Editing Journey (band) (section)

===1977–1980: New musical direction, ''Infinity'', ''Evolution'', and ''Departure''===
[[File:Steve Perry, cropped from Steve Perry & Efrim Manuel Manuck 03.jpg|thumb|upright=0.75|Steve Perry, the former lead vocalist of Journey (2019).]]
{{blockquote|I still think some of the stuff we did then was great. Some of it was self-indulgent, just jamming for ourselves, but I also think a lot of other things hurt us in the early days. It took a while for the politics to sort of shape up.<br />— Neal Schon{{sfn|Daniels|2011|p=19}}}}

As Journey's album sales did not improve, Columbia Records requested that they change their musical style and add a frontman who would share lead vocals with Rolie.{{sfn|Daniels|2011|pp=22–23}} The band hired [[Robert Fleischman]] and made the transition to a more popular style, akin to that of [[Foreigner (band)|Foreigner]] and [[Boston (band)|Boston]]. Journey went on tour with Fleischman in 1977, opening for bands such as [[Black Sabbath]], Target, [[Judas Priest]], and [[Emerson, Lake & Palmer]]. Fleischman and the rest of the band began writing and rehearsing new songs, including the soon-to-be-popular track "[[Wheel in the Sky]]".{{sfn|Daniels|2011|pp=22–23}}{{sfn|Daniels|2011|pp=24–25}} During a performance before about 100,000 at Soldier Field in Chicago, the band was introduced to Steve Perry. Differences between Fleischman and manager Herbie Herbert resulted in Fleischman's departure from the band in September of that year.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.melodicrock.com/interviews/robertfleischman.html |title=Interviews |publisher=Melodicrock.com |access-date=2011-03-01 |archive-date=2010-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127144312/http://melodicrock.com/interviews/robertfleischman.html |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.journey-zone.com/Features/Interviews/26_01-03/RF.htm |title=Robert Fleischman interview at The Journey Zone |publisher=Journey-zone.com |date=2009-08-14 |access-date=2010-09-10 |archive-date=2010-08-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100824202333/http://www.journey-zone.com/Features/Interviews/26_01-03/RF.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>{{sfn|Daniels|2011|pp=26–27}}

Journey hired Steve Perry as their new lead singer on October 10, 1977.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://q1043.iheart.com/content/2017-10-10-oct-10th-1977-steve-perry-officially-joins-journey/|title=Oct. 10th, 1977: Steve Perry Officially Joins "Journey|website=Q104.3}}</ref> Perry made his live debut with the band at the Old Waldorf on October 28, 1977,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/steve-perry-first-journey-concert/|title=When Steve Perry Performed His First Show With Journey|first=Nick |last=DeRiso|website=Ultimate Classic Rock|date=2017-10-27 }}</ref> stepping into His Master's Studios and Cherokee Studios from October to December. Herbie Herbert, the band's manager, hired [[Roy Thomas Baker]] as producer to add a layered sound approach similar to that of Baker's previously produced band, [[Queen (band)|Queen]].{{sfn|Daniels|2011|p=29}} With their new lead singer and new producer, the band's fourth studio album, ''[[Infinity (Journey album)|Infinity]]'', released in January 1978, peaked at number 21 on the US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].{{sfn|Daniels|2011|p=31}} The band embarked on a [[Infinity Tour|tour]] in support of the album, when they performed as headliners of a full tour for the first time, beginning with their topping a bill that included [[Van Halen]] and [[Ronnie Montrose]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Campbell |first1=Mary |title=Journey Takes Off With Vocalist |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eVVBAAAAIBAJ&dq=journey+tour&pg=PA5&article_id=5262,993604 |access-date=2022-01-18 |publisher=Harlan Daily Enterprise |date=1978-05-24 |location=Harlan, Kentucky |language=en}}</ref>

According to the band's manager Herbie Herbert, tensions arose between a discontented Aynsley Dunbar and the band due to his displeasure with the change in musical direction from the jazz fusion sound. Neal Schon reflected on the tensions: "We would talk about it, and he'd say he'd be willing to simplify things, but we'd get out there, and after five shows, he wasn't doing that at all." Dunbar started playing erratically and talking derogatorily about the other members, which eventually  resulted in Herbert firing Dunbar shortly after the [[Infinity Tour]] ended with the [[Day on the Green]] 1978 concert at [[Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum]] on September 2nd.
Dunbar was ably replaced by [[Berklee College of Music|Berklee]]-trained  and ex-Montrose drummer [[Steve Smith (drummer)|Steve Smith]].{{sfn|Daniels|2011|pp=34–35}}<ref name="journey-zone1">{{cite web |url=http://www.journey-zone.com/Archive/Interviews/2003.htm#8 |title=Steve Smith interview at The Journey Zone |publisher=Journey-zone.com |access-date=2010-09-10 |archive-date=2011-07-13 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110713121635/http://www.journey-zone.com/Archive/Interviews/2003.htm#8 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Perry, Schon, Rolie, Smith, and Valory entered Cherokee Studios in late 1978 to record their fifth studio album, ''[[Evolution (Journey album)|Evolution]]'', which was released in March 1979, peaking at number 20 on the ''Billboard'' 200. The album, which was a milestone for the band, gave the band their first [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]] Top-20 single, "[[Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin']]", peaking at number 16, which gave the band significant airplay.{{sfn|Daniels|2011|pp=36–38}} Following the tour in support of ''Evolution'', the band expanded its operation to include a lighting and trucking operation for their future performances, as the tour had grossed more than $5 million, making the band as popular as it had ever been in five years.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Kozak |first1=Roman |title=Lighting and Trucking Areas Attract Journey |magazine=Billboard |date=1979-11-03 |page=36 |location=New York |issn=0006-2510}}</ref> The band later entered Automatt Studios to record their sixth studio album, ''[[Departure (Journey album)|Departure]]'', which was released in March 1980, peaking at number eight on the ''Billboard'' 200. The first single from the album, "[[Any Way You Want It]]", peaked at number 23 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in 1980.{{sfn|Daniels|2011|pp=42; 44}}

Keyboardist Gregg Rolie left the band following the ''Departure'' tour to start a family and undertake various solo projects. It was the second time in his career he had departed from a successful act.<ref>Flans, "Journey;" [http://members.cox.net/mrcarty/page7.html Matt Carty's Herbie Herbert Interview, p. 7.] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111124085414/http://members.cox.net/mrcarty/page7.html |date=November 24, 2011 }}</ref> Keyboardist [[Stevie "Keys" Roseman]] was brought in to record the lone studio track, "The Party's Over (Hopelessly in Love)", on the band's live album ''Captured''.<ref>''Captured'' reissue (2006) liner notes, p. 15, lines 8–9; ''Time (Cubed)'' liner notes pp. 11–14.</ref> Rolie suggested pianist [[Jonathan Cain]] of [[The Babys]] as his permanent replacement. With Cain's synthesizers replacing Rolie's [[Hammond B-3 organ|organ]], Cain had become the new member of the band.{{sfn|Daniels|2011|pp=48–51}}