Journey guitarist Neal Schon has responded to the controversy surrounding his bandmate Jonathan Cain’s public criticism of Bruce Springsteen. Schon shared his own stance through a post on X, reposting a quote from a recent San Francisco Chronicle article that covered Cain’s remarks and clarified where Schon himself stands on the matter.
The reposted article made clear that the criticism originated with Cain — not Schon. “The connection between Journey guitarist Neal Schon and Bruce Springsteen stems from recent comments made not by Schon, but by his Journey bandmate, keyboardist Jonathan Cain, who publicly criticized Springsteen’s political commentary,” the article read.
Cain had previously made headlines for his pointed remarks about the rock legend. He expressed frustration with Springsteen’s political outspokenness in blunt terms.
“And guys like Bruce Springsteen should shut up. Honestly, shut up, Bruce,” Cain said. “Who’s the other one? Robert De Niro. I mean, who cares, guys? Really? Do your art.”
Cain also reflected on his own political evolution before directing his comments back at Springsteen.
“I’m obviously a conservative. I used to be a Democrat back in the old days, but I couldn’t go there anymore,” he said. “And Bruce, I mean, what the heck? I used to like him, and now he’s just annoying. He’s an annoying, bitter old man. I mean, stop it. Really. You were born in the USA, weren’t you, dude? So act like it. But even that song, if you look at the lyrics, it’s a kind of a diss to our country.”
Schon’s decision to share the article appears to be a deliberate move to distance himself from Cain’s remarks. He sought to clarify his own position on Springsteen amid the public backlash Cain received.
Cain’s comments about Springsteen are not the first time his political views have put him at odds with his bandmate. In 2022, Cain performed at Mar-a-Lago for Donald Trump. The appearance drew a notable backlash from Schon and added a sharp political dimension to what was already a strained professional relationship between the two founding members.
Their tensions have also played out in the courtroom. Since 2022, Schon and Cain have been locked in a series of legal disputes over Journey’s finances and business operations. The disagreements have included credit card spending and control of the band’s shared accounts, underscoring how deep the divide between them runs.
Despite their personal and legal conflicts, Schon and Cain share one of rock’s most celebrated songwriting legacies. Together with former frontman Steve Perry, the two co-wrote “Don’t Stop Believin’,” one of the best-selling singles in rock history. Cain also penned “Faithfully,” largely written on a tour bus, which remains one of the band’s most enduring ballads.
That shared creative history makes the current friction between them all the more striking. Schon’s move to publicly separate himself from Cain’s remarks about Springsteen signals that the two men are increasingly at odds — both politically and personally.
