After a year and a half of creative, romantic and monetary disappointment, I left the Art Institute of Philadelphia (and the Blizzard of '78) and took a Greyhound - one way, 55 bucks - to warm and sunny Orange County, California.

I spent a short time investigating a few melodic hard rock bands, singing a variety of material by Zeppelin, Boston and UFO. Journey came on real strong, and bands covered them, but Steve Perry's voice was too high and smooth to imitate well.

I was drawn to the slick pop of Journey's 1978 album Infinity - but 1977's Next, their last album before Perry came along, held a deeper fascination for its blues, progressive and fusion elements.

Fueled by Neal Schon's incendiary playing, I continued to practice with a vengeance. In the Summer of '79 I decided I missed the East coast, and I went back home - this time via Continental Trailways!