Journey in 2008. Photo Credit: Matt Becker
In October, Neal Schon filed a lawsuit against fellow Journey member Jonathan Cain. Now, Schon has served Cain with a cease-and-desist letter after he (Cain) performed at former President Trump’s Mar-a-Lago.
This latest testament to the Journey members’ evidently rocky relationship just recently came to light in a report from Variety; Schon has also penned several Twitter posts about the dispute. For background, 68-year-old Schon filed the mentioned lawsuit against 72-year-old Cain on October 31st, indicating therein that the two possess 50-50 ownership of a 24-year-old company called Nomota, “through which Journey operates.”
“Nomota’s records also contain financial information necessary for Schon and his representatives to determine the portion of Journey’s profits to which he is entitled as the founder and president of Journey,” the complaint reads. “Schon’s right to Journey profits is being controlled by Cain—Schon’s bandmate, who Schon brought into the band in the 1980s—and despite all of his requests and efforts, Schon has been unable to get full access.”
From there, Schon’s suit alleges that the company’s American Express had “been set up such that only Cain has control of the account and access to its records.”
Much of the concise action centers on the plaintiff’s purported inability to access this AmEx account, and Schon further maintained that “Cain is interfering with” the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted group by “refusing to respond to booking opportunities, blocking payment to band members, crew, and vendors, refusing to execute necessary operating documents,” and more.
Bearing in mind this legal battle over a credit card, the initially noted cease-and-desist letter shouldn’t come as a major surprise.
According to Variety, said letter reads in part: “Although Mr. Cain is free to express his personal beliefs and associations, when he does that on behalf of Journey or for the band, such conduct is extremely deleterious to the Journey brand as it polarizes the band’s fans and outreach. Journey is not, and should not be, political.”
Furthermore, Cain “should not be capitalizing on Journey’s brand to promote his personal political or religious agenda to the detriment of the band,” per the document, which appears to have entered the media spotlight about one month after Schon’s initially highlighted Mar-a-Lago performance.
Meanwhile, Cain – who co-wrote 1981’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” with Steve Perry and Schon – fired back against the cease-and-desist letter in a statement.
“Neal Schon should look in the mirror when he accuses me of causing harm to the Journey brand,” stated Cain. “I have watched him damage our brand for years and am a victim of both his — and his wife’s — bizarre behavior.
“Neal sued Live Nation twice, losing both times, and damaging our ability to ever work with them again; Neal outrageously tried to take away trademarks from Steve Perry; Neal and his wife continually insult the professionalism of numerous accountants, road managers, and management firms with endless legal threats and their bullying, toxic, and incoherent emails;
“Neal argues online with fans who don’t see eye to eye with him; and Neal and his wife recklessly spend Journey’s money until there is none left for operating costs. If anyone is destroying the Journey brand, it is Neal — and Neal alone,” continues the firmly worded follow-up.