Deen Castronovo, Journey’s drummer, recently had a chat with Ultimate Classic Rock, and he spilled the tea on the feud between his bandmates, Jonathan Cain and Neal Schon. This interview gave fans a glimpse into the band’s internal drama and the impact it’s having on them.
Now, here’s the backstory: Cain and Schon’s relationship started going south when Steve Perry, Journey‘s ex-vocalist, filed a petition against them concerning the trademark registrations for 20 of the band’s songs. Then, things got messier when the guitarist sued Cain for secretly setting up an AmEx card and not keeping him in the loop about their finances.
The keyboardist didn’t stay quiet, though. He took to Twitter, claiming Neal Schon’s accusations were false, which only added fuel to the fire. With the tension building up off stage, it’s no wonder Castronovo was asked to weigh in on the drama during his recent interview.
The band’s drummer stated that he’s known both Cain and Schon since he was in his early twenties and saw them as family. While he wished he could help them bury the hatchet, he felt that they needed to sort things out themselves. Sadly, he doesn’t see this happening anytime soon, as the situation appears beyond repair.
His words in the interview went as follows:
“I love both those guys. I’ve known them since I was 23, so it’s hard for me to see the turmoil because they’re like brothers to me. It breaks my heart to see this, but, you know, this is stuff they just have to work out, as much as I want to be a peacemaker.
But I realize it’s going to take a miracle from God to fix this, so I’m just waiting for God to fix this. It’s like, ‘I just pray you work everything out, because this thing is beautiful, and I’d love to end my career with you guys.'”
But you know what’s crazy? Despite all the drama behind closed doors, the band still rocks it on stage. They’ve managed to keep it together, grow in their music, and perform live with all members. They even dropped a studio album called ‘Freedom‘ in 2022.
So, Castronovo also dished on how they have managed to keep it together in the same interview. He said it was their love for Journey and their passion for the music that kept them going. This love shined through their performances, and they remained professional as a band even if they went their separate ways once they stepped off the stage.
He explained further:
“We have a job to do. We’ve got to go out there and play the best we can, and we do. We leave it at the door, and we go up and play, and it’s a beautiful two-hour show, and then everybody just kind of goes their own way. And it’s working. It really is. When it’s time to go on stage, and everybody’s smiling, that’s for real. We’re having a blast. When everybody comes offstage, they all go to their separate corners, and we travel to the next city.”
Based on the drummer’s words, it seems like the chances of Cain and Schon making up are slim to none. But hey, as long as the band members can keep their professionalism and love for the music alive, Journey will likely keep delivering unforgettable tunes and performances to their fans for years to come.
