Arnel Pineda celebrated his 57th birthday on September 5 with a heartfelt Instagram post, thanking Journey, his family, and fans for their support. In the post, Pineda addressed the frequent comparisons to Journey’s former frontman, Steve Perry.
“To the fans, thank you for welcoming me into your lives, even though I’m not him. I understand it’s hard to move on from someone as iconic as Mr. Steve Perry, the one and only,” Pineda expressed in a video message.
He added, “I love him, to be honest. So, I hold no hard feelings towards those who can’t accept me in the band. It’s all peace and love from my side. Peace out there, alright?”
Steve Perry left Journey after a hiatus due to health issues, including a degenerative bone condition and subsequent hip-replacement surgery. He was first replaced by Steve Augeri and later by Jeff Scott Soto before Pineda took over in 2007. Since then, Pineda has fronted Journey for three studio albums, with their latest, *Freedom*, released in 2022.
Despite Pineda’s decade-long tenure, some fans continue to express that Perry’s absence has changed the band. Responding to such remarks, guitarist Neal Schon recently pointed out their success, stating, “Yes, I know that’s why we’re selling out stadiums.”
Steve Perry briefly reunited with Journey during their 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction but chose not to perform, explaining that his time with the band had long passed.
Journey’s fall tour is set to kick off on September 6 in Blackfoot, Idaho.
