Fan Asylum - Steve Perry Answers YOUR Questions!
 


Wow! We received over 1,000 emails for our latest Steve Perry Q&A. As we mentioned, five winners will be randomly selected from all emails received to receive a copy of Greatest Hits Vol 1 & 2 on vinyl autographed by Steve! We will notify these five winners later this week and then update this page with their names once they have confirmed.

So, with that - take it away Steve!



1) What was your biggest challenge on creating Journey Greatest Hits Volume 2, and also, what was the best part of working on this project? - Rae Wagner
I think that hearing the material and loving it all over again was the gift of hearing it on Vinyl. You must remember This music was recorded, mixed, and mastered back then.........FOR VINYL.......... so when we started cutting the test Lacquers and then listening, I was stunned by how good the Stereo Echoes sounded and the center imaging was so strong but mainly..... it made me very emotional because I could once again hear how great those tracks really were and now are again. I guess they have finally come home to where they started......... Back to Vinyl.

2) To this day, Street Talk is one of my favorite albums and I proudly have both the LP and CD. I'm very excited to hear that the remastered album is being released on vinyl! What difference in sound quality will I notice most? - Diana from Ottawa
The overall level of Vinyl has been and always will be lower due to the time restrictions one has on each side.....{ only so much real estate there } also the louder the sound levels.....the wider the grove and then even less time is available. It always was a dance of time per side verses best level and best fidelity.......... Overall I really love the sound of Vinyl......... CD's have always been a bit harsh on the high end due to the digital medium. The difference is a personal one but I prefer Vinyl because it seems to be very Sonically Friendly!

3) I was glad to see that "Mother, Father" (live in Houston) is going to be on GH2 because it's probably my favorite live performance ever. It made me wonder, out of all the live shows that you've done, do you have a favorite song or show that sticks out or is special to you? - Mary Konen
Back when I was in the band, we would play so many shows that they became a massive travel and gig thing........ I kinda remember certain venues that the group sounded so great in and from that we would get a lift and play like mother f%^*er's.......... The old Spectrum in Philly - Cobo Arena in Detroit - Rosemont Horizon in Chicago - The Summit in Houston. Oh my, the more I think about it the more I'm getting overwhelmed because there were SOOOO many.

4) I have recently been rediscovering vinyl versions of music I own, and miss the whole experience of the liner notes, the 'feel' of the music, the sequencing of songs, etc., so am very glad to hear about the new vinyl releases. When creating albums with Journey or on your own, did you spend a lot of time on the sequencing of the songs and the side of the album they were on? - Gene Clifford
YES! The sequencing is so important......... The GH2 took 5 different sequences to arrive at the final one. It's easier when it's a new group of songs all written, recorded, mixed and mastered in the same time frame because they are in the same moment and time BUT......... the GH2 was spanning many years of different studios, with different engineers, different recording equipment and different masterings .........
The sonic variables were huge........ and that all plays into the challenge of the Levels and Sonics.

5) I've always loved the way your voice is recorded, especially the later stuff. I've seen the M49 mike popping up in videos. Do you still track with it? What are your other must have pieces of gear (other than your pipes!) for getting that Perry sound? BTW- I love how your tone has gotten richer and fuller over the years. - Stephen Teller
Wow......... thanks for the nice words on the pipes getting richer and fuller............ I've been using my M49 a lot lately for all my demos. The older recordings were a blend of 67's and 87's............. BUT-- I think the biggest difference is that no matter what mike it was-- I learned early how to Work the mike and not have to over compress it.....{ sometimes no compression at all }. The high end clarity will go away fast with too much compression.......So pulling back for loud moments and moving in for softer ones is a head phone listening thing that will serve you well when ya listen back........ Then listen close to what you're still missing and go again.

6) I have all the original Journey vinyls (through Raised On Radio) and vinyl of your first two albums (Street Talk and For The Love Of Strange Medicine) as well. Is there a chance that any of the other Journey albums (such as Trial By Fire) with your wonderful voice on them will be produced in the vinyl format as well? - Dee Brochey
Sony is moving as quickly as they can into the Return to Vinyl thing.........I think that in the years to come that's totally possible.

7) I'm so glad that vinyl is making a comeback. For some of us, it never went away! There's something about vinyl that is warm and fuzzy, and it brings back lots of memories of my childhood. I was wondering if you remember the very first record you bought. - Steve Frazier
You are right that it's got a warm and fuzzy thing to it. It's also an Analog experience......I think our ears, minds and Hearts love the Emotional aspect of the Analog Sonics that you can only get from Vinyl or analog tape........ There is a huge sonic and emotional difference  I can't remember what my very first record was but I still remember buying "Sally Go  Round The Roses" by the Jaynetts and "I Only Have Eyes For You" by the Flamingos.......... And that was many, many moons ago my friend.

8) One of the things I've always enjoyed while listening to Journey is to think about the fact that this music was recorded back in the analog days. I can appreciate all the rehearsal time vs. recording time in the studio. I also think those analog recordings show the great musicianship that was in the band and that's how, when the band played live, it could sound so much like the recording. Was there ever a time back in the analog days when you wished there was some kind of recording shortcut you could take like you can take now in the digital age? - Lynn Reeder
Well back in the day it was "What you played in the tracking room is what you got."There were some short cuts in the recording process but not many...... That being said......... It was still easy to over extend one's self musically in the studio to where live could be a problem........But........ After the record was done we would go into our rehearsal warehouse and play them OVER and OVER till they felt as good or BETTER than the record.
Regarding recording shortcuts in the digital age - Well, first of all .......... I HATE auto tuners on voices and today it's an epidemic....... I can't feel any emotion from a voice if it sounds like a horn on a Vespa. I'm from the old school of sing it over and over until ya get it feeling right...... emotionally and musically...... Then I can let it go as the best I got at that time and move on. Today....... Short cuts have hurt the quality of many recordings to the point that it's become a new sound that everyone has to have............. Reaching for honest performances I think is still the most timeless musical approach.

9) Several of the tracks on this new compilation are not obvious choices to be on a "Greatest Hits." What were the primary criteria for choosing the songs for Volume II--for example, did you feel these were some of your favorite performances, or do you have a more emotional connection to those tracks? It's a very interesting mix of songs! - Dan Olivadoti
It's changed many times........ For instance, "Eyes of a Woman" was there, then Neal Schon wanted "Little Girl" on the record so due to time limitations of Vinyl, "Eyes" was pulled....I think his instincts to have "Little Girl" on the record were right..... The sequence is always a challenge........ GH2 was changed many times till it arrived at this final sequence........ I love this final running order now. Tempos, size of final mixes and keys of songs are just some of the considerations to getting the final running order feeling its best.

10) I recently read where you are a guest vocalist on a track on Cassidy's upcoming album (Follow The Freedom), due out this Fall. That gave me hope of the possibility of you "getting the itch" to release a new album (or at least a single) of your own. Any chance of this happening sometime in the near future? Please know that your faithful fans miss you and your wonderful voice very much! - Angela Richardson
Thank you for your wonderful words......... Yes I sang some Na Na's on her out chorus and it turned out really cool and was a lot of fun. I hope to start recording some time soon....... I've had a few personal setbacks and am itching to get into the studio again. Thanks again.

11) Were the songs on Greatest Hits Volumes 1 & 2 remastered from the original master tapes? I'd also like to say it's been way to long since your last solo album. The world would be a better place with new music from you. - Chuck Earling
Thanks! They were both Remastered to Vinyl from 96K files of the original Master tapes and were then loaded into Pro-Tools through a special Doug Sax A to D converter........ We then used an external Apogee Clock cause the stereo imaging was the very best that way.

12) What is the difference between the special gate fold 180-gram virgin vinyl edition of Street Talk that will be available to us in November and my 1984 Street Talk vinyl album? - Valery Fuster
Well back then ...... record labels were not using virgin vinyl because it cost too much.... So they used a blend of old and new. Now the 180 gram virgin vinyl is basically a more pure, cleaner Vinyl so you'll hear less grit as the needle tracks in the groove.........During quiet musical moments is where you can hear the biggest quality difference.

13) Is there a specific song from the Greatest Hits Volume II that is your favorite or has a special meaning to you? - Dave Brasewicz
The one song that was not ever a single and was not a radio played track either is one of my faves on the GH2....... It's "When I think Of You." I was in the writing mode with the band for the upcoming Trial By Fire CD and it was December. I was starting to feel depressed again about losing Mom- So I decided to lie down for a while. I had a dream that Mom had a gift shop and that she was so happy and doing fine and looking amazing........ She had been sick for so long that this was what I needed to know even if it was a dream. I later went to Jon Cain's and told him I wanted to write a song about this experience and started singing a melody and we finished it together. The song is very special to me because it's about Mom and all that she gave me to survive and when I miss her...... All I have to know is.............She's right here ...... When I think if her........

14) How do you feel about fans approaching you in public? I have never approached the few public figures I've seen because I feel it's an invasion of their privacy. - Lisa Garcia
I'm really fine with it ........ it's pictures that I rarely do......... So I would rather sign an autograph and talk a bit about life.

15) I saw you play at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland, Oregon I think around 1994. You had your red tux coat drop from the ceiling put it on and referenced it as an old friend. (That was so cool) Do you still have the coat and is it something that you will keep forever? - Julie Anderson
I still have every one of them in storage. They still look great......... to me they are magic coats that I have a special bond with....... FOREVER !!.

16) Your voice for me defines some of THE best times of my life - every time I hear a Journey song on the radio or listen to my collection of Journey's Greatest Hits on CD, your stand-out vocals immediately take me back to that very special time that has really defined me as a person, even to this day. Has there ever been an artist that has this same affect on you? - Teresa McDannell
Wow......... those are some really kind words. Thank you so much..........When I was 10 ....... I was riding in the car with my Mom and Sam Cooke came on the radio........ It was "Cupid"........ The sound of his voice and the recording sounds were captivating me to the point that I got tunnel vision looking at the dash board speaker........ Sam along with Marvin Gaye, Andy Williams, Johnny Mathis, Robert Plant, Jackie Wilson, Gladys Knight, and many more have totally shaped what I loved and still love about music.

17) Do you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert? Do you prefer hanging out with a lot of people or just a few close friends? - Jill Gibbs
Good question. I looked them both up and they both have a little bit to do with me and then again certain aspects have Nothing to do with me, So........ WTF? Right?.......... I guess I'm just Me.

18) You are known for writing and for your fabulous voice. Of all the creative aspects in the music industry, i.e., writing, singing, producing, mixing, mastering, music videos, what do you enjoy doing the most? - Debbie Wentling
I do love it all but lately I'm really into Film Editing and sound mixing ....... I really love the whole thing........ It's like making records with huge Visual Landscapes. I think I'm a frustrated director......... Every time I watch Patty Jenkins's shoot - edit - or mix - I'm privileged to be able to shadow her and I learn SOOOO much from her. She's seriously good.

19) I love to watch your fantastic performances of "Hopelessly In Love/The Party's Over" and "Still They Ride," two of my favorite songs. Of the songs included on the GH2 CD, which were some of your favorites to perform in concert. - Cynthia Kimble
Well "Still They Ride" was one of my faves and also "Stay Awhile" which used to come right after "Lights" .......Both great LIVE tunes..... and fun to perform.

20) Like many I have loved your voice and your talent for a very long time. My question is about the song "Suzanne." In all the years I had never heard you sing about what sounds like a Hollywood star type. Was this song inspired by a real person? - Toni Simons
It was a fantasy encounter with a Film star who also had a vocal artist career........... Just a secret person that's in the song to live forever in that song. Real or not......... She's real in the track.

21) If you had to pick one song either with Journey or your solo work, what song would you say was the most vocally challenging for you? - Shelley Brown-Davies
The LIVE- "Mother, Father".......... for sure. It's a very Symphonic and Operatic song with some rough vocal requirements.

22) What do you miss most about performing for all of your fans? - Ginger Hipszky
The interaction between myself and the crowd........and the ability to sing in front of that audience and run around..... pain free.

23) You have previously stated that you would like to someday direct a film. Have you ever written any screenplays or rough drafts from any ideas that ran through your mind? Also, have you ever been approached to work on a set, other than music supervising/post-production? - Joseph Cortez
Yes to all ............. The hours are crazy long but the work is something I really understand and Love.

24) There's an interview where Neal Schon and the rest of the Journey members said that you are welcome anytime to jam with them during a performance. Is this something you would consider? - Josephine Cuevas
That's a kind invitation...........but I Respectfully decline. But I want you to know this.......
I just spent the last 3 months listening very closely to the new Journey Greatest Hits 2 and the first Journey Greatest Hits ....... Every single one of those tracks is a magical moment in time..... Neal's playing is stunningly amazing ..... and Jon's keyboard performances are locked in rock history forever ......Steve Smith and Ross are a Symphonic R&B - Rock rhythm section....Gregg Rolie's playing and singing and Aynsley's drumming .....Still are and will always be... forever timeless.

And there's one more thing..... everyone should know........
I will NEVER stop believing in all the original and amazing music we created together!