Santana's 'Filthy McNasty' reunion with Schon

Carlos Santana says Neal Schon chased him like a "guided missile" for 18 months over a reunion project – and the resulting music will be "Filthy McNasty."

Schon found fame as a member of Santana when he joined in 1971, at the age of 15. He appeared on their second and third albums alongside vocalist and keyboardist Gregg Rolie, before the pair left to form Journey in 1973.

But he's been talking up a new project for some time, and now Santana has told how it came about.

He tells Artisan News: "Neil pursued me like a guided missile for about a year and a half. Everywhere I went he was there: 'Carlos, everything about me tells me that I need to do this thing with you.' I'm like, 'What?'

"Next thing I know I said, 'Neil, I appreciate your diligence. I'm going to do something with you. But let's invite Gregg Rolie, Michael Shrieve and Michael Carabello – let's get the original Santana band who did the first three albums, and call it Santana IV."

Schon recently discussed how initial rehearsals and songwriting sessions had gone well, telling Something Else: "Musically, there’s nothing that we can’t jump on top of and make it sound really good, really quickly. We managed to get into the studio and lay nine or ten ideas down. It’s smoking. It sounds like the old band."

Santana says of his thinking behind the material: "I compiled my own playlist out of about 200 African CDs, and I go, 'Listen to this.' I call it Filthy McNasty swamp music."

There's no confirmed schedule for the reunion project, with Santana touring the US alongside Rod Stewart over the summer, and Schon committed to Journey duties.

 Santana interview

source: classicrock.teamrock.com

Pineda’s terror at giant Journey show

Arnel Pineda nearly collapsed in terror as he geared up to perform to 25 million people soon after being confirmed as Journey’s frontman.

The previously-unknown vocalist was hired in 2006 after guitarist Neal Schon saw him covering Journey tracks in a YouTube video.

But nothing could have prepared him for one of his first appearances with the band, in Vina del Mar, a sold-out show which was being televised live across South America.

Schon tells Rolling Stone: “We there him in the fire, no doubt about it. Two seconds before we go, Arnel is like: ‘Can I go home? I don’t want to go out.’

“It was fear and loathing to the max – but then he went out, and he went for it, and the audience went nuts.”
Pineda recalls: “I was terrified to death. It took years, but I survived it.”

He knows his position is a dream come true, but he admits: “I get really homesick inside. I would miss my life without my wife.”

His story is celebrated in documentary movie Don’t Stop Believin’: Everyman’s Journey. Schon says: “He brings it – he sings his heart out every night and it’s not an easy menu.”

But it’s involved more changes to Pineda’s life than fans might expect: “I had to give up dairy products, beer, wine, spicy food,” says the singer. “And no talking. I like talking, but it’s become a luxury to last even through a ten-minute talk.

“I have to go back to my room and silence… until the next gig happens.”

Schon – whose band may never make another album – recently said he’d love to reconnect with classic-era singer Steve Perry, commenting: “We had amazing chemistry together. I love him with all the love and admiration you could have.”

source: classicrockmagazine.com