Journey Hit Back At ‘Cover Band’ Fan Insult

The response came as a Journey fan wrote on social media that without original vocalist Steve Perry, the band has lost its authenticity.

The fan said, “Without Steve Perry, they are just a cover band.”

“Yeah, that’s why we continue to sell out everywhere lol,” Schon said in his Twitter response.

The exchange emphasizes the ongoing discussions among fans regarding Journey’s changes since Steve Perry left the band. The guitarist’s comments highlight the band’s continued commercial success with their current touring lineup.

Steve Perry reunion with Journey?

Steve Perry’s irreplaceable voice defined Journey’s golden era from 1977 to 1987, powering classics like Don’t Stop Believin’ and Open Arms. At the end of the Raised on Radio tour in early 1987, Perry stepped away from the band, citing the emotional toll of his mother’s passing as well as creative tensions within the band.

In 1995, Journey reunited with Perry for the Trial by Fire album, which soared to No. 3 on the Billboard chart and produced the Grammy-nominated single When You Love a Woman. But touring sadly never materialized, leading to another split. In 1998, after suffering a hip injury on a hiking trip, Perry declined surgery at the time, leaving the band unable to move forward with planned dates. His departure that year was the end of the Perry era.

Journey brought in Steve Augeri as Perry’s successor, who fronted the group through the early 2000s with albums like Arrival and Generations. Jeff Scott Soto briefly filled the role before Arnel Pineda, discovered by Neal Schon on YouTube, became the band’s frontman in 2007—a position he holds to this day.

Recently, Neal Schon reignited reunion hopes by sharing a photo of Perry with a cryptic caption. Schon has referred to Perry as his “brother,” leaving fans buzzing that the door isn’t fully closed on a future collaboration.