The American rock group Journey has had a lasting impression on the classic rock genre. The lyrics to power ballad songs like “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Faithfully” are sung by people of all ages.
Journey, which was founded in the early 1970s, is said to have reached its commercial peak in the late 1970s and early 1980s.
Journey’s frontman Steve Perry made the decision to leave the group in 1987. Considering the band’s influence, many were surprised to hear that links had been broken. Why then did Steve depart from Journey? Continue reading to find out more.
Why did Steve Perry leave Journey?
Steve quit Journey in 1987 to pursue a solo career, while iHeartRadio claims he never saw mainstream success as a solo artist. Steve got back together with his bandmates in the middle of the 1990s to get ready for a tour. But after learning that he would need surgery to treat a hip ailment, Steve’s plans were altered. However, he was open to trying different therapies.
In an interview with Rolling Stone in 2018, he said, “They wanted me to make a decision on the surgery, But I didn’t feel it was a group decision. Then I was told on the phone that they needed to know when I was gonna do it ’cause they had checked out some new singers.”
He begged his bandmates to think twice, but they refused. “I said to them, ‘Do what you need to do, but don’t call it Journey,” he told them, adding, “If you fracture the stone, I don’t know how I could come back to it.”
The group is still touring today after finding a new singer. The band hasn’t played live together since the previous lead vocalist was present at Journey’s 2017 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction.
The 71-year-old told the outlet, “What they do is none of my business, When I walked away from it, I did not go to any of the shows, nor did I listen to any of it.”
Rumors surfaced that Journey’s Steve Perry was a recluse.
Steve stepped away from the limelight and music after splitting up with the band. He explained to Rolling Stone, “I didn’t sing in those years, I didn’t write music. I must have gained 50 or 60 pounds. I got a butch haircut. I just said, ‘I’m going to just become a plump kid in my hometown again.’ I’d already lived the dream of dreams and didn’t know how I could come close to being anything like what I was before.”
The singer disclosed that there were stories circulating that the former frontman was a “recluse with long nails.”
After working on the album for five years, Steve finally decided to release “Traces,” his third studio solo album, after several decades.
You should not hold your breath if you’re one of the fans hoping that Steve will get back together with his old bandmates. The vocalist said to the release, “I left the band 31 f–king years ago, my friend. You can still love someone, but not want to work with them.”