PEP: Rock mag feature says Arnel Pineda is 'unhappy' with Journey

It seems like Arnel Pineda's honeymoon tryst with American rock band, Journey, has now taken a painful slide. In a recent interview with the US-based magazine, Rolling Stone, the 41-year-old Pinoy frontman admitted feeling homesick and stressed out brought by the backbreaking demands of touring and performing almost every night in front of thousands and thousands of people. "There are days I just break down and cry," a disheartened Pineda reportedly told Rolling Stone's Andy Greene. "This is a job I'm doing for my family. That's all the consolation I'm getting." The article presented Arnel in a vulnerable light. Like everyone before him, the singer—discovered on YouTube by guitarist Neal Schon—quickly found out that living the rock n' roll lifestyle as part of a huge act, in reality, was far from the usual clichés he fantasized when he was a kid. Touring, for one, only left him feeling more like a prisoner than a rock star on the loose. "It's all buses, stage, microphone," he openly complained, "I never really get to go around and walk. They wake me up for soundcheck, then I wait until the show at nine." Singing for Journey, according to Pineda, is a "fantastic job" and "a curse" at the same time. "SING FOR US." Before filling in for the spot vacated by former Journey vocalist Jeff Scott Soto, Arnel was fronting the Manila -based ‘80s cover band Zoo. Guitarist Schon stumbled upon a YouTube clip showing Pineda dishing out Journey's classic hits "Don't Stop Believin'" and "Faithfully." Arnel's timing was perfect as Journey at the time was looking for a new vocalist. Schon invited the Sampaloc, Manila-based singer to fly to San Francisco, U.S.A. for an audition. The audition was designed for the band members to verify what they heard on the Internet as well as to reacquaint themselves with the YouTube sensation. The new Journey record has already sold 441,000 copies according to Rolling Stone. Journey also embarked on a grueling world tour to showcase its new frontman, who so far has drawn comparisons with the band's well-known vocalist, Steve Perry. Pineda recalled to Greene how he almost backed out on his first ever massive concert as Journey's new lead singer last February. With deafening cheers and screams coming from the audience, Arnel told his bandmates with obvious panic that he's "backing out." Schon told Pineda pointblank, "It's too late now," before lightly pushing the jittery frontman while saying, "Go. Go sing for us." Loyal fans and supporters of Journey however lambasted the Rolling Stone article, accusing Greene of twisting the facts and butchering Arnel's quotes with the intention of presenting a disillusioned man unhappy with the state of his international career. - Philippine Entertainment Portal