Journey, The #38 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Three

 

(Continued from Part Two)

 Evolution and Departure have each also sold over three million copies.   While touring to support the album, Journey recorded the live album Captured, a two-million seller.  The Mainstream Rock chart debuted in 1981, just the place for Journey to catch hold.  The single "The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love)" made it all the way to #2, and music directors began to take notice (their disc jockeys already were well aware of how great this group was.)

The group was clearly building momentum, but co-founder Rolie left.  Rolie recommended Jonathan Cain, keyboardist of the Babys.  Journey to this point was a solid group; the addition of Cain gave them an excellent keyboardist and songwriter to go with an elite guitarist in Schon and one of the best lead singers on the planet in Perry.  They were now arguably the most talented band in the world and set up nicely for great things ahead.

 

In 1981, Journey released the album Escape.  The band finally hit the big time with "Who's Crying Now", a #3 smash in Canada and #4 in the U.S. that leads off, not coincidentally, with keyboard work from Cain.

 "Stone In Love" reached #13 on the Mainstream Rock chart, another solid song from this Bay Area supergroup. 

 Escape rose to #1 on the Album chart and went on to sell over nine million albums in the United States alone.  Journey released the great rocker "Don't Stop Believin'" next, #2 in Canada, #6 in the U.K. and #9 in the United States.  It showcases the keyboard work of Cain.  

Today, "Don't Stop Believin'" is one of the most downloaded songs in history.  Journey earned a nomination at the American Music Awards for Favorite Pop/Rock Album.

 

"The guy can write love songs in his sleep," Cain said of Perry in the liner notes for the box set Time3.  When Journey's next single was released, people around the world became aware of the tremendous vocal abilities of Perry.  "Open Arms" rushed out of the gate to claim the #2 position, which it held for six weeks.  It is one of The Top #2 Songs of the Rock Era* as well as one of The Top 500 Songs*.  

  Journey released the album Frontiers in 1983.  "Separate Ways" rushed to #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #8 Popular. 

Frontiers went to #2 on the Album chart and has sold over six million units in the U.S.  "Faithfully" represented the immediate contribution of Cain, who wrote it, with Perry giving another amazing vocal performance.  With a peak of #12, it is another of The Top Underrated Songs*.

 Another underrated song, "Send Her My Love", stalled at #23.  Some novice listeners apparently couldn't hear the intriguing drumming from Smith, who borrowed from a drum part in Miles Davis' "In A Silent Way".  "The drummer was Tony Williams," Smith said in 2011, "and he played quarter notes with a cross-stick on the snare drum--a very hypnotic groove."

  "Edge of the Blade" is the highlight on Side Two of the album.

  

The frantic pace of a supergroup necessitated a break, with Perry and Schon working on solo albums from 1982-85.  During this hiatus, Journey released two tracks which didn't make it onto Frontiers, "Ask The Lonely" for the movie soundtrack Two of a Kind...

 

and "Only The Young" for the movie soundtrack Vision Quest.  The latter climbed to #3 on the Mainstream Rock chart and #9 overall.

Journey continues with Part Four!