Paul McCartney Silent Protest Song WTF???, Marty5150 @ Nashville Parthenon, Jimmy Page and The Kinks Controversy, Featured Topic: Neal Schon Neal Schon Career & Bio: Podcast Outline General Biography Full Name: Neal Joseph Schon (born February 27, 1954, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma).wikipedia+1 Parents: Both were musicians — his father a jazz saxophonist and arranger, mother a singer.ultimatesantana+1 Early music education: Started with saxophone and oboe before switching to guitar at age 10.ultimatesantana Dropped out of high school at 15 to join Santana.imdb+1 Co-founded Journey in 1973 with Gregg Rolie.wikipedia+1 Only original member to appear on every Journey album and tour.globalmusicrights Career Highlights Santana membership at age 15, invited after Carlos Santana outbid Eric Clapton's invitation for Neal to join Derek and the Dominos.ultimatesantana Key band involvements: Santana (early 1970s).ultimatesantana Journey (founder, 1973–present).globalmusicrights+1 HSAS (with Sammy Hagar, 1984).imdb Bad English (late 1980s).imdb+1 Hardline (1990s+).globalmusicrights 10 solo albums, including collaborations with artists like Jan Hammer.globalmusicrights Little Known & Entertaining Facts Was courted by both Santana and Derek and the Dominos at just 15.ultimatesantana Played on Betty Davis’s influential funk album (Miles Davis’ then-wife).kcrw Performed with fusion keyboardist Jan Hammer, releasing “Here To Stay” (1982).imdb+1 Released a number of solo projects and played with numerous side bands during Journey hiatus years.imdb+1 Has a significant collection of vintage guitars.kcrw Auctioned off part of his guitar collection in 2021.kcrw In addition to guitar, can play reeds and oboe, which shaped his phrasing.ultimatesantana Journey’s name came from a roadie suggestion; originally called the Golden Gate Rhythm Section.wikipedia Guitar Technique & Musical Education Self-taught early on, practiced intensely as a child, could learn intricate solos by ear.ultimatesantana Influences: B.B. King, Albert King, Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Jimmy Page, Peter Green.wikipedia Known for: Fast, clean alternate picking and sweep picking.reddit Strong melodic phrasing, blending blues with rock and jazz.reddit+1 Use of technique “chunking,” breaking parts into manageable runs.reddit Signature melodic solos featuring sustain, phrasing, and expressive bends. Often integrates fusion and jazz concepts from his father’s lessons.ultimatesantana Guitars, Amps & Effects (Gear) Early guitars: Acoustic Stella, then Gibson ES-335, then a ’56 Les Paul Goldtop.wikipedia Main guitars: Gibson Les Pauls (notably in the late ’70s and ’80s).musicstrive+1 Fender guitars, especially Aerodyne Stratocaster for ’80s/’90s tones.musicstrive Also used Ovation in the live setting.wikipedia Pickups: Favors Seymour Duncan SH-11 humbuckers for a powerful, expressive response.musicstrive Amp settings (classic Journey sound): Volume: 7 Bass: 5 Mids: 9 (heavy midrange for classic rock punch) Treble: 7–8 (tight, articulate top end) Presence: 10 (strong pick attack and clarity).musicstrive Effects: Uses effects for sustain and flair, but tone is mostly amp-driven with subtle use of pedals, sometimes utilizing tremolo effects for solos.musicstrive Blends classic tube amp drive with modern clarity for lead work.musicstrive Collaborations (Deep Cuts) Jan Hammer: Fusion/rock albums like “Here To Stay”; showcased his improvisation skills and love for jazz.globalmusicrights+1 Betty Davis: Groundbreaking funk rock.kcrw Side projects: HSAS with Sammy Hagar, Hardline, Bad English.imdb+1 Studio work for diverse acts outside mainstream rock, showing his range. Here are 10 little-known Neal Schon anecdotes, each crafted for compelling audio storytelling, that reach beyond typical rock trivia and showcase his unique experiences, humor, and quirks: Ten Little Known Neal Schon Anecdotes The 15-Year-Old Prodigy Decision When he was just 15, both Carlos Santana and Eric Clapton wanted Neal in their bands—he chose Santana, turning down the chance to play with Derek and the Dominos, even though Clapton personally invited him.nndb+1 Moonlighting with a Funk Legend After Santana but before Journey, Neal played guitar on a wild, groundbreaking funk album by Betty Davis, Miles Davis’s then-wife, bringing his rock chops to a hard-grooving session among funk’s originators.kcrw Vintage Guitar Auction Shock Schon owned a reported 800-plus guitars at one point and shocked collectors in 2021 by auctioning off some his most prized, rare instruments, thinning his legendary stash to the disbelief of gear-heads everywhere.kcrw The Ice-Cold Guitar Solo During the filming of a Journey video, a drenched and exhausted Schon had to perform a solo while ice-cold water poured on him—for authenticity and drama, but also to help him wake up after a long, draining shoot.youtube Journey’s Band-Naming Oddball Moment The name “Journey” actually came from a roadie’s suggestion—a random, last-minute choice after hours of the band throwing around names and getting nowhere.wikipedia Epic Pedalboard Adventures Neal's custom pedalboard, built for his evolving sound, reportedly spanned nearly 10 feet and was sometimes so complex that even other guitarists were intimidated to try using it.youtube A Most Unusual Studio Engineer During early recording days, Journey had an English engineer famed for taping together master reels—sometimes while high and holding razor blades dangerously close to precious tapes, raising everyone’s blood pressure in the studio.youtube A Guitarist’s Respect for the Reeds Few know that Neal started out not on guitar, but playing saxophone and oboe—those wind instrument roots shaped his unusually lyrical guitar phrasing, inspiring his signature sound.ultimatesantana The “Wheel In The Sky” Feud In a notorious backstage feud, Neal once prohibited fellow bandmate Jonathan Cain from playing rhythm guitar on “Wheel in the Sky,” right in the middle of an ongoing lawsuit, just to make a point.avoidablecontact Rock’n’Roll Romance Lawsuit Schon was at the center of a sensational real-life drama, sued by a reality TV star after eloping with the man’s wife—an incident capped by a shockingly blunt email from Schon that was entered as evidence in court.avoidablecontact Neal Schon played several guitars during his early years with Santana, most notably a 1969 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop, which he used extensively on the 1971 Santana III album and various live performances during that era. This guitar was his main instrument and was known for its rich tone that helped define his early sound with the band. He started on acoustic Stella and Gibson ES-335 earlier but the Les Paul Goldtop became synonymous with his Santana years.intelligentcollector+1 Regarding Woodstock, Neal Schon did not play with Santana at the 1969 Woodstock festival. At that time, he was only 15 and had not yet joined the band. Santana’s Woodstock performance came before Neal joined, so he was not part of that historic show.reddit In summary: Early Santana guitar: 1969 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop primarily.intelligentcollector Did not play Woodstock with Santana—joined after that iconic performance.reddit Michaele Salahi and Neal Schon eloped in 2013 following a highly public and tumultuous relationship. Michaele disappeared from her then-husband Tareq Salahi, prompting him to file a missing-persons report, only for it to be discovered that she had left to be with Neal Schon, with whom she had a previous friendship. Their rapid public engagement soon followed, with Neal proposing on stage during a concert. The motivation behind their elopement included a desire to celebrate their friendship-turned-romance in their own way—eschewing traditional wedding norms for a pay-per-view live event in San Francisco. This allowed fans to take part and also funneled proceeds to typhoon relief, while emphasizing the couple's aim for authenticity and a celebration of enduring friendship and love, especially after their headline-making, dramatic departures from previous relationships. Pittsburgh Kevin: k-tel, new tiktok guitarist, Film Corner: Playdate, Phantom Menace (Hal9000 edit), Flight vs Sully
