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Was Ken really asked to sing for Journey, Foreigner and Motley Crue?

I read somewhere online that Ken was asked to become a singer for several famous bands such as Foreigner, Motley Crue, Journey and some others. Is this true? If so, why didn't he do it?

Comments

  • HodgepodgeHodgepodge Pro Posts: 29
    Yeah Bob, I always wanted to know what it was like to make it big.  That's a pretty big sacrifice, that might be worth it for a 20 something year old, but not for a guy who has a family.  I love being able to see my kids every day.

    Even though Inxs replacement JD Fortune had a good look and voice, it doesn't seem like it was worth it for him in the end.

    I hear things aren't perfect for Arnel Pineda of Journey either.

    Its a business, and those guys who "own" the band treat the new guys like the hired help that they are.
  • highmtnhighmtn Administrator, Moderator, Enrolled, Pro, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 15,354

    @Hodgepodge,

    They're only kids once.  Every day counts.

     

    Bob

  • HodgepodgeHodgepodge Pro Posts: 29
    edited September 2014
    @highmtn very true, my kids are #1 to me.

    @cgreen JD went from being at the top to about as low as you can go, I saw youtube vids of him trying to put his career back together and it's pretty pathetic.  It doesn't matter how talented you are, ALWAYS have a plan B for making a living.  There's a lot of articles on JD like the one below, so this isn't a gossip or fictional account of JD's failures.


    The Arnel thing may just be a lot of rumor and swirl, but there's been a lot of swirl, and there is probably some modicum of truth to a guy getting burned out with constant touring and Schon being challenging to work for.  Of course I also read Arnel is worth $15million... that blows me away because that's got to be coming mostly from them touring.  I didn't know musicians could make that kind of money unless they owned songs, got copyrights etc... Arnel seems like a cool guy, I hope everything is working out for him.


  • davo165davo165 Pro, 2.0 PRO Posts: 62
    Like ya even more Ken!! Stuff fame and fortune, it never makes u happy like a family of our own can!!
  • HodgepodgeHodgepodge Pro Posts: 29
    good points @johnjohn

    I love playing and performing, but I don't know how it feels for these guys who pretty much play the same tunes on tour every few days, then on to the next town etc... for months at a time.

    Performing once a week for a couple hours, then going home has been really fun for me, and maybe that's my threshold.
  • rcrosierrcrosier Pro Posts: 275
    @johnjohn:  One of the best quotes I ever heard was an interview with the Eagles.  I can't recall who said it, but it was something like "We were blessed with the ability to play the same song a thousand times and not get bored!"

    After playing a song 50 or 100 times and cringing when someone requests it now, hats off to them for being able to do that... I'm not so sure I could...   :)

  • rcrosierrcrosier Pro Posts: 275
    @johnjohn:  Nice!!  Can you say the song name, or no?  I'm curious.  That's really great!
  • matt53matt53 Pro Posts: 189
    Wow. I know Ken's vocals are awesome, but I never could have imagined that a high bari like him would have been chosen to sing for Journey. I have read alot on some other vocal forums where some (most likely jealous) people deride Ken's voice as "undesirable" and a "David Coverdale clone." It would be funny to show them how many AMAZING bands with difficult vocal parts have asked him to be the lead singer. My mind is blown.
  • rcrosierrcrosier Pro Posts: 275
    @johnjohn:  Yes, that's what I was asking... I'll go find that and check it out.  Thanks!
  • rcrosierrcrosier Pro Posts: 275
    @johnjohn:  Fun song!  I enjoyed it!
  • rcrosierrcrosier Pro Posts: 275
    @johnjohn:  I get how you could feel that... it is very lightweight sounding, I could hear that, but not so much to be considered "bad"... ;)
  • AlvisAlvis Enrolled, 2.0 PRO, 3.0 Streaming Posts: 117
    Incredible stuff. Thanks for sharing! Ken has done what's good for his family and us!
  • vmalheirosvmalheiros Pro Posts: 105
    I didn't know that. That is amazing.
  • TammyBTammyB 2.0 PRO Posts: 17
    WOW....who knew? It's never too late. I imagine if Ken wanted to sing with any of these bands again, he could. The guys I'm seeing in these bands now....all the bands from the 80's that are still touring... these guys are in their 50's and 60's and lots of the players are not originals. But, 9 months on the road can be tough, I'm sure.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,111
    Personally, I don't think Ken gave up anything career-wise. He's known around the world as one of the best singers out there (I've heard him play guitar too, and he's a bad ass), he makes his living doing what he loves, and has a happy tight knit family. What more could one man ask for?

    Peace, Tony

  • BoydbobBoydbob Member, 2.0 PRO Posts: 2
    We are defined by what we do, not by what others think we are, or the great things we could do.
    Ken's legacy will be that he has taught many to be wonderful singers, and by the family he has chosen to take care of.
    I say, "Bravo! to you, Ken."
    May you be bountifully blessed, in and for, the choices you have made.
    Boyd Bob
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