Journey’s Neal Schon feuds with bandmate Jonathan Cain over playing music at Trump events
Members of the rock band Journey used to agree the band doesn’t get involved in politics. Now, founding member Neal Schon is making sure it stays that way.
The 68-year-old guitarist sent a cease-and-desist letter on Dec. 16 to attorneys for bandmate Jonathan Cain to prohibit him from playing Journey’s music at Donald Trump events after Cain sang “Don’t Stop Believin'” at a Mar-a-Lago gala last month.
The Post reached out to rep for Cain for comment.
In the letter obtained by The Post, Schon’s attorney claims Journey fans are “up in arms” over Cain’s affiliation with Trump. The keyboardist, 72, has been a part of Trump’s inner circle since his wife, televangelist Paula White, has served as Trump’s spiritual adviser.
Video of Cain’s performance at the November event, where Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Kari Lake acted as background singers, was widely spread on social media.
“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,” the Schon letter reads.
Cain, Schon and estranged Journey singer Steve Perry are credited as writers of the 1981 stadium anthem, but Schon wants to make a clear distinction between the individual artists and the band.
“Mr. Cain has no right to use Journey for politics,” the letter continues. “His politics should be his own personal business. He should not be capitalizing on Journey’s brand to promote his personal political or religious agenda to the detriment of the band.”
The letter’s intent is not to “further add to the animosity that is currently plaguing the band and the relationship between Mr. Schon and Mr. Cain,” which has been tense for many years.
“What Jon Cain has done here violates that duty” to the band and the Journey brand, the letter alleges.
When contacted by The Post, Schon’s attorney pointed to a 2017 radio interview Journey did in Singapore in which Cain agreed the band is “not political” and that members try to “stay in our lane.”
“The best place to stay is neutral, in the center, and just don’t take a side. Keep it to yourself, whatever you think,” Schon declared, adding that, “Politics and music, I don’t think it mixes.”
Cain visited Trump’s White House months after that interview — with the band’s singer and bassist in tow — reportedly without Schon or band management knowing beforehand. This angered Schon, but the two were able to “reset our friendship” to tour with fellow rock legends Def Leppard.
