Neal Schon Unveils Journey’s Healing Process After Long Feud

Not long ago, Journey seemed to be on the brink of a split. Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain argued over control of the band, a visit to the White House, and financial matters.

Yet, somehow, Journey has soldiered on. Their latest album, Freedom, marks their first studio release in over a decade. The band has also returned to their typically rigorous tour schedule, with a 23-date stadium tour alongside Def Leppard and Steve Miller kicking off in St. Louis.

How did they manage to stitch things back together? “We just decided that the music is the music,” explained Neal Schon in a recent interview. “We worked really hard and diligently on keeping this thing alive all these years and just not let the other stuff get in the way.”

Schon attributed this mindset to original Journey manager Herbie Herbert. “It was actually a rule, way before Jonathan was in the band, that we would never have politics involved in our music or any one religion because our music is for everyone,” he said. “Anytime you get political and you segregate, you’re going to lose fans – and why would you want to do that? Just keep it open for everyone to be able to enjoy your music as music.”

Journey’s music has become a staple at sporting events and in TV and movie soundtracks, but it also appears at political rallies. “I’m not a fan of it. No, I’m not a fan of it,” Schon admitted. “I think we should remain neutral and let everybody enjoy what they want to enjoy – and I think it’s nobody’s business.”

Schon further elaborated on his stance, saying, “I’ve never appreciated music with politics. I don’t think they go hand-in-hand. Music is the greatest communicator of the world, and it shouldn’t have a label on it to be one way or another. It should be conveyed by everyone in their own way.”

In the end, Schon believes this neutrality is what has kept Journey together and in the spotlight for generations of fans, even as classic-era vocalist Steve Perry was replaced by current frontman Arnel Pineda. “Think of this: I’ve been in Journey for 51 years,” he added. “Jon for 41 years, and for Arnel, this is his 17th year as vocalist – which is way longer than Steve was!”

As Journey gears up for another round of shows, Schon’s hopes for the tour remain consistent: “You want to take ’em out of the funk. You want to lift them,” he said. “When I go to see somebody, I want to be entertained. I don’t want to be brought down or brought into some funk. I want to get away from everything and be entertained and lifted.”

Note: The content in this article is based on information available at the time and may be subject to change.