According to Billboard, Perry filed a petition at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office on September 11 that is asking the agency to invalidate 20 trademark registrations held by a company called Freedom JN LLC – an entity that he says is controlled by Schon and Cain.
Perry claims that the pair are not allowed to unilaterally register trademarks for the song names because the trio signed a partnership agreement requiring unanimous consent for any use of the tracks, for merchandise or anything else.
In his petition, Perry quoted the contract at issue: “…no Partner may authorize, approve or disapprove any use or exploitation, or grant or license any rights in or to any Group Compositions, in whole or in part, (including, without limitation, the titles thereof) in connection with any Product or otherwise, without the prior, written, unanimous consent of all of the partners.”
Get more details at Billboard here.
After scoring huge international success with Journey through the late 1970s and mid-1980s, Perry left the group in 1998; the singer made his first public appearance with the band during their induction into the 2017 Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame but chose to not perform at the event.
The latest Journey legal drama follows the 2020 firing of members Steve Smith and Ross Valory over an alleged effort to take control over the band’s name in what has been referred to as “an attempted corporate coup d'état.”
Journey released their latest album, “Freedom”, in July. See also:
Neal Schon performs Don’t Stop Believin’ on America’s Got Talent
Journey stream new album Freedom
Journey stream new single United We Stand
Journey stream new Freedom single Don’t Give Up On Us
Search Journey at hennemusic
