Steve Perry

Steve Perry, The greatest singer is Rock history, and one of the greatest singers ever. The man could belt a rocker that would floor you, then sing a ballad that would rock you with the emotion he put into it. The man has also caused more controversy. Who cares if "Elvis has left the building", it is "Perry has entered the building!" His sudden disappearance after Journey's Trail By Fire, has divided the Journey camp. Did he leave Journey or was he fired? Did he really have hip problems and if he did, was there surgery. Is he losing his voice? Is he ever going to make a new cd? Every year for the past 10 years, rumour has it Perry is in the studio working on a new cd. 10 years now!!! And the big one, which came first the chicken or the egg question, "would Journey have made it big without Perry or would Perry have made it big without Journey?" Whatever the questions, the man has talent as a singer and song writer. But who would have been more popular?


Street Talk-1984 (B+)

Journey's vocalist Steve Perry's STREET TALK is his first and best solo cd. With a voice like Perry, it is hard not to know it is not him singing. He has a voice like no other. He is the voice of rock. STREET TALK confirms this even more.
Oh Sherrie starts off the cd. It starts off with a very recognizable keyboard intro, but when Perry sings, you know who is in control. This is his show, no matter how good the music is or how poor, Perry sails above it all. Perry sings with control and confidence. Even though his voice is showing more wear and tare, he pulls it off in a slightly lower range. He still soars above the rest of the singers in the field.
Perry vocals are showcased on all songs, but he really shines on Oh Sherrie, I Believe, She's Mine, Foolish Heart, Running Alone, and Captured By The Moment.
While Strung Out wasn't a vocal showcase for Perry that it could have been, it is still a good song, and is the most Journey like sounding song on the cd. And that brings the only weak point to the cd. The people playing the music for Perry. As great of a singer that Perry is, he needs a strong band to back him up. The musicians are good here, but they are not of the Journey caliber.
Still a very good cd here,and some good songs.

For The Love Of Strange Medicine (C-)/Remastered (B)

Production, production, production. It can make a bad cd good, or a good cd sound bad. This cd show both sides of the coin. When this cd first came out, I was ready for it. A new cd from the voice of rock himself, Steve Perry!! This man can sing and right music, but more than anything he can sing. From the opening note of You Better Wait to the note of Anyway I was in shock!?! What had happened?! This was not the Steve Perry I know. While there were some good songs on here, the cd was lifeless, from the singing to the playing. So I put the cd on again, this time I cranked it up. HORRIBLE!!! Turned it down half way threw the cd. It was almost a week before I came back to it. Listened to it in the car, at work, on my walkman. Everywhere I went this cd went with me. And for years the memory of this horrible outing by Perry was how I pictured him. The Journey reunion faired better, but failed to live up to Journey's high standards. While I said it was a bomb (for Journey), it is not a bad cd. But this cd was bad. The only songs I every listened to when I put this on were You Better Wait, I Am, Stand Up, Missing You, and Anyway the rest were skipped.

Now flash forward 12 years. Journey reissues their catalogue freshly remastered. I by them all plus Steve's Street Talk. I was amazed by how good they sounded. But did I want to waste my money on this cd? I am glad I talked my self into. The remasters have breathed a new life and a new sound into this cd. The music no longer seems stale, but full of life and crisp. Now other songs that I skipped I listen too, and the songs I liked, only sound better.

Yes production can make a difference.

Greatest Hits Plus 5-1998 (B+)

Is Steve really worth a hits cd? Only 2 cds (solo) and I was not a big fan of the second for a long time. Yeah Steve is worth this. Included are some soundtrack solo stuff the Awesome I Stand Alone and some early demo, plus songs from his unreleased Against The Wall cd. Would have been nice to have had some Journey songs recorded from his solo shows.

Playlist; The Very Best Of Steve Perry-2009 (B)

Can't really say a lot about this set. Nothing new, and it is all covered in the 1998 hits cd. Worth buying if you do not own the remastered cds above.

Ok, who would have been more popular if Perry had not gotten hooked up with Journey?

Perry had retired, given up on music Journey was still moving a long, having hired a new singer right before Perry came along. I think both would have done ok. Perry's solo stuff has been good but not outstanding, while Journey's has done a little bit better. What Perry was lacking was someone who had the fire that his voice had, and keep the music sharp. What Journey had was someone who could sing, but they seemed scared to move on from the prog sound they were stuck in (Perry had the attitude to move them foreward). So I think, Journey would have gone down the rock road and Perry more pop or even r&b. But it doesn't really matter because they got together and made some of the best music out there. Schon needed someone who could match his playing, and Perry had the voice to do it. Perry, then Cain brought a more pop rock approach to the sound, but Neal's guitar keep even the slow songs on fire, and Perry's voice gave them soul.

Forget about all the what ifs and what could have been, just crank it up and enjoy the voice and the music.