Drumming News :
Leaving a major band is never simple—and for renowned drummer Steve Smith, parting ways with Journey was more than just a career change. It was a personal and emotional upheaval that took time, reflection, and resilience to move through.
In a recent appearance on the Go With Elmo Lovano podcast, Smith opened up about the difficult transition following his firing from Journey in 1985. At the time, the band was at the height of its fame, and Smith—then seen as a core part of their sound—suddenly found himself on the outside.
“It was a hard transition,” Smith admitted, “because I was invested as being a bandmember. I wasn’t a sideman. I was an equal member. It was like a divorce, and then there was a lot of legal work to officially separate.” Despite the split, Smith noted he technically remained part of the Journey corporation for some time after his departure, adding an extra layer of complexity to an already challenging exit.
But even in the midst of the emotional and legal fallout, Smith never let the loss define him. “My identity and my direction, it wasn’t connected to being the Journey drummer,” he said. “It was definitely part of who I was during that time, but it wasn’t the entirety of it.”
Smith’s post-Journey path led him back to his musical roots. A seasoned jazz player before joining the arena rock juggernaut, he reimmersed himself in local jazz scenes and international touring with groups like Steps Ahead. That reconnection to his craft helped him move forward.
“And that saved me in a way, emotionally,” he shared. “I could go out and play with local jazz guys from San Francisco or go on tour, eventually, with Steps Ahead.”
His first move after the split? Drum clinics. Smith turned to education, quickly lining up workshops through Sonor and Zildjian in late 1985 and into 1986. “I had been asked to do clinics most of the whole time I was with Journey, but I didn’t have time,” he said. Once he was free, he embraced the opportunity—and it ultimately led him to new musical ventures, including Steps Ahead.
The year after his exit was tough, Smith acknowledged. “It was a difficult transitionary year, but I wasn’t gonna let it stop me or derail me from my idea of what I wanted to be as a musician.”
Nearly four decades later, Steve Smith remains a revered figure in both rock and jazz circles, a drummer who refused to let a setback silence his rhythm. His journey—ironically, post-Journey—became a testament to reinvention, resilience, and staying true to one’s musical identity.
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