Irving Azoff used to head MCA and that's the label Arnel was signed to prior to Journey
Yeah but it's different. It's MCA Universal Asia. While it's true that Azoff has connections, it would still be very hard to make that connection without help. That's the problem with any multi-national corporation. They are slow to change and sometimes, the left hand doesn't see the right.
None of the songs that Arnel was doing as a member of Ijos or his self-titled album sounded like anything Journey was doing or had done. He was wailing true but it wasn't until Noel the youtube guy put those videos out there that people OUTSIDE of the Philippine Islands and Hong Kong, knew that he could sing those Journey songs. NO ONE.
From talking to people who seem in the know,that youtube story is the truth.
Although I do like Arnel's voice, he is not near SP...no one has that depth and richness to their voice.'
He is the closest thing to SP because not even SP can sing like the OLD SP. We all know this. It's weird to hear that there are many people here that like the way Jeremey sings even though his voice sounds "remarkably similar" to Steve Perry. Arnel is the same way, but after listening to his last performance in Manila, I detect him singing more like himself. I'm of the opinion that when he was doing those covers, he sang them the way people expected to hear them. Note for note, inflection for inflection, soaring highs for soaring highs.
Now working with Kevin Shirley and the band, it's quite possible that he will be given a chance to do what you guys want, to sing like he does and infuse his own passion and experiences, with a nod to SP but remarkably Arnel singing with his OWN VOICE.
