Journey
Charge Of the Light Brigade
Studio Recordings for unreleased album
1973

Source:  Silver > CDR > WAV > FLAC

This is an unfinished album by the "original", pre-Steve Perry. Journey - Yeah!   I know, I know -- Journey hit the big time after Perry joined the group but the movement from fusion-rock to pop-rock was not my cup of tea and thus not for me. Journey was SO much more interesting before Perry because their music was unpredictable. Also, I say "original" Journey also because Ansley Dunsbar had not yet joined as drummer on these studio recordings. That was still being managed by Prairie Prince (who quit and joined The Tubes after Journey's 1st live gig!!). So this is pre, pre-Journey

The first thirteen tracks are all studio recordings and in spite of some hiss and slight distortion in louder places, it's a decent listen especially for early Journey fans. This material predates the first Journey commercial release ('75) so it's of great historical interest.

What is FAR more interesting is the 3 live filler tracks from a group called SSE. They were a pre-Journey band fronted by Neil. ["SSE" Pete Sears, Neal Schon, Greg Errico] but on this particular Hawaii show, Mr. Gregg Rolie was guesting. So we have the pre, pre, pre-Journey band,  known as SSE+R. For those of you who track this, it was Neil's group between Santana and Journey which just happens to have a lot of that fusion tinged material - honestly, it sounds like a blend of Santana, Journey and Hendrix. All three of the SSE+R tracks are instrumentals and it is a very good audience recording.

The timing of all this seems about right. In 1971, Rolie says when he and Neal quit the band (after the 4th Santana album), he opened up a restaurant for a year before hooking up with Schon to form Journey ~73. The 1st Journey album's songs are copyrighted 1974 and the album was released in '75, so it's logical Neal was doing something musically during the year or so between the two bands.

Neal Schon - Guitar
Ross Valory - Bass
Gregg Rolie - Vocals, Keyboards
George Tickner - Guitar
Prairie Prince - Drums (Before Ansley Dunsbar)


  1. Mystery Mountain [Studio Mix. Unfinished]
  2. In the Morning Day [Studio Mix. No vocals]
  3. Charge of the Light Brigade?
  4. Still Lovers
  5. To Play Some Music [Studio Mix. no vocals]
  6. In My Lonely Feeling/Conversations [Studio Mix. no vocals]
  7. Angels From Heaven
  8. Can You Hear Me?
  9. Kohoutek [Studio Mix. Differs from Released Version]
10. Out Of Control
11. To Play Some Music [no vocals, Alt Version to track #5]
12. See The Light
13. Charge of the Light Brigade? [Alt Version from track #3, faster tempo]


Filler. SSE+R, Diamond Head, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1 Jan 73
Pete Sears, Neal Schon, Greg Errico + Gregg Rolie
14. You're My Girl
15. Voodoo Chile
16. Tonight

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