The son of a woodwind player, Neal himself played the oboe for many years b… Read Full Bio ↴The son of a woodwind player, Neal himself played the oboe for many years beginning in high school. Schon first picked up the guitar at the age of 10. He joined Santana as a teenage prodigy at the age of 15. Schon had famously been asked by Eric Clapton to join Derek and the Dominos, but decided instead to join Santana for the album Santana III. Schon also played in Azteca before moving on to form Journey, a group he continues to lead.

The late-1970s arrival of Eddie Van Halen quickly eclipsed Schon's bravado, giving rise to a new era of the technically facile rock guitar virtuoso. Nonetheless, Schon has secured a place as a respected and influential blues rock guitarist.

Besides numerous albums with Journey, his work also includes a pair of albums with keyboardist Jan Hammer, short-term collaborations with Sammy Hagar (HSAS and Planet Us) and Paul Rodgers, stints with Bad English (which also featured Journey’s Jonathan Cain and Deen Castronovo and Jonathan Cain's former Babys bandmates John Waite and Ricky Phillips) and Hardline (which also featured Deen Castronovo). Even as Journey’s latest lineup plays to a still-faithful body of fans, Schon is immersed in side projects such as Piranha Blues (1999) and "Black Soup Cracker" a funk outfit that features former Prince associates Rosie Gaines and Michael Bland, and most recently Soul SirkUS with Jeff Scott Soto.

Neal Schon can be heard on three tracks on Michael Bolton's The Hunger, with the Schon sound most recognizable on "(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay". Schon's style can best be characterized as aggressively soulful, taking obvious inspiration from 1960s-era soul singers such as Aretha Franklin and Gladys Knight, and blending them with blindingly fast bluesy runs similar to Johnny Winter and Alvin Lee.

Schon currently endorses Gibson guitars, and has a signature Les Paul model, but also uses Paul Reed Smith guitars. In the late 1980s, Schon manufactured and played his own line of guitars.

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Neal Schon Lyrics

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Schon Neal
Late Nite
Steps
(Instrumental)
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Overall Meaning

As the title suggests, "Steps" is an instrumental track by legendary rock guitarist Neal Schon. The song opens with a serene and mellow sound, almost like a lullaby, with Schon playing a soft guitar melody accompanied by gentle piano notes. The song gradually builds up, adding more layers of sound and musical motifs, showcasing Schon's exceptional musical talent and virtuosity. The song has a dreamy quality to it, and it feels like taking a journey through a sonic landscape, experiencing different emotions and atmospheres along the way. The motifs and melodies seem to intertwine and overlap, creating a complex and intricate soundscape that engages the listener's imagination.

Interpreting the lyrics of an instrumental song can be a challenging task, as there are no actual lyrics to analyze. However, one could argue that the various musical motifs and melodies in "Steps" can evoke different emotions and moods, expressing a certain message or idea without using actual words. The serene opening melody could represent a sense of peace and tranquility, while the later parts of the song could signify a journey or a pursuit of something greater. Overall, "Steps" is a beautiful and captivating instrumental track that showcases Schon's musical genius and his ability to create immersive soundscapes.

Contributed by Xavier E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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