Singing their way to stardom

Nelson isn't the only Cinderella invited to the headbanger's ball. Journey guitarist Neal Schon hired a singer from the Philippines named Arnel Pineda after discovering him on YouTube.

"When I came across Arnel he was in this little Hard Rock Cafe in Manila being recorded through a little stereo condenser mike on a [video camera], and he sounded great!" says Mr. Schon, who adds that viewing live performances on YouTube appealed to him because it's harder to fake talent on video.

"Stories like these only confirm the idea that the Internet can level the playing field," says Charles Allen Bargfrede, who teaches Creative Promo in New Media at Boston's Berklee College of Music. "While chances still remain one in a million that something like this will happen to you," he says, "it's certainly created a new outlet."

Singer Alicia Keys has a contest on MySpace to find a backup singer. And Slash, the guitarist for Velvet Revolver, has told Billboard magazine that the band will audition singers online after splitting with frontman Scott Weiland.

"Granted, it's not the best way to judge somebody," says Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian. "But I think it's a good enough way to be able to do the weeding-out process."

Some view the practice as a gimmick. The Tribune's Mr. Kot calls recruiting singers over the Internet a "shotgun marriage" aimed at reviving interest in older bands.

Mr. Ian and Schon dismiss such criticism. They insist that they're warmly welcoming their new talent and that fans are, too. Schon recalls Mr. Pineda's first show at a South American festival in front of 20,000 people. "The audience is known as 'the monster,' " says the guitarist. "If they don't like you, they … boo you off. He went on and just captivated everyone, and he was like Elvis when we left."

For his part, DeCarlo is grateful to have coaching from Boston's other new member, current Stryper guitarist Michael Sweet, who will share vocal duties on tour. "I don't think the crowd is expecting me to go out there and do back flips and stage dives," says DeCarlo. His co-workers have been aware of his talent ever since they innocently invited him out for karaoke. But they're as shocked about the tour as DeCarlo, who is taking a leave of absence from work. "I'm 43 years old. I don't think it would ever have happened had it not been for the Internet."

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