Posted in: Musicouching by Jeremy Mailman on November 28th, 2010 | 39 Comments
Journey’s latest album was a big hit. With 11 new songs, the album’s success was also attributable to their re-creation of the old Journey classics with their new lead singer’s amazing voice. The result was a fresh sensation and a new experience for the new and young generation of music fans. Will Journey do it again?
With the huge success of their latest and 13th studio album Revelation, legendary American rock band Journey is really back. Revelation sold over 105,000 copies on its first week of release which marked a 1,400% increase when compared to the first week sales of their 2005 album release Generations. It debuted at no. 1 on Billboard’s Independent Album Chart and no. 2 on Billboard rock album charts, and no. 5 on the Billboard 200.
The album is filled with 11 new songs with the hit After All These Years, Where Did I Lose Your Love and Never Walk Away which found success on the adult contemporary charts. After All These Years which peaked at no. 9, stayed on Billboard’s Top Adult Contemporary Tracks for over 23 weeks. Following their deal with Wal-Mart, the album also consisted of 11 re-recorded Journey classics with their new lead singer Arnel Pineda whose natural singing voice has an eerie resemblance to their former lead singer’s voice – Steve Perry.
Journey amazingly re-created their classics with Pineda’s voice and the use of modern recording studio technology which gave a much modern feel than the band’s previous album projects. Neal Schon’s guitar-playing had a different sound and was given prominence. Another improvement was the drum playing by Deen Castronovo which was made to be noticeably heard to have a feel of the beat.
Producer Kevin Shirley expertly engineered the new music pieces and re-engineered the re-recorded ones. The result is a fresh sensation and a new experience of the Journey classics especially to the new and young generation of music fans around the world. In support of their new album, Journey toured the world in 2009 and 2010 in sold-out concerts. The Revelation album provided Journey fans“what-you-hear-is-what-you-get” expectations in their live concerts. The band’s and Pineda’s energetic live performances were astounding and got high ratings and positive rave reviews.
In Revelation, Pineda re-recorded the classic hits Don’t Stop Believin’, Faithfully, Open Arms, Any Way You Want It, Only the Young, Wheel In The Sky, Who’s Crying Now, Separate Ways, Lights, Stone In Love, and Be Good To Yourself. And they were awesomely better sounding and unbelievably given a fresh new feel. The success of the album was also attributable to the re-creation of the Journey Classics with Arnel Pineda’s amazing and powerful voice.
With another new album for release in early 2011, fans are now beginning to wonder if Journey will let Arnel Pineda re-record the other Journey hits. The fans that were able to watch their live concerts in 2009 and 2010 experienced Pineda performed the other Journey classics like Ask the Lonely, Chain Reaction, Edge of the Blade, Higher Place, Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’ One More, Rubicon, Patiently, When You Love a Woman and Why Can’t This Night Go On Forever. And it was an astounding performance. Now, we wish we can hear it again and again at the comfort of our home. Will Journey re-engineer again another set of their old hits? Do we want it again?
So Journey is back. Reincarnated.
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Journey with new power voice Arnel Pineda is touring five cities of the United Kingdom in June next year. And for the first time in the history of rock music concerts, they will be joined by Foreigner and Styx bands.
Nykesha Alexandra November 28th, 2010 at 8:40 pm
Yes I agree. Pineda has really a golden voice.
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Jeff Bow November 28th, 2010 at 9:07 pm
I love the Journey songs. Pineda can make it fresh and sound new again. Go Journey!
awesome11 November 29th, 2010 at 4:21 am
Nice write dear ! ! ! ! ! ! ! ! !
oyoboy November 29th, 2010 at 6:57 am
Yes!! Please arnel we would love to hear your take on the old hits!
PSingh1990 November 29th, 2010 at 7:23 am
Nice Share.
donenyo November 29th, 2010 at 9:18 am
The positive rave reviews that Journey got from their successful 2-yr concert tour is a good indication that Arnel should re-record some Journey hits to satisfy the new fans and relate w/ the younger fans.
Gab November 29th, 2010 at 4:10 pm
Journey must re-record their other hits with Arnel for the sake of the new generation of fans.
Andre November 30th, 2010 at 8:46 am
That’s a great idea. I love their music and it’s just fair enough to give these great songs the improvement it needs. The re-recorded songs in Revelation are all great!
HighSchoolMusicalFan December 6th, 2010 at 12:51 am
@Joe: Just heard the original (what’s his name? Steve Peri ?) and they sound very old and faded…lol Well, I can’t blame the old fans. They grew up with the original.
mic December 20th, 2010 at 6:32 pm
I love that guys video review absolutely true
mm January 22nd, 2011 at 9:42 pm
the new singer is very talented,however the idea of re-recording the classics is not a good idea.let the new fans go back and discover the captured album,yes i said album.many of you may have never held one,read liner notes etc. let the new singer help write his own \”journey\”
Michael M January 23rd, 2011 at 7:17 am
@mm – great songs are meant to be sang or re-recorded by anyone who can do justice or even better to the music. Journey is NOT Steve Perry. Journey is not about a person. Journey is about MUSIC. Nat King Cole sang “Walking My Baby Back Home” and was re-recorded by James Taylor. It just so happens that new lead singer Arnel Pineda’s voice sounds like Steve Perry but not exactly. I don’t find anything wrong with that. Steve Perry singing Journey songs without Neal Schon’s guitar can also be not Journey and Steve sings them in concerts without Neal’s guitar skills. Is that a good idea too? Neal found that Journey voice in Pineda. They’re producing new music but you cannot forbid them to sing the classics when Pineda can sing them better than Perry. The fact is the youth of today never knew Steve Perry and won’t play his records for they sound old. Let Neal and Journey make their classics fresh, new and up-to-date. Let the new generation get to know Journey and feel their music. Go Journey!!!
mm January 23rd, 2011 at 8:47 am
i never said arnel should not perform the classics live. i would hope they would perform all the great classics live. arnel is a outstanding singer. i remember seeing van halen when sammy took over for david, they did thier classics,but didn’t re-record them. i’ve seen queen with paul do freddie’s songs too. you mention james taylor doing nat king cole, which is a great cover! but that’s why they call it a cover. i also agree that steve perry is not journey.he also does journey tunes live without neal and the boys. i would not accept perry re-recording journey classics either.m
Heather S January 23rd, 2011 at 12:40 pm
I was able to hear Steve Perry’s old recordings of Journey songs. They kinda sound old. The re-recorded Journey classics in revelation sounds cool and better. I wish they record again the other hits.
STB January 28th, 2011 at 10:11 pm
Hey,
Michael M January 23rd, 2011 at 7:17 am
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Too bad the band has to pilfer/plunder the classics to sell.
Seems Steve Perry is Journey. The Greatest Hits are still on Billboard 200 Chart #55 and have been on the Catalog List for over 800 weeks/15+ years, and are #1 this week. Aside from Pineda’s accent, people PREFER the ORIGINALS with Steve Perry for they have STOOD the Test of Time. If the band planned to license out Pineda’s versions, well, guess it did not work out that way.
The Youth of today KNOW Perry for many often drop by the sites dedicated to him and journey site, eventhough he has not performed in almost 15 years. And, don’t forget YouTube and itunes where most purchase the “Greatest Hits” that go “on and on.” Revelation is done!
Steve Perry wrote/co-wrote those songs, and is owner just like the band so he may sing them whenever he chooses.
Pineda tries his very best to sound just like Perry; but DOES NOT sound better or as Great as the Voice, Steve Perry and NEVER will.
Maybe one day the fans will accept Pineda on his own merit other than trying to be a “Steve Perry sound-alike.” Then, RollingStone won’t have to call them a “Tribute Band” (7/2008)
any longer. And, who knows, he may even write a song or two.
This was Journey’s mission from the beginning…
Paul Liberatore: An incredible journey for band’s new frontman
Paul Liberatore / Posted: 12/27/2007
“Journey guitarist Neal Schon, who wants the band to get back to what it used to sound like in the Steve Perry era, gets the credit for finding Pineda.
From Pineda’s perspective, he’s not trying to be Steve Perry, one of his idols, but he’s trying to sound as much like him as he can.
“We have to make sure the hard-core fans will be satisfied listening to the songs,” he said. “They’re so used to Steve Perry’s voice, so we have to be really close to how Steve Perry has done it. That’s the hardest part.
“Anytime Steve Perry wants to walk in, I would be glad to step out,” Pineda added. “It’s his right. It’s his band. I’m just here to celebrate the legacy of Journey.”
Latinoland January 29th, 2011 at 12:55 am
Pineda NEVER said he is trying to sound like Steve Perry. But Schon said that Pineda has the Journey legacy sound in his natural voice.
Kerwin Hisch January 29th, 2011 at 1:27 am
@STB: YOU QUOTED A CERTAIN PAUL LIBERATORE AS IF HE IS AN AUTHORITY ON THE MUSIC SCENE. LIBERATORE IS JUST ANOTHER INTERNET BLOGGER AND A MUSIC FAN… lol.. give us a break, man!
Justin1995 January 31st, 2011 at 12:03 am
Who is Steve Perry?
STB February 1st, 2011 at 7:37 am
This is Steve Perry……the Great Voice that has sold over 80 million records and continues..”on and on”…..
Revelation – Nomota
Tony Soprano’s favorites return with a new singer who won’t stop believing.
“IF A BAND STICKS around long enough, its turns into a tribute band. For years, Journey have slogged around the oldies circuit with a rotating cast of singers trying to impersonate STEVE PERRY, who belted out the group’s Seventies and Eighties hits. But this double-CD set, which also includes a live DVD, features the most unlikely Perry sound-alike yet: Arnel Pineda, a 40 –year-old Filipino who spends an entire disc delivering note-for-note remakes of classics like “Don’t Stop Believin.’” On the second disc, Journey also pull off a tribute-band coup..: hew to the formula that served the group well back in ’81…:” (RollingStone July 10-24.2008, p108)
Melinda February 1st, 2011 at 11:24 am
Let’s not take away anything from Steve Perry. His voice popularized the band. But the new frontman Pineda sounds better and the Revelation remakes of the classic hits sounds and was mixed and recorded much much better. Many songs were re-recorded by another singer and they sound better than the original. I bought Perry’s latest greatest hits to complete my Journey collection but still the Revelation remakes do sound fresher and better for me.
Chris V February 1st, 2011 at 11:41 am
“This kid (Arnel Pineda) they have right now can sing that material right now in the original keys in a very credible way…. Arnel’s voice is a very excellent one… Arnel comes better than close with Steve Perry’s…”
- HERBIE HERBERT, Journey’s former manager
( Interview with MelodicRock.com )
Chris V February 1st, 2011 at 11:46 am
“Arnel has what it takes to front this band: amazing stage presence, the charisma of a frontman, and vocally he was right on the money for the perfect rock show.”
- VALERIE NERRES, journalist
“This guy ( Pineda ) delivers a physical SPL you wouldn’t believe. He has an amazing volume to his singing and the mic could totally take.”
- JOHN NUFF, studio sound engineer
Jan Hill February 6th, 2011 at 6:09 pm
No way, these are Journey sounds from the beginning. Don’t spoil the classics, let Arnel record his own songs and nobody else’s
Trish February 6th, 2011 at 8:51 pm
@Jan Hill – lol… Many classics were re-recorded by other artists. Many revivals became hits. Don’t worry. It won’t be spoiled. With Arnel, they will all be better. Perry shouldn’t be worried. Open Arms were sung by other singers. And so is Dont Stop Believin and many others.Why can’t the active members of Journey record them? They have more rights than the Glee cast.. lol.. The band were singing them live in sold-out venues and people loved it. Why can’t they record them? For Perry’s sake? My goodness, he’s retired. Journey is not about one person. It is a group. Journey is about music. Enjoy them unless you got a long time crush on Perry. Amateur singers on YouTube were singing and recording the Journey songs for the world to hear. Why can’t they?
JunM February 7th, 2011 at 2:21 pm
You’re right Trish!
Tami Leigh February 9th, 2011 at 4:19 pm
Let the “new” Journey record their own “new” music. The songs that will stand the test of time were co-written and sung by Steve Perry, a talent that shines far beyond what they will ever do without him.
Joanne February 9th, 2011 at 9:38 pm
Let the new “NEW” Journey RE-RECORD their old hits to give it a fresh feel. The songs that will stand the test of time were written MOSTLY and mainly the ideas by keyboardist JONATHAN CAIN. His talent to compose music made Perry what he was before. Journey is about music not a person. Imagine Perry re-recording these songs without the unique guitar riffs of Schon and soul of Cain’s piano. Perry’s voice has changed. Schon’s and Cain’s contribution got even better. The best thing is they have found the ‘voice’ to sing the songs again. And I think the re-recorded songs got even better and the music re-sound mixed technically much better.
maria February 15th, 2011 at 2:10 am
no, they shd. leave it alone. Perry gave life to those songs .
Victor February 22nd, 2011 at 1:25 am
Journey is really about the music, the instruments, the vocals and of course the new frontman Arnel Pineda is awesome. Each singer has his own era and time and at present it is AP’s time. His voice, stage presence and his energy equals the musicians great performance and truly may they have the sucess for 2011 concerts all over the world. Go Journey, we ware waiting for you and your records.
Tami Leigh March 8th, 2011 at 12:58 pm
Agreed, there is a lot more that the current members of Journey have to offer. Just let them come up with their own music and sound with their new singer and leave the classics alone. It’s time they take the next step and stop relying on clones that try to sound like The Voice… it doesn’t work. I’m sure they can bring something new to the table and make their own mark, time will tell.
Jee Jones March 10th, 2011 at 5:13 pm
There is and forever will be one ONE Steve Perry and but for him there would be no Journey. The band was down/out and losing their record label when Steve came on board. His voice/writing ability/producing ability made this band and that is a matter of history and cannot be denied. The guys they’ve found over the years are simply Steve Perry impersonators. They don’t sound bad – they mimic him pretty well but none have had the range, passion, and pure vocals of Steve Perry. All you have to do is listen to some of his solo work with studio musicians – it all sounds like Journey. He was and will always be the ultimate voice. Rolling Stone puts him at #76 of 100 best singers ever – I put him at #1. Rock on Steve, wherever you are.
Andy Stock March 10th, 2011 at 6:21 pm
I can’t believe i keep reading about the old Journey songs sounding tired and unfashionable. They are classics and simply don’t need to be re-recorded with Pineda. Any new Journey fan who isn’t interested in listening to the early stuff needs a good kick up the arse. Journey’s golden period was 30+ years ago, it’s a frightening thought, but the songs still stand up today and do not need re-working.
I never saw Journey live with Perry. But saw them several times with Augeri, JSS and Pineda. All excellent vocalists. Pineda to me sounds like a direct replacement for Perry, and i’m sure that’s why he got the job. JSS, who stood in for Augeri, wasn’t a Perry impersonator at all, he has very much his own unique style and is a great frontman, (for Soulsirkus and Journey).
Libra March 24th, 2011 at 4:22 pm
Personally,I really prefer Pineda’s voice than Perry,but that is just me. The re-recorded hit classic songs really sounded great and Pineda did justice on those songs. I think there is nothing wrong with re-recording their other classics. We just have to be open minded. Journey music is Journey, nobody else. By the way, the new songs in the Eclipse album…FANTASTICALLY ROCKING…GOOD FOR YOU JOURNEY!!! and the fans too.REALLY!!!!!!!!!!!
Sharon Cordero May 11th, 2011 at 10:15 pm
Yes, Of course!! I like his voice!!
julia rosenbloom July 28th, 2011 at 3:24 pm
i love arnel!!! what a talent!! he breathed new life into a great band. check arnel on you tube…he sings everything, all the rock classes from other bands too. I think he is a great singer and he has a feel good story too. get the double live dvd live in the phillipines. i feel sure you would agree…and it lets us enjoy the other great guys in the band. love you arnel!!! keep on rockin!!
Chamber November 15th, 2011 at 10:27 pm
Journey’s new Eclipse album is their biggest flop ever. For it seems no one is interested unless the “copycat” is copying someone else’s hit songs “note for note” unable to sell self.
I guess that is expected when one spends life copying and stealing the sound and style of other artists – miss out on establishing your own voice that someone may want to hear.
JustOneOpinion November 8th, 2012 at 4:24 am
I agree with ‘Jee Jones March 10th, 2011 at 5:13 pm’
There ‘is’ only one Steve Perry; period!
Now Arnel Pineda? I wish him (and all the other impersonators) very well in their futures as singers. Cause lets face it, I doubt much they would like to try and continue to be someone they are not. If they (Journey) wish to go on and move forwards as a band? they should get a new witters for new songs, and stop riding on Steve Perrys’ coat tails. Makes them look kind of desperate, in my opinion.
As for Arnel, personally… I never thought he sounded at all like Steve Perry. He, like Steve, has his own voice, and should learn to use it as his own, not anothers.
JustOneOpinion November 8th, 2012 at 4:28 am
Also… leave the music as is. Just can’t improve upon perfection.
tpohil80 January 15th, 2013 at 2:20 pm
No! I don’t want Journey to re-record them without Steve Perry or Perry to re-record them without Neal Schon. Those classics are renowned and loved for a reason. It’s not like the Lemonheads doing a TRIBUTE to Simon & Garfunkel by recording Mrs. Robinson. It’s Journey re-recording Journey and I can’t help but think their management has them do it for more rights/royalties in this digital download age. They don’t need to re-write history, they have come out with some great music in the last few years and I have faith that they will write new hits that fit the new incarnation of their band. Of course I still want to hear those classics in concert but re-recording them takes time away from focusing on creativity and moving forward with new musical ventures. Leave the hits alone!