A musical ride full of ups and downs

IT'S not uncommon for bands to go through multiple line-up changes: Deep Purple, Fleetwood Mac, KISS and Jethro Tull are just some of the legendary rock acts with a revolving door of members. But none come with as much drama as Journey - the soft rock American group which has sold more than 80 million albums worldwide, while rotating singers, bassists and drummers.

Guitarist Neal Schon and bassist Ross Valory are the only remaining founder members left. The band returns to play Singapore next Friday. Its last show was in 2013 with long-time drummer Deen Castronovo, who has since been given the boot after he was arrested and charged with fourth-degree assault two years ago.

That, however, paved the way for the return of Steve Smith, who rejoined Journey for the third time in 2015, and was also a member during the height of the group's popularity in the 1980s. Although he has never performed with the band in Singapore, Smith has previously hosted drum clinics and played for Japanese jazz piano virtuoso Hiromi and tabla maestro Zakir Hussain here.