Journey Force Publicity Photo of Jonathan Cain of Journey 1984

Keyboardist/songwriter Jonathan Cain found success in a series of bands ranging from Journey to the Babys and Bad English. Born in Chicago on February 26, 1950, he first emerged fronting the Jonathan Cain Band, which issued one LP, Windy City Breakdown, on the Bearsville label in 1977. A year later Cain replaced keyboardist Mike Corby in the British band the Babys, which scored the hits "Isn't It Time" and "Every Time I Think of You." When the group disbanded in 1981, Cain joined Journey prior to their breakthrough hit Escape, and remained in the band until they broke up after 1986's Raised on Radio. Two years later, he and Journey guitarist Neal Schon teamed with ex-Babys frontman John Waite in Bad English, which scored a pair of major hits -- "When I See You Smile" and "Price of Love" -- before calling it quits in 1991. Cain resumed his solo career with 1995's Back to the Innocence and Piano With a View; after rejoining Journey for their 1996 reunion effort, Trial By Fire he returned with the solo Body Language in 1997. In 1998 Cain and Neal Schon reformed Journey and continue on today.

This publicity photo is taken during the grueling Frontiers Tour in 1983...

Journey's Concert Ticket Evolution Through Time part 7, Vacations Over

1996 brought a reunion of Journey. A new album called "Trial By Fire" was released and the band was set for a new concert tour. Everybody except Steve Perry that is. Because Steve refused to tour, the band was left to find a new singer. Neal's wife at the time found a guy named Steve Augeri online that could fit the band and somewhat sound like Steve Perry. It seems Neal owes a lot of his band to his many wives.

"Remember Me" was the first single with the new singer from a movie soundtrack called "Armageddon." That was in 1998 and then came the "Vacation's Over Tour" which was basically a greatest hits show. In 2001 came the first album with Steve Augeri called "Arrival" and the "Arrival Tour of 2001. In 2002 Journey released an EP called "Red 13" which also had a tour following the release. Again, the shows were greatest hits shows form the Steve Perry days. Jonathan also tried his hand at taking Gregg Rolie's vocals on some of the bands older hits.

Journey was in no way bringing in the crowds like they did in their before. It was great to have Journey back and at first everyone was excited but it wasn't the same. Steve Perry was very much a showman that engaged the audience. Steve Augeri stood there on stage, barely moved and sang wonderfully, but the excitement was missing.

Ticket Prices had jumped dramatically in 10-15 years. The lowest ticket price shown here is $21.50 , and most between $40.00 and $60.00 for a band without their real singer! Add the scalping charge and the prices were outrageous. My tickets were $55.00 each face value, so I must have paid at least $80.00 each to see them at the Greek Theatre on August 14, 2001.

December 15, 1998 - Sarovan Theater. Fresno, CA

December 20, 1998 - Theater of the Clouds. Portland, OR

June 13, 1999 - Blockbuster. Camden, NJ - Foreigner

July 25, 1999 - Starplex  Amphitheater.  Dallas, TX - Foreigner

June 12, 2001 - New Orleans Arena. New Orleans, LA - Peter Frampton, John Waite

August 14, 2001 - The Greek. Los Angeles, CA - Peter Frampton, John Waite

August 15, 2001 - The Greek. Los Angeles, CA - Peter Frampton, John Waite

August 23, 2002 - Konocti Harbor Resort Amphitheater  Kelseyville, CA

September 1, 2002 - Mahoning County Fairgrounds. Canfield, OH

June 8, 2003 - Smirnoff Music Center. Dallas, TX - REO Speedwagon, STYX

Journey Force Newsletter from January 1986 with Pen Pals

This weeks continuation of the Newsletter brings us to the Merchandise Page! I really want that Frontiers Jacket too!

The second page this week is the Pen Pals. This is where the Journey Force asks members to send in a postcard with your name, address, city, state, zip code, sex and age and then mail it in. Then the Force would publish your information in the newsletter. This sounds completely absurd now, but that was the only way to contact other Journey Force members at the time.

The next page is the end of year clearance sale items. These end of the year clearance items are offered in January if anyone caught that. I'd like that belt they have.

Journey's Concert Ticket Evolution Through Time part 6, Insanity

The momentum that had been building for Journey first got derailed with a Journey release that was't Journey, at least not all the way. Steve Perry released a solo album called "Street Talk" which sold as well as any Journey album so he was all of a sudden a star. This meant that he was in control of Journey. This is when all logic was thrown out so that Steve Perry could turn Journey into his next solo project.

The album and Tour is called "Raised On Radio," the only other Journey album title since "Look Into The Future" to be more than one word. Founding member, Ross Valory, and Steve Smith were fired by Steve Perry and replaced with studio musicians. When it came time to tour, Randy Jackson and Mike Baird were brought in for Bass and drums. This band no longer sounded like Journey and they sure didn't like Journey either.

After the many delays and only having one song on that album that actually sounds like a Journey song, "Be Good Yourself", the band set off on Tour. The shows were big, the video projection was better than ever, but some the audience had lost interest in Journey by now. The shows were hardly Journey shows, with all the added songs from solo projects and adding an Elvis Presley tune it didn't sound much like Journey. The 1986 band didn't resemble the 1970's version of the band at all.

When the Tour was over Steve Perry decided to stop and he went into seclusion and wouldn't be seen with Journey until 1991. Finally in 1993 Steve Perry was no longer a member of the band and Herbie Herbert would no longer be their manager.

October 1, 1986 - Freedom Hall. Louisville, KY - Glass Tiger

October 26, 1986 - Meadowlands Arena. E. Rutherford, NJ - Glass Tiger

December 10, 1986 - The Summit. Houston, TX - Glass Tiger

December 27, 1986 - Long Beach Arena. Long Beach, CA - Glass Tiger

1994 marks the year of the return of Steve Perry. Steve released his second album titled "For The Love Of Strange Medicine". The album wasn't as successful as 1984's "Street Talk" but Steve did Tour this time around. Steve Perry toured through 1994 and 1995 while Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain worked on other projects including "Bad English" and "The Storm".

January 11, 1995 - Steve Perry - Schnitzer Concert Hall, Portland, OR

Journey Force Newsletter from January 1986 loses Ross Valory and Steve Smith

The Journey Force Newsletter from January 1986 has the worst news any Journey fan could here back in 1986. The first page begins with the message;

"It is now official that Steve Smith and Ross Valory have left the group." Then it goes on to explain through an interview with Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon that it was a mutual decision and they are all good friends. We all know that's a load of crap. Back in 1986 this was not believable. The last Newsletter said they were done with the album except for a few finishing touches. I guess the finishing touches was adding the Bass and Drums.

Journey is NOT a three man band, this isn't RUSH! Credibility was lost, it's been almost 3 years since the last Journey album "Frontiers" was released. The fans were starting to just move on. In all honesty if it wasn't for Steve and Neal, it wouldn't be Journey. Now the Journey "stone" has been forever fractured and would never ever recover. Journey's death nows plays out very slowly and the destruction that began here and follows can really only be blamed to my favorite of all the band members, Steve Perry.

I have to say Steve caused all us fans grief and heartache and much pain. A selfish act that caused people to lose their jobs, the fans to lose interest and I'm sure many other problems we don't know about. Yes we want him back, but bit has been 20 years since Steve Perry last sang with Journey.

Steve Perry is absent from this Newsletter, but there great pictures of the other members of the band on these first four pages. You also get the "Questions Answered" section as well as half a page explaining how to address mail!

Journey's Concert Ticket Evolution Through Time part 5, New Frontiers

The Frontiers Tour of 1983 was the biggest audience Journey ever brought in. The shows were sold out everywhere! Journey was a household name by this time. Children, teenagers and adults all liked this band! Only the biggest venues in each city were used and the Video Projection that Herbie Herbert created was used again. They were even renting it out to other bands.

The shows were incredible! The band even played an original keyboard instrumental to kick off the shows. It was called "Elmo's Theme. It would also play at the end of the fireworks at the end of the shows. Songs added to the setlist were Neal Schon and Jan Hammer's single "Lies" as well as the Kenny Loggins/Steve Perry hit, "Don't Fight It". The shows became a mostly "Escape" and "Frontiers" with the bands older staples used as encores, like "Any Way You Want It", "Wheel In The Sky", "Lights", and "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'".

As Ticketron continued to corner the market, prices were really gauged at this time. Face value of the tickets hadn't gone up this year, but you were very lucky if you could get a ticket for $30.00. Ticket agencies started popping up in malls where you could buy tickets, choose the seats you wanted and paid a huge service fee resulting in tickets costing anywhere from $30.00 to $100.00 per ticket or more. I like to call these places scalping agencies and my favorite was "Good Time Tickets" on Sunset Blvd., Hollywood. They seem to always have the best seats.

Oh, Sherry, the band was starting to break at the seams. Steve Perry started using his own transportation, no longer riding with the rest of the band to the shows. The shows themselves were always great and exciting, but they seemed more formulaic. They didn't veer much off the prepared set list. Steve Perry's talking to the audience seemed very much rehearsed and not as authentic as previous tours. The band members were having babies and raising families by this point. The band wanted to slow down and enjoy the success by spending time with their families.

March 2, 1983 - Budokan Hall. Tokyo Japan

April 6, 1983 - Devaney Sports Center, U Nebraska. Lincoln NB - Bryan Adams

April 9, 1983 - Hulman Center. Ind. St. U., Terre Haute, IN - Bryan Adams

April 21, 1983 - The Omni. Atlanta, GA - Bryan Adams

May 2, 1983 - Capitol Center. Largo, MD - Bryan Adams

June 1, 1983 - Market Square Arena, Indianapolis IN - Bryan Adams

June 5, 1983 - Hollander Stadium, Rochester, NY - Bryan Adams

July 16, 1983 - Mid-South Coliseum. Memphis, TN - Bryan Adams

August 5, 1983 - Los Angeles Forum. Los Angeles, CA - Bryan Adams

August 7, 1983 - Los Angeles Forum. Los Angeles, CA - Bryan Adams

The "Frontiers" album had two shining tracks suddenly removed before it went into mass production and replaced with lesser songs. "Ask The Lonely", and "Only The Young" were held back and later used in movie soundtracks.

Two Poster Ads for Journey's Escape Home Video Game

These are two ads for the Journey Escape Video Game by Data Age.
The game was released in 1982.

Journey Force publicity photo of Steve Perry of Journey in 1984

Here's a great 8X10 publicity shot of Steve Perry of Journey. This was released in 1984 and was from The Frontiers Tour of 1983.

After a few failed attempts at music as a career, Perry was ready to give up until he was given the chance to audition for Journey. They hired Perry and the rest is, well, you know, history. Journey now had a great vocalist – radio success was on the way. Journey’s first album with Perry as lead vocalist was the 1978 release "Infinity," which Journey had its first two charting singles and an album that reached #21 on the Billboard charts. Perry’s place was now solidified.

Perry would go on to record six more studio albums as a vocalist for Journey. Album sales would skyrocket and singles would continue to make their way up the charts. With Steve Perry as a vocalist, Journey sold over 41 million albums worldwide.

In 1983, Kenny Loggins released a duet with Steve Perry called “Don’t Fight It.” The song reached #17 on the Billboard charts. This was probably the first sign of Perry wanting to do something outside of Journey. Later that year Journey would release the album Frontiers. Perry would tour with Journey in support of this excellent album. The tour ran through 1983.

Journey's Concert Ticket Evolution Through Time part 4, The Big Escape

This is the big one. Journey's Escape Tour which started in July 1981 saw the biggest growth in audience of any Journey Tour when it ended in December. The audience kept getting bigger and bigger. There were sold out shows across the Country and Internationally as well. This was due to the heavy airplay radio was giving the new songs. The "Escape" album became the number one selling album in America the week of September 12-19, 1981.

Gregg Rolie left the band after the "Departure Tour" of 1980. His replacement was Jonathan Cain who comes from a band called "The Babys". Jonathan Cain's live shows with an audience were at the The Ventura County Fairgrounds and the shows at Calavaris County Fairgrounds in Angel Camp. This was the "Captured Tour" or "Pre-Escape Tour" one month before the album was released.

The face value of the concert tickets were anywhere from $10.50 to $17.50. Unless you camped out in front of the venue the prices you were paying more like $30.00 or more per ticket.

Not only did Jonathan Cain co-write very song on the "Escape" album, he also co-wrote the two songs used on the Disney movie "Tron" Soundtrack. "Only Solutions" is a great rare Journey pop song. "1990's Theme" is a keyboard instrumental. Jonathan Cain and Steve Perry together wrote some of Journey's most popular songs. When working with Neal Schon, the three were absolute magic.

Finally at the end of 1981, with the Tour behind them and their highest success beyond their wildest dreams were achieved so they decided to take a rest. Concert promoter Bill Graham personally asked the band if they would be interested in a big Stadium and Arena tour to even bigger audiences. The answer was no. 

June 9, 1981 - Seaside Park. Ventura County Fairgrounds. Ventura, CA - 415, Billy Squier

September 3, 1981 - Poplar Creek Music Theater, Hoffman Estates, IL.

September 25, 1981 - JFK Stadium. Philadelphia, PA – The Rolling Stones, George Thorogood

December 6, 1981 - Center Arena. Seattle, WA - Red Rider

Bill Graham didnt give up and to convince the band that everyone who paid for a ticket would have a great seat no matter where they sat, the video projection system was developed. From now on there would be giant video screens showing you close angles of the band, so anyone could now see their faces from their seats. Journey was the first band to use video projection during their shows. It was far out of sync, (their was a delay in the video so it didm't match the audio) and it was still great! This also made the shows slightly more intimate again, something the band really liked.

May 6, 1982 - Meadowlands Arena. East Rutherford, NJ - Greg Kihn Band

May 15, 1982 - Joe Louis Arena. Detroit, MI - Greg Kihn Band

May 24, 1982 - Rosemont Horizon. Chicago, IL - Greg Kihn Band

June 12, 1982 - Texas Jam. Cotton Bowl. Dallas, TX
Point Blank, Joan Jett, Sammy Hagar, Santana

June 26, 1982 - Oakland Coliseum Oakland, C
Day On The Green - Santana/Toto/Gamma/Tubes

July 2, 1982 - Rose Bowl. Pasadena, CA - Blue Oyster Cult, Triumph, Aldo Nova

Journey "Arrival" and "Generations" wine from De La Montanya Winery and Vineyards

In 2005 De La Montanya Winery & Vineyards and Journey joined forces to create 2 different types of wine. Both types were sold out by the end of 2008.

"Arrival" based of Journey's album of the same name is a 2005 Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.

Click for the website ARRIVAL

"Generations" based of Journey's album of the same name is a 2005 Sonoma Coast Red, a unique blend of Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Pinot Mueller.

Click Here for GENERATIONS

Jonathan Cain, Neal Schon, Ariel Pineda, Deen Castronovo, Ross Valory