Highlights

• Steve Perry left Journey the first time due to feeling burnt out after their final show in 1987.
• Perry left Journey a second (and final) time because of debilitating pain caused by a reported hiking accident.
• Journey continued without Perry though, finding other lead singers before ultimately reuniting and releasing new music.

Throughout the '80s, the band Journey enjoyed plenty of success. The band, which consisted of various members depending on the year and pending lawsuits, welcomed Steve Perry in 1977.

At the time, the other members of Journey included Neal Schon, Ross Valory, George Tickner, Prairie Prince, and Gregg Rolie. Though many band members came and went over the years, Steve Perry always seemed like a staple, one of the central attractions as far as drawing crowds (and rounding out the group's vocals).

But by then, Perry had launched a solo act, and at that point, he and Schon weren't getting along very well, either. That resulted in Steve leaving the band (for the first time).

Updated April 2024: Many fans were unaware that Steve Perry left Journey because he was dealing with a debilitating degenerative bone condition. It made it hard to do daily routine activities, let alone tour. But, many fans thought that Perry was kicked out of the band so that he could be replaced by Steve Augeri. A fact that the remaining members of Journey denied. They simply believed the music was "bigger than them" and wanted to continue to tour. These days, Journey is still touring, without Perry, with Arnel Pineda on the lead vocals. Tickets are available for their tour, currently taking place in North America.

Why Steve Perry Left Journey The First Time

Steve Perry Left Journey because he was burnt out

As iHeartRadio explained, Perry was feeling burnt out. He said that he had "an amazing time in an amazing band," but that his last show in February of 1987 with the band had been a turning point of sorts. Setting out on his own, Perry went on to rediscover himself in a way, while his former bandmates went another direction.

Steve did come back later, however, in the early '90s. The guys reconciled, buried the hatchet, and were working on another album together. The band was even about to start touring again when Perry left the group for good.

Why Steve Perry Left Journey A Second Time

Steve Perry was dealing with debilitating pain, leading him to leave Journey a second and final time

So what happened that caused Steve Perry to leave Journey a second time, this time for good? He had a good reason: UCR says Steve got hurt during a hiking accident. Rather than undergo hip surgery so that he could get back on stage (and on tour), Steve opted to quit the band. The way UCR tells it, Steve "refused" the surgery and "dredged up" memories of his leaving the band before.

But the way some fans saw it (and clearly the journalists at UCR as well), the move was a power play akin to the one Perry apparently made back in the '80s. His leaving the band at that point was a way to control Journey's fate, the publication suggested. So the second time around, the band cut ties with Perry rather than letting him drag them down.

Perry later related that he was both physically ill and "burnt out," noted iHeartRadio, and that after both an illustrious career as a member of Journey and a successful solo run, he was just finished. For the band's part, they soon replaced Perry with a 'soundalike' who did the job well enough, but never propelled the band to the notoriety or net worth of The Beatles.

Journey Got Back Together Without Steve Perry

Journey got back together with Steve Augeri and Steve Perry put out new music

In 1998, the band officially announced that Steve was no longer part of Journey. After that, it would be decades before Steve got back into music again. As iHeartRadio quoted him a few years ago, "I rediscovered my love for music."

Steve released a new album in 2018, including original songs he'd written over the past 30 years. He even included a "reimagined cover" of a Beatles hit, but it wasn't the one John Lennon hated.

After Steve Augeri replaced Perry for eight years, he too called it quits with Journey. That has not stopped the band from touring, however. The band is currently doing a North American tour with Arnel Pineda on the lead vocals. Tickets are available for purchase for dates around the US.

Source: iHeart Radio