MR

Interesting billing for an upcoming appearance on NBC's The Voice on December 16th.
Promotional materials are calling it "Neal Schon and Journey."

-If Jon and Arnel aren't there, is this really Journey?

-Is this Neal testing the waters for the future by trying to use the Journey name?

https://people.com/neal-schon-journey-s ... e-11866756

PEOPLE can exclusively reveal Neal Schon and Journey will take the stage during the season 28 finale of The Voice on Dec. 16. Sofronio Vasquez, who won on season 26, will also return for a special performance.

Schon — who's the founding guitarist of the rock band — and Journey will perform a medley of the band's great hits, including “Lights,” “Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'” and “Don’t Stop Believin'."

Journey's performance will be accompanied by coaches Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg and Reba McEntire, as well as some season 28 fan-favorite artists. Viewers can also expect an epic guitar solo from Schon.

There's a lot said about Schon, but one thing you can't argue with is his desire to be active with the brand in every way.

I almost wish we were already at the post-Journey period and the band was something like Schon, Mendoza, DeenO, JSS and they played 3 hour shows at smaller venues.

Eric wrote:There's a lot said about Schon, but one thing you can't argue with is his desire to be active with the brand in every way.

I don't even know what "the brand" is anymore.

What is it that makes you think the rest of the band won't also be appearing? Article seems to make it clear it's Neal + the band.

FamilyMan wrote:What is it that makes you think the rest of the band won't also be appearing? Article seems to make it clear it's Neal + the band.

Can you point to any examples of the full band ever being billed that way before? It's odd.

Eric wrote:There's a lot said about Schon, but one thing you can't argue with is his desire to be active with the brand in every way.

I almost wish we were already at the post-Journey period and the band was something like Schon, Mendoza, DeenO, JSS and they played 3 hour shows at smaller venues.

Yes, Schon is easily the most devoted to the band of all of the members.

Also, I would say that Journey have had more national TV appearances since Schon, or Schon and Cain together have been managing the band than they had with Azoff managing them. Yeah, they had some major TV appearances with Azoff as manager, but those were mainly because of the Arnel Pineda story.
Schon or Schon/Cain are getting them TV appearances without the Pineda YouTube storyline.

I'm still looking forward to these tours in 2026 and 2027. Especially if they do in fact play longer shows with way more deep cuts and with no opening bands!
But I'm also looking very forward to Schon's Journey Beyond or whatever it winds up being called!

Not that I think that Sammy Hagar or Gregg Rolie will be part of the future band, but a lineup of Hagar, Schon, Rolie, Castronovo and say either Jensen or Mendoza on bass would be a very exciting lineup. Kind of like getting Journey, Hardline, Soul Sirkus, HSAS and Planet US all rolled into one.

The_Noble_Cause wrote:

FamilyMan wrote:What is it that makes you think the rest of the band won't also be appearing? Article seems to make it clear it's Neal + the band.

Can you point to any examples of the full band ever being billed that way before? It's odd.

Fair point. But it’s a competition show. So maybe Neal is a guest coach/judge and then the band performs.

Yeah I saw this and immediately wretched

If Arnel and Jon are there and Neal just arranged for himself to be put out in front in the billing, I’ll be disappointed, disgusted, and furious

This ain’t Huey Lewis and the News and I’ll be pissed if that’s what Neal tries to make it

UPDATE: Neal says on Twitter it’s branded this way because “some members of the band won’t be there.”

Gideon wrote:UPDATE: Neal says on Twitter it’s branded this way because “some members of the band won’t be there.”

Previous TV appearances like this were just billed as "members of Journey." I like Todd and Jason and Deano - but I can't consider that Journey.

The_Noble_Cause wrote:

Gideon wrote:UPDATE: Neal says on Twitter it’s branded this way because “some members of the band won’t be there.”

Previous TV appearances like this were just billed as "members of Journey." I like Todd and Jason and Deano - but I can't consider that Journey.

I don't have any problem with thinking of Deen as being an important member of Journey. He's actually spent more total years in the band than Dunbar or Smith did. And he also does a lot of singing.

In addition to Schon, Rolie, Valory, Dunbar, Perry, Smith and Cain, Castronovo is the first guy that I think of as being a key member of Journey. With Pineda and Augeri being the next guys on the list after Castronovo.

Journey/Survivor wrote:I don't have any problem with thinking of Deen as being an important member of Journey. He's actually spent more total years in the band than Dunbar or Smith did. And he also does a lot of singing.

Never said he wasn't important. I simply said a handful of contract players do not equal "Journey."

Either's it's NS or JRNY. Can't be both. Very strange billing.

I agree Deen is higher up on the list of importance than both Jason and Todd but they are still on a salary and not partners.

As a result, inappropriate billing. Also, you can't really have a Journey without a singer present which is why they should have gone with "Neal Schon" instead. But no one from their audience knows who NS is so I can see the challenge.

Also begs the question, if Jon is considered redundant at these high profile events, doesn't the same apply to the touring?

danielb wrote:Also begs the question, if Jon is considered redundant at these high profile events, doesn't the same apply to the touring?

Go look at Foreigner. Everyone is redundant. It's about the name and the catalog.

It's hard to picture a Journey without Neal on stage. On the other hand, if Jason was standing in Jon's place stage right, I don't think attendance figures would suffer that much.

On the other hand, it's the brand that sells. Neal + Journey Through Time would be a theater act. I doubt Arnel will be part of anything post conclusion of the farewell tour.

danielb wrote:It's hard to picture a Journey without Neal on stage.

I used to hear this about Perry too.

From Neal on FB:

Hello Meta Team,
Promotional content for my verified accounts promoting an upcoming live NBC appearance on The Voice was removed or altered without my authorization.
This content is non-monetized, informational promotion of a live television performance and does not exploit audio recordings or publishing rights.
I am requesting immediate review and reinstatement, as the removal is causing reputational and promotional harm ahead of a nationally broadcast event.
Thank you for your prompt attention.
Neal Schon
Verified Account

Then in the comments:

Neal Schon
Just so there’s no confusion this is no way is meant to make it look like Jonathan or ARNEL are not in the band any longer - They could not make the Voice. I’m simply going there with Deen Todd and Jason to PROMOTE our upcoming tour and have some fun ! There were many other great TV opportunity’s that I had to turn down
I want to work and promote after being off for close to a year.
Sincerely ,
Neal Schon 

Sounds like Neal is objecting to the NBC promo changing.

Instead of "Neal Schon and Journey" it now reads "Journey Founder Neal Schon and Band Members." New graphic linked below.

Not sure why Neal is complaining to the Meta Team. Jon's lawyers probably got involved and they don't even clue Neal in. Should be a fun tour!

https://www.instagram.com/p/DSQsZrBEpa8 ... BiNWFlZA==

Just odd that Arnel and Jon keep missing these types of events.

Funny how back in 1985-86 it was "Journey with Michael Baird and Randy Jackson". But, nowadays it is "Neal Schon with members of Journey", when the only Journey "members" are Neal and Jonathan...and the rest are the equivalent of Michael Baird and Randy Jackson.

Perhaps the most complicated and discombobulated rock band in music history...and that says a lot.

Art Vandelay wrote:Perhaps the most complicated and discombobulated rock band in music history...and that says a lot.

I would say either LIttle River Band or Yes.

danielb wrote:Just odd that Arnel and Jon keep missing these types of events.

Makes sense for Arnel since he is still in the Philippines and this is a show for other vocalists. I understood Cain for AGT but this one is a little strange.

Monker wrote:

Art Vandelay wrote:Perhaps the most complicated and discombobulated rock band in music history...and that says a lot.

I would say either LIttle River Band or Yes.

Survivor are very high on the list as well. But that's mainly because of one specific member of the band.

VH probably has them beat given their long periods of inactivity.

It's funny how the show is called The Voice. There's no escaping the ghost of Perry

lmao Neal blocked me on Twitter for politely asking about Jon's absence

"Why no Jon?"

"He's busy with his ministry" *BLOCK*

It's best not to know much about your favorite band!

I would say for ME it needs the following to be called Journey:
Schon AND at least 1 of (Cain, Rolie, Arnel or Perry). And Deen-O is a nice cherry on top. No Schon = No Journey. But with none of 1 of those others, maybe "Neal Schon and members of Journey" would work for the promo.

I want this lineup post-Journey playing 2.5 hour sets in small barns: Schon-JSS-DeenO-Mendoza-a young keyboard player who can sing.

Gideon wrote:lmao Neal blocked me on Twitter for politely asking about Jon's absence

"Why no Jon?"

"He's busy with his ministry" *BLOCK*

Sorry that happened. What an Ahole.

danielb wrote:Just odd that Arnel and Jon keep missing these types of events.

Perhaps with Arnel's legal issues, he can't leave right now.