"Who's crying now"? Steve Perry, Journey's former frontman and Del Mar resident, has announced a brand-new music video for "No More Cryin'" -- the second single off his upcoming, 25-years-in-the-making third solo album "Traces."
Indeed, nearly a quarter-century has passed since the newly-inducted Rock and Roll Hall of Fame singer released his last studio full-length album (1994's "For the Love of Strange Medicine") but, to the delight of music lovers everywhere, the reclusive singer emerged last month with a new album (due out Oct. 5) and music video for its lead-off single "No Erasin'."
Perry's powerful velvety rasp is on fine display throughout the new track -- a wistful ballad (to be honest, few do 'em better) that mixes equal parts soul, R&B, blues and rock together for a compelling love-lost anthem. Co-written with Semisonic's Dan Wilson and featuring the legendary Booker T. Jones on organ, Perry explained that the song is, at least in part, dedicated to his girlfriend, Kellie Nash, who passed away in 2012 following a battle with breast cancer.
"'No More Cryin' is a love song, but not in the way you would think," Perry said in a statement. "It starts in one place, and builds and lands somewhere entirely different. It’s got many overtones, and can be applied to so many different kinds of relationships, including my own relationship with past isolation."
For the unfamiliar, Perry became a sensation fronting Journey from 1977-1987 (and again from 1995-98) while providing the vocals heard worldwide on the rock band's biggest hits like "Open Arms," "Wheel in the Sky," "Separate Ways (Worlds Apart)" and "Faithfully," among others. His vocals are so unique, he was literally given the moniker "The Voice" by Jon Bon Jovi.
The singer largely disappeared from the music industry after the "For the Love of Strange Medicine" album cycle -- only popping up at the odd baseball game (a longtime San Francisco Giants fan, Perry led a home crowd in a singalong of "Don't Stop Believin'" during the club's 2010 World Championship run), rare one-off performances (he joined the indie-rock band Eels onstage in Minnesota for three songs in 2014, for example) and at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year to give an acceptance speech when Journey was inducted.
With his surprise album announcement in August (and subsequent single releases), we're still left wondering if Perry will hit the road at some point. Currently, there's no news on that front but stay tuned to SoundDiego for future updates on tour dates.
