Journey Frontman Misses The Band With Steve Perry

Journey's frontman Arnel Pineda would love nothing more than to see his hero, the band's legendary lead singer Steve Perry back with the band. Pineda, who joined the band in 2007, is vocally a dead-ringer for Perry, whom he grew up idolizing.

When during a chat with Rolling Stone, Pineda was reminded that Perry coming back into the fold would put him out of a gig, he admitted, “That would be OK to me! I’m telling you. That’s how much I adore him and I adore Journey and how much I adore Steve Perry.”

The Filipino-born and bred singer went on to say, “I miss them so much together. Every now and then, I watch their videos together. It’s always them with Steve Perry that I watch. I mean, no offense to Adam Lambert. He’s an amazing performer and he has an amazing voice, but I still watch the old (Queen) ones with Freddie Mercury. That’s why when people say things like 'No Perry, No Journey,' I understand it. Where I come from, we’re so influenced by Western music. We loved the originals, if you know what I mean.”

Pineda shed light on the upcoming Journey album, which is half done and marks the first from the group's latest lineup featuring returning bassist Randy Jackson, and drummer/producer Narada Michael Walden: “It’s somewhat like the sound back in the '80s when Randy Jackson joined the band for the Raised On Radio album. It’s kind of like that, but it’s also more updated. Narada is producing my vocals and mentoring me on how to do it. He’s telling me to sing it this way and that way. It’s amazing. I’m learning a lot from Narada. It’s truly an honor and I appreciate him for doing so. It’s amazing.”

He went on to say, “We’re on to finishing the album. We finished six songs so far. There’s talk of going out somewhere first, maybe Las Vegas for am residency. We don’t know yet. We haven’t decided. Just to break the ice between the new members and us.”

Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain still lead Journey. Last year, the pair ousted Ross Valory — who played bass for the band from 1973 until 1985 and again beginning in 1995 — and Steve Smith, who had served three stints as the group's drummer since 1979.

In what was undoubtedly the high point of Journey's 2017 Rock Hall inductions, Steve Perry's emotional recollections of his long-estranged former bandmates took most in the audience by surprise — as was his generous and loving dedication to Arnel Pineda: “I must give a complete shout out to someone who sings his complete heart out every night — and that's Arnel Pineda, where are you Arnel? (Applause) Where are you?! Where are you?! Well, you must be backstage. To Arnel, I love you.”