Walter James Herbert II (February 5, 1948 – October 25, 2021) was an American music manager and musician, best known for his work with Santana and Journey.

Career

Herbert got his start in the music business with the aid of his mentor Bill Graham. Through Graham, Herbert became a roadie for the multi-platinum-selling band Santana (where he met Neal Schon and Gregg Rolie). He managed Frumious Bandersnatch (where he met Ross Valory and George Tickner). When Santana imploded in 1973, Herbert put together the original lineup of Journey and remained its manager through 1993. Herbert was heavily involved in all business aspects of the band and traveled as their road manager. With a sharp business sense, Herbert brought everything in-house under the name of Nightmare Productions and pioneered the use of large screen videos (via the creation of Nocturne Productions), impressive lighting and sound for stadium-sized concerts. A shrewd businessman, Herbert made a fortune with Journey's real estate holdings, Nocturne Productions, and catalog management. He and Jim Welch, Journey's art director, devised a creative marketing plan to promote the band using artists Stanley Mouse and Alton Kelly, thematic one-worded album titles, and exposure at point-of-purchase outlets. In 1993 Steve Perry asked that he resign from managing Journey due to personality conflicts.

In addition to his work with Journey, Herbert managed The Steve Miller Band and co-managed Swedish groups Roxette and Europe.

He also managed Mr. Big, Enuff Z'Nuff, and Journey offshoots The Storm and Hardline. In the late 1990s, Herbert moved from behind the scenes into the spotlight, recording three albums as Sy Klopps and touring the San Francisco Bay Area with the Sy Klopps Band, which has included current and former Journey band members Neal Schon, Gregg Rolie, Prairie Prince, and Ross Valory.