Journey Announces Departure of Drummer Deen Castronovo After Second Mid-Show Health Scare

Journey announced Friday that longtime drummer Deen Castronovo is leaving the band, citing health issues that twice forced him off the stage mid-concert in the span of just over a month. The most recent incident came Tuesday night during the band's show in Boston.

Castronovo, 62, exited Tuesday's performance 12 songs into the set, according to reports posted on Setlists.fm. His drum tech, Steve Toomey, stepped in as an emergency fill-in for the remainder of the night, which was shortened from the usual 29 or so songs to 20, with eight songs played after Castronovo's departure.

The scene echoed what happened on Oct. 8 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, when the drummer left the stage after just two songs and was hospitalized. Toomey also finished that show. The band never publicly explained what was ailing Castronovo, but said at the time that he had quickly bounced back. He returned for the Oct. 10 show and played every subsequent date through Nov. 7 before apparently falling ill again Tuesday.

On Thursday night in Cleveland, Journey performed with a new drummer, Steve Murphy. In a statement posted to social media Friday, the band confirmed Murphy would take over behind the kit going forward.

“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's post read. “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 statement described Murphy as a native New Yorker who has worked with acts including the Alan Parsons Project, Trans Siberian Orchestra, Christopher Cross and Jack Bruce, and said he would join for the remainder of November. The post featured photos of Murphy celebrating his first show with the band Thursday, but none of Castronovo.

The message was also shared on Castronovo's personal Facebook page. The drummer offered no additional comment of his own, though he has previously noted that he leaves oversight of his social media accounts to someone else.

Castronovo joined Journey in 1998, replacing original drummer Steve Smith. He was forced out of the group in 2015 after being charged with assaulting a woman, and was replaced at the time by Omar Hakim. Nine of the charges were dismissed and he pleaded guilty to six others, receiving a suspended sentence. He rejoined the lineup in 2021, after touring with guitarist Neal Schon on a side project in 2019.

In a 2023 interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Castronovo reflected on his path out of and back into the band, saying he was “doing great, clean and sober, working hard,” and that he had learned to put “God first, family second” with his job third, a reversal of his earlier priorities.

Journey has eight shows remaining on its 2026 tour, including a Saturday night stop in Greenville, before wrapping the touring year on Nov. 28 in San Francisco. The run had previously been billed as part of a farewell tour, but Schon recently said the band plans to keep going indefinitely, writing: “What began as ‘The Final Frontier’ now feels more like ‘The Long Goodbye.’”