Arnel - a good fit for Journey???

[Saint John]

It's easy to hear that DSB is being sung by a "foreigner." NO amount of speech correction will change that. This is an atrocious version. It's fucking ridiculous to even think that he needs to be corrected when he says "living just to FOUND emotion." There are so many misspoken words I'm not going to waste my time. This guy has a tremendous voice...he should sing songs in his native language. They're literally going to have to go through every song with him to ensure proper pronunciation and tense. For this dude? Absurd.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88nfiZ-y ... ed&search=

I agree, and I'm not buying it either, this would not make sense even considering that it is Journey we are talking about.
If they took pause with Jeremey after offering him the job and said whoa, wait we are moving too fast here, whouldn't they explore other options especialy considering the senario SJ just explained.

I have a VERY strong feeling that management sees a goldmine in the Asian market....a fucking goldmine. It's the only way this makes sense. This guy is literally gonna be the butt of jokes in the U.S. Like it or not, fair or unfair, it's GONNA happen and it's gonna be bad. He seems like a great person and an even bigger talent, but IF this happens he's gonna be introduced to some shit I don't he's ready for...nor should he be. Only good thing he has going is that Journey is all but irrelevant now anyway. I'll give this lineup a shot, but I predict disaster.

[CatEyes]

Just getting a guy that may or may NOT be all of the things mentioned in this thread....doesn't mean the utterly disgracefully bad shit that has come out of Nomota since 02 just goes away in a poof.

Thanks Frank ..... and this point is one thing that really pisses me off......

As Frank said "the disgracefully bad shit that has come out of Nomota since '02" ..... in past years many people have been bloodied for even questioning it!!!!

There is a lot of bad blood on the turf .........

It will be a huge task for just one singer in a rock and roll band to make it all go "poof" .. that is a lot to ask of anyone.

Cat

[Escape Artist]

It's easy to hear that DSB is being sung by a "foreigner." NO amount of speech correction will change that. This is an atrocious version. It's fucking ridiculous to even think that he needs to be corrected when he says "living just to FOUND emotion." There are so many misspoken words I'm not going to waste my time. This guy has a tremendous voice...he should sing songs in his native language. They're literally going to have to go through every song with him to ensure proper pronunciation and tense. For this dude? Absurd.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88nfiZ-y ... ed&search=

I agree, and I'm not buying it either, this would not make sense even considering that it is Journey we are talking about.
If they took pause with Jeremey after offering him the job and said whoa, wait we are moving too fast here, whouldn't they explore other options especialy considering the senario SJ just explained.

I have a VERY strong feeling that management sees a goldmine in the Asian market....a fucking goldmine. It's the only way this makes sense. This guy is literally gonna be the butt of jokes in the U.S. Like it or not, fair or unfair, it's GONNA happen and it's gonna be bad. He seems like a great person and an even bigger talent, but IF this happens he's gonna be introduced to some shit I don't he's ready for...nor should he be. Only good thing he has going is that Journey is all but irrelevant now anyway. I'll give this lineup a shot, but I predict disaster.

Completely toss your entire fan base and your legendary American Band status to tour Asia for a few years??
Let's hope not SJ, you could be dead on but I hope not.

[EightyRock]

I don't see giving them a shot at another round of dirty dozen with yet another singer....that they're gonna screw anyway.
It's about more than the music with them, these days. It's about what kind of people these musician's are and if I want to support that. I gave them another shot after the Augeri mess and supported Soto. They didn't record anything new with him and decided to seek another Perry clone, instead. They are boring old farts trying to capitalize on the Asian market and Perry's vocal fame. Even their former peers in the industry think they're slime.

[EightyRock]

Completely toss your entire fan base and your legendary American Band status to tour Asia for a few years??
Let's hope not SJ, you could be dead on but I hope not.

They don't just have to tour Asia. There are enough Asians here that would follow Arnel in whatever American band he'd sing in. I'm sure Azoff has thought of that, too. Maybe Neal is hot on some.....eh.....nevemind.

[Matthew]

It's easy to hear that DSB is being sung by a "foreigner." NO amount of speech correction will change that. This is an atrocious version. It's fucking ridiculous to even think that he needs to be corrected when he says "living just to FOUND emotion." There are so many misspoken words I'm not going to waste my time. This guy has a tremendous voice...he should sing songs in his native language. They're literally going to have to go through every song with him to ensure proper pronunciation and tense. For this dude? Absurd.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88nfiZ-y ... ed&search=

I agree, and I'm not buying it either, this would not make sense even considering that it is Journey we are talking about.
If they took pause with Jeremey after offering him the job and said whoa, wait we are moving too fast here, whouldn't they explore other options especialy considering the senario SJ just explained.

I have a VERY strong feeling that management sees a goldmine in the Asian market....a fucking goldmine. It's the only way this makes sense. This guy is literally gonna be the butt of jokes in the U.S. Like it or not, fair or unfair, it's GONNA happen and it's gonna be bad. He seems like a great person and an even bigger talent, but IF this happens he's gonna be introduced to some shit I don't he's ready for...nor should he be. Only good thing he has going is that Journey is all but irrelevant now anyway. I'll give this lineup a shot, but I predict disaster.

But Saint John...you've also said he's the best guy since Perry....so that alone "makes sense" of any decision to hire him. I can't quite tell where you stand on Arnel.

And if you do rate him as highly as you sometimes say you do...then are you really saying he shouldn't be hired because some bonehead in the audience will have a problem with his nationality?

Finally...what is it with some of you Americans? It's not like you live in Scandanavia where everyone is blonde and blue-eyed. If ever there was a country full of different races and cultures and communities with roots all over the world it's the USA...yet you make out that a foreigner arriving on your shores has some kind of shock value. This isn't some lame-arse PC comment either. Just genuinely surprised by how insular and threatened so many posters from the US here seem to be about Arnel. Or am I reading this wrong?

[Eric]

Is there anything else to say???

Nope. Well, maybe that Jeremey is too much his own man and too talented to be satisified with being nothing more to Journey than a Perry impersonator.

I don't like the fact that Journey was too afraid to go into more of a new direction with JSS or Augeri either...HOWEVER.....what makes Jeremey a better singer than Arnel and how is he not an impersonator?

[Eric]

[quote="strangegrey"] the utterly disgracefully bad shit that has come out of Nomota since 02 just goes away in a poof.

Since '02? Explain? Again, you've argued that their attendance has gone down since the Arrival tour but that is just not true at all. The crowds have grown each year.

[Perrydise]

Deb used an excellent word PASSION. Something both Perry and Soto have. In another post I said that both these men commanded the stage and the music. They have presence. I have watched the youtube videos and then I have listened to them. These are videos done during shows which people paid to see. Well I am sorry, I dont see it and I certainly dont hear the passion, charisma and excitment of Perry or Soto. I went to a concert when Augeri was fronting and I left after 5 songs. He was bland to me, boring, no excitment and I feel Arnel is the same. If this was a performance to a paying public, they got ripped off (IMO).

I wonder if the next Journey release will done done in english and fillipino (chances are that will happen - Neal wouldnt back down on a chance to make an extra 50 cents)

[Matthew]

Deb used an excellent word PASSION. Something both Perry and Soto have. In another post I said that both these men commanded the stage and the music. They have presence. I have watched the youtube videos and then I have listened to them. These are videos done during shows which people paid to see. Well I am sorry, I dont see it and I certainly dont hear the passion, charisma and excitment of Perry or Soto. I went to a concert when Augeri was fronting and I left after 5 songs. He was bland to me, boring, no excitment and I feel Arnel is the same. If this was a performance to a paying public, they got ripped off (IMO).

This is true...the You Tube clips don't show that Arnel can command a crowd...but the shows were at sedate little hotel drinks clubs with everyone sitting down politely. Even JSS wouldn't have roused those audiences.

But I felt the same way as you when I saw Augeri. Terrible. In fact, I'm still so glad he's no longer in Journey I feel nothing but love for whoever they hire next.

[donnaplease]

I haven't been posting here but I feel compelled to respond to this b/c it's so inaccurate it's not even funny.

1. Arnel Pineda is 40 years old. I guess he could be Jon Cain or Ross Valory's son, but barely. He is hardly a kid. He's just less than 2 years younger than Jeff so if u call Arnel a kid, u had better be calling Jeff one too.

2. Arnel has been a professional singer since 1983. Yes, u read that right! He has made a living singing since that time. He has not worked another job.

3. Arnel has had 2 albums on major labels, a solo album on Warner & an album out currently on MCA. Yes, the same MCA that Irving Azoff used to be president of. Yes, they were released in Asia but that doesn't discredit the major labels. That's more than Journey can say in the last several years.

4. Arnel speaks English fluently. He has an accent, but it's only slight. Listen to the YouTube clip of him singing Survivor's Ever Since The World Began. He forgets the 1st line & embarassed, talks about it in English. That means he not only speaks English, but THINKS in English. BTW a Chinese person might say "Oh Shellie" but a Filipino person would not. Not all Asians have the same accent. Making those remarks is ignorant! If any of u know anything about dialect coaches, they're ten a penny in acting. Such a person could work w/Arnel for 2 weeks and his accent would not be detectible. I know this b/c I've seen it happen.

5. U think Arnel works cheap, huh? Wrong. He is currently under contract w/MCA. Irving had to do some negotiating to work that one out. Just b/c he comes from a 3rd world country doesn't mean he's a sweatshop empoloyee as many here would like to portray. He's had a very successful career as a musician. He's had several "hits" in the Asian charts. I realize that doesn't count to many of u here who think America is the ONLY place for music in the world. But there are artists who NEVER come to the US & still have VERY successful careers in other countries.

6. For those wondering if Arnel can write, check out The Zoo's song on You Tube called "Too Satisfied". He wrote that himself along w/many other songs on his albums. I've got both albums & there are several songs I like.

I was incredibly pissed at Journey too & I still am. But Arnel is a rare talent & I can't believe they've been so lucky to find him. They couldn't pass up that much talent. If u don't hear it, get ur prejudice out of the way & really listen. If u still don't hear it, get ur hearing checked. I never thought I'd attend a Journey show again but b/c of Arnel's talent, I can look beyond the assholes playing on either side of him. He's THAT good.

Ok bash away at me & enjoy urselves. I just thought I'd correct a few obvious misunderstandings.

Do some research on the guy before u post misinformation.

Aren't you the same "No One" who bashed others of us for wishing Jeremey luck? "Can't wait til the body gets cold" or some shit like that. I guess JSS has gotten cold for you, huh? Or is this an "anyone but Jeremey" crusade?

Come on Susie... people don't give a damn about how well he can write, they care about how he can move them, not only with his voice, but with his presence. They care about what's in their hearts~what JOURNEY has meant to them over the years. This guy doesn't have it. Some people cannot get past the idea that they are seeking a singer from outside the US. I happen to be one of those people. I don't give a shit how talented he is. He doesn't fit for me, and I will say it any time I want to.

For those of you who support this, I say 'more power to ya'. I do not. I just find the hypocrisy around these parts lately laughable.

[journeyrock]

[/quote]


You would think they would have learned after ten years that Steve Perry brought a lot more to Journey that his range. He brought a huge part of the songwriting, he brought the showmanship to the concerts, but even more importantly, he apparently brought the heart and soul of the band because it's becoming increasingly obvious that no one else in that band has any.[/quote]

Great post Oh Sherrie.

The best thing those two have done in the last ten years, and something I am sure they have tried to avoid is to substantiate more than ever the fact that Steve Perry WAS/IS Journey. They have confirmed that the legacy of "Journey" truly lives with Steve Perry. And....I don't think they could write anything in true Journey sound if they cried their eyes out without SP's contribution.

And I'm sure Perry is laughing his butt off right now....he can sit back and pet his cats....and get paid for it. What more could a guy want? The classic music will live on, just what Perry wanted to happen.

[Wheels Of Fyre]

Let me preface this post with the following clarification: Nothing here is meant to be the least bit racist. So if you take it that way, I'll consider it your own pent up hypersenitive racism creeping out!

That said, whatever happend to the idea that you could be proud that one of the greatest rock bands on the planet was an "American" band! In the great tradition of bands like Boston, the Cars, Van Halen, etc... While many of these bands may have had immigrants from other countries as integral parts of their make-up, they were all American citizens and at the very least their frontmen could string a sentence together in English without a heavy accent.

Journey have officially sold their soul for the chance to sell records to a younger (apparently asian) audience. To say this guy "fits" in Journey is about as intelligent an observation a saying that Gerard Way (lead singer for My Chemical Romance) would be a great contender for lead singer in Foreigner.

This is insane... But par for the Journey course... They choose a guy who is younger than their own children, with a heavy accent that even creeps into the phrasing of his singing??? Over Jeremey Hunsicker? Talk about trying to overtly pander to a younger asian audience!!! And talk about conflicting goals... I thought Cain's stated goal was to perpetuate the existing legacy catalog, not try to improve on their myspace cred by hiring some emo kid who might look cool with blonde streaks in his black hair.

When I go to a Journey show I want to be treated to a full on front-man experience, and spoken to in English, if you please - what I don't want is to be insulted by Journey parading around some cabaret Jackie Chan act with no charisma and a bad accent!

And while I'm at it, as much of a great singer as JSS was in his own right (and I was a big fan!), he was never a good fit for Journey either. He could never get past that husky "muscle out the high parts" type of style, even when the song required a refined finesse. So chalk that up as 2 bad decisions on their part for lead singers!!! They should have waited out Augeri's vocal chord problems, and just taken a year off from touring... But the almightly dollar always makes the decisions in the Journey camp... It stopped being about the artistry of song craft along time ago in Journey folks... Which was evident on both their last studio album and that horrific EP Red 13.

A message for Neal and Jon... Just journey yourselves right on into the bargain bins and festival circuit with your new, future, ex-leadsinger! and good luck with it.. I'll never buy another journey album again, nor will I pay my hard earned money to support live shows! You just lost a lifelong fan!

One word: STUPID.

[Wheels Of Fyre]

It's easy to hear that DSB is being sung by a "foreigner." NO amount of speech correction will change that. This is an atrocious version. It's fucking ridiculous to even think that he needs to be corrected when he says "living just to FOUND emotion." There are so many misspoken words I'm not going to waste my time. This guy has a tremendous voice...he should sing songs in his native language. They're literally going to have to go through every song with him to ensure proper pronunciation and tense. For this dude? Absurd.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88nfiZ-y ... ed&search=

I agree, and I'm not buying it either, this would not make sense even considering that it is Journey we are talking about.
If they took pause with Jeremey after offering him the job and said whoa, wait we are moving too fast here, whouldn't they explore other options especialy considering the senario SJ just explained.

I have a VERY strong feeling that management sees a goldmine in the Asian market....a fucking goldmine. It's the only way this makes sense. This guy is literally gonna be the butt of jokes in the U.S. Like it or not, fair or unfair, it's GONNA happen and it's gonna be bad. He seems like a great person and an even bigger talent, but IF this happens he's gonna be introduced to some shit I don't he's ready for...nor should he be. Only good thing he has going is that Journey is all but irrelevant now anyway. I'll give this lineup a shot, but I predict disaster.

And this is STUPID The Sequel.

[Matthew]

Some people cannot get past the idea that they are seeking a singer from outside the US. I happen to be one of those people. I don't give a shit how talented he is.

I can't remotely relate to the view that a singer's passport is more important than his talent....especially given that the previous three singers had strong genetic and cultural links to countries outside the US....but at least you're honest Donna and don't dress it up with a load of old fluff like most people here do.

[Deb]

Deb used an excellent word PASSION. Something both Perry and Soto have. In another post I said that both these men commanded the stage and the music. They have presence. I have watched the youtube videos and then I have listened to them. These are videos done during shows which people paid to see. Well I am sorry, I dont see it and I certainly dont hear the passion, charisma and excitment of Perry or Soto. I went to a concert when Augeri was fronting and I left after 5 songs. He was bland to me, boring, no excitment and I feel Arnel is the same. If this was a performance to a paying public, they got ripped off (IMO).

This is true...the You Tube clips don't show that Arnel can command a crowd...but the shows were at sedate little hotel drinks clubs with everyone sitting down politely. Even JSS wouldn't have roused those audiences.

Sorry Matty, but have to disagree with you there. Both shows this weekend were in clubs and JSSB brought the house down both nights. Considering Saturday's show at the Coach House was a sit down affair with tables right up to the stage, he ended up with the whole place on their feet (standing around their tables). Love Perry to pieces and he's still my all-time favorite vocalist, but when it comes to stage presence/charisma/showmanship.........no one quite like JSS.

[Matthew]

Sorry Matty, but have to disagree with you there. Both shows this weekend were in clubs and JSSB brought the house down both nights. Considering Saturday's show at the Coach House was a sit down affair with tables right up to the stage, he ended up with the whole place on their feet (standing around their tables). Love Perry to pieces and he's still my all-time favorite vocalist, but when it comes to stage presence/charisma/showmanship.........no one quite like JSS.

Okay Deb. Fair enough. I stand corrected - and having seen JSS live I can imagine what a great night that must have been. Yes - Arnel's lack of stage presence definitely is a concern....

[Soto All The Way]

Thanks for this information. Maybe this can work... who knows? I'm just so disgusted with Journey, I don't know if I can get past it and enjoy what Arnel brings to the table.

I haven't been posting here but I feel compelled to respond to this b/c it's so inaccurate it's not even funny.

1. Arnel Pineda is 40 years old. I guess he could be Jon Cain or Ross Valory's son, but barely. He is hardly a kid. He's just less than 2 years younger than Jeff so if u call Arnel a kid, u had better be calling Jeff one too.

2. Arnel has been a professional singer since 1983. Yes, u read that right! He has made a living singing since that time. He has not worked another job.

3. Arnel has had 2 albums on major labels, a solo album on Warner & an album out currently on MCA. Yes, the same MCA that Irving Azoff used to be president of. Yes, they were released in Asia but that doesn't discredit the major labels. That's more than Journey can say in the last several years.

4. Arnel speaks English fluently. He has an accent, but it's only slight. Listen to the YouTube clip of him singing Survivor's Ever Since The World Began. He forgets the 1st line & embarassed, talks about it in English. That means he not only speaks English, but THINKS in English. BTW a Chinese person might say "Oh Shellie" but a Filipino person would not. Not all Asians have the same accent. Making those remarks is ignorant! If any of u know anything about dialect coaches, they're ten a penny in acting. Such a person could work w/Arnel for 2 weeks and his accent would not be detectible. I know this b/c I've seen it happen.

5. U think Arnel works cheap, huh? Wrong. He is currently under contract w/MCA. Irving had to do some negotiating to work that one out. Just b/c he comes from a 3rd world country doesn't mean he's a sweatshop empoloyee as many here would like to portray. He's had a very successful career as a musician. He's had several "hits" in the Asian charts. I realize that doesn't count to many of u here who think America is the ONLY place for music in the world. But there are artists who NEVER come to the US & still have VERY successful careers in other countries.

6. For those wondering if Arnel can write, check out The Zoo's song on You Tube called "Too Satisfied". He wrote that himself along w/many other songs on his albums. I've got both albums & there are several songs I like.

I was incredibly pissed at Journey too & I still am. But Arnel is a rare talent & I can't believe they've been so lucky to find him. They couldn't pass up that much talent. If u don't hear it, get ur prejudice out of the way & really listen. If u still don't hear it, get ur hearing checked. I never thought I'd attend a Journey show again but b/c of Arnel's talent, I can look beyond the assholes playing on either side of him. He's THAT good.

Ok bash away at me & enjoy urselves. I just thought I'd correct a few obvious misunderstandings.

Do some research on the guy before u post misinformation.

U forgot # 7.....He's a complete misfit for Journey and sounds terrible.......

e-

[bluejeangirl76]

I feel the same way as Frank on this. I don't care who the guy is or where he's from - I DO care what he sounds like because he's a freakin' impressionist. Neal and Jon and their whole backstabbing routine have gotten so old and so out of control, it's unbearable to watch anymore. Dumping a perfectly good singer like JSS (who by the way they procured after turning their backs on their prior singer!) was such a stupid move.

Arnel only got FrigFro's attention because they saw him on YouTube doing a halfway decent (HALFWAY) impression of Steve Perry. It wasn't because they liked him, it was because he has something they think they can capitalize on. They don't want to move on, musically, Cain admitted that. They want a knockoff so they can get butts in the seats and have people say the same thing they said when they hired Augeri.... "wow, he's so much like Perry you almost can't even tell."

In the end, this guy too will get fucked over. As soon as his voice gives, or he has a medical issue, or he's late for work, or whatever entertaining reason they come up with when they happen across a better option. They kicked Fleischman out in favor of a better option, dumped Perry (whether he deserved it or not - not really the issue), they turned their backs on Augeri when he ran into a problem too, and finally they screwed Jeff over even worse than the Steves, if you ask me.

Word of advice to the new singer, whoever it may be - don't have a vocal problem, never ever get sick, don't break any bones or need any kind of surgery, don't come out from under your covers unless Neal or Jon say it's okay, keep your mouth shut unless it's to do your impression of Perry singing Open Arms, and for the love of god, watch what you sign.

[Jeremey]

I don't like the fact that Journey was too afraid to go into more of a new direction with JSS or Augeri either...HOWEVER.....what makes Jeremey a better singer than Arnel and how is he not an impersonator?

Uhh...Eric, I think that the opinion of my singing as being "dime a dozen," and being a "two bit bar singer" and being an imposter/impersonator/(my personal favorite)clown was tossed around quite a bit as much, if not more, than the debate that's been going on around here with Arnel for the past couple days. Replace "asian" or "filipino" with "fat" and "ugly," and you'd get close to the same argument many of you had about me as well (I just can't hide behind the "racist" argument for being called ugly). I have a pretty balanced view of this whole situation, but there is a bit of a double standard that goes both ways.

[strangegrey]

the utterly disgracefully bad shit that has come out of Nomota since 02 just goes away in a poof.

Since '02? Explain? Again, you've argued that their attendance has gone down since the Arrival tour but that is just not true at all. The crowds have grown each year.

First, with remarks on your attendance. Bullshit. Prove it, I'll say. Do you have the numbers? Journey's attendance has gone down for every tour following the arrival tour....this is immediately clear in cases where the band toured on its own. Let's see a weighted averge on tours with other bands (Styx, REO tour and the Def Leppard tour for example). Not only that, but the size and quality of venue has gone down too, unless they were lucky enough to have a band with a decent draw on tour with them...again, styx, reo, DL.

As far as the disgraceful shit since 02.....read up, bro. There's plenty to support that out there...from tapegate, to soto-gate, to the people that have had their throats slit for even questioning the judgement of cain, schonbag or mgmt....there's too much to go into in one thread.

[Granny]

Some of you know my husband Norm and you will get a kick out what he said after I showed him a youtube video of Arnel.

He said and I quote"Fuck no, I'm not giving my money to see him. He sucks"
They had the best, Jeff, and screwed up big time. I'm done."

[journeywoman]

Granny,That is one smart man.

[Granny]

Granny,That is one smart man.

Yes he is, Thanks, JW

[Melissa]

Some of you know my husband Norm and you will get a kick out what he said after I showed him a youtube video of Arnel.

He said and I quote"Fuck no, I'm not giving my money to see him. He sucks"
They had the best, Jeff, and screwed up big time. I'm done."

LOL- were his sunglasses on? lol

[treetopovskaya]

standin` ovation from me!! awesome post! }=C))

I haven't been posting here but I feel compelled to respond to this b/c it's so inaccurate it's not even funny.

1. Arnel Pineda is 40 years old. I guess he could be Jon Cain or Ross Valory's son, but barely. He is hardly a kid. He's just less than 2 years younger than Jeff so if u call Arnel a kid, u had better be calling Jeff one too.

2. Arnel has been a professional singer since 1983. Yes, u read that right! He has made a living singing since that time. He has not worked another job.

3. Arnel has had 2 albums on major labels, a solo album on Warner & an album out currently on MCA. Yes, the same MCA that Irving Azoff used to be president of. Yes, they were released in Asia but that doesn't discredit the major labels. That's more than Journey can say in the last several years.

4. Arnel speaks English fluently. He has an accent, but it's only slight. Listen to the YouTube clip of him singing Survivor's Ever Since The World Began. He forgets the 1st line & embarassed, talks about it in English. That means he not only speaks English, but THINKS in English. BTW a Chinese person might say "Oh Shellie" but a Filipino person would not. Not all Asians have the same accent. Making those remarks is ignorant! If any of u know anything about dialect coaches, they're ten a penny in acting. Such a person could work w/Arnel for 2 weeks and his accent would not be detectible. I know this b/c I've seen it happen.

5. U think Arnel works cheap, huh? Wrong. He is currently under contract w/MCA. Irving had to do some negotiating to work that one out. Just b/c he comes from a 3rd world country doesn't mean he's a sweatshop empoloyee as many here would like to portray. He's had a very successful career as a musician. He's had several "hits" in the Asian charts. I realize that doesn't count to many of u here who think America is the ONLY place for music in the world. But there are artists who NEVER come to the US & still have VERY successful careers in other countries.

6. For those wondering if Arnel can write, check out The Zoo's song on You Tube called "Too Satisfied". He wrote that himself along w/many other songs on his albums. I've got both albums & there are several songs I like.

I was incredibly pissed at Journey too & I still am. But Arnel is a rare talent & I can't believe they've been so lucky to find him. They couldn't pass up that much talent. If u don't hear it, get ur prejudice out of the way & really listen. If u still don't hear it, get ur hearing checked. I never thought I'd attend a Journey show again but b/c of Arnel's talent, I can look beyond the assholes playing on either side of him. He's THAT good.

Ok bash away at me & enjoy urselves. I just thought I'd correct a few obvious misunderstandings.

Do some research on the guy before u post misinformation.

[Granny]

Some of you know my husband Norm and you will get a kick out what he said after I showed him a youtube video of Arnel.

He said and I quote"Fuck no, I'm not giving my money to see him. He sucks"
They had the best, Jeff, and screwed up big time. I'm done."

LOL- were his sunglasses on? lol

LOL

[donnaplease]

Some of you know my husband Norm and you will get a kick out what he said after I showed him a youtube video of Arnel.

He said and I quote"Fuck no, I'm not giving my money to see him. He sucks"
They had the best, Jeff, and screwed up big time. I'm done."

LOL- were his sunglasses on? lol

LOL

Ahhhh...... the Normanator!!!!

[Rockindeano]

Norm is wrong on this one, IMO.

[treetopovskaya]

you got that right deb. the jssb ROCKED the house... i should drive by to see if it's still standing! my mom went & the next day she googled jss... i think he has a new fan. awe! }=C))

it was so hard to sit at the ch... we were told by security to sit. but then later jss had us all standing again! woohoo!! i'm still sore from all that jumping, shakin` & yellin`! }=C))

one thing is for sure... jss needs more room to move... he needs to be performing on a much bigger stage. someday soon. }=C))

Deb used an excellent word PASSION. Something both Perry and Soto have. In another post I said that both these men commanded the stage and the music. They have presence. I have watched the youtube videos and then I have listened to them. These are videos done during shows which people paid to see. Well I am sorry, I dont see it and I certainly dont hear the passion, charisma and excitment of Perry or Soto. I went to a concert when Augeri was fronting and I left after 5 songs. He was bland to me, boring, no excitment and I feel Arnel is the same. If this was a performance to a paying public, they got ripped off (IMO).

This is true...the You Tube clips don't show that Arnel can command a crowd...but the shows were at sedate little hotel drinks clubs with everyone sitting down politely. Even JSS wouldn't have roused those audiences.

Sorry Matty, but have to disagree with you there. Both shows this weekend were in clubs and JSSB brought the house down both nights. Considering Saturday's show at the Coach House was a sit down affair with tables right up to the stage, he ended up with the whole place on their feet (standing around their tables). Love Perry to pieces and he's still my all-time favorite vocalist, but when it comes to stage presence/charisma/showmanship.........no one quite like JSS.