Journey's Neal Schon files cease-and-desist over bandmate Jonathan Cain's Don't Stop Believin' performance at Donald Trump's Mar-A-Lago resort

Journey guitarist Neal Schon has filed a cease and desist order against his bandmate, keyboardist and occasional guitarist Jonathan Cain.

It comes after Cain last month performed Don’t Stop Believin’ at Donald Trump’s Mar-A-Lago resort, with Trump adherents Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Kari Lake.

In a letter to Cain [seen by The Guardian], Schon’s lawyer has written, on behalf of Schon: “Although Mr. Cain is free to express his personal beliefs and associations, when he does that on behalf of Journey or for the band, such conduct is extremely deleterious to the Journey brand as it polarises the band’s fans and outreach. Journey is not, and should not be, political.”

“Mr. Cain’s unauthorised affiliation of Journey with the politics of Donald Trump has the band’s fans up in arms,” the letter continues, pointing to a set of attached emails and Twitter comments.

“This has caused, and continues to cause, irreparable harm to the Journey brand, its fan base and earning potential, especially in light of the forthcoming tour.”

“Mr. Cain has no right to use Journey for politics…” the letter added. “He should not be capitalising on Journey’s brand to promote his personal political or religious agenda to the detriment of the band.”

Cain’s wife, televangelist Paula White-Cain, is a member of Trump’s inner circle, as the former US president’s spiritual advisor.

In response, a spokesperson for Cain has said: “Schon is just frustrated that he keeps losing in court and is now falsely claiming the song has been used at political rallies.”

Schon’s letter also states that his legal action does not intend to “further add to the animosity that is currently plaguing the band and the relationship between Mr Schon and Mr Cain”.

This is in reference to the fact that Schon sued Cain last month over allegations he was refused access to the band’s joint American Express credit card, with Cain responding with claims that Schon had racked up over $1 million in “improper personal expenses” on the card.

Schon has not yet responded to Cain’s counterclaim, but has said that he will “be following my attorney’s advice and not speak until we are in court where I’ll not have a problem at all. It is what it is.”

Both Schon and former Journey frontman Steve Perry have expressed their disapproval at Don't Stop Believin' being played at previous Trump campaign rallies, joining a host of musicians to do the same, including Neil Young, Queen, The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith.