Journey's inner-band squabbles continue to rage on with co-founding guitarist Neal Schon filing suit against the band's primary songwriter and keyboardist Jonathan Cain. PageSix.com reported that Schon's suit is based around a corporate American Express account set up by Cain in which, “millions of Journey funds have flowed through,” that Schon is unable to access nor ascertain how much money he is owed.
Schon's suit was filed in Contra Costa in the Bay Area of California, and deals specifically with Nomota — the jointly owned company Schon and Cain created to deal solely with Journey-related business matters. The long and short of Schon's suit is that he's been unable to access the financial statements of his co-owned company. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for March 3rd.
The briefing states in part, “As a member and manager and founder and leader of Journey. Schon has the right to access and control Nomota’s books and records. Schon must have unfettered access to Nomota’s records so he can oversee and manage Nomota/Journey. . . Among other things, the American Express account of Nomota has been set up such that only Cain has control of the account and access to its records. On information and belief, millions in Journey funds have flowed through this AMEX account.” Schon also claimed he only learned about the company credit card through American Express.
Elsewhere to suit claims: “Cain is interfering with Journey, refusing to respond to booking opportunities, blocking payment to band members, crew and vendors, refusing to execute necessary operating documents, and in other ways as well. Cain has obstructed Schon from viewing expenses incurred by Cain and his touring party on band tours.”
The filing also states: “Cain has further refused to deal with critical, time-sensitive touring contracts for Journey’s 2023 tour and ensure payment for band members and crew, who Cain contends are 'non-essential.' Schon believes those band and crew who are crucial to the band’s success should be paid. Cain’s conduct is inexplicable.”
Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain are the lone members of the band's classic '80s lineup. After recently weathering the storm of their own personal, musical, and political differences, they buried the hatchet and joined forces against their now former-bandmates who attempted a hostile takeover of the band's corporate entity.
Not too long ago we caught up with Jonathan Cain and asked him if things were cool again with Neal Schon: “Yeah, we've mended our fences and moved on. Neither of us liked the way all that went and I think it was a matter of just, like, 'Wait a minute, y'know, there's a misunderstanding here.' He read it wrong and nothing was meant by what happened there. In a relationship that 40 years, you're gonna have bumps in the road. You're just gonna have that mess, y'know? There's a lot of misunderstanding, things were taken wrong. I think that it shows that our relationship is better than that. And that's brothers — that's what brothers do.”
