Journey Fire Bassist And Drummer Over Alleged “Coup D’état”
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Journey have fired their bassist and drummer over an alleged “corporate coup d’état.” Neal Schon and Jon Cain, the remaining principal members of the band, have filed a lawsuit against former drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory, accusing them of trying to take over the corporate entity Nightmare Productions, Inc. in an attempt to seize control of the Journey name.
According to the complaint, filed in California Superior Court on Tuesday, Smith and Valory held improper shareholder and Board Of Directors meetings of Nightmare Productions, voting to remove Cain and Schon as President and Secretary and taking their positions for themselves.
“With control of Nightmare Productions,” according to Cain and Schon’s lawyers, “Smith and Valory incorrectly believe they can seize control of the Journey name and force Schon, Cain and Nightmare Productions to provide them with wind-fall payments after their retirement; they want to be paid a share of Journey touring revenue in perpetuity under the guise of a licensing fee while they perform absolutely no work for the band.”
Cain and Schon are suing their former bandmates for breach of fiduciary duty, seeking a declaratory judgment and over $10 million in damages. “This is not an action that Neal and Jon wanted to bring against two men that they once considered their brothers, but the devious and truculent behavior of Steve and Ross left them reluctantly with no choice but to act decisively,” says Schon and Cain’s lawyer Skip Miller. “Journey will continue on with great success by ridding the band of disruptive members and replacing them with top musicians; and most importantly, by keeping its essential members — Schon, Cain and Pineda — fully intact.”
Journey will announce a new bassist and drummer “imminently” and are set to embark on a 60-city tour of North America in May. With Valory out, Neal Schon is now the sole founding member of Journey left in the band. Dude just can’t catch a break!
leave Neal Schon alone you guys pic.twitter.com/sK0FIUXZeS
— (@scottgum) March 2, 2020
