Journey Parts Ways With Drummer Deen Castronovo After Second Mid-Show Exit

Journey announced on Friday that drummer Deen Castronovo, 62, has left the band after health issues forced him offstage mid-concert twice in just over a month, the second time Tuesday night in Boston.

The band confirmed that Steve Murphy, a native New Yorker who has worked with Alan Parsons Project, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Christopher Cross and Jack Bruce, will step in as the full-time drummer going forward. Murphy had already played his first show with the group Thursday night in Cleveland.

The announcement came three days after Castronovo left the Boston show 12 songs in, according to setlists posted on Setlists.fm. His drum tech, Steve Toomey, finished the truncated set, just as he had done a month earlier in Tulsa. Tuesday's concert was cut from the usual 29 songs to 20, with eight played after Castronovo's departure.

What happened in October?

The first incident came Oct. 8 in Oklahoma, when Castronovo left the stage after two songs and was hospitalized. Toomey completed that show as well. The band never disclosed the nature of the illness, but said publicly at the time that Castronovo had quickly bounced back and was fit to resume the tour. He played the next show on Oct. 10 without incident, and every subsequent date through Nov. 7, before falling ill again mid-show Tuesday.

The band's social media statement read: “After careful consideration and an extensive year of touring, our talented, longtime drummer Deen Castronovo has decided to step away to focus on personal health matters that require his attention. He has our full support during this time and extends his heartfelt thanks to the fans for the love, encouragement, and kindness he has received.”

The post included photos of Murphy celebrating his Cleveland debut but none of Castronovo. The message was also shared on the drummer's personal Facebook page, though he added no comment of his own — he has previously said others oversee his social accounts.

A long and complicated tenure

Castronovo first joined Journey in 1998, replacing original drummer Steve Smith. He was forced out in 2015 after being charged with assaulting a woman; nine charges were later dismissed and he pleaded guilty to six others, receiving a suspended sentence. Omar Hakim replaced him then. Castronovo returned to the lineup in 2021, after touring with guitarist Neal Schon in a side project in 2019.

In a 2023 interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Castronovo described that arc in his own words: “I had to take some time off and, pardon my language, get my shit together. I was a mess, and it was horrible what happened. But today, I'm doing great, clean and sober, working hard, doing what I need to do – and I put God first, family second.”

He continued: “I love playing, but if it was all to go away tomorrow, God bless, man. Life goes on, and I'm OK with myself. I'm comfortable in my skin.”

What does this change for the tour?

Eight shows remain on Journey's 2026 itinerary, including a Saturday stop in Greenville, before the touring year wraps Nov. 28 in San Francisco. The run was announced as a farewell tour, but Schon recently signaled the goodbye could stretch on.

“Your love, energy and passion for this music have reminded us how much we still share and how much this journey means to all of us,” Schon wrote. “What began as 'The Final Frontier' now feels more like 'The Long Goodbye.' We're letting our hearts — and the connection we feel with you every night — help guide what comes next.”

For Murphy, that means an open-ended audition in front of one of rock's most demanding audiences.