Arnel Pineda, a Filipino singer-songwriter and frontman for the American rock band Journey, revealed that he had tried to quit the band twice before, citing personal problems and wanting to prioritize his family.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, Pineda said his personal problems were taking a toll on him physically. His bandmates, lead guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist and rhythm guitarist Jonathan Cain, did not respond to his pleas for retirement, however.
“As they say, silence can be louder than explaining. I said to (Schon and Cain) I wanted to retire because of my personal problems. No answer. Obviously, they don’t want to find another singer,” Pineda was quoted as saying.
Additionally, the two apparently excluded him in scheduling the “Final Frontier” tour, which began in November last year. Pineda expressed dissatisfaction with the arrangements made.
“I said, ‘I want you to discuss the schedule with me.’ It is what it is now. But then, I was really not happy with how they scheduled this tour. My body has changed. I can’t take the cold weather anymore. My personal problem really took a toll on me. That’s why I wanted to prioritize my family,” he said.
However, Pineda made it clear that he does not hate touring with Journey, he believes he only needs time to resolve the issues troubling him.
“It’s not that I hate touring with (Journey). It’s like the same thing that happened with Steve Perry. He has a hip problem,” he clarified.
“Me, I have a personal problem that’s taking a toll on me. It’s getting in my head, emotionally. I told them that I was a wreck and needed a little more time so that I could fix my family. But I still have to do this,” he continued.
Pineda added that he remains grateful for the band and everything they’ve done for him.
“I love the guys. I respect them so much. And I will remain until the last days of my life grateful, and really feeling blessed, for what they’ve done for me,” he said.
In September 2024, Pineda sparked controversy when he asked fans whether or not he should quit the band for good, following his poor performance in Brazil. Later, he explained that he had a valid reason for asking the question and that he had expected backlash.
In 2025, his estranged wife Cherry accused him of being unfaithful and of psychological abuse under Section 5 of the Anti-Violence Against Women and Their Children Act of 2004, also known as the VAWC Law.
