Interband Beefs Explained: Fifth Harmony, Journey and More
Interband beefs are an essential part of rock and pop lore. Such tensions are currently plaguing acts young and old, from hitmaking girl group Fifth Harmony to prog veterans Yes. Read on for a rundown of who’s currently at odds.
Journey‘s Neal Schon vs. Jonathan Cain
The story: Just months after Journey entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, guitarist Neal Schon began lashing out at keyboardist Jonathan Cain over Cain’s attempts to use the band to spread his fundamentalist-Christian views in interviews and on social media. Things got worse when members of the band (minus Schon) posed for photos with Donald Trump at the White House, where Cain’s wife serves as the president’s spiritual adviser.
Fighting words: “I don’t deserve this B.S.,” Schon tweeted. “I will cut it all out like cancer. Too fucking toxic to live in.”
Will they work it out? The group has no dates booked, but recent tours have been so lucrative that it’s a good bet Schon and Cain find a way to work it out.
Yes vs. Yes
The story: In 2008, prog-rock veterans Yes grew tired of waiting on singer Jon Anderson, who had been sidelined for years due to health issues, to come around. So they hit the road with the frontman of a French-Canadian Yes tribute band. When Anderson finally got back in fighting form, he teamed up with “Owner of a Lonely Heart”–era guitarist Trevor Rabin and Yes keyboard wizard Rick Wakeman (who is also on the outs with his old band). Together, they began touring as Yes Featuring Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman. Now, both versions of Yes are on the road.
Fighting words: “Many bands are out there playing Yes music, and [guitarist] Steve [Howe’s] band is one of them,” said Anderson. “He has the name. That’s life.”
Will they work it out? At this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, the two Yeses put their differences aside long enough to play “Roundabout” and “Owner of a Lonely Heart.” Their 50th anniversary is next year, and a reunion tour is a safe bet. After all, a Yes divided against itself cannot stand.
Camila Cabello vs. Fifth Harmony
The story: Last year, the pop group’s most famous member, Camila Cabello, announced she was leaving, setting off a firestorm of drama. At Sunday’s VMAs, the remaining members poked fun at the situation by booting a Cabello stand-in offstage during their performance.
Fighting words: “Our happiness is our own responsibility. We only have one life and we never know how much time we really have,” Cabello wrote to her fans in a letter explaining her decision.
Will they work it out? Don’t hold your breath. Fifth Harmony are in the awkward position of releasing their new album as a quartet, and Cabello’s solo debut is expected in September.
Ratt vs. Their Drummer
The story: The Eighties hair-metal band’s moment of stardom was brief, but the members have put in decades clawing at one another over who has the right to hit the nostalgia circuit as the official Ratt. Drummer Bobby Blotzer put together his own band and toured as Ratt last year, though he eventually lost the rights to the name in a lawsuit. The other surviving members toured this summer as Ratt.
Fighting words: “I would rather have surgery on my cock with no anesthesia than to have to ever see this anywhere in my life again,” Blotzer wrote on Facebook after sharing a video of Ratt’s Juan Croucier performing onstage.
Will they work it out? They’ve been fighting for over two decades. Why stop now?