“No one was ever prevented by me from making their own decisions”: Neal Schon address claims from Journey singer Arnel Pineda that he was pressured into touring
Journey guitarist and co-founder Neal Schon has spoken out against claims made by singer Arnel Pineda, in which he claimed he was forced to go on tour with the band despite voicing concerns about personal issues.
The Journey camp has been rather unsettled for some time now, guitarist/keyboardist Jonathan Cain even sued Schon while the pair were still on tour together in 2024. Schon recently joked in an interview that he feels he gets “one lawsuit served every week”.
READ MORE: The one piece of advice Neal Schon would give young guitar players: “It took a long time to learn all that”
In March, vocalist Pineda claimed in a Rolling Stone interview that he had been pressured into doing a farewell tour with the band. His reasons against touring include “an aging body and voice, a difficult divorce, and some very public allegations of domestic abuse that made headlines in his native Philippines”, according to the article.
Pineda claims that the band booked a 60-date US tour for this year without consulting him, with at least another 40 shows slated for 2027. Pineda also claims he told the band on two occasions he wanted to leave. Both Schon and Pineda allege that AEG’s contract with the band stipulates that this tour could not go forward without Pineda. Rolling Stone reports that AEG did not respond to a request for comment on the matter.
Schon has since taken to social media to voice his side of the story. He writes, “Over the years, Journey has always been about the music and the fans first. There’s been some recent press and speculation that doesn’t reflect the full picture.
“Touring at this level involves many moving parts, and decisions are made collectively with our team, including management, agents, and promoters. Like any long-running band, there are moments where people feel the pressure differently. I respect that, and I have nothing but appreciation for what everyone brings to the stage.”
He adds: “For clarity, no one was ever prevented by me from making their own personal decisions. At the same time, we were all advised by our representatives that there are contractual obligations tied to touring that need to be honoured.”
Two Journey shows have recently been postponed due to illness, but it looks like all other shows are going ahead as planned. You can find out more via the Journey website.
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Source: www.guitar-bass.net
