Maps of Music

Next (1977)

Where the lyrics of Next take you, and where it was really made.

Journey's third album was the last to feature Gregg Rolie as primary lead singer, and the last to show band members on its cover.

Key places

Where Next was recorded and mixed (1977)

Recording site His Master's Wheels — Next was recorded and mixed at His Master's Wheels in San Francisco. The Discogs release notes list this studio for both recording and mixing. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Next is the third studio album by the American rock band Journey, released in February 1977
• It followed Look into the Future (1976) and kept part of the progressive rock style of the debut album
• Gregg Rolie was the primary lead singer on this album, the last time he held that role
• Members of the band appear on the cover, the last album to do so
• Single released from the album: "Spaceman" / "Nickel and Dime"

Background

• Robert Fleischman joined Journey shortly after the release as a songwriter and the group's first dedicated frontman
• Fleischman did not contribute to Next
• He later shared lead vocals with Rolie in live shows
• The instrumental "Cookie Duster" was listed on very early pressings but was not included on the album
• It was later released on the Time³ compilation
• All songs on the album vanished from the live setlist after 1979

Recording

• Recorded and mixed at His Master's Wheels, San Francisco
• Mastered at Capitol Recording Studios, Hollywood
• Smiggy is credited as engineer and mixer; Bruce Botnick is credited for mastering
• Players: Gregg Rolie (keyboards, lead vocals), Neal Schon (guitars), Ross Valory (bass), Aynsley Dunbar (drums, percussion)
• Neal Schon sang lead on "I Would Find You" and "Karma"

Cover

• Bruce Steinberg is credited for art direction, design, photography and cover design
• Band members appear on the cover

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Artist

Formation

• Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1973 by former members of Santana, the Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch.
• The band was originally called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section, intended as a backup group for Bay Area artists, before developing a jazz fusion style.
• The name Journey was suggested by roadie John Villanueva.

Members

• Current lineup includes Neal Schon (guitars, vocals), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, guitars, vocals), Deen Castronovo (drums, vocals), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals), Jason Derlatka (keyboards, vocals), and Todd Jensen (bass, vocals).
• Steve Perry was lead vocalist from 1977 to 1987, the band's most commercially successful period.

Career

• Escape reached number one on the Billboard 200 and produced "Open Arms" and "Don't Stop Believin'".
• Frontiers reached number two in the US and number six on the UK Albums Chart.
• "Don't Stop Believin'" was certified 18-times platinum by the RIAA in 2024, the top-selling digital track in US history.
• The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.
• A farewell tour, the Final Frontier Tour, began in February 2026 after Jonathan Cain announced his departure.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Next reached No. 85 on the Billboard 200 chart

Reappraisal

• Retrospectively, AllMusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine wrote that without a forceful lead vocalist like Steve Perry, the group lacks focus and a pop sensibility, and its straight-ahead pop/rock attempts suffer as a result
• AllMusic rated the album 2 out of 5
• Canadian journalist Martin Popoff praised the album's variety and the "profusion of good songs", with styles ranging from prog to sophisticated balladry to prog metal

Records

• Billboard 200: peaked at No. 85
• The album was not a success commercially, though it did break the Billboard Top 100

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org · www.discogs.com

Trivia

• The instrumental "Cookie Duster" was listed on very early pressings but was not actually on the album; it later appeared on the Time³ compilation
• Robert Fleischman joined Journey shortly after the album's release, sharing lead vocals with Gregg Rolie in later live shows
• Two songs from the album, "Spaceman" and "Here We Are", have never been performed live
• Lead vocals on the album are by Gregg Rolie, except where noted

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · ja.wikipedia.org

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