Steve Perry has made it clear that he will not be sharing the stage with Journey on their upcoming Final Frontier tour.
In an interview published by Ultimate Classic Rock earlier today, keyboardist Jonathan Cain reported that Journey guitarist Neal Schon had been in touch with Perry about the possibility of making a guest appearance on the band’s upcoming tour.
“Neal already asked,” Cain explained, “and he says (Perry’s) thinking about it. I hope he comes out. It’s never too late. We’ve got 100 shows, so he’s welcome at any one of them. …He didn’t say no — leave it at that.”
Well, he has now.
In a message on his Facebook page, Perry expresses gratitude for his time in Journey, and for the continued support of the fans. But he also makes it quite clear that he has moved on:
I’ve been hearing these recent rumors, and I wanted to speak to you all directly. While I’m always grateful for the love people still have for Journey, the rumors about me rejoining the band are simply not true, and I want to gently put them to rest.
I completely understand why people would hope for that. The music we created together means a great deal to me too. But I’m continuing to explore new creative work and really enjoy working on new music that reflects where I am today.
Thank you for your continued support throughout the years. Your loyalty has never gone unnoticed, and I am forever humbly grateful.
Perry first left the group in 1987, then returned in 1995 for a reunion that concluded after just one album and without a tour.
Read More: Why Steve Perry Left Journey for Good
Journey will kick off their Final Frontier tour Feb. 28 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Cain – whose songwriting on early ’80s albums such as Escape and Frontiers helped launch Journey into the stratosphere commercially, has announced that he will leave the band at the conclusion of this tour.
Journey Lineup Changes: A Complete Guide
Journey has a deep history outside of the platinum-selling Steve Perry era. Here’s a look.
Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
