MR

Journey may go on hiatus after 2016

By Allan Policarpio
Philippine Daily Inquirer
May 3, 2013


MANILA, Philippines–American rock band Journey may go on a two- to three-year hiatus after they finish their commitments with entertainment company Live Nation Entertainment in 2016, said Filipino frontman Arnel Pineda.

“We might take a break after 2016, and who knows what will happen after that,” he told the Inquirer during his launch as the ambassador of Puregold’s “Tindahan ni Aling Puring” campaign Friday.

Asked if the band will resume touring after the hiatus, Pineda said he wasn’t certain. “It depends if there’s still a demand for us to be up onstage . . . If there’s clamor from fans for us to perform in different places, then we’ll go out…We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it,” Pineda added.

The 45-year-old Filipino rock star, who joined Journey in 2007, has been in the country for a little over a month after holding shows in Singapore, Japan, New Zealand and Australia earlier this year. Pineda is currently preparing for a series of gigs in the United Kingdom and Germany, which kicks off May 16.

Pineda said that he’ll probably spend the break promoting his solo album, which he’s currently working on. “I already have 12 songs which I’ve recorded in my home studio,” he related.

Meanwhile, he explained the reason behind cancellation of Journey’s Manila concert that was supposed to be held on March 21 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. “It’s because of sluggish ticket sales. I think it was just wrong timing—kids were graduating and people were preparing for Holy Week.”

“I was disappointed because I was very much looking forward to [the show],” Pineda said, adding that the Manila concert may push through in 2015. “But I hope we can do it sooner.”


Read more: http://entertainment.inquirer.net/92239 ... z2SFg54pcC

Okay, seriously. Three more years of touring and then a two- to three-year break?!? These guys can't plan their next two weeks properly - how does AP think that they have already mapped out the next 5-6 years? Manilla in 2015?? Sounds like someone is just feeding a line. If by some miracle they make it to 2016, that will be the end. For god's sake, they will be 65-70 years old!

fightingilliniJRNY wrote:Okay, seriously. Three more years of touring and then a two- to three-year break?!? These guys can't plan their next two weeks properly - how does AP think that they have already mapped out the next 5-6 years? Manilla in 2015?? Sounds like someone is just feeding a line. If by some miracle they make it to 2016, that will be the end. For god's sake, they will be 65-70 years old!

If they can't sell tickets in Manila now, I don't see how they could in 2015.

This summer they have big gaps with the touring schedule. Usually they release all the dates in April, not sure what they are doing anymore.

Don wrote:
If they can't sell tickets in Manila now, I don't see how they could in 2015.

Because they've over saturated the market. They need to get off the road for a bit so that there's more demand to see them.

brywool wrote:

Don wrote:
If they can't sell tickets in Manila now, I don't see how they could in 2015.

Because they've over saturated the market. They need to get off the road for a bit so that there's more demand to see them.

I'm talking about Manila. I don't see how one show in 2009 is over saturating the market.

From the way it sounds, they don't plan on getting off the road at all for the next three years. Basically, they're gonna play everywhere they can while they are still under the Live Nation umbrella.

No mention of an album beyond his own solo effort.

The songs are already recorded so he hopes to promote it when they go on hiatus three years from now?
Must be taking lessons from Steve Perry.

brywool wrote:

Don wrote:
If they can't sell tickets in Manila now, I don't see how they could in 2015.

Because they've over saturated the market. They need to get off the road for a bit so that there's more demand to see them.

Exactly. Journey is a nonstop touring machine that never learns to take a break. REO, Styx, Chicago, Night Ranger...etc, they all do the same thing, and completly saturate the heck out of the market. At least in the 80s, they took a couple year hiatus in between tours to rest and/or work on an album. There is something to be said about the saying "With absence, the heart grows fonder". Really, I cant think of another band at Journey's stature and popularity that do tour constantly like they do.

jrny84 wrote:

brywool wrote:

Don wrote:
If they can't sell tickets in Manila now, I don't see how they could in 2015.

Because they've over saturated the market. They need to get off the road for a bit so that there's more demand to see them.

Exactly. Journey is a nonstop touring machine that never learns to take a break. REO, Styx, Chicago, Night Ranger...etc, they all do the same thing, and completly saturate the heck out of the market. At least in the 80s, they took a couple year hiatus in between tours to rest and/or work on an album. There is something to be said about the saying "With absence, the heart grows fonder". Really, I cant think of another band at Journey's stature and popularity that do tour constantly like they do.

Again, how does that apply to Manila?

Anyway, that's what the article is saying: that in 2016, they are quitting the road for a few years.
If they come back a few years later, we are talking about a 70 year old Ross and 68 year old Cain and a 52 year old Pineda. Wow. If four nights a week is the limit now, what will they do then, two shows a week?

When they took 2010 off they came back with a new album and DSB was still popular (though the frenzy was beginning to wain). If they take a year off now, that's one year lost for touring Live Nation venues. Also, with no new album and Arnel's movie finally done what do they do to get momentum back from being gone for a year? Tricky situation.

I think they are done in 2016. Arnel should be set for life, if he's managed his money well. He may get some trickle in royalties from their music while he was in the band, but such checks would be quite small and infrequent. Back to the night club scene for him, unless another rock band picks him up. The rest of the band will be fine as well.

I think they are done the second the Santana album happens.. then the year plus long tour.. and BOOM.. suddenly Journey hasn't done anything for 2 years..

fightingilliniJRNY wrote:Okay, seriously. Three more years of touring and then a two- to three-year break?!? These guys can't plan their next two weeks properly - how does AP think that they have already mapped out the next 5-6 years? Manilla in 2015?? Sounds like someone is just feeding a line. If by some miracle they make it to 2016, that will be the end. For god's sake, they will be 65-70 years old!

The stones are 70+, their drummer is 72 of course, journey wont be able to do what they are doing without their original singer( they wouldn't be able to do it with perry, they are just not as iconic as the stones)

Neal has to have time to get MARRIED, maybe that's why they have so many breaks. LOL

That's a pretty bold statement from someone who is basically a hired hand and has no decision making authority. Makes me wonder if Neal and Jon are aware he's making this kind of announcement considering this is from a Filipino news source.

ebake02 wrote:That's a pretty bold statement from someone who is basically a hired hand and has no decision making authority. Makes me wonder if Neal and Jon are aware he's making this kind of announcement considering this is from a Filipino news source.

not really.. Arnel is pretty deferential to Neal and Jon... so I'd bet any info he divulges is because he's been told so..

ebake02 wrote:That's a pretty bold statement from someone who is basically a hired hand and has no decision making authority. Makes me wonder if Neal and Jon are aware he's making this kind of announcement considering this is from a Filipino news source.

Arnel is a full partner, no longer just a hired hand. I suppose he has as much right to go blabbering around as any of them.

Given how this band operates, I'll believe it when I see it.

They're gonna milk the next 2 - 3 years of the cash cow. Who can blame them? The money is there. But.....if they are gonna do that, they should just go out and have fun and play everything from A-Z. It's not like they have time to build a better reputation or sell a whole bunch of albums. This a great case for playing the newer songs too.

I no longer see the band taking a break in 2014. It's already May and they've only got 15 U.S. dates lined up for this summer. Usually, Journey tickets go on sale six weeks to two months prior to the show. Right now, there's a big gap in their schedule from June to the middle of July with only two shows on the docket.

Don wrote:I no longer see the band taking a break in 2014. It's already May and they've only got 15 U.S. dates lined up for this summer. Usually, Journey tickets go on sale six weeks to two months prior to the show. Right now, there's a big gap in their schedule from June to the middle of July with only two shows on the docket.

Santana coming? Neal has been hanging out with Steve Smith a lot lately. No way there is anything commercially viable there. Has me scratching my head, actually, unless those two are also gonna start hanging out with Greg Rolie and Steve Perry, then there might be some cause for a bit of nervousness.

steveo777 wrote:

Don wrote:I no longer see the band taking a break in 2014. It's already May and they've only got 15 U.S. dates lined up for this summer. Usually, Journey tickets go on sale six weeks to two months prior to the show. Right now, there's a big gap in their schedule from June to the middle of July with only two shows on the docket.

Santana coming? Neal has been hanging out with Steve Smith a lot lately. No way there is anything commercially viable there. Has me scratching my head, actually, unless those two are also gonna start hanging out with Greg Rolie and Steve Perry, then there might be some cause for a bit of nervousness.

Any Folk with creativity hanging around Neal has to be a good thing. Arnel obviously isn't the answer; He has shown he's a good clock puncher though, very happy to be there.

ebake02 wrote:That's a pretty bold statement from someone who is basically a hired hand and has no decision making authority. Makes me wonder if Neal and Jon are aware he's making this kind of announcement considering this is from a Filipino news source.

Probably. Remember when he said he was tired of touring and wanted out or something to that effect? Then he and Neal had to back-step that quote.

If Arnel is smart, he'll grab his money and ride like the fuckin' wind as soon as his "obligation" is up.

verslibre wrote:If Arnel is smart, he'll grab his money and ride like the fuckin' wind as soon as his "obligation" is up.

He's had a great ride and I realy hope it has made him and his family secure for the rest of their days. He's a good person and very deserving. Amazing how human he's remained though the process. Whatever happens with Journey, I will always have a great deal of respect for Arnel.

Assuming everything Arnel Pineda has stated is actually true, the band has already called it quits. They are just tying up loose ends at this point, which may or may not take them into 2016. All of the interviews I've read and listened to on a collective bases doesn't point toward an ongoing bright future for the band. They all seem to be talking about other interests; Jon's Nashville thing, Neal and Santana, Pineda and his upcoming solo album, etc...not a whole lot about Journey's future. Folks, it's winding down, better grab a concert while you still can.

Yoda wrote:Assuming everything Arnel Pineda has stated is actually true, the band has already called it quits. They are just tying up loose ends at this point, which may or may not take them into 2016. All of the interviews I've read and listened to on a collective bases doesn't point toward an ongoing bright future for the band. They all seem to be talking about other interests; Jon's Nashville thing, Neal and Santana, Pineda and his upcoming solo album, etc...not a whole lot about Journey's future. Folks, it's winding down, better grab a concert while you still can.

If I don't ever see another, I've seen enough. It's been a lot of fun following this band.

Rick wrote:

Yoda wrote:Assuming everything Arnel Pineda has stated is actually true, the band has already called it quits. They are just tying up loose ends at this point, which may or may not take them into 2016. All of the interviews I've read and listened to on a collective bases doesn't point toward an ongoing bright future for the band. They all seem to be talking about other interests; Jon's Nashville thing, Neal and Santana, Pineda and his upcoming solo album, etc...not a whole lot about Journey's future. Folks, it's winding down, better grab a concert while you still can.

If I don't ever see another, I've seen enough. It's been a lot of fun following this band.

I hear you and second that.

Rick wrote:

Yoda wrote:Assuming everything Arnel Pineda has stated is actually true, the band has already called it quits. They are just tying up loose ends at this point, which may or may not take them into 2016. All of the interviews I've read and listened to on a collective bases doesn't point toward an ongoing bright future for the band. They all seem to be talking about other interests; Jon's Nashville thing, Neal and Santana, Pineda and his upcoming solo album, etc...not a whole lot about Journey's future. Folks, it's winding down, better grab a concert while you still can.

If I don't ever see another, I've seen enough. It's been a lot of fun following this band.

If I can't see another journey show, I'm glad the Journey concert I saw was a killer show.

Yoda wrote:not a whole lot about Journey's future.

What exactly is there to say? They are a profitable touring entity. That is all.

Yoda wrote: Folks, it's winding down, better grab a concert while you still can.

Sure, sure. And after "Arrival" flopped that spelled the end. And when Neal left to do Soul Sirkus that signaled the penultimate death knell. Blah, blah, blah. Here are the facts - Journey remains the members' primary cash cow and they will milk it until its udders up in the turd blossum field.

Having followed and supported this band for the decades many of us have and having remained a loyal fan through all the drama, disappointments, awesome shows, thousands upon thousands of dollars spent on tix, swag, 4 Star, 5 star, etc., etc., I really hope when Neal decides to officially retire the Journey brand, that they don't just fade into the sunset but instead do an official farewell tour. Sure the ultimate way to go out would be to have past band members sit in for various songs, but that's a Helluva lot to ask for but hey, it's my fantasy, I'm goin' with it!

JRNYMAN wrote:I really hope when Neal decides to officially retire the Journey brand, that they don't just fade into the sunset but instead do an official farewell tour. Sure the ultimate way to go out would be to have past band members sit in for various songs, but that's a Helluva lot to ask for but hey, it's my fantasy, I'm goin' with it!

From everything I've seen over the years, it seems like the band is much more likely to opt for the "fade into the sunset" approach, which will always leave the door open for another tour in a few years if they feel like it.

If the subject of a farewell tour ever came up with past members of the band involved, you can be sure the finger will be pointed back in Perry's direction for cheating the fans out of such an experience.