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Journey Fire Ross Valory, Steve Smith for Allegedly Trying to Take Control of Band Name
Jon Blistein 3/4/2020
© Provided by Rolling Stone 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Press Room, New York, USA - 7 Apr 2017
Journey's Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain have fired long-time bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith from the band after accusing them of trying to fund their retirement by wresting control of the band’s name.
On Tuesday, lawyers for Schon and Cain filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Contra Costa County, California, alleging that Smith and Valory tried to launch “a coup to assume control of one of the band’s corporate entities, Nightmare Productions, Inc.” The suit claims that Smith and Valory incorrectly believed that controlling Nightmare Productions would allow them to gain control of the Journey mark, thus providing them “windfall payments in the millions of dollars… after their retirement.”
The suit calls Smith and Valory’s alleged scheme “not only malicious but also very ill-conceived.” It states that Nightmare Productions does not control the Journey name, but that Nightmare Productions granted an “exclusive, irrevocable license of the Journey Mark” to another band entity, Elmo Partners, which was started by Cain, Schon and former lead singer, Steve Perry. Nightmare Productions purportedly granted Elmo Partners the exclusive license to the Journey trademark back in 1985; when Perry left the band in 1998, he signed an agreement allowing Cain and Schon to keep recording and touring under the Journey name.
Louis Miller, a lawyer for Schon and Cain, tells Rolling Stone: “The contracts are clear on their face. The Journey name is controlled by Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain. And for very good cause, they don’t want to perform with Smith or Valory anymore, they don’t want to have anything to do with them, and that’s their right. They’re going to go on with Journey, continue with the great success of the past and these two guys are going to get replaced.
Smith and Valory did not immediately return a request for comment.
Much more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/new...ying-to-take-control-of-band-name/ar-BB10KZBP
Jon Blistein 3/4/2020
© Provided by Rolling Stone 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony - Press Room, New York, USA - 7 Apr 2017
Journey's Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain have fired long-time bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith from the band after accusing them of trying to fund their retirement by wresting control of the band’s name.
On Tuesday, lawyers for Schon and Cain filed a lawsuit in the Superior Court of Contra Costa County, California, alleging that Smith and Valory tried to launch “a coup to assume control of one of the band’s corporate entities, Nightmare Productions, Inc.” The suit claims that Smith and Valory incorrectly believed that controlling Nightmare Productions would allow them to gain control of the Journey mark, thus providing them “windfall payments in the millions of dollars… after their retirement.”
The suit calls Smith and Valory’s alleged scheme “not only malicious but also very ill-conceived.” It states that Nightmare Productions does not control the Journey name, but that Nightmare Productions granted an “exclusive, irrevocable license of the Journey Mark” to another band entity, Elmo Partners, which was started by Cain, Schon and former lead singer, Steve Perry. Nightmare Productions purportedly granted Elmo Partners the exclusive license to the Journey trademark back in 1985; when Perry left the band in 1998, he signed an agreement allowing Cain and Schon to keep recording and touring under the Journey name.
Louis Miller, a lawyer for Schon and Cain, tells Rolling Stone: “The contracts are clear on their face. The Journey name is controlled by Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain. And for very good cause, they don’t want to perform with Smith or Valory anymore, they don’t want to have anything to do with them, and that’s their right. They’re going to go on with Journey, continue with the great success of the past and these two guys are going to get replaced.
Smith and Valory did not immediately return a request for comment.
Much more: https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/new...ying-to-take-control-of-band-name/ar-BB10KZBP
