The third and final album of what could be called Journey's cocoon phase (Escape would give birth to a fully formed butterfly and put the band through the stratosphere), 1980's Departure would also be the quintet's last with keyboardist/vocalist Gregg Rolie. Produced by Geoff Workman and Kevin Elson (essentially both engineers turned producers), the album continued to build on the band's previous two recordings, but offered an added edge, arrangement-wise. This was likely due to the fact that the band had walked into Automatt Studios with 19 new tunes and proceeded to record most of them live, eventually trimming down to 11 songs. Catapulted all the way up to number eight on the Billboard Top 200, Departure was the band's highest charting album to date and got off to an explosive start with the driving riffs and chorused vocals of "Anyway You Want It" (another radio smash that would chart Top 25). Never sounding tighter, the quintet then launched into "Walks Like a Lady" (another future FM staple, climbing to number 32) and a string of outstanding rockers, including future concert opener "Where Were You" and the stop-go-stop-go energy of "Line of Fire." On the other hand, elegant power ballads like "Good Morning" and "Stay Awhile" would foreshadow the band's future commercial triumphs on Escape. And even though it packs the occasional filler like "Someday Soon" and "Homemade Love" (a weak attempt to boogie that falls absolutely flat and, tellingly, was the only Gregg Rolie-sung tune here), Departure is a solid record all around. Soon, Rolie would be replaced by the greater pop-savvy songwriting muscle of former Babys keyboard man Jonathan Caine, and Journey would go from huge cult act to monster superstars. ~ John Franck & Ed Rivadavia, All Music Guide
James McCandless (Drums), Journey (Main Performer), Steve Perry (Vocals), Neal Schon (Guitar), Neal Schon (Vocals), Steve Smith (Drums), Mouse (Lettering), Gregg Rolie (Harmonica), Gregg Rolie (Keyboards), Gregg Rolie (Vocals), Kevin Elson (Producer), Ken Kessie (Engineer), Ken Kessie (Assistant Engineer), Ken Kessie (Mixing Assistant), Bob Ludwig (Remastering), Joe Osborne (Electronics), Scott Ross (Production Coordination), Ross Valory (Bass), Ross Valory (Guitar (Bass)), Ross Valory (Vocals), Ross Valory (Bass Pedals), Jim Welch (Director), Jim Welch (Producer), Jim Welch (CD Production Supervision), Jim Welch (Design Direction), Geoff Workman (Producer), Geoff Workman (Engineer), Geoff Workman (Mixing), Brian Lee (Remastering), Dan Baldewicz (Guitar), Peter Ogilvie (Photography), Tena Schon (Make-Up)
Departure is the name of Journey's sixth album and their only album with some hard rock songs. It was released in March 1980 on the Columbia Records label.
Departure would be the band's highest charting album to date, giving Journey their first appearance in the top 10 of the Billboard album charts. The album includes "Any Way You Want It", the lead off track and top 25 single.
The album featured an edgier sound, thanks partly to the "live in studio" way the songs were recorded[1]. The band went into the studio with 19 tracks, eventually trimming down to 11.
The album would mark the last studio appearance of founding member Gregg Rolie. He had become tired of life on the road and decided to leave the band after assisting in the selection of his replacement, Jonathan Cain, then of The Babys.
Early Years Tour • Look into the Future Tour (1976) •Next Tour (1977) •Infinity Tour (1978) •Evolution Tour (1979) •Departure Tour (1980) •Escape Tour (1981) •Frontiers Tour (1983) •Raised on Radio Tour (1986) •Arrival Tour (2001) •Under the Radar Tour (2002) •30th Anniversary Tour (2005) •Revelation Tour (2008-9)
