I try to avoid gaining weight as much as possible because it hinders my performance onstage. Touring demands so much energy.
Arnel Pineda
I consider myself an alumnus of Hard Rock Cafe.
I know that there are a lot of people like me out there waiting to be given a break.
I'm living a fairy tale.
I had to give up a lot of foods that I'm accustomed to eating: dairy products, beer, wine, spicy food.
The first time we played in Berlin, there was this guy who went into the show expecting Steve Perry. He was so frustrated, he threw this paper cup filled with beer on me.
Journey are very big in the Philippines.
I didn't think the real Neal Schon would call a guy like me. I'm just a guy from the Philippines.
My father would make me stand on the table and make me sing. He would give me a P1 reward after every song.
Since I was five years old, when my mom was still alive, she would just call me. And we would listen to the radio with Barbra Streisand and Karen Carpenter, and she would ask me to sing with her.
I was enamored with music at a very young age. Everything started with kundiman, then evolved to Carpenters, Barbra Streisand, Barry Manilow, and eventually classic rock music.
I have never hated my job; I only hate its negative results every time I attempt to do something amazing.
I guess that I have nothing more to aspire for.
The fans at our shows in Tokyo love music so much; they're amazing. They give a kind of energy and adrenaline that builds us up when we play.
I get really homesick inside.
With streaming concerts, we can all be together at the same time: the whole world, all at once, can be sitting front row from wherever they are in the world.
I would hang out with my friends, and they would make me sing in exchange for food. I'd tag along just so I could eat. Then we would go to the park, and I'd sleep there with other homeless kids.
I'm allergic to molds, cigarette smoke, smog and dust and animals' hair.
My life is now an open book.
I have a foundation where it caters to street children and entices them to go back to school. The street is not a good school for them. They need to go to a proper school.
We were an underprivileged family. My parents were both tailors. We got by. But we only had a few important things in our life.
I may have done an every-night gig in Hong Kong because I was there for almost 16 years, and in Manila, Philippines, I did gigs there.
Hold on to your dream, no matter what it takes.
I am a great believer in alkaline water which lessens the acid in my system.
Make sure that you are happy with what you are doing; otherwise, you will be miserable. Pursue your dream. Don't give up.
Just continue what you are doing. You should have no hesitation, no stopping - just keep on going to the next level.
When I'm not working, I spend time at home with my wife and kids and my Foundation.
Just don't give up. I mean, don't stop believin'.
I try to live under the radar as much as possible.
I was blown away by Steve Perry's voice - you know, his amazing ability to change from a lambing voice to rock.
I never had a slight feeling of intimidation. I'm not even trying to compete with Mr. Perry.
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.
I like to plan. I like to see the future.
When Neal Schon discovered the videos on YouTube, he tried to find my friend's e-mail address, so he found it, and he sent him an e-mail claiming that he's Mr. Neal Schon, and he's from Journey, and he's serious about getting me to San Francisco to try out as their frontman. When my friend forwarded the e-mail to me, I was just laughing.
I fight if I need to, I dance if I need to, yet I won't compromise my integrity and pride.
I've always been a Journey fan - since I was 12.
A job provides so much more than a paycheck. It provides a sense of dignity and belonging. It gives you the opportunity to learn, grow, and be part of a team - or, in my case, part of a band.
Everybody is entitled to his own opinion.
I prefer alkaline water. Good for the vocal cords, especially if you take it in the morning.
People need to know what I've gone through.
I've known what it's like to survive without a steady job. Growing up in the Philippines, I watched my parents juggle part-time jobs at the corner shop and as tailors, barely able to make ends meet for my three brothers and me.
When I was 12, my mother passed away from heart failure, leaving us in grief and in debt from her medical bills.
When you grow up in poverty and learn how to survive it, it's something that stays with you forever.
I like to keep my voice going. I don't want it to lose its chops. You know, as you age, it's easier for you to lose it.
It's so incredible performing in front of 10,000-15,000 people singing along and giving off great energy.
There was a time when I had to cancel around five shows because I lost my voice due to acid reflux. Being with Journey, I get introduced to very good doctors and specialists. I'm managing the condition with proper medication.
I want to tell all the dreamers out there that they should stay away from vices if they want to succeed; that they need training, guidance, and support.
I just do what I can do to be one of the people who make a difference.
I believe in second chances.
I think that Steve Perry will always be known as the singer of Journey. I have so much respect for him.
