An ongoing cease-and-desist legal battle is taking the famous rock band Journey to new litigation, as the “Don’t Stop Believing” hitmakers add a musician’s wife to an ongoing legal action.

The band Journey gained epic fame in the 1980s with hits such as “Don’t Stop Believing,” “Any Way You Want It,” and many more. The band then experienced a second major bout of fame about thirty years later, when the Sopranos ended their infamous longtime hit HBO series with the song, “Don’t Stop Believing.”

For years, however, band members Steve Perry, the lead vocalist, and keyboardist Jonathan Cain, have been estranged, and the group became divisive. Perry left the band in 1987.

Despite the rancor, the band is about to go on tour in the US on January 27.

Recently, the band’s disagreements led to a cease-and-desist order, filed in Contra Costa County, California, by long-time band member and guitarist Neal Schon, against Cain.

Schon was furious that Cain performed “Don’t Stop Believing” for a Donald Trump gala at Mar-a-Lago, complete with a chorus of backup singers including conservative Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene, Kimberly Guilfoyle and Kari Lake. Schon filed a cease-and-desist after hearing about Cain’s performance.

When Cain received word of the lawsuit brought against him by Schon, he retaliated with his own suit. Cain and his attorney allege they discovered “improper expenses” on the band’s American Express credit card. He claims he does not have access to the band’s American Express card or records anymore, and that the “improper expenses” allegedly are over $1 million.

In his statement, referring to the cease-and-desist order brought against him by Schon after the Trump performance, Cain said, “This is a matter that should have been resolved privately, but I am forced to publicly respond now to Neal’s malicious lies and personal attacks on my family and (me) in an effort to garner public support for his ill-conceived lawsuit — a lawsuit that has absolutely no merit.”

Cain then alleges, “Neal has always had access to the credit card statements; what he lacks — and what he is really seeking — is the ability to increase his spending limits. Since Neal decided to publicize what is going on, I can tell you we will present the evidence to the court that shows that Neal has been under tremendous financial pressure as a result of his excessive spending and extravagant lifestyle, which led to him running up enormous personal charges on the band’s credit card account.”

Cain continued, “I am saddened by the situation — for Neal and for our fans — but since Neal filed a lawsuit, I suspect he will not be able to ignore the court like he has ignored the countless financial advisors and accountants he has fired over the past several years who have tried in vain to help him.”

The new legal brouhaha, in a recent cease-and-desist filed in December, involves Cain’s wife, Paula White-Cain, who has close ties to Trump. White-Cain was a spiritual advisor to then-president Trump and did the official invocation at his inauguration. This week, Schon filed another cease-and-desist order against White-Cain.

Schon alleges White-Cain has access to the group’s bank accounts without his consent. Schon and Cain now both own 50 percent of the band, an arrangement established when Perry left the band.

Schon, who posted on social media about the lawsuit brought by Cain, said, “The only comment I’ll make at this time is it’s all very unfortunate and (I) tried for over a year to attain all our corporate records… stating it’s my legal right to see all but I was left with no choice but to take it legal. … There’s much more … since I filed I’ll be following my attorneys advice and not speak until we are in court where I’ll not have a problem at all. It is what it is.”

Journey has endured numerous legal actions inside the band, plus public arguments shared on social media.

Two Journey members were kicked out in 2020 and 2021, after the drummer and bassist argued over trademark claims. The ensuing lawsuit resulted in a settlement.

Beginning in 2017, Cain and Schon have shared disagreements publicly, after Cain, singer Arnel Pineda and prior Journey bassist Ross Valory did a photograph with then-president Donald Trump at the White House.