A Perry Tale
By Cheryl R

It was 81 and I was only 13. I had just started 8th grade when my dad brought home an album called Escape from a band called Journey. I was familiar with the lead singer’s voice and knew of a few songs from them. When I put the record on , this voice filled up my room and I knew this was the singer of the year. His voice was strong , powerful and full of passion. He name was Steve Perry and he had this incredible long dark brown-black hair. I remember going on a cruise to Mexico with my family during Christmas break of 81. I met a girl and we became instant friends. The only problem we had is that I loved Journey and she loved Foreigner. We would argue who was better and to me Journey was the best band in the world. In July of 82 , Journey headlined an all day concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. CA. The warm up bands were Aldo Nova, Triumph, and Blue Oyster Cult. I was a 14 year old teen, so excited to see the best band as well the best vocalist. When Journey was about to go onstage, myself and two other friends made it to the front of the stage. I was only 4′ 8 1/2″ and was covered by all of these people around me. When the band came on, they opened up with the title song off the album and people went crazy. I could see Steve come up to the front but then people started pushing and shoving to get to the front. My friends and I grabbed eachother’s hands and pulled ourselves through the crowd and ended up on the bleachers. I was so sad to be so far away but Steve’s voice rang out through the whole stadium. Tears ran down my face to see Steve on stage and to see the band Journey. The way he moved around the stage and the certain move he made with his shoulders lifted up alittle. I hope you Steve Perry fans know what move I am talking about. I was also wearing K-Swiss tennis shoes because it seemed those were the tennis shoes he wore back then.

During the concert they set off fireworks because it was two days before the 4th of July. They were absolutely beautiful and the concert was amazing. The next day I went out and bought all of the albums that Journey had with Steve Perry and would listen to them over and over again. I was also a vocalist, so Steve was a huge influence on my training as I got older and went to music school. I also trained with Tim Boggart back in the early 90′s and would tell me some great stories with his days with Steve. Tim was an amazing man, I hope he is well. I had a boyfriend back in 95 and he knew I was a big Steve Perry fan, so he surprised me and bought tickets to see his Stange Medicine at the Brens Event Center back in 95. Back in 94 Journey came out with Trial by Fire and I was estatic. I couldn’t wait to see them in concert again and to see Steve. But then Klos said there wasn’t going to be a tour. I was so upset so seeing Steve’s solo Tour was a blessing to me. He came out onstage and still had that incredible voice and presence. I loved the part with his tuxedo tails slowing coming down from the ceiling. It felt like I was a teenager all over again.

Years have gone by and I have heard nothing of Steve’s career. I have met people who knew him and who know him but I have never been fortunate enough to meet him. Until last week I realized all of these websites about him. I am sad that it has taken me this long to figure this out but I am also so grateful to know that Steve is doing well and healthy. God Bless

Steve always had the most contagious smile
By Lisa Fox Subia

Sometime in 1975 while I was working as a waitress in a Mexican restaurant in Thousand Oaks, CA, 3 guys came in to have dinner. Being a bit of a flirt, I spent a few minutes talking to them each time I delivered something to the table. They introduced themselves as Tim Bogart, Denver Cross, and Steve Perry, and told me they were in a band together. They said they were going up to Charlie Brown’s after dinner (a local restaurant with live entertainment) and asked if I wanted to join them after I got off work. I said sure, called my sister up, and we both met up with them later on in the evening. What a fun group of guys. We all got up and did the hustle (yes it was that long ago), then Gerri and I taught them the version that we had made up. It was a blast!

There was a 4 or 5 piece band playing that night, and at one point Steve asked if he could sing a song. Even though they didn’t know who he was they said sure, so he got up and sang “Will it go Round in Circles” and just blew the doors off the place. I could see a couple of the band members standing there with their mouths hanging open, and of course they all wanted to talk to him after. I didn’t know who he was, I just knew he was great, and when he told me one day he would be famous, I never doubted it for a minute.

At that time Tim Bogart was a pretty big name bass player (Beck, Bogart & Appice), and Denver and Steve were virtually unknown. They were looking for a label, so they had different music producers coming to hear them all the time. There was one song that Steve had written that my sister and I thought was absolutely great (something about Lonely Lonely?), but we also used to crack up when we would go listen to them rehearse. Serious musicians yes, but seriously funny guys.

They were all living in the Thousand Oaks area then, and we spent lots of time having fun with them for the couple of years they were around. Steve and Tim both liked to go dancing, and drinking, of course, but mostly what I remember is the laughter. Steve always had the most contagious smile . . . We used to joke around and sing a ditty that Bugs Bunny sang. The only lyrics I can remember are “please pass the ketchup, I think I’ll go to bed.”

My sister and I finally moved away to other parts of the state, and one day she called to tell me that she had seen an article that said Steve had joined a band called Journey. She gave me the number to the studio where they were rehearsing, so I called him. He was great, so happy about the opportunity to work with top drawer musicians, and so grateful that his dreams were finally being fulfilled. The last time we saw him was the night that Journey headlined for the first time in Long Beach , CA . We didn’t have time to get word to him that we would be there, but managed to talk our way backstage and surprised him as soon as he walked off the stage.

The best part was seeing how little he had changed. Fame had not gone to his head at all. He knew it was a job, and he had a lot of respect for that fact, but it didn’t give him a swollen ego. He was just really happy. What a great guy. We both cried when Journey did “Wheel in the Sky”, and “Lights.” They were magnificent, and he was in his element. We watched him stride off into the limo, and into a future that has suited him to a T. He was a nice guy and a real gentleman then, as I have no doubt he is today. I still think of him occasionally, and it always makes me smile.

A Perry Tale
By WL

I am a former Bay Area Brat, and I’ve been a Journey fan almost since the beginning. There was this one show…

The guys were on stage doing a sound check and a bit of rehearsing. The time was late night at the begining of the Frontiers tour. Back when Steve had his mustache. Neal started making some wisecracks about it between songs, and of course Ross had the usual snappy comebacks. Steve was getting progressively more ticked off at being the brunt of their jokes, especially since he’d worked so hard to grow and groom that “catapiller” on his up Steve lip. At some point Ross started shooting rubberbands at Steve amidst the jokes. Neal of course joined right in.

The next thing we knew, Neal and Ross were tearing off the stage with Steve in hot pursuit, branishing a mic stand and yelling at the top of his lungs. They raced across the arena and finally disappeared backstage. There was no sound for a very long moment. A few minutes later Steve reappears on stage with a smug look on his face. Enter Neal and Ross, soaked. Seems Steve had found some waterballoons and scored a few choice hits on his tormentors.

I swear this is true — I was there! Score one for the Stevery!