Steve Perry: Cherishing The Grief
BY Gary Stuckey
I'm sure you've heard of Steve Perry's comeback by now, unless you live in a cave somewhere. "Traces" made it's appearance back in October, and it was the 3rd official solo album for the former Journey vocalist.For the past year or so it was foretold that the album would be cathartic, and it has lived up to it's description. The album was Steve's statement about what he's been through and a fulfilled promise that he made to his late girlfriend Kellie Nash, who died of cancer in 2012. Many of the songs on the album you could tie to Kellie. Even the two songs written before Steve ever met her, sound like they were penned for her.
Several months after it's release, you can still see Mr. Perry's enthusiasm for "Traces", whether it's at a party, an interview, or the recent grief conference in Seattle. His excitement for the album is evident, though somewhere inside, we all know that he is still dealing with the loss of his mate. Perhaps that's why he wears black all the time, but that doesn't matter. Everyone heals in their own way. Steve uses his emotions to create music. He has shared with us so many times about the making of the album, his heartaches, and how that grief shaped much of his latest recording. He sat before an audience in Seattle, Washington recently, at the Museum of Pop Culture, among a panel that discussed grief and how it relates to music. The crowd paid close attention as "The Voice" described
in great detail his emotions and the moments that lead him to record his masterpiece.
"I'm a pretty melancholy mofo-kind-of-guy. I kinda live in a melancholy state all the time. For me....I guess...is that too much sadness? I don't know..It does keep me...it keeps me centered. It keeps me in the moment. Am I a depressive guy? I don't know. I call it melancholy. I write music that I think speaks from that place. And when I had my profound loss with Kellie a few years back I agree that being pulled into the moment deeper than I had ever experienced before was a new place, you know....to where everything that mattered I thought fell off..... I'd seek professional help to try to really learn how to grieve because I didn't know how. So, the professional I was going to turned to me and he said "I think you need to cherish the grief." And I said, 'Excuse me? I'm tired of crying. I've been crying so much. It's been going on now for 3 or 4 months'...and he said, 'I know that but if you cherish the grief that you're in right now, I guarantee you that there will come a time where you won't be able to access it as deeply and as clearly and in the moment as you are now. So I think as it starts to come up and you start to get back to whatever happens once we do face the grief and cherish it, you'll be glad you did.' So, that's just been my experience. Everybody wants to pull out of it... and me, I just want to move on....I'm so grateful that I didn't."
Steve's album Trace's debuted at #6 on the Billboard 100 album chart, his highest album debut to date. Currently his song "We're Still Here" is at #16 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart.
Several months after it's release, you can still see Mr. Perry's enthusiasm for "Traces", whether it's at a party, an interview, or the recent grief conference in Seattle. His excitement for the album is evident, though somewhere inside, we all know that he is still dealing with the loss of his mate. Perhaps that's why he wears black all the time, but that doesn't matter. Everyone heals in their own way. Steve uses his emotions to create music. He has shared with us so many times about the making of the album, his heartaches, and how that grief shaped much of his latest recording. He sat before an audience in Seattle, Washington recently, at the Museum of Pop Culture, among a panel that discussed grief and how it relates to music. The crowd paid close attention as "The Voice" described
in great detail his emotions and the moments that lead him to record his masterpiece.
"I'm a pretty melancholy mofo-kind-of-guy. I kinda live in a melancholy state all the time. For me....I guess...is that too much sadness? I don't know..It does keep me...it keeps me centered. It keeps me in the moment. Am I a depressive guy? I don't know. I call it melancholy. I write music that I think speaks from that place. And when I had my profound loss with Kellie a few years back I agree that being pulled into the moment deeper than I had ever experienced before was a new place, you know....to where everything that mattered I thought fell off..... I'd seek professional help to try to really learn how to grieve because I didn't know how. So, the professional I was going to turned to me and he said "I think you need to cherish the grief." And I said, 'Excuse me? I'm tired of crying. I've been crying so much. It's been going on now for 3 or 4 months'...and he said, 'I know that but if you cherish the grief that you're in right now, I guarantee you that there will come a time where you won't be able to access it as deeply and as clearly and in the moment as you are now. So I think as it starts to come up and you start to get back to whatever happens once we do face the grief and cherish it, you'll be glad you did.' So, that's just been my experience. Everybody wants to pull out of it... and me, I just want to move on....I'm so grateful that I didn't."
Steve's album Trace's debuted at #6 on the Billboard 100 album chart, his highest album debut to date. Currently his song "We're Still Here" is at #16 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary Chart.
I do not know where this comment will end up or whom will see and read it. I totally understand where Steve is coming from when it comes to love, loss, sadness, and grief. O too from a young age experienced similar experiences in my life just as Steve went through. I can relate to Blue Jays. Fly, I need you, and you belong to me. I've been sad blue heartbroken too; I've loved, lost grieved my mother and big brother too. My sadness I hold onto. Its all I have left from the ones I loved and lost as I cherish each memory and thought, thoughts of the one that is still here that I hold dear. Only he don't know my heart ❤ and soul love exist and fuels my hope, hope of one day he will see ; I waited to love and hold you Steve @StevePerryMusic I hope one day your eyes and heart ❤ opens to see, Steve Perry, tis you, your emotions and heart I'm soul in love with I'm reaching for you, will you reach for me too? Take me by my hand and lead me to you. I truly love you Steve, yes I do. I love feeling your true ❤ heart emotions captured and captivated me. Sincerely, Marion.
ReplyDeleteTotally understand. But honoring our loved ones means moving on and making the grief a reconciliation. Some people takes more time than others. Happy to hear he is now better. Nobody can judge him. You never know what is inside a persons heart… with love Hugo
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