Journey with Gregg Rolie (1973-1980)

Has anyone ever appreciated the work of Journey with Gregg Rolie, during his entire career within the group from 1973-80? The discography he was involved in included:
Journey (1975)
Look into the Future (1976)
Next (1977)
Infinity (1978)
Evolution (1979)
Departure (1980)
Captured (1981) (live)

While his vocal and keyboard chops were his primary features (having done so excellently while with Santana, such as on "Black Magic Woman"), he also dabbled in synthesizer and harmonica. Besides "Precious Time" (from his last album with the group) what other Journey songs, from the 1975-80 period, featured a harmonica solo?

~Ben

 

I'm a big fan of Rolie-Perry Journey and really liked the whole band's chemistry during that period but don't know about the harmonica question...

 

My favorite era of the band.

 

Just The Same Way from Evolution to me is the Journey sound I still turn to. I really like Gregg's vocals with Steve's voice adding flavor.

 

I really like the first 3 Journey albums a lot. Great stuff. The other day I ran across a solo album by Gregg Rolie....anyone heard it? How is it?

 

Which solo album? (he has several)

"Gregg Rolie" (1985) and "Gringo" (1987) were both efforts to be commercial rock. They both have their moments. "Roots" (2001) was a more Latin-inspired effort reminiscent of the Santana albums. There was also a live album from 2009 titled "Rain Dances"

 

Love that one too, but for me the ultimate vocal interplay was in their prior LP "Infinity" with a song called "Feeling That Way". Tough for Journey to top that one, and one of the reasons why the "Infinity" album is not only Journey's best album, but one the greatest albums of the 70's.

 

The self titled one is the only one I've seen.

 

I don't care about the pre-Perry era, but "Just The Same Way" is my favorite Journey song.

 

If it's less than $10, I would pick it up. It's not bad but a bit faceless.

 

A thousand times "yes" - "Feeling That Way" straight into "Anytime" is pure music magic for me; lots of grit, soul, power, and passion all wrapped up in that twofer...

 

I love the trade off vocals between Gregg and Steve.

 

I'd like to think the group's first three albums released from 1975-77, material that had been cherry-picked for the band's 1979 compilation In the Beginning, was a continuation of the "jazz/fusion" sound that both Gregg Rolie and Neal Schon had contributed to Santana.

~Ben

 

Yes. I love Infinity and Evolution.

 

We used to drink and rock out to those original Journey albums (cassettes to be more precise). Good stuff, good times. It sounded like the second coming of Santana as it crashed headlong into prog rock with a few other elements fused in for good measure.

 

And speaking of that 1979 compilation I mentioned earlier here, I wish it were expanded into two CDs.

~Ben

 

I love the crossover vocals from Perry to Rolie it added a dynamic that no other band of the era could touch. Perry hit the notes as Rolie was touch spot on the lyrics

 

I'm sure you know about this set, but just in case somebody searching the inner webs doesn't, this set is indispensable:

Journey - Original Album Classics - Amazon.com Music »

The first three albums on CD. $12.99 as of this posting...

 

Journey before Jonathon Caine turn them into a ballad machine, were awesome and should be in the HOF.

 

This.

 

I really like Of a Lifetime,'To Play Some Music, and I'm Gonna Leave You from the pre Steve Perry albums. Then of course Infinity, Evolutin, Departure, and Captured are great albums, just as good as the albums with Jonathan Cain. I too enjoy the songs where Rollie and Perry trade of vocals.

 

You forgot Dream After Dream, their best album imo.

 

Never the same after Perry joined (loved Aynsley Dunbar in the band!)

 

Yup. Add Roy Thomas Baker's perfect production and we're talking about true classics.

 

Love the Rolie era, not particularly keen on Jonathan Cain, even less on post-Perry.