Journey was one of the biggest bands of the 1970s and 1980s, with some of their major hits like Don't Stop Believin' and Open Arms still seeing plenty of airtime on radio stations today.
During the height of their fame, the band was led by Steve Perry, who was known for his unique vocal style. He was also the writing genius behind some of the band's biggest hits, which saw them achieve household name status.
However, at the height of their fame, Steve decided to step away from the band, and retire into a life of reclusiveness. During the 1990s and early 21st century, he only made fleeting appearances, but in 2018, he fully re-entered the world of music, although he still kept some secrets.
Here's why Steve decided to leave the band behind, and where he's been ever since…
Why did Steve Perry leave Journey?
Despite being on the top of his game, Steve started to become disillusioned with the world of showbusiness, leading to him stepping away from Journey in 1987. In an interview with AXS TV, the star confessed: "It was a combination of the passion for music that had left me. I could not find the honest passion for singing."
He continued: "When you finally get that dream you wanted when you were seven years old and you get it, at some point a little bit of a lustre starts to wear off if you keep touring and keep turning the same wheel over and over again."
© Getty ImagesHe also admitted that he had unhealthy coping mechanisms at the time, adding: "Certainly drugs and drinking were a part of it. Of course. Yeah. I mean that came with the times."
In 1995, Steve rejoined the band, with their highly successful album, Trial By Fire, being released a year later. The band was due to go on tour, but Steve ended up suffering an injury while hiking, before later being diagnosed with a degenerative bone condition, which meant he would require a hip replacement.
© Getty ImagesSteve was reluctant to rush into the surgery and asked for the tour to be postponed, but 17 months later the band presented him with an ultimatum, leading to him leaving them for the second time.
Career after Journey
For the most part, Steve's second departure signalled an end to his music career, with much of his music since then being collaborations with other artists for their own hits; these included songs for Ambrosia's David Pack.
During this time, he also twice reunited with his former Journey bandmates, although he didn't perform with them. In 2005, he appeared with the band at a Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony and although he indicated he was unlikely to ever rejoin them, he cryptically noted "never say never, unless you mean never, nevertheless".
© Getty ImagesHe also joined Journey when the band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017, and he even gave an acceptance speech at the event. Praising the band's fans, he said: "You're the rock and roll hall of fame! From my heart, I must tell you, I've been gone a long time, [but] you've never not been in my heart. Thank you so very much."
However, in 2018, he returned to the scene with his album Traces. The singer has since released a Christmas album and EP.
Private life away from the spotlight
While other celebrities live most of their lives in the spotlight, Steve has been keeping much of his personal life away from prying eyes. In 2019, the singer revealed that he had a daughter and grandchildren, but didn't provide further details.
He said: "I do have a child, but in the essence of protecting her, I kinda don't want to get into that... and I have grandchildren too."
© FilmMagicIn 2011, Steve started dating cancer patient Kellie Nash, despite knowing that doctors believed she would die. She sadly passed away in 2012, and when asked by The Guardian about why he pursued her, Steve confessed: "I've not said this to anybody yet: I believed our love would cure her cancer. I really did.
"We sat in our tiny apartment in New York – a very expensive small box – and she said: 'This might take me, but it'll never be able to touch our love.' I never thought about such a truth like that. Not just talking about it, but physically feeling it and emotionally seeing it was new to me."
© Alamy Stock PhotoHe also revealed that it was Kellie who inspired him to return to music, sharing: "She said: 'Promise me you won't go back into isolation, because I fear it would make this all for naught.' I said: 'OK, I promise.' I lay in bed thinking about what I'd just promised.
"She was looking at the arc of her whole life and the possibility that she may not make it had to have some goddamn meaning. She was looking for purpose in all this. I grieved for two years – it was a whole new level of broken heart. It was completely [expletive] broken. I worked through that and, the next thing I knew, I started writing music."
