Deen Castronovo Went “Insane” During Journey’s Conflict

Journey, the legendary rock band behind hits like “Don’t Stop Believin'” and “Open Arms”, has faced its share of internal struggles over the years.

Drummer Deen Castronovo opened up about the band’s “recent turmoil”, specifically the public feud between guitarist Neal Schon and keyboardist Jonathan Cain.

Castronovo, who has been with the band on and off since 1998, described the situation as incredibly stressful. He witnessed the public back-and-forth between Schon and Cain, which included accusations, lawsuits, and cease-and-desist letters.

This constant negativity, according to Castronovo, took a toll on his mental well-being.

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Four decades is “a long time to have some petty arguments”

The disagreement stemmed from millions of dollars in charges on a company credit card, leading to public accusations and even lawsuits between the two musicians. Despite the tension, Journey surprisingly managed to tour together in 2023, though drummer Deen Castronovo described the experience as deeply uncomfortable.

“And it was hard for me to see guys that I’ve known since 1989 not talking,” Castronovo revealed in an interview. The constant negativity drove him “insane”, prompting him to plead with Schon and Cain to reconcile, reminding them of the potential consequences of letting their differences destroy the band.

Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed. Schon and Cain eventually patched things up, and Journey is back on the road for a major tour in 2024. Castronovo acknowledged the band’s long history, suggesting that their decades of shared experience ultimately helped them overcome the conflict.

“Those guys have been together for 45 years, 40 years, something like that,” he noted, “That’s a long time to have some petty arguments. But they worked it out.”

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“Everybody’s getting along great”

Castronovo painted a much brighter picture of Journey’s current state. “It’s fun to be on the road again instead of, ‘Oh God, I hope I don’t say anything that’s going to hurt somebody or is going to piss somebody off,’” he shared, contrasting it with the tense atmosphere of the previous year. 

He emphasized the band’s newfound unity. “[Shon and Cain have] mended the fences. We’re on one jet instead of two now,” Deen said, referring to a rumor that the band members fly in different planes during tours.

“Everybody’s getting along great. And you can see it in the performances. It’s not a fake smile like, ‘Ugh, I hate that guy.’ It’s real,” the drummer added.

“Let’s go like we used to be”

Castronovo wasn’t shy in expressing his optimism for Journey’s future. He described their current dynamic as “a brotherhood again”, highlighting their ability to navigate a conflict that could have shattered most bands.

“Brothers are going to fight. That’s the beauty of a brotherhood,” Castronovo reasoned, “You’re going to have differences, but you can come together.”

He went on, “And thank God this year they came together and said, ‘Enough of this. Let’s go like we used to be. All for one and one for all. Let’s just go out and do what we’ve got to do.’”