'It's goes on and on and on and on' ... Don't Stop Believin' on TV again

"Just a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world. She took the midnight train going anywhere." Yes, yes, if you didn't know the lyrics to Journey's Don't Stop Believin' after two weeks of over-saturation on network TV, you never will.

The Tony Awards-nominated musical Rock of Ages is the latest to tackle the definitive power ballad of the '80s, performing it live -- or lip-synching it very well -- on Monday morning's Today Show on NBC. The play tells the story of a small town girl, livin' in a lonely world and ... yeah, you can guess the rest. Except the musical also features the music of Whitesnake, Night Ranger, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Asia, Poison and every other band you once had featured on a concert jersey.

But Don't Stop Believin' continues to just amaze Journey-bashers by resurrecting itself over and over again. Last week, it was the cast of Fox's new show Glee that topped the iTunes charts with their show choir version of the 1981 anthem. (The song is still sitting pretty at No. 3 today.) By the way, show choirs LOVE this song. See it again here and here and here.

What's next? Will Oprah adapt it as her new theme song? Will Steve Perry reunite with the band and book a two-year engagement at Caesars Palace in Vegas? Stay tuned. If there's anything to be learned about this whole phenomenon it's that some will win, some will lose, and some were born to sing the blues.

Don't Stop Believin' is a hit ... again!

Thanks to a phenomenal cover by the cast of Glee, a new show on Fox that had a sneak preview Tuesday, Don't Stop Believin' is the No. 1 seller on the iTunes music store today. Somewhere, Steve Perry is sobbing with joy alone in the dark, wearing only those tuxedo tails from the '81 Escape Tour.

Even better: Journey's original version of the song is now up to No. 32 on the iTunes chart. Thanks to its continued use on shows like The Sopranos and Laguna Beach, it's the '80s anthem that lives on forever!

Someone at Fox stumbled onto brilliance by airing the pilot of the series months before Glee's actual debut. For those in the dark, the show tells the story of a young high school teacher who throws together a rag-tag group of misfits to reinvogorate the school's glee club, thus helping him relive his own glory days (sniff, sniff, okay, I'm tearing up) and to help ease the pain of his loveless marriage. (Okay, full out sobbing now.) Watch the full pilot on Hulu.

What magical powers does the '80s anthem Don’t Stop Believin’ hold over America?

HOW IT STARTED: Don’t Stop Believin’ was one of first writing collaborations between singer Steve Perry, guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who had just joined the band.

NOT A HUGE HIT THEN: Released on Journey’s 1981 Escape album, the song wasn’t even the biggest hit on the record, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100. Who’s Crying Now and Open Arms both rose higher on the charts that year. The song does star in the 1982 video game “Escape” for the Atari home gaming system, where players have to guide band members past groupies and sleazy promoters to reach their scarab escape vessel.

“BORN AND RAISED IN SOUTH DETROIT”: That line early in the song tends to drive people from Michigan crazy, since Detroit really has no South side. (Windsor, Ontario, technically is south of Detroit.) One popular theory is that the band really meant Southfield, Mich., a suburb that’s ironically north of Detroit. Of course, it didn’t matter when singer Steve Perry performed the song; he often changed “South Detroit” to the city the band was playing in that night.

REBORN IN THE 21st CENTURY: In 2005, the song broke into iTunes’ Top 10 list of downloads after it appeared on Fox’s Family Guy and MTV’s Laguna Beach in the same week. The Chicago White Sox adopted it as their anthem during their World Series championship in 2005, with Perry singing the tune at the victory parade. Other TV shows playing it include The Apprentice, Scrubs, South Park and ...

THE SOPRANOS FINALE: On June 10, 2007, Don’t Stop Believin’ became the centerpiece to the final scene from HBO’s hit series The Sopranos. Sales of the song on iTunes rose 482 percent over the next few days. Permission to use the song wasn’t given until the very last minute and only after Perry -- afraid the song would be used in a murderous climax -- was told in advance how the show ended.

BUT STILL NO RESPECT: In November 2008, Don’t Stop Believin’ became the first catalog track in history to achieve online digital sales of more than 2 million units. But despite being eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for almost a decade, Journey has yet to be even named a finalist for induction. Why not? “It’s all politics,” Ross Valory told the Times last year. “Without being either negative or positive about it ... sooner or later it’s gonna happen. I have a feeling it’s going to happen sooner, but I’m still not going to hold my breath.”

UP NEXT: Will Don’t Stop Believin’ become a theme song of sorts for Glee? We’ll wait to wait until the fall to find out. In the meantime, a new movie Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey -- a look at the band and its new singer Arnel Pineda -- is scheduled for a Dec. 1 release. We can’t wait for the soundtrack!

Top 10 new releases of 2008

With 2009 nearly here, state law dictates I can wait no longer to reveal any Best of 2008 lists. And looking back on this year, we had a lot of things worth celebrating tonight -- mainly the new music from our favorite '80s acts.

I'd be shocked if 2009 brought as many good new discs from bands we've worshiped for nearly 30 years now. Are you listening, Bono and Thomas Dolby? Please consider that a formal challenge.

So here are my top 10 favorite new discs from '80s acts released in 2008. I've heard each of these start to finish, but see if you can guess which one CD I gave to music critic Sean Daly and said I never wanted to hear again.

TOP 10 NEW RELEASES OF 2008:

10. BLACK ICE (AC/DC): Those hard-rocking Aussies pride themselves on every album sounding the same. Still, they could have at least picked a better album of theirs to parody. But hard-core fans are happy, and that means something too. (Read review)

9. LIVE AT SHEA STADIUM (The Clash): This would be a top-five contender, except it's basically just an unreleased concert CD from the early '80s. Still, it's brilliant in nearly every way. Just avoid Rock the Casbah. (Read review)

8. SONGS FROM THE SPARKLE LOUNGE (Def Leppard): Old school, baby. O-L-D school. And we dig that about these guys. Please break out the Union Jack T-shirts on the next tour!

7. CHINESE DEMOCRACY (Guns N' Roses): The album everyone wanted to hate, but can't. It's better than expected, but not as good as it should be. (Read review)

6. VENUS IN OVERDRIVE (Rick Springfield): Rick takes his time on new releases and doesn't over-think the lyrics and melodies. That's right ... KISS (Keep it simple, Springfield). And it pays off big for him again on this completely likable album. (Read review)

5. TRAFFIC (ABC): Martin Fry considers himself an elder statesman of pop. But anyone who bought this album or caught them this summer on the Regeneration Tour is ready to lobby to land him a better job title. Prime Minister of the New Romantics maybe? (Hear interview)

4. FUNPLEX (The B-52's): All the time away from the recording studio didn't cause our favorite Athenians to lose their libidos when it comes to writing sexy, playful dance tracks. And give them credit for inventing my favorite word of 2008: Booty-bots! (Read review)

3. ACCELERATE (R.E.M.): Finally an album by R.E.M. (our second-fave group from Athens, Ga.) that we're not ashamed to add to our CD libraries. Crank it for Supernatural Superserious. (Read review)

2. REVELATION (Journey): What more can be said about new singer Arnel Pineda? After all these years, his face and vocals resurrected the Journey franchise. (Read review)

1. 4:13 DREAM (The Cure): A surprise pick for No. 1, but Robert Smith and gang turned out an album that rivals any in their deep collection. Lyrically poignant, musically breathtaking and emotionally nourishing. (Read review)

I'm leaving out: The Greatest Songs of the Eighties (Barry Manilow), Phoenix (Asia), Hole in the Sun (Night Ranger), Twentyfive (George Michael), Bring Ya To The Brink (Cyndi Lauper), Hard Candy (Madonna).

VJ's mix setlist from Father Paul

Even our "Stuck in the Clergy" fans have suggestions for VJ's Setlist. Here's an e-mail from Father Paul (photo right), who has one hand on the Bible and the other on a Duran Duran fanzine up in Minnesota:

Greetings again from the state whose football team can never win in Tampa Bay! I enjoyed the kid’s letter about wanting a mix tape. Were I to send a mix tape now to a woman, it would be creepy, I would likely lose my job being I'm a priest, face a rather large lawsuit, and cause a public scandal, so I won’t be doing that ever again. However, being stuck in the '80s, there are many perfect ones for a mix tape, so here are my suggestions:

• Rock and Roll Heart by Eric Clapton. It's off his Money and Cigarettes album from I think 1980, and is a nice tune.
• In Too Deep by Genesis. I had the Invisible Touch cassette tape and when my friend and girlfriend were in the car circa '97 he requested I play this. It's on my iPod too, and is a really great song. One of the few I think that has nothing to do with Phil Collins failed marriage.
• Hold Me Now by Thompson Twins.
• No One Is To Blame by Howard Jones.
• True by Spandau Ballet. (Sorry Sean, I don't think it's horrible. My friend claims it is about drugs, 'thrill in my hand, pill on my tongue' ... Hmm, could this be true?)
• Invisible Touch by Genesis. Quite appropriate, though he presumably does know her name.
• She's Got a Way by Billy Joel. Yes, it is from 1971, but it was apparently released as a single in 1982. I’m not an expert, I just have access to Wikipedia.
• Lady In Red by Chris DeBurgh. This one was of course playing at the prom I took a girl to. Heartbreaking at the time, but people move on. Nice song.
• Hello – Lionel Richie. "Tell me how to win your heart, for I haven't got a clue." Seems appropriate.
• Red Red Wine by UB40. Josh played it in an episode of The West Wing, one of my favorite shows, and played it for a woman he liked.
• Every Little Thing She Does – The Police
• Something About You – Level 42 (per your suggestion).
• I Got My Mind Set On You – George Harrison.
• Just Like Heaven - The Cure
• Forever Young – Alphaville. Napoleon Dynamite. Need I say more?
• Don't Dream It's Over – Crowded House.
• Lost In Emotion – Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam
• Don’t Stop Believing – Journey. I told you a couple used it at our wedding, so why not on the tape? Great tune.

Hope it works out for him. Though as a priest, I'd remind him to take it slow, and heed the words of Jermaine Stewart: "We don’t have to take our clothes off to have a good time."

Top selling iTunes song? Yep, it's Journey

Journey's 1981 signature hit Don't Stop Believin' has just surpassed the 2-million mark in digital sales, making it the all-time leader in this new era of music downloading.

The Guardian newspaper in the UK says downloads of the power ballad soared after its inclusion the series finale of The Sopranos: "iTunes sales rocketed 482 per cent in the period between the episode airing on June 9 and the following Tuesday, June 12," the paper said.

The sales landmark, first reported by SoundScan, means the tune has surpassed the elite "double platinum" status, something that seemed impossible once the record biz reluctantly embraced the digital sales world.

(By the way, the live video of the band performing the song in Houston back in '81 during the Escape Tour? Yeah, that one at the top of this post. It's been viewed more than 11-million times.)

Another happy Journey anniversary

OCT. 22, 1981 ... Lakeland Civic Center, Lakeland, Fla.: Journey with special guests Loverboy.

This is the concert that basically started Stuck in the '80s, gang, so I celebrate it each year with the usual traditions (the wearing of a pitifully undersized jersey concert shirt, followed by the inhaling of Chicken McNuggets, a strawberry shake and a big ole bag of stink-weed).

No, no. I'm kidding on that last part (it was a chocolate shake.) JOKE! I was 14 years old, so no illegal substances were involved. Instead, what I got was Steve Perry and Co. on their Escape tour -- probably the most surreal and perfect concert experience ... at least to someone without a driver's license.

Here's my retro-review of the concert that changed everything.

GENERAL ADMISSION: In those days, if you want a front-row seat just get there early and run to the stage when the doors opened. (Send a friend to buy your concert shirt.) And yeah, there are no seats. So enjoy standing up for the next 5 hours or so.

WORKING FOR THE WEEKEND: At that point in time, we'd maybe heard one Loverboy song on the radio -- Working for the Weekend. I'm not even sure their names were on the ticket stub (which cost about $12 back then). But the boys from Canada made a quick impression. I'm pretty sure they convinced half the audience to buy a Loverboy disc within the following 48 hours.

'THIS IS MY ESCAPE:' Per tradition, Journey opened with the title cut of the new album -- Escape. Not a memorable song per se. But I still get chills hearing it today. The next song -- Line of Fire, complete with a pyrotechnic explosion instead of a gunshot at the big moment halfway through.

DON'T STOP BELIEVING: Another Journey tradition -- changing the lyrics to their signature hit to reflect whatever town they're playing that night. "Just a city boy, born and raised ... right here in Lakeland."(FYI, nobody would make the mistake of calling Lakeland an actual city.)

PRESERVED FOREVER: The Escape tour lives on, thanks to a Steve Perry-produced DVD of the tour's stop in Houston, just a mere week after the Lakeland show. Yes, I own it. (And yes, I'll be watching it again today.)

WHY I REMEMBER THE DATE: October 22 also happens to be the birthday of Momma Spearsy, who was kind enough to let me attend what would become my first concert. Every year on this date, I call her in the morning and ask if she remembers the day of the Journey concert. She merely responds: "I just remember it made you so happy." Thanks and happy birthday, Mom!

[Listen to our podcast interview with Journey bassist Ross Valory, whose fly is open in the publicity photo above]

Is Journey's new singer tiring of the job?

Is Arnel Pineda homesick or not? A few days after Rolling Stone magazine quoted Journey's new lead singer admitting he was homesick and tired of the grueling tour schedule, another band member argues that he was misquoted.

"I am quite comfortable with the stage now, but, for me, it's still a very grueling tour. I haven't done this before," Pineda said in a Rolling Stone interview. "It's very stressful. It's a very, very challenging job. It's a fantastic job, but at the same time it's a curse. Trying to fill up very, very big shoes."

Pineda goes on to admit he's lonelier than he had imagined he'd be when he took the job offer.

"It is very, very sad. There are days I would break down and cry," he says. "But, you know. I just have to be man enough to face that this is a job I'm doing for my family. That's all the consolation that I'm getting. That's the only thought."

However, Neal Schon, founding member and guitarist for Journey, disputes the article. "They took a segment of what he said in the interview and erased all the good stuff he said in between. It has happened to me a million times in my career," Schon told Asian Journal Online. "It's his first tour. None of us knew what it would be like. We didn't know what kind of strength he had in a long duration like he's been. We've been out here for a solid four months with no breaks in between."

[AP photo]

The unexpected Journey of Jeff Scott Soto

Few people have seen the ultimate highs and disappointing lows in the rock business as Jeff Scott Soto.

Soto had served as the lead vocalist for Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums before taking over lead vocals for Journey in January 2007. Six months later, the band announced Soto was out.

Oddly enough, it's not an entirely unfamiliar story for Soto. The Los Angeles-based rocker (who has band members living in Tampa Bay) was hired to handle the singing duties for the fictional "Bobby Beers" of "Steel Dragon" in the 2001 movie Rock Star, the story of how a tribute-band singer (Mark Wahlberg) took over the lead vocals job from a legendary but aging rocker.

Six years after the movie, Soto firsthand felt the incredible rush (and later the disappointment) when he took over the singing duties for a band once fronted by the legendary Steve Perry.

Still, Soto doesn't seem to hold any lingering resentments about his unexpected dismissal from the band.

These days, Arnel Pineda does the fronting for Journey, and Soto has returned to a solo career, complete with a new album. He recently chatted via e-mail with Stuck in the '80s about the ups and downs of life with Journey.

How did you land the gig fronting Journey?

"It's pretty widely known by now, the predecessor to Steve Perry, Steve Augeri, had some throat problems right as they were beginning a huge tour with Def Leppard in the U.S. I had already worked with Neal Schon in a band called Soul SirkUS and he knew not only was I heavily influenced and weaned on Journey's legacy but that he could count on me in a huff."

How much time did you get to prepare?

"I got a day's notice. I met them in D.C. on a day off, met them at the lobby to say hello. We got on the bus with a setlist to discuss how some songs go into others or are extended from the studio versions. We basically got a 10-minute sound check and an hour later, I was onstage in front of 20,000 people!"

How did the crowd react to you?

"It was a dream mixed with a nightmare actually. Some people didn't even pay attention, know or realize Steve Perry wasn't in the band anymore -- this after 10 years since his departure, 20 years since his last show with them!''

"So out comes this tall Puerto Rican dude belting out the hits! The pressure of knowing you are being judged, compared or rated against one of the greatest singers of all time while doing HIS songs, is not an easy thing. I am pretty bulletproof to criticism or people just not getting it, but it can be hurtful to not be accepted by die-hards who simply don't want to know about it."

Did Steve Perry influence you as a singer when you were getting started?

"It was more than words can describe to do all these songs I had done in previous high school bands or simply singing in the car for so many years. Perry helped shape much of my early years as a singer mainly because we were both influenced by so many of the same singers: Sam Cooke, Jackie Wilson, the whole Motown thing."

Did you get to witness any crazy rock star moments?

"There really aren't any crazy stories to tell. These guys are up there in their years so they play it safe when it comes to activity off the stage. They're all pretty mellow and family oriented so it was a chill environment, almost too chill for me."

So what's your side of the breakup story?

"It's difficult to truly tell my side as we do have confidentiality agreements with each other, so I don't know just how much of my departure/side sounds negative or explanatory.''

"All I can say is I put my whole life and dedication to continuing with them after I was officially deemed a permanent member of the band. I had no idea there were any issues, concerns, discussions or plans otherwise nor was there any given to me prior to my dismissal. I wish I could say it was amicable but I can't."

Have you heard Arnel Pineda's vocal work with the band yet?

"Of course I paid attention to their next move, how could I not? It's like looking to see who your ex is dating next after she dumps you. I love his voice -- it's organic, natural and sounds like he does it with ease most of the time.''

"My opinion about him being a Perry clone is a bit different than others'. He emulates the songs very well, but there's a sense of the 'feeling' that is missing for me, which is a good thing because it helps him retain his own identity. Perry had this very soulful swagger to his singing that is something more felt than emulated."

"Perry is a master, often imitated, never duplicated. I don't want this to sound negative in ANY way, Arnel is an AMAZING singer and I give him much respect for his position now!"

So what's next for you? I hear there's a new album in the works.

"The best way to get through a course of JSS 101 is to visit www.jeffscottsoto.com or even www.myspace.com/sewtoe."

"My new album, Beautiful Mess, was just released on iTunes and many other digital outlets two weeks ago and the video for the first single, 21st Century (shot entirely in Tampa!), launches (Sept. 15) on, well you guessed it, YouTube! (Click here to see it.) I'm also touring with the world-renowned Trans-Siberian Orchestra this winter as well so between album releases and touring on my own, I keep quite busy."

[Publicity photo]

The enduring majesty of Journey

Say one thing about the Journey-Heart-Cheap Trick tour: After four solid hours of 70s and 80s rock, these three bands had nothing left to prove to anyone.

Here are some highlights from the tour stop at Tampa's Ford Amphitheatre on Wednesday night:

EARLY START: It looked like a nearly full house at the outdoor venue, but maybe half had managed to arrive in time for Cheap Trick's 7 p.m. start time. That's a shame, because Robin Zander & Co. played only 45 minutes.

IF THEY WANT OUR LOVE, THEY GOT IT: Despite their short set, Cheap Trick got in all the classics, including "The Flame," which doesn't work itself in set-lists often. And hearing "Surrender" live just proves once again it's one of the best teenage anthems of any decade.

THEY'RE NEVER ALONE: Heart sisters Ann and Nancy Wilson were brilliant in an hour-long set. If you've never seen Heart play live, then frankly you haven't seen the best that rock n' roll has to offer. When Nancy starts the frantic acoustic chord work of "Crazy on You," I felt like my heart was about to explode. "Magic Man" remains as powerful today as it did 32 years ago. And their acoustic version of "Alone" never seems to lose its charm.

WE (HEART) HEART: The fans seemed surprised by Heart's commanding performance. A female fan two rows in front turned around and gushed at me: "God, I love Heart!" When waiting in the t-shirt line, where Heart's "Crazy on You" tank-tops were hot-sellers, another woman asked me, "Do you think Heart will come back and play more?" Nope, I told her while explaining the night's lineup, and she seemed  crushed.

NO DREAMS: One missing piece to the Heart set -- "These Dreams," their 1986 classic sung by Nancy. But reportedly she had a cold, so we'll take a rain check.

A LITTLE WARM: Pass the word to other bands visiting soon -- it's warm here in Florida during the summer. Still most bands came on stage dressed like they were playing a winter sock-hop at Clear Lake, Iowa. (Oh, I'd have paid double to see Nancy Wilson in a skirt and halter-top. Sorry, Cameron Crowe. You're wife is amazing, and I'm only human)

NICE SURPRISE: Journey opened with a surprise -- playing "Majestic," an aptly titled instrumental from 1979's "Evolution" album. Many fans recognize it also as the opening tune from their live "Captured" album. The harmonizing by the band members sent chills straight from your feet to your brain stem. The perfect opening to a great set.

ARNEL IS THE REAL DEAL: New lead singer Arnel Pineda worked the stage like a seasoned front-man, no small task in a steamy Florida summer night. Give him another two years, and he'll be the face of the band.

TWO-TISSUE SPECIAL: In an odd move, Journey stacked their two best-known ballads on top of each other, playing "Open Arms" and then going straight into "Faithfully." But hey, they've been doing this for 35 years now. I'm sure they had their reasons. Just feel free to share those with the women around me who spent 10 solid minutes crying during that love-a-polooza marathon.

THE CLASSICS: Many of the band's older tunes in the set -- "Lights," "Wheel in the Sky" and encore "Lovin' Touchin' Feelin' " -- had some extra zing that really brought them alive. But "Separate Ways" -- never my favorite tune -- really was pumped up, and it made all the difference.

WHAT ABOUT...: Hey, no "Who's Crying Now?" No problem, as far as I'm concerned. It wasn't for lack of time though. A hillbilly jam with Jonathan Cain on harmonica and Neal Shon on acoustic guitar seemed out of place and time-consuming. Still, it's obvious the band is changing its set-list nightly, and that's always the sign of a confident group of musicians.

THE SHIRTS: Ah, of course, the big question. All three bands have decent shirts for sale. And yeah, I bought two, including a Journey shirt that will soon replace my beloved 1981 "Escape Tour" jersey. (Click here to buy a replica online.) I chose a traditional black number, with the "Revelation" artwork on front and the tour stops listed on back. Dare I say classic?

BOTTOM LINE: A fantastic lineup of bands who still perform as well today as any point in their careers. This is the summer tour to beat right now. If this lineup passes within 500 miles of you, go!

Video didn't kill Journey's star

Let's face it: Journey is about eight years overdue for a spot in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Eligible since 2000, our San Fran rockers are victim to the sort of pre-Darwinian mentality that puts Madonna into the hall before them.

But our Neal, Ross and the gang are no threat to win the coveted MTV Video Vanguard award for a career of great music videos. I can't think of a band in the 80s that did less with MTV than Journey. And that's OK with fans, so long as they keep banging out great music and hitting the road for tours.

Still, if you force the issue, here's what you have...

TOP 5 JOURNEY VIDEOS:

5. WHEN YOU LOVE A WOMAN (watch it): Ah yes, the obligatory "look, we're recording the song" video.

4. SEND HER MY LOVE (watch it): Note to all our favorite bands. Always gotta love the "live concert" video with the studio version of the song laid in over the top.

3. ANY WAY YOU WANT IT (watch it): Late 70s cheesy goodness. Ross Valory looks like he belongs in Molly Hatchet, not Journey.

2. SEPARATE WAYS (watch it): I think the air-playing of the instruments is border-line creepy, but this video is as '80s as it gets.

1. FAITHFULLY (watch it): Steve Perry with a mustache in the ultimate "weary band on the road" tale. Any more questions?