Lawyers representing Journey founding member Neal Schon and longtime vocalist/keyboardist Jonathan Cain have filed a lawsuit against bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith after the band fired both earlier this week. They filed the suit, which claims that Valory and Smith attempted a “corporate coup d’état”, at the Contra Costa County Superior Court in California on Tuesday.
Schon and Cain allege that Valory—who is also a founding member of the band—and Smith pursued a takeover of Nightmare Productions, which, the two believed, controlled the band’s name. The suit asserts, however, that “In 1998, Schon, Cain and [former singer Steve] Perry entered into a written agreement providing Schon and Cain the sole, exclusive, irrevocable right to control the Journey Mark, including the Journey name. They are, therefore, authorized to perform together as Journey, with or without anyone else.”
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The lawyers for Schon and Cain posit that the two former members looked to “Hold the Journey name hostage and set themselves up with a guaranteed income stream after they stop performing,” which has “destroyed the chemistry, cohesion and rapport necessary for the band to play together… Schon and Cain have lost confidence in both of them and are not willing to perform with them again.”
As part of the lawsuit, Schon and Cain accuse the defendants of two counts of declaratory judgment and breach of fiduciary duty. They are currently seeking over $10 million in damages. Click here to view the court filings.
When Journey embarks on their 60-date tour with The Pretenders this May, fans will only see one original member, Neal Schon. It is currently unclear who will step in for Smith and Valory when Schon, Cain, and singer Arnel Pineda hit the road this summer.
[H/T Ultimate Classic Rock]