Journey guitarist Neal Schon has filed a cease-and-desist against Paula White-Cain, the wife of his bandmate Jonathan Cain, accusing her of improperly accessing the band’s bank accounts.
According to a New York Post report, the letter from Schon to White-Cain reads: “We have learned that despite the prior mutual agreement between Mr. Schon and Mr. Jonathan Cain that the business of the band and the Journey Related Entities would be handled only by Mr. Schon and Mr. Cain as individuals, your name appears as an authorized signatory on the City National Bank accounts of Freedom JN LLC. We further demand that you immediately cease and desist and refrain in the future from inserting yourself in any business of the band and any legal entities used by the band as this contradicts the existing agreement between Mr. Schon and Mr. Cain.”
However, Cain’s attorney Alan Gutman has issued a statement to the Post declaring that White-Cain’s access to the account was Schon’s idea. “Neal’s attorney recommended Neal and Jonathan own their respective 50% interests in the band’s operating entities through their personal trusts. Paula is a co-trustee of Jonathan’s personal trust, therefore, Jonathan and Paula signed as the co-trustees of Jonathan’s personal trust. But that never would have happened if Neal’s lawyer had not recommenced it.”
Gutman goes on to say that Schon didn’t complain about the arrangement for two years, and that once he did Cain offered to have his ownership interest transferred from his personal trust to him personally, and that Schon “refuses to cooperate in any resolution.”
This is the latest in a series of public disputes and legal actions between Schon and Cain, with the two previously butting heads over access to the band’s American Express credit card and Cain’s use of the band’s music at political rallies.
The band is scheduled to begin a new tour on January 27th. In recent weeks Schon has been promising that the band’s former keyboardist, Gregg Rolie, would be joining them on stage. When asked by a fan on Twitter this morning how he and Cain could possibly share the same stage together after all these disagreements, Schon said: “We’ve written great music. Gregg Rolie will be there also. Channel the great music. Honor it.”