Neal Schon has posted a new image with the words “Journey Beyond” to his social media feeds. The caption on Twitter simply reads: “Into the future.”
Is this his latest attempt to branch off from the group he co-founded in the early ’70s? A filing that seeks protection for the phrase from the United States Patent and Trademark Office offers some intriguing hints.
The “JOURNEY BEYOND™” mark is “intended to cover the categories of musical sound recordings; downloadable musical sound recordings; series of musical sound recordings; compact discs featuring music; downloadable music files; downloadable MP3 files and MP3 recordings featuring music; musical video recordings; and pre-recorded CDs, video tapes, laser disks and DVDs featuring music.”
READ MORE: Ranking All 45 Journey Songs from the ’70s
Schon made the filing in April, according to the independent third-party trademark research tool uspto.report. That was just days before he initially posted a more bare-bones image with the words “Journey Beyond.” He then began using the same words in hash tags, prompting plenty of fan speculation.
The trademark apparently has not yet been granted. Schon’s “new application [is] awaiting assignment to an examining attorney,” according uspto.report.
Is ‘Journey Beyond’ Another Neal Schon Offshoot Band?
Schon has created an offshoot band before. Journey Through Time, which was active in 2018-19, featured his former Santana and Journey bandmate Gregg Rolie, Journey drummer Deen Castronovo and ex-Journey bassist Marco Mendoza. Schon released an album, 2023’s Journey Through Time, culled from their debut show, a 2018 benefit for North Bay Fire Relief in San Francisco.
Schon has time to consider solo projects as Journey is in the midst of a rare year without a major tour. They’ve only played a few one-off shows.
In the meantime, Schon’s long-time bandmate Jonathan Cain has returned to performing solo faith music. He said he was working on new songs, but it was unclear if those would be directed toward a possible follow-up to Journey’s most recent album, Freedom. That 2022 release was Journey’s first in more than a decade. Castronovo is completing the sixth LP from Revolution Saints, the side project where he serves as frontman.
Listen to Journey Through Time’s ‘Just the Same Way’
The First ‘Journey Beyond’ Had Connections With Anthrax
This also wouldn’t be the first iteration of Journey Beyond. Anthrax‘s Joey Belladonna formed a tribute band with the same name in 2020, debuting with an 18-song set that largely focused on ‘80s-era Journey material. They were later renamed Beyond Frontiers.
Belladonna sang a Journey song during his audition for Anthrax. He also covered the Escape deep cut “Keep on Runnin'” on Anthrax’s 2013 EP Anthems, and has performed Journey songs on stage as a solo act and while sitting in with Steel Panther.
Rockers Whose Bands Tried to Erase Them
Their names never made it onto album covers and bands’ official websites – or, worse, they got deleted after some falling out.
Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
You Think You Know Journey?
