AMAZING JOURNEY was a one-off tribute band assembled by DREAM THEATER drummer Mike Portnoy to pay homage to THE WHO. On vocals would be Gary Cherone, of CHERONE, VAN HALEN and EXTREME repute, with PAUL GILBERT of MR. BIG and RACER X on guitar and BILLY SHEEHAN from MR. BIG, DAVID LEE ROTH, UFO and TALAS on bass. This impressive quartet undertook a brief burst of US shows in May 2006.

Unveiled in April 2007 new Rock outfit HURTSMILE was notably fronted by Gary Cherone along with brother Markus Cherone, of FLESH, OK PANIC and SUPERZERO, on guitar, Joe Pessia, of DRAMAGODS, POPULATION-1 and STATE OF THE ART, on bass and drummer Dana Spellman.