Credit goes to Ambassador of Global
November 8, 1:56 PMBoise Rock Music ExaminerRustyn Rose
Few bands have the enormous acceptance and universal appeal of Journey. They have somehow avoided, for the most part, the standard love 'em or hate 'em tag most bands seem to have. Journey has always had broad appeal for listeners of all genres of music, and all age groups. The heaviest of metal fans still enjoy Journey, as do fans of country, rap and R&B. Their hit 'Don't Stop Believin' is the most downloaded song in modern history, and was used as the backdrop for the final scene in the last iconic scene from the HBO hit series, The Sopranos.
Their history and music span 30-plus years and four decades. Unlike many of their musical counterparts who are touring again and living off their legacy, Journey is still creating genuinely solid new material.
In 2008, the San Francisco bay area boys, unveiled their third full time lead vocalist, Arnel Pineda. Like Journey themselves, everything about Pineda is a feel good story in the making. After the band lost long time vocalist Steve Augeri to health problems in the midst of their 2006 tour, the band turned to their friend, Jeff Scott Soto, to complete the tour. Soto is a phenomenal vocal talent, with a huge stage presence. Unfortunately, Soto's sound and style did not really fit the full time mold of Journey's sound. Enter Pineda, a cover band singer living in his home of Manila, Phillipines.
Journey guitarist, Neal Schon found videos on YouTube of Arnel fronting his band, The Zoo, in which he covered several classic Journey songs. After making contact with an awestruck Pineda, the band brought Arnel stateside for a two day audition. Obviously, the results speak for themselves. Much, like the storyline in the movie, Rockstar, the former Journey tribute singer became the real thing.
Pineda's style and sound closely matches Journey's classic sound and the vocal style made famous by Journey's original vocalist, Steve Perry. Pineda brings a fresh energy to the bands massive catalog of music, as witnessed from his very first live performance with the band at a concert in Chili:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUkksIV8 ... r_embedded
Arnel proved to be a breath of fresh air for the band as they began their fourth decade. Perhaps that's why they chose to name their first CD with Pineda, Revelation. The new CD was released through Wal-mart and Sams Club only as a three disc set, including a disc of 11 new songs, a disc of 11 re-recorded classics, and a live DVD from their 2008 Las Vegas performance. The CD was an instant hit, and more than just a marketing ploy to get the new music into listeners hands by packaging it with the old. Revelation is the best new Journey CD in years, spawning their newest ballad, 'After All These Years', which falls into the classic 'Open Arms', and 'Faithfully' mold. The album also shines with great uptempo rockers like the opener, 'Never Walk Away', and the feel-good track, 'Change For the Better'. With a new CD and singer, Journey embarked on one of their largest tours in recent memory, including a monster show in Pineda's home of Manila, which the band wisely recorded, and released this month, again through Wal-mart.
The band brings the best of their history to their present with Live in Manila which was filmed in March, 2009. The DVD is a 2-disc set featuring 25 songs and lasting almost two and a half hours. Most of the bands hits are represented as well as stand out tracks from Revelation. The DVD gives you a full show which the Revelation DVD only teased fans with. Drummer Deen Castronovo, who has an excellent voice as well, picks up lead vocal duties on the tracks 'Mother, Father', 'Still They Ride', and 'Keep on Runnin'. Pineda, handles the other 22 tracks, and shows fans exactly why, after scouring the globe, this is the man the band chose. Below is a small taste from the Manila show of Pineda and Journey performing, 'Faithfully'
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GdEkGiS ... r_embedded
If you are a diehard fan or simply a casual fan of Journey, this is an excellent well-rounded set for your collection. Hardcore fans may be disappointed by the absence of a few of their less familier hits, such as 'Just the Same Way', 'Higher Place', and 'Who's Crying Now', but they are on other Journey DVDs.
Journey is still as relevent today, if not more so, than they were when they debuted in 1973. Pick up the Revelations CD and the Live in Manila DVD, for yourself, or as Christmas gifts for the music fans on your list.
If you enjoyed this article, please check out my articles on two other American classics, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Cheap Trick. Cheap Trick spent much of 2008 on tour with Journey before heading out with Def Leppard in 2009.
