Journey Releases GREATEST HITS VOL. 2 11/1
By: Gabrielle Sierra Sep. 19, 2011
GREATEST HITS VOL. 2, a brand-new collection of original recordings by the mega-platinum band Journey will be available as a single CD, digital download, and special gatefold double-vinyl edition (which includes a code for a free digital download of the vinyl remastered album), available starting November 1, 2011. This new package from Columbia/Legacy, a division of SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT, spans singles and album tracks recorded between 1978 and 1996.
Journey's original Greatest Hits collection is one of the top-selling American rock albums of all time with worldwide sales in excess of 25 million. In conjunction with the double-LP version of GREATEST HITS VOL. 2, the original Greatest Hits will also be issued as a gatefold double-vinyl edition on the same date, November 1 (which also includes a code for a free digital download of the vinyl remastered album).
Journey, founded by guitar virtuoso Neal Schon in 1973, has achieved iconic pop culture status that has earned the band cumulative sales of more than 62 million albums, singles, and digital tracks in the U.S. alone. Their enduring appeal is affirmed everywhere from Rock Band to Tony Soprano's musical daydreams on HBO's The Sopranos, from Broadway's Rock Of Ages to FOX's Family Guy. Most notably, the cast of Glee celebrated Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" on the series premiere episode of 2009. The kids later paid homage with three songs on 2010's Journey to Regionals ("Faithfully," the medley of "Any Way You Want It / Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'," and the new Regionals version of "Don't Stop Believin'").
When asked about his experience in the remastering back to vinyl of the original recordings of the Journey Greatest Hits and the new GREATEST HITS VOL. 2, Steve Perry replied, "I truly forgot how sonically exciting and just plain better these Journey tracks sound back where they originally lived...on Vinyl. The stereo separation, the center imaging and the sonic depth of the tracks themselves is more true to what we all loved about these original final mixes. All the instruments and voices, to me personally, sound so damn good that all I want to do is reach for the volume and turn it up!"
"I'm very excited to be releasing this compilation," said Neal Schon. "Many of these songs were written in our earlier days by Steve Perry and myself, and hearing them again brings back great memories. 'Little Girl' has an extra special meaning for me because it's one of the songs my father, who worked with us for many years, worked on with us. All our songs have stood the test of time, and I hope our fans will enjoy this collection."
Jonathan Cain added, "Escape was my first album with Journey in 1981 and I never looked back. A lot of the songs in those days were in pieces -- like a puzzle to figure out. The connection we had was magic -- and like a Super Bowl team -- we always found a way to get it right."
Covering 18 central years in the Journey saga, GREATEST HITS VOL. 2 includes tracks from the band's fourth album, Infinity (1978), produced by Roy Thomas Baker, which marked the entry of Steve Perry's distinctive lead vocals into the lineup ("Feeling That Way," "Anytime," "Patiently").
Their next album, Evolution (1979) was also produced by Baker and features "Just The Same Way". Departure (1980) was the first of seven consecutive studio albums by Journey to reach the Top 10, and platinum or multi-platinum, over the next 16 years ("Walks Like A Lady," "Good Morning Girl," "Stay Awhile").
One of the cornerstone bands in radio's new Album Rock format, Journey's popularity was so overwhelming that they were able to release a single from their double-LP concert set, Captured (1981). "The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love)" broke inside the Top 40, and was the #2 song on Billboard's Mainstream Rock chart.
Journey's hold on the charts continued with Escape (1981), the band's first #1 album. Escape spent nearly three years on Billboard's Top 200 chart and produced four hit singles -- "Who's Crying Now," "Don't Stop Believin'," "Open Arms" (all on Greatest Hits) and "Still They Ride" along with the rock staples, "Stone In Love," "Mother, Father" and the title track "Escape" (all on GREATEST HITS VOL. 2).
Escape was produced by Mike Stone (Queen, Kiss, America and others) and Kevin Elson, who went on to produce the next album, Frontiers (1983). Frontiers ("After The Fall," "Chain Reaction") debuted the week before Michael Jackson's Thriller hit #1 -- thus the LP had the distinction of being one of many albums to occupy the #2 spot (for nine weeks) during Thriller's reign at the top.
Raised On Radio was released in 1986, featuring an assortment of top studio musicians including noted jazz-funk-R&B bassist Randy Jackson (of American Idol) who went on to tour with Journey through 1987. Raised On Radio was another double-platinum album for Journey, spending 67 weeks on the album chart, and spinning off the Top 20 hit "Suzanne."
In 1992, Journey became one of the first American rock bands to release a deluxe multi-CD box set, Time(3). Comprised mostly of hit singles and key album tracks from the band's first dozen albums, Time(3) also contained a number of previously unreleased tracks and rarities. Among these was "Little Girl," from the original motion picture soundtrack of Dream After Dream, an obscure foreign film whose entire score was performed by Journey, issued by Columbia in 1980.
A Journey reunion took place in the '90s, and the recording of Trial By Fire (1996) was the result, with Steve Perry, Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory, and Steve Smith all on-board for their first album together since Frontiers. Featuring "When I Think Of You," Trial By Fire rose to #3 and continued Journey's platinum streak.
GREATEST HITS VOL. 2 wraps up with a live concert version of "Mother, Father" -- a highlight of Live In Houston 1981 - Escape Tour, a Columbia/Legacy archive release in 2005 which featured both video and audio versions of the same 75-minute program.
As Rolling Stone contributing editor David Wild wrote, "Whether on the radio or on some stage, these well-built tunes remain sturdy crowd pleasers to this very day, in their second century of airplay. Some DJ is playing a Journey song somewhere right now and many more are out there singing along -- you can bet on it."
GREATEST HITS VOL. 2 by JOURNEY (Columbia/Legacy 88697 77986 2) Selections: 1. Stone In Love - 2. After The Fall - 3. Chain Reaction - 4. The Party's Over (Hopelessly In Love) - 5. Escape - 6. Still They Ride - 7. Good Morning Girl - 8. Stay Awhile - 9. Suzanne - 10. Feeling That Way - 11. Anytime - 12. Walks Like A Lady - 13. Little Girl - 14. Just The Same Way - 15. Patiently - 16. When I Think Of You - 17. Mother, Father (Live In Houston, 1981).
Greatest Hits Vol. 2 vinyl and CD meticulously remastered to vinyl by Robert Hadley and Steve Perry at The Mastering Lab in Ojai, CA.
Greatest Hits Vol. 1 vinyl meticulously remastered to vinyl by Doug Sax, Robert Hadley and Steve Perry at The Mastering Lab in Ojai, CA.
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