Tampabay.com Stuck in the 80’s reviews Journey’s visit in Florida.
Arnel is the Real Deal: New lead singer Arnel Pineda worked the stage like a seasoned front-man, no small task in a steamy Florida summer night. Give him another two years, and he’ll be the face of the band.
Steve Spears of TampaBay.com previews the upcoming Journey concert:
These days, the band has been re-energized by a new album — Revelation — and the addition of Arnel Pineda, a Philippines-born singer whose pipes are eerily similar to legendary Journey frontman Steve Perry, who left the band in the late ’90s.
Stuck in the 80’s of Tampabay.com interviews Ross Valory. Here’s excerpt of the interview.
Did Journey really find Pineda using the Internet?
“Neal Schon, our guitarist, was cruising the ‘Net literally late one night, and literally in the 11th hour of completing our lineup for doing the record … and he was at YouTube and he just typed in “Journey singer” or “Journey vocalist,” and there he is, watching this guy sing these songs… He couldn’t believe it.”
What was your reaction when you heard him sing in person the first time?
“Goosebumps. … And that’s the way it was for all of us.”
It makes for a nice fairy-tale year for you and the gang.
“It’s a Cinderella story. … Even Rolling Stone, which has never liked this band, has a story. … And that’s not to be glib or superficial. It’s just the perfect story for a band’s comeback.”