Recent activity by former Journey frontman Steve Perry has sparked speculation that he could possibly be preparing to return to work, after effectively retiring from music performance in 1995.

Since then he’s only made a handful of live appearances, guesting with the Eels three times in 2014, and discussing an “emotional” solo album which didn’t arrive as planned in 2017. The material had been written after life-changing experiences in 2012, when he went through a cancer scare after having lost his girlfriend to the disease.

On July 18, Toad the Wet Sprocket revealed a video clip of Perry singing along with them in their studio. “What do you say when Steve Perry crashes your tour rehearsal and wants to sing??? YES!” the band said. Bassist Dean Dinning later added: “Unbelievable. I took out my ear monitor and there it was – that voice! Me and Steve Perry sharing the mic singing Toad songs. What a life this is.” Then, on July 20, a post on the Steve Perry (Journey) Facebook fan page included two pictures reportedly taken during a TV shoot, with the caption: “Interview with Steve will be on CBS Sunday Morning Oct. 7. Steve went to Hanford for the interview with Hart Images Media Services.”

Perry took bows alongside Journey when they were inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year, although he declined to perform at the ceremony. It was the first time he’d been seen with them since 2005. Earlier this year he made a surprise appearance on the American Idol series finale to congratulate contestant Gaby Barrett on her performance of “Don’t Stop Believin’.” He told her: “It was the most amazing version I’ve ever heard,. Swear it. Beautiful, just beautiful. Thank you so much.”

Journey guitarist Neal Schon recently emphasized his desire to work with Perry again, saying: “I'm dying for him to put out his own record. And I'd love to collaborate with him on something that's different than Journey; something more R&B, because I love playing soul and R&B and blues and that's something that a lot of people don't really know, because I've been doing all these rock records.”

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