During a recent conversation with The Real Music Observer’s David Spuria, former Journey vocalist Jeff Scott Soto discussed the possibility of collaborating once again with Neal Schon. Soto’s comments have reignited interest in his relationship with Neal Schon, hinting at the potential for future collaborations between him and the guitarist.
On his current relationship with Schon, the singer said:
“I wanna go under when it’s finally my time, knowing I buried all the hatchets and there was nobody that had a beef with me. That’s the bottom line. It’s the same thing with Neal. You know, the whole Journey situation had its coarse road of interaction, and finally, Neal and I are at peace with each other.
I can reach out to him now, and he reaches out to me; we’re not having coffee, we’re not having dinner, we’re not starting up the band again, but we’re civil now, and this is exactly what I wanted our life.”
Asked if he would play with Schon if he called him up to work together again, Soto responded with enthusiasm:
“In a heartbeat. In a heartbeat. I have the most, the ultimate respect for Neal as a musician, as a writer, and as a producer. The things that he’s done have literally put a stamp on music — they put a stamp in my life, musically and influence-wise. I look at Neal, I look at what I did with Yngwie Malmsteen, I look at the talent and the talent pool that they come from, and that, to me, is more exciting than the personality side or the differences in personality.”
He continued, implying he was sure he and Neal would have fun working on music:
“I don’t care whatever else you have or think that’s different from me; I care more about what we have together in terms of the conversation and in terms of on a musical side, jamming and having fun. Music is about joy, smiling, and just having fun. I would do it in a heartbeat because I know I would get all of that from Neal.”
Soto was a part of Journey briefly and was expected to be the permanent singer. He and Journey ended up recording one song together titled ‘Winds Of Freedom.’ However, he was later replaced by the current Journey vocalist, Arnel Pineda, before they could record an album together.
Journey named Soto as their permanent lead singer in December 2016, but he was fired five months later. Schon gave a brief reason for Soto’s exit from Journey, mentioning that it ‘didn’t work out.’ Soto felt he never got a clear reason for his exit.
As seen in his 2022 Instagram post, Soto went to see a Journey concert last year and liked the band’s performance. He’s currently continuing his musical endeavors as a solo artist and as a vocalist for W.E.T., Sons of Apollo, and Trans-Siberian Orchestra.
Meanwhile, Journey is getting ready to celebrate the band’s 50th anniversary with their 2024 Freedom Tour. It will kick off on February 9, 2024, in Biloxi, Mississippi, and conclude on April 29, 2024, in Bridgeport, Connecticut. You can get your tickets here.
You can watch the full interview below.
