According to a report by Page Six, Schon and Cain set up 50/50 ownership of a limited-liability company called Nomota in 1998 to handle the band's business.
Schon claims in court papers that Cain set up an American Express card without telling the band’s founder, and Cain hasn’t turned over financial records that allow the guitarist to know how much the band owes him.
“As a member and manager and founder and leader of Journey,” the papers say, “Schon has the right to access and control Nomota’s books and records. Schon must have unfettered access to Nomota’s records so he can oversee and manage Nomota/Journey.”
“Schon’s right to Journey’s profits is being controlled by Cain – Schon’s bandmate, who Schon brought into the band in the 1980s – and despite all of his requests and efforts, Schon has been unable to get full access.”
The suit continues, “Among other things, the American Express account of Nomota has been set up such that only Cain has control of the account and access to its records. On information and belief, millions in Journey funds have flowed through this AMEX account.”
The dispute is the latest in a series of legal issues surrounding the California band in recent years; in September, former Journey singer Steve Perry filed a petition at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in an effort to prevent Schon and Cain from owning merchandise trademarks on the names of many of the band’s biggest hits, claiming 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 2020, band members Steve Smith and Ross Valory were fired 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 issued their latest album, “Freedom”, in July, and will release “Live In Concert At Lollapalooza” on December 9.
Get your copy of “Freedom” here and “Journey: Live In Concert At Lollapalooza” here.
See also:
Journey stream Any Way You Want It from Lollapalooza live package
Steve Perry streams new holiday single Maybe This Year
Journey preview new Live In Concert At Lollapalooza package
Journey stream lyric video for new single Beautiful As You Are
Search Journey at hennemusic
