December 15, 2015 | kshe95.com
It’s looking like Journey fans might see the new Steve Perry solo album out sometime in the next few months. Ultimate Classic Rock reported that during a recent radio interview, Perry shed light on the long awaited set, which will mark his first new album since 1994’s For The Love Of Strange Medicine. As Journey once again makes headlines as the entire classic lineup from the band’s Escape/Frontiers era is now back touring with the band, all that’s left is Perry to join up to mark what would be, without a doubt, the rock event of the year. Perry has gone on record numerous times as saying — despite the band’s open invitation to guest with them onstage — that his days of fronting Journey are in the past.
Perry explained that work rolls on for his first new album in 22 years: “I’m in the studio. Y’know, actually, I started — there’s been so many rumors going around that I’m in the studio, that I’ve been there for years. The truth is, I finally went into the studio in March, and I’ve been in there ever since, just trying to finish this record. I’m looking forward to finishing it, put it that way. I want to get it done probably in the early part of this coming year.”
Steve Perry’s profile got a boost in 2014 by performing encore cameos at concerts by alternative band Eels in Los Angeles, California; Washington, D.C; and St. Paul, Minnesota. The rock world began buzzing over a Perry comeback — or a possible return to fronting Journey — after show stealing renditions of such standards as “Open Arms” and “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’.”
Back in 2007, Journey’s 1981 hit single “Don’t Stop Believin'” was given a major boost by its appearance during the controversial final scene of The Sopranos , with sales of the single via the iTunes music store going from about 1,000 on the day before the episode ran to 6,531 the day after.
Steve Perry recalled dealing with The Sopranos’ creator David Chase for the use of “Don’t Stop Believin'” for the series finale: “The funny thing about that Sopranos moment, I mean, he. . . to be perfectly honest with you, they have to get permission. And it was the Thursday before the airing on Sunday that he finally had to sort of let me know how it was going to be used, because I really didn’t want to see a bunch of people get whacked to the song. He secretly told me and I had to swear that I wouldn’t reveal (it), because it was a big deal, and I said, ‘Of course I won’t reveal it’ — and I didn’t.”
In 2009, “Don’t Stop Believin'” made the history books nearly 30 years after its release by becoming the first catalog digital track to reach 2 million downloads.