Jonathan Cain thinks they need to focus on music rather than any negativity.
In a recent conversation with Classic Rock, the interviewer said there has been tension in Journey, especially after Neal Schon’s legal action against Cain over a performance at the White House. When asked how this affects the band while they’re on tour, the keyboardist replied:
“We take all of that down a notch for the sake of the band. The music is louder [than the negativity]. No matter who has said what, or anything that’s going on in the background, it’s all about bringing the best show that you can bring.”
In a follow-up question, Cain was asked whether the band members are using separate dressing rooms on tour now. He responded:
“[Side-stepping the question] It doesn’t mess with our chemistry. I have stood on stage during some difficult situations. But once you get up there and start playing those songs, all of us in the band are where we are supposed to be. It would be selfish [to let personal issues] affect the show. We owe our fans more than that. Our fans are everything.”
What Does Schon Think About Their Previous Conflict?
Earlier this month, Schon also made a very similar comment to Cain. In a chat with Lyndsey Parker, the guitarist explained how Journey continued after his argument with Jonathan:
“We just decided that the music is the music. 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 and kind of keep it separate.”
According to Schon, this mindset came from Journey’s first manager, Herbie Herbert:
“It was actually a rule that way before Jonathan was in the band, that we would never have politics involved in our music or any one religion – because [Journey’s music] is for everyone. 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.”
Schon and Cain had issues involving misused band funds and personal expenses on a shared credit card. Schon accused Cain of financial mismanagement, while Cain claimed Schon’s personal spending was draining the band’s funds. Despite these problems, Journey later posted a photo of Schon and Cain together, showing they had made peace.