Cannot say whether or not Mitch’s recollection is completely accurate. The incident in question is permanently blocked from my memory like many other traumatic events. That said, said album was broken and I still have the empty sleeve somewhere in my garage.
Bravo to all of you for your entertaining and creative comments on Escape! Have to admit I am more of a Journey fan now then I was in the late 70's and early 80's, aka Journey's Best Days. I was more into Classic Rock and New Wave back then as a teenager in New Jersey. The album is nothing shot of excellent in my opinion. As Bob Dylan said about Steve Perry, The guy has some set of pipes!
I went to jam with some guys from high school one Sunday afternoon in 1983. We played Communication Breakdown for about 30 minutes until I thought my arm would fall off. I was deemed rhythm guitarist but I could see the bass player sizing me up for a swap. The drummer said we should do some Journey. I was like, 'no way, and he challenged me to name three of their songs. I couldn't and he said, 'See, you're the problem.' It made me laugh and I have never forgotten it. I was the problem for Journey. Anyhow, I don't know about this one. My wife says that I should notice that Steve Perry phrases like Sam Cooke and is clearly a fan. Hmmm. 1982 is two records for me. Nebraska reordered my brain and Combat Rock felt like my generation's Abbey Road had finally arrived. I saw The Clash that year. I get that Journey were there - I sure remember those songs! But The Clash even as they were breaking up seemed so vital compared to just about everything else. Great post, as always!
Ha! I don't think the phrase "You're the problem if you don't know Journey" has been uttered more than a few times in human history. So I'm glad you were there to experience it personally. I agree with your wife that Steve Perry is an iconic and distinct voice talent, like Sam Cooke. And Neal Schon should get credit for developing a signature sound. There were better albums in 1982, like the two you mentioned. In my little universe, Judas Priest's "Screaming for Vengeance" and Rush's "Signals" were definitely the standard bearers that year. But "Escape" was such a big part of my teenage years that to dismiss it would be to deny part of my own past.
As I delight in telling people (my ego seeking to bask in reflected glory) I was a third-rate high school baritone hornist in a band with that fellow for two years.
I am disappointed than none of you talked about the error in geography. There is no "south Detroit" in the United States. The place south of Detroit is Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The story goes that they had just played a gig in Detroit (or in the area at least) and from the hotel room saw a sign that said "South Detroit" as in south towards Detroit. If someone had sung something made up about the geography of Boston, I am sure you would have been all over it.
I was going to offer "East Boston" as an example, assuming that would be the Atlantic Ocean, but I fact checked myself and discovered East Boston is a real place. Then I gave up on finding a good example. Thank you for assisting me on that front.
Technically, the area "below" Detroit on the US-side of the border is known as "Downriver." While "being born in Downriver" is not as poetic as "South Detroit," in terms of the meaning of the song, it fits.
Escape is similar to REO's Hi Infidelity when it comes to having too much sub-par filler. That said, Escape has MORE good songs than the REO record and, let's be honest, Journey rocks 3,000,000 times harder than REO.
Plus, I really love some of the heights Steve Perry reaches with his voice on songs like "Keep On Run-in'" and "Lay It Down."
Cannot say whether or not Mitch’s recollection is completely accurate. The incident in question is permanently blocked from my memory like many other traumatic events. That said, said album was broken and I still have the empty sleeve somewhere in my garage.
Bravo to all of you for your entertaining and creative comments on Escape! Have to admit I am more of a Journey fan now then I was in the late 70's and early 80's, aka Journey's Best Days. I was more into Classic Rock and New Wave back then as a teenager in New Jersey. The album is nothing shot of excellent in my opinion. As Bob Dylan said about Steve Perry, The guy has some set of pipes!
I went to jam with some guys from high school one Sunday afternoon in 1983. We played Communication Breakdown for about 30 minutes until I thought my arm would fall off. I was deemed rhythm guitarist but I could see the bass player sizing me up for a swap. The drummer said we should do some Journey. I was like, 'no way, and he challenged me to name three of their songs. I couldn't and he said, 'See, you're the problem.' It made me laugh and I have never forgotten it. I was the problem for Journey. Anyhow, I don't know about this one. My wife says that I should notice that Steve Perry phrases like Sam Cooke and is clearly a fan. Hmmm. 1982 is two records for me. Nebraska reordered my brain and Combat Rock felt like my generation's Abbey Road had finally arrived. I saw The Clash that year. I get that Journey were there - I sure remember those songs! But The Clash even as they were breaking up seemed so vital compared to just about everything else. Great post, as always!
Ha! I don't think the phrase "You're the problem if you don't know Journey" has been uttered more than a few times in human history. So I'm glad you were there to experience it personally. I agree with your wife that Steve Perry is an iconic and distinct voice talent, like Sam Cooke. And Neal Schon should get credit for developing a signature sound. There were better albums in 1982, like the two you mentioned. In my little universe, Judas Priest's "Screaming for Vengeance" and Rush's "Signals" were definitely the standard bearers that year. But "Escape" was such a big part of my teenage years that to dismiss it would be to deny part of my own past.
As I delight in telling people (my ego seeking to bask in reflected glory) I was a third-rate high school baritone hornist in a band with that fellow for two years.
https://www.enterprisenews.com/story/entertainment/local/2017/04/10/journey-complete-8211-whitman-drummer/21434137007/
How have I never heard that story before? So cool.
I am disappointed than none of you talked about the error in geography. There is no "south Detroit" in the United States. The place south of Detroit is Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The story goes that they had just played a gig in Detroit (or in the area at least) and from the hotel room saw a sign that said "South Detroit" as in south towards Detroit. If someone had sung something made up about the geography of Boston, I am sure you would have been all over it.
Yeah, like if somebody referenced western Mass, we would've said, "You mean Worcester?"
I was going to offer "East Boston" as an example, assuming that would be the Atlantic Ocean, but I fact checked myself and discovered East Boston is a real place. Then I gave up on finding a good example. Thank you for assisting me on that front.
Technically, the area "below" Detroit on the US-side of the border is known as "Downriver." While "being born in Downriver" is not as poetic as "South Detroit," in terms of the meaning of the song, it fits.
Escape is similar to REO's Hi Infidelity when it comes to having too much sub-par filler. That said, Escape has MORE good songs than the REO record and, let's be honest, Journey rocks 3,000,000 times harder than REO.
Plus, I really love some of the heights Steve Perry reaches with his voice on songs like "Keep On Run-in'" and "Lay It Down."
You get to the end of the rope pretty quickly with the Speedwagon. Journey has legit twelve songs that I still listen to from time to time.
100% agree