Former Journey frontman Steve Parry spoke in a recent interview with Rolling Stone Magazine and explained why he rejected the offer he got from EddieVanHalen to joining the legendary band.
After David Lee Roth left the band, Eddie invited Steve to jam with the band. However, Steve rejected this offer even though he wanted to play with Van Halen so badly, and the reason was pretty understandable.
Steve stated that he didn’t know if he wanted to be the person who represents David Lee Roth and figured out that he couldn’t represent David Lee’s voice. Because of that, he didn’t want to join Van Halen, and that’s why he turned down Eddie’s offer.
Here is what Steve Perry said:
“Man, at some level within me I felt so honored because I was in awe of Eddie’s natural talent. He was just born with it. I wanted so badly to do that. We talked about how cool that could be musically.
This was before Sammy. The next day, and in the weeks to come, I thought, ‘I don’t know that I should do that. If it goes creatively to what I know it can go to…’ Whatever I could bring to that, I know it would be something I’d really love doing.”
Steve continued:
“My only problem I had with it was the thought, ‘I don’t know that I could be the guy to go out and represent the David Lee Roth years with my voice. I don’t know if I want to be that guy.’
I think representing their legacy up to that point would have been something vocally that I don’t think I was really suited to doing.
It’s a different kind of singing. David had something vocally that I would say was in kinship with Louis Prima. Later on, he did ‘Just A Gigolo’ and sounded more like Louis Prima. He was a real character.”
Click here for the source.
