JOURNEY Settles With STEVE SMITH And ROSS VALORY Over Alleged 'Corporate Coup D'État'

JOURNEY's Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain have resolved their legal dispute with the band's former members, drummer Steve Smith and bassist Ross Valory.

On March 3, 2020, Schon and Cain filed a lawsuit against Valory and Smith, who had been members of JOURNEY on and off since the band formed in 1973, claiming the two attempted a "coup" in order to gain control of the JOURNEY trademark. The suit, which sought more than $10 million in damages, accused Smith and Valory of holding an "improper" shareholder and board of directors meetings in February during which they ousted Cain and Schon from leadership posts at Nightmare Productions under the "incorrect" assumption that the company held the rights to the JOURNEY name. An answer filed by counsel defending Valory against the complaint's allegations and the cross-complaint attempted to dispute and refute these allegations.

Earlier today, JOURNEY's management, Q Prime, released the following statement: "The members of the band JOURNEY who were parties to a recent lawsuit (Neal Schon, Jonathan Cain, Steve Smith and Ross Valory) are pleased to announce that they have resolved their differences and reached an amicable settlement agreement. Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain acknowledge the valuable contributions that both Ross Valory and Steve Smith have made to the music and the legacy of JOURNEY. Ross Valory and Steve Smith wish their former bandmates well and much success in the future. JOURNEY looks forward to continuing to tour and make new music for their dedicated fans around the world."

Valory and Smith have been replaced in JOURNEY by Randy Jackson and Narada Michael Walden, respectively.

Last fall, Schon told "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk" about JOURNEY's split with Valory and Smith: "The way things went down was really not that kosher. I mean, what should have happened, rather than them trying to take over at that point, was to call us up and say, 'Hey, let's sit down and talk about this.' Instead it went a different way. And both myself and Jonathan didn't appreciate it."

The new JOURNEY lineup performed a socially distanced version of "Don't Stop Believin'" for UNICEF USA's virtual event "UNICEF We Won't Stop", which aired last May on MSNBC.

JOURNEY was supposed to launch a North American tour with THE PRETENDERS in May 2020, but canceled the trek amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Over the last four decades, JOURNEY has reigned as one of America's most successful rock bands, producing ten platinum albums, eighteen Top 40 singles, and selling more than 75 million albums worldwide. JOURNEY formed in 1973, the same year it created Nightmare Productions Inc.

JOURNEY's most recent LP, "Eclipse", was released in May 2011. The Walmart exclusive debuted on the Billboard 200 album chart at No. 13 — eight spots lower than the band's previous album, 2008's "Revelation" — which also went on to hit No. 1 on Billboard's Top Independent Albums chart.

Photo credit: Erik Kabik