Eclipse - Buddhism - Arnel

[Don]

RUSHONROCK ROCK GODS: JOURNEY

Posted by Simon on May 30, 2011


http://rushonrock.com/2011/05/30/rushon ... s-journey/





RUSHONROCK ROCK GODS: JOURNEY

Posted by Simon on May 30, 2011



They’ve just released a rocking new record and the band heads out on the road with fellow AOR legends Foreigner and Styx in June – so who better to launch the Rushonrock Rock Gods series than the legendary Journey?

We caught up with top ivory tinkler Jonathan Cain to talk Arnel, Glee, reinventing the rock wheel and that tour.

Look out for more big exclusives in the next few weeks as the Rock Gods series celebrates Def Leppard, Whitesnake, Mr Big, Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham and Judas Priest!



rushonrock: Eclipse has managed to marry classic Journey with a modern rock sound – was that deliberate or just a happy coincidence?

Jonathan Cain: Well we kinda set out to do that. We felt like it was time to move on. Neal had come to me and said this is the direction I see the band moving in and I shared his vision. We conceived the record together and, yes, it’s a little tougher and a little rockier than what people might call ‘classic’ Journey. And I was fine with that. There’s really no place else we can go at this stage of our career. It was the right direction for Journey.


rushonrock: Why do you feel that?

Jonathan Cain: Well for a band like Journey radio doesn’t matter any more. We didn’t want to play the pop thing just to stand a chance of getting a little airplay. We already have the pop thing in our set. It really is time to move on. Neal’s always wanted to create this type of album with a strong concept and in the end we all wanted to go with the mystical Zeppelin thing that we’ve got going on with Eclipse.



rushonrock: Arnel gets a credit as a writer on the new album – how important was it to involve him at this level?

Jonathan Cain: He didn’t have a huge input as a writer but he inspired a lot of the album as a person and that’s why he deserves the credit. A lot of what you hear on Eclipse is about who Arnel is, being a Buddhist and a man of faith. He’s a real renaissance kinda guy. The new record really plugs into the character of Arnel. At the start of the writing process he was off raising money for the charity he fronts to feed kids in Manilla. When he came back he threw himself into his work and made a real contribution to a couple of tracks like She’s A Mystery. He’s bringing something to the table in that respect nowadays. Neal had the music for She’s A Mystery and the two of us sat down with Arnel to complete the song. It was a very rewarding process.



rushonrock: Does Arnel continue to surpass all of your wildest expectations?

Jonathan Cain: He’s just great. His work ethic is tremendous and we just couldn’t ask for a more solid dude. I’d like to see him communicate more with the audience – he still gets a little shy with them. He’s getting a lot more confident with the people out front but that only comes with time. His singing, of course, is superb. He just soars. Every night we get an incredible performance from Arnel and he’s on fire on the new album. He doesn’t just nail the classic stuff but he is all over the new stuff. He just understands how to bring it and to keep it there. It’s awe-inspiring to think of where this his guy has come from in such a short space of time.



rushonrock: You’ve joined Neal and Kevin Shirley as joint producer on Eclipse – does Kevin still have that magic behind the desk?

Jonathan Cain: He does. He still has the magic touch. But because of that he’s just so busy! He ran out of time with us on Eclipse really – we were going to do the whole album with him but he had so many other commitments. The original plan was to make the new record in stages but once we’d started we just felt we needed to get it finished. So we just asked Kevin if we could take what he’d already done and run with it. It was really a time thing. We wanted to see it through because we had this vision of how it was supposed to end. At that point we asked David Kalmusky to put his mark on Eclipse in the mixing department. We wanted the sound to be different to classic Journey – we knew the latest album needed to have bigger boots. We felt it was so unique and so different and David shared that view. I also felt Arnel had been a bit rushed when he’d been laying down the vocals first time around so I git him back to Nashville for a week and it was there where he really nailed things.



rushonrock: When did you first become aware of the Glee phenomenon and are you proud that Journey’s music is synonymous with such a hit show?

Jonathan Cain: I think it’s great. We found out early on that there were plans to use our music. The producers of Glee were quite friendly with our management team and so they explained the concept to us at a fairly early stage. I think they might have seen the Rock Of Ages musical (Hold On To That Feelin’) and seen Don’t Stop Believin’ performed on Broadway. It was almost a natural progression. But my kids love Glee. They’re huge fans of the show. They told me from day one that it was going to be big – they said ‘dad, this is huge!’. I watched it and I was blown away by the quality of the production for a kids’ show. It’s also a show that the whole family can watch together – which is very rare these days – and different generations get different things from it. I just remember sitting there with my kids and thinking ‘genius!’.



rushonrock: What about the inevitable backlash though?

Jonathan Cain: There’s been criticism. I have heard people say that the version of Don’t Stop Believin’ is the worst cover ever. From a band point of view it succeeds in communicating our music to a generation that would never otherwise look at Journey. These days 10-year-old kids want my autograph – as well as their dad and their granddads!



rushonrock: So you’re quite enjoying the Glee years?

Jonathan Cain: For so long people dismissed Journey. But all of our songs are still around and they still mean something to a lot of people. For years the critics just dismissed us as a load of shit. Well they can kiss my ring now! All I’ve got to say to those people now is that the cheques are still coming! We got nothing but snubbed year after year after year and never even got a Grammy. Even at our height the most we ever got was a diamond award for sales. Now I look at the situation some bands find themselves in and I realise we’ve had a pretty good run.



rushonrock: As the man responsible for tinkling to ivories on Don’t Stop Believin’ how does it feel to have played such a significant role in the most downloaded back catalogue song on iTunes?

Jonathan Cain: In the end it’s been a great old ride with that song. Right from the start I knew the song had some substance but I never expected it would reach the level it has. I just remember the way we created it. It was improvised. It just all fell into place and it’s great when that happens with a song. Me, Neal and Steve started jamming and it was all very free flowing. That’s one of the great things about being in a band – you get an idea and just work backwards. When I joined Journey they were very happy for me to bring my own ideas to the table. They were all for me pushing the envelope and moving the band in a new direction. That’s what I brought with my piano!



rushonrock: Your tour with Foreigner and Styx must be an AOR match made in heaven for UK fans…

Jonathan Cain: We’ve worked with the guys in both of those bands before – we toured with Foreigner 10 years ago. We toured with Styx back in the 80s. It’s going to be a blast.



rushonrock: Ten years ago this tour would have bombed – why is there suddenly a demand for this bill now?

Jonathan Cain: I just think the music all three bands deliver makes people feel good at what is a pretty tough time. It’s positive and powerful rock music. Maybe some of the new music out there wears thin after a while but there’s an enduring quality to what these three bands do. This tour just reminds you of a simpler time and there’s an element of escapism. We take you back to when you were young and your whole life was ahead of you. For the younger generation it means something different. The kids want to see bands that can really play their instruments and we do that – they want to see a style and a sound that isn’t just dirge. With the three bands on this tour you get soul, style and swagger!



rushonrock: Following a band like Foreigner means you’ll have to bring you’re A-game every night…

Jonathan Cain: Each band can bring it – believe me! But we’re really good at what we do. It’s like Al Pacino and movies. He knows how to do it – how to steal a scene and steal the show. He has a certain style. So do we.

[steveo777]

As long as he's not a Muslim...... I don't know if I could handle a Taliban driven Journey.
Ok, now what has this got to do with anything?

[Argus]

Did he forget the Styx/REO tour? Main Event?

[Don]

As long as he's not a Muslim...... I don't know if I could handle a Taliban driven Journey.
Ok, now what has this got to do with anything?

Not sure what anything you just said has to do with anything Jon said. The article basically explains how much of the concept of Eclipse was birthed around Arnel and his Buddhist belief system. Everyone has asked what Neal meant when he called this a concept record and Cain pretty much tries to explain just that.

I'd also say the remark about still getting checks can be taken as a sign that they want this album to do well so they can have a financial as well as fan incentive to keep going in this direction on future releases.

[Jana]

I enjoyed the interview. Very in depth. Thanks for posting it, Don.

[Majestic]

Sweet read. Funny how Cain forgets that he toured with Styx while Augeri was singing. Maybe that's 'cause Styx was showing Journey on that tour. Also nice to know that Arnel is saved. Don, you've done it again!

[Don]

Sweet read. Funny how Cain forgets that he toured with Styx while Augeri was singing. Maybe that's 'cause Styx was showing Journey on that tour. Also nice to know that Arnel is saved. Don, you've done it again!

Do buddhists get saved?

[Majestic]

Sweet read. Funny how Cain forgets that he toured with Styx while Augeri was singing. Maybe that's 'cause Styx was showing Journey on that tour. Also nice to know that Arnel is saved. Don, you've done it again!

Do buddhists get saved?

One of the many paths sung about by Journey on Eclipse.

[Don]

Sweet read. Funny how Cain forgets that he toured with Styx while Augeri was singing. Maybe that's 'cause Styx was showing Journey on that tour. Also nice to know that Arnel is saved. Don, you've done it again!

Do buddhists get saved?

One of the many paths sung about by Journey on Eclipse.

Uh, okay.

[steveo777]

Sweet read. Funny how Cain forgets that he toured with Styx while Augeri was singing. Maybe that's 'cause Styx was showing Journey on that tour. Also nice to know that Arnel is saved. Don, you've done it again!

Do buddhists get saved?

One of the many paths sung about by Journey on Eclipse.

Majestic, while appreciate your zeal, don't believe everything you hear on a CD, mmmmkay?

[Majestic]

Sweet read. Funny how Cain forgets that he toured with Styx while Augeri was singing. Maybe that's 'cause Styx was showing Journey on that tour. Also nice to know that Arnel is saved. Don, you've done it again!

Do buddhists get saved?

One of the many paths sung about by Journey on Eclipse.

Majestic, while appreciate your zeal, don't believe everything you hear on a CD, mmmmkay?

I believed it already, or I wouldn't.

[Don]

So, all those women with their rosaries shout "God Bless You" to Arnel, have they been doing it wrong all this time? Wouldn't "Anumodana!" or "Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta!" be more appropriate?

[Majestic]

So, all those women with their rosaries shout "God Bless You" to Arnel, have they been doing it wrong all this time? Wouldn't "Anumodana!" or "Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta!" be more appropriate?

How does it matter? The intent and sentiment is the same.

[Don]

So, all those women with their rosaries shout "God Bless You" to Arnel, have they been doing it wrong all this time? Wouldn't "Anumodana!" or "Sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta!" be more appropriate?

How does it matter? The intent and sentiment is the same.

I know. I'm just being a dick.

[wednesday's child]

For Arnel Pineda, the new vocalist of the American rock band "Journey", the
Holy Week offers an opportunity to love one's family and thus show one's love
for the Lord.

"I will be with my family, definitely. I will go out of town with them," Pineda told
abs-cbnNews.com. The other message of Holy Week other than loving one's family,
he said, is to venerate God’s sufferings.

"I hope we remember the meaning of the suffering of the good Lord for mankind
and the importance of this to all persons we love and also to our enemies," Pineda
explained.

"You see I’m not a very religious person; I’m just spiritual. I don’t go to church and
yes, I’m a Christian," he said. "But I'm very spiritual and I believe in God...

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainmen ... -musicians

[Don]

For Arnel Pineda, the new vocalist of the American rock band "Journey", the
Holy Week offers an opportunity to love one's family and thus show one's love
for the Lord.

"I will be with my family, definitely. I will go out of town with them," Pineda told
abs-cbnNews.com. The other message of Holy Week other than loving one's family,
he said, is to venerate God’s sufferings.

"I hope we remember the meaning of the suffering of the good Lord for mankind
and the importance of this to all persons we love and also to our enemies," Pineda
explained.

"You see I’m not a very religious person; I’m just spiritual. I don’t go to church and
yes, I’m a Christian," he said. "But I'm very spiritual and I believe in God...

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainmen ... -musicians

So, can you be a Christian AND a Buddhist?

[Majestic]

For Arnel Pineda, the new vocalist of the American rock band "Journey", the
Holy Week offers an opportunity to love one's family and thus show one's love
for the Lord.

"I will be with my family, definitely. I will go out of town with them," Pineda told
abs-cbnNews.com. The other message of Holy Week other than loving one's family,
he said, is to venerate God’s sufferings.

"I hope we remember the meaning of the suffering of the good Lord for mankind
and the importance of this to all persons we love and also to our enemies," Pineda
explained.

"You see I’m not a very religious person; I’m just spiritual. I don’t go to church and
yes, I’m a Christian," he said. "But I'm very spiritual and I believe in God...

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainmen ... -musicians

So, can you be a Christian AND a Buddhist?

That depends on definitions of course, but to me they are essentially the same. I know many will want to disagree with me, and this is a fan forum for Journey, so I'm not to keen on going deep into it here.

[Don]

For Arnel Pineda, the new vocalist of the American rock band "Journey", the
Holy Week offers an opportunity to love one's family and thus show one's love
for the Lord.

"I will be with my family, definitely. I will go out of town with them," Pineda told
abs-cbnNews.com. The other message of Holy Week other than loving one's family,
he said, is to venerate God’s sufferings.

"I hope we remember the meaning of the suffering of the good Lord for mankind
and the importance of this to all persons we love and also to our enemies," Pineda
explained.

"You see I’m not a very religious person; I’m just spiritual. I don’t go to church and
yes, I’m a Christian," he said. "But I'm very spiritual and I believe in God...

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainmen ... -musicians

So, can you be a Christian AND a Buddhist?

That depends on definitions of course, but to me they are essentially the same. I know many will want to disagree with me, and this is a fan forum for Journey, so I'm not to keen on going deep into it here.

When has that ever stopped us?

[steveo777]

Lady Gaga does coke, smokes pot and sleeps with women. See, nothing here always has to be about the music.

[Rick]

For Arnel Pineda, the new vocalist of the American rock band "Journey", the
Holy Week offers an opportunity to love one's family and thus show one's love
for the Lord.

"I will be with my family, definitely. I will go out of town with them," Pineda told
abs-cbnNews.com. The other message of Holy Week other than loving one's family,
he said, is to venerate God’s sufferings.

"I hope we remember the meaning of the suffering of the good Lord for mankind
and the importance of this to all persons we love and also to our enemies," Pineda
explained.

"You see I’m not a very religious person; I’m just spiritual. I don’t go to church and
yes, I’m a Christian," he said. "But I'm very spiritual and I believe in God...

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainmen ... -musicians

So, can you be a Christian AND a Buddhist?

Technically, no. Buddhism teaches that nothing is permanent. That goes against Christianity in that God and your soul are both permanent.

[Majestic]

For Arnel Pineda, the new vocalist of the American rock band "Journey", the
Holy Week offers an opportunity to love one's family and thus show one's love
for the Lord.

"I will be with my family, definitely. I will go out of town with them," Pineda told
abs-cbnNews.com. The other message of Holy Week other than loving one's family,
he said, is to venerate God’s sufferings.

"I hope we remember the meaning of the suffering of the good Lord for mankind
and the importance of this to all persons we love and also to our enemies," Pineda
explained.

"You see I’m not a very religious person; I’m just spiritual. I don’t go to church and
yes, I’m a Christian," he said. "But I'm very spiritual and I believe in God...

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/entertainmen ... -musicians

So, can you be a Christian AND a Buddhist?

That depends on definitions of course, but to me they are essentially the same. I know many will want to disagree with me, and this is a fan forum for Journey, so I'm not to keen on going deep into it here.

When has that ever stopped us?

Well, never since I've been around! I'm only stopping myself for my own reasons.

[Don]

Coupled with the ghost sightings in the last interview, do they just make this stuff up as they go?

OR

Are they dipping into the Secret stash?

[steveo777]

Does the band just make this stuff up as they go then?

Maybe Jon misunderstood.

[Don]

Does the band just make this stuff up as they go then?

Maybe Jon misunderstood.

Too much ganji can do that to you.

[wednesday's child]

Does the band just make this stuff up as they go then?

First of all, let me state that faith is a deeply personal issue.
Second, that private matters shared/learned in confidence are sacred.

Hence...
I restricted myself to using an open-source/news-outlet citation, to wit,
the abs-cbnNews snippet I reposted above.

Remember the Indian fable of the blind men and the elephant?
Cain is not lying when he speaks of Nel's familiarity with some Buddhist
philosophies (I don't think any Filipino is totally-unfamiliar with Buddhist
and moreso Taoist principles, whether they reckon them as such or not)
but that does not mean Cain is speaking for the entirety of Arnel's faith,
or rather spirituality; nor that Cain isn't merely mistaken --as would be
so easy, speaking of someone who is openly more spiritual than religious.

-wech

PS:
I doubt you will easily find any two Catholics agreeing 100% on doctrine.
The very word "Catholic" implies entertaining all philosophies, because
of a profound confidence that it all ultimately redounds on God's Truth,
as revealed by the Prophets, and in full by Jesus, the Christ.

[Don]

Does the band just make this stuff up as they go then?

First of all, let me state that faith is a deeply personal issue.
Second, that private matters shared/learned in confidence are sacred.

I restricted myself to using an open-source/news-outlet citation, to wit,
the abs-cbnNews snippet I reposted above.

Remember the Indian fable of the blind men and the elephant?
Cain is not lying when he speaks of Nel's familiarity with some Buddhist
philosophies (I don't think any Filipino is totally unfamiliar with Buddhist
and moreso Taoist principles, whether they reckon them as such or not)
but that does not mean Cain is speaking for the entirety of Arnel's faith,
nor that cain isn't merely mistaken --as would be so easy when speaking
of someone who is openly more spiritual than religious.

-wech

PS:
I doubt you will easily find any two Catholics agreeing 100% on doctrine.
The very word "Catholic" implies entertaining all philosophies, because
of a profound confidence that it all actually redounds on God's Truth, as
revealed by the Prophets and then by the Christ.

Eclipse is about who Arnel is, being a Buddhist and a man of faith.

You see I’m not a very religious person; I’m just spiritual. I don’t go to church and
yes, I’m a Christian.

I think you can't be called both. A spiritual person, yes. Being identified as a follower in two separate faiths, no.

Maybe Jon misunderstood about Arnel's personal beliefs and just assumed he was a Buddhist.

[wednesday's child]

'bot...

It's really difficult to say what I want to say, without demeaning privacy and/or trust,
so you'll have to pardon my roundabout approach:

You are troubled by two irreconcilable claims, a predicament I had actually anticipated
by offering the old Indian fable (the blind men and the elephant), which deals precisely
with apparently-irreconcilable claims.

I really don't want to say more. I guess I was too perturbed by what Cain said, for me
to remain quiet. "Buddhist" or "Christian", Arnel's beliefs probably should not have been
brought up by anyone, save perhaps by Arnel.

JM2
wech

[Don]

'bot...

It's really difficult to say what I want to say, without demeaning privacy and/or trust,
so you'll have to pardon my roundabout approach:

You are troubled by two irreconcilable claims, a predicament I had actually anticipated
by offering the old Indian fable (the blind men and the elephant), which deals precisely
with apparently-irreconcilable claims.

I really don't want to say more. I guess I was too perturbed by what Cain said, for me
to remain quiet. "Buddhist" or "Christian", Arnel's beliefs probably should not have been
brought up by anyone, save perhaps by Arnel.

JM2
wech

I'm not a religious person at all. When Cain said that, the first thought in my head was how that would go over in a nation where even if you say you're Christian, if you aren't Catholic you're not REALLY considered a Christian. I found that out first hand. Another part of me was thinking "Wait until the Filipino Entertainment tabloids hear that."


Anywho, tomorrow we'll be talking about the debut numbers so we can just let this topic die a quiet death for the moment.

Though, Cain saying that a lot of Eclipse is built around Arnel being a Buddhist does make it a viable topic and something that will probably be brought up again.

[Argus]

'bot...

It's really difficult to say what I want to say, without demeaning privacy and/or trust,
so you'll have to pardon my roundabout approach:

You are troubled by two irreconcilable claims, a predicament I had actually anticipated
by offering the old Indian fable (the blind men and the elephant), which deals precisely
with apparently-irreconcilable claims.

I really don't want to say more. I guess I was too perturbed by what Cain said, for me
to remain quiet. "Buddhist" or "Christian", Arnel's beliefs probably should not have been
brought up by anyone, save perhaps by Arnel.

JM2
wech

Wech, I get what you are saying. Anything is Possible For others needing a Wiki Link to maybe get a slight education about the matter at hand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_Christianity Please folks do not stop doing your Yoga in fear that you will not be saved.

[Don]

'bot...

It's really difficult to say what I want to say, without demeaning privacy and/or trust,
so you'll have to pardon my roundabout approach:

You are troubled by two irreconcilable claims, a predicament I had actually anticipated
by offering the old Indian fable (the blind men and the elephant), which deals precisely
with apparently-irreconcilable claims.

I really don't want to say more. I guess I was too perturbed by what Cain said, for me
to remain quiet. "Buddhist" or "Christian", Arnel's beliefs probably should not have been
brought up by anyone, save perhaps by Arnel.

JM2
wech

Wech, I get what you are saying. Anything is Possible For others needing a Wiki Link to maybe get a slight education about the matter at hand http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhism_and_Christianity Please folks do not stop doing your Yoga in fear that you will not be saved.

People still do yoga?