Captured by the Moment

The bitter tone Gregg sometimes uses when talking about Steve Perry in later interviews, the inconsistencies in his stories about their relationship, and the fact that they lived together for several years under the same roof have led some people (a part of the fandom here lol) to speculate that there might’ve been a romantic relationship between them that was never made public 🤫.

There are photos from the time where they appear very close, gestures that go beyond regular friendship 🤨, and Gregg’s lingering resentment toward Steve (he almost seems to blame him for leaving Journey) could actually reflect the pain of an unresolved romantic breakup.

If you look at the lyrics of five songs from his 1987 solo album Gringo "You Make It Hard On Me," "I Will Get To You," "Too Late, Too Late," "Talk Talk," and "The Hands Of Time", through this lens, they seem to tell the story of someone dealing with heartbreak, nostalgia, and emotional frustration. It's possible Gregg was expressing the pain of a romantic relationship with Steve that ended badly 💔.

👉 Let’s break down the first song, "You Make It Hard On Me":

"Heartbreak, I've had it rough In and out of love I think I'm losing touch Heartache, you make it tough (who, Steve made it tough for you Gregg? that's why you left Journey?) Everything I try to do is not enough"

"I'll ask you a question, don't tell me a lie (Gregg sometimes implies that Steve was not “honest” with him) How could you treat me this way? It's not gonna haunt me the rest of my life Someday you'll hear what I say"

These lines drip with emotional pain, like Gregg is struggling with the aftermath of a relationship that left him disoriented and hurt. The line “In and out of love” might hint at the ups and downs of a secret relationship, possibly one they couldn’t go public with due to the social stigma of the 70s and 80s. That secrecy could’ve contributed to a painful breakup and emotional void.

👉 Second song: "I Will Get To You" This one feels deeply romantic and nostalgic, almost like Gregg is sending a message to a lost lover (possibly Steve):

"Half a world away I hope you hear me say Each word of this message of love That I'm sending Open your eyes and see The love light burn Oh, open your arms to me And I'll return"

“Open your arms” could that be a subtle nod to Journey's Open Arms? Intriguing. And when he says “I'll return”, is he talking about wanting to return to Steve… or maybe even to the band?

👉 Third song. "Too Late, Too Late", this one seems full of regret and loss:

"I've got to leave I've got your name And I’ve got your number Who would believe That I’m walkin' away from your eyes?"

"If something goes between the two of us (😏) Don't you know it could be dangerous? 'Cause once we get started The sparks start to fly"

"I keep forgettin' I should get away I should be runnin' You know I can't stay" (and he didn't stay, in fact he left Journey)

Again, the implication is that things got too intense between them, so intense Gregg had to walk away, just like he walked away from Journey.

👉 Fourth song: "Talk, Talk" Here Gregg sounds frustrated with someone who talks a lot but says little of "substance". In one interview, Steve said Gregg “let him in emotionally and in other ways”, which could hint at a deeper connection. But Gregg has implied that Steve wasn’t entirely open with him. Could these lyrics be a jab? 🎯.

"Even if half of what you've got to say is true It's hard to take it serious When it comes from you"

"Talk, talk You're never gonna change No one is impressed by you (Steve has said many times that he was trying to impress the band members when he joined them in the beginning, could this be another reference?) Talk, talk It never stops"

"You're no secret agent You ain't that mysterious Do I look that naive?"

Is Gregg throwing shade at Steve’s well-known “mysterious” personality? Suggesting he knows the real Steve that the public doesn’t?

👉 Finally, "The Hands Of Time" This track is full of melancholy and reflection, like Gregg is reminiscing about the intimate moments they once shared.

"It's not a mystery that I feel this way With everything we've done and all we've said We can count all the hours from day to day We can look at the past and laugh in its face"

"There's no turnin' back I'll come runnin' back Give me a sign (here again Gregg is talking about coming back, he wants someone to give him a sign so he can come back) We can do anything that we wanna do But we can't look back There's no turnin' back the hands of time"

Then these lines hit especially hard when thinking about queer love in a past era:

"Another night alone doesn't make it right There's an empty place in my heart tonight We can stand in the light or we'll stand in the dark If we tear down the walls, we can make a new start"

What walls? Could this be a metaphor for the social stigmas that prevented them from being open about their relationship, the expectations of the music industry that forced them to maintain a heterosexual facade, or even the emotional barriers that might arise between them due to the pressure to keep their love a secret…? Or the emotional walls they built to protect themselves? Either way, it paints a picture of something that was real, painful, and ultimately hidden.

In short, I’d love to hear your thoughts do you think some of these songs might be about Steve and a possible hidden relationship with him? OR AM I GOING CRAZY?

“June 8th. My life has taken another turn again. The days can go on with regularity over and over, one day indistinguishable from the next. A long continuous chain. Then suddenly, there is a change”