Deen Castronovo discussed his relationship with Neal Schon. In a new interview with Chuck Shute, the Journey drummer mentioned Schon being a ‘softy.’
The drummer acknowledged that despite having a soft part, his bandmate would protect Journey at all costs. He explained:
“I know Neal, we’re like brothers for real. He was an only child and he took me under his wing and taught me how to play for a song and taught me how to lay into a pocket. He changed my life musically and career-wise. But I know the man, and a lot of people don’t know the man. They see the guy that is very protective of his child, and Journey is his baby. So you can’t fault him for going off on people that try to kill it. I would too, that’s my child, I’m gonna defend it till the day I die. I know Neil and Neil is a softy. He’s a teddy bear you guys don’t know that but he is the sweetest man and he’s gone to bat for me.”
Castronovo, who has been friends with Schon long before Journey, went on to explain how they got along and highlighted that along with Schon, Jonathan Cain too was always there for him:
“When I had my issues he called and kept in touch. Jonathan, as well, kept in touch and always was there for me. Neil I owe him my career. Jesus Christ and him. He always kept me working, always kept me busy, always kept me with him and he’s real. There’s no gray area with Neil, it’s black or white and I admire him for that. His playing speaks for itself. If you knew who he was the man that he is, I know him really deeply and I’d take bullets for that man forever.”
No One Can ‘Dictate’ To Schon About Journey
Journey, founded by Schon, has been active since the start of the band in 1973. Last year, Schon revealed that the band’s co-founder Gregg Rolie would join them in their 50th anniversary tour. A day after the announcement, he shared a tweet where he mentioned a person who was dictating to him about Journey. He wrote:
“No one is going to dictate to me at this point what I can and cannot do in regards to JOURNEY. I haven’t been here and not here to take orders- never have and never will. It’s my band and I’ll own it as I should and make the right changes as needed.”
When one of Neal’s Twitter followers asked him who was trying to ‘dictate’ to him, Schon replied with:
“Have a guess.”
The mentioned individual was thought to be Jonathan Cain, with whom Schon is known to have public feuds.
You can see the interview below.
