While Journey guitarist and founder Neal Schon and keyboardist/guitarist Jonathan Cain don't have much in common politically, the two musicians have an understanding to keep their time together strictly about the music.

It's not always been easy, but their creative partnership is worth the work.

Schon was asked about his well-publicized differences with Cain in a recent interview with the White Line Fever podcast.

"The answer to that question is to leave it alone," Schon said. "I mean, honestly, I think that everybody is entitled to their opinion or what they think is correct for themselves. None of us ever agree — not just Jon, but many other people that I know. So I keep my political views to myself.

"I obviously have made it very clear, even years back, that I don't agree with mixing politics with music or religion. I think music is for everyone — of every religion; if you're a democrat, republican, whatever. It's music — it's for the world. So you have to leave it alone. Your views and your views. And I do nothing but write music with Jon. That's it."

Schon openly feuded with Cain in 2017 after Cain visited the White House alongside frontman Arnel Pineda and then-bassist Ross Valory. Schon objected to the visit on the grounds that it violated Journey's policy of staying out of politics. Photos the three took at the White House came across as a political endorsement. He argued that the band had been invited to the White House under previous presidents and never before accepted.

Schon continued to rail against Cain during Journey's tour the following year for a variety of other reasons before cooler heads prevailed and the two came to some understanding.

In early-2020, Schon and Cain began writing songs together again and soon agreed to fire Valory and longtime drummer Steve Smith. The latest Journey album, Freedom, arrived in July.

Mark Manuel

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS!