Back in November, Donald Trump hosted an event at Mar-A-Lago. Present was Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who performed the band’s classic “Don’t Stop Believin’” as Republican figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Kari Lake sang along on stage. (Cain’s wife, Paula White, is a televangelist and Trump’s spiritual advisor.) Journey bandmate Neal Schon didn’t much care for that and now he’s taking legal action.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Kari Lake sang “Don’t Stop Believin’” along with Journey keyboardist Jonathan Cain at a recent event with Trump at Mar-a-Lago. pic.twitter.com/dvSp1z62BX
— PatriotTakes
(@patriottakes) November 23, 2022
Variety reports that Schon (who co-wrote the song with Cain and Steve Perry) served Cain with a cease-and-desist order over the performance. The letter reads in part:
“Although Mr. Cain is free to express his personal beliefs and associations, when he does that on behalf of Journey or for the band, such conduct is extremely deleterious to the Journey brand as it polarizes the band’s fans and outreach. Journey is not, and should not be, political.
Mr. Cain has no right to use Journey for politics. His politics should be his own personal business. He should not be capitalizing on Journey’s brand to promote his personal political or religious agenda to the detriment of the band.”
It also calls the performance a “harmful use of the brand” and notes the cease-and-desist doesn’t intend to “further add to the animosity that is currently plaguing the band and the relationship between Mr. Schon and Mr. Cain.”