Journey bassist Ross Valory and drummer Steve Smith have been fired amidst accusations they were plotting to acquire the rights to the band’s name.
“Effective immediately, you are no longer members of the band Journey and cannot perform under the name Journey,” read a letter sent to the musicians from a lawyer representing Neal Schon and Jonathan Cain.
According to lawsuit filed this week, Valory and Smith had a “malicious” plan to “assume control of one of the band’s corporate entities, Nightmare Productions, Inc.” in hopes of securing “windfall payments in the millions of dollars” following their retirement.
The company licensed the Journey trademark to Elmo Partners, which Schon and Cain set up with former frontman Steve Perry in 1985.
According to the lawsuit, Valory and Smith allegedly wanted to stack the Nightmare Productions board of directors and oust Cain as president and Schon as secretary.
“Smith and Valory believe that they now control the Journey name and can force Cain, Schon and Nightmare Productions to pay them a share of Journey touring revenue in perpetuity while they do no work for the band,” the lawsuit claims.
Schon and Cain are seeking damages of at least $10 million U.S.
Valory played in Journey from 1973 to 1985 and again beginning in 1995. Smith had been a member of the band from 1978 to 1985, 1995 to 1998 and then starting in 2015.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.