Latest Arnel Interview

[STORY_TELLER]

Absolute BULLSHIT.

Only in the world of paranoia otherwise know as Loondom do people have the knee-jerk reaction of "steve perry" when they hear the word "Journey."

there's perry-on-the brain in that land, some of them sit around and goodle his friggin name bi-hourly.

Tell that to my monday night poker group who didn't even know Perry wasn't in the band anymore. I asked if they heard about the new singer and they said "when did Steve Perry leave?". Mind you, these guys make fun of me for even listening to Journey and most are younger than me.

But whatever. If you say so Joe-ann. You obviously know better. Your opinions always have the majority consensus and don't have a hint of the same jaded politics as SJ. Oh wait...

You guys can have the last word. I've said my peace and my statements stand. I'm done footballing this one. Enjoy.

Looking forward to Revelation. Thank god Augeri's gone.

[Red13JoePa]

If you say so Joe-ann. You obviously know better. Your opinions always have the majority consensus and don't have a hint of the same jaded politics as SJ. Oh wait...

You guys can have the last word.

We're not the same person.
SJ merely divides his devotion to perry as a singer and his recognition that as a bandmember from '84 on the guy behaved like an utter saboteur.

I don't even espouse the first part his doctrine.

Just because there are a vocal minority of fans who refuse to look the other way about his destructive tactics within that band doesn't mean we're all the same person.

[WIX]

word on idol.com is Randy Jackson took time away from his busy schedule to co produce the classic tracks, as you know he made mariah carey famous.

[Rip Rokken]

I'm pretty sure that Shirley did both the new album and the re-records.

That is my understanding also.

Hmm... different opinions... I had to go back and do some digging to see what I could find, and here's what I have -- first, this from a previous post from me in early April...

We'll have to listen to the whole song(s) to see if the band actually made any changes to the original riffs/vocals.

The blurb I heard, and it may have been from Caveman's diary, was that they'd been busy trying to make the songs sound as close to the originals as possible, so I've been expecting updated production, but not many (if any at all) changes to the riffs or instrument tones. I guess we'll see.

On closer recollection, I don't think this was from Caveman's diary, but was a blurb from another well-known musician who was working in a studio down the hall from Journey while they worked on these. He made the mention of them trying to get them as close to the originals as possible. Wish I could find it again... so maybe they worked on them in Cain's basement for a while, but I never had the impression the official re-records were done there. These sound much, much better than Red13 or Generations production-wise.

Next, here are all the Journey references I could find in Kevin Shirley's diary... he doesn't specifically mention working on the rerecords, but alludes to them a time or two:
___________________________________
WednesdayNovember14th2007Malibu, CA
Had to check my watch... Gosh, is it still 1980? * Finished a wonderful, succesful, stupidly creative stint in the Bay Area and then drove back home last night, feeling chuffed as only those rare, monster sessions leave you. Sometimes you just know when there's history in the making.

January1st2008Malibu, CA
I have been recording many new amazing Journey tracks in San Francisco, and am now mixing in Las Vegas, and still have a very busy schedule ahead.

FridayJanuary18th2008Malibu, CA
Also, been working on the Journey project, but there's little to say about it, that doesn't get someone somewhere upset, so I rather say nothing. It won't be finished for awhile yet, although my part is nearly done and it is really great, and right now I really can't wait to get home to my wife and kids.

February10th2008Malibu, CA
Journey have been preparing for an upcoming tour and I have been talking to band and management about all manner of things - from fees to mastering to songs, mixes, running orders.....

March3rd2008Malibu, CA
Off to New York City tomorrow - mastering Journey and a few meetings - then off to Vegas Friday to see Journey play Planet Hollywood Saturday night. Should be quite a show.............

March12th2008Malibu, CA
Flew into New York Tuesday night (March 4th) for a mastering session with mastering legend George Marino, who did a fabulous job with the new Journey album. It sounds fabulous - rich and lush and hi-fi - everything (and more) than you'd expect from Journey. I am seriously proud of this and really look forward to people hearing it. Journey do have some of the more psychotic and rabid internet fans, and it's not always fun dealing with them - but they know what they like, and I am expecting them to be very happily surprised! This guy has a set of pipes..... and the whole band is playing fantastically!

I've recorded Journey live at Planet Hollywood in Vegas on Saturday night, as part of their super-dooper package that's coming out. The show was great, and I will mix it next week, in stereo and surround, for the DVD that's part of their special Walmart package. It's called Revelation, and yes, I really do think it is fantastic! Journey fans have always been the toughest internet people - actually, back in the day I stopped all Journey chat because they get pretty heated and vitriolic - and it's already started again...... after one U.S. date and only 3 new songs played, there is every kind of criticism being hurled around, from the music relying too much on "the Legacy sound" (I thought you wanted that), to the music being too "rocky" (I thought you wanted that too), to the negative Perry comparisons (well, he ain't coming back) and JSS (I have never heard him), to the release being on Walmart (who along with Starbucks, are the biggest music retailers in the U.S. now), to my positive comments made during the recording - what do you want people? What exactly is it you would like? Actually, don't answer please - why not wait 'til you've heard it.......... enough of that madness already...... OY!

March22nd2008Malibu, CA
Busy, busy, busy.... it's been quite a couple of weeks. Holed up mixing some live Journey stuff in preparation for their jumbo June 3rd release. REVELATION. Anyone interested knows by now, that it's a collection of 2 CD's and 1 DVD, but what has me the most excited about it, is the new album with eleven original tracks. Ballads, rockers, progressive pieces - even a gorgeous instrumental to close - and I think the fans, both old and new, will love hearing what I think is the best album from Journey since Escape. (I know press releases have hinted at these things before, but I wouldn't say it if i didn't believe it). Schon and Cain's playing and writing is tuned into some higher source on this one.... well, you'll see soon enough.

FridayMarch28th2008Malibu, CA
Finishing the Journey DVD audio mixes - I hope those of you interested have surround sound, 'cos that's really the way to hear it - I mean there is a stereo track, of course, but surround is where it lives as a concert!

April20th2008Malibu, CA
Last week, I finished up stereo mixes of Maiden from all over the world; also updated Joe's live album by putting in a little more crowd (I had preffered it cleaner, but it sounds great this way as well), and worked on the live Journey DVD for it's June 3 release.

April26th2008Malibu, CA
Had to stick my head in and lend a hand with the edit of the Journey live DVD, as they were having an issue or two...

One thing I've not mentioned on the board before -- right before Vegas, I think Kevin himself was posting here as a new user. We PM'ed back and forth a few times when I originally thought he was Jonathan Cain, and he did mention being a "Bay Area Producer", but denied being a band member. His posts had specifically to do with talking up the re-records, going into a lot of detail about how amazing they would sound with certain aspects of modern production, and once I asked him if he was Kevin Shirley, he cut off our communications.

[The Sushi Hunter]

Not sure if this vid was posted yet on MR but I found it today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRPM4SzCFM

[Saint John]

Not sure if this vid was posted yet on MR but I found it today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRPM4SzCFM

That was pretty vocally stunning. It seemed done with great ease.

[Jeremey]

Not sure if this vid was posted yet on MR but I found it today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRPM4SzCFM

That was pretty vocally stunning. It seemed done with great ease.

I am surprised that people are throwing all manner of stuff up online with Arnel...Yeah, this is a good track, but it's twenty years old...It's hard to kind of sift through the wheat and the chaff with all the Amo/Arnel/Zoo cover songs that are being plastered everywhere. I'm still waiting for the record to decide if I'm completely impressed, but from the clips off the WalMart site, he and the band sound great.

[The Sushi Hunter]

I ran across that youtube vid in the office so I was unable to really turn up the volume too much until now when everyone cleared out for the day.

I'm not so sure this is actually a 1988 recording. I could be wrong but I will review my copy that I have on video and see if the guitar track is exactly the same. If this is the real deal and the guy that posted that had just so happened to tape AMO Doing that specific song, then I would safely believe that this guy probably has a lot of other songs that AMO did either on audeo or video/audeo tape.

Also I wonder if the guy purposely just had a collection of pix mixed to the track because Arnel doesn't want the video released by him on youtube. Interesting to me none the less.

[Saint John]

Not sure if this vid was posted yet on MR but I found it today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRPM4SzCFM

That was pretty vocally stunning. It seemed done with great ease.

I am surprised that people are throwing all manner of stuff up online with Arnel...Yeah, this is a good track, but it's twenty years old...It's hard to kind of sift through the wheat and the chaff with all the Amo/Arnel/Zoo cover songs that are being plastered everywhere. I'm still waiting for the record to decide if I'm completely impressed, but from the clips off the WalMart site, he and the band sound great.

What struck me more than anything was that, like you, he has obviously been a Journey fan for many years. It blows my mind that this guy's been singing Journey songs for over 20 years halfway around the fucking world. Good on him and his overall taste in music.

[The Sushi Hunter]

Not sure if this vid was posted yet on MR but I found it today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRPM4SzCFM

That was pretty vocally stunning. It seemed done with great ease.

I am surprised that people are throwing all manner of stuff up online with Arnel...Yeah, this is a good track, but it's twenty years old...It's hard to kind of sift through the wheat and the chaff with all the Amo/Arnel/Zoo cover songs that are being plastered everywhere. I'm still waiting for the record to decide if I'm completely impressed, but from the clips off the WalMart site, he and the band sound great.

What struck me more than anything was that, like you, he has obviously been a Journey fan for many years. It blows my mind that this guy's been singing Journey songs for over 20 years halfway around the fucking world. Good on him and his overall taste in music.

Back in those days (late 80's) the competition between bands in the Philippines, primarily in Cal-Jams was very fierce. Cal Jams was the number one club in that entire area. And as you can see in that compilation of pix, AMO Band had their name up in lights there. That said alot for the band and the demand for it. One way the band captured such recognition besides being the best band around was the fact that they would cover a very large list of greatest hits by greatest bands. The other way was how they would learn a song and perform it within a week or so of it's release into the public domain. So if you were to hear a new song on the radio, it would be a guarantee that going to see AMO in Cal Jams within a few days and you would see them doing it live during their evening show, and doing it as good as the original artist/band, if not better. That's a guarantee and that's what helped AMO in it's success. I know cause I saw it and I lived it when I knew them over there.

[Saint John]

Not sure if this vid was posted yet on MR but I found it today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRPM4SzCFM

That was pretty vocally stunning. It seemed done with great ease.

I am surprised that people are throwing all manner of stuff up online with Arnel...Yeah, this is a good track, but it's twenty years old...It's hard to kind of sift through the wheat and the chaff with all the Amo/Arnel/Zoo cover songs that are being plastered everywhere. I'm still waiting for the record to decide if I'm completely impressed, but from the clips off the WalMart site, he and the band sound great.

What struck me more than anything was that, like you, he has obviously been a Journey fan for many years. It blows my mind that this guy's been singing Journey songs for over 20 years halfway around the fucking world. Good on him and his overall taste in music.

Back in those days (late 80's) the competition between bands in the Philippines, primarily in Cal-Jams was very fierce. Cal Jams was the number one club in that entire area. And as you can see in that compilation of pix, AMO Band had their name up in lights there. That said alot for the band and the demand for it. One way the band captured such recognition besides being the best band around was the fact that they would cover a very large list of greatest hits by greatest bands. The other way was how they would learn a song and perform it within a week or so of it's release into the public domain. So if you were to hear a new song on the radio, it would be a guarantee that going to see AMO in Cal Jams within a few days and you would see them doing it live during their evening show, and doing it as good as the original artist/band, if not better. That's a guarantee and that's what helped AMO in it's success. I know cause I saw it and I lived it when I knew them over there.

Cool story, SH. Thank you.

[stevew2]

In this interview Arnel mentioned they originally would have recorded only four new songs.


http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.as ... yId=117601

What is the discriminated bullshit about? Am I the only one who read that??

[The Sushi Hunter]

In this interview Arnel mentioned they originally would have recorded only four new songs.


http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.as ... yId=117601

What is the discriminated bullshit about? Am I the only one who read that??

I think what Arnel's referencing is when there were a few articles on the net which was poking fun at Arnel for being "Asian." There was some candy bar that had some sort of racial reference to it. I think the site that this stuff was on has since been shut down or turned off/removed. But I do remember early on (way before Journey made the official announcement that Arnel was the chosen one) when there was racial jokes posted.

[stevew2]

In this interview Arnel mentioned they originally would have recorded only four new songs.


http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.as ... yId=117601

What is the discriminated bullshit about? Am I the only one who read that??

I think what Arnel's referencing is when there were a few articles on the net which was poking fun at Arnel for being "Asian." There was some candy bar that had some sort of racial reference to it. I think the site that this stuff was on has since been shut down or turned off/removed. But I do remember early on (way before Journey made the official announcement that Arnel was the chosen one) when there was racial jokes posted.

The interveiw was dated 5/08/08

[StoneCold]

Not sure if this vid was posted yet on MR but I found it today.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVRPM4SzCFM

That's unbelievable. Dude's been singing Journey dead on for 20 years and they just found him?

Poor management somewhere. Augeri lucked out youtube wasn't around.

[scarygirl]

They'll never free themselves of the Perry legacy, so they continue to milk it.

There is no "Perry legacy." Only a JOURNEY legacy that Perry was a part of. The "Steve Perry legacy" is Street Talk and FTLOSM. Hardly anything "legacy" worthy.

Nah, you're going overboard. Perry had a huge influence on that band's music and what they produced. Even Neal said they let him creatively steer the ship. The Journey we all love only sounds the way they do because of Perry's influence. He wasn't just the singer and you know it. The progressive rock band that was there before Perry wasn't going in the direction we now know them to be. Everything they've created since Perry left has been an effort to reproduce what they were with him, right down to his stylistic vocal inflections. That's the Perry legacy.

Absolutely. The proof is in the recordings of "Winds of March." Fleishman vs. Perry. It was Perry's hands down, NIGHT and day.. THat voice totally refined and redefined the band for all time. No one could ever accuse Perry of being a sound a like because he totally took that song and made it his own.

That said, I look forward to the new music. Steve, forgive me.

[stevew2]

All musicians are struggling,with every race,total bullshit excuse.Those coments will cease once Journey hits the road.

[The Sushi Hunter]

The interveiw was dated 5/08/08

Yes, but he's simply referencing in this interview on 5/08/08 what had happened early on (months ago) before the official announcement was made.

[stevew2]

The interveiw was dated 5/08/08

Yes, but he's simply referencing in this interview on 5/08/08 what had happened early on (months ago) before the official announcement was made.

He didnt say what happened earlier on,his statement is about current comments ,that is why it is dated 5/08/08

[StoneCold]

The interveiw was dated 5/08/08

Yes, but he's simply referencing in this interview on 5/08/08 what had happened early on (months ago) before the official announcement was made.

He didnt say what happened earlier on,his statement is about current comments ,that is why it is dated 5/08/08

Dude, its time Friga got a pink jacket.

[Abitaman]

Of course, I could always be wrong.

Say it isn't so. No!!! I can't believe it!!!! Have a good day NC-ERIC

[Saint John]

That's the Perry legacy.

In your opinion. Ask the "average Joe" in the music listening world and he couldn't even tell you that Journey was a progressive band before Perry or that their sound changed when Perry came along. Giving Perry credit for their initial musical change is utter bullshit. Herbert fascilitated that. What the "average Joe" could tell you is that he was the lead singer of Journey and they haven't heard from him forever. Most people ask me "What ever happened to that guy?" when the subject comes up. It would be like giving Cain all of the credit for the mega-success the band attained just after his arrival. Only that man-goo slurping Euro Matthew does that. That music was a collaborative effort by a group of awesome musicians, and their manager...the real guy "steering" the ship....til 1984 by most accounts. Perry had a lot to do with their musical dirrection, no doubt, but when he wrestled control away from Herbert and began "steering the ship" in 1984 the band was sunk like a Larry Bird free throw.

[Sarah]

The proof is in the recordings of "Winds of March." Fleishman vs. Perry. It was Perry's hands down, NIGHT and day..

Wait, there's a recording of RF singing Winds of March?

[Saint John]

The proof is in the recordings of "Winds of March." Fleishman vs. Perry. It was Perry's hands down, NIGHT and day..

Wait, there's a recording of RF singing Winds of March?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSGM_pZwsmY

[NealIsGod]

The proof is in the recordings of "Winds of March." Fleishman vs. Perry. It was Perry's hands down, NIGHT and day..

Wait, there's a recording of RF singing Winds of March?

RF? Ralph Furley?

[NealIsGod]

The proof is in the recordings of "Winds of March." Fleishman vs. Perry. It was Perry's hands down, NIGHT and day..

Wait, there's a recording of RF singing Winds of March?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSGM_pZwsmY

No true Loon can make it 30 seconds into that clip.

[mistiejourney]

The proof is in the recordings of "Winds of March." Fleishman vs. Perry. It was Perry's hands down, NIGHT and day..

Wait, there's a recording of RF singing Winds of March?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSGM_pZwsmY

No true Loon can make it 30 seconds into that clip.

Interesting! Not great, but interesting! It is weird hearing someone sing that knowing Perry probably had never even heard it!

Journey was Journey and sounded like Journey before they ever had a singer. At least that is my opinion based on what I have heard of the earlier pre-Perry albums. It still sounds like "Journey". Always has.

[AlteredDNA]

The proof is in the recordings of "Winds of March." Fleishman vs. Perry. It was Perry's hands down, NIGHT and day..

Wait, there's a recording of RF singing Winds of March?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSGM_pZwsmY

No true Loon can make it 30 seconds into that clip.

[Saint John]

The proof is in the recordings of "Winds of March." Fleishman vs. Perry. It was Perry's hands down, NIGHT and day..

Wait, there's a recording of RF singing Winds of March?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eSGM_pZwsmY

No true Loon can make it 30 seconds into that clip.

Let me start by saying that I think both versions of that song basically blow ass. However, to be fair to RF (and no Nig...not Ralph Furley!!! ) I'd say Perry's version is pretty much a rip off. Just like Wheel In The Sky. My day has just been brightened.

[scarygirl]

The proof is in the recordings of "Winds of March." Fleishman vs. Perry. It was Perry's hands down, NIGHT and day..

Wait, there's a recording of RF singing Winds of March?

RF? Ralph Furley?

ROTFL.