Neal Schon Sparks Buzz With Hints of 2025 Collaboration With Steve Perry

Journey fans have long held out hope that Steve Perry might someday return — even briefly — to the stage with the band he helped make legendary. But according to guitarist and co-founder Neal Schon, that door remains firmly shut, both professionally and personally.

No Communication, No Closure

Schon, who has openly addressed the band’s fractured relationship with Perry over the years, recently spoke again about their lack of contact. Despite fans’ hopes, it appears little has changed since Perry’s official departure from Journey in 1998.

Speaking to Eddie Trunk in a new interview, Schon revealed that his efforts to reconnect — even just as friends — have gone unanswered. “I reached out, wrote him an email, and I’m sure it’s probably still his email,” Schon said, recalling an invitation he extended to Perry to attend a San Francisco Giants game. “I knew he was a fan and thought it’d be cool to just catch up and watch the game. I never heard anything back.”

This silence echoes sentiments Schon shared as far back as 2012, when he told Ultimate Classic Rock, “We didn’t kick him out — he walked.” At the time, he expressed hope that they might someday reconnect directly, without lawyers or managers involved. “I still don’t quite realize why we can’t just talk one-on-one… just to say hello. Not to pressure anybody. Just in a friendly manner.”

Even during Journey’s 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction — where Perry and Schon stood side-by-side — the communication gap remained. Today, Schon confirms they have “zero dialogue.”

“You can’t keep chasing something that’s just not interested in correlating with you,” he added.

Respect for Perry’s Solo Work

Despite the distance, Schon maintains respect for Perry as an artist. He praised Perry’s 2018 solo album Traces, calling it a strong creative effort. “I thought there was some very good stuff on it,” he said. “I’d like to see him create some more.”

While a reunion seems unlikely, Schon appears to harbor no ill will. “I think we’ve seen that he wants to still create, and you know, more would be great.”

What’s Next for Journey?

As for Journey’s future, Schon confirmed the band is gearing up for a major return to the road in 2026, following a brief touring hiatus in 2025. With vocalist Arnel Pineda still fronting the group, Journey has over 120 shows booked over the next two years — including a notable stop at the Stagecoach Music Festival on April 25.

“We’re going to dig deep and the sets are going to be much longer,” Schon revealed. “I think our fans are really going to dig what we’re putting together.”

On the creative side, Schon has been hard at work during the band’s downtime. “I’m always working on new material,” he said. “I’ve compiled quite a lot over this year off — many, many ideas for new songs.”

The challenge, he says, lies in bringing the band together to develop those ideas. “We just need to get in a room, throw it around, and see what happens. We get really inspired once we’re actually rehearsing together. You know, anything could happen.”