no1uknow wrote:I know you are all going to jump me when I voice my opinion but here goes. Hubby and I went to the show at St. Louis and were so excited to hear Arnel sing after all the great things we had been hearing about him. When he started to sing we just looked at each other and shook our heads. We were not impressed at all. I'm sure he's a nice guy and all but in my opinion he is not the right fit for Journey and his singing leaves a lot to be desired. They tried to drown him out by making the music so loud it almost burst our ear drums. JSS was the man for the job. I don't know what happened there but they messed up when he left or was told to leave Journey. I won't be going to any more of their concerts. I'll content myself to listen to my cd's when Steve Perry was the lead singer. Okay, go ahead and curse, insult, and try to shame me. Just my opinion as I said.
Saw for myself in Seattle, so I KNOW how good the guy is. Many people can't get over the fact that he's Asian. Many can't get over the fact that he's not Mr. HunkyDude. Many can't get over the fact that he's not Jss, Steve Augeri, or Steve Perry. Many won't listen with an open mind or open eyes because of those factors. Their prejudice is their loss. (not all prejudices are ethnic-based folks... "prejudice- to pre-judge").
The fact is that when I saw them on the 19th, Arnel OWNED each and ever song he sang. Some of them were GASP! MUCH BETTER than Perry's live versions, some of them rivaled his studio versions. Not all, but some. Personally, and this is on vocal ability ALONE (Not writing ability, not looks or any of that other BS that SOME female fans get so hung up on that their ears seem to quit working) I think that Arnel is AS GOOD [Revised that to NEARLY as good] as Perry was on the Escape Tour. I think he's missing a touch of the bottom end Perry had in his voice, but everything else seems to be there in spades. I think the two singers are pretty freakin' comparable which is amazing that TWO rock voices like that can exist on ONE planet.
I don't have the tour sheet in front of me, but I know Arnel was sick a few weeks ago. Not sure when SL was.
I have YET to read a bad review from this tour and I have read as many as I can get my hands on, because the "Arnel Saga" (Rocky 11) is very interesting to me. But I DO see that many folks (largely female) seem to have an agenda, and I guess they think they'll get Perry back in the band by intentionally turning off their ears (ain't gonna happen folks!) and keep singing the praises of Perry and not enjoy what is now a vital, WORKING band.
Maybe this isn't YOUR slant, but it kind of seems like it from the tone of your post. Too bad, it's great stuff and they are kicking America's ASS right now. Awesome! Cool to see someone's dream coming true right before our eyes. Don't get much cooler stories than that.
Have fun listening to the old stuff, it's great!