Hit singer Steve Perry officially left the band Journey in the late 1990s and has largely eschewed the spotlight ever since. But on April 24, he stepped out in Los Angeles to run errands with his rumored new girlfriend, therapist Suzette Vaughn, and some fans say they barely recognized the 1980s rocker.
See the photos here.
“It’s sad when people let themselves go. I’ve always had the feeling that he’s self-destructive. Too bad, because he was a huge talent,” wrote one fan.
Another added, “I knew it was Steve Perry from the description, but I would never have guessed it from the pics.”
“Hard to believe he’s now age 76. Where has time gone?” wrote a third fan.
Still, some of the commenters definitely recognized him and think he looks great, considering he is 76 years old.
“I think he looks great for his age,” wrote one fan.
“Terrific singer! Glad he looks happy,” wrote another fan.
A third added, “I’d know him anywhere….loved him since the 70’s and would kill and die to see him perform one more time with Journey 🙏🏻.”
The fans were also in agreement that whether he is recognizable or not, he is an immensely talented vocalist.
“What an icon. I still listen to Journey every week or so,” wrote one fan.
Another added, “An absolute legend with an incredible voice.”
“Steve Perry! One of the greatest frontmen of a band. What a voice!” wrote a third fan.
“Love seeing him out and about with Suzette. He’s a legend. Seeing him perform live is on my bucket list. A girl can dream 🎶,” wrote another fan.
A fifth fan wrote, “He’s a legend and he looks great. Glad he’s found love and is enjoying his life. I hope he still finds joy in singing.”
Perry and the rest of Journey had a falling out in the late 1990s when Perry was injured while hiking and was subsequently diagnosed with a degenerative bone disease. He didn’t want to undergo hip replacement surgery, and it put him at odds with the other band members because he could no longer tour and perform with them.
“They wanted me to make a decision on the surgery,” Perry told Rolling Stone in a 2018 interview. “But I didn’t feel it was a group decision. Then I was told on the phone that they needed to know when I was gonna do it ’cause they had checked out some new singers.
He told Rolling Stone that he begged his bandmates to reconsider, but they would not, so he said to them, “‘Do what you need to do, but don’t call it Journey.’ If you fracture the stone, I don’t know how I could come back to it.”
Perry also said that he was fine participating in Journey’s Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, but he did not want to perform with them at the event.
“What they do is none of my business. When I walked away from it, I did not go to any of the shows, nor did I listen to any of it,” said Perry.
