Little known is that the band Journey was originally formed by former members of the band Santana. Formed in 1973 in San Francisco, California, Journey is still going strong, having sold over 100 million records.
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Journey Tickets Information
Originally brought together to be a back-up band called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section, the bandmates soon decided to abandon that plan and become a headlining act instead with a signature style of jazz-fusion, playing their premiere appearance as Journey at the Winterland Ballroom. At that time, the band lineup included:
In 1975, Journey put out its self-titled debut to mixed reviews. Its next two albums, “Look into the Future” and “Next” were also less well-received than the band had hoped.
The band went through numerous lineup changes since that first gig all those years ago, none so pivotal to its Journey as when it finally switched lead singers for the second time, introducing Steve Perry into the mix. Once Steve Perry joined the docket, Journey’s destiny as rock legends finally started taking shape.
Though Steve Perry is no longer with the band, he helped catapult Journey to the great success it enjoys today, starting with the band’s fourth album (its first with Perry) “Infinity,” which hit #21 on the charts and became its first RIAA certified success. That album also gave Journey its first pair of hit singles, Wheel in the Sky and Lights.
ith Perry on board, and a few more lineup changes still, Journey recorded the 1979 album “Evolution” which brought the band its first Top 20 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 with Lovin’, Touchin’, Squeezin’.
The follow-up to that success, the 1980 album “Departure” hit #8 on Billboard’s album chart and gave audiences another Journey favorite, Any Way You Want It.
Undoubtedly Journey’s biggest hit, however, was its next and eighth album, “Escape” which reached #1 on the Billboard album charts and boasted three top 10 singles Open Arms, Don’t Stop Believin’, and Who’s Crying Now.
“Frontiers” came next and kept the band near the top of the charts, hitting #2 and giving the band’s booming fan base the now-classics Faithfully and Separate Ways.
Between 1984 and 1994 the band split up to pursue solo projects, though the members rejoined for the popular 1995 “Trial By Fire” album. And although a #12 single off that album, "When You Love a Woman" got the band a Grammy nomination, an injury leading up to a big tour led to the end of an era with Steve Perry leaving the band and being replaced, not once, not twice, but three times: first by Steve Augeri, then by Jeff Scott Solo, then by their current frontman Arnel Pineda who the band discovered singing Journey covers on YouTube. Pineda was introduced to fans just this year in Chile while the band was touring for their latest album (one which, incidentally, debuted at #5) “Revelation.”
The current Journey lineup is Schon, Valory and:
Journey’s 2008 tour hits the U.S. on July 9 at the Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre in Denver, Colorado, and plays through October 4 at the Journal Pavilion in Albuquerque, New Mexico.