His new Journey leads to old Frontiers (Jeremey Article)

[Barb]

http://www.roanoke.com/extra/wb/146327

Jeremey Hunsicker was courted by the rock band he idolizes only to realize his happiness lay in going their separate ways.
By Tad Dickens | 777-6474



It was a tantalizing prospect for a Roanoke guy who had been singing for years in a Journey tribute band.

Members of the actual Journey had seen and heard Jeremey Hunsicker singing with his band, Frontiers, on YouTube. Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain tracked him down and got hold of Hunsicker's agent.

"I couldn't imagine that I would ever get that call," said Hunsicker, 36, a sales rep for a trucking company.

Next thing he knew, he was in the band's hometown, San Francisco, breaking bread, talking shop, singing and writing with the musicians he had idolized. It seemed like the band was welcoming him with open arms.

Seven months later, the band had hired another singer, and Hunsicker was back with his 5-year-old tribute band.

"A really, really dramatic turn of events happened again," Hunsicker said. "And it wasn't something that I was very happy with."

Here's the story of how a group of 1980s-era hitmakers rolled out the red carpet for a talented performer, then pulled it right back -- and how the performer wound up at peace about it.

Just like the movies

For most regular guys, a life like Hunsicker's would seem a success. Married for nine years, with a baby on the way in early summer, he had a good job and a band made up of his friends and partners in fandom.

But here was the kind of opportunity that people make movies about. Remember the Mark Wahlberg/Jennifer Aniston movie, "Rock Star"? For all its faults, it was essentially the fictionalized tale of Tim "Ripper" Owens, who had sung in a Judas Priest tribute band before the actual Judas Priest hired him to replace its singer.

Hunsicker had the Internet, and keyboardist Cain's daughter, to thank for this plotline.

Cain's daughter had seen a Frontiers performance on YouTube and told her father and other band members that they needed to check out the singer. Journey, which had phenomenal success with singer Steve Perry, had long ago gone separate ways with Perry and now was apparently preparing to let go of singer Jeff Scott Soto, according to news accounts.

Hunsicker, who had heard from his agent about Journey's interest, called Cain in late May. Cain wanted to hear him live, and it so happened that Frontiers had an outdoor show in downtown Charlotte, N.C., that weekend.

"He said, 'People think I'm crazy, but I'm getting Neal Schon and flying in to see your show,' " Hunsicker remembered.

And sure enough, there they were, trying to look inconspicuous on a park bench by a big fountain, listening to a cover band playing their songs, with a singer who sounded remarkably like the guy who originally sang them.

As the band loaded up its gear after the show, Cain walked up and invited Hunsicker to California, where he would perform for the band and management.

For Frontiers, this seemed like the end.

"We have this band because of Jeremey's voice," said Frontiers guitarist Barry Young. "You can replace any of us. But you cannot replace Jeremey. There is not another voice like his."

It was a bittersweet time for a band that had built its reputation and resume from dives to clubs such as The House of Blues. But Young and the rest of the band -- keyboardist Chad Campbell, drummer Mike Morrison, bassist Greg Eanes and guitarist Jim Gober -- were not bitter, Young said.

"For me personally, I looked at it like, this is probably the coolest thing that I've heard," he said. "I just said, all I want you to do is to get the band to play Roanoke. Journey has never played Roanoke."

And it still hasn't.

A week in San Fran

Hunsicker and his wife, Sabrina, had some big decisions to make. Sabrina Hunsicker, a year older than her husband, was six months pregnant with the couple's first child. And now, it looked like Jeremey was about to become a world traveler in a band whose hitmaking days had passed, but which still had a strong following. Plus, there was new interest in Journey, after David Chase chose the band's hit "Don't Stop Believing" as the soundtrack to the final scene of "The Sopranos" series.

"I had a career of 10 years, a baby due in three months," Jeremey Hunsicker said. "I'd made promises to my family about things I was going to focus on and spend time on. So this was a pretty big change of direction to have thrown at you.

"I'm not gonna lie and say that I wasn't excited. But I had so much invested in my life, I wanted to take a look at how this band was going to affect my family situation."

Sabrina, who met her husband when they were both studying music at Brevard College in North Carolina, said she supported him.

"Once we established they were indeed interested, I was not surprised," she said. "I've been waiting and waiting. I knew something big was going to happen for him."

They flew to San Francisco the third week of June. Earlier that month, the band had fired Soto, who had replaced Steve Augieri about a year before. Soto was friendly with Hunsicker, and contacted him after he heard that the band was courting him.

"He e-mailed me: 'I hope they treat you better than me,' " Hunsicker said.

On the West Coast for a week, Hunsicker rehearsed with the band. He had dinner with band members and manager Irving Azoff. He recorded with Cain, the keyboardist, working on song ideas.

By Monday, he was back at work, at Saia Motor Freight in Roanoke. The next day, Cain called him. Hunsicker was to fly back west in a couple of weeks to begin rehearsing and recording new songs. At Hunsicker's request, he would have between September and the end of the year to get his family in order. He would get a retainer from the band, which did not plan on touring until spring.

He received a voice mail from management, saying, "Welcome to Journey."

Three hours later, Journey's management called, telling him that Schon had decided things were moving too fast. Everyone needed to take a breather.

Hunsicker didn't want to be put on ice. He had a family to support. He called Cain and Schon, telling them that he felt "jerked around," and they continued talking throughout the summer.

Meanwhile, Schon was doing a little YouTube exploration of his own. He found another singer, Arnel Pineda, from the Philippines.

"Arnel was flown in in August," Hunsicker said. "And I never heard from Journey again."

On Dec. 5, Journey announced it had hired Pineda.

Back to reality

In the end, Hunsicker says, it was about timing. He was more interested in making sure his family was secure than in waiting for a band that wasn't sure what it wanted to do. In Pineda, the band found another able singer who can approximate Perry's style and who was willing to take the chance.

He recalled a writing session with Cain, who had pulled out a song about fans -- a blue-collar, mullet-rock song.

"He said, 'I could really see this being a song about you, pining your days away ... waiting for a better life ahead.' " Hunsicker said.

"I stopped him there. I said, 'Jon, I don't think you know as much as you let on about my life. ... I've got a pretty darned good life.' "

His son, Quinn, is healthy, happy and 5 months old.

"I really think that had my situation been different, I could've very well been there. But I've been very blessed. It's not one of those things where you're going to sit around and think about what could've been. I've got too much on my plate."

Sabrina Hunsicker, who had been "all for it" when Journey approached her husband about the gig, found herself proud of him for a different reason.

"In the end, the way things continued going, I'm very glad he did what he did, and I'm very proud of him for choosing his family first," she said. "I said. 'I'm with you in whatever you want to do.' But it ended up turning out for the best for us."

Jeremey Hunsicker admits he was mad at first but isn't holding onto that. In fact, he still speaks well of Schon.

"I just have so much respect for Neal Schon ... with that in mind, my understanding with hindsight was that he probably realized that I'm a family man, with a baby coming, and rather than say go ahead and move forward and hope it sorts itself out ... I think that Neal said look, this is maybe not the best choice for Jeremey, nor the best choice for us," Hunsicker said.

Young, his guitarist and friend, said he's impressed at how the singer has carried himself since then.

"He chose his family over being a millionaire," Young said. "That gives me chills to tell you that. What a guy. That's pretty incredible if you think about it. It's such a selfless act. He chose his wife, and he chose his son."

[journey123]

Bless his cotton socks.

[ScarabGator]

Great read!

[gtrplr1960]

Wow! That was quick.

[swataz]

That was a damn good article.

Jeremey, I give you kudos, man. Hope you and your family are doing well!

[caboshooter]

Wow......just wow..........

Everything happens for a reason.

[Lerxst101]

Jeremey,

That is a great story. Really proud of you.

[JrnyScarab]

Jeremey putting family first. Man, there aren't too many people with that kind of integrity anymore. Hats off to him. How many of you out there could turn down the $$$ ?

[jrnychick]

Nice story. What a ride!

[stevew2]

Great article, what could have been,I get a sick feeling reading this. Jeremeys really better off,friiga and Fro would be trying to but slam him by spring. With what happened with Augeri and Jeff,Journey is a corporation not a Band.

[mistiejourney]

A great story about a great guy (and I've never even met Jeremey). You have to have respect for a guy like that.

Maybe I shouldn't mention this, but Friga thinks the fans are pining away, waiting for a better life? It's probably a great song, but what an elitist attitude!

[JrnyScarab]

With what happened with Augeri and Jeff,Journey is a corporation not a Band.

Hey, weren't they always called "Corporate Rock" Back in the 80's. Now we know how true it is!

[stevew2]

I didnt mean in that way, but I guess your right

[Món]

Good...

More reasons to hate Fro and Friga.

[texafana]

I think he should of sang with the band a few times, did a DVD, got sick and pulled out. I would have loved to see him perform with Journey.

[journeyrock]

"We have this band because of Jeremey's voice," said Frontiers guitarist Barry Young. "You can replace any of us. But you cannot replace Jeremey. There is not another voice like his."

Too bad Friga and Fro don't think that way.

I have no doubt that things worked out the very best for Jeremey. He will never know what could have happened, but the odds are...........

[stevew2]

Good...

More reasons to hate Fro and Friga.

Who is that in your avitar I gotta know

[Món]

I don't know!

[Red13JoePa]

"We have this band because of Jeremey's voice," said Frontiers guitarist Barry Young. "You can replace any of us. But you cannot replace Jeremey. There is not another voice like his."

Too bad Friga and Fro don't think that way.

What?
Jeremey himself in the article said that Schon took a look at Jeremey and his expanding family and said this wouldn't be right.

[Món]

"We have this band because of Jeremey's voice," said Frontiers guitarist Barry Young. "You can replace any of us. But you cannot replace Jeremey. There is not another voice like his."

Too bad Friga and Fro don't think that way.

What?
Jeremey himself in the article said that Schon took a look at Jeremey and his expanding family and said this wouldn't be right.

"I just have so much respect for Neal Schon ... with that in mind, my understanding with hindsight was that he probably realized that I'm a family man, with a baby coming, and rather than say go ahead and move forward and hope it sorts itself out ... I think that Neal said look, this is maybe not the best choice for Jeremey, nor the best choice for us".

The key words here are in bold.

[Red13JoePa]

Oh yea
that really makes the case for Neal being the bad guy.

oops.

Jeremey said it himself why the fuck can't "frig and 'fro" cultees take a cue from that and let it go?

[fightingilliniJRNY]

Great article.

[journeyrock]

"We have this band because of Jeremey's voice," said Frontiers guitarist Barry Young. "You can replace any of us. But you cannot replace Jeremey. There is not another voice like his."

Too bad Friga and Fro don't think that way.

What?
Jeremey himself in the article said that Schon took a look at Jeremey and his expanding family and said this wouldn't be right.

I'm sorry JoePa, I think you misunderstood. When I reread it, it totally reads the way you are interpreting it. What I meant was it's too bad they don't think that way in regards to Perry.

[Deb]

Oh yea
that really makes the case for Neal being the bad guy.

oops.

Jeremey said it himself why the fuck can't "frig and 'fro" cultees take a cue from that and let it go?

Show em how it's done JoePa, come on shake that "Perry" cultee status of yours. You're just as bad as the loons, just in reverse.

[Deb]

"We have this band because of Jeremey's voice," said Frontiers guitarist Barry Young. "You can replace any of us. But you cannot replace Jeremey. There is not another voice like his."

Too bad Friga and Fro don't think that way.

What?
Jeremey himself in the article said that Schon took a look at Jeremey and his expanding family and said this wouldn't be right.

I'm sorry JoePa, I think you misunderstood. When I reread it, it totally reads the way you are interpreting it. What I meant was it's too bad they don't think that way in regards to Perry.

That's exactly how I read your post.

[Red13JoePa]

Whatever, GlutWatcher.

See my perry thread the other day?

I can actually talk about the music, not just Jeff's hip swiveling or the roll of dimes in perry's pocket.

[zino]

Great article, I beleive he made the right decision and not let them take him for a ride. If jermemey would have commited to them, who knows how stable it would have been.

[NealIsGod]

Great article, I beleive he made the right decision and not let them take him for a ride. If jermemey would have commited to them, who knows how stable it would have been.

After seeing Jeremey perform the other night, I am sure it would have been unbelievable.

[journeyrock]

"We have this band because of Jeremey's voice," said Frontiers guitarist Barry Young. "You can replace any of us. But you cannot replace Jeremey. There is not another voice like his."

Too bad Friga and Fro don't think that way.

What?
Jeremey himself in the article said that Schon took a look at Jeremey and his expanding family and said this wouldn't be right.

I'm sorry JoePa, I think you misunderstood. When I reread it, it totally reads the way you are interpreting it. What I meant was it's too bad they don't think that way in regards to Perry.

That's exactly how I read your post.

Well Deb, great Perry minds think alike!

[Red13JoePa]

Sorry I didn't see his name in the thread up to then and I don't have the pencil stub in his pocket on the mind so I take post at the face value.