Jonathan Cain Sues Neal Schon Again

Journey is once again embroiled in a legal battle, as Jonathan Cain has filed a lawsuit against Neal Schon, the band’s only remaining founding member. The lawsuit, reminiscent of a 2022 dispute over a band credit card, alleges that Schon has been overspending. Cain claims that Schon maxed out an American Express account with a $1 million limit and frequently exceeded a daily hotel fee cap of $1,500, sometimes spending “up to $10,000 per night.”

The lawsuit also highlights issues with debt payments, suggesting that the band’s finances are in such disarray that they were unable to pay their crew and production company during their ongoing stadium tour. Cain’s legal team at Fox Rothschild LLP argues that these “unforeseen strains on cash flow” pose a “severe threat of harm to the company and Journey’s storied history of musical greatness.” The situation has reportedly led to divided loyalties, crew defections, and general tension within the band.

The court filing also expresses concern about the public nature of the dispute, stating that it has become a “very much public battle between petitioner and respondent,” and is negatively “impacting the band’s reputation throughout the music industry.” Despite the internal conflicts, the lawsuit notes that “the band’s actual onstage performance is, at the moment, one of the only aspects of the business that has not suffered.”

Cain’s suit calls for restructuring Freedom 2020 Inc., the company he co-founded with Schon to manage Journey’s touring operations. The business is currently overseen by a two-seat board, consisting of Cain and Schon. The new petition requests a court-appointed custodian to serve as a third board member to resolve tie votes and break the “far-reaching” deadlock.

Journey’s Ongoing Legal Battles

Schon’s response to the filing, made in Delaware’s Chancery Court, has yet to be publicly disclosed. As a key figure in Journey since its inception in 1973, Schon has been a part of every album and tour. Cain, who joined the band in 1980, played a pivotal role during Journey’s rise to superstardom with the multiplatinum Escape album. Despite previous legal battles starting in 2020, the band had seemingly settled their differences by creating a new organizational structure involving both Cain and Schon, along with their wives. However, this latest dispute suggests that tensions are resurfacing. The court documents note:

“When the company faces these precarious financial situations, the respondent (and his wife) begin to accuse petitioner, the band manager, the company’s accountant, and other company personnel of stealing. This conduct further triggers internal strife.”