For the Love of Strange Medicine

For the Love of Strange Medicine is the second solo studio album by Steve Perry, released on July 19, 1994 through Columbia Records. The came after a lengthy 8-year hiatus following the breakup of Journey. The first single "You Better Wait" received radio airplay, reaching the top 10 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart and peaking at #29 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album was certified gold by the RIAA in September 1994 and followed by a tour from 1994-95.

For the Love of Strange Medicine
Studio album by Steve Perry
Released	July 19, 1994
Recorded	1993
Genre	Rock
Length	53:02
Label	Columbia
Producer	James "Jimbo" Barton, Steve Perry, Tim Miner
Steve Perry chronology
Street Talk (1984) For the Love of Strange Medicine (1994) Greatest Hits + Five Unreleased (1998)
Singles from For the Love of Strange Medicine
"You Better Wait" Released: June 28, 1994[1] "Missing You" Released: August 1994 "Young Hearts Forever" Released: 1994 "Anyway" Released: 1994

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]

The song "Young Hearts Forever" was written by Perry as a tribute to his late friend, Thin Lizzy frontman Phil Lynott, who died in 1986.

Background

Journey released their ninth studio album Raised on Radio in 1986, which was Steve Perry's sixth album as lead singer. The band subsequently went on a hiatus in 1987. After the split Perry "didn't feel the passion" for writing and recording music, but eventually began writing songs for the album with musicians Lincoln Brewster, Paul Taylor, and Moyes Lucas.[1]

Track listing

Standard version

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"You Better Wait"	Steve Perry, Lincoln Brewster, Paul Taylor, Moyes Lucas, John Pierce, George Hawkins	James "Jimbo" Barton	4:51
2.	"Young Hearts Forever"	Perry, Clif Magness	Barton	4:43
3.	"I Am"	Perry, Taylor, Brewster	Barton	4:54
4.	"Stand Up (Before It's Too Late)"	Perry, Brewster, Taylor, Lucas, Larry Kimpel	Barton	4:49
5.	"For the Love of Strange Medicine"	Perry, Brewster, Taylor, Lucas,	Barton, Perry	5:52
6.	"Donna Please"	Perry, Taylor, Stephen Bishop	Barton, Perry	4:02
7.	"Listen to Your Heart"	Perry, Taylor, Brewster, Lucas	Barton	3:31
8.	"Tuesday Heartache"	Perry, Magness, Taylor, Brewster, Lucas	Barton	6:00
9.	"Missing You"	Perry, Tim Miner	Perry, Miner	3:48
10.	"Somewhere There's Hope"	Perry, Taylor, Brewster, Lucas	Barton	6:05
11.	"Anyway"	Perry	Perry, Miner	4:20

2006 re-release (bonus tracks)

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
12.	"If You Need Me, Call Me"	Steve Perry, Craig Krampf, Richard Michaels Haddad, Steve DeLacey	Perry, Randy Goodrum	5:50
13.	"One More Time"	Perry, Brewster	Perry	3:32
14.	"Can't Stop"	Perry, Goodrum, Michael Landau	Perry, Goodrum	4:08
15.	"Friends of Mine"	Perry, Josh Leo, Goodrum, Krampf	Perry, Goodrum	3:30
16.	"Missing You" (Live in San Francisco 12/9/94)	Perry, Miner		4:13

Notes (2006 re-release)

• "If You Need Me, Call Me" is a 1994 re-recording of a song of Perry's pre-Journey band, Alien Project.
• "One More Time" is an unreleased out take from 1994.
• "Can't Stop" and "Friends of Mine" are previously unreleased tracks from the 1988 unreleased Against the Wall album.

Personnel

• Steve Perry – lead and backing vocals
• Paul Taylor – keyboards (1-8, 10), backing vocals (1), synthesizers (11)
• Tim Miner – keyboards (9), acoustic piano (9, 11), bass (9, 11), backing vocals (9, 11)
• Lincoln Brewster – guitars (1-8), backing vocals (1)
• Michael Landau – guitars (11)
• Larry Kimpel – bass (1, 2, 4, 10)
• Mike Porcaro – bass (2, 3, 5, 6, 7)
• Moyes Lucas – drums (1, 4-8, 10), backing vocals (1)
• Jeremy Lubbock – string arrangements and conductor (3)
• James "Jimbo" Barton – string arrangements (3)
• Phil Brown – string arrangements (3), bass (8)
• Larry Dalton – string arrangements and conductor (9)
• Dallas Symphony Orchestra – strings (9)
• Alexander Brown – backing vocals (4, 10)
• Carmen Carter – backing vocals (4, 10)
• Jean McClain – backing vocals (4, 10)

Production

• Producers – James "Jimbo" Barton (Tracks 1-8 & 10); Steve Perry (Tracks 5, 6, 9 & 11); Tim Miner (Tracks 9 & 11).
• Production Assistant on Tracks 1-4, 7, 8 & 10 – Phil Brown.
• Engineers – James "Jimbo" Barton (Tracks 1-8 & 10); Tim Kimsey and Frank Salazar (Track 9); Craig Burbidge (Track 11).
• Assistant and Second Engineers – Bill Cooper, Devin Foutz, Manny Marroquin, Christopher C. Murphy, Kyle Ross, Rail Jon Rogut and Ulrich Wild.
• Mixing – Niko Bolas (Tracks 1, 2 & 6); Craig Burbidge (Tracks 3, 4, 5 & 7-11).
• Recorded at Ocean Way Recording and One On One Studios (Hollywood, California); Record Plant (Los Angeles, California); The Enterprise (Burbank, California); American Recording Studios (Woodland Hills, California); Knightlight Studios and Dallas Sound Lab (Dallas, Texas).
• Digital Editing – Brian Lee
• Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering (Portland, Maine).

Charts

Album

Chart (1994)	Peak position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[3]	91
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[4]	23
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[5]	44
UK Albums (OCC)[6]	64
US Billboard 200[7]	15

Singles

The following singles were released from the album, with the highest charting positions listed.

#	Title	Date	Hot 100	CAN
1.	"You Better Wait"	1994	29	1
2.	"Missing You"	1994	74

References

1. Rosen, Craig (11 June 1994). "Retail's Open Arms Greet Steve Perry". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 106 (24): 12–13. ISSN 0006-2510.
2. For the Love of Strange Medicine at AllMusic
3. "Longplay-Chartverfolgung at Musicline" (in German). Musicline.de. Phononet GmbH.
4. "Swedishcharts.com – Steve Perry – For The Love Of Strange Medicine". Hung Medien.
5. "Swisscharts.com – Steve Perry – For The Love Of Strange Medicine". Hung Medien.
6. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
7. "Steve Perry Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard.