I was listening to Mickey and Amelia on the local Rock station this morning and they were having a hilarious debate over whether or not Journey is considered a Hair Band. Amelia swears that they are and Mickey told her that she's totally wrong. Amelia says the criteria for a hair band (hair metal) is a band that actively made music from 1980 to 1990, had a rock sound with a pop edge, had long puffy hair, wore make up, and wore tight spandex. Anyway... I wanted to do a little poll here. In your personal opinion do you consider Journey to be a hair band and what do you think the criteria is for a band to be considered a "hair band"?
There were a lot of people calling in and giving their opinion, which was also funny. I'm considering sending them a link to this page so they can see what the Y!A population thinks.
The band Journey? Tough call, and I can see why some might consider them as 'Hair Metal'.
To set the record straight, Journey were formed by two former Santana members; Greg Rollie (keyboards/vocals) and Neal Schon (guitars). Neal was Carlos protoge while with Santana.
The rhythm section was comprised of Aynsley Dunbar (drums), who had cut his teeth with David Bowie, Frank Zappa, and John Mayall. The bass was played by former 'Steve Miller Band' alumni 'Ross Valory'.
This lineup remained through the bands first 3 albums, which were very much in the progressive/fusion/space rock vein.
Imagine the 'Santana' Caravanserai album crossed with early 'Return to Forever' with a non mainstream hard rock groove.
By the 4th album Steve Perry had joined the ranks, giving them a much more commercial (at the time) sound.
Steve made his vocal debut with the band on the 'Infinity' album. That's when their style did a complete 360 degree turn, as their target was now teenage girls (and some boys) along with contemporaries Foreigner, Styx, Starz, Photomaker, and REO Speedwagon. I would place Journey in the same camp as those pomp rockers...sort of late 70's-80's MOR.
I remember seeing Journey in the early 80's with 'American Idol' judge Randy Jackson on bass/background vocals. Believe it or not, Randy was a very accomplished bassist.
The crowd was made up of 80% teeenyboppers/screaming girls wanting to hear the more recent hits like 'Don't Stop Believing', 'Who's Crying Now', 'Any Way You Want It' etc. I doubt any of those kids had a clue as to the fine musical stock these guys were born.
So in a way they may have shared the same fan base of hair metal bands such as Motley Crew, Aldo Nova, Quiet Riot, or Twisted Sister, but I wouldn't consider Journey 'Hair Metal'.
Maybe 'Pomp Arena Rock' would be a more appropriate title.
I still love their first three albums...never really cared much for anything after that. Though at parties many of my friends referred to those later albums as "panty remover"...I have to admit...they were right!
Maybe 'Panty Remover Metal' (PRM) is a pretty good label or tag also!
The band Journey? I don't consider them a hair band. They have too much of a pop sound.
The band Journey? The original members of Journey started in Santana back in the 60's. Greg Rollie left and put together Journey with other former Santana members. The band released several albums in the 70's before the whole God-awful 80's hair band era became popular. BTW, I was just listening to the same show (I work in Millersville) Have a good day homegirl!
The band Journey? I don't consider them to be one. Overall, I think they are classic rock.
Sending them this page would be hilarious! :)
The band Journey? Tight jeans and long hair yes but don't remember Journey ever wearing makeup, Steve Perry was gorgeous enough. Wouldn't really call them 'poppy' but definitley on the softer side of rock.... Don't Stop Believin', classic.
The band Journey? No they were definitely a pop/rock band. The hairband thing kinda took off with bands like poison who tried to look like girls.
The band Journey? I LOVE Journey. Hair band or not.
The band Journey? i consider myself the hairmetal god, considering that is mostly all that i listen to..i will say that journey is absolutely NOT a hairmetal band...the are considered a classic rock band.....some examples of hairmetal bands are..
ratt
tesla
kix
motley crue
tora tora
faster pussycat
sleeze beez
l.a. guns
dangerous toys
danger danger
poison
cinderella
enuff znuff
skid row
just a few hair metal bands..hair metal is mostly early to mid 80's to early 90's....big hair, make-up,big outfits..good ole rock and roll......
The band Journey? I would say Amelia has the criteria for a "Hair Band" correct so that would count Journey out for being one.
The band Journey? No, technically they should NOT be considered hair metal. I can see where some of the confusion might be because they were popular during the infancy of the genre. However, their music clearly wasn't hair metal even if Steve Perry and the boys sort of looked slightly similar.
The band Journey? Honestly...I don't consider Journey a hair band...they were more like Rush in those days...solid sound, no real flash and glitter... just long hair, without the AquaNet! lol
The band Journey? They are "arena rock" or "corporate rock". It is a different kind of cheese.
The band Journey? no they're not a "hair" band!, duh.
The band Journey? HAHA! Journey, a hairband?!?!?! That's like calling Michael Jackson a man!
Journey is just "rock", maybe even "soft rock." Don't get me wrong, there are some Journey songs that I do like, but please.. what an insult to Ratt, Quiet Riot, Tesla, Skid Row, White Lion, Bullet Boys, Extreme, Winger, Cinderella, Motley Crue and all the other REAL hairbands by throwing Journey in a catagory with them.
I've also heard that question asked before and we should put it to rest once and for all... NO JOURNEY IS NOT A HAIRBAND! Case closed...
The band Journey? Lord Have Mercy No
Journey is NOT a Hair Metal Band
They were formed out of Carlos Santana's band in San Francisco in 1971
Well over 10 YEARS before the birth of Hair Metal
And...for the record...they were not always "Soft Rock" they were nigh on Prog before they got Steve Perry and their first two Perry albums (Infinity %26amp; Evolution were more Hard Rock)
To anyone who thinks Journey is incapable of rocking out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z_pZFciPr...
The band Journey? Sappy one.
