One More Album with Arnel

[JourneyHard]

I think Journey needs to make one more album with Arnel. They have done two with him already. Three seems like a good number. Now, Journey keeps saying they want to do a new sound, but they want to keep the Legacy Sound. This contradicts themselves. I know they already have a catalog of songs, and don't want to do songs that sound too close to them, but come one, people. Give the fans what they want to hear. They need to make a new album with Arnel that sounds like the 1980's. They need to do this for the fans, and for Arnel. He is been a trooper and singing his butt off on tour year in and year out. Let him sing some new stuff that sounds like we heard it before, but it is still new.

[Pacfanweb]

Problem is, nobody will buy it. They don't want to make a record that is going to lose money.

Classic rock bands don't sell anymore. Even if Perry came back and they did an album with him, it wouldn't sell well. Curiosity might get it to Gold, or somewhere between that and Platinum, but that's it.

Even U2's last album didn't sell, and they're the biggest band in the world other than maybe the Rolling Stones.

[ebake02]

Whole albums in general don't sell well anymore. Thanks to places like iTunes, the music landscape now is all about singles. I'd have to disagree about a perry reunion album though, perry loons and casual journey fans have been begging for a reunion for years so an album would go platinum easily simply based on that.

[scarab]

hopefully they will at least do a soundtrack song and get a little airplay.
Remember me was suppose to be the end song in Armageddon. just imagine how Journey's singles future would have been if that song got promotion.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Neal has stated on fb that he is writing new tunes with Arnel. This has been posted here in the forum too.

And Journey has never said they want a "new sound." Neal obviously wants to branch out and has said he doesn't want to do the same songs with diff. chords - which is what Revelation sounded like.

[Archetype]

I'd want it to have more of that soulful sound like Trial By Fire

[Lerxst101]

I would love to see a new album from them as well, but not one that is just phoned in. I would love one of two things: (1) the band writes like in the old days, where they are all in the room and jam/write together; or (2) I know it won't happen, but somehow get SP to contribute in some way -- whether that means he sits down with JC and/or NS. The real magic was in the blending of the three great minds. As individual parts, I was never as crazy about the songs written, but when the three of them were able to build off each other's ideas (I think Steve had the best mind for building a cohesive, well-crafted final product), magic happened. I just don't think the band as is has enough strong personalities to step on each other's toes and say when something doesn't work -- or be creative enough to say, "let's take this part and meld it with what you did in this other piece." Jack Blades, Glen Burtnik and others could fill that role, if they wanted to bring in an outside influence (even to act as a writer/producer).

But in the end, the lack of a financial gain from further writing is a major road block with this band; as is at least one member's apparent disinterest in writing/recording further with the band. Many artists feel the same way (thank goodness for bands like Rush, Iron Maiden, Springsteen, etc. that will go ahead and produce new music anyway), and understandably so. But if there were a way to economically write, record and distribute new music, that would be a savior for the music industry. And it would be so good for consumers -- think about the new, excellent music that used to come out continually. Back in the day, I used to love going into a record store and looking up at the board to see what bands were releasing new music in the coming weeks. There was a constant flow of creativity pouring out of bands old and new. Perhaps the younger generation will figure it out, and we will see consistent, quality music once again. (That is not commenting on the genre of music.) But I digress....

[Archetype]

I would love to see a new album from them as well, but not one that is just phoned in. I would love one of two things: (1) the band writes like in the old days, where they are all in the room and jam/write together; or (2) I know it won't happen, but somehow get SP to contribute in some way -- whether that means he sits down with JC and/or NS. The real magic was in the blending of the three great minds. As individual parts, I was never as crazy about the songs written, but when the three of them were able to build off each other's ideas (I think Steve had the best mind for building a cohesive, well-crafted final product), magic happened. I just don't think the band as is has enough strong personalities to step on each other's toes and say when something doesn't work -- or be creative enough to say, "let's take this part and meld it with what you did in this other piece." Jack Blades, Glen Burtnik and others could fill that role, if they wanted to bring in an outside influence (even to act as a writer/producer).

But in the end, the lack of a financial gain from further writing is a major road block with this band; as is at least one member's apparent disinterest in writing/recording further with the band. Many artists feel the same way (thank goodness for bands like Rush, Iron Maiden, Springsteen, etc. that will go ahead and produce new music anyway), and understandably so. But if there were a way to economically write, record and distribute new music, that would be a savior for the music industry. And it would be so good for consumers -- think about the new, excellent music that used to come out continually. Back in the day, I used to love going into a record store and looking up at the board to see what bands were releasing new music in the coming weeks. There was a constant flow of creativity pouring out of bands old and new. Perhaps the younger generation will figure it out, and we will see consistent, quality music once again. (That is not commenting on the genre of music.) But I digress....

Iron Maiden is about to release a double album with most songs averaging 10 minutes in length, one is 18 minutes. I guarantee it's going to sell well. Top 10 in the Billboard 200, no doubt at all, followed by a mostly sold out arena/ampitheater tour around the world. When bands like Journey, Styx, etc. say "piracy killed music, it's a singles world," it's just not true. Bands like Iron Maiden, Rush don't write for financial gain, but end up getting it anyway, because they write what they want to write, not cookie-cutter radio singles. People can see the passion and energy in their music, not just phoned in paint by numbers songs.

[Lerxst101]

Iron Maiden is about to release a double album with most songs averaging 10 minutes in length, one is 18 minutes. I guarantee it's going to sell well. Top 10 in the Billboard 200, no doubt at all, followed by a mostly sold out arena/ampitheater tour around the world. When bands like Journey, Styx, etc. say "piracy killed music, it's a singles world," it's just not true. Bands like Iron Maiden, Rush don't write for financial gain, but end up getting it anyway, because they write what they want to write, not cookie-cutter radio singles. People can see the passion and energy in their music, not just phoned in paint by numbers songs.

I cannot agree with you more. Great point!

[The_Noble_Cause]

Iron Maiden is about to release a double album with most songs averaging 10 minutes in length, one is 18 minutes. I guarantee it's going to sell well. Top 10 in the Billboard 200, no doubt at all, followed by a mostly sold out arena/ampitheater tour around the world. When bands like Journey, Styx, etc. say "piracy killed music, it's a singles world," it's just not true. Bands like Iron Maiden, Rush don't write for financial gain, but end up getting it anyway, because they write what they want to write, not cookie-cutter radio singles. People can see the passion and energy in their music, not just phoned in paint by numbers songs.

I cannot agree with you more. Great point!

With Generations, Eclipse, and Red 13, the band deliberately strayed from the formula. Were they rewarded with financial gain? Not really. The only Perry-less cd to sell was Revelation. And despite what some here say, the answer why is fairly obvious: Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of one of the best selling albums of all time.

[Memorex]

Iron Maiden is about to release a double album with most songs averaging 10 minutes in length, one is 18 minutes. I guarantee it's going to sell well. Top 10 in the Billboard 200, no doubt at all, followed by a mostly sold out arena/ampitheater tour around the world. When bands like Journey, Styx, etc. say "piracy killed music, it's a singles world," it's just not true. Bands like Iron Maiden, Rush don't write for financial gain, but end up getting it anyway, because they write what they want to write, not cookie-cutter radio singles. People can see the passion and energy in their music, not just phoned in paint by numbers songs.

I cannot agree with you more. Great point!

With Generations, Eclipse, and Red 13, the band deliberately strayed from the formula. Were they rewarded with financial gain? Not really. The only Perry-less cd to sell was Revelation. And despite what some here say, the answer why is fairly obvious: Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of one of the best selling albums of all time.

Yea - That wasn't a Steve-less album. He co-wrote nearly all the songs that people bought it for.

[Journey/Survivor]

Iron Maiden is about to release a double album with most songs averaging 10 minutes in length, one is 18 minutes. I guarantee it's going to sell well. Top 10 in the Billboard 200, no doubt at all, followed by a mostly sold out arena/ampitheater tour around the world. When bands like Journey, Styx, etc. say "piracy killed music, it's a singles world," it's just not true. Bands like Iron Maiden, Rush don't write for financial gain, but end up getting it anyway, because they write what they want to write, not cookie-cutter radio singles. People can see the passion and energy in their music, not just phoned in paint by numbers songs.

I cannot agree with you more. Great point!

With Generations, Eclipse, and Red 13, the band deliberately strayed from the formula. Were they rewarded with financial gain? Not really. The only Perry-less cd to sell was Revelation. And despite what some here say, the answer why is fairly obvious: Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of one of the best selling albums of all time.

It also had the DVD in addition to the two discs of new/remakes songs. Plus it had all of the publicity from Oprah, Ellen and other TV shows that were promoting it.

[Archetype]

Iron Maiden is about to release a double album with most songs averaging 10 minutes in length, one is 18 minutes. I guarantee it's going to sell well. Top 10 in the Billboard 200, no doubt at all, followed by a mostly sold out arena/ampitheater tour around the world. When bands like Journey, Styx, etc. say "piracy killed music, it's a singles world," it's just not true. Bands like Iron Maiden, Rush don't write for financial gain, but end up getting it anyway, because they write what they want to write, not cookie-cutter radio singles. People can see the passion and energy in their music, not just phoned in paint by numbers songs.

I cannot agree with you more. Great point!

With Generations, Eclipse, and Red 13, the band deliberately strayed from the formula. Were they rewarded with financial gain? Not really. The only Perry-less cd to sell was Revelation. And despite what some here say, the answer why is fairly obvious: Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of one of the best selling albums of all time.

Yes, the band deliberately strayed, but Journey's fanbase is comprised mostly of soccer moms who love to relive those pop-hooky songs they heard in high school back in the day. Iron Maiden and Rush have always written for themselves and no one else. Those who would appreciate Journey's attempts to escape the box the originally put themselves in have mostly written them off years ago. All my friends who otherwise hate Journey have pretty much enjoyed Eclipse and parts of Generations, but if I hadn't introduced it to them, they never would have given it a listen on their own, because it's Journey, the band that wrote songs for high school proms.

[The_Noble_Cause]

Yes, the band deliberately strayed, but Journey's fanbase is comprised mostly of soccer moms who love to relive those pop-hooky songs they heard in high school back in the day. Iron Maiden and Rush have always written for themselves and no one else. Those who would appreciate Journey's attempts to escape the box the originally put themselves in have mostly written them off years ago. All my friends who otherwise hate Journey have pretty much enjoyed Eclipse and parts of Generations, but if I hadn't introduced it to them, they never would have given it a listen on their own, because it's Journey, the band that wrote songs for high school proms.

So are you in favor of Journey deviating from the "legacy sound" or not?

[Archetype]

Yes, the band deliberately strayed, but Journey's fanbase is comprised mostly of soccer moms who love to relive those pop-hooky songs they heard in high school back in the day. Iron Maiden and Rush have always written for themselves and no one else. Those who would appreciate Journey's attempts to escape the box the originally put themselves in have mostly written them off years ago. All my friends who otherwise hate Journey have pretty much enjoyed Eclipse and parts of Generations, but if I hadn't introduced it to them, they never would have given it a listen on their own, because it's Journey, the band that wrote songs for high school proms.

So are you in favor of Journey deviating from the "legacy sound" or not?

They should be writing and releasing for whatever manifests organically. They shouldn't be deliberately trying to capture any kind of sound. If it sounds like the legacy sound, cool, if not, cool. Just don't make it sound contrived.

[JourneyHard]

I don't care if the new Journey album sells well. Arnel deserves one more bite at the apple regardless. I can write songs that sound like classic Journey. If I can do it, then I know Jon and Neal should be able to write even better songs because they ARE Journey. Just do it!

[FamilyMan]

I don't care if the new Journey album sells well. Arnel deserves one more bite at the apple regardless. I can write songs that sound like classic Journey. If I can do it, then I know Jon and Neal should be able to write even better songs because they ARE Journey. Just do it!

Why does Arnel "deserve" one more record? Will it somehow prove he has the same songwriting chops that Perry did? Is he popping out solo hits during his off-time from the band? Uh no. I think Arnel understands his role with the group and is quite comfortable with it. They are a touring act.

[tater1977]

I don't care if the new Journey album sells well. Arnel deserves one more bite at the apple regardless. I can write songs that sound like classic Journey. If I can do it, then I know Jon and Neal should be able to write even better songs because they ARE Journey. Just do it!

Why does Arnel "deserve" one more record? Will it somehow prove he has the same songwriting chops that Perry did? Is he popping out solo hits during his off-time from the band? Uh no. I think Arnel understands his role with the group and is quite comfortable with it. They are a touring act.

AP's solo CD ... Title : AP.ex ... released May 28, 2015 .. was a limited release; only 1,000 copies produced.

AP.ex is Arnel Pineda’s extended play album featuring three (3) English and three (3) Filipino of his own compositions:
◾Ewan Ko Ba
◾Owe
◾Paumanhin
◾Hiling
◾Wrong
◾Soulmate

As of July 19, 2015 ... there was about 300 copies still available for purchase.

[Sundet]

I'd want it to have more of that soulful sound like Trial By Fire

I completely agree with that. Trial is my favourite Journey record, but I think it owes most to that Perry/Cain songwriting touch. Schon/Pineda is probably something completely different. Schon always struck me as an out-and-out rock guy, while Cain and Perry had the eye and ears for subtlety (and not only in terms of the ballads).

[Abitaman]

I'd want it to have more of that soulful sound like Trial By Fire

Maybe or maybe not. I have days were I really like this cd and days I end up wondering what kind of crap is this.

[JourneyHard]

A new album isn't about proving Arnel is the greatest ever. It is just giving him a third chance to complete his stay. Here is the album: Rocker, Rocker, mid-tempo, mid-tempo, ballad, Rocker, Rocker, mid-tempo, ballad, and then finish it with the best Rocker you can write. End it with ten songs and leave them wanting more.

[Majestic]

Iron Maiden is about to release a double album with most songs averaging 10 minutes in length, one is 18 minutes. I guarantee it's going to sell well. Top 10 in the Billboard 200, no doubt at all, followed by a mostly sold out arena/ampitheater tour around the world. When bands like Journey, Styx, etc. say "piracy killed music, it's a singles world," it's just not true. Bands like Iron Maiden, Rush don't write for financial gain, but end up getting it anyway, because they write what they want to write, not cookie-cutter radio singles. People can see the passion and energy in their music, not just phoned in paint by numbers songs.

I cannot agree with you more. Great point!

...And despite what some here say, the answer why is fairly obvious: Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of one of the best selling albums of all time.

I have never heard anyone deny that Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of their hits, only that it was a bad idea with poor results and little musical impact. I know many member of this board who love the new stuff from Revelations, and not one who appreciates the re-records...do you like them? I sure don't. I have also read many reviews on the internet that were very positive about the fresh material, and indifferent to negative about the re-records. I haven't checked into this, but Reveltions is available on i-tunes, and perhaps someone who is familiar with i-tunes can go see which disc of songs has sold more. But you need to show some evidence for your statement rather than just assert it, because everything I know of suggests the re-records are not what sold Revelations. Two disks did have the effect of increasing the sales numbers because of how they tallied the two disk sales. In THAT way it is undeniable the re-records were a big part of its success. They could have made disk two full of Souled Space tracks to same effect, and I'd rather listen to an hour of Souled Space (silence for those of you who didn't buy Souled Sirkus) than anything off the re-record disk...and I like Arnel!

[The_Noble_Cause]

...And despite what some here say, the answer why is fairly obvious: Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of one of the best selling albums of all time.

I have never heard anyone deny that Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of their hits, only that it was a bad idea with poor results and little musical impact.

This is what happens when you quote people out of context. I was discussing why Revelation sold successfully compared to other post-Perry albums. Nobody denies that the re-records exist. What sense would that make?

But you need to show some evidence for your statement rather than just assert it, because everything I know of suggests the re-records are not what sold Revelations.

Lol. And you're evidence is where exactly? The underwhelming sales figures for Arrival, Red 13, Generations, and Eclipse are more than enough evidence for me. The hits sell. It's that simple.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I'd want it to have more of that soulful sound like Trial By Fire

Maybe or maybe not. I have days were I really like this cd and days I end up wondering what kind of crap is this.

Too many ballads. Boring. Individually, each TBF song is very good. But as a cohesive whole, it is fairly monotonous. The front end of TBF has some great uptempo stuff (MOL, OM, CB, FIB). The second half is just loaded with balladry. Even if they threw in "I Can See It In Your Eyes" (great tune), it still may not have been enough.

[FamilyMan]

...And despite what some here say, the answer why is fairly obvious: Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of one of the best selling albums of all time.

I have never heard anyone deny that Revelation came packaged with a re-recorded cd of their hits, only that it was a bad idea with poor results and little musical impact.

This is what happens when you quote people out of context. I was discussing why Revelation sold successfully compared to other post-Perry albums. Nobody denies that the re-records exist. What sense would that make?

But you need to show some evidence for your statement rather than just assert it, because everything I know of suggests the re-records are not what sold Revelations.

Lol. And you're evidence is where exactly? The underwhelming sales figures for Arrival, Red 13, Generations, and Eclipse are more than enough evidence for me. The hits sell. It's that simple.

I really don't think the re-records drove the sales of this album. I think it was the genius marketing deal made by Azoff to put the record on shelves at Walmart, combined with the new found publicity they were getting thanks to the Arnel story. If they really believed re-records were in demand, we probably would have had yet another 10-song CD by now.

[The_Noble_Cause]

I really don't think the re-records drove the sales of this album. I think it was the genius marketing deal made by Azoff to put the record on shelves at Walmart, combined with the new found publicity they were getting thanks to the Arnel story.

Nothing genius about it. Everybody from Springsteen to Loverboy to Foreigner went the Walmart exclusive route. And the disappointing sales of exclusives, like Eclipse, led to the Walmart executive in charge of such deals to be fired.

Even the cover artwork of Revelation is reminiscent of the cover of the best-selling greatest hits CD. You are completely in denial. Anybody who thinks that consumers were snatching Revelation off the shelves to hear "Like a Sunshower" is insane.

If they really believed re-records were in demand, we probably would have had yet another 10-song CD by now.

Recently, Jon and Neal are always talking about rerecording Arrival or other songs. So you're not too far off!

[Yoda]

I wouldn't mind one more album from Journey. I have a certain direction, musically, going on in my head as to how I think they should sound on a new album. Problem is, it's hard for me to describe it. I don't even know how I could go about describing it well enough to give it justice. I have Neal Schon's guitar solos from the Frontiers album going through my head as well as Cain's keyboard work, but then I have the sounds of Muse, Imagine Dragons, and 30 Seconds To Mars going through my head as well. I guess it's an album that has an unmistakably Journey sound to it, but it's intentions are not deliberate in trying to sound "modern" and at the same time, "Classic". You know it's Journey when you hear it, but it's something completely different than what they have ever done. It doesn't sound experimental. It just sounds like something that perfectly fits together, like so many of their classic albums. But, it's fresh, new, exciting. It's not a "Neal Schon" album. It's not a "Jon Cain" album. It's not an "Arnel Pineda" album. It's just a 21st century Journey album that would excite even the most critical Journey fan. Put it to you this way, it's a sound they would spend the rest of their musical days trying to expand upon. Such as they have done so with all of their classic albums. Always trying to find that next Separate Ways, or that next Open Arms or Faithfully, they would spend the rest of their musical days trying to expand upon this new sound.

[FamilyMan]

I found Eddie Van Halen's recent comments about DLR really interesting... the one where he said that Dave is in a place musically where he will no longer write Van Halen songs. "One of us listens to dance music, etc." They're not on the same page creatively. I sense that's what is going on with Journey now. Not all the members are willing to come to the table.

[JourneyHard]

I have a certain direction, musically, going on in my head as to how I think they should sound on a new album. Problem is, it's hard for me to describe it.

I, too, have a sound in my head and it is hard to describe as well. It is melodic with Neal's guitar being the focus, but not really shredding although there can be some of that. It is "melodic outer-space sound" for lack of any other term. This could be the coolest Journey album ever. Neal's soulful guitar with Jon's keys and the rest of the band take Journey out of this world. They need to experiment with making Journey sounding new and fresh while keeping it melodic and perhaps add harmonies. Now, if Neal and Jon can decode all of this, we're in store for a really cool album.

[Journey/Survivor]

What I would like to hear from a new Journey album is mostly Eclipse part II. However, I wish that Cain would switch out the piano and replace it with his Frontiers or Bad English era synth.

I love great piano playing, and Cain plays piano as well or better than anyone in Rock. But to be honest, I'm burned out on him playing piano in Journey. I somewhat miss his synth playing from the Frontiers and Bad English era.

So I'd mostly want to hear another guitar driven album like Eclipse. But what keyboards there are should be mostly his mid to late 80's synth sound. In a way I guess you could say I'd love a heavier version of the Frontiers album, or Bad English's first album.