RACINE — Once the lead singer of the band Journey, today Robert Fleischman lives in Racine, Wisconsin.
He has lived there for about six years. Most recently, he moved to a home along Lake Michigan's shore and is actually writing a song about the lake called Great Lake View. That song will be released in October as part of his newest all-electronic album.
“It’s really nice to be by the water. It’s very therapeutic," Fleischman said about his time living near the lake.
Since his days as the Journey frontman and co-writing songs like 'Wheel in the Sky' and 'Anytime', he has kept up making music and pursued painting. Lots of painting.
“When I got here I just went nuts, and so I filled up this whole place pretty much," he said regarding his Racine studio space.
It's an industrial warehouse space that he uses as his painting creation station. He mainly creates abstract paintings and collages. Each one is a representation of his thoughts and feelings at the time of its creation.
“They’re me. I just put a piece of me in every one of them.”
His art is featured in galleries in the Chicago area, in West Palm Beach, there’s a potential show in New York, and he’d like to get into the Milwaukee art space. You can see his work by viewing his Instagram page. Search Robert Fleischman on Instagram to reach him.
Fleischman moved to Racine with his wife and family so they could be closer to his mother-in-law. He said that he appreciates the quality of life in Wisconsin and how much more affordable Racine is compared to places like Los Angeles.
Fleischman was the lead singer of Journey back in 1977 from June to October before Steve Perry took over as frontman. Fleischman doesn’t have any regrets about leaving the band.
“It kind of worked out for the best for me in the sense of I didn’t have to have that pressure. I didn’t have to regiment myself so much.”
Songs like Wheel in the Sky and Anytime helped fund a lifetime of art.
“In my life, I’ve been able to just be creative and not have to worry about a lot of other things, you know.”
Today, Fleischman focuses on his paintings in Racine and the album he is recording in Milwaukee.
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