Journey's Neal Schon Prefers To Get Reacquainted With Former Frontman Steve Perry
By Brian Ives
(RADIO.COM) – As most Journey fans know by now, on Friday night, Journey shared the stage with their former singer, Steve Perry, at their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
However, Perry didn't perform with his former band, who used their current lead singer, Arnel Pineda for their three song set. While it seemed that the band wanted to get back with their ex-singer, even just for one song, but it wasn't to be. Still, the vibes between Perry and the band's founder, leader and guitarist, Neal Schon, appeared to be very warm, and Schon said as much in a new interview with Rolling Stone.
Rumors were circulating up through a few hours before the ceremony that Perry might perform, and the drama seemed to wear on Schon, who said on Twitter that Perry "is always welcome."
But when Rolling Stone asked him if he was hoping Perry would change his mind, Schon said he was prioritizing their friendship over getting Perry back in the fold.
"To me, the main thing with Steve is that we were always great friends and music was kind of always there," he said. "But right now we haven't seen each other in so long. I'm just looking forward to getting reacquainted with the guy and be his friend. That's where I'm at."
He said that they spent time together backstage: "We hung out in his room for 10, 15 minutes. None of that stuff was planned, the hug, none of it." He said that he'd support Perry if he toured for his long-anticipated solo album, and wouldn't mind if he did Journey songs on his own. "He owns the songs as much as we do. He helped build them, wrote them, sang them, cemented them in cement in everyone's hearts and minds and souls."
He also noted that he'd like to work with Perry in the studio again: "Not necessarily Journey, something more bluesy more R&B-ish, soul."
The current incarnation of Journey will be on the road for the next few months.
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