.EBET ROBERTS/REDFERNS/GETTY IMAGES (SCHON)
WHEN JOURNEY FORMED in the early ’70s, it was a mind-blowing experience to witness this spectacular young guitarist — who as a teenager had turned down a job offer from Eric Clapton and left his gig with the Santana band — step out on his own and play with such fire, passion and intensity. As Journey moved away from their early fusiony sound and began transforming into the pop-rock megaband we know and love, Schon’s playing remained incredibly soulful and bluesy. He’s always crafted his solos with great compositional skill that moved the music and kept the listeners wanting more. Schon wasn’t labeled a “shredder” per se (which can be a good or bad thing, depending on one’s perspective), but he’s had a certain willful restraint in his playing that few pop-rockers have been able to display so naturally. He’s always sounded perfectly in sync with the songs, and was never one to blow solos for the sake of, well, blowing. Just listen to Schon’s lead work on “I’ll Be Alright Without You” or “Patiently,” or when he goes all-out on “In Self Defense,” and you’ll hear that soaring, voice-like quality in his playing