Journey’s Jonathan Cain Spotted Alone Amid Band Tensions

He responds to autograph requests with a smile.

In mid-October, around 2:00 PM, Jonathan Cain (74), a member of the American rock band Journey, was swarmed by fans for autographs on the Tokyo Station platform after arriving via the Shinkansen. Cain, in Japan for the band’s 50th anniversary world tour, JOURNEY FREEDOM TOUR JAPAN 2024, had just finished their concert in Osaka and was traveling to their upcoming performances in Yokohama and Tokyo.

“Journey, formed in 1973, is a representative American prog-harde rock band. In 1980, keyboardist Jonathan Cain joined the band, and with his use of synthesizers, they became a globally popular act. Their 1981 album Escape became their first to hit number one on the US charts. Cain was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2017 as a member of Journey,” said a music magazine writer.

Cain, despite being surrounded by autograph-seeking fans, responded with a smile and without any signs of displeasure. However, behind that smile, the band has been embroiled in legal battles among its members over the past few years, a messy dispute that has affected the group.

 

The content of the big fight between Schon and Cain.

In 2020, key members Neal Schon (70) and Jonathan Cain declared the permanent expulsion of two members from the band for attempting to violate royalties. In response, the expelled members filed a lawsuit against Schon and Cain. The matter was settled when the members left, but by 2022, the relationship between Schon and Cain deteriorated, leading to a lawsuit between them.

“Caine claimed that the band had become dysfunctional due to Schon’s wasteful spending. They once reconciled, but in August this year, Cain sued again for the same reason. As a result, they are still facing ongoing issues, with production costs left unpaid and staff members quitting. Even so, they continue to tour together, so it’s impressive how strong their mental fortitude must be,” said the music writer.

The animosity between the two persists. During this Japanese tour, Cain got off the Shinkansen at Tokyo Station, while Schon disembarked at Shinagawa Station, taking separate routes. Despite this, the tour was a great success, although audience members reported that no interactions between the two were observed on stage. Known for their fondness for Japan, fans are hopeful for the band’s next performance, though the tension between the two remains palpable.

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