Schon bewildered by Perry silence
MARTIN KIELTY at 09:50am September 26 2012
Ego clashing: Neal Schon
Journey guitarist Neal Schon doesn’t know why former singer Steve Perry won’t take his calls.
And he admits the band considered hiring Michael Bolton as their new frontman after Perry’s 1987 departure – but didn’t think about it for long.
Schon takes part in a question-answer session in Classic Rock Magazine No.176, on sale now.
He says: “The last time I spoke to Steve face-to-face was when we did the Hollywood Walk of Fame eight years ago. It was good – but there were so many reporters around, it had to be. To this day I don’t understand why we can’t just pick up the phone and talk.”
Bolton’s name came up but was quickly dropped because Schon had previously recorded a track with the singer.
“Michael was a little eccentric,”he reflects. “I played the solo in his version of Sittin’ On the Dock of the Bay, and Bolton made me re-do my solo about 200 times.
“We thought about him for a second. Michael definitely had pipes – he was pretty bionic when I worked with him. But even then there was a lot of personality clashing. I didn’t feel we would get too far, that’s all I can tell you.”
Another former collaborator, vocalist John Waite, who worked with Schon in Bad English, recently described Journey’s music as “super-white.”
The guitarist says: “I got a good chuckle out of it. I mean, John is a great guy. I love John. I loved working with him when I did. But to say Journey is ultra-white is really off the wall.”
Reacting to Waite’s statement he’d rather “shoot himself” than regroup with Bad English, Schon says: ” I think maybe John has got a few chips on his shoulder. Whatever’s not right in his life, I think he should change it.”
In the full interview he discusses the band’s battle to recover from Perry’s final departure, his $50m lawsuit over starting a relationship with reality TV star Michaele Salahi, and seeing an alleged picture of his penis on national TV.
Read the full interview in the current edition of Classic Rock, in which Schon discusses the band’s battle to recover from Perry’s final departure, his $50m lawsuit over starting a relationship with reality TV star Michaele Salahi, and seeing an alleged picture of his penis on national TV.Classic Rock 176 is on sale now. Get it on your iPad and iPhone here:http://goo.gl/z4Yhu (in the UK) or here http://goo.gl/YUnR9 (for the US).
Dear Steve,
Heyyyy whatdayaknow!! More shameless publicity BS from your ole buddy Neal. That last comment by Dave Suchy
really kills me, though, what a hoot!! You see, I am NOT the only one who feels the anger.
Ah Stephen...you wonder WHY my reaction is so negative to all this? I'll tell ya why. It reminds me of the time in my own
life when my dad and I were attempting to reconcile our relationship after many years of not speaking. At the time, I had
asked him ONE favor, and that was to keep our discussions and letters PRIVATE, between him and I, and nobody else.
After that first letter I sent, with that request in it, I received a letter from his new wife, in response, telling me what a horrible
daughter I was, how dare I put any conditions on my father for any reason, etc., etc. So, he couldn't even respect me enough
to honor my ONE request in order to try and rebuild our relationship. It was a simple thing, really, just asking for privacy.
So, rather than respond to HER, I simply photocopied the letter, put it in my journal and went apeshit angry all over it with
my privately written words, then I put it back into the same envelope, re-sealed it, and mailed it back "RETURN TO SENDER."
I never heard from him again. My dad has a desperate need to "prove" to the world what a "nice guy" he is, you see. He
wanted my sisters and my mom to be in on the whole discussion, and I didn't want that at all. He had already caused enough
damage to us all during our childhood. It was nobody else's business, just between him and I. The things I wanted to say
to him about how he cheated on my mom since day one (before I was even born), and how he screwed her over during the
divorce, etc.,, he knew damned well would be painful and true, and he couldn't deal with that. I decided then to just let it go,
forgive him for being a putz, prayed for him, and moved on with my life.
Though, every once in awhile, my dad sends me a Christmas card. I hope it makes him feel self-righteous and happy with himself.
Though, every once in awhile, my dad sends me a Christmas card. I hope it makes him feel self-righteous and happy with himself.
Sound familiar?
So yeah, this whole thing between you and Neal Schon sparks a personal conflict in ME, which is why I understand it as
clearly as I do. You may say there's a lot more to it than anybody in "fan world" knows, and that's fine, but from the
situation and how it has unfolded, and from the BS he keeps spewing in public press releases, it seems to me that Neal Schon
also has the desperate need to be looked upon as "Mr. Nice Guy," especially in the wake of all the devastating relationships
he's left behind over the years, to "prove" to HIMSELF----as an attempt to improve his own self-esteem---that he's NOT a jerk.
Problem is, however, that he most assuredly IS a jerk. He just cannot seem to accept that ugly part of who he is. Every human
being has a good, bad, and ugly side to them. To grow and evolve into adulthood means to acknowledge, understand, and accept
and even EMBRACE all of those sides of who we are...and to FORGIVE ourselves of the ugly parts.
Sad thing is, Neal just doesn't know how to do that. He has lived his life PERFORMING for others, he needs OUTSIDE
appreciation and acceptance of others, he doesn't know HOW to live INSIDE his own soul and deal with it on his own. The
INTERNAL is far more important than the EXTERNAL in all things...but he doesn't seem to know that.
clearly as I do. You may say there's a lot more to it than anybody in "fan world" knows, and that's fine, but from the
situation and how it has unfolded, and from the BS he keeps spewing in public press releases, it seems to me that Neal Schon
also has the desperate need to be looked upon as "Mr. Nice Guy," especially in the wake of all the devastating relationships
he's left behind over the years, to "prove" to HIMSELF----as an attempt to improve his own self-esteem---that he's NOT a jerk.
Problem is, however, that he most assuredly IS a jerk. He just cannot seem to accept that ugly part of who he is. Every human
being has a good, bad, and ugly side to them. To grow and evolve into adulthood means to acknowledge, understand, and accept
and even EMBRACE all of those sides of who we are...and to FORGIVE ourselves of the ugly parts.
Sad thing is, Neal just doesn't know how to do that. He has lived his life PERFORMING for others, he needs OUTSIDE
appreciation and acceptance of others, he doesn't know HOW to live INSIDE his own soul and deal with it on his own. The
INTERNAL is far more important than the EXTERNAL in all things...but he doesn't seem to know that.
Doesn't mean YOU have to accept that ugly side of him, though. Nobody does.
I realized with my dad that he was a C- high school student who never went to college, he came from 2 dysfunctional parents,
one of whom was an alcoholic, the other didn't know how to be a mother nor did she ever WANT to be a mother, and they
had 8 kids. My dad got lost in the shuffle, during his childhood, and had very little or no self-esteem at all. In order to be "macho,"
he believed he had to bed as many women as he possibly could, even when he was married to my mom---after all, she was busy
taking care of ME, the child who was SUPPOSED to save my parents' marriage from failure. That's the kind of marital crap they
believed in the 60's, a baby would help solve everything. It didn't.
Neal didn't have much of a childhood either. I don't know much about his parents, but everybody has some kind of hardship in
childhood, don't they. So, whatever happened to him made him want to run away and join the circus--or rock and roll (same thing),
at the young age of 15. He didn't have a chance to finish high school. He didn't go to college. He didn't understand who he was,
or how to grow up. He was too busy living the external fantasy of who he wanted to be...rather than doing his homework with
the inner-most concept of who he really WAS. He doesn't have the same education level as you, Steve. He doesn't have the
capacity to love as deeply as you do either. He doesn't seem to know much about compassion, but I think in some ways maybe
(just maybe) Arnel Pineda's life story helped him feel better about himself in some ways, because he learned some compassion from
knowing he helped Arnel and so many other people in his family by hiring him as the new lead singer. Maybe THAT helped Neal
take a closer look at himself.
Maybe Neal doesn't LIKE what he sees. To do that, however, would mean that he has a conscience, and so far in all the years that
I've followed this band, and these musicians, he has not demonstrated that he has one at all. So, I really don't know why Neal is
suddenly harassing you with so many press releases lately, but I do know that he probably doesn't have a CLUE just how desperate
and pathetic and EMBARRASSING he is by doing it. Maybe he's really trying to be your friend again, I don't know, but the trust
level is pretty much null and void at this point, so he'll have a long road to get back to that point as a friend to you, or anyone else.
On one hand, it's good that he's trying....on the other hand, it's sad that he feels he needs to. You've moved on. He's like that
annoying ex-girlfriend who just can't let it go. That's how he is acting, at least. Surely he can understand THAT scenario? If he
sees it from that perspective, maybe he'll finally GET IT and stop bugging you like this.
I realized with my dad that he was a C- high school student who never went to college, he came from 2 dysfunctional parents,
one of whom was an alcoholic, the other didn't know how to be a mother nor did she ever WANT to be a mother, and they
had 8 kids. My dad got lost in the shuffle, during his childhood, and had very little or no self-esteem at all. In order to be "macho,"
he believed he had to bed as many women as he possibly could, even when he was married to my mom---after all, she was busy
taking care of ME, the child who was SUPPOSED to save my parents' marriage from failure. That's the kind of marital crap they
believed in the 60's, a baby would help solve everything. It didn't.
Neal didn't have much of a childhood either. I don't know much about his parents, but everybody has some kind of hardship in
childhood, don't they. So, whatever happened to him made him want to run away and join the circus--or rock and roll (same thing),
at the young age of 15. He didn't have a chance to finish high school. He didn't go to college. He didn't understand who he was,
or how to grow up. He was too busy living the external fantasy of who he wanted to be...rather than doing his homework with
the inner-most concept of who he really WAS. He doesn't have the same education level as you, Steve. He doesn't have the
capacity to love as deeply as you do either. He doesn't seem to know much about compassion, but I think in some ways maybe
(just maybe) Arnel Pineda's life story helped him feel better about himself in some ways, because he learned some compassion from
knowing he helped Arnel and so many other people in his family by hiring him as the new lead singer. Maybe THAT helped Neal
take a closer look at himself.
Maybe Neal doesn't LIKE what he sees. To do that, however, would mean that he has a conscience, and so far in all the years that
I've followed this band, and these musicians, he has not demonstrated that he has one at all. So, I really don't know why Neal is
suddenly harassing you with so many press releases lately, but I do know that he probably doesn't have a CLUE just how desperate
and pathetic and EMBARRASSING he is by doing it. Maybe he's really trying to be your friend again, I don't know, but the trust
level is pretty much null and void at this point, so he'll have a long road to get back to that point as a friend to you, or anyone else.
On one hand, it's good that he's trying....on the other hand, it's sad that he feels he needs to. You've moved on. He's like that
annoying ex-girlfriend who just can't let it go. That's how he is acting, at least. Surely he can understand THAT scenario? If he
sees it from that perspective, maybe he'll finally GET IT and stop bugging you like this.
So....back to my story.....just like Neal, my dad was a sad excuse of a man, and he was a product of his less-than great environment
growing up, he had no real father figure to look up to, and so he did the best he could with what little he had to face the world with
later on in life. I cannot "hate" my dad because frankly he doesn't deserve that kind of power over me. I did for awhile, sure, when
I was 22 and the divorce caused my mom to have a nervous breakdown. But once I came to terms with the fact that he had no CLUE
just how much damage he had caused, how much pain he had made us all endure with his stupid antics and frolicking around on the side,
growing up, he had no real father figure to look up to, and so he did the best he could with what little he had to face the world with
later on in life. I cannot "hate" my dad because frankly he doesn't deserve that kind of power over me. I did for awhile, sure, when
I was 22 and the divorce caused my mom to have a nervous breakdown. But once I came to terms with the fact that he had no CLUE
just how much damage he had caused, how much pain he had made us all endure with his stupid antics and frolicking around on the side,
I learned that he'll never change, he'll never feel remorse, he'll never understand HIMSELF much less anyone else in his life.
So why then, should I even bother to have him in my life? Why should YOU have Neal Schon in your life again?
Neither man really enhances our lives at all. Neither man offers us anything but negativity, lies, criticism and grief. My dad actually
told me when I was 8 years old that he would have rather had a SON...hence, all my life I tried really hard to "please the daddy,"
which I never could do....is it any wonder then, why I gravitate towards Dominant men now)?? I absolutely LOATHE sniveling, weak,
whimpy-assed men who come across as desperate, needy, and pathetic. Both Neal and my dad are weak.
Neither man really enhances our lives at all. Neither man offers us anything but negativity, lies, criticism and grief. My dad actually
told me when I was 8 years old that he would have rather had a SON...hence, all my life I tried really hard to "please the daddy,"
which I never could do....is it any wonder then, why I gravitate towards Dominant men now)?? I absolutely LOATHE sniveling, weak,
whimpy-assed men who come across as desperate, needy, and pathetic. Both Neal and my dad are weak.
Both my dad and Neal put on a good show, to the rest of the world. Neal has spent most of his life as being a badass rock and roll dude
whom (he believes) can screw as many women as he possibly can, and get away with it....my dad thinks that about himself too. But,
whom (he believes) can screw as many women as he possibly can, and get away with it....my dad thinks that about himself too. But,
deep down, they are both lost souls, with no self-esteem. They are both needy. Both men don't even know HOW to love anyone.
The similarities to my dad are interesting, in those ways at least. So, that's why I react so vehemently in protest of Neal's latest press
The similarities to my dad are interesting, in those ways at least. So, that's why I react so vehemently in protest of Neal's latest press
releases and lame messages of "reconciliation" with you.
Doesn't he understand that all you want is PRIVACY in all things?? For someone who spent nearly 3 decades of his life with you, he
apparently learned nothing about the kind of man you are. Either that, or he just doesn't care. He seems incapable of respecting that
part of who you are, and if he can't get THAT concept, how the hell will he ever really be your friend again? The definition of
friendship is different for everyone, but if yours and his do not match, it won't work. If respect is among the things you need from a
friend, he doesn't seem to have it, nor does he seem to know how to show it, or demonstrate it, or at least acknowledge it.
Bewildered indeed. He's "bewildered" that you won't answer his phone calls. Yet he's again focusing on the external, rather than the
internal. That is one thing nobody else can ever change about Neal, and he doesn't seem to know how to change that about himself either.
Doesn't he understand that all you want is PRIVACY in all things?? For someone who spent nearly 3 decades of his life with you, he
apparently learned nothing about the kind of man you are. Either that, or he just doesn't care. He seems incapable of respecting that
part of who you are, and if he can't get THAT concept, how the hell will he ever really be your friend again? The definition of
friendship is different for everyone, but if yours and his do not match, it won't work. If respect is among the things you need from a
friend, he doesn't seem to have it, nor does he seem to know how to show it, or demonstrate it, or at least acknowledge it.
Bewildered indeed. He's "bewildered" that you won't answer his phone calls. Yet he's again focusing on the external, rather than the
internal. That is one thing nobody else can ever change about Neal, and he doesn't seem to know how to change that about himself either.
Well, I guess that's partially why I studied the Holocaust so much most of my life, ya know? An unfair crime against people just because
they are different. Oh yeah, as a young kid, I could identify on some level with that, with my dad. He tried so hard to make me like
country music, which I cannot stand, simply because he tried to force it on me. I rebelled, and went to rock and roll. He tried to take
away my love for Elvis, but he failed. He even called YOU a "pansy ass, long-haired GIRLY man who can't sing." Guess what?
That made me love you even more, because I knew he didn't like you or your music.
We had this bickering relationship since I was 10 years old, when I first learned that he was cheating on my mom. I was suddenly thrust
into an adult world, holding a "hot potato" of adult issues that I had nowhere to go with...I had to keep it secret from my sisters and everyone.
So, in essence, I lost my childhood at that point. My innocence was robbed. It was unfair. I didn't deserve that. I was just different
country music, which I cannot stand, simply because he tried to force it on me. I rebelled, and went to rock and roll. He tried to take
away my love for Elvis, but he failed. He even called YOU a "pansy ass, long-haired GIRLY man who can't sing." Guess what?
That made me love you even more, because I knew he didn't like you or your music.
We had this bickering relationship since I was 10 years old, when I first learned that he was cheating on my mom. I was suddenly thrust
into an adult world, holding a "hot potato" of adult issues that I had nowhere to go with...I had to keep it secret from my sisters and everyone.
So, in essence, I lost my childhood at that point. My innocence was robbed. It was unfair. I didn't deserve that. I was just different
than he was, I liked different things, I didn't see anything wrong with having other interests than he did, but for some reason he targeted
those differences and berated me, and beat me down for them every chance he got.
those differences and berated me, and beat me down for them every chance he got.
One big lesson the Holocaust teaches us, however, is that Hitler was NOT a big, powerful "ogre" that we should all hate. Neither is Neal
Schon. Hitler was just one little, stupid, uneducated man. Sure, like Neal, he had thousands of people who thought he was doing the right
thing, but most of them got paid to believe that, or (in Hitler's case) were threatened with death if they didn't.
Don't give Hitler any power over you now, or ever, by hating him. All those neo-Nazis out there, made this mistake, because they want to
be submissive towards something bigger than themselves, they just don't know how to choose a better option. Hatred is what he stood for.
They should never give it to him. Hatred is what he wanted for the Jews. Don't let him make you feel that for anyone, for any reason.
He's not worth that energy, he's not worth that sacrifice of all the GOOD things you have in your life that should be focused on, cultivated,
embraced and celebrated. Neo-Nazis have no clue why they worship such a horrible person, they just need to feel "cool" on the outside...
rather than confront their inner demons and do the much-needed soul searching that they never learned how to do.
Schon. Hitler was just one little, stupid, uneducated man. Sure, like Neal, he had thousands of people who thought he was doing the right
thing, but most of them got paid to believe that, or (in Hitler's case) were threatened with death if they didn't.
Don't give Hitler any power over you now, or ever, by hating him. All those neo-Nazis out there, made this mistake, because they want to
be submissive towards something bigger than themselves, they just don't know how to choose a better option. Hatred is what he stood for.
They should never give it to him. Hatred is what he wanted for the Jews. Don't let him make you feel that for anyone, for any reason.
He's not worth that energy, he's not worth that sacrifice of all the GOOD things you have in your life that should be focused on, cultivated,
embraced and celebrated. Neo-Nazis have no clue why they worship such a horrible person, they just need to feel "cool" on the outside...
rather than confront their inner demons and do the much-needed soul searching that they never learned how to do.
So, in the same way, Neal Schon is not worth your time or energy, nor is he worth MINE. He needs to do some soul searching of his own,
before he'll really be of any good to anyone else in his life. THAT, is step one. Step two, is to be PRIVATE about it. Step 3, is to listen.
He doesn't seem to understand the 3 vital steps that need to be worked on one at a time. He doesn't want to do that work of it, though,
that's just "too hard." (Like Mitt Romney's wife said of running for president--HA)!! He'd rather just do it the lazy way, and have someone
else write a press release....good enough in his mind....but he's really adding insult to injury by doing that.
My words yesterday were meant to jolt him out of his complacency, to show him a different perspective of how the rest of the world views
him, which does NOT match with how he WISHES the rest of the world sees him, and it was written out of LOVE----not hate. I do not
hate Neal Schon. I just do not approve of his behavior. I do not understand why he cannot simply apologize, in a sincere and PRIVATE
way, for all the problems he's caused so many people in his life. I actually LOVE Neal's music, I LOVE it when he has that guitar in his hands.
I LOVE Journey's music, and always will, no matter what he does or doesn't do. All of those things are more important to me than his
sniveling, embarrassing behavior towards you.
before he'll really be of any good to anyone else in his life. THAT, is step one. Step two, is to be PRIVATE about it. Step 3, is to listen.
He doesn't seem to understand the 3 vital steps that need to be worked on one at a time. He doesn't want to do that work of it, though,
that's just "too hard." (Like Mitt Romney's wife said of running for president--HA)!! He'd rather just do it the lazy way, and have someone
else write a press release....good enough in his mind....but he's really adding insult to injury by doing that.
My words yesterday were meant to jolt him out of his complacency, to show him a different perspective of how the rest of the world views
him, which does NOT match with how he WISHES the rest of the world sees him, and it was written out of LOVE----not hate. I do not
hate Neal Schon. I just do not approve of his behavior. I do not understand why he cannot simply apologize, in a sincere and PRIVATE
way, for all the problems he's caused so many people in his life. I actually LOVE Neal's music, I LOVE it when he has that guitar in his hands.
I LOVE Journey's music, and always will, no matter what he does or doesn't do. All of those things are more important to me than his
sniveling, embarrassing behavior towards you.
I know I'm not the only one who views Neal as a loser...those comments above pretty much say the same things I did yesterday.
Stephen, I sincerely hope that you have already learned how to forgive Neal and the others for hurting you with the one thing you loved
most in the world. I know how difficult that is to get over. I don't know if anyone can FULLY get over it, to be honest. But maybe
you WILL pick up the phone at some point, and call him. Maybe you WILL be able to rise above his dysfunctional behavior,
and his negative attitude, and become friends again. I hope for your soul that you will be able to do those things, in your own
time, in your own way---don't let him bully you into it----and in your own heart....even if you never let HIM know that he's forgiven.
He doesn't have to know.
I never invited my dad to my wedding---my sisters were both adamant about it, telling me that he's not getting any younger, and
isn't it about time we just buried the hatchet, and enjoyed a happy day? I said, "I'll enjoy it IMMENSELY, without him." And I did.
I did forgive him many years ago, took me awhile, but I managed to figure it out and make my peace. He'll never know that though.
In my opinion, he'll have to someday EARN that knowledge to set his OWN soul free, by sincerely apologizing to me, and my
mom and sisters. If he can't, or won't, for whatever reason, well, that's really not my problem. I already know that my dad will die
without me at his side, and be buried at a funeral without me in attendance. He chose that path, and lost his eldest daughter: me.
He will, sadly, just have to live with that on his soul, in his conscience, and in his heart.
Neal may never take part in your life ever again, and that is just something HE will have to live with.
He will, sadly, just have to live with that on his soul, in his conscience, and in his heart.
Neal may never take part in your life ever again, and that is just something HE will have to live with.
Well anyway, Stephen, I'm going to go for now, and pack my suitcases and get ready for my vacation. Pete and I are taking off
first thing tomorrow morning, for Virginia Beach, then to DC all next week. We're going to the Neptune Festival in VA Beach,
then we're going to a BDSM event in DC the following weekend, helping to set everything up for it during the week. I'm looking
forward to it. We're also going to a fetish ball and an auction to help Frazier buy a new bondage table for the club. YAY!! I loved
that table, but whomever built and owned it took it back a few years ago, so now he's buying a new one because so many of us
expressed that we missed it a lot. It was awesome!! Mmmmmm rope.....GAWD how I love rope....
You can be sure that I will have some awesome DOOZIES of sexy naughty stories to tell you all about when I get back!!!
You can be sure that I will have some awesome DOOZIES of sexy naughty stories to tell you all about when I get back!!!
Okay, my sweet singing sexy beast of a man, have a great weekend, and if I get the chance to write while I'm gone, I will. If not,
don't miss me too much. Twelve days without me, WHATEVER will you DO?!! Oh woe is you. *WINK*
Bye for now. HUGS!!! Love you lots...xoxoxo Rebecca
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nickydee72 says:
09:04am September 26 2012
Leeh says:
09:45am September 26 2012
samlewis45 says:
10:15am September 26 2012
Paul Alex says:
10:17am September 26 2012
Marksy says:
10:48am September 26 2012
Dave Suchy says:
01:03pm September 26 2012