Journey "Eclipse"

I vividly remember the album "Next" by Journey arriving in the WPRK studios shortly after returning from Christmas break of my freshman year (actually, I think I still have that LP in my collection, complete with the Columbia DJ label on the front and WPRK J-# scrawled on it in magic marker).  I saw Greg Rolie's name as a member (I was a major Santana fan) and it immediately hit the turntable.  Ah, man, great rock/jazz fusion, and awesome guitar work.  What, you say, the guitarist played with Carlos, too, and was tossed because he was too good (well, that was the rumor of the day)?  Eric Clapton had asked this kid to join Derek & the Dominos and he said no?!  Are you kidding me?  I end up playing the entire album and knew I had to get this on tape for the roommate as soon as I could.  I walk back into the album library to file it away and WHAT?  There were two earlier albums by Journey already there!  So in February 1977, I become a Journey ambassador on WPRK, playing at least two tracks a night on my radio shows that freshman year.  The next semester saw the debut of the Mad Rocker nickname, and the music of Journey was a constant on my radio program.  I opened many a show with the instrumental "Kohoutek" from the debut record. 

The new album "Infinity" arrived early 1978, and there was an immediate difference in the music.  New singer added, more pop arrangements, and the new producer was Roy Thomas Baker, mastermind for the Queen records.  Yep, layers.  As fate would have it that year, I was unable to play baseball due to ligament damage in the elbow of the pitching arm, and thus able to actually have a Spring Break.  I went home to Tennessee and my sister (really love her for this one) gave me tickets for my birthday to see Journey in the War Memorial Auditorium in Nashville.  Maybe 1500 people at the show.  Opening act was some new band out of California.......hmmmm......who was it.......wait, it's comin' to me......oh, yeah, Van Halen.  I bought their debut record a few weeks earlier immediately after hearing "You Really Got Me" on the radio, so I was ready.  The middle act of the bill was Ronnie Montrose supporting his solo debut "Open Fire."  Can you understand why this ranks as one of my greatest concert experiences of all time?  After Ronnie, the house lights go down and "Kohoutek" blasts from the speakers, the entire track.  As soon as it finishes, curtains open and the original Journey lineup smokes through three early songs.  Greg Rolie then introduces the newest member of the band, and Steve Perry shyly slips onto the stage.  Life as I knew it changed.  Ninety minutes later, after most of Infinity and two encores, the house lights go up and I saunter down to the stage with my guitarist friend, Steve Cunningham (RIP), to check out Schon's gear.  There are about thirty people hanging around the front of the stage when Perry comes back out and asks us if we'd like to hear another song or two.  "Oh, no, Steve, that's OK, the lights are up and you guys don't really have to..."  So we are treated to about ten more minutes of music while the roadies are standing around with this "I-don't-believe-this-shit" look on their faces.  I will never forget that night. 

Oh, yeah, right, the new album.  Initial reviews spoke of a return to the band's early work, that "Eclipse" was guitar dominant.  Intrigued, I made the buy.  I had not purchased anything since the initial breakup in 1987.  None of the reunion/reformation stuff ever passed muster.  2008's  "Revelation" went to #5 on Billboard, but I felt it was more of a gimmick...a marketing success, but a gimmick nonetheless, considering the well-known story of how their new vocalist was enlisted.  But this new album is just that, a brand new album.  Not one that mines old territory for the sake of a tour, like the Blondie record, but an honest effort at creating something new and viable today.  "Eclipse' leaves no doubt as to who this band belongs to.  It's Neil Schon's record and it's 75% rock guitar.  Jonathan Cain has to be a bit disappointed because he's basically just ridin' the bus.  His keyboards are secondary...nope, third on the depth chart behind the guitar and the vocals for this album (just hang on, JC.  The tour should be keeping you in the green). 

Overall, I'll say this album has a couple of filler tunes, a whole bunch of good songs, and two great tracks.  A couple are just plain nasty, down & dirty rock.  "Chain Of Love" could be an Ozzy or Ronnie James Dio track, or maybe a Joe Lynn Turner-fronted Rainbow song.  If "Resonate" isn't the next single, it's only because most people don't know the meaning of the word.  "To Whom It May Concern" could have been a vintage, late-70's Kansas hit. 

I'm here to tell you, Kevin G.,  had "Eclipse" been released thirty years ago, it would have been a multi-platinum album that even you would have loved...