Steve Perry confirms he’s not rejoining Journey for farewell tour
Steve Perry has confirmed he’s not rejoining Journey following speculation that he was poised for a return.
Perry was the frontman of the band during their most successful chapter, but departed in 1987. He later briefly returned in 1995 to record another album; however, his second spell didn’t include a tour.
Later this month, Journey are set to embark upon the first leg of their farewell tour. Currently, dates are announced until July, and they previously confirmed plans for their last hurrah to run through until 2027.
Earlier this week, during an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Journey’s Jonathan Cain claimed that his bandmate Neil Schon had asked Perry to participate in the tour and said that he’s currently “thinking about it”.
Cain added, “I hope he comes out. It’s never too late. We’ve got 100 shows, so he’s welcome at any one of them.”
In response, Perry took to social media to rule out a reunion, writing, “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.”
His message continued, “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.”
Perry signed off by telling his fans, “Thank you for your continued support throughout the years. Your loyalty has never gone unnoticed, and I am forever humbly grateful.”
The first leg of Journey’s farewell tour, which is all based in North America, will begin on February 28th in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and conclude on July 2nd in Laredo, Texas.
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