I share this stroy with fans of Steve Perry and Journey...
I recently got onto the Internet and found this Journey page... as well as others. I sent email to the
creator (Jas) and told her my story, hoping to get Steve's email or some way of getting in contact
with him. She asked me to write this story, and so I did. I also want to thank Skylord... you know
why! I would like to preface this by stating that the exact dates may be off a little... it's been 20
years.
I first met Steve Perry through my neighbor, guitar player, Denver Cross, who is one of the best
strummers I have ever known. Denver was the guitar player for the band Pieces. Consisting of Steve
Perry, Denver Cross, Eddie Tuduri on drums, and Tim Boggart, previously the bass player for
Vanilla Fudge and Beck, Boggart & Appice.
I used to listen to them just about every night at their rehearsal studio in Newbury Park,
California. They were the most talented bunch of guys I'd ever heard, I was a non pro-drummer
myself and really into music. I even got to play with Pieces on two occasions. Even then, listening
and watching them was a thrill for me, not knowing that Steve would become the "superstar" he is
today. I was just proud to know such a talented bunch of guys. On a number of occasions, I invited
close friends to experience Pieces magic. Steve also played the drums, and was pretty good! As it
turned out, possibly from their influence, I became a pro musician, playing drums and touring for 2
years!!! There is nothing like playing music... and making money at it... Some of the best times of my
life...
I was honored that these four incredible musicians let me watch them rehearse nightly as I
was a 17-year-old kid. I still keep in contact with my good friend Denver who currently lives in
Nashville, giving his life meaning by making his guitar sing. I would'n't have missed a night being with
these quys. I would even stay late into the morning talking, playing, goofing around, listening and just
being with them.
Steve had a good sense of humor. I still remember one of his favorite sayings... With his hand
waving in front of your face, (as if to slap you) he'd say "walk into this", whenever someone would
do something dumb or silly. All in good fun.
Back then in 1976-77, Steve was the standard "starving musician". He drove a yellow VW
and lived in a small apartment in Thousand Oaks, CA. For some reason, to this day I don't know
why, I would let Steve take my Honda 400-Four on motorcycle rides. That motorcycle was my
pride and joy. Nobody except my brother and me ever rode that bike, but I let Steve borrow it. I
had my name custom-painted on the side cover. Steve often joked that he wanted his own side
cover with "Steve" painted on it because people would say to him "Nice bike Danny!". He would
ask to borrow it to take girls for rides or go on dates. Tim Boggert (Pieces bass player) had a
beautiful Harley Davidson at the time, and we often went for rides to the Rock Store in Mullhulland
Canyon, or just rode around.
I felt that Pieces could have made it as big as Journey, but, it just wasn't in the cards! Steve's
voice was mesmerizing, and Pieces' sound, unbelievable. I knew every word to every song they did.
Steve had absolutely the best voice I had ever heard... even to this day. He was very protective of
his golden voice. He never smoked and never did drugs. Even during the 70's when people were
getting high, Steve did not. I guess he knew what he had and wasn't going to ruin it. Steve knew that
he would make it big. I couldn't even have imagined how big. If I knew then, what I know now, I
would at least have taken pictures or something of Steve and the band. I didn't think about
autographs, they were out of the question at that time... (how many autographs do you have of your
friends?)
In '77, the band broke up and I remembered crying about it. They were very close to a record
contract with Crystilis records. (I think that was the name of the record co.) I remember that it was
Denver who told me that the band had broken up. It was a very sad day for me. I felt that too much
talent had been wasted. I guess at least Steve's talent did shine and he got the break he deserved. I
sincerely wish Denver had been blessed with that same break. In '77, I went into the U.S. Army
other than Denver, I had no idea what happened to the guys...
Sometime in '78, I contacted Denver's girlfriend who still lived next to my brother. She told me to go
to the record store and check out a band called Journey, which I had never heard of. Some of my
buddies in the Army had known of them, but they were new to me. I'll never forget turning over
the album cover of Infinity and seeing Steve's face. I was shocked, stunned and happy. One of
my friends had made it. I had no idea how big he had made it. I bought the album and listened to it
until I wore it out. I was very proud and happy for Steve.
I naturally bought every album, tape and CD that Journey has produced, and of course I have
Steve's solo CD's.
When I got out of the Army in '80, I returned to Los Angeles. Journey was scheduled to play the
famous Los Angeles Coliseum. The concert had 5 major bands playing. Journey was the second
billing. They had just finished and the headliner band (I think it was AC/DC) came onto the stage to
start playing. . I told my friends that I was going to leave the Coliseum (with no chance of getting
back in), to try to contact Steve at the backstage entrance. It wasn't more than 5 minutes later and
bigger than life, out walked Steve, his head down so nobody would recognize him. I yelled at him...
"Steve... Steve..." No response. I yelled as loud as I could. "STEVE". He finally looked up,
recognized me and quickly ran over and we hugged. I'll never forget that. People were starting to
gather around, and he told me that Denver was back stage. I was thrilled. I loved Denver, he had
been good to me. I told Steve that I had no way of getting backstage to see Denver. Steve pulled a
backstage pass out of his pocket, gave it to me and said, "Get my phone number from Denver and
call me." I was so jazzed. I was 21, loved music, and an old friend had made it big.
I ran backstage to look for Denver. I looked all around. I couldn't find him. Then, someone tapped
me on the back of the shoulder and said. "Hey you aren't allowed back here". I thought, "Shit, I'm
busted." I turned around and to my suprise, it was Denver Cross. I hugged him like a lost puppy.
Like I said, Denver and I had spent a lot of time together. This was one of the happiest days of my
life. I saw my now "superstar" friend and reconnected with Denver. We talked for hours.
Denver gave me Steve's home phone number. I called Steve many times, but, of course, he was
on the road. I left a message or two. Finally, I caught him in, and we talked for a while, catching up
on what was happening with his current project (I believe it was Evolution). He was quite excited
about the people that were working with Journey on the album.
During the next year or so, I called Steve from time to time and he had left me passes to a show or
two. After a couple years, Steve had changed phone numbers. By this time, Journey was huge. I
can't remember exactly when we lost personal contact.
The last time I tried to contact Steve was when he came to Las Vegas, (my current home town)
on the FTLOSM tour. I wrote him a letter and left it backstage at the Aladdin Hotel. I got no
answer or call back. I waited by the stage after the show, and most of the band came out. I was
amazed how young the guitar player was for being so talented. I waited for about 45 minutes or so,
but Steve never came out, and I left. That was the last time I had the joy of his incredible
performance live.
Thank you Steven Ray Perry and all the other band members for those good times, your incredible
voice, and music of JOURNEY... your words have helped me through some hard times of my life.
You do hit home with your lyrics...
By the way, in 1983, I started a video production company in Marina del Rey, Calif., and named
it... "CAPTURED LIVE Video". I'm now a creative with an advertising company in Las Vegas.
Well, that's the story. I would love to speak with Steve once more, but, even if I never speak to him
again, I do have my memories, of good times with the band Pieces, Journey, Steve, and Denver, and
a music loving kid of 17.