Journey’s Rift Between Band Members Is Over

JOURNEY • Press Photo Credit unknown / IVOX MEDIA Collection

The most recent rift between Journey's principle members is apparently over. Legal actions have been going back and forth between original guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who joined the band in 1980, over a variety of issues ranging from access to the company credit card to Cain playing "Don't Stop Believin'" at a rally for Donald Trump. Those came after Schon and Cain had fought off an attempted takeover by bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith, who they subsequently fired in 2020. Schon, Cain and frontman Arnel Pineda were also traveling between shows separately.

Now, however, drummer Deen Castronovo -- who rejoined the band during 2021 after a seven-year absence -- tells us everyone is back on friendly terms: 

"Everybody has mended fences. They've made amends and we're all on one jet again and it's all for one and one for all. Neal and Jon and Arnel got the reins of this thing and Todd and I and Jason are just taking their lead."

In addition to Castronovo, Schon, Cain and Pineda, Journey also includes bassist Todd Jensen and keyboardist Jason Derlatka. 

Castronovo, who's worked with Schon and Cain since the band Bad English from 1989-1991, adds that it was painful to negotiate the relationships when they were at odds with each other: [17.26] "To have that, everything mended and Jon and Neal hugging again -- which, dude, those guys are my brothers from Bad English. They're like family to me. It was like watching two brothers of mine going at it and I wanted to be the mediary going, 'I love you both. Would you just stop?'"

Journey is celebrating the band's 50th anniversary this year with live dates. It's currently on tour in North America through April 29, while a summer stadium tour with Def Leppard begins July 6 in St. Louis. The Steve Miller Band, Heart and Cheap Trick will alternate opening spots on that.

Journey's latest album "Freedom," came out during 2022. 

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