Journey Fires Ross Valory and Steve Smith

Ross Valory

In a shocking turn of events, Journey has fired drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory. The news was broken by a press release by the law firm Miller Barondess, LLP, which states the rhythm section members were attempting a “corporate coup d’etat” of the band’s Nightmare Productions, Inc. The release details their attempt to usurp the company to acquire control of the Journey name.

“[Smith and Valory] attempted to launch an ill-conceived corporate coup d’état to assume control of Nightmare Productions because they incorrectly believe that Nightmare Productions controls the Journey name and Mark,” it says. “They hope that, by taking over Nightmare Productions, they can hold the Journey name hostage and set themselves up with a guaranteed income stream after they stop performing.”

The Journey Mark is held by founding member Neil Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who fired Smith and Valory for their actions. Valory has been with the group since 1973, who was only out of the band for a few years in the ’80s when he was replaced by Randy Jackson.

Journey is scheduled for over sixty tour dates in North America starting in May. A new bassist and drummer will be announced “imminently,” the press release concludes. We’ll keep you updated with details as they become available.

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Leave a Reply to Glen scott Cancel reply

  1. Eric T Peterson

    All I can say is “WOW!”?

  2. Bob

    Who cares?

  3. Tanner Donaldson

    Sad to say ,but schon has become a smug condescending douchebag whom I have no respect for anymore. Hes all about out the money, not the music anymore

  4. Mark Sellers

    So Journey is going to be their own tribute band now…

  5. Alton Cook

    Unfortunate to say the least. I refuse to take a side only because I will always love the music of Journey through every phase of their careers. But it is a shame that with all of the success and fortune that each one of them realized over the years that they would still allow GREED to ruin it all. Very sad.

  6. Mustafa

    This simply cannot be the whole story. Just press release is from Schonn and Cain. History is written by the victors.

  7. Glen scott

    Really….unfreakin believeable…..well….those two cannot be trusted…ever,!!…lousy crap…maybe they can get a gig with milli-vanilli. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  8. Tim

    As a bassist, I know more about Ross Valory than the average Journey listener. He’s not a great influence of mine, and he’s not a giant in the bass world, but he is definitely a good bassist. The replacement bassist can probably duplicate Valory lines well enough to keep the average Journey fan from knowing the difference.

    As for Steve Smith, that is a totally different story. He’s well known in the Jazz world and definitely a big influence to drummers, as well as being an integral part of past Journey sound & feel. The replacement drummer will have his or her work cut out for them.

    As far as I’m concerned, any version of Journey that comes about after the departure of Valory & Smith will only be a semblance of Journey of the last several years, however, they did move ahead with a Steve Perry replacement, which I thought would be nearly impossible.

  9. Rich Zen

    Gave up on them after the infinity album. The beginning of corporate rock. It worked once do it again. Greg Rollie saw it and quit