 Frontiers
managed to give Journey four Top 40 hits, with "After the Fall" and
"Send Her My Love" both reaching number 23, "Faithfully" at
number 12, and "Separate Ways" peaking at number eight — the same
amount that 1981's Escape brandished. While they tried to use the same
musical recipe as Escape, Frontiers comes up a little short,
mainly because the keyboards seem to overtake both Schon's guitar playing and
Steve Perry's strong singing. An overabundance of Jonathan Cain's synth work
cloaks the quicker tunes and seeps into the ballads, slightly widening the
strong partnership of Perry and Schon. "Faithfully" tried to match the powerful
beauty of "Open Arms," and while it is a gorgeous ballad, it just comes
inches away from conjuring up the same soft magic.
"Send Her My Love" emphasizes Perry's
keen ability to pour his heart out. — Mike DeGagne |
 During
its initial 14 years of existence (1973-1987), Journey altered its musical
approach and its personnel extensively while becoming a top touring and
recording band.
The original unit, which was named in a contest on KSAN-FM
in San Francisco, featured Schon,
bassist Ross Valory, drummer Prairie
Prince (replaced by Aynsley
Dunbar), and guitarist George
Tickner (who left after the first album). Another former Santana
member, keyboard player and singer Gregg Rolie, joined shortly afterwards. This lineup recorded Journey
(1975), the first of three moderate-selling jazz-rock albums given over
largely to instrumentals. By 1977, however, the group decided it needed a
strong vocalist/frontman and hired Steve
Perry (b. Jan. 22, 1953). The results were immediately felt on the
fourth album, Infinity (1978), which sold a million copies within a
year. (By this time, Dunbar
had been replaced by Steve
Smith.) Evolution (1979) was similarly successful, as was Departure
(after which Rolie
was replaced by Jonathan
Cain). Following a live album, Captured (1981), Journey
released Escape, which broke them through to the top ranks of pop
groups by scoring three Top Ten hit singles, all ballads highlighting Perry's
smooth tenor: "Who's Crying Now," "Don't Stop Believin',"
and "Open Arms." The album topped the charts and had sold nine
million copies by 1996. Frontiers (1983), featuring the hit
"Separate Ways," was another big success, after which Perry
released a double-platinum solo album, Street Talk (1984). When the
group got back together to make a new album, Valory
and Smith
were no longer in the lineup and Raised on Radio (1986) was made by
Schon, Perry,
and Cain,
who added other musicians for a tour. Following the tour, Journey
disbanded. Perry went into a prolonged period of seclusion as Schon and
Cain formed Bad English with vocalist John Waite. — William Ruhlmann
|