Journey's Escape Tour 1981-1982 Tour Book Program part 10; The Crew

Journey has always had one the greatest Road Crews and band could ever want. This week's pages from the Escape Tour Book is all about Journey's Management and Road Crew.

Walter "Herbie" Herbert started out as a rodeo so he knows what it takes to keep a band on the road and on schedule. He started Journey as manager after working with the road crew with Santana.

John Villanueva was Journey Road Manager for many years was also the one who thought of the name "Journey". Pat Morrow sat in Road Manager chair this time around while John was more in charge.

There have been a couple documentary movies made about Journey's Road Crew. In 1984 NBC films made an excellent documentary titled "Frontiers And Beyond". In 1986 there was another called "The Raised On Radio Tour". They can be found on YouTube.

As the shows were getting bigger and bigger during the Escape Tour is when the road crew started using video projection. The 1982 leg of the tour had huge video projection screens so no matter where you sat, you could see the faces of the band.

Concluded next week...

Journey Force Newsletter from November 1984 Part 3 of 3

This week is the third part of the Journey Force Newsletter dated November 1, 1984.

Since the next Journey album is a few months away, the Task Force asks all it's members to help get Steve Perry's Street Talk music videos more airplay on MTV. That's right, MTV was where you went to watch music videos from all your favorite bands. It was called Music Television. I wish we still something like that.

The Task Force was a concept that I never understood at the time, it never made any sense, who was a part of this force and how do you join? We also get some questions answered as well as instructions about sending the band members Christmas gifts.

Moving to the next page completely dedicated to mailing department codes and change of address forms. This was always a fan favorite at the time. No sense in spending another page telling us about our favorite band.

It's like Christmas all over again as the next page is all about giving a membership to the Journey Force to a friend for Christmas. Luckily I was already a member as no-one ever gave me this as a gift.

The newsletter ends with more pictures of Steve Smith picking the winners for the "Vital Information" contest. Also pictured is Tim, the president of The Journey Force!

Journey's Escape Tour 1981-1982 Tour Book Program part 9; More Band

This week in the Escape Tour Book, or Program, we have a look into the future.

In just 5 years years time, these three members are all that's left of the band. After this tour is when the real friction begins resulting in their own destruction.

Neal Schon jamming in the bathroom before a show. Steve in the recording booth, and Jay just relaxing on a couch before a show. I've always wondered who the person is that's behind Neal in the bathroom.

We also get a full page shot of vocalist Steve Perry playing guitar. He's wearing that famous red shirt from the Departure era. That could even be Gregg Rolie's set-up behind him for all we know.

Great memories from the great "Escape" shows!

Continued next week...

Journey Force Newsletter from November 1984 Part 2 of 3

We start off part 2 of the November 1984 Journey Force Newsletter with Steve Smith thanking everybody for all the birthday cards and messages he received. The pages this week all feature Steve Smith as the winner of the "Vital Information" giveaway is announced.

The beginnings of trouble within the inner circle is showing with the "Steve Perry Street Talk" merchandise items not legally allowed to be sold through The Journey Force. I find it odd because Steve Perry and Journey have the same manager and record label, so it doesn't make sense unless something is going on behind the scenes.

We end this week on the "The Merchandise Pages". Journey did sell some great items back in the day. I really wish I bought more of these items, but I was 20 years old at this time in history and I had to be selective. I would love to have this "Frontiers" satin jacket. I do have the folding sunglasses and the duffel bag.

Continued next week...

Journey's Escape Tour 1981-1982 Tour Book Program part 8; More Posters

This week in the Escape Tour Book we have 2 great posters. Combining 2 pages creates the posters. These posters are a huge 14 X 24 inches, big enough to be framed. The first poster is self explanatory while the 2nd one is a great shot from a concert at Calaveras County Fairgrounds, Angels Camp, CA at the Mountainaire Festival where they played with 415, Billy Squire, and Hall & Oates.

The 2nd leg of The Escape Tour started on April 9, 1982 in Fukuoka, Japan at the Sun Palace Hall. This was when the tour was huge. Concert Promoter, Bill Graham, convinced the band to do another round of shows at huge arenas so even more people could experience Journey live! The 1982 leg of the tour ended in July in Honolulu, Hawaii, which seems to be where they like ending the tours.

This was the first year Journey did not go into the studio and record an album, instead everyone was caught up in the huge success of the album. This is when their heads might have started to get a little too big for their britches. The grueling 8 1/2 month tour had taken it's toll on the band...

To be continued next week...

Happy Birthday George Tickner founding member of Journey

George Tyndall Tickner was born in Syracuse, New York on September 8, 1946. Happy Birthday #69!!

George Tickner was a founding member of Journey. He played rhythm guitar and co-wrote many of the songs on the debut album, "Journey", released on April 1, 1975.

George Tickner at the Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony, 2005.

George Tickner and Ross Valory left the band "Frumious Bandersnatch" to form "Journey" with Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon from "Santana", and Prairie Prince as drummer.

With a new drummer, Aynsley Dunbar, "Journey" released their first album and soon afterwards George left the band to attend Stanford Medical School. on a full scholarship.

George has since kept in contact with Neal Schon, Steve Smith, and Prairie Prince.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, GEORGE

Journey's Escape Tour 1981-1982 Tour Book Program part 7; The Band

The 4 pages included this week are all about the rhythm section, Ross Valory and Steve Smith. Each one showcased with their own solo's during The Escape Tour.

Ross Lamont Valory was one of the founding members of Journey. Ross has been the Bass-Guitarist for Journey from 1973-1985, and then from 1995 until now. Ross has also been a member of the groups "Frumious Bandersnatch", "The Steve Miller Band", "The Vu" and "The Storm", with Gregg Rolie and Steve Smith. Ross is one of Rock's greatest Bass players out there.

Inset Text;
Ross Valory - Bass and vocals. The bottom line gentleman of Rock and Roll. A prisoner of his own endless mirth.

Steve Elliott Smith is also known as Jazzmaster Saddler. Steve "Machine Gun" Smith was touring with Ronnie Montrose when he first met the guys in Journey. Steve replaced Journey's original drummer, Aynsley Dunbar in late 1978 and first appeared on the album "Evolution". Steve has been with Journey since 1978 to 1985, then from 1995 to 1997. 

Steve Also enjoys a solo career with his jazz fusion band "Vital Information", and was a member of "The Storm" with Ross Valory and Gregg Rolie. He has also worked as a session musician for many pop acts such as Mariah Carey, Andrea Bocelli, Savage Garden and Bryan Adams as well as many jazz artists.

Inset Text;
Steve Smith - Drummer. "Crunch" as he is nicknamed, possesses a rare blend of enthusiasm, love and aggression in his "daily assault" on the drums. He has never ending energy for the tour, the music, and the people on our trek across the many nations of the world.

In my opinion of the six drummers that Journey has had to date, Steve Smith is by far the best drummer Journey has ever had or ever will have. He played with such finesse and passion that he can't be out-done. It is also my opinion that Ross Valory has been Journey's only bass player. The Raised On Radio era was almost a train-wreck with-out these two!

Continued next week...

Journey Force Newsletter from November 1984 Part 1 of 3

This exciting episode of the Newsletter has a lot of different things going on, mostly with other bands, but also some solo projects.

In late 1984,Journey is nowhere near a new album, but the band is found in the audience at a John Waite concert in which Jonathan performed! John Waite and Jonathan Cain were both in "The Baby's" before Jonathan joined "Journey".

Great pictures of the band with members of other bands including "Missing Persons", "Night Ranger", and the original "Van Halen".

"Only The Young" is covered by the group, Scandal, and it is said to be considered for the movie "Vision Quest". The truth is the song was pulled from the album along with "Ask The Lonely" to be used for a movie soundtrack and that didn't happen until almost 2 years after "Frontiers" was released. "Ask The Lonely" found it's movie a lot earlier with "Two Of A Kind" starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John.