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Post by brent » Thu May 21, 2015 8:01 am

http://www.melodicrock.com/articles/new ... -never-was

It seems Neal Schon says this guy is full of crap. John Elefante told him to cut out the Journey crap.

Andy might have tried out, but there is no record or mention of it in Journey-dom. But, the year he said he tried out, there was no active Journey.

On the other hand, Edward Van Halen asked multiple people to join Van Halen before Sammy Hagar, and it was kept quiet. Heck, Billy Sheehan was asked to join after Talas opened for VH during the DLR era. Darrel Hall was asked to sing before Sammy, and Mitch Malloy was actually recording with the band post VHIII, before the DLR reunion.

All that said, Andy has recanted and said he never did a gig. So....just another case of "Christians" selling BS. I hate it. If he is a rocking vocalist, he should stand on his own. He didn't write those Journey songs and didn't perform with Journey, therefore, he should do something else. He just sounds like Perry....sorta. So what?


The headline reads “Hard to believe a Burlington boy was the lead singer of the iconic rock band Journey, but Andy K Avery was just that…”

Except he wasn’t.

Andy K Avery tours as a Christian artist and speaker and is involved in substance abuse counselling.
Andy is promoted as “becoming an addict to drugs, alcohol…eventually landed himself in federal prison. Today, Avery travels to prisons, churches and schools to minister to kids and adults.”

Now that’s obviously a very positive thing and is not any part of the issue being addressed here.
The problem is that in the same bio text Andy promotes himself as a former lead singer of Journey.

The following is typical of the text used to promote himself, text found on multiple websites, multiple interviews and newspaper articles:

“Andy Avery, a former lead singer of the rock band Journey….talking about his life and testimony. Avery joined the band in 1989 after lead singer Steve Perry was unable to perform.”

As an explanation for that stand in performance you can hear Andy himself state (Link 1 below) that “Steve Perry had some health problems…” (1.40) and he sang for the band on one gig.
Further to that (in Link 2) he claims he was “in the process of taking over as lead singer of Journey…”

Link 1 - http://uschurchstream.ezstream.com/play ... g=uschurch

Link 2 - https://vimeo.com/47570181

And this: “After going to rehab more than once, he returned to the music world and was given the opportunity to fill in for the lead singer of Journey. He sang one concert, overdosed and lost his voice.”

He has been all over Christian talk back radio and various local press promoting his time with Journey. In Link 1 at the 4.15 mark he answers this question from the DJ- “Do you keep in contact with members of Journey” with this startling claim:

“No, in fact the only person I talk to ironically is Steve Perry himself and we have become good friends….he supports me 100%...It’s a wonderful relationship and for a long time I wasn’t even allowed to say my testimony, for 15 or 20 years I wasn’t allowed. Only over the last few years I have been given permission to publicise it, through the band’s management – as long as I’m helping kids and doing things like that…they support me on that.”

Yet another promotional excerpt; “Andy has led a very interesting life, singing in rock and roll bands like Journey, Head East, and Smoke House. He’s also opened for Kiss, Bon Jovi, and many others. But according to Andy, the best time of his life followed his pledge to Christ when he started using his singing gifts to advance the kingdom. If you have heard Lee Greenwood sing "God Bless the USA," you have heard Andy Avery. He sang the demo for the song that resulted in the record company signing Greenwood. Andy now travels the country, performing and leading worship for one purpose only: GOD. Andy’s latest adventure is "A Tribute to Journey" tour, as he is the former lead singer of that group.”

And yet again: “Once upon a time Andy Avery was chosen to be the lead singer of the band Journey. That’s right. JOURNEY! I had the honor to meet Andy, sit down with him, and have an awesome conversation. Andy has an amazing story. One that you’ll want to hear….”

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/christian- ... n-mccausey (22.00 minute mark)

And if that’s not enough evidence of a calculated publicity campaign, there’s this:

“Andy Avery was the lead singer for the group Smokehouse before getting opportunities to fill in for Journey in Steve Perry’s absence. When Perry left the group, Avery was approached about becoming a member of the band, but believed that his past record of drug and alcohol abuse while in that industry was not a temptation he needed, choosing rather to grow his faith and family.
Music critics acknowledge that Avery sounds strikingly similar to Perry. Avery will perform several of the signature Journey songs, while also sharing Christian music and testimony. He travels full time and is also a performer for Royal Caribbean Cruises.”


So those are the facts being touted, but time now to look at the actual truth.

First – Andy picked an unfortunate year to claim working with Journey. The band wasn’t even active at that time as just about every fan of the group knows.
The guys last toured in 1987 before taking a hiatus that would only be broken in 1991 for the Bill Graham Memorial.
1989 was of course the year Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain were part of Bad English’s chart topping run and subsequent tour.

But we do know that strange things have happened off the record and behind the scenes at times, so I contacted all parties involved for comment.

Neal Schon: “Never heard of him” and “this is bullshit and should be taken down.”

Journey management confirmed that this person was completely unknown to them and there was no negotiations whatsoever with him.

Andy is heavily promoting some upcoming shows with John Schlitt and John Elefante. So I reached out to John who added this:

“This situation has really disturbed me and I called Andy and had a fairly lengthy talk with him and told him to cease and desist the Journey thing ASAP!! He's just the opening act for me and John Schlitt.”

Of course, it is only fair to allow Andy himself to have his say, so I contacted him via his Facebook pages (https://www.facebook.com/andyaveryfans / https://www.facebook.com/Superfantasticproductions ) and received the following replies:

“Gene Simmons was my manager and when I messed up on drugs my career was over and he kept all my music ... I was in Smokehouse for 8 years and toured with kiss Bon Jovi and many other big acts ...I auditioned for Journey and landed the gig spent all the up front money on drugs and overdosed ..end of my career ... God has given me my voice back and now I travel and doing and minister to kids ... The ppl that made the poster announced it wrong in which I'm sorry ... my testimony is clear when I give it ... Journey has had 7 diff sonnets that were hired and never toured and one made a cd that never got released …
Also please keep in mind that this was done through my agent at the time tel star ... we were all so messed up on drugs that is very hard to attach what was real and timeline ...The only thing I testify to the kids about is the almost made it story ... the agents in particular have asked me not to mention there names ... I never bill myself as former lead singer ... I promise you i am working hard at correcting things staying with dropping my pr person whom I've explained this to many times ...”

When I replied stating that this doesn’t explain the “gig” and could he provide more information, I got this:

“No gig…I was on my way with my agent that fronted allot of money and I woke up 3 months later coming out of a coma in Buena Park ... I only sing Journey songs to lead up to that story ... again sorry for the confusion. We bill ourselves in concert as Wheel in the sky a journey tribute ... Proverbs says God's time is like a wheel in the sky”

And regarding the Steve Perry friendship: “I did meet him long ago and we hit it off very well ... I wasn't the best of ppl back then ... I've worked really hard to get my life in order the last 20 years.”

The only problem here is that the radio interview mentioning the Perry bond was from 2014.

To give Andy the final say: “I'm just a has been, sooner trying to help kids ...”

In that regard, I hope Andy succeeds and wish him all the best. Safe to say that he won’t be boasting of any involvement with Journey in the future.

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Release Year:
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by executioner » Thu May 21, 2015 8:27 am

Weird. I will say that I have heard of him, but do not recall any relationship with Journey in anyway shape or form. There are lots of lies on both sides of this story because Journey did officially break up in 1987, but did one time shows from 1988-1992 with several different fill in lead singers one which was Ken Tamplin but I do believe each lead singer did just one or two shows each; Journey probably did about 20(maybe less) shows during that time frame. The basic make up of Journey at this time was just Neal & Jonathan with fill in's for the other spots and all these shows were not sought out by the band but were requested by things like wedding parties and reunions.
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by sue d. » Thu May 21, 2015 3:17 pm

Yeah... talk about a real interesting turn of events! I've never met the guy or talked with him, but taking our VOICES OF ROCK image and tossing himself in the mix (FIRST POSITION even), not once but twice really got my goat!
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by brent » Thu May 21, 2015 4:06 pm

Holy cow. You have a goat? I hope he brings it back. "Don't Stop Believing'". Hopefully he isn't "Lovin', Touching', Squeezin'" your goat. You will have to "Send Her My Love". Hopefully, it will make an "Escape".
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Post by rexreed » Fri May 22, 2015 5:16 am

Another Christian fraud that some naïve Christians will believe, because they WANT to believe him. Don't bother pointing out the lies, they will shoot the messenger. Great post!
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by sue d. » Fri May 22, 2015 7:55 am

My goat is still missing, Brent. I continually cry out Baby Come Back... but she's still hasn't returned. I hope to be Reunited one day....

Rexreed, this kind of thing just puts Christians in a bad light. Gives us all a bad reputation.... there's a long thread on Melodic Rock's message board that started the 'investigation,' if you're interested: http://forums.melodicrock.com/phpBB/vie ... 69&t=60084
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Post by brent » Fri May 22, 2015 11:03 am

I guess I sang for Petra, since I had John L, Greg B, Louie playing on PDC. Hey, it's a lot closer than what Andy did. :)
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Post by rexreed » Fri May 22, 2015 11:08 am

...and I'm really good friends with Dabney Coleman, Tobe Hooper, Barbara Bush, Bobby Jindal, Hakeem Olajuon, Owen and Luke Wilson and many others since I said "hi" and shook their hands. Best buds with Willie Nelson since we met three different times!

What a poser!
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by brent » Fri May 22, 2015 12:28 pm

if you take Willie Nelson some pot, you probably are good friends with him. :)
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by executioner » Sat May 23, 2015 10:28 am

rexreed wrote:...and I'm really good friends with Dabney Coleman, Tobe Hooper, Barbara Bush, Bobby Jindal, Hakeem Olajuon, Owen and Luke Wilson and many others since I said "hi" and shook their hands. Best buds with Willie Nelson since we met three different times!

What a poser!

What kind of friend are you? Dabney Coleman died several years ago.
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by executioner » Sat May 23, 2015 10:30 am

sue d. wrote:Yeah... talk about a real interesting turn of events! I've never met the guy or talked with him, but taking our VOICES OF ROCK image and tossing himself in the mix (FIRST POSITION even), not once but twice really got my goat!
BTW is he actually performing at that show with John & John?
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by brent » Sat May 23, 2015 4:10 pm

He is opening.
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by Dan » Sun May 24, 2015 11:58 am

Someone need to go to this concert and put him on the spot... record him defending his lies.
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by brent » Sun May 24, 2015 2:36 pm

Word will get around. There are those who will call him a man of God and will blindly accept his story, and firmly reject any proof, because that proof, as true as it may be, is an attack of the devil.

This is what bothers me about the whole Christian church and publishing business thing. Churches bring in whomever is hot on the circuit, to bring in the people, get them to join, and take their money. It is ALL about the money in the end. If it weren't Christian publishers would be Christian publishers and would sort out the crap from the good, and stop selling it. These idiots selling their snake oil would not be doing their thing, and worshiped for being great in the world, as if that gives street cred to their testimony. What a huge steamy pile.
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Re: Show information on MelodicRock.com

Post by gman » Tue May 26, 2015 10:32 am

He might be opening, but he's going way out of his way to do them a huge favor. Seriously, would there be any ticket sales without the master guitarist and architect of the Grammy winning band Third Day?


I know, Brad Avery was a guitarist for Third Day, and this is Andy Avery. But if he was named Brad...
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