Steve Augeri, the former lead singer of Journey, chatted about his new solo album and being a musician in the digital age.
New album
His forthcoming studio offering ‘Seven Ways ‘Til Sunday” will be out on January 27, 2023. “I hope the fans get an emotional ride with this album,” he said. “I want each track to activate different emotions for the listeners, and to provoke interests and some goosebumps. It’s not a one-genre record. It has a lot of different flavors and that was by design, and that was the type of music that I listened to. I hope it broadens their horizons a little bit. I want to share that experience with you all.”
On the song selection approach for his new album “Seven Ways ‘Til Sunday,” Augeri said, “When the pandemic hit back in 2020, it really impacted me and I had a whole slew of songs that had never seen the light of day. When your back is against the wall, the creative juices started flowing.”
“I started writing immediately and I started expressing myself in ways that I never did before, and that’s what started the process. The songs on this project span 15 years,” he said.
“I wanted to make the type of record that I would want to buy, and that kind record was made in the late ’60s or early ’70s. I wanted it to be diversified, there are a lot of styles, and there is a thread to keeps them together. I hope that is the case with the listener. With each track, I want them to feel refreshed and a little change of pace. I wanted to try a different menu for every song and I hope that I achieved that,” he added.
He noted that “Drive” was “fluffy, light, and nonsensical.” “It wasn’t so dire and it wasn’t so serious,” he admitted. “This was the last song I worked on and it stuck in my brain. I didn’t take myself very seriously with it.”
For Augeri, the sequencing and running order of the songs on there was of critical importance. “I grew up listening to albums and vinyl from beginning to the end, and I would flip it over from the A Side to the B Side,” he said.
‘Pardi Gras’ with Bret Michaels
He is excited to be a part of Bret Micheals’ “Pardi Gras” shows along with Night Ranger, Jefferson Starship, and Mark McGrath. “This came very unexpectedly,” he said.
“Bret is a special guy. I can’t say enough great things about Bret, he is an exciting and dynamic dude. Bret is an incredible entertainer and musician, and his energy just makes your day better. I am grateful to be around them, and to share the stage with them. The quality and the energy are both going to high,” he added.
The digital age
On being an artist in the digital age, he said, “It’s interesting. As far as distribution, it has changed the business drastically. It opens doors for people that would have never been opened before so that’s a great thing.”
“If you want to make a living selling music, then you are barking up the wrong tree since you won’t be able to pay your rent or your mortgage with it,” he added.
Advice for hopefuls
For young and aspiring artists, Augeri said, “You need to be genuine with your music, and you need to share what is in your heart. It needs to be true and it needs to be speaking from your heart. You need to practice, put in the hours, and if this is what you want, then go for it. Ultimately, if you are passionate about it, it is going to talk to people.”
“The failures are stepping stones to get to that success and eventually, it will happen. Also enjoy yourself,” he added.
Journey
He recalled being the lead singer of Journey from 1998 to 2006. “I gave it my best, I gave it my all and I had to be true to myself,” he said. “I had learned lessons along the way. When the opportunity came, I couldn’t go out there and be Steve Perry, I had to be myself and I took into consideration the wonderful fans and the legacy that Steve Perry and the band had left. It was a dream come true that had come to reality for me, and it was a wonderful ride.”
“I am proud and honored to have been a part of the band’s history,” he underscored.
On the title of the current chapter of his life, he said, “Resurrection from a Pandemic.” “I am excited about the new record and actually releasing it and people getting to listen to it. Listen to it with yourself or with a gang,” he said.
Success
Regarding his definition of the word success, he said, “Success to me is happiness. It’s about what makes you content and it’s the beautiful little things. Success is contentment and happiness, and I truly wish that on everybody. I strive for it every day, and I choose to have a great day..”
To learn more about Steve Augeri, check out his official website, and his Facebook page.
