IN an interview with Chuck Shute on his podcast, former Journey frontman Steve Augeri was asked about the recent reports of infighting in his former band. 

One of the questions asked was about Pineda’s recent Twitter posts that brought the troubles between band members to light. 

Pineda aired his frustrations last weekend by posting a cryptic message directed to specific people involved in the band, going as far as asking to be fired.

Would he like to come back?

Shute brought up the subject and asked Augeri if he would accept the invitation to return to the band should Pineda leave.

“Well, I would probably say no and no. And I’ll tell you why. If they asked me to go, for starters… Look, I’ve had my day in the sun, I’ve had my run, and I think it was wonderful,” Augeri replied. 

He added that Pineda has been great for Journey and saw no reason to get to that point.

“Arnel has done that, and probably twice as long as I’ve been there, and he’s done it magnificently,” Augeri said. 

The former lead vocalist supported the band members in settling their differences. 

“I think they need to patch it up with the current team; I just think that’s the way it is,” Augeri suggested. 

He also tried to put himself in the situation and was not interested in being on the spot.

“Because if I were to go with whatever faction… Because, unfortunately, right now it appears to be like there’s two camps… I love those guys — if I could call it ‘love’ — and respect them equally for different reasons, because they gave me the biggest shot anybody could… the biggest opportunity anyone could ever have. And I would hate to turn my back on one or the other,” Augeri opined.

Been there done that

He also feels that his time has passed with the band; he doesn’t have the energy for it, nor does he want to give it another shot.

“And I’m content doing what I’m doing. Those guys still go out five days a week, and I can’t physically do that. The joy would… After the first show, I’d be like a deer in the headlights: ‘Is my voice gonna work after the third show on the third day?’ And that’s not where I’d like to be,” Augeri added.

Augeri was Journey’s front man after the original vocalist Steve Perry left for personal and health reasons in 1998. He stayed with the band until 2006. 

Arnel Pineda replaced him in 2007 after Neal Schon scoured Youtube and discovered him in a few videos performing with a cover band in a Metro Manila bar.