Neal Schon – Metal Odyssey Salutes Rock Legend’s Birthday!
(That’s Neal Schon, in the top left/back row. This Next album from 1977 was Journey’s third studio album and pre-Steve Perry)
NEAL SCHON – Metal Odyssey gives a loud and Rockin’ Happy Birthday to Neal Schon! A founding member and non-stop lead guitarist for the ultra-legendary Journey, Neal Schon was born on February 27th, 1954. How can anyone measure the Rock ‘N’ Roll career and achievements of Neal Schon? I couldn’t. This is as key a figure in the history of Rock as you can ask for. Neal Schon is an influential guitarist, songwriter and figure of the Rock Music world spanning five decades. Thank you for the music Neal Schon!
My personal favorite Journey song of all-time is Any Way You Want It from 1980’s Departure. My second favorite Journey song ever is: The Party’s Over (Hopelessly In Love) which is the lone studio song on the 1981 live double album – Captured. I always have a soft spot for that little guitar solo that Neal Schon created in Don’t Stop Believin’ from 1981’s Escape.
As for my all-time favorite Journey album? Man, it’s tough. I’m going with two here: Infinity from 1978 and Evolution from 1979. The entire Journey catalog is just too rich with enormously memorable songs for me.
* Here is a list of some notable bands that Neal Schon has been a key part of during his amazing career. By no means is this list complete and in no particular order, that is not my intent here.
JOURNEY – (of course and ’nuff said)
HSAS – (with Sammy Hagar, Kenny Aaronson and Michael Shrieve). HSAS released only one studio album: Through The Fire back in 1984. Yes, take my Metal word for it, it’s a very cool Hard Rock album to own.
BAD ENGLISH – (with John Waite, Ricky Phillips, Jonathan Cain and Deen Castronovo). Bad English released two studio albums: Bad English in 1989 and Backlash in 1991. An excellent Hard Rock group was Bad English, both albums are very worthy listens.
SANTANA – Neal Schon played guitar on Santana III, which was released back in 1971. Neal Schon was only 17 years old then! Neal also played guitar on Caravanserai (1972). Rock history, pure and simple.
HARDLINE – Neal Schon played lead guitar on Hardline’s debut 1992 studio album: Double Eclipse. This is one fabulous Hard Rock album to get ahold of… if you haven’t already.
* For more info on Neal Schon, click here: NEAL SCHON – Official Website
* For more info on Journey, click here: JOURNEY
LONG LIVE NEAL SCHON.
Stone.
Metal Odyssey > Heavy Metal Music Blog 
February 28, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Neil Schon has always been an underrated guitarist. I have always liked HSAS. With hindsight, had HSAS not been jsut a one off project, it would have spared us from Van Hagar.
February 28, 2011 at 6:06 pm
You did/do not “get into” Van Hagar? I’m not trying to “open up a can of Metal worms” here… o.k., I am! I appreciate that HSAS album more now, than I did back then.
February 28, 2011 at 7:21 pm
I couldn’t get into Van Hagar though I did try. I have always liked Van Halen and Sammy Hagar’s solo stuff, especially the VOA album. However, the combination just didn’t work for me. At the time, I blamed it on Eddie Van Halen being pussywhipped by Valerie Bertinelli but that may not have been the case. I have the HSAS MTV concert on a cassette somwhere in my attic. I listened to that for many years, very good.
February 28, 2011 at 7:38 pm
Man, I don’t even remember that MTV concert of HSAS. That’s why I appreciate the commentary… it only reminds or tells me of stuff I should know! 😉 Was this MTV concert of HSAS a major label release or just a bootleg?
February 28, 2011 at 7:41 pm
I taped it off the radio. Back then some MTV concerts were broadcast through a network of radio stations.
March 1, 2011 at 1:53 pm
Ha good one:
HSAS – (with Sammy Hagar, Kenny Aaronson and Michael Shrieve). HSAS released only one studio album: Through The Fire back in 1984. Yes, take my Metal word for it, it’s a very cool Hard Rock album to own.
I forgot all about that one!
KINGER
Demolish Lair
P.S. Man that was some “fro” Neal was sportin’ in that pic too!