With the feud between Steve Perry and Journey‘s Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain once again rearing its head, Neal’s wife — Michaele Schon — took to social media to urge Perry to work things out with his former-bandmates.
Last month, Perry filed a lawsuit against Schon and Cain “over the use of 20 of the band’s songs as registered trademarks. Between February and May 2022, Schon and Cain were granted trademarks for some of the band’s biggest hits for use on merchandising, such as hats, jackets, shirts, etc., without Perry’s consent.”
Michaele Schon posted an open letter to Steve Perry on her social media platforms, which reads:All I can say is life is precious and truly is a Blessing.
Steve Perry has decided to make this very public with media. In today’s world, someone cannot make a “threat” to anyone, especially on tour where band, fans and promoters are involved. etc Steve, minutes before a sold out show, threatens sign his agreement or he won’t perform for the fans, why hurt fans or anyone? ………things go viral now and that doesn’t work in todays (sic) world.
Steve Perry trying to vote Neal out of the band that Neal built since the 70’s was not right. Steve should call and apologize for it. Steve has collected for 3 decades from touring because of his threatening contract in the 80’s This is on top of everything else Steve earns.
So Instead of greed and hostility, maybe try a new approach Mr Perry, please say thank you to Neal, apologize, and say how do we move forward? how do we make things right? How do we work together? Steve try, “You are my Journey brother and let’s make it right now for Us and for the Journey fans!!” (that would be something that will hold a lot of good karma for Mr. Perry) The Journey Fans have their heart in it as Neal always has JOURNEY within this heart!! Every Night for years on tour, Neal talks about Steve and honors the friendship you had, and the timeless music created together! God protected Neal and he continues to for Journey to live on!! please remember as we treat others may it be returned to us.
Maybe just sit and talk kindly to Neal. One on One as the friends that I saw at The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Those were real feelings you both had and I saw it, and please allow it, embrace it and watch the magic return for if nothing else to know we all love you both and don’t want to associate things like this with Beautiful Journey Music!
Steve, Please email, call, send a message and talk.
Life is a blessing,
Love
Lady M Schön
Neal Schon chimed in on the couple’s joint Facebook site and posted his own thoughts about the band’s latest legal issues, writing, “How would you all react to say a situation where Steve Perry wants to make his OWN T Shirts / Merch that just says Steve Perry Don’t Stop Believin? Or Jon Cain wanting the same thing to sell in his church? It was suggested and I said — These are JOURNEY Songs we created. Not individually.”
FAST FACTS
- Former-Journey frontman Steve Perry has filed a lawsuit against former bandmates and current Journey members, Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain. The Music Universe reported Perry is suing the pair, “over the use of 20 of the band’s songs as registered trademarks. Between February and May 2022, Schon and Cain were granted trademarks for some of the band’s biggest hits for use on merchandising, such as hats, jackets, shirts, etc., without Perry’s consent.”
- According to the report, even if a song was entirely written by only one member of the partners, it “would require unanimous approval and consent by the Partners prior to use, as a trademark or otherwise, on or in connection with any products.”
- Perry’s filing states in part, that per his legal agreement with the two, “. . . no Partner may authorize, approve or disapprove any use or exploitation, or grant or license any rights . . . in connection with any Product or otherwise, without the prior, written, unanimous consent of all of the Partners in each instance, and any purported authorization, approval, disapproval, grant, or license in violation hereof shall be deemed void from inception.”
- Perry is seeking a cancellation of their trademark registrations, accusing Schon and Cain with “fraud (due to) false or misleading information with the intent to deceive or defraud the USPTO into granting Registrant the Registrations.”
CHECK IT OUT: Journey with Kirk Hammett on October 6th, 2022 performing a medley of “Wheel In The Sky” and Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” live in Honolulu: