Friday and the Random 10 (Can We Beat Georgia Again? Edition)

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This Day in Music History: Journey/Frontiers (02/22)

Released on this day in 1983, Frontiers was Journey's follow up to their blockbuster album Escape. It reached #2 on the Billboard 200 album chart.

Even though it spurned out four top 40 singles: "After the Fall" (#23), "Send Her My Love" (#23), "Faithfully" (#12), and "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" (#8), this album was a disappointment to me. The effects of "Open Arms" sent the band on direct course to the Love Song Spiral of Doom©, and basically castrated Neal Schon.

To me, here's the best song on the album:

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This Day in Music History: Journey/Raised on Radio (05/27)

Raised on Radio is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Journey, released on this day in May 1986. The cover of the album was modeled after the studios and antennas for KNGS in Hanford, California, which was owned by Steve Perry's parents.

Following their two most successful albums, lead singer Steve Perry began to take more control over the band's direction. Ross Valory and Steve Smith were fired from the band, against the wishes of manager Herbie Herbert. The two were replaced by various studio musicians for the recording of Raised on Radio, including Randy Jackson (yes that Randy Jackson dawg). Smith did record three tracks with Journey on the album, and he and Valory still received revenues from the record and subsequent tour. Both returned to Journey in 1996.

Perry changed the original title of this project from Freedom to Raised on Radio, which drew the ire of Herbert and some of the band members.

The album spawned four top 40 singles in the US: "Girl Can't Help It" (#17), "Be Good to Yourself" (#9), "I'll Be Alright Without You" (#14), and "Suzanne" (#17). "Why Can't this Night Go On Forever" (#60) charted as well. 

Raised on Radio went to #4 on the Billboard 200 chart, and it was certified double platinum in the USA as Journey descended down the "love song spiral of doom"©™

Friday and the Random 10 (REO Edition)

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Friday and the Random 10 (Dream After Dream Edition)

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Friday and the Random 10 (I Thought That They Were Angels Edition)

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Friday and the Random 10 (Almost Forgot Edition)

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This Day in Music History: Journey, King Crimson, Van Halen and ZZ Top (03/23)

On this day, there was certainly a plethora of classic albums released by several bands:

So let's start chronologically shall we?

This Day in Music History (03/23)

Departure is the sixth studio album by the American rock band Journey, released on this day in March 1980 on the Columbia Records label.

Friday and the Random 10 (I Do Wanna Know Edition)

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Friday and the Random 10 (Outlawed Edition)

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This Day in Music History: Journey/Next (02/01)

Next is the third studio album by Journey, released on this day in 1977. The band continued the formula from 1976's Look into the Future but this album also retains some of their progressive rock style from the first album (plus that awesome afro from Neal Schon). It is the last album to feature Gregg Rolie on lead vocals. 

"Spaceman" and "Nickel and Dime" were the two singles released from the album. The instrumental "Cookie Duster" was listed in very early pressings of the album, though not actually...

This Day in Music History: Journey/Look Into The Future (01/01)

Look into the Future is Journey's second studio album, released on this day in 1976 on Columbia Records. This is one of my personal favorites as well.

First of all, this is not the late 70's/ early 80's band that you know. The vocals are not the best during this period, but their musicianship is what makes this a great album.

For their second album, the members of Journey toned down the overt progressiveness of their first, self-titled release, in favor of a more focused approach. Despite that, Look into the Future still retains some of the experimental approach and sound of the debut, especially in the title track. The album features a cover version of The Beatles' "It's All Too Much" from the 1968 Yellow Submarine film. The title track was the longest recorded Journey song until 1980, when "Destiny" from Dream, After Dream would claim that honor. Some even claim that "I'm Gonna Leave You" inspired the main riff in the famous Kansas song "Carry on Wayward Son". I can kinda hear that:

Guitarist George Tickner left the band after having co-written two songs for this album, leaving members Gregg Rolie (lead vocals/keyboards), Neal Schon (guitar), Ross Valory (bass), and Aynsley Dunbar (drums). If you are looking for Steve Perry, this is way before he joined the band as lead singer.

Best Song:

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Friday and the Random 10 (Let's Get It Up Edition)

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This Day in Music History: Journey/Dream, After Dream (12/10)

Dream, After Dream, performed by the American rock band Journey, is the soundtrack album to the Japanese film Yume, Yume No Ato. Released on this day in 1980 on Columbia Records, it was the seventh album length recording by the group. The soundtrack, however, firmly overshadowed the film itself, which enjoyed little notoriety. The album itself though, is an often over-looked and mostly unknown gem of an album. If you ever see this anywhere, grab it. ASAP. You won't be disappointed. I am lucky I came across it in the early 80's and picked it up just because they were very popular at the time. It has been one of my favorites ever since.

The album is notable for being a significant departure from the arena rock which characterized the band's three preceding albums, harking back to their progressive rock beginnings and relying on complex musicianship and instrumentals.

Dream, After Dream features a full vocal on three of its nine tracks, "Destiny", "Sand Castles" and "Little Girl" (which was later the B-side of the "Open Arms" single and was featured on Journey's Time3 collection). The track also appears as a bonus track on the 2006 reissue of Departure and in 2011 on Greatest Hits 2. "Destiny" is the band's longest recorded song.

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Friday and the Random 10 (Black Friday Edition)

Welcome to a new and improved, simplified and stripped down Random 10! 

Here's a picture.

Friday and the Random 10 (Escape the Voice Edition)

Welcome to a new and improved, simplified and stripped down Random 10! 

Here's a picture.

Friday and the Random 10 (Metal Health Edition)

Welcome to a new and improved, simplified and stripped down Random 10! 

Here's a picture.

Friday and the Random 10 (I'm Running Edition)

Welcome to a new and improved, simplified and stripped down Random 10! 

Here's a picture.

But seriously I never run.

Friday and the Random 10 (Neal Schon's Afro Edition)

Welcome to a new and improved, simplified and stripped down Random 10! 

Here's a picture.

Afros are cool