It was previously revealed that Journey were working on a new album and now it looks like we may get the effort’s first single next month. During a recent interview with Rolling Stone, guitarist Neal Schon said that the band are planning to release a new song in mid-February.

Schon said the following about the progress the band have made on their new album:

“It’s coming along, man. It’s really shaping up. Narada [Michael Walden, producer/drummer] and I have been working nonstop. Jonathan [Cain, keyboards] is also working from his houses in Florida and Nashville. Arnel [Pineda, vocals] is working from Manila. [Bassist] Randy Jackson is working mostly from L.A. And it’s one of those Zoom sessions and it sounds phenomenal. It sounds like we’re all playing in the room at the same time. I actually can’t wait until we do get together and start putting the show together. The new single should be coming out mid-February.”

He also added the following when asked how the group’s new lineup has impacted their sound:

“You have to hear it for yourself. It still sounds very much like Journey thanks to the songwriting, my guitar playing, and the vocals. But the rhythm section is definitely a powerhouse. Narada has been known for years, and Randy Jackson is a completely monstrous bass player. Some people may not be aware of his work, but they have credentials that go way, way back. Randy and I have always been pretty in tune, and Narada and I are in tune. And now it’s coming together. It’s got a new strut to it.

There’s nothing we really can’t play. I’ve got a track I laid down with Narada the other day. I sent it to Arnel and he was freaking out. He said, ‘This sounds like brand-new [Jimi] Hendrix or Prince. Please write more of that.’ And I was just messing around. It was just a jam we did and it turned out to be monstrous. We’re creating. We aren’t afraid to go to new places. It’s easy to stay safe and write where we have always been. We have a bit of that so we don’t lose everyone, but at the same token, this is a new chapter of Journey. I want to go where we have not gone before.”

It was recently revealed that Journey were working on a new album and now it looks like we may get the effort’s first single this summer. During a recent appearance on SiriusXM’s “Trunk Nation,” guitarist Neal Schon said that he is hoping to release a new song in July.

Schon said the following:

“It’s been a crazy year, and many, many changes to come. And [I’m] just staying busy. The best thing I can do is stay busy, stay healthy and write music. And so I’ve been taking advantage of this time off. We had already taken a year off from touring. We were expecting to tour this year and it didn’t happen. And so [I’m] writing music, coordinating a lot with Jon Cain [keyboards] and Narada Michael Walden [drums] and Randy Jackson [bass] and Arnel [Pineda, vocals]. And we are off and running, man. We have, like, five new songs in the making right now, and hopefully a single coming out in July sometime.”

He went on to say that the band “have not yet been able” to get together in person:

“Arnel has been in the Philippines, and there’s a whole bunch of hoops that you have to jump through for him to get over here, with quarantine and everything else. I’ve been working in the studio here, ’cause Narada lives close by, and I’m working at his studio and I’m laying down tracks with live drums and guitar, much like I’ve done with many, many records. And so it’s a comfortable situation for me. I like playing with guitar and drums, and it’s a great way to create, especially rock. And I’ve created many records like that, going back to Jan Hammer. So we’re in a good flow right now. And Randy is recording his parts in L.A., Jonathan is recording his parts in Florida, Arnel is recording his parts in the Philippines. And it’s a virtual record right now. But I am looking forward to getting together in the same room… In the meantime, I feel like we should just continue doing what we’re doing and creating new music. I feel by the time that we actually get out, we could possibly have two new records done.”

He also added the following when asked about release plans:

“The first song that we recorded, Arnel had just finished vocals on it, I believe, yesterday. And so now we’re gonna get it into the mixing stages. Hopefully, I think sometime in July — sooner or later in July.”

[via Blabbermouth]