JOURNEY names Arnel Pineda

[regfootball]

I prefer Steve Augeri. I pretty much do not care about this band anymore. JSS is a great singer, but Journey is Journey. Anyways, is there anyone left who really cares that much? Maybe not.

Date: Dec 20, 2006 5:26 AM 

Subject JOURNEY names JEFF SCOTT SOTO official new lead singer

Body: Jeff Scott Soto has been officially named the new lead singer of Journey. He had been filling in for Steve Augeri, who had to leave the U.S. tour with Def Leppard shortly after it began on June 23 due to illness.

“We are so grateful to Steve for all the years he dedicated to Journey,” says Journey in a joint statement. “We thank Steve for all his hard work and we wish him only the best in his future endeavors. Over the past few months, we’ve come to realize that Jeff has proven himself above and beyond that he can sing the hell out of our songs and we’re happy to officially welcome him as part of the family. We’re excited to start a new chapter with Jeff and we’re excited about what the future may bring.”

Steve Augeri states: “Singing for Journey these last eight years have been the most challenging and the most rewarding of my career. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the band, and especially the fans, for the privilege of being part of a musical legacy that has touched so many hearts and souls. I wish my fellow bandmates success and happiness as they continue to make great music in the future, as I will strive to do the same myself.”

Jeff Soto also adds, “With delight & pleasure, I am accepting the offer to continue my tenure with Journey now as their permanent vocalist after the amazing past months we have spent together on tour. I also pay high respect to Steve Augeri for coming in and helping Journey continue their legacy for nearly the last decade and to Steve Perry for co-creating this legacy. I hope to now add and help drive Journey into the next stage of this bands future.”

Since Soto’s first appearance with Journey on July 7 in Bristow, VA, his performances have been garnering rave reviews. To wit:

“Right off the bat, Journey’s new lead singer is fantastic. Jeff Scott Soto is a supremely talented vocalist who handled with ease the many sky-high notes and the mile-long range in Journey s repertoire. Steve Perry fans have never gotten over the original lead singer s departure from the band, but I am here to tell you this guy rocks the role. And yes, if you close your eyes he sounds just like Perry, but -- dare I say it? -- maybe even more passionate and full of verve. Hits such as ‘I will Be Alright Without You’ and ‘Wheel in the Sky’ showcased his mighty voice.” --Lorilee Craker, Grand Rapids Press

“The one-time Yngwie Malmsteen vocalist channeled (Steve) Perry flawlessly, nailing all the high notes and then some…Soto’s got it going on.” --Christopher John Treacy, Boston Herald

“Could Soto cut it? Yes. And then some. His vocals and stage presence were impressive.” --Dave Ferman, Ft. Worth Star-Telegram

“Soto is a really strong vocalist, so instead of struggling to emulate (Steve) Perry’s laser-beam vibrato, he can get away with a style that mixes grainy power with effortless key changes.” --Johnny Loftus, Metro Times Detroit

Steve Augeri is currently recording his debut solo album, In the Moment, due out the summer of 2007. He’s also putting the finishing touches on the much-anticipated follow-up to the AOR classic Tall Stories album, launching early next year. For more info, visit Steve Augeri Website.

Journey--Neal Schon (guitar), Ross Valory (bass), Jonathan Cain (keyboards), Deen Castronovo (drums) and Jeff Scott Soto (vocals)—are currently mapping out plans for 2007.

Edited December 6, 2007 by regfootball

[red]

Steve Perry, where art thou? Should've capitalized on the now-waning Journey comeback phenonena, buddy.

[NDL]

What is it with this band, and its' singers?

[Flybrian]

Its not Journey anymore.

[regfootball]

AUGERI was tremendous for Journey. JSS is excellent, he's just not journey, IMHO. maybe that will change for me over time.

Journey is just doing what Styx has been doing. Morph into a sort of faceless icon, with interchangeable singers and players. Deen Castronovo, Journey's drummer, is the one who has been singing all the classic power ballads in concert anyways. his ability to sound like Steve Perry is why journey can replace Augeri. JSS has more stage flair.

I saw journey with Augeri on a club date about 4 years ago, 10 feet from stage. Probably the best concert I've seen. Augeri was great.

I saw JSS Journey with Def Leptards last summer, I didn't think they were that good. It just didn't sound like Journey. Of course, it was not totally equal comparison, I was like 200 feet away from the stage.

Oh well. If they tour US again I'll see them if the tickets are cheap because Neal Schon is tremendous. But no Perry or Augeri really makes it a bit faux to me.

Edited December 21, 2006 by regfootball

[regfootball]

Jeff Scott Soto at wikipedia

Jeff Scott Soto

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Jeff Scott Soto (born November 4, 1965, in Brooklyn, New York) is an American rock singer best known for being vocalist on Yngwie Malmsteen's first two albums. His style is typical of heavy metal vocalists of the 1980s, but he is also influenced by classic soul music singers such as Sam Cooke as well as Steve Perry of Journey and Freddie Mercury from Queen.

The bands Soto has been involved in included Axel Rudi Pell, Eyes, Talisman, Takara, Humanimal, Human Clay, Kryst The Conqueror, Redlist, The Boogie Knights and Soul Sirkus.

Jeff has sung background vocals on several albums by artists such as Lita Ford, Steelheart, Fergie Frederiksen, Glass Tiger, House Of Lords, Stryper, Saigon Kick, and many others.

He has released several solo albums as well. Jeff also sang for the fictional band Steel Dragon, which featured Zakk Wylde, for the soundtrack of the movie Rock Star along with Michael Matijevic of the band Steelheart, whose second album featured Jeff on background vocals.

He has also sung the main theme song for the series Biker Mice From Mars.

In 2006, Soto replaced Steve Augeri in Journey due to an acute throat infection that caused Augeri to leave the tour. On December 19, Soto was confirmed as the official lead singer for Journey and a press release was posted on the band's official site.

[regfootball]

[mustang84]

He's too heavy metal for Journey. I have some of the Steel Dragon songs he sang on...he doesn't sound anything remotely close to Steve Perry.

In the long history of singers quitting and being replaced, about the only one that has worked ok is Sammy Hagar with Van Halen. Pretty much all others have failed.

[regfootball]

...he doesn't sound anything remotely close to Steve Perry. 

230822[/snapback]

In concert he did not sound like PerryAugeri to me at all. Deen, however will fool most people, his voice is really that much like PerryAugeri.

Most chicks who only know Faithfully and Open Arms in no way if blindfolded or even not could tell if Augeri or Perry were singing the songs live.

Apprently Augeri must not be edgy or metal enough for Neal Schon. Which is probably what you said, they want the more heavy metal edge, thus JSS joins the fray. Maybe Augeri will return to working at the Gap if his solo bit don't pan out.

Edited December 21, 2006 by regfootball

[regfootball]

www.melodicrock.com

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE JEFF SCOTT SOTO MOMENT?

Journey dumps Jeff Scott Soto

JOURNEY ANNOUNCES DEPARTURE OF JEFF SCOTT SOTO:

Press Release / June 12, 2007 -- Journey has parted ways with their recently named lead singer Jeff Scott Soto. Jeff s first appearance with Journey was July 7, 2006 in Bristow, VA. He had been filling in for Steve Augeri, who had to leave the tour shortly after it began on June 23 due to illness. Jeff s last performance was May 12, 2007 in Leesburg, VA.

According to guitarist Neal Schon, "We appreciate all of Jeff s hard work and we can t thank him enough for stepping in when Steve Augeri got sick last year. He did a tremendous job for us and we wish him the best. We've just decided to go our separate ways, no pun intended. We re plotting our next move now."

Keyboardist Jonathan Cain continues, We were lucky to have a friend who was already a Journey fan step in on a moment s notice during the Def Leppard tour to help us out. Jeff was always the consummate professional and we hope that he remains a friend of the band in the future. We just felt it was time to go in a different direction.

Journey--Neal Schon (guitar), Ross Valory (bass), Jonathan Cain (keyboards) and Deen Castronovo (drums) is taking the rest of 2007 off to spend time with their families, write new songs and map out plans for 2008.

WebLink: www.journeymusic.com

please bring AUGERI BACK

Edited June 16, 2007 by regfootball

[Delta Force79]

Journey is a joke imo...sorry

[Justin Bimmer]

Thank goodness for recorded songs. All I have heard is how much Journey sucks now. Steve Perry was the man (from a little town south of me called Hanford, CA) Why do bands like this get to keep the same name? They should have to change their name to some cover name cause it's not the same.

[daves87rs]

They're still around-heck-the news to me.

They just are not the same without Perry....it's annoying when bands keep switching people.

And then there are bands like Duran Duran who have Justin Timberlake working on their next album. That should be interesting.

Lucky I like Duran Duran.

[FAPTurbo]

I think Steve Perry is the only sound I can associate with Journey.

However, maybe they should get Ed Darst from the modern AOR act, 'Line of Fire' . Their debut's sound is a what I would call a combination of Journey/Firehouse... not too shabby.

Here's a sample.

http://www3.telus.net/sjdj/01%20Faith%20in%20Fire.mp3

And I should get me some tickets for Def Leppard!

[aaaantoine]

He's too heavy metal for Journey. I have some of the Steel Dragon songs he sang on...he doesn't sound anything remotely close to Steve Perry.

In the long history of singers quitting and being replaced, about the only one that has worked ok is Sammy Hagar with Van Halen. Pretty much all others have failed.

Does it count if the band replaced its singers before becoming relatively famous? Because Dream Theater changed their lead singer like three times before they found James LaBrie.

[regfootball]

one of the top 3 concerts i ever saw was journey about 5 years ago with steve augeri as singer, in a club venue. i was like 10 feet from the stage. it was amazing.

Augeri was a perfectly good perry replacement at that time, and perfectly capable of keping journey ok for the next several years. what's happened since, know one knows what really happened though.

on one of the music message boards i checked, one guy said the only way this band can save face now is to try to get perry back, but knowing how much they hate him, i just don't think it's possible.

like i said somewhere else, we'd be best off with a bad english reunion now, since 3/5 of that band was journey anyways. Just tour as bad english with JOhn Waite singing and throw in some Journey songs with the drummer singing (who sounds like Perry anyways).

Edited June 17, 2007 by regfootball

[regfootball]

from the awesome website www.melodicrock.com

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

NEW SINGER AND NEW MATERIAL FOR JOURNEY IN 2008:

2007 has been a long year for curious Journey fans and followers, patiently waiting to hear what the next move from the band would be following the decision to part with vocalist Jeff Scott Soto. And the demand for information from readers has been constant, so without further delay - it is finally time for a Journey update.

The band has a new singer. An official announcement and press release will come in due course, but I can confirm today that the brand new vocalist for Journey is Arnel Pineda.

Arnel is the frontman for Philippines rock band Zoo, who earlier in 2007 released their debut album Zoology. Arnel is no stranger to performing, having been in various Asian bands since the 80s and has previously released a solo album back in 1999.

But it is Zoo that has captured people's attention - the band are extremely popular on the club circuit in the Philippines, and to a worldwide audience via a number of clips posted to YouTube. The band is known not only for their originals but for their performances of an array melodic rock covers. The band's most popular covers have been that of Journey's classics and it is these YouTube performances that caught the eye and ear of guitarist Neal Schon.

Check out Arnel Pineda in action, covering: Faithfully - www.youtube.com/watch?v=6HjcCzgCCX0; Open Arms - www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpnEnt-qOw4&feature=related; Seperate Ways - www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Fl-Ng7dvI&feature=related.

Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain and Journey management were so impressed they flew Arnel to San Francisco for an official audition.

Now the band are eyeing off future moves, with a big 2008 on the horizon. A major US tour with possibly 2 other bands in tow has been planned and what's even more interesting is news that the band has already been recording in San Francisco under the watchful eye of producer Kevin Shirley (responsible for the Trial By Fire and Arrival records with the band).

Kevin Shirley has recently commented on his Web Diary that he was working with some "old friends from the Bay Area". Then this comment a week or two later:

"Gosh, is it still 1980? Finished a wonderful, successful, stupidly creative stint in the Bay Area and then drove back home last night, feeling chuffed as only those rare, monster sessions leave you. Sometimes you just know when there's history in the making..."

I contacted Kevin for a comment, but it was another contact that touched base first. I have been given the ok to print those comments from Kevin here:

"Neal and Jon called me and asked me in November to check out a couple of new songs, for an upcoming and possible project with Journey.

I went to San Francisco to assess the new Journey and check out the material. I am so swamped, have a new baby and I did not want to be involved if it wasn't focused and great. I thought I'd be there for 2 days. First, I was stunned at Arnel, who is a monster vocalist. He is the real deal. Just phenomenal. Its true Neal found him on YouTube.

Next I heard the songs. I am always in awe of Jonathan Cain as songwriter/producer and together with Neal Schon, who adds the rock element, they are one of the great songwriting partnerships. Its true they don't always see eye to eye musically, but the combination is magic. We spent a while talking and seeing where they were at. I have been brutally honest with them, and was not interested in being any part of them being a nostalgia/tribute band, which could happen if their focus got lost. Some of the songs were lacking direction which I, as an outspoken and brutal outsider, immediately pointed out and set about repairing. So I cut a couple of tracks and with all the $h! out of the way, you have to hear them ignore their egos and me, and just play as Journey. All together in the studio. What a privilege to see all 5 of them playing together. They are fantastic.

I am always cogniscent of the space Perry and Smith occupy in the sound and legacy, and won't let that be underplayed, and Deen and Arnel are brilliant musicians, and with a little focus the entire band has found their place again. This is stronger than Trial By Fire and sounds like Journey, but state-of-the-art. People always talk up upcoming material, but just wait. Its unbelievable. There's a full album of new material coming, but much more, too. Don't believe all you read - there is no one else but the band in the studio to hear the music (although we do have a Make-A-Wish kid coming in soon).

And that's the dirt from Las Vegas, where I am mixing seven new original songs. I head back to San Francisco after a quick visit to London, to see the Led Zep reunion, to finish off where we began. I can't wait, and you are going to love it!"

There has been talk of the band working on other recordings in the studio, but I'll leave that for another update. What I can tell you is that an album of all new studio material is being worked on and is due for release in the American summer of 2008.

Journey's first two shows of 2008 will be in South America - February 21th at Festival of Viña del Mar, at Quinta Vergara Arena and February 23 at Estadio San Carlos de Apoquindo in Santiago.

i have to admit, this guy seems pretty good.

Edited December 5, 2007 by regfootball

[FAPTurbo]

Sounds interesting.

Jeff Scott Soto has enough projects already, what with his solo career, and Talisman, and I'd still have trouble listening to a Journey without Steve Perry.

However, looking back, it would have been interesting to see what a JSS/Schon 'Journey' would have produced. Probably something similar to Hardline's debut, which also featured Schon, which had a decidedly harder, melodic rock sound. Neil Schon has made it no secret that he loves to shred when given the chance, so here's hoping this version Journey will allow him to.

[staceface]

I am old - I originally saw Journey with Steve Perry on the mic. I think (if I remember correctly) Billy Squier opened up for them - I'll have to check the ticket stub.

[daves87rs]

This could be interesting....

[regfootball]

JOURNEY WELCOMES ARNEL PINEDA WITH “OPEN ARMS” TO THEIR FAMILY AS THE BAND’S NEW LEAD SINGER

December 5, 2007 -- 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