Remember before computers when people used to draw stuff? Amazing...the times we live in.Journey week is almost over and we're up to Friday and Friday Night Videos. As ex-Journey member Randy Jackson would say, we've got a hot one tonight dawg. After 1986, when it comes to Journey members and Steve Perry you basically get two choices: you can sing without him or can sing with someone who sounds just like him (with the exception of Trial By Fire). Tonight, you get both. First up, Steve Perry gets ducked by a little Schon and a mighty Hammer.
Neal Schon kicked off the whole "solo project" thing for Journey by teaming up twice with synth wiz Jan (pronounced "Yawn") Hammer. A few years before Hammer became Crockett and Tubbs keyboard player, he and Neal Schon kicked out a red hot rocker called "No More Lies". Neal Schon spits out the verses on one of his hardest rocking cuts as Jan Hammer gets all Phil Collins on us and plays every other instrument while dressing like the band's accountant. Journey used to play this song on the Frontiers tour, it kicks ass every time.
But sooner or later, Journey members have to deal with Steve Perry. The problem is they don't like Steve Perry, so they often search out the next best thing. In 1991, that was Kevin Chalfant as ex Journey members Gregg Rolie, Ross Valory and Steve Smith (the fired ones) formed a band called The Storm. Chalfant had made his name with AOR also-rans 707 and Shooting Star with a very Perry like tenor. The Storm's cloning machine didn't stop there, as Josh Ramos was hired on to be Neal Schon's stand in soaring guitar parts and all. Still, cynical as it all is, I really liked The Storm and Chalfant's voice so they're representin' here with "Show Me The Way"
And as a little added Friday Night Video bonus, here's a clip of Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain hosting NBC's Friday Night Videos in 1983.
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