Journey‘s Neal Schon has fired back at bandmate Jonathan Cain over the keyboard player’s claims that Schon is blocked from the band’s AMEX account due to his out of control spending habits.
Writing on social media he says, “The lawsuit is all about just seeing our band Nomota LLC records. AMEX just recently made me aware that Jonathan Cain set the LLC AMEX alone in his name and had me purposely blocked from all records since the inception of the LLC in 1998 as I now know.
“They try to make it look like I’m trying to scam and take moneys. Bottom line I own 50% of everything Journey and the first year I’ve had to deal with a partner. I’m the President/ Secretary & Manager of all LLCs. I will not be dictated to or obstructed from using credit as I’m sure my wife and I are completely responsible for getting trademarks done correctly for merchandise. Before it was a free for all. A total mess. So, while Jon talks about what I’ve spent, he has not paid me back for all moneys that I personally paid for. It’s partnership money Jonathan has in the past two decades.
“So, to his attorney Alan Gutman, where do you get off making accusations that are completely slanderous towards myself? I’m blocked, so obviously I can’t see what everybody else is spending.”
And while Schon insists this will not break up the band, he did post — perhaps as a way to either prepare for a split from Cain or to get under his skin — that original keyboardist Gregg Rolie should “join us for the 2023 tour. What do you think friends? He will spice it up and we will have a great variety of songs to choose from. What would you like to hear for the 50th anniversary tour?”
Schon and Rolie left Santana to form Journey in 1973. Rolie left in 1980 and was replaced by Cain.
Journey start their 2023 tour on January 27th in Durant, Oklahoma.
Journey was invited to perform at New York Giants – Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving game in Dallas but had to decline due to a few band members being unavailable. Schon says, “Personally, I would have dropped everything to celebrate with them.”
Schon will perform with singer-songwriter Teddy Swims and the San Francisco Philharmonic this Wednesday at the Christmas tree lighting ceremony at the Chase Center in San Francisco.
REUTERS PHOTO
