Morning show with Steve McCoy & Vicky Lock
Star 94, Atlanta, GA
March 5, 1999
Transcribed by Karla
Steve M: It's Steve Perry
SteveP: Hey,
Steve M: It's Steve and Vicky here in Atlanta
Vicky: Hey, You sexy thing how are you doing?
Steve P: Good, I been doing Good, I have been feeling better every day.
Steve M: Really,
Steve P: Yeah
Steve M: Yeah I know there's been a little back thing going on, and we were
thinkin' about you, How you doing?
Steve P: I'm doing better, I had some surgery, it wasn't a little back thing
though, but it was similar. But uh three months on the other side and I'm
feeling a whole bunch better.
Steve M: Good
Vicky: And Greatest Hits about to hit the shelves.
Steve P: Yeah it's out right now. Uh, it's Steve Perry's Greatest Hits Plus 5
Unreleased, actually there are about 9 unreleased things on there actually
Steve M: ok
Steve P: yeah
Steve M: so how far do some of these unreleased titles go back?
Steve P: You know what they really are is an album that never came out called
"Against The Wall" that was to be my second solo record, and it was to follow
Street Talk which had 'Oh Sherrie', and it never got released because I completed
it and then Journey was knocking on the door and it was time to do another
record, go on tour, so I put it on the shelf. Cause I was really, my priority
was, I was a singer in Journey. My solo projects were for some creative
release, and um, went back to Journey did the Raised On Radio record, did the
Raised on Radio tour, and then I came back and then made another record and
released. "For The Love Of Strange Medicine" and so that one sat on the shelf,
so now that album was basicaly, is most of the unreleased stuff, plus some
demos that have never been heard before.
Steve M: Oh ok, alright, ya know what I think about Steve Perry when ever I hear
you wether it be live or on cd, I mean every song you do you're just pouring
your heart and soul into it and I always wonder if you're doing that conciously
or if that's just the style we have come to know from Steve Perry.
Steve P: Ya know, as I go on and I write songs and with people every song
creates it own unique demand, Ya know what I mean, and every one of em uh they
require a certain amount of believability and I will not stop until I feel
like I believe what I am saying.
Steve M: yeah
Steve P: and I'll sing it and I'll pick up on things, and I'll sing untill I
feel like I believe what I said, ya know and uh I, maybe that's what you are
hearing. I won't stop untill I am comfortable letting it go.
Vicky: and for you personally, what do you think is your greatest hit?
Steve P: boy uh, of the solo greatest hit which I have, I don't know 'Oh Sherrie'
is one of my favorites.I think that uh, 'Against The Wall' is one of the most
power house unreleased tracks, and a song called 'Melody' is a beautifull song
also unreleased on there. As far as Journey goes, I think one of my favorite
songs I think would be 'Send Her My Love'.
Steve M: Yeah
Vicky: Any reconciliation with Journey any time soon?
Steve P: Um, as you know they've got a new singer, and uh, I am kinda takin care
of my life and they are theirs and I think that we've tried the reunion thing.
Steve M: Yeah
Steve P: and that kinda went its separate ways
Vicky: Because we remember a rumor about Journey being in a studio in Dallas
getting ready for a tour or something.
Steve P: Yeah we did the Trial By Fire record which had the single 'When You
Love A Woman'
Steve M: ok
Steve P: and uh, that was what was to be the tour cd that we were going to go
out on, and then during a hike I between the end of the album and the starting
of the rehearsals I had a problem that arose that was really bad as I was
coming down the mountain, and um, that started a whole series of doctors, and
ya know surgery is not a group decision. other wise I'll buy and lets all go
do it.
Steve M: Right
Steve P: alright
Steve M: So was that a skiing accident?
Steve P: No it was just a hiking thing, sort of a genetic hip problem that I
didn't even know that I had until it showed itself.
Steve M: Wow
Steve P: It's a very strange thing and then I had to have some reconstruciton
done
Steve M: Yeah
Vicky: Well were glad your ok.
Steve P: I'm doing better, thank you.
Vicky: Now don't laugh at me but I would love, absolutely love to hear you do
a duet with Celine Dion. .
Steve P: Aw she's unbelievable, I don't know if I can do that, ya know,Yeah,
She's just to scarry.
Vicky: She's another singer who just has so much emotion
Steve P: Yeah she's just almost decathlon olympic, her voice ya know is just
soooo
Steve M: ya know, it's kinda funny I don't know if you watched the Grammy's
the other night but
Steve P: Yeah I did
Steve M: Well Ok, When James Horner talked about that song from Titanic
Steve P: Right
Steve M: and he actually using the vocals, from the demo, and you just talked
about that the demo, I mean how unsual was that for them to take the vocals
off the demo like that.
Steve P: Right, well ya know that happens from time to time, when you first
write a song, and you're in the moment with that song and you have a piece of
tape sitting there, and now you're going to try the lyrics that you just
finished and sing it for the first time, when you sing something for the first
time, usually you can't beat that moment, the first time that canvas kicks
that brush accross it. ya know, and
Steve M: uh huh
Steve P: and lucky for her and lucky for me 'When You're In Love For The First
Time', on my solo greatest hits. Uh 'Melody', Uh there are a few of them on there
those are demo performance just like Celine's was on the Titanic song. Meaning
it was the first time you sang them, you left them alone, you come back later
you say gosh that doesn't need to be sung again. That 's great. So it can
happen just like that.
Vicky: So James Horner's saying that I don't think she can do any better than
that?
Steve P: Well it is probably that she can do better, or, or differently, but
there was probably some emotion in it, that you get that you feel a difinative
to what you are trying to say.
Steve M: Um huh
Steve P: and that the song is diffinitive and if it's not broke don't fix it.
Steve M: um huh, right. Let me ask you this in all the years you been rockin,
touring, and in the studio's and all that now
Steve P: Right
Steve M: are there more positives or negatives to doing this for a living?
Steve P: Oh God, that is a tough question, You have done your homework here.
Steve M: (laughs), Yeah
Steve P: Well, I think the first thing that comes to mind is, a lyric in a Dan
Fogelbird song that I heard years ago, that is called 'Olde Lang Zyne'. He says
the travelling, the audiences were heavenly, the travelling was hell.
Steve M: yeah
Steve P: and I think that sorta depicts the whole thing, it really is true then
when you perform, and you're in front of the people, just your life stand still
and you're in this sort of moment that just feels timeless, and where nothing is
touchable to you, and then when you get in your hotel, or get up and get in
the bus, or on the plane to travel, the travelling is just hell. So I think you
put up with all the travel'ing just for those moments in front of everybody.
Steve M: uh huh
Steve P: it is just so magical.
Steve M: It is a big trade off then
Steve P: Yeah a big trade off, but I think that the audiences win, because it
is just so heavenly.
Vicky: Well Steve Perry it is always great to talk to you
Steve P: Yeah
Vicky: If you come in this way, we hope you stop by.
Steve P: I would love to do that.
Steve M: Thanks man
Steve P: Thank you very much
Steve M: good talking to you agian
Steve P: ok bye bye
Yeah cheers in the background.