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Arnel Pineda

Last post 05-08-2008, 6:42 PM by Masoral. 49 replies.
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  •  12-14-2007, 2:08 AM 2588518

    Arnel Pineda

    Arnel fans post here...Big Smile

  •  12-14-2007, 2:09 AM 2588520 in reply to 2588518

    Re: Arnel Pineda

     

    FUNFARE By Ricardo F. Lo
    Friday, December 14, 2007

    Pinoy is new lead singer of Journey

    I would like to thank Funfare readers Aughust Constantino and Christine Carlos for calling my attention to the choice of Arnel Pineda, member of the Filipino band Zoo, as the new lead singer of Journey, one of the best rock bands of the ’80s and early ’90s. The good news was made public only last Dec. 6.

    Here’s the short item written by Bruce Northam, sent to Funfare by Christine:

    After performing for 25 years in dimly lighted bars in the Philippines, Arnel Pineda, 40, has been hired as the new singer for the 1980s rock band Journey. The band’s guitarist, Neal Schon, was impressed by footage of Mr. Pineda performing Journey covers on You.Tube and flew him to California for an audition. He is Journey’s third vocalist since Steve Perry left in the late ’90s.

    Mr. Pineda replaces Jeff Scott Soto, who departed earlier this year.

    “It will be a lot of hard work on my part, and I’m actually looking forward to the scrutiny I’ll get from the hard-core Journey fans,” Mr. Pineda, who also fronts the Manila band the Zoo, said in a statement. “I know they’ll expect me to sound exactly like the voice,” he added, referring to Mr. Perry’s, “but that will never happen. I know there’s only one Steve Perry in this world.”

    Journey is working on an album with Mr. Pineda, and the band is scheduled to tour early next year.

    http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Entertainment&p=49&type=2&sec=31

  •  12-14-2007, 2:11 AM 2588521 in reply to 2588520

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    11.12.2007, 21:27:55
    JOURNEY FIND NEW SINGER FROM... YOUTUBE.
    Arnel Pineda is the new lead singer for JOURNEY, after being discovered by the band on YouTube.

    "I was frustrated about not having a singer," guitarist Neal Schon said in a statement, "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.' But he is that good, he's the real deal and so tremendously talented. Arnel doesn't sound synthetic and he's not emulating anyone. I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him that night, but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter."

    Arnel, from Quezon City in the Philippines, scored the gig after years of experience singing Journey covers in his band The Zoo.

    "It's so exciting to sing with one of the best bands in the world" he said. "It'll be a lot of hard work on my part and 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' (Steve Perry), but that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world."

    Fans who have already seen Pineda say that he sounds exactly like original singer Steve Perry, but "Steve in his good days".

    Pineda replaces Jeff Scott Soto, who was sacked from the band earlier this year. Soto replaced Steve Augeri who left in 2006 for personal reasons.

    Journey is working on a new album for release in 2008, with producer Kevin Shirley.

    http://www.imperiumi.net/news_2.php?id=5800

  •  12-14-2007, 2:13 AM 2588525 in reply to 2588521

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    Journey Names New Lead Singer

    By Mary Morningstar
    Washington
    11 December 2007

    Legendary rock band Journey has announced its new lead singer. Arnel Pineda from Quezon City in the Philippines replaces Jeff Scott Soto, who left the group earlier this year. Soto filled in for Steve Augeri, who dropped out of Journey last year for health reasons. Pineda says, "It's so exciting to sing with one of the best bands in the world. It'll be a lot of hard work on my part and 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

    http://www.philstar.com/index.php?Entertainment&p=49&type=2&sec=31

  •  12-14-2007, 2:14 AM 2588528 in reply to 2588525

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    PasteMagazine.com

    Journey finds its sixth lead singer

    Writer: Kate Kiefer
    News, Published online on 06 Dec 2007

    Journey has a new singer…again! According to a press release, the band welcomed singer Arnel Pineda with open arms to the Journey family this week. Pineda replaced Jeff Scott Soto, who replaced Steve Augeri, who replaced Steve Perry, who replaced Gregg Rolie, who replaced Robert Fleischman, who replaced—wait, that’s it.

    For years, Pineda has been singing Journey songs in a band called The Zoo all over his homeland of the Philippines. He got the job after guitarist Neal Schon spent several days watching YouTube videos of bands playing Journey songs. The Zoo’s cover of “Faithfully” sealed the deal.

    “It’s so exciting to sing with one of the best bands in the world,” said Pineda. It just goes to show you that if you don’t stop believin’, your dreams just might come true.

    While the band and its singers tend to go separate ways (worlds apart) pretty regularly, the current Journeymen think they really got it right this time. “Arnel brings a soulful and passionate voice to Journey,” said keyboardist Jonathan Cain. “He’s a sincere, authentic person with a great smile and a big heart. I think fans are really going to love him.” Rumor has it, they’ve been lovin’, touchin’, squeezin’ since Pineda joined the band.

    Schon added, “We feel reborn.” Who’s crying now, Perry?

    http://www.pastemagazine.com/action/article/6032/news/music/journey_finds_its_sixth_lead_singer

  •  12-14-2007, 2:16 AM 2588529 in reply to 2588528

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    Journey finds new singer on YouTube

    Thursday, December 06, 2007 | 2:14 PM
    AP  

    LOS ANGELES, CA -- Journey have found the 21st-century way of finding a new singer: they picked him off YouTube.

    Arnel Pineda will replace Jeff Scott Soto, who left earlier this year and who replaced Steve Augeri, who left last year for medical reasons and who replaced Steve Perry. Pineda is from Quezon City in the Philippines and performed with a band called The Zoo. Journey guitarist Neal Schon says he was tooling around on YouTube and found The Zoo performing "Faithfully."

    Schon says he thought Pineda was too good to be true. He e-mailed Pineda, who ignored Schon's message, figuring it was a hoax. A friend told Pineda, what if it really is Schon and you're blowing a chance of a lifetime?

    Pineda wrote back and is now in the band. He says he knows fans will want him to sound like Steve Perry, but that will never happen, because there's only one Steve Perry. Journey is working on a new album that they hope to release next spring or summer.

    (Copyright ©2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

  •  12-14-2007, 2:17 AM 2588532 in reply to 2588529

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    Journey picks another lead singer for the holidays

    December 6, 2007 02:12 PM
    By Tjames Madison
    LiveDaily Contributor
    Rock vets Journey [ tickets ] have named their third lead singer in less than two years, with Arnel Pineda taking over frontman duties from Jeff Scott Soto, who left the band in May.

    Pineda, who hails from The Philippines, had been singing Journey songs (along with his own original material) with his band, The Zoo, the last few years in clubs in his home country.

    "It's so exciting to sing with one of the best bands in the world," Pineda said in a press statement. "It'll be a lot of hard work on my part and 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' (Steve Perry), but that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world."

    Soto, who was named Journey's lead singer almost exactly a year ago, had taken over from Steve Augeri, who had been with the band since the departure of original lead singer Steve Perry following the band's 1996 reunion album, "Trial By Fire."

    Guitarist Neal Schon turned to YouTube to search for a new singer, he said in a press statement.

    "I was frustrated about not having a singer, so I went on YouTube for a couple of days and just sat on it for hours," he said. "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.' But he is that good, he's the real deal and so tremendously talented. Arnel doesn't sound synthetic and he's not emulating anyone."

    "Arnel brings a soulful and passionate voice to Journey," added keyboardist Jonathan Cain. "His personality is very well-suited to our music. He's a sincere, authentic person with a great smile and a big heart. I think fans are really going to love him. With Arnel's soaring tenor, Journey returns to our heritage sound."

    Perry sang on the band's best-known songs, which include a string of late-'70s and early '80s hits such as "Don't Stop Believin'," "Wheel in the Sky," "Any Way You Want It" and "Open Arms." "Remember Me," a song that Journey contributed to the 1998 soundtrack for the film "Armageddon," was the band's first release to feature Augeri.

    The band's most recent studio album (and last to feature Augeri), "Generations," was released in 2005. The group is currently in the studio with producer Kevin Shirley (Iron Maiden, Rush) working on a new album for 2008, with plans for a world tour later in the year, according to the group's publicist.

    http://www.livedaily.com/news/13309.html

  •  12-14-2007, 2:18 AM 2588534 in reply to 2588532

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    The Strange Journey Of Journey

    Posted by frankmeyer - Thursday, December 06, 2007 10:37 AM

    you thought Van Halen were the leaders of the hard rock pack when it came to a revolving door of lead singers, then think again.

    After replacing original frontman Steve Perry in 1998 with Steve Augeri, who was forced to leave the band due to health problems, only to end up with Jeff Scott Soto in front temporarily, after a lengthy international search legendary rockers Journey have hired a Filipino fan to front the band.

    The band discovered Arnel Pineda, from Quezon City in the Philippines via YouTube, when they saw footage of him singing their songs with his band The Zoo. (Check it out above)

    But I’m sorry, no offense to Pineda, who has a great set of pipes, but he couldn’t look more awkward when you picture him in front of the crusty ‘70s rockers.

    Actually, Pineda almost missed his Rock Star-esque dream job after assuming emails from guitarist Neal Schon were a joke.

    "My friend Noel picked up the message on YouTube and told me it was from Neal,” said Pineda. “I thought it was a hoax so I ignored it. Noel said, 'what if it really was Neal and he wanted to offer you the chance of a lifetime?' So I emailed Neal back and the rest is history."

    Um…it is? History? Already? Even though you haven’t done a gig or released a song with them yet? Hmmm…..

    NME.com: Journey Finds New Singer on YouTube

    http://www.g4tv.com/thefeed/blog/post/681362/The_Strange_Journey_Of_Journey.html

  •  12-14-2007, 2:19 AM 2588537 in reply to 2588534

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    The Gauntlet

    The Gauntlet: Metal News

    JOURNEY: NEW SINGER ANNOUNCEMENT


    After much speculation…the wait is finally over.

    JOURNEY--Neal Schon (guitar), Jonathan Cain (keyboards), Ross Valory (bass), Deen Castronovo (drums)--is proud to introduce fans all over the world to their new lead singer, Arnel Pineda (“pin-eh-da”). He replaces Jeff Scott Soto, who parted ways with the band earlier this year after stepping in for Steve Augeri, who had to leave the band in 2006 for medical reasons.

    Arnel hails from Quezon City in the Philippines and has been singing Journey songs--in addition to original material--with his band, The Zoo, for the past couple of years in clubs all over his homeland. Joining the legendary band is a dream come true for him.

    “It’s so exciting to sing with one of the best bands in the world. It’ll be a lot of hard work on my part and 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’ (Steve Perry), but that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world.”

    When it was time for JOURNEY to look for a new lead singer, the internet came to their rescue. Guitarist Neal Schon wanted someone new to the music business, so he turned to YouTube. After finding Arnel singing “Faithfully,” he knew he had found the perfect frontman.

    “I was frustrated about not having a singer,” explains guitarist Neal Schon, “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.’ But he is that good, he’s the real deal and so tremendously talented. Arnel doesn’t sound synthetic and he’s not emulating anyone. I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him that night, but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter.”

    Arnel Pineda picks up the story: “My friend Noel picked up the message on YouTube and told me it was from Neal. I thought it was a hoax so I ignored it. Noel said, ‘what if it really was Neal and he wanted to offer you the chance of a lifetime?’ So I e-mailed Neal back and the rest is history.”

    “Arnel brings a soulful and passionate voice to JOURNEY,” continues keyboardist Jonathan Cain. “His personality is very well-suited to our music. He’s a sincere, authentic person with a great smile and a big heart. I think fans are really going to love him. With Arnel’s soaring tenor, Journey returns to our heritage sound.”

    Schon agrees, “We feel reborn. I think there’s a lot of chemistry between the five of us. At first we were going to go into the studio and just write 4 songs, but now it’s escalated to a lot of great new and diverse material. The stuff sounds tremendous. Everyone’s so stoked about it. We feel very fortunate to have found Arnel.”

    JOURNEY is currently working on a new album with legendary producer Kevin Shirley, which they hope to release by spring/summer 2008. Details will be announced early next year.

    www.journeymusic.com


     

    Date: 2007-12-05
    As Reported by: jason

    http://www.thegauntlet.com/article/1225/10921/.html

  •  12-14-2007, 2:22 AM 2588542 in reply to 2588525

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    Free Submission Public Relations & NewsPR-inside.com

    News - Music, movie, Entertainment

    JOURNEY DON'T STOP BELIEVING & FIND NEW SINGER ONLINE


    Print articlePrint article
    Refer this articleRefer to a friend
    Movie & Entertainment News provided by World Entertainment News Network (www.wenn.com)

    2007-12-06 03:06:31 -

     

    Rock legends JOURNEY have found their new singer online.
    Bandmates Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Ross Valory and Deen Castronovo introduced Arnel Pineda to fans in a statement released late on Wednesday (05Dec07).
    He replaces Jeff Scott Soto, who quit the band earlier this year (07).
    Journey discovered rocker Pineda after guitarist Schon stumbled upon tribute band The Zoo, while surfing the Internet, desperately trying to find a replacement for Soto.
    The Zoo, who were fronted by Pineda, had become such a live favourite in the frontman's native Philippines they had financed a series of videos and posted them on community website YouTube.com.
    The thrilled singer says, "It's so exciting to sing with one of the best bands in the world. It'll be a lot of hard work on my part and I'm actually looking forward to the scrutiny I'll get from the hardcore fans.
    "I know they'll expect me to sound exactly like (original singer) Steve Perry, but that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world." Schon is delighted with his discovery - because he came close to abandoning his talent search: "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." The Don't Stop Believing hitmakers are working on a new album, which they hope to release next spring (08).

    http://www.pr-inside.com/journey-don-t-stop-believing-amp-find-r334658.htm

  •  12-14-2007, 2:24 AM 2588546 in reply to 2588542

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    International Herald Tribune

    The Associated Press
    Published: December 7, 2007

    After performing for 25 years in dimly lighted bars in the Philippines, Arnel Pineda, 40, has been hired as the new singer for the 1980s rock band Journey. The band's guitarist, Neal Schon, was impressed by footage of Pineda performing Journey covers on YouTube and flew him to California for an audition. He is Journey's third vocalist since Steve Perry left in the late '90s; Pineda replaces Jeff Scott Soto, who departed earlier this year. "It'll be a lot of hard work on my part, and I'm actually looking forward to the scrutiny I'll get from the hard-core Journey fans," Pineda, who also fronts the Manila band The Zoo, said in a statement.

    http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/12/07/arts/peepsat.php

  •  12-14-2007, 2:26 AM 2588548 in reply to 2588546

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    mtv.ca

    Fri, 07 Dec 2007 22:09:00 GMT

    By: MTV News Staff

    JOURNEY FINDS NEW SINGER ON INTERNET.  Earlier this year, Jeff Scott Soto parted ways with Journey and now, a replacement has been found.  His name is Arnel Pineda and he hails from the Philippines.  Pineda has been singing Journey songs and original material in clubs in his country for years, but how did Journey hear about him?  Turns out, they used the Internet.  Guitarist Neal Schon wanted someone new to the music business as the band's vocalist and he went on YouTube.  After hours of searching, he found Arnel and thought it was too good to be true.  He wrote to Pineda, who thought the e-mail was a hoax, but a friend convinced him to respond and, as Pineda notes, "the rest is history."  The band is thrilled with their newest member.  Schon stated, "We feel reborn.  I think there's a lot of chemistry between the five of us."  As for Pineda's thoughts, he revealed, "It's so exciting to sing with one of the best bands in the world.  It'll be a lot of hard work on my part and I'm actually looking forward to the scrutiny I'll get from hardcore Journey fans.  I know they'll expect me to sound exactly like 'the voice' (Steve Perry), but that will never happen.  I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world."  The latest lineup of Journey is currently working on a new album that they hope to release by summertime.

    http://www.mtv.ca/news/article.jhtml?id=5720

  •  12-14-2007, 2:29 AM 2588550 in reply to 2588548

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    NME Logo

    NME News

    Journey hire cover band singer as new frontman 

    Legendary rockers Journey have hired a Filipino fan to front the band after parting ways with Jeff Scott Soto earlier this year.

    The band discovered Arnel Pineda, from Quezon City in the Philippines via YouTube, when they saw footage of him singing Journey songs in his homeland with his band The Zoo.

    Original frontman Steve Perry was replaced in 1998 with Steve Augeri who was forced to leave the band due to health problems.

    But Pineda almost missed his dream job after initially assuming emails from guitarist Neal Schon were a hoax.

    “My friend Noel picked up the message on YouTube and told me it was from Neal. I thought it was a hoax so I ignored it. Noel said, ‘what if it really was Neal and he wanted to offer you the chance of a lifetime?’ So I e-mailed Neal back and the rest is history.”

    The band are currently working on a new album with producer Kevin Shirley, tentatively scheduled for a spring/summer 2008 release.

    --By our New York staff.
    http://www.nme.com/news/various-artists/32984

  •  12-14-2007, 2:31 AM 2588554 in reply to 2588550

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    Rumors

    Will Journey's New Frontman Actually Be A Frontchick?

    anywayyouwantit.jpgJourney has had something of a hard time keeping its frontpeople since Steve Perry broke our hearts lo those many years ago, and the band's last few choices have not exactly been Dangerfield-approved. But perhaps that will all change if the the band loses the Y chromosome factor by choosing Perry's most recently rumored replacement?



    There has been quite a bit of buzz saying that Japanese singer Arnel Pineda will be named the new lead singer replacing Jeff Scott Soto who replaced Steve Augeri who replaced Steve Perry.....Now there is a bit of buzz saying that Scandal leader & Mrs. John McEnroe, Patty Smyth is set to join the band. Patty has of course recorded Journey's "Only The Young" for Scandal..........

     

    Well, this is certainly the first we've heard of Smyth's canidacy. (And here we thought Pineda was actually from the Philippines, so grain of salt regarding the reporting here.) Still, while it will be interesting to clock classic rock fanboys' reactions if this proves true, years of karaoke have already proven that the Journey songbook belongs to both genders, and all races and creeds. Provided you can hit the notes.

    Journey adds another show to tour. Who will lead them? Patty Smyth???? [Geno's World]

    http://idolator.com/tunes/rumors/will-journeys-new-frontman-actually-be-a-frontchick-327593.php

  •  12-14-2007, 2:36 AM 2588557 in reply to 2588554

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    Journey Finds Replacement Singer on YouTube

    By Steven Leckart EmailDecember 05, 2007 | 7:21:08 PMCategories: Music  

    Steveperry_2_4 After recent speculation, it's official. Journey announced today they've hired a new set of vocal chords to belt out seminal power ballads like "Don't Stop Believin'" -- and they have YouTube to thank.

    Videos of Arnel Pineda, formerly with a band called the Zoo, were discovered by Journey axeman Neil Schon, who has heaps o' praise for the group's FOURTH SIXTH (!) singer (the legendary Steve Perry stopped believin' in '96 -- perhaps he's too busy cultivating the best ponytail ever? ...Jeff Scott Soto boned out this year; Steve Augeri left in '06; and, news to me, there were two other singers before Perry.    [thanks Chuck!])

    As Schon said in a press release:

    “I was frustrated about not having a singer, so I went on YouTube for a couple of days and just sat on it for hours... 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.’ But he is that good, he’s the real deal and so tremendously talented. Arnel doesn’t sound synthetic and he’s not emulating anyone. I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him that night, but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter."

    Someone should totally make a movie about this! ...oh wait. Nevermind.

    UPDATE: more re: the comments after the jump...

    Earlier today, a member of a popular Steve Perry fan site attempted to post the following message in the comment thread. Due to her, well, enthusiastic use of all-caps, our spam filter did not approve the message. So, without further adieu, here's the entire letter, followed by my reply (for those at all interested), as well as a response...

    http://blog.wired.com/underwire/2007/12/journeys-replac.html

  •  12-14-2007, 2:38 AM 2588561 in reply to 2588548

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    Dec 6 2007 6:01 PM EST

    By MTV News staff

    Journey are counting a new singer among their ranks: Arnel Pineda. The Filipino crooner, who previously covered the band's songs with his group the Zoo, is the third Journey singer in two years — he follows Jeff Scott Soto, who left the fold earlier this year after filling in for Steve Augeri, who split with the band in 2006 due to medical reasons. "I know they'll expect me to sound exactly like 'the voice,' " Pineda said in a statement, referring to yet another former Journey singer: Steve Perry. "But that will never happen. I know there's only one Steve Perry in this world." "Arnel doesn't sound synthetic and he's not emulating anyone," added guitarist Neal Schon, who discovered the singer's Zoo clips online. "I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him ... but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter." ...

    http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1575934/20071206/madonna.jhtml

  •  12-14-2007, 2:40 AM 2588564 in reply to 2588518

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    Quick Hits: Foo Fighters, Led Zeppelin, Disturbed, Radiohead, Bonnaroo, Wilco, Journey

    December 6, 2007

    Journey has found its newest frontman via YouTube. Filipino singer Amel Pineda has been hired to replace former singer Jeff Scott Soto, who briefly replaced Steve Augeri earlier this year. “I was frustrated about not having a singer,” explains guitarist Neal Schon, “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 [Pineda's band] 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.’ But he is that good, he’s the real deal and so tremendously talented. Arnel doesn’t sound synthetic and he’s not emulating anyone. I tried to get a hold of him through YouTube and I finally heard from him that night, but it took some convincing to get him to believe that it really was me and not an imposter.” Journey plans to release a new album in 2008

    http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=527378

  •  12-14-2007, 2:42 AM 2588567 in reply to 2588518

    Re: Arnel Pineda

    Arnel Pineda: Journey's New Vocalist? Print E-mail
    By Jim Ayson   
    Tuesday, 04 September 2007

    zoo

    If you survived the 80's, you probably remember that power-ballad driven band Journey. With musicians like vocalist Steve Perry (of "Foolish Heart" fame), guitarist Neal Schon, keyboardist Jonathan Cain, bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith (who went to become a famed jazz drummer in his own right), the band unleashed one power ballad and anthem after another and drummed these into our consciousness.

    Songs like "Don't Stop Believing", "Any Way You Want It", "Faithfully", "Open Arms", "Separate Ways" - pepper many a golden oldies mix CD, or a beer garden's jukebox repertoire.

    The band recently re-entered pop-culture onsciousness when its old hit "Don't Stop Believing" was selected to end the Sopranos' final episode.

    The band never fully recovered from the departure of popular vocalist Steve Perry (who left twice, in 1987 and after a brief reunion, in 1996) and the band has gone through two other vocalists since then, the last being Jeff Scott Soto, who left the band in June 2007.

    samplesAnd now word has come our way that a Filipino cover band singer by the name of Arnel Pineda of the Zoo Band, was personally invited by Journey to audition for the band in San Francisco.

    And here's the rub. Pineda got the attention of the band because of his numerous video performances on the popular video-sharing site YouTube, where he was seen performing Journey covers, and nailing the notes that made Steve Perry famous.

    Is it an example of life imitating art imitating life? Undoubtedly so, if you remember the B-movie Rockstar (starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Anniston) which in turn was based on the story of Judas Priest vocalist Ripper Owens. In the film, the fictional hair metal band Steel Dragon plucks a cover band singer out of obscurity and asks him to front their band. And so it goes for our boy Arnel.

    Reports have it that Arnel is already in the US auditioning for the band, accompanied by the Zoo's manager, TV director Bert de Leon.

    But the fly in the ointment is that some hardcore Journey fans are not all happy campers when it comes to that decision. Message threads on Arnel on the MelodicRock.com and Journeyforums.com have the guy being flogged with racist taunts and putdowns of the Filipino accent he allegedly uses while performing Journey covers.

    "Journey is supposed to be an all-American band," writes one fan. Others liken the band's move to outsourcing the job to cheaper Asian labor.

    Geez, can't a guy just sing "Open Arms" in peace anymore?

    Will Arnel get the gig, or will the racist Journey fans have their say? We're staying tuned for more developments in this story.

    -------------

    Video:  Arnel Pineda performing the Journey golden oldie "Faithfully" at the Hard Rock Cafe, Makati with the Zoo Band.  One of many videos of Pineda posted on YouTube that got Journey's attention.

    http://philmusic.com/main/content/view/152/7/

  •  12-14-2007, 2:44 AM 2588571 in reply to 2588518