rumours is not really AOR, but AOP (P for Pop)
my music collection increased tenfolds when I switched from drug-addicts to complete nutcases.
Thanks so much for posting this album. I've never heard of it. Listening now on YouTube. Beautiful.
Happy to see someone other than I bring up "Dream after Dream".
It's a fascinating album they did initially as a soundtrack record during their AOR glory years. It's shows that they never did lose tough completely with their more progressive - fusion roots.
In my opinion, "Dream after Dream" is the best album they ever made if you look at it from both a musical and art piece.
It's a phenomenal album.
They also recorded an EP called Red 13 or something. It's supposed to be kinda jammy and proggy. Is that true?
The first album is, by far, my favorite Journey album. However, all of the ones with Gregg Rollie are pretty good. Jonathan Cain and his sappy writing are really where Journey went bad.
N.W.:
Next in line:
W/S.Perry:
- Good one -
https://youtu.be/ByyAW0_SB7M
Last edited by TCC; 09-02-2018 at 12:02 AM.
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