Journey's True Believer: Manager John Baruck on How Synchs a
Posted: Sat Mar 25, 2017 7:30 amJourney's True Believer: Manager John Baruck on How Synchs and Touring Helped the Band Reach the Rock Hall
3/24/2017 by Michele Amabile Angermiller
http://www.billboard.com/articles/busin ... hs-touring
Ahead of the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, their manager offers a peek into his playbook
When Journey is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 7, it will mark a pinnacle moment for their manager of nearly 20 years, John Baruck. The 69-year-old, who cut his teeth as a local agent in Illinois alongside college roommate Irving Azoff, was tasked with rerouting the group's career following the 1998 exit of frontman Steve Perry. "Irving had just made a deal for the band with Walmart -- for Journey's Greatest Hits -- and we had no lead singer," recalls Baruck.
The fixer turned out to be guitarist and Internet sleuth Neal Schon, who found Filipino karaoke singer Arnel Pineda on YouTube. (Pineda joining the group in 2007 would be documented in the 2012 indie film Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey.)
Baruck followed Azoff to Los Angeles and to Live Nation, where he helped guide clients like Christina Aguilera. In September 2016, he joined Azoff MSG Entertainment. Says Azoff: "There's something to be said for not growing up in L.A. or New York and experiencing the business in the heartland. You learn in different ways what does and doesn't work."
When you took on management of Journey in 1998, was your first order of business finding a replacement for Steve Perry?
Irving had just made a deal with Walmart -- for Journey's Greatest Hits -- and we had no lead singer. Neal Schon searched the Internet tirelessly trying to find someone that could sing the songs the way they were created. [Eventually], w e found a karaoke singer from the Philippines named Arnel Pineda on YouTube. We gave the green light to a documentary, Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey, which led to millions of people knowing Arnel's story -- and it was an important one to tell.
To what do you credit Journey getting past the gatekeepers and into the hall of fame on its first nomination?
There is no formula. We worked for a long time with the people that make those decisions: the voting membership and the fans. But it was also, like, how can you not have a band as popular or as successful as Journey in the hall of fame? The band is truly thrilled. I've got two tables of people coming and it's going to be a blast.
How important has film and TV usage of original Journey tracks been to its career longevity?
Steve Perry is very particular on how we use these songs, but with the movie Monster [in 2003], the Sopranos series finale in 2007 and, in 2009, Glee, it has brought a whole new age group into our fan base. We were no longer an old band playing for old fans. We had three generations at our shows.
When did you know Azoff had a future in music?
In high school in Danville, Ill. He would sit at one of those folding card tables and break up $100 [among a few bands], then collect $2 at the door. That's how he paid for college.
This article originally appeared in the April 1 issue of Billboard
3/24/2017 by Michele Amabile Angermiller
http://www.billboard.com/articles/busin ... hs-touring
Ahead of the band's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, their manager offers a peek into his playbook
When Journey is inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on April 7, it will mark a pinnacle moment for their manager of nearly 20 years, John Baruck. The 69-year-old, who cut his teeth as a local agent in Illinois alongside college roommate Irving Azoff, was tasked with rerouting the group's career following the 1998 exit of frontman Steve Perry. "Irving had just made a deal for the band with Walmart -- for Journey's Greatest Hits -- and we had no lead singer," recalls Baruck.
The fixer turned out to be guitarist and Internet sleuth Neal Schon, who found Filipino karaoke singer Arnel Pineda on YouTube. (Pineda joining the group in 2007 would be documented in the 2012 indie film Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey.)
Baruck followed Azoff to Los Angeles and to Live Nation, where he helped guide clients like Christina Aguilera. In September 2016, he joined Azoff MSG Entertainment. Says Azoff: "There's something to be said for not growing up in L.A. or New York and experiencing the business in the heartland. You learn in different ways what does and doesn't work."
When you took on management of Journey in 1998, was your first order of business finding a replacement for Steve Perry?
Irving had just made a deal with Walmart -- for Journey's Greatest Hits -- and we had no lead singer. Neal Schon searched the Internet tirelessly trying to find someone that could sing the songs the way they were created. [Eventually], w e found a karaoke singer from the Philippines named Arnel Pineda on YouTube. We gave the green light to a documentary, Don't Stop Believin': Everyman's Journey, which led to millions of people knowing Arnel's story -- and it was an important one to tell.
To what do you credit Journey getting past the gatekeepers and into the hall of fame on its first nomination?
There is no formula. We worked for a long time with the people that make those decisions: the voting membership and the fans. But it was also, like, how can you not have a band as popular or as successful as Journey in the hall of fame? The band is truly thrilled. I've got two tables of people coming and it's going to be a blast.
How important has film and TV usage of original Journey tracks been to its career longevity?
Steve Perry is very particular on how we use these songs, but with the movie Monster [in 2003], the Sopranos series finale in 2007 and, in 2009, Glee, it has brought a whole new age group into our fan base. We were no longer an old band playing for old fans. We had three generations at our shows.
When did you know Azoff had a future in music?
In high school in Danville, Ill. He would sit at one of those folding card tables and break up $100 [among a few bands], then collect $2 at the door. That's how he paid for college.
This article originally appeared in the April 1 issue of Billboard