Journey Lead Singer Replaced Again, 2006-Present
 Formation, 1972-1976
Journey's roots lie in San Francisco, where in 1971 Santana manager Walter Herbie Herbert decided to put together a band of musicians originally called The Golden Gate Rhythm Section. Dissatisfied with the musical direction that Carlos Santana wanted to follow, keyboardist/vocalist Gregg Rolie and guitarist Neal Schon left Santana in 1972. Prairie Prince of The Tubes, bassist Ross Valory of Frumious Bandersnatch, and rhythm guitarist George Tickner rounded out the group. After an unsuccessful radio contest to name the group (which produced such fascinating entries as rumpled foreskin), roadie Jack Villanueva suggested the name Journey. The band's first public appearance came at Winterland on New Year’s Eve, 1973. The next day, they flew to Hawaii and played the Crater Festival.
In early 1973, Prairie Prince left to rejoin The Tubes, so Herbert brought in Aynsley Dunbar, a drummer who had played with John Lennon, Frank Zappa, John Mayall, Jeff Beck, Bonzo Dog Band, Mothers of Invention, Lou Reed, and David Bowie. On February 5, 1974, the new line-up made their debut at the Great American Music Hall and secured a contract with Columbia Records. Journey released its self-titled first album Journey in 1975. It showcased their considerable talent as jazz-fusion/progressive rock musicians. Rhythm guitarist Tickner left the band before they cut their second album, Look into the Future (1976), which toned down--a little--the overt progressiveness of their first release but still retained the jazz fusion base. The following year's Next tried for shorter tracks to increase accessibility, with guitarist Neal Schon singing lead on several tracks, but still didn't bring commercial success (although it did start a pattern of one-word album titles).
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