Journey fans who are looking a bit more into their favorite band will surely know Voyage, the best Journey tribute band that plays to packed venues in America and is fronted by the great Hugo Valenti (Valentine, Open Skyz). In fact, the resemblance in Hugo’s voice and in his whole appearance to Steve Perry is uncanny. Voyage recently released their debut album “Inception” on Frontiers and we get all the details from Hugo in a very interesting interview via Zoom.
Interview: Sakis Nikas
Rockpages.gr: Hugo, congrats on an excellent debut album with Voyage. It brings back memories from the good old 80s days…
Hugo: That’s great to hear…that was this objective really. Bring back some music that you don’t hear it anymore. So, thank you!
Rockpages.gr: The obvious question: why now? I mean, you’ve been with Voyage for quite some time playing those Journey classic songs. Why did you decide that this was the best time to come up with original material?
Hugo: Sakis, in all honesty what happened was the pandemic. I wanted to get a new keyboard because I’ve been playing with an old one for 20 years. We had nothing but time so I went and bought a keyboard and when I plugged it in I heard a new sound! It’s crazy to think how technology has evolved in those 20 years. It was amazing to listen to the sounds from the new keyboard. It kinda opened up a lost place in my mind because I had forgotten about it…the industry had changed and I was happy doing the Voyage thing; turning people on with Journey stuff and having fun. Next thing I knew, I kept on writing and I remember sending Robby (Hoffman), our guitar player, a new song and he immediately said: “this is amazing”! I said to him: “well, wait to you hear the next one” (laughs). So, in a period of 2 or 3 months 24 songs were written. We definitely have another album worth of stuff. We picked 10-11 for the debut and we shall see what happens with the rest of them.
Rockpages.gr: So, we’re gonna get a second Voyage album in the future…
Hugo: If the stars align…it certainly sits there! I’d love to see what this album does and hopefully it will reach people in a positive way and then people wanna hear more.
Rockpages.gr: You mentioned the industry that has changed through the years. I have seen you in interviews, through the years, stating that you didn’t have any intention of recording new material because people won’t buy it. What made you change that way of thinking?
Hugo: As I said, it was really the pandemic and the fact that we had so much time…before you know it, you had one song ready and more to follow. There was interest, honestly, as the years gone by…I was approached by Frontiers and I politely rejected their offers. I guess now it was the right time to do it. That’s really how it came to be.
Rockpages.gr: So the whole writing process was more or less in between you and Robby?
Hugo: That’s exactly what it was. Originally, I didn’t wanna have another Hugo solo album. Let’s make it a Voyage album. Everybody can come up with 2-3 good ideas and we can do it really. It never got that far though because I kept writing and writing. I was on a roll! After all, I am a songwriter first. We had all them done pretty quickly. Next time, the other guys will join us, too! (laughs)
Rockpages.gr: I guess it was a no brainer that it would be a one-word title, right? Following the Journey tradition…well, almost!
Hugo: Right! “Inception”; the beginning of something.
Rockpages.gr: Any other alternative titles thrown to the table…?
Hugo: No, not really. We just added Hugo the name of the band because the word “Voyage” has been used so much in advertising, in cruise lines etc. But no…right from the start we chose “Inception” as the title. A new Voyage which is cool!
Rockpages.gr: Obviously Journey was the main inspiration but as a songwriter yourself have you drawn inspiration from other artists or a specific era in music?
Hugo: Oh yeah! Before Journey there was Stones, Elton John, Zeppelin…my God! Robert Plant! You know, so many rock n’ roll bands but also softer ones like The Carpenters. This was, actually, my first concert. My dad took me to see The Carpenters when I was seven. Seeing Karen Carpenter playing drums and singing was unbelievable. She blew me away.
Rockpages.gr: Speaking of The Stones, have you listened to the new album “Hackney Diamonds”?
Hugo: I heard the first single…haven’t heart the whole album yet but it’s classic Stones, man!
Rockpages.gr: “Inception” has so many highlights; songs that really stand out like for instance “Sound of a Broken Heart” which is my personal favorite because it kinda reminded me a little bit of the “Raised On Radio” era. Anything worth telling regarding this specific song?
Hugo: Yeah, that was one of the early songs. Again, it started with the new keyboard and experimenting a lot with it to the point that Robby when he listened to it said: “what chord are you playing?” (laughs). I love the groove of it (ed.note: Hugo singing the rhythm of the song)…something memorable, not fast…not slow. Cool song.
Rockpages.gr: You mentioned the Covid lockdown and how you started writing new songs. But you also came up with some wonderful videos of classic Journey songs. Let me tell you that lots of people here in Europe discovered Voyage via those videos on YouTube.
Hugo: Yeah…we received such a positive feedback from those videos. It was so cool. In all honesty, I wasn’t a big fan in the beginning because I was wondering how it would come up with something cool by just playing in our house. But you know what…it really, really worked. No auto-tune, just raw, straight out takes. I think they came out great and although I wasn’t a big fan, in retrospect Robby was absolutely right. I am glad that we did them and people liked them…so it was cool.
Rockpages.gr: Voyage is not another Journey cover band but it’s the best Journey cover band. You are popular in the States but how about Europe? I mean, you have an Italian origin and now you are under an Italian label…so, how about that?
Hugo: You know, man…getting out there and doing a proper tour, it costs a lot of money. The excitement is there but we need the support. I don’t know how viable it is to do it…obviously, I’d love to do it and I am sure the other guys would want that, too. But again…I don’t know if it’s doable. Playing in the States is one thing but Europe…well, that’s more challenging…unless, that there would be a big band that will want us out there opening for them.
Rockpages.gr: When was the last time that you played in Europe? I mean as a solo artist or as a band member…
Hugo: Geez…oh man! Certainly 20 years or more. I guess with Valentine.
Rockpages.gr: That’s a long time.
Hugo: Yeah, it is…I know.
Rockpages.gr: Speaking of Valentine, what did you think of the album “Demos From The Attic” that was released by 20th Century Music a couple of years ago?
Hugo: Well…no…I was sitting back and I got a call saying that there was interest in some of our demos from back in the day. It was mostly experimental stuff; messing around with songwriting…even the vocals. I said: “you are interested in these demos…? Well, if you wanna put them out, just do it”. Those songs were not properly produced but I have done that in the past with album called “Fire In The Night” which was really a bunch of demos that I did in my house. Just wanted to bring those songs out to people without paying so much attention to the production. But to tell you the truth, I didn’t want to work a year on an album (laughs)! Getting back to those Valentine demos, those were songs sitting around for more than 30 years.
Rockpages.gr: You know what, it would be a good idea to reissue your first solo album because it’s hard to find these days and I know lots of people are asking for it…
Hugo: I think that it’s a good idea. That record really put me on the map as a solo artist which was a good thing of course. It was a great album that raised a lot of eyebrows which was cool. I’d love to have it out again…maybe re-record some stuff because there a lot of good songs on that album. Certainly it set the bar high and hopefully “Inception” reaches the same quality standards.
Rockpages.gr: Hugo, we share a common love for a very specific singer. You know to whom I am referring, of course. What did you think of his comeback record “Traces”?
Hugo: I thought it was great. At the end of the days, it’s the voice, man! I don’t care how old you are or whatever…you put this thing out and you hear that voice texture and you immediately go: “Oh yeah”!
Rockpages.gr: I remember listening to the first single “No Erasin’” and getting chills just by listening once again to Steve Perry’s voice…
Hugo: Oh yeah, that’s what I mean. In honesty, what makes Voyage so inviting and exciting is the fact that people miss Steve Perry. No matter who sings that stuff, people miss Steve…that’s the truth. The fact that I could get people close to that experience, it’s exciting for them and for us, as a band.
Rockpages.gr: In the surrealistic scenario of having Voyage and Journey (as they are now) playing at the same day in the same city, personally I’d prefer to see Voyage without any second thought.
Hugo: Well, I don’t what to say because we are all fans and we are all here because of our love for Journey. Neal Schon has done a tremendous job in keeping the band going through Steve Augeri and Arnel Pineda…my God, who could ask for more? What a catalogue of music!
Rockpages.gr: How about your favorite Steve Perry record? “Street Talk” or “…Strange Medicine”?
Hugo: Oh man, there are so many things about both of them! The more simple, in your face production of “Street Talk” and then you have…my God, “For The Love of Strange Medicine”…the title song, “Missing You”. So many great songs on that album.
Rockpages.gr: Closing this interview with “Inception”, I wanted to ask you if the selling aspect of it is important to you or you’re just happy that it’s out for the fans?
Hugo: That’s exactly what it is…I kinda knew where I was getting at with this, you know. The state of the radio stations today…what you really want is people to hear the new songs but it’s the hardest thing to do sometimes. That’s a never-ending thing; to try to get support behind it because if radio picks it up and people listen to it, that’s an amazing thing but it’s so hard to do. I remember back in the RCA and Columbia days you had to take out for dinner a program director, feed him drinks or whatever just to get him play your song on the radio. It’s a miserable business in that sense but it’s even harder now to get something played. Nobody’s interested in new artists except probably on a Monday night. We are really in it for the thrill…the passion of it! Turning people on to great new songs!
