Drummer Deen Castronovo has rejoined legendary rockers JOURNEY.
According to JOURNEY guitarist Neal Schon, Castronovo will share the drum duties in the band with Narada Michael Walden, who joined the group in 2020.
Schon first hinted at Castronovo‘s return on Monday (July 26) when he tweeted a photo from the rehearsal sessions for JOURNEY‘s upcoming concert at the Aragon Ballroom in Chicago, which will precede the band’s appearance at Lollapalooza. “Ok … Double trouble Chicago @NaradaMWalden @DeenTheDrummer Narada Michael Walden and the return of Deen Castronovo on Drums @AragonBallroom @lollapalooza,” Schon wrote.
Two days later, Schon answered a few questions about Deen‘s JOURNEY status below a San Francisco Chronicle story that he shared on Facebook. When fan asked, “So is Deen Castronovo back in the band full time now?” Schon responded, “Yes.” After another fan who told Schon to “bring back Deen again,” Schon wrote, “Deen is back. We are double (2) drummers now with Narada.” He added: “They are BOTH PLAYING !!! JOURNEY AS YOU’VE NEVER HEARD US BEFORE !!!!”
Castronovo‘s 17-year tenure with JOURNEY ended in 2015 when the group fired him after his arrest for a variety of charges involving his now-wife (including physical abuse, coercion, and unlawful use of a weapon).
In 2019, Castronovo played several shows with Schon under the “Neal Schon’s Journey Through Time” banner. Joining them were founding JOURNEY and SANTANA singer/keyboardist Gregg Rolie, bassist Marco Mendoza of THE DEAD DAISIES and THIN LIZZY, a musician named Chris Collins (on guitar and keyboards) and super-producer Marti Frederiksen (multi-instrumentalist, vocals).
Earlier this year, Castronovo announced his exit from THE DEAD DAISIES in order to prepare for his back surgery. He has since been replaced by Tommy Clufetos, who has previously played with BLACK SABBATH, Ozzy Osbourne, Rob Zombie, Ted Nugent and Alice Cooper, among others.
Last month, JOURNEY shared a new single, “The Way We Used To Be”. The song is the multi-platinum band’s first new music since 2011’s album “Eclipse”, and the first song released by the band’s revamped lineup featuring Schon (lead guitar, backing vocals), Jonathan Cain (keyboards, backing vocals), Arnel Pineda (lead vocals), Randy Jackson (bass), Walden (drums) and Jason Derlatka (keyboards, backing vocals). “The Way We Used To Be” marks Walden and Derlatka‘s first studio recordings with the band, and Jackson‘s first since 1986’s “Raised On Radio”. The song was produced by Narada Michael Walden at his Tarpan Studios, with co-production by Schon and Cain.
