Steve Perry has confirmed he will not be joining Journey onstage during their upcoming Final Frontier tour.
In an interview published Tuesday by Ultimate Classic Rock, Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain said guitarist Neal Schon had reached out to Perry about the possibility of making a guest appearance on the tour.
“Neal already asked, and he says (Perry’s) thinking about it. I hope he comes out. It’s never too late. We’ve got 100 shows, so he’s welcome at any one of them,” Cain said. “He didn’t say no — leave it at that.”
However, Perry later addressed the rumors directly on his Facebook page, making it clear he will not be rejoining the band.
“I’ve been hearing these recent rumors, and I wanted to speak to you all directly,” Perry wrote. “While I’m always grateful for the love people still have for Journey, the rumors about me rejoining the band are simply not true, and I want to gently put them to rest.
“I completely understand why people would hope for that. The music we created together means a great deal to me too. But I’m continuing to explore new creative work and really enjoy working on new music that reflects where I am today.
“Thank you for your continued support throughout the years. Your loyalty has never gone unnoticed, and I am forever humbly grateful.”
Perry first left Journey in 1987, then returned in 1995 for a reunion that ended after one album and without a tour.
Journey’s Final Frontier tour is scheduled to begin Feb. 28 in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Cain, who co-wrote many of the band’s hits in the early 1980s, has announced he will leave the group at the end of the tour.