Who's crying now: Journey fires Valory and Smith

[Mugre]

I really enjoyed the cheesy psychedelic prog of those refugees from Santana band for the first two records. I have mad respect for Jon. Cain as a writer/player but Neal and Steve P. seem like total bags of feminine hygiene product.

Along similar lines, y'll heard that Joey Kramer was suing to get back into Arrowsmith and they weren't aren't going to let him be at the HoF induction?

I have a friend, a good guitarist who started doing sound at a few local nightclubs. After about 3 months, we were at rehearsal and he said, "The more I hang around musicians, the less I want to be one."

mugre

 

[Spidey2112]

Is this appropriate now? Disclaimer - This is not the video posted earlier in the thread:

I laughed, then I cried from laughing so hard.

 

[Carl Hillman]

Yeah it's seems those two weren't as business savvy as the others early on they should have worked something into their contract agreements. I think they should have been treated more fairly, but when I band becomes a business at that point you need to get all of your ducks in a row for when you are old and grey or you end up like them

The vast majority of non-touring money (mechanical and performance royalties) go to the songwriters and their publishing companies. Valory had a handful of shared songwriting credits on some of the albums, Steve Smith, almost none (except for the 1980 soundtrack Dream, After Dream). On the huge, multi-platinum albums, Smith and Valory got very little in the way of royalties, reflecting their limited writing contributions.

This is just the way it is in the recorded music business if you don't write and publish the songs. (Unless, that is, you can convince your bandmates to give you a share of their royalties just because you're a good guy.)

 

[dramatwist]

Musicians suck at business. Me included.

 

[Auspuff]

So, two guys, obsessed with profits, and retirement income, accuse two other guys of obsessing about profits, and retirement income.

Got it.

 

[pglaser01]

Did we really go 2 1/2 pages without a “Separate Ways” pun!?!?!?

 

[4001]

Who wants to audition for the Journey bass player spot? It's open now.

 

[carrythatweight]

Did we really go 2 1/2 pages without a “Separate Ways” pun!?!?!?

We must all be worlds apart here.

 

[DJ Bebop]

I stopped after the fourth album. My wife kept going on them though.

 

[electracoyote]

Did we really go 2 1/2 pages without a “Separate Ways” pun!?!?!?

Check post #7 yo.

 

[roccobass]

Sad... I saw Journey when Greg Rolie was the front man. I thought they were great live. Had an energy that seemed to be lacking on their early records.

Actually saw them on the Infinity album tour. They really sounded great. Gregg and Steve Perry did sound well singing together. When I was in my road band years, sadly, it was the post Rolie tunes that we did.

 

[TexasFury]

Looks like Smith and Valory weren't prepared for a Departure.

 

[roccobass]

Looks like Smith and Valory weren't prepared for a Departure.

Maybe they were Stoned in Love...???
With the name, of course!

 

[David Jayne]

Who wants to audition for the Journey bass player spot? It's open now.

I'm pretty sure a certain Mr Jackson will have already gotten the call..

 

[littlebooner]

Didnt the Eagles do the same when they reunited? Fired the guitarist who wanted more money and then proceeded to do a dozen "Farewell" tours...

 

[Spectrum]

Some bands age more gracefully than others.

Maybe Valory and Smith can market themselves as a rhythm section unit, like Double Trouble used to do.

 

[Michedelic]

Is this appropriate now? Disclaimer - This is not the video posted earlier in the thread:

It’s always appropriate.

 

[pcake]

In fairness I can understand why they'd want to establish income once they are finally done touring. As it stood only Schon, Cain and Perry would continue to receive checks. I think.

i thought perry was a paid employee and was let go at one point; that's when arnel was brought on board.

 

[David Jayne]

i thought perry was a paid employee and was let go at one point; that's when arnel was brought on board.

The article states that Perry got a deal that (apparently) pays him even after he'd left. Makes sense; his voice is iconic with that band. "When Perry left the band in 1998, he signed an agreement allowing Cain and Schon to keep recording and touring under the Journey name..." Only two reasons I can think of why he'd do that, and one of them is 'he's just a really nice guy.' : D

 

[selowitch]

This isn’t even the first time Journey has fired bassist Ross Valory (they did it before in 1985, I think, though he was re-hired just a few months later).

I'm sure Steve Perry made a deal that the band could continue to perform under the lucrative name Journey without him in exchange for financial considerations.