Journey drummer Deen Castronovo has responded to the backlash and the haters of Arnel Pineda after his performance with some vocal troubles.
“Arnel has risen to the challenge of Journey’s catalog, night after night, year after tiring year! He gives to you all and Journey, the best that he can give you,” the rocker wrote in a recent Facebook post. “Out of maybe a handful of shows in 17 years, Arnel has faced the facts. The voice is a biological instrument, subject to weather, fatigue, virus, bacteria, jet lag etc. Sometimes it does not, cannot or will not cooperate when needed. So, what’s the point of hammering a human being over something they have no control over?”
“To the trolls, you are the blessed many. The ones who can armchair sing and trash the few that do what he does every night,” he continued. “They do not have that luxury; they must bring it each and every night or face you and your overinflated opinions! If you can do better – then, do it! I know very few who can pull off what Arnel does without ego and with passion and grace. Back off trolls! You are messing with my family now and I am a rabid protector of my own!”
“This is America, where everyone and anyone can voice their opinion. Consider this though when you do. Is it kind? Is it truth? Is it necessary? We’ve all seen that meme, and it rings true here as it does anywhere it’s posted. To the people who get it, thank you, we appreciate you! To the inept… prove it and walk it or shut it,” he finished his statement.
The drummer’s statement came after both Pineda’s and Neal Schon’s comments about the matter. Journey started receiving backlash after the sound issues during their performance at Rock in Rio.
While Schon accused the headlining band Avenged Sevenfold of ‘ruining’ their sound, Pineda said he would leave the band if he received one million ‘go’ messages.
Schon posted a clip of Journey taking a bow at the end of their Rio performance and claimed: “This clip is from Rio, even though we found out much later that we got extremely limited by Avenged Sevenfold. That means that hardly any sound can get out of the PA to the audience. It’s a bullshit move. Check out the audience. They loved it the rest of it’s fabricated crap.”
Similarly, the guitarist shared his statement in response to Pineda’s comments.
“Mentally and emotionally, I’ve suffered already, and I’m still suffering… but I’ll be ok,” the singer explained. “So here’s the deal here now… I am offering you a chance now (especially those who’s hated me and never liked me from the very beginning) to simply text GO or STAY right here… And if GO reaches 1 million I’m stepping out for good. Are you game folks? Let’s start.”
Although he received many positive responses and the fans didn’t want him to leave, some still complained about the sound issues. Avenged Sevenfold hasn’t responded to Schon’s comments.
Journey kicked off their current tour on September 6 in Blackfoot, Idaho. Their next show is on October 19 in Osaka, Japan, and they will wrap it up on March 12 in Nashville, Tennessee.