Livin' Just to Find Emotion

A long-overdue and definitive account of America’s timeless rock band.

Since exploding on the scene in the late 70s, Journey has continued to inspire generations of fans with “Don’t Stop Believin’” and other hits. Celebrating the band’s fiftieth anniversary, David Hamilton Golland unearths the band’s true and complete story, incorporating exclusive interview material with band members.

When Steve Perry joined jazz-blues progressive rock band Journey in 1977, they saw a rise to the top, and in 1981, Escape hit #1. But Perry’s quest for control led to Journey’s demise. Perry refused to tour, and the band lost their record contract and much of their audience. After the unlikely comeback of “Don’t Stop Believin’” in movies, television shows, and as an underdog sports anthem, a new generation discovered Journey. Now, with singer Arnel Pineda, they are, again, a fixture in major stadiums worldwide.

A professional historian, Golland dispels some of the rehashed myths, diving deep into Journey’s complex biography, and also looks at how race in popular music contributed to their breakout success. As the economy collapsed and as people abandoned the spirit of Woodstock in the late 70s, Journey spoke to the darkness of white teenagers’ lives as well as their hopes for a better future. Decades later, the band and their signature song remain classics.