Journey

Given the name Journey after a competition on local radio in San Francisco, the former Golden Gate Rhythm Section quintet of Neal Schon, Ross Valory, George Tickner, Prairie Prince and Greg Rolie were initially an instrumental prog. rock outfit. As the band was signed to Columbia in 1974, personnel changes were already beginning to happen. The band's first three albums - Journey, Look Into The Future and Next - performed consecutively better, but it wasn't until a lead vocalist was hired in 1977 in the form of Steve Perry that the Journey we know and love was brought into being. The results were instant, with Perry's first album with the group, Infinity (1978), going platinum and selling three million copies; follow-up album Evolution (1979), also sold over a million copies. The band were prolific, motoring along as they quickly scooped their first Top 30 singles hit Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin' and later their first Top 10 album with Departure (1980). Jonathan Cain joined the group and added his songwriting abilities to the mix on 1981 album Escape, which became the group's first Number 1 album, went platinum eight times and was responsible for their three most famous singles: Don't Stop Believin', Who's Crying Now and Open Arms. Despite another album and success throughout the Eighties, the group disbanded in 1989, reuniting briefly in 1996 to record Trial By Fury. Journey still continues, even after the loss of Perry, with Generations released in 2005 featuring new vocalist Arnel Pineda.