Journey frontman Arnel Pineda almost bailed on band’s Final Frontier farewell tour

Journey is currently on their Final Frontier farewell tour, but it sounds like it almost didn’t happen.

A new article in Rolling Stone looks behind the scenes of the tour, featuring interviews with Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain and singer Arnel Pineda prior to the kickoff. It delves into the contentious relationship between Cain and Schon, and also reveals that Pineda originally didn’t want to do the tour.

Pineda’s reluctance had to do with the state of his voice and how his body handles cold weather, along with personal issues, including a contentious divorce, which was big news in his native Philippines.

“Back in 2024, I said to them, ‘If you’re planning to do a farewell tour, you better tell me, because my issues and my personal problems are getting more intense, and I don’t know if I want to go with you,’” he tells the mag.

But Pineda says the band booked the tour anyway, and he wasn’t happy. When he emailed them about it, he didn’t hear back. He was so upset he actually told them he wanted to retire, but he still got no answer.

When asked about Pineda’s feelings about the tour, Schon said “it’s been very confusing” and acknowledged Pineda sent messages about not knowing if he could do it. “But we all signed contracts, OK?” Schon says. “So, honestly, I’m signed up for the next two years. I’m ready for it.” He added, “I hope that he feels better about things.”

The interview ends with the first full-band rehearsal for the tour, with the writer noting Pineda sounded “stellar the entire time.” When asked if he was happy to be there, Pineda responded “60 percent,” adding, “The other 40 percent of me is still there in the Philippines.”

Journey’s tour hits Austin, Texas, on Tuesday.