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Randy Jackson rejoins Journey as bassist

Randy Jackson has rejoined Journey as a bassist.

The former ‘American Idol’ judge previously played bass for the band in the mid-Eighties, appearing on the band’s 1986 LP ‘Raised on Radio’ and he has now returned to the line-up.

Journey’s Neal Schon wrote on Twitter: "Ok Friends word is out! @randyjackson RJ the Big Dawg is our new Bass player again. Journey is an ever-changing unstoppable force. This is a completely new chapter for us and can’t wait to get to it! The King is back @randyjackson."

And Randy wrote: "Y’all vibe with @journeymusicofficial revival tonight!? The boys are back."

Narada Michael Walden has also joined the band as the drummer.

Back in March, Journey fired longtime bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith for an alleged "malicious and very ill-conceived" coup attempt to gain control of the band’s copyright from Schon and Jonathan Cain.

Schon and Cain’s lawyer told Rolling Stone magazine: "The Journey name is controlled by Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain. And for very good cause, they don’t want to perform with Smith or Valory anymore, they don’t want to have anything to do with them, and that’s their right. They’re going to go on with Journey, continue with the great success of the past and these two guys are going to get replaced."

Valory – who was also fired by the band in 1985 and replaced by Jackson – and Smith later countersued.

Meanwhile, Journey have postponed their summer tour with The Pretenders due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.