Just final month, Journey guitarist Neal Schon sued bandmate Jonathan Cain, accusing him of blocking entry to “critical” monetary information. Now, including to the band’s myriad authorized battles, Schon has hit Cain with a cease-and-desist order over a gig Cain carried out at Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago final month. According to Variety, Cain carried out Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’” at a Trump gala with a backing “chorus” together with far-right conspiracy theorist and Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, right-wing character Kimberly Guilfoyle, and former Republican gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake.
Cain has lengthy been linked to Trump’s interior circle; his spouse, Paula White, is a televangelist and “spiritual advisor” to the previous president. In a cease-and-desist letter obtained by Variety, Schon’s staff writes:
“Although Mr. Cain is free to precise his private beliefs and associations, when he does that on behalf of Journey or for the band, such conduct is extraordinarily deleterious to the Journey model because it polarizes the band’s followers and outreach. Journey just isn’t, and shouldn’t be, political.
“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 additionally referred to as the efficiency a “harmful use of the brand.”
The letter likewise states that Schon doesn’t intend to “further add to the animosity that is currently plaguing the band and the relationship between Mr. Schon and Mr. Cain.”
Schon and estranged singer Steve Perry have beforehand expressed their anger over Trump utilizing “Don’t Stop Believin’” throughout marketing campaign rallies; different artists who’ve spoken out towards their music being utilized in the identical capability embrace Neil Young, R.E.M., Queen, Tom Petty, Earth, Wind And Fire, The Rolling Stones, and Aerosmith, simply to call just a few.
In 2017, Schon posted a number of (now-deleted) tweets after three members of Journey visited the White House and posed for footage with the then-president. “I’ve stated how I felt about mixing religion and politics and how our music is not of one religion — Democratic or Republican. This is and has been an issue with myself, Mr. Cain and his wife,” Schon wrote on the time.
A spokesman for Cain responded to the letter: “Schon is just frustrated that he keeps losing in court and is now falsely claiming the song has been used at political rallies.”
Yesterday, Schon responded on Twitter: “Now he’s claiming I keep loosing in court ?!? Infuckingsane. Get off the kool-Aid. Wow lies after lies. I’ve won 1 case in court with Cain and the residing one has not been heard yet.Was trying to get in spooner then the court date. Judge did not feel it was an emergency.0 ruling”
Schon additionally shared a radio interview with Journey from about 5 years in the past, mentioning a second the place “Jonathan Cain himself talking about politics and religion [sic] not a good idea with our music. One word -hypocrite-.”
Journey’s 2023 Freedom Tour is scheduled to kick off subsequent month.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Kari Lake sang “Don’t Stop Believin’” along with Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain at a recent event with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. pic.twitter.com/dvSp1z62BX
— PatriotTakes 🇺🇸 (@patriottakes) November 23, 2022
Have a listen right around 9:25mins. Jonathan Cain himself talking about politics and religion not a good idea with our music. One word -hypocrite – just have a listen 👂🏽 https://t.co/fUUYrQcLeq https://t.co/ynxfNxTfsE
— NEAL SCHON MUSIC (@NealSchonMusic) December 22, 2022