Journey drummer Deen Castronovo is stepping away from the band amid its farewell tour to focus on “personal health matters.”
Castronovo, 62, was forced to leave the stage during the band’s show in Boston on Tuesday — just over a month after the rocker was hospitalized when he suffered a medical emergency mid-performance in Tulsa, Okla., on Oct. 8.
“Dear Friends, 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,” the band said in a statement Friday.
“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 “Don’t Stop Believin’” rockers said drummer Steve Murphy — who previously worked with the Alan Parsons Project, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Christopher Cross and Jack Bruce — will join the lineup for the remainder of their Final Frontier tour.
Murphy made his debut with the band in Cleveland Thursday night.
Castronovo was helped offstage at Tulsa’s BOK Center after wrapping up just the second song of the concert last month.
He returned to the stage two days later when the tour resumed in San Antonio, Texas, but was forced to leave again halfway through Tuesday’s show at Boston’s TD Garden, fans reported on Setlist.fm.
Drum tech Steve Toomey filled in, and the band cut several songs from the set.
Journey’s Final Frontier tour features guitarist Neal Schon, keyboardist Jonathan Cain and singer Arnel Pineda. Pineda joined in 2007, replacing original frontman Steve Perry.
Castronovo first played drums and contributed vocals for Journey from 1998 to 2015 before returning to the group in July 2021.
His career also includes stints with Bad English and Hardline, as well as performances alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Steve Vai, Paul Rodgers and Geezer Butler of Black Sabbath.
Journey plays next in Greenville, SC, on Saturday, before wrapping up its US tour in San Francisco on Nov. 28.
The trek was initially billed as the legendary rock band’s farewell tour, but they recently suggested they aren’t ready to call it quits.
“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 posted to Facebook on Nov. 2.
“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.”