Only Heavy Metal

Legendary rockers JOURNEY have fired drummer Steven Smith and bassist Ross Valory.

The news of the split was broken in a press release from Los Angeles-based law firm Miller Barondess, LLP, which has filed a lawsuit "to ensure that the band continues on its great success of more than 40 years." According to the lawsuit, Smith and Valory had attempted a "corporate coup d'état" to gain control of one of the band's business entities, Nightmare Productions.

The complaint, filed in California Superior Court, accuses defendants Smith and Valory of sowing discord among the band members by engaging in self-dealing and selfishly putting their interests ahead of the band's. The lawsuit seeks to enjoin a scheme by defendants to possess the rights to the JOURNEY name and be paid without actually performing, and also seeks damages in excess of $10 million. If Smith and Valory had been successful, it would have brought an end to a legendary band that has brought so much joy to millions of people all over the world. Given the circumstances, Schon and Cain "were left with no alternative but to take decisive action for themselves and JOURNEY's fans," the press release states.

JOURNEY has announced the addition of bassist Randy Jackson and drummer Narada Michael Walden to the group's ranks.

"Ok Friends word is out! @randyjackson RJ the Big Dawg is our new Bass player again," JOURNEY's founding member and guitarist Neal Schon wrote on social media, adding that Walden has also joined the band.

"JOURNEY is an ever-changing unstoppable force," Schon added. "This is a completely new chapter for us and can't wait to get to it!"

The new JOURNEY lineup performed a socially distanced version of "Don't Stop Believin'" for UNICEF USA's virtual event "UNICEF We Won't Stop", which aired Saturday night (May 23) on MSNBC. Also appearing with the band was keyboardist and vocalist Jason Derlatka.

JOURNEY have released a new single, "You Got The Best Of Me". The song is taken from the band's upcoming album, "Freedom", which will arrive on July 8.

Frontiers Music Srl is pleased to announce the upcoming release of Journey's incredible Lollapalooza performance from Chicago, IL on July 31, 2021. The stunning set, which will be released on CD/DVD, Blu-ray, and Vinyl, serves as a testament not only to the band's enduring legacy, but their relevance to a whole new generation of rock 'n roll fans.
"Journey are veteran professionals when it comes to throwing entertaining concerts, and the fans upfront knew that from experience. But for the young festival goers and indifferent onlookers who expected a weathered band of baby boomers to twiddle their thumbs for an hour before breaking out jukebox staples, they got to experience arguably the most underrated feeling a music festival can offer: discovering a different side to an artist’s discography that you overlooked up until then." - Rolling Stone
"Journey’s Lollapalooza performance blended fresh and familiar, with the band’s new lineup delivering a hit-packed package during their Saturday headlining slot." - Ultimate Classic Rock
"Pineda’s kinetic showmanship was evident throughout the set’s litany of hits, as he brought fresh energy to ubiquitous singles from “Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)” to “Lights.” However, the true spark of the night’s set rested in the hands of the band’s longest-serving members. Guitarist and founder Neal Schon was a quiet force, delivering a reliable string of solos that felt as economical as they were effortless, while on keys, hometown boy Jonathan Cain added soulful sharpness to “Stone in Love” and “Just the Same Way.” If anyone in the crowd was worried about their image, they weren’t letting on. Instead, they were singing along to the band’s deep catalog of songs that have embedded themselves in the heads of anyone who’s owned a radio in the last 50 years." - Consequence Of Sound
"Unlike so many of their classic rock brethren, Journey has managed to maintain some semblance of relevance amongst a younger demographic and wasted no time getting to the hits Saturday at Lollapalooza." - Forbes
Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2018, Journey have 25 gold and platinum albums, including the fifteen-million selling Greatest Hits collection, with total sales adding up to 80 million records around the world. As the band’s legend continues to grow larger and their touring gets bigger, they recently released a new studio album, "Freedom" in July 2022. It was their first album of new material to be released in eleven years, since 2011’s "Eclipse". The album was met with rave critical and fan reviews and charted in multiple countries around the globe.