Producer / songwriter / educator Rick Beato has shared another In The Room With… interview clip. In the video below, Journey guitarist Neal Schon talks about the rehearsal process, his influences, and the magic of vocalist Steve Perry.
Schon on his formative years:
“I really didn’t like pop music at all. I liked The Beatles; the first album my dad bought me was Rubber Soul. I thought it was a really great album. I loved the harmonies, I loved the structure, I can remember every frickin’ lyric of every song… I can’t even remember our own lyrics ( laughs). They’re that good. During that era, shortly after that ‘Purple Haze’ (Jimi Hendrix) comes out and I’m like, ‘What the fuck is that?’ I really got sucked into that. It wasn’t so much the (guitar) twang… I liked the twang in The Beatles, but it didn’t move me to want to play guitar. When I heard Jimi and Jeff Beck… wow.”
Neal Schon kicked off 2026 with a message acknowledging the artists he’s worked with over the past 50 years. Read Schon’s message in full below.
“Dear Friends,
As we move into 2026, I want to take a moment to honor the voices, the believers, and the people who helped shape the heart and soul of Journey from the very beginning.
Journey’s original voice was forged with Gregg Rolie, whose vocals, musicianship, and spirit helped define who we were in those earliest days. That foundation mattered—it gave Journey its first identity and set the stage for everything that followed.
As the band evolved, longtime manager Herbie Herbert played a pivotal role in encouraging us to expand that sound. It was Herbie who inspired the idea of bringing in a new voice—someone who could take the songs to another level. Years earlier, I had already met Steve Perry a few times, even giving him a ride back to his car after an Azteca show in the city. Life has a funny way of circling back, and that connection ultimately helped lead to one of the most defining chapters in Journey’s history. Steve’s vocals and songwriting helped create a body of work that continues to resonate across generations and remains a cornerstone of our legacy.
Journey’s story continued to move forward through the talents of all of us—myself, Jon, Ross Valory, Aynsley Dunbar, Robert Fleischman, Steve Smith, Randy Jackson and Deen—with Steve Augeri singing, helping the band move into a new and successful chapter in 1998 during an important period of transition. Later, Jeff Scott Soto stepped in and helped carry us through a tour when it was needed. I’m grateful to both Steve and Jeff for their contributions and professionalism during those moments.
For the past 17 years, Arnel Pineda has carried these songs forward with passion, respect, and heart. Arnel remains very much a part of Journey, and we’re all looking forward to being back on the road together for the upcoming tour.
Long before Journey, there were people who believed in me when I was just a kid finding my way. I owe deep gratitude to my brother Jackie Villanueva, who took me under his wing, brought me into the city before I even had a driver’s license, and introduced me to the club owners who opened doors for me.
Jackie helped connect me with Elvin Bishop, who played a huge role in getting me started and believing in me. After I won a blues guitar shoot-off contest that Elvin was holding, he took me to the Fillmore West in San Francisco—where I had the honor of meeting B.B. King and sharing the stage with him.
Jackie is in heaven now, but his influence has never left me. I carry that gratitude with me every day, along with my thanks to Elvin for believing in a young guitarist and helping change the course of my life.
Jackie also introduced me to Herbie Herbert, who at the time was Carlos Santana’s guitar tech. Jackie brought me to the studio where Santana was recording, and I am forever thankful for that moment in time—it opened the door to my career, ultimately leading to Santana III after I was asked to join the band.
Journey has always been a collective effort—musicians, managers, crew, and fans—coming together to create something lasting. As has been shared publicly, Jonathan Cain has expressed that this tour represents his farewell chapter, and we respect that. What remains constant is the music we have created for you.
For more than five decades, I have been fortunate to create songs with musicians that became the soundtrack to people’s lives. That is something I’m profoundly grateful for—and something we’re excited to celebrate together on this upcoming tour.”
