Gibson Article...Journey’s Remarkable Quest for a New Singer

[mikemarrs]

It defied logic when ’80s rock band Journey recently offered the job of vocalist to Arnel Pineda, a 40-year-old father of three from the Philippines’ Quezon City. Frontman for a Filipino rock and cover band called the Zoo, Pineda had played little more than dimly lit small- and medium-sized rock clubs in his homeland when he received the phone call that made him Journey’s third singer since original vocalist Steve Perry left in the late ’90s.

Impressed by footage of Pineda performing Journey covers on YouTube, longstanding Journey guitarist Neal Schon contacted Pineda in August of ’07 and flew him to California to audition for the job.

“I was frustrated about not having a singer,” Schon has said, “so I went on YouTube for a couple of days and just sat on it for hours. I was starting to think I was never going to find anybody. But then I found the Zoo, and I watched a bunch of different video clips that they had posted. After watching the videos over and over again, I had to walk away from the computer and let what I heard sink in because it sounded too good to be true. I thought, ‘he can’t be that good.’”

In December, Journey publicly announced that Pineda was their new vocalist and that they’d soon embark on a world tour. Hired out of obscurity, Pineda suddenly found himself performing before global audiences.

Some may call it luck, but Pineda was prepared for this opportunity. His mother, a tailor who died when he was 13, groomed him to begin performing at age 11—after two years of in-house rehearsal—as a contestant in local singing competitions. He went pro at 15, initially performing in malls and eventually in nearly every music venue in the Philippines. Only in mid-life did he begin to study technique and take voice lessons.

“It’ll be a lot of hard work on my part," Pineda said in a statement. "I’m actually looking forward to the scrutiny I’ll get from the hardcore Journey fans. I know they’ll expect me to sound exactly like the voice, but that will never happen. There’s only one Steve Perry in this world.”

Pineda’s soaring tenor will revisit Journey’s legacy, and then some—the quintet is currently working on a new CD with Pineda on vocals; due out in July 2008. They’re also expected to tour early this year.

In an interview with Pineda shortly after Journey’s announcement, he grinned and said, “If my mom was alive today, she would be so proud of me.”

Bruce Northam | 01.17.2008

[conversationpc]

You know, as much as I hated how the band ditched JSS, I can't help but be happy for the opportunity this guy has. He has a good story.

[STORY_TELLER]

You know, as much as I hated how the band ditched JSS, I can't help but be happy for the opportunity this guy has. He has a good story.

Agreed. Lifetime opportunity for him.

That article was a good read too. Finally some historical accuracy where the band is concerned. So often, they try and spin the story to make it read as though Perry was just one in a long line of singers, diminishing his contributions and implying the band was popular and successful prior to Perry's involvement. Stuff like that really pisses me off.

[mikemarrs]

i was really skeptical but i'm finally warming up to this.journey is a band with a vocalist,guitars,bassist,piano and drums.i've always enjoyed schon's guitar work,really loved the drum work smith and deen laid down through the years.cain and rollie have produced good keys on quite a few things.although i tremendously loved perry's vocal work there are the other musicians in the band i've really liked hearing like a good schon solo or the piano work so i'm finally realizing that although steve perry was a huge part in its success i'm also coming to the conclusion that his exit from the band doesn't have to end the train ride just yet because he hopped off.if this arnel guy can give us some great vocals this might be a pretty good journey album.the band journey itself isn't dead.it was born in 1973 and i really like the first three releases before perry joined in 1978 and everything he did through 1998 with the journey live release.then with augeri journey entered another phase and tried to regain its ability and releases an album called arrival and they tour steadily and still have plenty of fans who just want to hear the hits.vocal troubles have led in '07 to a temporary vocalist being hired and although the guy was done wrong the train rumbles on with new vocalist arnel.this in year 2008 marks the 35th year of the band journey.who knows maybe they can recapture some glory but maybe not,who knows because the journey is always uncertain.still they ride for now......

[San Diego Gary]

"..... Hired out of obscurity, Pineda suddenly found himself performing before global audiences....."

You know, I don't have anything against Arnel, I hope he makes me love Journey all over again.

But I get really get tired of these writers sensationalizing every story.

He hasn't yet performed before ANY (Journey) audience, much less a global one.

[STORY_TELLER]

i was really skeptical but i'm finally warming up to this.journey is a band with a vocalist,guitars,bassist,piano and drums.i've always enjoyed schon's guitar work,really loved the drum work smith and deen laid down through the years.cain and rollie have produced good keys on quite a few things.although i tremendously loved perry's vocal work there are the other musicians in the band i've really liked hearing like a good schon solo or the piano work so i'm finally realizing that although steve perry was a huge part in its success i'm also coming to the conclusion that his exit from the band doesn't have to end the train ride just yet because he hopped off.if this arnel guy can give us some great vocals this might be a pretty good journey album.the band journey itself isn't dead.it was born in 1973 and i really like the first three releases before perry joined in 1978 and everything he did through 1998 with the journey live release.then with augeri journey entered another phase and tried to regain its ability and releases an album called arrival and they tour steadily and still have plenty of fans who just want to hear the hits.vocal troubles have led in '07 to a temporary vocalist being hired and although the guy was done wrong the train rumbles on with new vocalist arnel.this in year 2008 marks the 35th year of the band journey.who knows maybe they can recapture some glory but maybe not,who knows because the journey is always uncertain.still they ride for now......

Jesus CHRIST! Lay off the METH MAN!!! Did you type all that in one breath?? LMAO!!!!

[mikemarrs]

lol,no those days are long over and believe me if i was that would be about five times as long.

[T-Bone]

Since when did scouring YouTube become "Remarkable"?

[MrsPerry]

You know, as much as I hated how the band ditched JSS, I can't help but be happy for the opportunity this guy has. He has a good story.

I will go to bat here for Arnel personally and agree. A good story indeed.