Arnel and Neal: CBS5 Interview

[Dzaek]

like the person that "saw the homesickness" in his eyes during a meet and greet. Good god...could it had been the look of "aw shit...here I go again with another dreaded cattle call meet n' greet with over-analyzing fans that are going to immediately spew what they just did over the internet?"

Could it have been? Sure. But I know what I saw. I saw a dude that misses his family and wants to go home. Simple as that and I don't blame him!!! I'd question the man if he didn't miss his country and family!!!

Couldn't agree with you more Dan. He longs for comfort of familyand home. In one conversation, he mentioned paperwork for his family is being taken cared of, but with kids, perhaps it would take a bit longer, education among other things.
Its the homestretch of a gruelling tour, and surely Arnel is very much looking forward to his homecoming, albeit short one. Yes, I would also question him if does not miss his country and family. Heck...even his friends...LOL

[Saint John]

And that comment about not knowing and not doing as much next tour, how could they not know what rigorous touring does to their lead singers???? I just get this awful feeling they (the Journey machine) are just going to eat him up and spit him out.

Your fears are unfounded.

After the show I saw last night, I don't think Deb's fears are unfounded. I don't think those in the band or management or whoever is in charge, think about the big picture and the affect on the singer. Example. Last night Arnel sang "La Do Da" to a crowd who mostly could care less. Only the hard core fans were into that song. The fans at this show were mainly there for the Dirty Dozen as they were made up of Cheap Trick & Heart fans as well as Journey fans. It is a very demanding song to sing and one he struggled with so.....why is it in the set? Maybe it is an acknowledgment to longtime fans, but at what expense to the singer?

That's a great point. I've been saying this forever. If you're going to play a song no one knows/cares about make it a NEW one!!! It allows Arnel to showcase one of his songs, sells you a few albums and allows his voice a break!!!

It would be sad for them to not listen to the health and well being of the lead singer. Face it, he is the front man, and his vocal chords can take only so much. He is their bread and butter, they should be mindful of this.

Arnel can handle it. No problems. Everyone is worried for NO reason. Relax and go have a glass of milk.

You're drinking Strawberry Qwik out of your sipper cup aren't you?

[Don]

Lora states:

"After the show I saw last night, I don't think Deb's fears are unfounded. I don't think those in the band or management or whoever is in charge, think about the big picture and the affect on the singer. Example. Last night Arnel sang "La Do Da" to a crowd who mostly could care less. Only the hard core fans were into that song. The fans at this show were mainly there for the Dirty Dozen as they were made up of Cheap Trick & Heart fans as well as Journey fans. It is a very demanding song to sing and one he struggled with so.....why is it in the set? Maybe it is an acknowledgment to longtime fans, but at what expense to the singer?"

_______________________________________________________________________________________________
I agree with Lora, and I am the biggest Neal and Jon cheerleader, but when you compare what he's singing to another singer night after night there's no comparison. I've said this somewhere else on here, but his voice won't last for many years if that's the type set they're going to do every tour or they will need more breaks for him to rest his voice. I know the fans want every one of the big powerhouse songs, but too bad. There has to be a mix of songs to take the pressure off of him. This year it was a smart move. Arnel was introduced for the first time. The casual fan got all the big hits and it's a high energy concert. People love him. But it can't be like this every year with those type of songs back to back. Otherwise, his voice will deteriorate. They're throwing Deen back in again. That's good. And singing with Jon was a good idea, not a taxing song. But I do have faith in Jon and Neal. This is the most momentum they've had in years, fantastic power singer, hit album, great publicity. They will do right by Arnel.

Maybe he picked La Do Da himself, I can't imagine why they didn't pick another ballad like Send her my Love or Stay Awhile.
The test will be next year touring without all the hoopla from the youtube story and a new album and (to me a big factor) Heart. The sets will probably be longer which is going to be rough if Deen gets tired of having to pick up the slack.

[pineda1]

I guess I'm the only one who finds this to be a strange interview. Neal talking about "We're taking care of him", and "We bought him a laptop with a camera so he could see his family"! If you ever doubted whether or not Arnel was a hired hand...here is your proof!


John from Boston

Not only that....look at the body language. Arnel's arms crossed, staring down, Neal finger pointing. There was an old style Nick Schlong bitch slapping of Arnel back stage....and Arnel's showing his bruises on camera.

While, I would agree with any band member, that you present a unified front to the press...and never show weakness....the fact that Arnel did was either him being completely naive and stupid (which is hardly believable, given that he reportedly had a bunch of high pinoy charting albums)....or he's so conflicted that he's desperate for an outlet....


The review suggests to me that Arnel got loose lipped, he got beat down for his mistake...and Nick Schlong comes swooping in for damage control....

I hope Arnel can now learn a lesson that when one is in the public eye, honesty is not always the best policy and that there are things better left unsaid.

[Andrew]

Hope so, for Arnel's sake. But I just can't see him pushing back to the extent Perry or Soto would have.

lol...This whole notion that Soto would have said anything and driven any sort of creative control is bullshit!!! He wouldn't have said anything!!! The gig pays too much. Yeah, he's gonna risk stadium shows over 25 people at Paladino's. Riiiiiight. Again, you lump in Soto with a legend. Perry had the talent and the hits to demand shit. Soto has neither...relatively speaking. I think Neal and Jon know what they're doing and a guy with the resume of Soto doesn't have anything on his plate to demand anything. Would they have entertained his thoughts and ideas? Absolutely. Would he have contributed? Absolutely. But don't tell me for one fucking second that after they were done laughing at any demand he made they wouldn't have sent his ass packing. Or maybe they did.

Sigh....

[etcetera]

I guess I'm the only one who finds this to be a strange interview. Neal talking about "We're taking care of him", and "We bought him a laptop with a camera so he could see his family"! If you ever doubted whether or not Arnel was a hired hand...here is your proof!


John from Boston

Not only that....look at the body language. Arnel's arms crossed, staring down, Neal finger pointing. There was an old style Nick Schlong bitch slapping of Arnel back stage....and Arnel's showing his bruises on camera.

While, I would agree with any band member, that you present a unified front to the press...and never show weakness....the fact that Arnel did was either him being completely naive and stupid (which is hardly believable, given that he reportedly had a bunch of high pinoy charting albums)....or he's so conflicted that he's desperate for an outlet....


The review suggests to me that Arnel got loose lipped, he got beat down for his mistake...and Nick Schlong comes swooping in for damage control....

maybe his English just ain't so good. understanding or answering. as a second language, there may have been something in the way that the question was asked that changed what he thought it meant. or the look on the interviewers face. the "miserable" comment has a whole different meaning in print than it does when you see his face when he says it. it is impossible to get the full meaning without seeing all the components. RS just picked up the snits to use against Journey--big surprise. and Arnel is getting the worst of it, it appears.

From a cultural standpoint, I can't deduce anything conclusively negative from Arnel's inflections and nuances in the raw video.

[Saint John]

Hope so, for Arnel's sake. But I just can't see him pushing back to the extent Perry or Soto would have.

lol...This whole notion that Soto would have said anything and driven any sort of creative control is bullshit!!! He wouldn't have said anything!!! The gig pays too much. Yeah, he's gonna risk stadium shows over 25 people at Paladino's. Riiiiiight. Again, you lump in Soto with a legend. Perry had the talent and the hits to demand shit. Soto has neither...relatively speaking. I think Neal and Jon know what they're doing and a guy with the resume of Soto doesn't have anything on his plate to demand anything. Would they have entertained his thoughts and ideas? Absolutely. Would he have contributed? Absolutely. But don't tell me for one fucking second that after they were done laughing at any demand he made they wouldn't have sent his ass packing. Or maybe they did.

Sigh....

Apologies, boss. One of nuts got caught in my zipper and I was in a bad mood yesterday. Won't happen again.

[annpea]

Arnel, truly doesn't appear to be as happy as he was at the start of this tour. As for RS if they still have a knife for Journey,s back, after all these years they need to get a life; that was indeed a dirty trick that writer pulled on Arnel. A real ugly American moment there. Somethings he's gonna have to get use to. Sometimes you just can't run home when the going gets rough; Neal is going to have to let Arnel fight his own battles. Arnel looks like he can handle himself. J/K If he can't he can always call Steve Perry up and learn how to say Fuck you in fifty different ways

[stevew2]

Now this is pretty friggin funny. Arnel originally says what's on his mind and obviously couldn't conceal his homesickness. Now the Journey Camp, no doubt with the Fro and Friggameister at the forefront, are trying to spin Arnel's original intent to make it look it was all written out of context.

Geez, the dude can't have an authentic emotion and talk about it without Neal ,Cain , and their p.r. goons going nuts. They've slapped Arnel's hand now, so don't expect to hear anything but the status quo from now on...."Journey is the greatest thing to ever happen to me" and "Everything is fantastic"!! I guess this is how they've kept their puppets...er....singers in line, since Perry loosened his vice-grip from their balls.

Maybe , Perry should show Arnel how to use the vice-grips, I noticed how Neal wouldn't let Arnel complete a full sentence on his own. Arnel looked like he would be guitar whipped if he said the wrong thing.

I agree ap, if he said one wrong thing he d been cold cocked with the Les paul

[stevew2]

i:x thank goodness he let in the transvestites to take up the slack.

You're kidding?

There is something so wrong with those people. I would've thrown them out and preferably had someone (not me I wouldn't want to touch them) beat their ass.

You ld be playing with her nuts on the way out and you know. If i ever hear you try to sing Im popping your tire on your beige Malibu Tom

[Saint John]

i:x thank goodness he let in the transvestites to take up the slack.

You're kidding?

There is something so wrong with those people. I would've thrown them out and preferably had someone (not me I wouldn't want to touch them) beat their ass.

You ld be playing with her nuts on the way out and you know. If i ever hear you try to sing Im popping your tire on your beige Malibu Tom

[annpea]

Now this is pretty friggin funny. Arnel originally says what's on his mind and obviously couldn't conceal his homesickness. Now the Journey Camp, no doubt with the Fro and Friggameister at the forefront, are trying to spin Arnel's original intent to make it look it was all written out of context.

Geez, the dude can't have an authentic emotion and talk about it without Neal ,Cain , and their p.r. goons going nuts. They've slapped Arnel's hand now, so don't expect to hear anything but the status quo from now on...."Journey is the greatest thing to ever happen to me" and "Everything is fantastic"!! I guess this is how they've kept their puppets...er....singers in line, since Perry loosened his vice-grip from their balls.

Maybe , Perry should show Arnel how to use the vice-grips, I noticed how Neal wouldn't let Arnel complete a full sentence on his own. Arnel looked like he would be guitar whipped if he said the wrong thing.

I agree ap, if he said one wrong thing he d been cold cocked with the Les paul

Man, cold cocked to hell and back.

[tammy]

And that comment about not knowing and not doing as much next tour, how could they not know what rigorous touring does to their lead singers???? I just get this awful feeling they (the Journey machine) are just going to eat him up and spit him out.

Your fears are unfounded.

After the show I saw last night, I don't think Deb's fears are unfounded. I don't think those in the band or management or whoever is in charge, think about the big picture and the affect on the singer. Example. Last night Arnel sang "La Do Da" to a crowd who mostly could care less. Only the hard core fans were into that song. The fans at this show were mainly there for the Dirty Dozen as they were made up of Cheap Trick & Heart fans as well as Journey fans. It is a very demanding song to sing and one he struggled with so.....why is it in the set? Maybe it is an acknowledgment to longtime fans, but at what expense to the singer?

He sang La Do Da? I love that song. True that only a few would want to hear it, 'tho. From watching that interview clip I can see that AP is just being honest about his feelings, yes, he does very much miss home and family...I don't know why they seemed to think it was necessary to call it an exageration...he also obviously loves being on the stage, too and having this opportunity. Did I miss something? Why can't they have his girlfriend and child(ren) come visit? I think we can get a sense of how tough it is for the lead singer to not only be missing home/own culture, but having to be isolated in hotel rooms, not talking, socializing in order to save the voice...see how tough it was for SP back then.