In a new chat with the UK’s Metro, Jonathan Cain said Steve Perry was the reason Journey missed out on a chance in Europe.
In 2022, the keyboardist upset Neal Schon by playing ‘Don’t Stop Believin” at a Trump event. Schon’s lawyer said this hurt the band’s image by linking it to politics. Cain argued Journey is not political and explained that they didn’t tour the UK in the ’80s because Perry was worried about safety at concerts:
“There was some unrest in Europe, and especially over in Ireland. And I think that was what kept Steve Perry away was all the bombing and, you know, the unrest. He was always worried about something happening in one of our shows. I didn’t get that because we’re not political. We just come and play our hits, you know.”
Cain added:
“‘Don’t Stop Believin’, the one song that made it in the UK, was an escape route. That’s all we needed to do. But in the end I think we missed an opportunity that we could have showed up. There would have been no trouble, I don’t think at all. But he had to approve it. And he just said it wasn’t safe.”
Cain Previously Said Journey Isn’t Political
In December 2022, Schon called Cain a ‘hypocrite’ for performing ‘Don’t Stop Believin” at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago with politicians and Trump associates. Schon has always opposed linking Journey’s music with politics or religion.
In 2017, he criticized Cain on social media for being photographed with Trump at the White House along with singer Arnel Pineda and then-bassist Ross Valory. In a video interview at ONE FM 91.3 radio station in 2017, Cain said:
“We’re not political; we don’t get into politics. We try to stay in our lane, and I just think that’s the best answer we can give you.”
When Metro asked him if he believed Trump was innocent, Cain said there might have been minor wrongdoings or crimes, but he still thinks Trump is innocent. Cain feels Trump has been treated unfairly and believes he’s resilient enough to still have a shot at being president, even if he faces legal challenges or could potentially run for office from jail.