• From: Norddeutschland
  • Registered: 2008-12-03
  • Posts: 1,458

Topic: Plucked from obscurity - the ultimate Journey

Its the old story isn’t it? Starstruck fan plucked from obscurity to sing with his favourite band. Tim ‘Ripper’ Owens story in joining Judas Priest, replacing Rob Halford, was the template for the film ‘Rock Star’. Fast Forward to today and Arnel Pinelda, found by Neil Schon on ‘You Tube’ singing Journey covers is now fronting the band.

I’d heard their new album ‘Revelation’ and found his singing, well, a revelation, actually. Journey’s huge appeal in the 80’s and 90’s was due in no small way to Steve Perry’s incredible vocals. It defined their sound. It WAS their sound and without Perry, Journey’s overall success and appeal waned.

Big shoes to fill then. Steve Augeri, Jeff Scott Soto, came and went. So founder member Neil Schon starts scouting You Tube and finds – Steve Perry’s voice. I don’t know how he lost it and why it was in the Phillippines but it is definitely his voice. Uncannily, it is his voice from 20 years ago and even more unbelievably it is studio perfect – LIVE.

It would be an injustice to call today’s Journey a tribute act just because they have found the lost key (literally). They are making new music and based on what I saw last night have a bright future.

Any new singer in an old band wants acceptance from their fans. From the second he opened his mouth last night at Stadtpark Hamburg he had it. To hear these songs sung this way was just incredible. Power, pitch, and tone perfect his vocals soared. I never saw him struggle for a second or miss a note. Every small vocal inflection and intonation from the studio albums was faithfully reproduced with stunning accuracy. Thousands of hours of practice has gone into this. Thank goodness Neil Schon had the guts to follow his instincts. The rest of the band look happy as well they might. Journey are revitalised.

Arnel Pinelda is a bundle of energy living his dream. He spent almost the entire gig in front of his monitors cajoling the crowd to clap and sing along and we did. We did because it was a joy to hear these songs sung like this, and to see this band play like this again. I had forgotten just how many hits this band have, Separate Ways, Wheel in the Sky, Be good to yourself, Don’t stop Believin’, Faithfully and so many more. At just under 2 hours this was a breathless set at the marvellous Stadtpark bowl in Hamburg. The only downer was they started at 7.30pm and I think I would have liked to see them under a night sky but then again Arnel’s obvious joy of singing live might have been harder to see.

My litmus test for any gig are those hair standing moments and when its all over you are generally uplifted. Thanks then to Journey. I still feel like that this morning.

No Hits, No Hype.......................Classic Rock Jan 2012
  • From: Edgewater, FL
  • Registered: 2007-12-08
  • Posts: 5,046

Re: Plucked from obscurity - the ultimate Journey

Agreed!  Well said.  I said it when I heard the Double CD the first time.  Journey is what Power Rock & Ballads etc. spozed to be.  They Back!

MuchJoy
BigJeff

Rock On & Keep the FAITH
             It is
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3 Reply by The RiverCat^-^ (edited by The RiverCat^-^ 2009-06-25 20:51:18)

  • Registered: 2006-07-11
  • Posts: 1,247

Re: Plucked from obscurity - the ultimate Journey

bigjeffjones wrote:

Agreed!  Well said.  I said it when I heard the Double CD the first time.  Journey is what Power Rock & Ballads etc. spozed to be.  They Back!

MuchJoy
BigJeff

Actually as a Journey fan, I am looking for something different then just a replacement of a sound alike voice for Steve Perry.   This is good stuff and it brings back the memories of the old band but I would one day like them to try a different sounding singer and explore more with there music.  Instead of just rehashing.  I am not talking about the songs already released, I am talking about more musical creativity with their new music.  Arnel is fantastic but he does miss a number of subtleties that Steve Perry has when he sings.  He is not a duplicate of Steve Perry because Steve is really, I have to say, one of a kind.  It was more than just his voice, it is how Steve Perry used his voice, which had more natural inflection and range.  Arnel is a bit flatter that Steve, but Arnel is fantastic.  But Journey with Steve Perry was more than just Steve Perry, although that is how a number of Journey fans and people who don't really understand the band Journey, look at it.  They just look at the lead singer.  And they did take on Steve and Jonathan Cains personality with the personnel change.  But remember they were founded by Ross Valory and Neil Schon, an exceptional guitarist. And they had Steve "Machine Gun" Smith who is regarded as one of the best drummers around.  So Journey was about the band as a whole, really a supergroup

Jeff Scott Soto is with Neil's other band.  And Jeff does alot of different things, so he does pretty good for himself.

"Holy Toledo"  -  Bill King   "Just Win Baby" - Al Davis  "The Autumn Wind" - Steve Sabol
  • From: Norddeutschland
  • Registered: 2008-12-03
  • Posts: 1,458

Re: Plucked from obscurity - the ultimate Journey

I get where you are coming from River Cat but going to a different sound will alienate so many of their fans that they can't win.

Believe me, they don't have to rehash. This guy is good enough for them to record whatever they want. He has infectious enthusiasm and right now they are getting out there and re-establishing themselves.

Can he sing in other styles? Without a doubt I would say. He's had to, to make a living. I don't imagine a Journey coverband in the Phillipines was paying the rent. I think what I was trying to say before is that this guy could give them the best of all worlds which is a great position to be in for them.

Final point 'cos I rambled on before and didn't really cover it. Last night they were so tight. Neil Schon was absolutely on it in sparkling form. Guitar solos to die for. He gets overlooked sometimes by the masses but he is a wizard on guitar.  Jonathan Cain alternated from keyboards and guitar and when on the latter the songs really upped a gear rock wise. Deen Castronovo was ill and was ably substituted by Steve Toomey (I think) and he and Ross Valory really pinned the thing down.

I know I really praised the little guy, because I was so impressed, but last night was a real band performance. A band with a future and a lot to offer. To go forward they still need to keep Steve Perry's legacy intact. I just think they can. IMO, its a good start.

No Hits, No Hype.......................Classic Rock Jan 2012
  • From: Benicia, Ca.
  • Registered: 2006-05-08
  • Posts: 5,828

Re: Plucked from obscurity - the ultimate Journey

Journey was founded by Gregg Rolie along with Neal Schon when they left Santana in '73 along with original members Ross Valory, George Tickner, & Prairie Prince who was replaced by Ansley Dunbar by the time the first LP came out.

                                                                                        Still Thinkin' Green,

                                                                                        J Dawg

What is success? Is it do yo' own thang, or is it to join the rest?   -Allen Toussaint
  • Registered: 2006-07-11
  • Posts: 1,247

Re: Plucked from obscurity - the ultimate Journey

ohiodawg13 wrote:

Journey was founded by Gregg Rolie along with Neal Schon when they left Santana in '73 along with original members Ross Valory, George Tickner, & Prairie Prince who was replaced by Ansley Dunbar by the time the first LP came out.

                                                                                        Still Thinkin' Green,

                                                                                        J Dawg


Nice Wikipedia reference.

"Holy Toledo"  -  Bill King   "Just Win Baby" - Al Davis  "The Autumn Wind" - Steve Sabol
  • From: Benicia, Ca.
  • Registered: 2006-05-08
  • Posts: 5,828

Re: Plucked from obscurity - the ultimate Journey

The RiverCat^-^ wrote:
ohiodawg13 wrote:

Journey was founded by Gregg Rolie along with Neal Schon when they left Santana in '73 along with original members Ross Valory, George Tickner, & Prairie Prince who was replaced by Ansley Dunbar by the time the first LP came out.

                                                                                        Still Thinkin' Green,

                                                                                        J Dawg


Nice Wikipedia reference.

To be perfectly honest I did check Wiki since I wasn't sure which year Gregg & Neal left Santana, but the rest was pretty much what I recall being reported back when the band formed. Just wanted to give Gregg his props as a founding member. Ross & George played in Frumious Bandersnatch a local East Bay Band that played many a high school dance in my old 'hood back in the day. Dave Denny, another FB member went on to play with Steve Miller in the mid '70's and wrote "The Stake", although Steve altered the song since it sounded too much like Rocky Mountain Way the way Dave originally wrote it. Didn't really matter, Dave's still collecting royalty checks.

                                                                                   Peace..................J Dawg

                                                                                                J Dawg

What is success? Is it do yo' own thang, or is it to join the rest?   -Allen Toussaint