Journey bandmates battle over Donald Trump and ‘Don’t Stop Believin” – National

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Journey bandmates battle over Donald Trump and ‘Don’t Stop Believin” – National


Some songs turn into political anthems over time, however a Journey band member has made it clear he doesn’t need Don’t Stop Believin’ to turn into one.

Journey guitarist Neal Schon served keyboardist Jonathan Cain a cease-and-desist order over a efficiency of the band’s hit track Don’t Stop Believinplayed by Cain at Donald Trump‘s Mar-a-Lago resort.

In November, Cain, 71, sang the song while playing the keyboard on stage at the America First Policy Institute’s Experience and Gala. A refrain of a number of Republicans wearing formal apparel sang alongside, together with Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Kari Lake.

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The cease-and-desist letter insisted Cain “has no right to use Journey for politics.”

Cain’s spouse, Paula White, is an American televangelist and “spiritual advisor” to Trump.

Schon, Cain and the band’s former lead singer Steve Perry are the unique writers of the 1981 track Don’t Stop Believin‘. 

“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,” Schon, 68, argued within the letter. “Journey is not, and should not be, political.”

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Schon claimed Cain’s use of the track at Republican celebration occasions is “harmful” to Journey’s model.

“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 continued.

The relationship between Cain and Schon was already strained; a spokesperson for Cain stated that “Schon is just frustrated that he keeps losing in court and is now falsely claiming the song has been used at political rallies.”

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Earlier this yr, Schon filed a lawsuit in opposition to Cain that claimed he was denied entry to an American Express bank card utilized by Journey. Cain then accused Schon of charging greater than US$1 million in “improper personal expenses” to the band’s card. The pair continues to argue the difficulty each publicly and in court docket.

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In the cease-and-desist, Schon and his attorneys argued Cain’s use of Don’t Stop Believin‘ at a Republican event “has the band’s followers up in arms.”

The sentiment is clear on social media. One Twitter person wrote that “Journey’s been dead to me since Cain’s support of Trump came out.” Another fan stated, “using Journey’s music for a Trump event is an insult.”

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Schon claimed Cain’s use of the track will impression the “earning potential” of Journey, “especially in light of the forthcoming tour.”

Journey’s newest tour, which is able to see each Cain and Schon on stage, is ready to start on Jan. 27, 2023.

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On Thursday, Schon tweeted that Journey had way back determined to not be political.

“You just don’t go there as you will lose fans,” he wrote. “To me music is for the whole world.”

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He additionally claimed Schon’s assertion about “losing in court” is fake.

“His statement is a lie,” Schon wrote Monday. He stated the difficulty shall be heard in court docket in February 2023.

Journey isn’t the one band to complain about their music getting used for Trump’s political campaigns. In 2020, The Rolling Stones threatened authorized motion in opposition to Trump for the usage of their music at his rallies.

Don’t Stop Believin‘ is likely one of the most beloved traditional rock songs of all time. The track resurged in recognition a number of a long time after its launch when it was featured within the remaining episode of The Sopranos in 2007. And in 2009 the track took on new life when it was included within the first episode of the favored TV present Glee.

&copy 2022 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.



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