Andrew- Journey Interview?

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Vinnie — Thu, 15 Jun 2000 08:24:40 +1000

Your answer is correct, to an extent. Journey or any band needs some kind of promotion to sell records. I agree with you on the Brittney, Backstreet Boys answer. I'm in my late 30's & even though I hate to admit-it, but I like some their stuff, espesically BSB.
It's basically AOR soft pop with melodic hooks, & layered vocals. But the end result is that it's musically strong(arrangements,vocals,sonics material)
I mean look @ Def Leppard with Eurphoria. They got pretty strong promotion-VH1 Behind the Music, VH1 Story tellers, a World Tour to back it up, but the album sales didn't represent it well. Why?? It comes down to the strength of the material. Compared to Hysteria, their's no comparison. Getting back to Journey, if the material's as strong as some are comparing it to Escape or Frontiers, it should do well, if they get some promtion.

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Brad — Thu, 15 Jun 2000 04:47:39 +1000

Gav,

I agree, what i was meaning to say is i HOPE that if Journey could be successful to a degree..That maybe the suits would search for new talent that can make that style of music ..I agree i dont want a rehash of the old (except for journey ) im more than ready for new talent..Within this genre...

Brad

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Gav — Thu, 15 Jun 2000 04:03:45 +1000

Frank, the fact is Britney is currently on top of the world. Her records, like it or not, contain a healthy injection of AOR/soft rock melody. The same can be said of the Backstreetboys to name but a few. Surely, this proves that there is a market for AOR style radio friendly rock. The problem lies with promotion. Journey will do jack shit in the UK because the record company will not promote a band who they deem to be 'uncool'. Bonjovi will sell shitloads regardless of whether or not they get good promotion. I fail to see how boycotting the likes of Britney will help rock return to the mainstream. Her market could be Journey's market if the nobs at the record companies would just wake up and smell what they shovel in.

It's never going to be 1989 again. We need new bands with fresh approaches to both the music and the image if there is to be any kind of resurgence. I can't wait for the Journey album but to turn this thing around we ultimately need bands who will attract new audiences.

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Frank — Wed, 14 Jun 2000 23:18:15 +1000

I think you guys seem to have misunderstood what I was trying to get across.

There's a handful of reasons why this music will *not* return to the forefront....I simply listed some of them.

I also stated that it's not up to Journey or Bon Jovi to re-infuse rock...or whatever it was that was said in the message before me---It's literally out of their hands.

Im not asking for a return to 1987. But when I can't buy a Jim Peterik album in this country...and I have to spend 40 dollars for it as a Japanese import, that pisses me off. Maybe a little change is a good thing. You may like rock in its current state....I dont think it's healthy at all.

-Frank

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Preacherman — Wed, 14 Jun 2000 08:33:15 +1000

Amen to that!
It's been said before on this board that melodic rock is already back but 'in disguise' and lets face it poodle perms and spandex ain't comin' back!! I've made enough fashion mistakes for one lifetime thank you very much!!

I'm all for the music. I dip back into my vinyl just like the rest of you and think DAMN!. THIS SHIT IS GOOD!! But every time I see someone in cowboy boots at a rock club I just think...'Johnny Throb'.

Support good rock music. (Like Mars Electric, Marvellous 3, Super Transatlantic) Don't make excuses for mediocre shit. but ferchrisakes...MOVE ON!!

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Gav — Wed, 14 Jun 2000 06:37:58 +1000

Hey Frank! You're right man! Let's all do as you suggest and Rock will come back big time!!!! My fucking arse! Get with the programme dude!

Shower more than twice a week?? Not me. (np)

Jack — Wed, 14 Jun 2000 04:41:35 +1000

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Brad Sontag — Wed, 14 Jun 2000 02:17:05 +1000

LOL!...I agree..If it wasnt for Mutt his wife would still be working the pokonos in Pa.......I realize things will NEVER be the way they where...But i dont believe that everybody who bought those 100 plus million records from Journey and Bon Jovi are dead either..And i have quite a few friends in the 25-35 demographic that still LOVE to buy music, not everybody is only teenagers who buy. With that kind of fan base i think it would be stupid for the labels to not give them a good push, if for nothing more than to help boost catalog sales..

Brad

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Rammy — Wed, 14 Jun 2000 01:58:35 +1000

Maybe we'll all stop buying Brintney Spears CD's once songwriters like Diane Warren and Mutt Lange stop writing for her.

Rammy.

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Ferrari Sparklepants — Wed, 14 Jun 2000 00:35:18 +1000

So what you're saying is, we should rip off Britney Spears' music from Napster, but go out and buy the new Bon Jovi and Journey album? That's your solution for a comeback?Well, I went out and bought the new Britney Spears album and I think it's great. Does that mean I'm hindering the Rock Revolution? No I don't think so. Time is money to me, and I don't have 2 hours to download an album from Napster, then spend another hour burning it to CD. It's cheaper for me just to buy the damn CD. Besides, those pictures in Spears' new album was worth the $15 alone! I agree with some of your points, but let's be real here. The scene is never going to be the way it was in 1987. Do we really want it to be?. Does it make sense that we go backwards instead of forward. Melodic Rock is alive and well, I just don't think you realize it. Goo Goo Dolls, Foo Fighters, Mars Electric, come to mind. No they're no Bon Jovi or Def Leppard, but we already have them. I really like the way the music scene is right now. Hell, I'm sure we'd all agree that it's much better than the "grunge" years. At least girls are starting to look like girls again and everyone's starting to shower more than twice a week. Anyway, just my opinion.

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Frank — Tue, 13 Jun 2000 21:28:15 +1000

Gang,

I hate to say this....but Bon Jovi and Journey are NOT going to get the attention from the record labels they need, to make their albums a sucess. I simply don't see it happening.

Almost every A&R rep for the major labels is a Nirvana throwback, and will NOT allow a Journey album to be promoted and gasp, be sucessful....

The ONLY way melodic rock is going to become sucessful is from the grass roots. I hate to say this, because I keep the candle lit more than anyone I know.....but to think that the record companies or the bands are responsible for the future of roc, or the future of their rock, is ludicrous.

Think of how many perfectly amazing albums have been released in the past 8 years, during the Seattle siege. Quite a bit, right??? Is it the bands fault, their record didn't sell -- regardless of how amazingly good it was???? NO!!! Was it the record companies fault??? YES!!!! Will the record companies all of a sudden, start promoting the shit out of a record for Journey or Bon Jovi, unprovoked??? Hell NO!!!!

The fans have to let the record companies know what they want. If you want to help the cause, do this:

* Stop buying the Britany Spears shit!!!! Prevent your sister from buying it as well!! No one must give record companies another dime for a talantless little titty-bangbang. Every time you buy one of her records, you're sending a message to the record companies that THAT is the kind of music you want.

* Stop buying crap like Limp Bizkit, Korn, Bush, etc....again, you send a message every time you buy this shit.

* Start buying Journey, Bon Jovi, and other albums that you think are getting the shit end of the stick from the record companies. If you are an active MP3 trader, DO NOT trade MP3's from the "good" bands. Buy their records!!!! Send your message! It's like voting, people!!! Show your support. If you really must have the Britany Spears record -- get it from Napster! DO NOT GIVE THE RECORD COMPANIES EXCUSES TO LET BRITANY MAKE ANOTHER RECORD!!!!!!!

It's that simple folks. We can do this. Record companies DO listen, when the silent majority decides to speak up!

-Frank

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

KAOS FAN — Tue, 13 Jun 2000 13:24:55 +1000

Well, let's be honest. The heyday of hard rock - mid 1980s to late 91 is behind us so it would be wishful thinking to believe in a return to the sales expectations of the halcyon days. But nevertheless I detect an appreciable increase in interest in rock generally. Here in Australia Bon Jovi are selling extremely well and Iron Maiden far beyond expectations. But for a definitive answer we'll have to wait and see how the newer melodic rock bands do for a complete assessment. With good promotion I can't see why bands like TEN who ally melody with balls can't carve a significant niche in the world market.Cheers.kaos...

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Surfpunk — Tue, 13 Jun 2000 07:14:42 +1000

If the future of melodic rock is in the way Sony UK handle the promotion of the new Journey album (titled 'Arrival' if Classic Rock is to be believed) then...we're fucked!! Their handling of the Matchbox 20 album over here, another big US seller, was appalling. They didn't promote it at all and ran out of stock for the first weekend. Such was their belief in the album. All this despite a tour which was sold out months ago!

The only spark of encouragement on the horizon is that they have just put out a compilation called 'American Dream' featuring Journey, REO and Boston amongst garbage like that 'Freebird/Baby I Iove your way' cover. Perhaps this is them testing the water to see if there is a market for soft rock in this country.

I for one want to see Journey succeed on BOTH sides of the Atlantic this time, but my faith is about as strong in Sony UK as it is in England to get through to the quarter finals of Euro 2000...SHAKY!!!

RE: Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Jack — Tue, 13 Jun 2000 02:41:00 +1000

I'm really antsy to find out how the new Bon Jovi fares in the US.......it comes out tomorrow, so we'll see.....
Did anyone see the premiere of the Behind the Music of the Bon Jovi story on Vh1 yesterday?? I had never known just why Alec Jon Such was fired.....
Anyway, having it air yesterday was a brilliant PR move: Behind the Music is an immensely popular series and it's proven that sales actually go up after they air (like with Def Leppard, whose Greatest Hits shot up to the top ten of the Back Catalog Billboard Chart right after their episode aired). They put in several scenes from the new video and there were even TV ads for the new album. I think it'll do fine - not the wondrous savior of us all, but well enough. Plus, Bj has been able to evolve imagewise and not be seen as a total dinosaur or a joke (like Poison, for instance).

Here's hoping....
Cheers,
Jack.

Future of Melodicrock on thier shoulders???

Brad — Mon, 12 Jun 2000 23:54:29 +1000

Hey andrew,

As much publicity as you gave these guys for all thier solo projects i hope they atleast extend you the curtosy to grant you this interview..Plus in todays musical climate they will need as much publicity as they can get.....Does anybody else agree that the future of melodic rock ride on the new Bon Jovi and Journey album..I mean if these guys dont sell any records..Than what record exec would take a chance on a new young band? Just curious of others opinons...

Yes Brad!

Andrew — Mon, 12 Jun 2000 17:17:14 +1000

Hi Brad and others interested in this....
Yeah, I have been promised an interview since 12 months back now and they haven't changed their language towards me, so I must believe that it's still going to happen.
I was talking to their Personal Assistant last week, who says he will get me a date soon and I have boldly asked to get a preview of the album.
Not sure how successful that request might be though!!

Stay tuned!

Best regards,
Andrew.

The interview is TBA!! :) ....(np)

Jack — Mon, 12 Jun 2000 14:36:44 +1000

Andrew- Journey Interview?

Brad — Mon, 12 Jun 2000 14:14:19 +1000

Hey Andrew,

Now that the Album is done, is the band still granting that interview with you? Any gossip on what Sony thinks of the record or are they even going to try to give it much of a push?..Basically any new dirt?

Brad