Home Journey, set for tour stop at JPJ on Feb. 5, beset by infighting over Trump
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Journey, set for tour stop at JPJ on Feb. 5, beset by infighting over Trump

Chris Graham

journey Journey is bringing its 2023 tour to the John Paul Jones Arena on Feb. 5. At least we hope so, with bandmates Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon at each others’ throats over Donald Trump.

Schon, the guitarist, is upset that Cain, the keyboardist, performed the classic Journey hit “Don’t Stop Believin’” at a Trump event at Mar-A-Lago in November, with right-wing luminaries Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Kari Lake on vocals.

Upset might be understating it.

Schon went so far as to file a cease-and-desist order against Cain after the performance.

“Mr. Cain has no right to use Journey for politics,” the order reads. “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.”

Woo, boy, yeah.

Cain fired back in a statement to Fox News, because of course he did.

“I have watched him damage our brand for years and am a victim of both his – and his wife’s – bizarre behavior,” Cain said. “Neal sued Live Nation twice, losing both times, and damaging our ability to ever work with them again; Neal outrageously tried to take away trademarks from Steve Perry; Neal and his wife continually insult the professionalism of numerous accountants, road managers, and management firms with endless legal threats and their bullying, toxic, and incoherent emails; Neal argues online with fans who don’t see eye to eye with him; and Neal and his wife recklessly spend Journey’s money until there is none left for operating costs.”

This should be a helluva tour, which is being done in support of the band’s first new album in more than a decade, “Freedom.”

The JPJ stop is actually the second on the tour, which launches on Feb. 4 in Allentown, Pa.

Maybe.

(I’ve already got tickets.)

Chris Graham

Chris Graham

Chris Graham is the founder and editor of Augusta Free Press. A 1994 alum of the University of Virginia, Chris is the author and co-author of seven books, including Poverty of Imagination, a memoir published in 2019, and Team of Destiny: Inside Virginia Basketball’s Run to the 2019 National Championship, and The Worst Wrestling Pay-Per-View Ever, published in 2018. For his commentaries on news, sports and politics, go to his YouTube page, or subscribe to his Street Knowledge podcast. Email Chris at [email protected].