AceShowbiz - Neal Schon, co-founder and lead guitarist of Journey, has publicly responded to recent claims made by the band’s frontman, Arnel Pineda, regarding his attempts to leave the band.

On Monday, Schon issued a statement on Facebook addressing speculation stirred by an article published on March 31 in Rolling Stone. The article quoted Pineda as saying he was twice prevented from quitting the band and retiring, despite his desire to do so.

According to the Rolling Stone feature, Pineda revealed that in 2024 he requested that his bandmates discuss the scheduling of the current farewell tour with him before moving forward. He cited his age and “personal problems” as significant factors influencing whether he would participate in touring. However, Pineda alleges that the band proceeded with scheduling a 60-date tour without his input.

“It is what it is now.... But then, I was really not happy with how they scheduled this tour,” Pineda said in the article. He also mentioned sending an email expressing his dissatisfaction to his bandmates, which he claims went unanswered. Subsequently, Pineda alleges he told the group twice of his intention to leave and retire, but again received no response.

Both Schon and Pineda acknowledged in the article that leaving the band is complicated by contractual obligations with live entertainment giant AEG. Their contract reportedly forbids Journey from touring without Pineda as the lead singer, which Schon reiterated in his Facebook message.

In his statement, Schon clarified that recent media reports did not present the full situation. He emphasized that decisions about touring are made collectively with the band’s management, agents, and promoters, and noted that “with any band that’s been around for a long time, different members may feel different pressures in different ways.”

Schon explicitly denied preventing anyone from leaving the band. “For clarity, no one was ever prevented by me from making their own personal decisions,” he wrote.

He further cited the contractual commitments with AEG that all members must honor, saying, “At the same time, we were all advised by our representatives that there are contractual obligations tied to touring that need to be honored.”

The guitarist concluded his statement by reaffirming his dedication to fans and the band’s legacy: “My focus is on providing fans with the best possible experience and keeping the music alive.”

Journey’s Final Frontier Tour, which includes over 60 shows, is scheduled to continue through August with performances across the United States and a stop in Vancouver.