Jonathan Caine says Journey is not splitting up even though bandmate Neal Schon is upset with him and two of their fellow bandmates for posing with President Donald Trump in the Oval Office late last month. Caine, Arnel Pineda, and Ross Valory toured the White House on July 27, and the guitarist feels strongly that the band and politics should not mix.
Schon, one of the band’s co-founders, wrote on Facebook last week, “I will remain strong and consistent with the belief we’ve always shared and agreed upon – Journey should never be used and exploited by anyone, especially band members for politics or any one religion. I’ve been here since 1972 and this has always been our belief. This was with intent to exploit the brand and use the name. Journey was not there – 3 individual members were Cain Valory and Pineda whom I found … Tours are done all the time but it could have been privately.”
He added, “The members who attended know my position and the way we’ve always been until now. Steve Perry myself and the rest have always agreed the music we created is for Everyone. As you can see the original picture below it states JOURNEY. I had no prior knowledge of this from anyone. Not band members or Management. This clearly shows no respect or Unity, just Divide.”
Drummer Neal Smith was also absent from the White House visit.
On Aug. 10, TMZ spotted Cain and his wife at the airport and asked the keyboardist’s opinion about Schon’s online rant. Cain revealed that he hadn’t spoken to the guitarist about it and doesn’t know “what his feelings are.” Cain did, however, insist that there was “no way” Journey would split up over the incident. Cain’s wife, Paula White-Cain, is the head of an evangelical advisory board for Trump and also gave the invocation at the President’s inauguration, which may be part of the reason why they visited the White House.
Schon has suggested that his bandmates may want to tour without him. He tweeted: “How would you feel if u found out that the rest of the band wanted to tour without me? I’ve always been 100%JRNY and made the right choices.”
Problems between Schon and Cain surfaced in June. Schon wrote on Instagram on June 4: “I want to be elevated by whom I play with not feel like I’ve got cement shoes. If anyone is unhappy they are Not running My band then They should Leave. God has bigger plans.” Schon and Cain also clashed while making their last album.
While Cain insists there’s no danger that the band will break up, Schon was asked if the current line up was “done,” and he tweeted on Aug. 7: “One way or the other I won’t be dealing with any more toxic shit.”
Journey is reportedly planning to tour with Def Leppard next year.
