The band Journey has been performing since the mid 1970’s. Originally formed as a Santana spin-off jam band, Journey began to realize commercial success with the addition of vocalist Steve Perry in 1978. Radio staples like “Wheel In The Sky”, “Lights”, and “Any Way You Want It” would become mainstream rock hits (remember Rodney Dangerfield blasting this tune on the golf course in “Caddyshack”?). The band made another pivotal move when Jonathan Cain replaced founding member Gregg Rollie on keyboards in 1981. The band’s subsequent album, “Escape”, was one of the most commercially successful albums of the 1980’s, producing three top 10 singles and selling over 10 million copies. Cain has written or co-written every Journey song since. Journey’s “Greatest Hits” CD has also sold over 10 million copies and the band has accumulated album sales of over 60 million to date. In addition to Cain, the band’s current lineup also includes lead vocalist Steve Augeri, Drummer Deen Castronovo, and original members Neal Schon (guitar) and Ross Valory (bass). Journey has just recently put the finishing touches on “Generations”, a new disc featuring 12 original tracks. SOUND WAVES MAGAZINE caught up with Jonathan Cain in the midst of the band’s 30th Anniversary Tour.

SOUND WAVES: Could you tell me a couple of things about the current tour?

JONATHAN CAIN: It’s an interesting tour. We’re doing a retrospect; kind of a 30 year look at the evolution of the band’s music. It’s a two part show. When time allows, we do a three hour presentation. We’re doing an hour of the old stuff from the seventies, take a 15 minute intermission, then come back with the eighties’ hits and some of the new stuff from the “Generations” album. So, they get probably over 30 songs, and they walk out with a CD.

SW: I heard that the band was doing a unique promotion with the new CD. Can you tell me more about that?

JC: For some of the promoters that want to participate, we give away a free CD with the tickets. Right now, that’s the only place you can get the CD. It’s a twelve song, brand new disc that we did in the studio. It’s on the web site, but there’s no downloads, it’s strictly at the gig. So you come see us and get the disc. We thought that the people who put the energy to come and support the band deserve this.

SW: What is a musician’s life like for you right now?

JC: We’ve been working pretty hard. We finished a tour last summer, had a few months off, and then we were back in the studio writing. And then we just finished an album and we’re back on tour again.

SW: How is touring today different than it was say 20, 25 years ago for you?

JC: Well, our busses are more comfortable (laughs). We have all of the family responsibilities that probably weren’t there for some of us back then. This tour, I’m alternating and taking one of my kids out on each tour since the busses are fairly full. One of my kids comes out for a week or two and then another one comes out with us. I think the venues are cool and they sound better; the sound systems are better, so they people are getting the full fidelity out there. And then we have in-ear monitors so we don’t have to have monitors feeding back. So we’re able to really tighten up our act basically because we can hear so well.

SW: When you’ve played here at the Mohegan Sun Arena before, you’ve drawn a blend of the resort property people as well as a concert crowd.

JC: Yeah, we get a mix. On this tour, we’ve seen a lot of young kids. It’s been a younger demographic coming to see us as well. It been a few generations of Journey fans, and so that’s why we called the album “Generations”.

SW: What keep you inspired to keep playing after all these years?

JC: The fans fuel it for me. I see that they get excited, and it’s the whole idea of getting new Journey fans on board. The band’s been at it for 30 years and you notice things like kids coming to check out the band. It’s almost a responsibility to legacy that you create. It’s kind of like being a knight at the round table and you kind of have a responsibility to guard your country. We had an emotional time when we played a gig on 9/11 in York, Pennsylvania. It was amazing the feelings we had backstage; should we cancel the show? Then the promoter came in and said that there’s 6,000 Journey fans out there waiting to hear you guys, and they need your music. There’s a certain thing that Journey does, I think, that transcends some things. I think we’re unique, and we bring a unique brand of American rock and roll around, like us or not. So we’ve keep this thing going, we’ve worked hard, and you want to do it as long as you can because then it’s over. When I had eight years to sit around and think about it (when Steve Perry took his hiatus), it really sunk in that we were doing something special. I mean, in the USA Today, the fans just voted us of the top five American bands.

SW: You joined the band in 1981 and your first album with Journey was the “Escape” album. And you were doing a lot of the writing with Steve and Neal?

JC: Yeah, the chemistry just clicked.

SW: How did that happen so quickly? Commercially, that album turned Journey from a good band to a great band.

JC: When I was with The Babys, I watched them play every night and I sort of studied them and saw some of the things they were missing in their music.

SW: How did that transition go…..to be the new guy in the band and do so much of the writing and have so much impact right off the bat?

JC: It was cool, but it was scary because I realized that I’d changed a lot of things. It could have gone the other way, and they could have said that we don’t like this new sound. I thought we made a really great record and I guess I never looked over my shoulder or never second-guessed myself at all. I felt like the music sounded great to me and everybody had a good time. The process was wonderful. We had a wonderful friendship that we built and there was this positive, almost a confidence that Journey had that loved. They did everything right and I had just come from the Babys, where everything had been on shaky grounds. So it was great to get in an organization that was so solid and so supportive and all I had to do was show up and write songs and create, and they did the rest. So we had great management and this knowing that everything was going to be cool was new for me. I just kind of plugged into it and went along for the ride. Steve and Neal are awesome and gracious and made me feel like a member of the band and I just couldn’t have been happier.

SW: I’m assuming that you’re still a big part of the songwriting process?

JC: Yeah, and Steve has a couple of songs on the new album that he wrote all by himself that are really good. And Neal and I still do what we do; we talk about melodies and then I write the lyrics and off we go.

SW: Talking about songwriting, on the most popular song that you wrote, “Open Arms”, I read where you had a cold when you recorded it and that you originally didn’t like it. Any truth to that?

JC: I didn’t like the performance because I thought we could do it one better.

SW: It turned out to be OK, obviously.

JC: I had to sneeze in the middle of it, so they had to fix that. Right at the end of the song, I had to sneeze, and it was in the mikes. I sneezed all over the piano; it was really loud. I said “let’s just do one more take” but they said “we’re going to fix this take; it’s magic”.

SW: Can you tell me about the transition of going from Steve Perry to Steve Augeri? Is it different now?

JC: Well, yeah. I think Steve has filled the shoes as far as the entertaining part. Certainly they’re two different singers. I think Steve is certainly more of a rock singer than Steve Perry, but then Steve Perry was a tremendous crooner with this great, silky tone. So they’re a little different. I think Steve became a better songwriter over the years by singing our songs, and on this new “Generations” album, he penned a couple songs by himself that were really nice, and I’m pretty proud of what he did. So he’s grown as a writer and I think he’s grown as an entertainer, and I think we’ve grown as a band. We learned how to get along with each other and we help each other when things aren’t so rosy out here. We try to just work together, and we get it done. It’s like the New York Yankees, you know? We just get it done. (Note: Mr. Cain’s comment was made prior to the Yankees being eliminated by the Anaheim Angels in the 2005 playoffs).

SW: I’m a Red Sox fan, so I wish you hadn’t said that.

JC: Yeah, we’re like the Red Sox; we get it done (laughs).

SW: The first time people see Journey perform with Steve Augeri, it’s like they are almost waiting to hear how he will measure up to Steve Perry. When the finally do hear him, it’s almost jaw dropping because he just nails it.

JC: He’s a really good front man and he has his head screwed on right. I think he’s a great person too. He has a great sense of humor and he’s a guy that you can get along with. We couldn’t have asked for more.

SW: The last couple of bands that you have been in have had great singers. But you have a good voice yourself. Do you ever want to sing more?

JC: Yeah, well I did get to sing on this new album. And I’m also singing all of the Gregg Rollie stuff too. We start the show with some of the early, early stuff before Steve Perry joined the band, so I get to take those songs on too. I’ve done a couple of solo albums too, and I’ve been working with this teacher to develop my voice. Deen (drummer Deen Castronovo) is also singing now. He can really croon. And then Ross is singing and Neal is singing, too.

SW: What about any side projects?

JC: I did a smooth jazz album called “Bare Bones” with Reality Records and they’ve been super. I think I’ve had a rough deal with the smooth jazz crowd. They weren’t very acceptant of me being in rock and roll.

SW: What type of music do you listen to?

JC: I’ve been checking out some of the new bands. I’ve picked up the new Coldplay album and I think it’s pretty cool. I listen to some jazz artists. I like this new band called Three Doors Down. And there’s a really cool rock band called Dark New Day. Some band just hit you. It’s fun because this new music….I like the spirituality that’s coming back in the sense of soul. There’s the Black Eyed Peas who are fun. My kids keep me involved in all this stuff. Kids kind of keep you young in that department. I’ve got nine year old twins, a boy and a girl, Liza and Weston, and then Madison is 11. They listen to music all the time. I’m forced to listen to music on the Disney Channel.

SW: What do they think of Journey?

JC: They’re proud of Journey. They like Journey.

SW: You’re music doesn’t sound dated like a lot of other 70’s music.

JC: We’re fortunate in that respect.

SW: What’s in the future for you and for Journey?

JC: Maybe Europe. We’re just going to keep it rolling. I think as long as we’re having fun and being creative, then we’ll do it.

SW: After all these years, the band is still on top of its game musically. You’re doing something right. What do you attribute that to?

JC: I have no clue. I can’t give you an answer to that one. All I know is that our fans have been loyal and supportive over these years of change. We’ve been blessed and we don’t ponder that too much. I think we just try and be as good as we can be and carry on the legacy that helped create us. We’ve had CD’s that have sold over 10 million copies and when you get that award, you take it personally, and so we’re going to be as excellent as we can be. Whenever we set foot on stage, we’re going to be the best that we can be.

SW: Thank you for your time. I’m looking forward to seeing the band. Good luck with the new CD and the tour.

JC: Thank you very much.

Jonathan Cain and Journey are currently touring for the band’s 30th Anniversary. Check out www.journeymusic.com for all of the details.