With Journey's Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain still embroiled in a lawsuit, their former bandmate Steve Perry has dropped his suit against them.
Last September, Perry filed a petition to cancel trademark registrations for 20 songs he had a hand in writing.
They registered such songs as "Separate Ways," "Open Arms," "Anyway You Want It" and others for use on hats, T-shirts, athletic jackets and other paraphernalia. Perry claimed they violated an earlier agreement that stipulated decisions like these must be made with "prior, written unanimous consent of all partners in each instance."
He also claimed they used "false or misleading information" in securing the trademarks.
On Saturday, Schon posted a photo of the legal document stating the withdrawal of the petition and writing, "So much for JC [Jonathan Cain] trying to throw me under the bus as he claimed I was blatantly trying to rip off SP [Steve Perry] while collecting the checks for the very diligent work my wife and I did to protect our Merch. Time for coffee."
When asked by a fan on Twitter if Perry was dropping his lawsuit, Schon replied with: "Yes he did. Now we can talk as we were" (before the suit was filed).
Schon and Cain are embroiled in a lawsuit over band finances, with a preliminary hearing set for March 3rd.
Meanwhile, Gregg Rolie, who founded Journey with Schon in 1973 while they were both in Santana, has broken his silence on Schon recently saying that he would be part of Journey's upcoming 50th anniversary tour. But instead of issuing a statement, he posted an emoji of two wide open eyeballs followed by "Welcome back?"
Neal Schon has taken another shot at Jonathan Cain, tweeting that Journey is his band and he's the boss.
He writes, "No one is going to dictate to me at this point what I can and cannot do in regards to Journey. I haven’t been here and not here to take orders -- never have and never will. It’s my band and I’ll own it as I should and make the right changes as needed."
Schon, who founded the band with Gregg Rolie in 1973, is embroiled in a lawsuit with Cain after the keyboardist blocked him from the band's AMEX account over his spending habits.
Photo: Getty Images
The Beatles had Yoko Ono. Journey has Paula White-Cain, wife of keyboardist Jonathan Cain, and Michaele Salahi-Schon, wife of guitarist Neal Schon.
The latest saga between their husbands, in which Cain blocked Schon from the band's AMEX account over his spending habits, now includes Cain's wife. Schon claims in a cease-and-desist letter he sent her that she gained access to the band’s bank accounts without his knowledge.
The letter, in part, states, “We have learned that despite the prior mutual agreement between Mr. Schon and Mr. Jonathan Cain that the business of the band and the Journey Related Entities would be handled only by Mr. Schon and Mr. Cain as individuals, your name appears as an authorized signatory on the City National Bank accounts of Freedom JN LLC.”
“We further demand that you immediately cease and desist and refrain in the future from inserting yourself in any business of the band and any legal entities used by the band as this contradicts the existing agreement between Mr. Schon and Mr. Cain.”
Paula's lawyer Alan Gulman says, "Neal’s attorney recommended Neal and Jonathan own their respective 50% interests in the band’s operating entities through their personal trusts.
“Paula is a co-trustee of Jonathan’s personal trust, therefore, Jonathan and Paula signed as the co-trustees of Jonathan’s personal trust. But that never would have happened if Neal’s lawyer had not recommenced it.
“When Neal finally complained (and we do not need to explain the real reason why he started complaining, which had nothing to do with fact that Paula was co-trustee of Jonathan’s trust or listed on any papers), Jonathan offered to have his ownership interest transferred from his personal trust to him personally.
“While that offer would have resolved the issue, Neal refuses to cooperate in any resolution, once again demonstrating that the claim is entirely pre-textual.”
And Schon's wife Michaele hasn't been quiet regarding this matter. As we reported in November, she said, "This is a BEAUTIFUL life and more than enough for all. Why do people bite the hand that feeds them? Greed. Jealousy. Envy. Neal agreed to make Cain a partner in 2020 because Jon Cain said he was sorry for the wrong doings he did and Neal forgave him, with the belief that someday Cain said he would pay him back.
“Cain hasn’t paid him yet. Jon Cain and Paula White added her name, Paula White, on the Journey bank account behind Neal Schon’s back and violated his directive as The President and Founder of Journey, against Neal’s wishes and per the court agreement. The Bank just informed that they did this in 2020.”
Schon's legal team has not commented on this latest development, saying their policy is "not to comment on any ongoing disputes.”
Cain’s response to Schon's complaint over the AMEX account is due January 13th, and a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 2nd, online court records show, and a case management conference has been scheduled for March 3rd.
As for Journey starting a tour later this month, a source tells the New York Post that Schon and Cain are “business partners that don’t speak. Neal is there for the music, the fans and the brand. That’s what he’s all about.”
Paula White-Cain is a televangelist who served as President Trump’s spiritual adviser and delivered the invocation at his inauguration.
And Michaele is no stranger to Washington, D.C. as she is a former cast member of The Real Housewives of D.C., and made headlines in 2009 when she and her former husband, Tareq Salahi, crashed a White House state dinner.