Originally named The
Golden Gate Rhythm Section, Journey was a hard rockin' band of the late 70's and
early 80's. After a few unsuccessful albums, the band replaced its original front man with
lead singer Steve Perry. The band's first album with Perry, "
Infinity", scored the hits "
Wheel In The Sky", "
Anytime", and "
Lights", a song about their native
San Francisco.
Drummer Steve Smith joined the band in 1978, but the next two albums, "Evolution" and "Departure" faltered slightly, scoring only two hits in "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'" and "Any Way You Want It". The addition of Jonathan Cain on keyboards in 1981 would change Journey's sound dramatically.
Cain co-wrote the band's next and most successful album, "Escape". "Escape" featured "Who's Crying Now", "Don't Stop Believin'", and the ballad "Open Arms", reached #1 on the Billboard charts, and sold over 9 million copies.
1983's "Frontiers" would do nearly as well, with songs like "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" and "Faithfully". After releasing "Frontiers", the band went on hiatus to work on solo projects, the most successful of which was Perry's album "Street Talk", highlighted by the single "Oh, Sherrie".
Unfortunately, the time off hurt the band, and major problems arose once they returned to the studio. Smith and bassist Ross Valory were ousted from the band, and the remaining trio released the subpar effort "Raised On Radio" This was to be the last album of new material Journey would release for quite a while...
The band released a Greatest Hits album and a box set "Time3", but had yet to record any new material, until 1996, when Smith and Valory reunited with Perry, Cain, and guitarist Neal Schon to record "Trial By Fire". The album reached #3 on the charts, but Perry was unable to tour with the band due to health problems. The band replaced him with Steve Augeri, and when Smith returned to his jazz band, Bad English drummer Deen Castronovo joined the band. Journey hit the road once more, beginning a new chapter in the saga of the band.