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I was the epitome of a “child of the 80s.” I had crimped, scrunched, Aqua Net-covered hair, wore neon everything and loved the music of Journey. Steve Perry was my everything. I can’t even tell you how many times I watched the video for “Oh Sherrie,” replacing the words “Oh Sherrie” with “Steve Perry” when I would sing along with the song on the radio. (It totally works, by the way.) And, like many Journey fans, I was devastated when Steve left the band in 1987. It was even worse when he completely disappeared from the music scene in 1998.
Now, two decades later, Steve Perry has returned. He was at the Rock ’n’ Roll Hall of Fame when Journey was inducted in 2017, but left singing duties to the band’s current lead singer (and Steve sound-alike) Arnel Pineda. On August 14, he released his first single since 1998, “No Erasin’,” off of his upcoming album Traces, to be released October 25. On Wednesday, he dropped his second single, “No More Crying” and somehow, it feels like 1987 all over again. On his website, Steve explained why he disappeared, writing:
“Years ago, I disappeared. There were many reasons, but mainly…my love for music had suddenly left me. I knew that simply stopping was what I had to do. If music was ever to return to my heart, then and only then I would figure out what to do,” he begins. “If not… so be it, for I had already lived the dream of dreams.”
Steve was also the subject of a recent New York Times interview where he went into more detail about his career and his return. It seems the constant performing and other demands of being a rock god got to him. As he told the NYT, when you’re a vocalist, “your instrument is you. It’s not just your throat, it’s you. If you’re burnt out, if you’re depressed, if you’re feeling weary and lost and paranoid, you’re a mess.”
If there’s anyone we should thank for bring Steve back into our lives, it’s Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins. She introduced Steve to Eels lead singer Mark Oliver Everett. The band invited Steve to join them for a few songs during a 2014 concert in St. Paul, Minnesota, which kicked his return into high gear. As he recalled, “I walked out with no anticipation and they knew me and they responded, and it was really a thrill. I missed it so much. I couldn’t believe it’d been so long.”
Patty also introduced Steve to girlfriend Kellie Nash, whom he calls the greatest thing that ever happened to him. Unfortunately, after a year and a half together, she passed away from cancer at the age of 40. Before she died, she made Steve promise to keep making music. He told the Times, “She said, ‘If something were to happen to me, promise me you won’t go back into isolation, because that would make this all for naught.’”
Fortunately, Steve heeded Kellie’s words and is back, better than ever. But in the words of LL Cool J, don’t call it a comeback. As Steve put it:
“I don’t even know if ‘coming back’ is a good word. I’m in touch with the honest emotion, the love of the music I’ve just made. And all the neurosis that used to come with it, too. All the fears and joys. I had to put my arms around all of it. And walking back into it has been an experience, of all of the above.”
Call it what you want, I’m just delighted that Steve is back. I am getting ready to dust off my crimping iron and jelly shoes for when he (hopefully) goes on tour.
Photos: Getty and via Instagram
He has a beautiful voice. A truly, truly beautiful voice.
And one thing I always admired about his songs was that lyrics weren’t misogynistic. They weren’t (to my knowledge – I know the more popular radio hits) ‘She left me. That b*tch ruined my life. Wah wah.’ They were more ‘We loved each other. I still love you, and in fact, I always will.’
I always thought that set them apart.
What a wonderful point! I never thought of it like that, but now that you mention it, it does feel very out of place for many of the popular bands of that time. Let me go find my Journeys Greatest Hits CD so I can listen to it in the car today!!
So happy to read this!!!! Love my Journey’s greatest hits cd, yes I still listen to cds kids lol. I always thought about what kind of amazing dogs we missed out on because he left when they were still amazing.
Such a voice! I had forgotten how much I love Journey. Now to see if I can talk my honey into opening his greatest hits CDs-still in the wrapper…
One of my favourite lead vocalists of all time, he is miles above all these tinny voiced sensitive boy band types you get today. Him and Ann Wilson of Heart in their day could blow a roof off.
Loved Journey. But Steve Perry was Journey to me. And in a 80s kinda way he was sexy too. God I miss the 80s.
Same. The new singer may be amazing too, but Steve Perry’s voice was always what made the band’s songs hair-raising. When he left Journey, I had zero interest left.
I saw Journey perform this past weekend, and the new singer’s similarity to Perry’s voice is mind-boggling to witness. It did have a “cover band” feel until I focused on the instrumentalists, especially the drummer. Then Def Leppard came on stage and blew all of them out of the water.
I also saw the Journey/Def Leppard tour about a month ago (4th row, whoop!) It was awesome and Arnel really gave it his all! His personal story is absolutely amazing. He was a homeless orphan child for years.
And Def Leppard’s set was just wave after wave of nostalgic mega-hits crashing into my face. Money well spent. I couldn’t help but think about Steve when Journey was playing though. Wondering what he was up to at that moment. Apparently he was staging his return to music. Sweet!!
I saw their concert here in NC in June and I was skeptical about Arnel, but he really nailed it. Del Leppard has always been my favorite band. I see them every time they come to NC/SC/VA and they never disappoint me in putting on a fabulous show. They don’t make them like that anymore!!
Def Leppard and Poison put on fantastic shows, for sure! Haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Journey live, though. (Matallica rocks as well, and Duran Duran were everything back in the day.)
I love Steve Perry’s voice. Amazing. Although Journeys new singer has a similar voice, I have no interest in Journey unless the real singer, Steve Perry is singing, just like I wouldn’t go to an AC/DC concert with Axl Rose as the replacement for Brian Johnson.
As someone who once adored Axl Rose, there is no way in hell he should even be in the same sentence as AC/DC. However, Arnel Pineda is the absolute next best version of Steve Perry, so I have zero problem with him. I too had a crush on SP in the 80s.
Oh yes, finally.
Journey underwent several changing of guards. Steve Perry is the most famous because he sang the hits most especially their anthem. Before Pineda there was Steve Augeri. Their star was on the wane and were about to quit touring until Arnel Pineda filled the frontman slot. Not many people credited Pineda for Journey’s comeback.
Uhhh, was he drinking the blood of virgins while he was away? The guy looks like he hasn’t aged a day!!
I have to hand it to him – it takes a lot to know yourself well enough to walk away from the height of super stardom like that. I don’t think most people could do it and they end up burning out.
I haven’t purchased new (current) music in years, but I will definitely be checking out Steve’s album. To echo what others have said, he has a great voice. Journey’s hits from the 1980s have stood the test of time.
Steve crossed my mind a few years ago, and I read what little current information was available about him. Seems like there was a physical issue (hip problem?), and his band mates wanted him to put touring ahead of treatment. Seems like he was also taking care of his mother?
Anyway, I got the impression from that interview that he was burned out and just wanted time to do what mattered to him. No shame in that, but glad he’s back.
Correction to above — He refused hip surgery in the late 1990s, and the band tried to push him to have surgery. Thus, another parting of ways.
Oh Sherrie was my very first jam after I outgrew kids’ music. So much love for Steve Perry.
I was literally just wondering yesterday what had made him leave such a successful band.
I AM…and 80s Baby!!!! And Steve Perry was ALWAYS one of the singers that made Black folks go…”HE SHOULD SING MOTOWN!!!”
So…
Dear Steve…please do an album of Smokey Robinson’s hits…including the Miracles…
THANK YOU!!!!!
Black sis here: What an amazing set of pipes. One of my favorite male rocker vocalists along with David Coverdale and Ian Gillian from Deep Purple/Jesus Christ Superstar
Love Steve Perry! God, he could just belt out a song, with emotion and heart.
Pineda is a a sound alike with 40% less Steve Perry-ness. Steve wasn’t called “the voice” for nothing. His voice made Journey a success. The band had a lot of issues between their members and the fact that their popularity tanked when Perry retired proves to me that Perrys voice was their calling card.
See, also VanHalen with DLR. These bands had “lightning in a bottle” with their original singers.
He still looks good too!
still a King
Yes!
WOW! He is aging really well. He looks great.
“Steve Perry was everything.” Amen!
Jelly shoes!!!! OMG … the memories.
^^^ & the crinkle iron lol
I love Steve Perry. But, as someone who listened to Journey since the 70’s, I have to say that even in the 1980s, you could hear the change to his once beautifully smooth, clear voice. Even all those years ago, I wondered if he was smoking away his voice. I don’t think he sounds very good now. And I don’t WANT to say that, but that’s how I feel.
As a side note, they should have invited Gregg Rollie to the R&R HoF ceremonies, and left Pineda home.
I LOVE him to death!!!! And he looks even MORE HANDSOME at his current age!
Not only beautiful but distinctive voice! I can tell you right now I can’t tell you who is singing on the radio without looking it up. However I always knew it was a Steve Perry song playing.
@Beth The original AC/DC lead singer was Bon Scott. He passed away and was replaced by Brian Johnson. I love the Bon Scott years! They made some amazing music:)
I’m aware of that, and am a fan of Bon and Brian, but when Axl Rose took over as the singer, it wasn’t good
I always loved his music and respected him a lot for walking away. And it’s true, his songs didn’t creep on women and girls that I remember.
I totally LIVED to hear that man sing “Faithfully” and cried every freaking time I heard it on the radio or elsewhere. That man had piped like it was no one’s business. I totally respected him for leaving the group because he had to have had good reason for doing so.