No amusing story behind this album but one of slight regret. In August of this year, my battalion was getting ready to ship out to the Mediterranean. My one friend got chosen to go on the advance party to meet the ship at Norfolk, Virginia while the bulk of us got boarded at Moorhead City, North Carolina. When I got on the ship there, my friend told me that he saw Journey in concert in Norfolk and how great it was. Needless to say, I was wishing that I had also been chosen for the advance party.
Journey were near the zenith of their popularity by this time and "Departure" was yet another in a string of great albums they had put out. "Any Way You Want It" is the best song known song from the album and it is a rocker as far as singles go. For me, it was definitely a step up from "Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin." The rest of the album just continues the groove. "Walks Like a Lady" is a good follow on from "Any Way You Want It" There are some other good rockers on here like "I'm Crying" and the closer "Homemade Love." They also go almost experimental progressive in the sense of "Little Girl" which I heard on an alternative version of this album on You Tube and somewhat in the same direction with "Someday Soon" although Neil Schon hammers out a brilliant guitar solo towards the end of that one.
I will take a moment to say that thinking retrospectively, Steve Perry was probably the best male vocalist around at the time. He could belt out a rocker and then sing a more ballad like song and still sound convincing. He didn't and still doesn't get the recognition he deserves for his vocal talents.
Track Listing:
1. Any Way You Want It
2. Walk Like a Lady
3. Someday Soon
4. People and Places
5. Precious Time
6. Where Were You
7. I'm Crying
8. Line of Fire
9. Departure
10. Little Girl
11. Stay Awhile
12. Homemade Love
- Journey
Steve Perry- lead vocals
Neil Schon- guitars, backing vocals
Greg Rollie- keyboards, harmonica, backing vocals
Ross Valory- bass, backing vocals
Steve Smith- drums, percussion
- Stroud Record Fair
Before I end with reinforcing how good the "Departure" album is, I thought I would take a moment to tell you about going to the Stroud Record Fair today. My work with adults with autism was the reason I was there today (my job has its perks) because the gentleman I was looking after likes to collect vinyl albums from artists from the fifties; i.e. Elvis, Buddy Holly, Eddie Cochran, Fats Domino etc. So while he was fishing through those albums, I had a look around myself and saw some cool things like a Thin Lizzy Box Set, loads of Dead Kennedys albums on vinyl and there was a Hanoi Rocks CD that caught my eye too. It was a shame that I only had company money on me. My service user, Jonathan, ended up buying albums by Billy Fury, The Drifters and Little Richard. I didn't see this Journey album there either and that's a shame.
Next post: Pat Travers- Crash and Burn
To buy Rock and Roll Children, go to www.strategicpublishinggroup.com/title/RockAndRollChildren.html
Also available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Froogle and on sale at Foyles Book Shop in London
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