Wild Dogs is an American rock band from Portland, Oregon formed loosely in 1981 by Jeff Mark, Danny Kurth, Matt McCourt, and Pete Holmes. Drummer Pete Holmes was lured away by Black 'n Blue and was replaced by Jaime St. James. The band had an appearance on a compilation series, but before a full album could be recorded with Shrapnel Records, St. James left the band to also join Black 'n Blue. It was at this point Deen was first discovered by McCourt, who recruited the local, and then only 16-year-old [19] drummer Castronovo to join the band.
Castronovo played on the self-titled debut album Wild Dogs (1983), the followup Man's Best Friend (1984) and Reign Of Terror (1987). The band was known for its live show that featured McCourt's props and Castronovo's showmanship.
Bad English (1987–1991)
While working with Wild Dogs, Castronovo met and began working with Tony MacAlpine, which led to an introduction to future long-time collaboration partner, Neal Schon. Shortly after, Neal would invite Castronovo to audition for a new band with Jonathan Cain, John Waite and Ricky Phillips, which became Bad English. After two albums, which included being nominated for Best New Group in 1989 at the International Rock Awards, Bad English disbanded in 1991. In 1995 a Greatest Hits was released.
Hardline (1991–1992)
Again working with Neal Schon, Castronovo played drums and sang backing vocals on Hardline's debut album Double Eclipse. The album's first single "Takin' Me Down" peaked at No. 37 on Billboard'sHot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. The album's second single, a cover of the Danny Spanos song "Hot Cherie," rose to No. 25 on the Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks chart.
Ozzy Osbourne (1995)
Castronovo appeared on the 1995 release Ozzmosis, the seventh solo studio album by Ozzy Osbourne. The album reached number 22 on the UK Albums Chart and number four on the US Billboard 200. Castronovo also toured with Ozzy on a portion of the 1995 leg of the Retirement Sucks Tour.
Castronovo continued to be in various bands along with Schon, from Hardline to Paul Rodgers. After a 3-year stint with Vasco Rossi, he joined Journey, where he would spend the next 18 years and 5 albums as the drummer, backing and occasional lead vocalist.
While not the original drummer for Journey, Castronovo is the longest-serving drummer to date, having played on the albums Arrival (2001), Red 13 (2002), Generations (2005), Revelation (2008), Eclipse (2011) and Freedom (2022).
As a vocalist, he sang "Still They Ride", "Mother, Father" and "Keep On Runnin'" (and on rare occasions, "Faithfully" and "Where Were You") in concert in order to let the main lead vocalists take a break. In the studio, he performed lead vocals on "A Better Life" and "Never Too Late" on Generations, as well as "After Glow" on Freedom.
Castronovo was fired by Journey in August 2015 following a June 2015 domestic violence arrest.[20][21][22] He was replaced by Omar Hakim on the band's 2015 tour,[23] with longtime drummer Steve Smith subsequently rejoining the band.
In July 2021, Schon confirmed Castronovo's return to Journey as a second drummer alongside Narada Michael Walden.[24] Following Walden's departure from the group in 2022, he became the sole drummer once again, though they both still appear on Freedom.[25]
Soul SirkUS (2004–2005)
After the Planet Us project did not produce an album, Neal Schon was determined to see the material he had written come to life. At the 2004 annual NAMM Show in Los Angeles, Schon met up with Jeff Scott Soto and tested the waters with a jam session. While in Los Angeles, Schon also attended a showcase featuring Marco Mendoza. Inviting Soto, Mendoza and Castronovo to join him, the new band, Soul SirkUS, began rehearsing and eventually recorded 11 songs for their debut album, World Play. Although all the foundation tracks on the album were originally written for Planet Us, only one completed song from that band was used for Soul SirkUS debut.
In early 2005, with a completed album titled World Play (the "black sleeve" version) the band was ready to tour, but Castronovo fell ill due to extreme exhaustion. Soon after, Castronovo bowed out of Soul SirkUS based on his doctor's recommendation and was replaced by Australian drummer Virgil Donati.
Ultimate there were 3 editions of the album. The Black Sleeve version was the original with Castronovo drumming, the Green Sleeve version was an American edition remastered, the Yellow Sleeve had two versions: a European edition of remaster that included a bonus DVD, and a Japanese edition of the remaster included a bonus track. The Black Sleeve version is the only one with Castronovo.
In 2022, Blades and Aldrich left the band and were replaced with Jeff Pilson and Joel Hoekstra.[27] This lineup released Eagle Flight in 2023, and Against the Winds in 2024.
Gioeli-Castronovo (2017–present)
Johnny Gioeli and Castronovo first played together on the debut Hardline album, Double Eclipse, which was released in 1992. 25 years later, the two were reunited in Italy to commence work on the debut Gioeli-Castronovo album, Set The World On Fire, available July 13, 2018. Both men have continued on their musical paths since they last saw one another, with Gioeli continuing to lead Hardline as well as being the lead singer of Crush 40 and Axel Rudi Pell's band, while Castronovo spent time with various bands.
Generation Radio (2020–2021)
In 2020, Castronovo joined the supergroup, Generation Radio. He played drums and shared lead vocals with Jay DeMarcus (Keyboards), Jason Scheff (Bass), Chris Rodriguez (Guitar), and Tom Yankton (Guitar). The band performed their first live concert on October 28, 2020, in Nashville, TN. All proceeds from the concert benefited the ACM Lifting Lives COVID Relief Fund. The group released its debut album on August 12, 2022.[28] He left Generation Radio to rejoin Journey and was replaced on drums by Steve Ferrone
He also played on the song "Smoke of the Revolution" on the Neal Schon solo album Late Nite (1989).
After working with Paul Rodgers, he began doing session work with Steve Vai, with whom he made two albums. Steve later called for him to audition for Ozzy Osbourne, which resulted in him recording Ozzmosis and doing a South American Tour with Ozzy. After Ozzy, he began doing session work for producer Michael Beinhorn, recording with Social Distortion, Geezer Butler's solo project and Hole.
He has released an instructional video entitled "High Performance Drumming" in 1991, and has been involved with the Boys & Girls Club of Salem.
In 2019, he toured with guitarist Neal Schon on the "Journey Through Time" tour, which features former members of Journey performing songs from the band's entire discography (including some no longer performed by the official Journey). He acted as the drummer and shares lead vocal duties with keyboardist Gregg Rolie.
Personal life
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Castronovo was arrested on June 14, 2015, and charged with fourth-degree assault and menacing after police say he physically injured a woman. As a result, he was dropped immediately from upcoming Journey performances[29] and ultimately replaced by Omar Hakim on the band's 2015 tour.[30] On June 29, 2015, Castronovo was indicted by a Marion County grand jury on felony charges of rape, assault, sexual abuse, unlawful use of a dangerous weapon, and contempt of court (violation of terms of bail after the June 14 arrest).[31] With nine of the original charges dismissed, Castronovo pleaded guilty to six charges and received a suspended sentence and four years of probation.[32] Castronovo has since recovered from addiction and states he is sober. He is a Christian, saying he puts God first, family second, and job third, whereas before it was the other way around.[33]
Journey is an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1973 by former members of Santana, the Steve Miller Band, and Frumious Bandersnatch. The band as of 2024 consists of guitarist/vocalist Neal Schon, keyboardist/guitarist/vocalist Jonathan Cain, keyboardist/vocalist Jason Derlatka, drummer/vocalist Deen Castronovo, bassist Todd Jensen, and lead vocalist Arnel Pineda.
Bad English was an American/British hard rock supergroup formed in 1987. It reunited Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain with singer John Waite and bassist Ricky Phillips, his former bandmates in the Babys, along with Journey guitarist Neal Schon and drummer Deen Castronovo. The band is known for their hit single "When I See You Smile", which peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1989.
Neal Joseph Schon is an American musician and songwriter, best known as the co-founder and lead guitarist for the rock band Journey. He is the last original member to remain throughout the group's history. He was a member of the rock band Santana before forming Journey. He was also a member of the group Bad English during Journey's hiatus from 1987 to 1995, as well as an original member of Hardline.
Gregg Alan Rolie is an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter. Rolie served as lead singer of the bands Santana and Journey – both of which he co-founded. He also helmed rock group the Storm, performed in Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band until 2021, and since 2001 with his Gregg Rolie Band. Rolie is a two-time inductee of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, having been inducted both as a member of Santana in 1998 and as a member of Journey in 2017.
Planet Us was a short-lived supergroup that formed in 2002 with Sammy Hagar on lead vocals, Neal Schon on guitar, Michael Anthony on bass, and Deen Castronovo on drums. The band later recruited a fifth member—famed guitarist Joe Satriani—when their original choice, Slash, turned them down. The band's name Planet Us has been alternatively spelled as Planet US in various publications.
Hardline is an American hard rock band. Originally formed in 1991 by brothers Johnny Gioeli and Joey Gioeli, the band consisted of five members, Johnny Gioeli, Joey Gioeli, Neal Schon, Todd Jensen and Deen Castronovo. The band's most recent album is Heart, Mind and Soul, which was released in 2021. Joey Gioeli has not appeared on a Hardline album since 2002's II after retiring from music to focus on the family business. Johnny Gioeli remains the only original member of the band.
Arrival is the eleventh studio album by the American rock band Journey, released on April 3, 2001. A version with one substituted song was released in Japan in 2000. The album was the band's first full-length studio album with new lead vocalist Steve Augeri, who replaced popular frontman Steve Perry, and with Deen Castronovo, who replaced Steve Smith as the band's drummer.
Generations is the twelfth studio album by the American rock band Journey. It was the band's last album with lead singer Steve Augeri and second album with drummer Deen Castronovo, confirming the line-up of 2000's Arrival and 2002's Red 13 EP. The album was given away for free by the band during most of the concerts of the Generations Tour in 2005, and subsequently released on Sanctuary Records later the same year.
Soul SirkUS was a band that initially featured singer Jeff Scott Soto, guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Marco Mendoza, and drummer Deen Castronovo, later replaced by Virgil Donati.
Marco Mendoza is an American bass guitarist who has worked in diverse genres. He became a professional rock musician in 1989 and debuted on Black Sabbath drummer Bill Ward's solo album Along the Way. He has performed on a number of notable releases throughout his career, including Live... in the Still of the Night by Whitesnake, One Night Only by Thin Lizzy and Live in Concert at Lollapalooza by Journey.
Double Eclipse is the debut studio album released by the American hard rock band Hardline in 1992.
Revelation is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band Journey, and their first with lead singer Arnel Pineda. It features 11 new songs, 11 re-recorded greatest hits and a DVD featuring the current lineup's concert in Las Vegas, Nevada on March 8, 2008. Three singles penned by Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain were released to radio: the distinctively Journey-sounding "Never Walk Away," "Where Did I Lose Your Love," and the power ballad "After All These Years". "Where Did I Lose Your Love" and "After All These Years" both found success on the adult contemporary charts; "Where Did I Lose Your Love" peaked at No. 19, while "After All These Years" peaked at No. 9 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart and stayed on the charts for over 23 weeks. It was met with generally positive reviews, with many calling it a return to form from the band and praising Pineda's vocals, musicianship and the band's performance.
The Eclipse Tour was a concert tour by American rock band Journey. It was in support of the group's fourteenth studio album Eclipse. The album is Arnel Pineda's second since joining the band in 2007. Special guests on the 2011 tour include Foreigner and Night Ranger for most of the North American dates, Styx for the European dates, and Sweet for South American dates. The tour was the sixth top-grossing concert tour from July 23, 2011, to September 23, 2011, bringing in over $21 million and selling over 900,000 tickets. For the 2012 U.S. tour, special guests were Pat Benatar and Loverboy, and the guests for the 2013 tour were Deep Purple for the Australian dates, and Whitesnake for the European dates. For the 2014–2015 tour, the Steve Miller Band co-headlined. The 2016 tour saw the band play with The Doobie Brothers, as well as signal the return of "classic" drummer Steve Smith after longtime drummer Deen Castronovo was fired from the group. The 2017 tour had Asia co-headline, and also included the band's induction and performance at their induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. This tour is also the longest-running in the entire history of the band.
Revolution Saints is an American supergroup conceptualized by Frontiers Records president Serafino Perugino, and formed by Jack Blades of Night Ranger; Deen Castronovo of Journey; and Doug Aldrich of Whitesnake and Dio.
Revolution Saints is the eponymous debut album of the American rock supergroup Revolution Saints featuring vocalist/drummer Deen Castronovo of Journey, formerly of The Dead Daisies, Bad English, and Hardline; guitar player Doug Aldrich of The Dead Daisies and Burning Rain, formerly of Dio and Whitesnake; and vocalist/bass player Jack Blades of Night Ranger.
Alessandro Del Vecchio is an Italian multi-instrumentalist, singer, record producer and songwriter. He is a current member of hard and heavy bands Edge of Forever, Hardline, Jørn Lande and Vanden Plas.
Set the World on Fire is the first album of collaboration between Hardline vocalist Johnny Gioeli and drummer/vocalist Deen Castronovo.
Freedom is the fifteenth studio album by the American rock band Journey, released on July 8, 2022, through BMG Rights Management and Frontiers Records. It is the band's second album to date not to feature founding bassist Ross Valory, who was dismissed in 2020; he is replaced by Randy Jackson, who was last on Raised on Radio (1986). With fifteen songs and a run time of one hour and thirteen minutes, it is the longest Journey album ever released, excluding compilations.
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