Arnel’s magical Journey

Magical!!!

With that single word (yes, emphasized with three exclamation points), Arnel Pineda described his stint as lead vocalist of the American rock band Journey as they set for a 58-concert US tour kicked off in the East Coast last May 20 at the Madison Square Garden in New York City and on to the West Coast with a finale at The Forum (where Madonna performed to an SRO crowd in late 2015 before coming to Manila in early 2016).

“It has been magical,” said Arnel. “I can’t think of a better word to describe my journey than magical. It changed my life radically in a way that felt like a continuing dream.”

Conversations chanced upon Arnel in April at the Philippine Airlines Lounge at the NAIA. He and his family (wife Cherry Flores and their three children, two girls and one boy; he has three other children, two boys and one girl, with his first wife) were also going to Japan, them for a family vacation and your Conversationalist to cover Netflix’s Lost in Space series.

Arnel (center) with the current Journey, from left: Ross Valory (bass), Steve Smith (drummer), Neal Schon (guitarist) and Jonathan Cain (keyboard). Along with comembers Gregg Rolie (keyboard), Aynsley Dunbar (drummer) and Steve Perry (lead vocalist), Journey was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with the class of 2017.

In retrospect, Arnel recalled (there was a sweet feeling in the rehash) his journey from a poor boy (born on Sept. 5, 1967, in Tondo, Manila, to Restituto Lising Pineda and Josefina Manansala Campaner) to the international stage serving in good stead the Journey vocalist Steve Perry who quit the band in 2006. Arnel was discovered on YouTube.

The mom who pushed him into singing the songs of Karen Carpenter and Barbra Streisand (his childhood favorites) died of a heart disease when Arnel was 13, leaving the family in debt and prompting his father to leave Arnel and his siblings in the care of relatives. At one point, he slept on the streets for two years or in public parks or on a bench outside a friend’s house, earning a meager keep by selling glass bottles, newspapers and scrap metals to recyclers, sometimes surviving on Marie biscuits.

Fast-forward: At 15, he became the lead singer of a group called Ijos that performed at a pizza parlor on Taft Avenue, Manila; before joining another group called Amo. And then he hit the big time when Journey discovered him. We all know what happened next, don’t we?

Here’s our Conversation with Arnel before he and his family boarded their PAL flight to Tokyo:

How do you keep so fit?

“I take small meals three times a day — Breakfast at 6 or 7 a.m., let my body digest what I eat, and then I have lunch. My last meal for the day is at around 6 p.m. No more food after that. But I don’t deprive my body of nutrients. I feel lighter that way. Masarap ang pakiramdam, magaan ang pakiramdam, hindi ka bloated. Feeling ko mas malakas ako; mas maganda ang mood ko.”

How long have you been doing that?

“For more than two months now.”

Kanino mo natutunan ‘yon?

“From my handler in America.”

What about your water intake?

“I take enough, at least eight glasses a day. I prefer alkaline water. Good for the vocal cords, especially if you take it in the morning.”

Does it help your vocal cords?

“Yes, a lot! Malaking tulong. You cough in the morning and you think it’s caused by phlegm, pero ‘yon pala acid. ‘Yun ang bad for me, acid. It ruins your vocal cords. I am a great believer in alkaline water which lessens the acid in my system.”

No alcohol?

“I used to drink beer, but not anymore. Between meals, I continue to take alkaline water.”

Is alcohol bad for the vocal cords?

“I think it’s bad.” (Adding in jest). “I think I’ll resume drinking beer when I retire. Hehehe!!!”

But retirement will be long from now. Matagal pa ‘yon.

“Hangga’t kaya ko, sige lang. Hangga’t gusto ako ng Journey, okey lang.”

How else do you protect (preserve) your voice?

“We singers are like athletes. Kapag ang muscles hindi nagagalaw, hindi ginagalaw, they harden at nakakalimutan ‘yung routine nila. Tumitigas sila so nagbabago ang quality nila. So you have to stretch them regularly. Nag-vo-vocalize ako.”

According to most singers whom I interviewed, the best place to exercise your vocal cords is in the bathroom.

“That’s true. The steam is good for your vocal cords.”

And how do you prepare for a concert?

“I bring with me a portable alkaline-water dispenser. I drink lots of it before a show.”

How long will the Journey US tour be?

“We are doing 58 shows, starting in the East Coast at the Madison Square Garden in New York City where we perform for two more weeks, and end in the West Coast at The Forum in Los Angeles. Until October, we will be on the road for one month, rest for two weeks and then back on the roads for another month, then rest again for two weeks, so on and so forth. We are doing 10 stadiums and several arenas. This year, we are doing a small tour. Last year was bigger; we did more than 70 shows around the US.”

How would you assess your (more than) 10 years with Journey?

“Naku, sobrang blessed po talaga! Alam mo naman ang buhay ng mga struggling musician dito sa atin, di ba? If you don’t have connections, if you don’t come up with very good songs na maplay-playup sa radio, what else do you have, where can you go? Wala! If you play in bars, how much do you get? P1,000 per night? That was 20 years ago. I just learned that up to now, ganoon pa rin ang bayad. If you have a family and you have children and bills to pay, how can you survive? Kaya I really consider myself very, very lucky…something impossible.”

It’s destiny, Arnel.

“I believe so. Mayroong divine intervention na nangyari sa buhay ko. I tell my children how I started in the business and they say, ‘You are a miracle, Dad!’ That’s true. Ang nangyari sa akin ay talagang miracle.”

How is your relationship with the other Journey guys?

“Okey naman. We are close, like brothers. They still trust me with their legacy.”

And how do you do it?

“You have to keep and sustain the Journey sound. You have to sound as close as you can to the (distinct) Journey sound.”

Do you still sound the same as you did 10 or so years ago?

“I guess so, I hope so! I’m really trying hard to maintain that Journey sound.”

Arnel with wife Cherry Flores and their children: ‘How am I as a dad? When I am on tour, I get in touch with them through social media. But every now and then, I ask them to join me. That’s how I make up for lost time.’

Singers like Jake Zyrus (formerly Charice) who have been discovered via YouTube should learn a thing or two from you. Last heard of, she has had her breasts surgically removed and that changed her voice daw.

“I think it’s not the breast surgery that affected her voice; it’s the medicine that she’s taking daw that did it. But I’m sure she’ll be around because she’s talented, she’s smart. Bata pa kasi siya at marami pa siyang pinagdadaanan.”

How are you as a dad?

“When I am on tour, I get in touch with them through social media. But every now and then, I ask them to join me. That’s how I make up for lost time.”

(To Cherry) How is Arnel as a husband and as a father?

Cherry: “Sobrang bait n’yan. Inaasikaso niya kami palagi. When he’s here, bumabawi siya. He cooks for us.”

(To Cherry) Does he sing to you?

Cherry: “Madalas! Kaya lang ang taas-taas ng boses niya kaya pati kapitbahay nakakarinig, hehehe!!!”

After your 2018 tour, what?

“We might not be able to go on tour next year. Siguro pahinga muna kami ng one year. I plan to go on a tour…with my family naman, hehehe!!! Having a real family vacation na walang iniisip na work, like what we are doing now. I owe that to my family.”

(E-mail reactions at [email protected]. For more updates, photos and videos, visit www.philstar.com/funfare or follow me on Instagram @therealrickylo.)