Journey Members Neal Schon And Jonathan Cain Ask Judge To Resolve Corporate And Musical Differences

Journey founder and lead guitarist Neal Schon and longtime keyboardist/guitarist Jonathan Cain are asking a Delaware judge to resolve a business deadlock.

According to court filings, Schon is president of Freedom 2020, a company formed three years ago to oversee tour-related finances. He and Cain each hold a 50% stake in the company.

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In a petition filed last week, Cain said he and Schon ā€œfundamentally disagreeā€ on the management and operation of the company. He wants the court to appoint a custodian as a director to resolve disputes.

During a hearing Wednesday, Cainā€™s attorney, Sidney Liebesman, told Vice Chancellor J. Travis Laster that the current situation is ā€œdysfunctional.ā€

ā€œIt is in crisis,ā€ Liebesman said. ā€œThe damage is taking place during the tour.ā€

Liebesman alleged that Schon is wasting company assets and believes that, as president of Freedom 2020, ā€œhe can do whatever he wants.ā€

ā€œIt is his self-interest that is driving his decision-making,ā€ Liebesman said.

In a court filing Monday, Schonā€™s attorneys claimed many of Cainā€™s allegations have no basis.

ā€œPetitionerā€™s allegations that the company faces imminent irreparable harm from a purported inability of the company to meet its financial obligations has no basis in fact,ā€ according to Schonā€™s attorneys, who will file a more complete response to Cainā€™s petition on Monday.

ā€œOur client denies that thereā€™s been any mismanagement,ā€ Schonā€™s attorney Jack Yoskowitz told Laster. He said that any dysfunction has been caused by Cain acting in his own self-interest, including making allegations to the press that harm the band.

Cainā€™s attorneys say a quick resolution is needed because itā€™s become ā€œa very much public battleā€ that also has created a ā€œtoxic internal environmentā€ during the tour.

ā€œRather than focusing on the bandā€™s performances during a major international tour, the bandā€™s business manager, lead vocalist and crew members now find themselves caught in the middle of the directorsā€™ disputes, afraid of performing their job responsibilities, and pressured to align with one director or another,ā€ they wrote.

Cainā€™s attorneys say the dispute also threatens the bandā€™s reputation, could negatively affect its fan base, and could further strain relationships with vendors and personnel.

ā€œIndeed, the band has lost multiple members of its crew because of such tensions over the past several months,ā€ they wrote, adding that the companyā€™s new business manager, its seventh, was hired two months ago.