WROR | Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain on Journey Heading into the Rock Hall

One of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame’s greatest slights is going to be corrected tonight (April 7) when Journey is inducted during the annual ceremony taking place at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. 

Seven of the band’s members — singer Steve Perry, guitarist Neal Schon, keyboardists Gregg Rolie and Jonathan Cain, bassist Ross Valory and drummers Aynsley Dunbar and Steve Smith — are being inducted, and Schon tells us that all credit goes to Journey’s fans, who continued to push the Rock Hall to induct the band and made Journey the winner of this year’s public vote:

“Y’know what, it feels like we’re been there already…I think it’s great that it’s happening. I think we’ve had the credentials for quite some time, but really it was our fans that…came on full-force and voted like maniacs, and their dedication to us and the music throughout all the years of just standing by us is testimony itself for what’s about to happen.”

Cain, meanwhile, sees Journey’s induction as something of a vindication after years of being vilified by critics:

“We’ve never been the critic’s choice, come on. They bashed us in the 80s and ever album we put out they just pretty much laughed at, and it sold platinum, platinum, platinum, and so much of that Hall is writers, critics. But what we’ve done over the years is quietly just continue to be relevant, so maybe they weren’t right about us.”

Cain has said that the reclusive Perry, who sang with Journey from 1977-1998, is planning to attend the ceremony but isn’t expected to perform with the band. The ceremony will be filmed by HBO and broadcast on April 29. Journey is on tour now and into the summer with Asia.

Read more at Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain on Journey Heading into the Rock Hall.