Neal Schon, the legendary guitarist, has recently shared a captivating image on his social media accounts featuring the phrase “Journey Beyond.” His tweet simply states: “Into the future,” which has sparked curiosity among fans and followers alike.
Could this be his latest endeavor to venture away from the band he co-founded during the vibrant music scene of the early ‘70s? A recent filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office seeking legal protection for this phrase presents some intriguing possibilities.
The trademark for “JOURNEY BEYOND” is designed to encompass a range of categories, including musical sound recordings, downloadable musical sound recordings, series of musical sound recordings, compact discs featuring music, downloadable music files, downloadable MP3 files, and musical video recordings. Additionally, it covers pre-recorded CDs, video tapes, laser disks, and DVDs featuring music.
READ MORE: Discover the Ranking of All 45 Journey Songs from the ’70s
According to the independent trademark research tool uspto.report, Schon made this filing in April, just a few days prior to sharing the initial image with the words “Journey Beyond.” Following this, he began to utilize the same phrase in hashtags, which has led to significant speculation among fans regarding its meaning.
As of now, the trademark has not been officially granted. Schon’s “new application [is] is currently awaiting assignment to an examining attorney,” as reported by uspto.report.
Is ‘Journey Beyond’ Another Neal Schon Offshoot Band?
Neal Schon has previously ventured into offshoot bands. Notably, he formed “Journey Through Time” which was active during 2018-19. This group included his former Journey and Santana bandmate Gregg Rolie, Journey drummer Deen Castronovo, and ex-Journey bassist Marco Mendoza. In 2023, he released an album titled Journey Through Time, consisting of tracks from their debut show, which was a benefit concert for North Bay Fire Relief in San Francisco.
With Journey currently in a rare year without a significant tour, Schon has the opportunity to explore solo projects. The band has only performed a handful of one-off shows, allowing him space to experiment creatively.
Meanwhile, Schon’s long-time collaborator Jonathan Cain has returned to the stage with solo performances focusing on faith music. He has mentioned working on new material, but it remains uncertain whether these songs will be intended for a potential follow-up to Journey’s latest album, Freedom. Released in 2022, this album marked the band’s first new music in over a decade. Concurrently, Castronovo is busy completing the sixth album for his side project, Revolution Saints, where he takes on the role of frontman.
Listen to Journey Through Time’s ‘Just the Same Way’
The First ‘Journey Beyond’ Had Connections With Anthrax
This wouldn’t be the first time “Journey Beyond” has been used as a band name. In 2020, Joey Belladonna from the band Anthrax formed a tribute band under the same name, debuting with an impressive 18-song set that primarily featured classic ’80s Journey tracks. This band later rebranded themselves as Beyond Frontiers.
Interestingly, Belladonna auditioned for Anthrax by performing a Journey song. He has also showcased his passion for Journey’s music by covering the deep cut “Keep on Runnin’” on Anthrax’s 2013 EP titled Anthems, and has performed various Journey songs both as a solo artist and while collaborating with Steel Panther.
Nick DeRiso is the author of the Amazon best-selling rock band biography ‘Journey: Worlds Apart,’ available now on all major book retail websites.
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Gallery Credit: Nick DeRiso
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