MR

Lawsuit: Journey's 2011 Tour, Its Biggest in 20 Years, Got Boost When Guitarist Began Dating Michaele Salahi

http://www.billboard.com/news/white-hou ... 2552.story

The White House crasher whose wife left him in a blaze of tabloid glory for Journey guitarist Neal Schon has filed a $50 million lawsuit claiming to have been "emotionally and financially" ruined by her actions, the Northern Virginia Daily is reporting. Tareq Salahi accuses Michaele Salahi of "humiliating him" in a ploy to make money for Schon, his famed band and herself.

The suit, filed in Warren County Circuit Court by Salahi's attorney, lists several defendants, including Mrs. Salahi, Nomota Inc., the business arm for Journey, and DD Entertainment LLC, a publicist/agent for Salahi and Schon.

The Salahis filed for divorce two months ago, but Tareq asserts his wife left him for Schon in September in an attempt to bump up interest -- and thus ticket sales -- for Journey's tour.

"Journey was currently touring the country and the concerts were not selling out," the complaint states. "Having been involved in the reality television business for several years, the defendants knew that a public affair would generate interest in both of them and immediate income for Neal Schon and Journey."

Journey was named 'Legend Of Live' at the 2011 Billboard Touring Awards, and last year was the classic rock band's biggest touring year in at least 20 years, raking in nearly $40 million from almost 700,000 tickets sold, according to Billboard Boxscore, 18th among all touring acts. Prior to 2011, the band had been on a growth trend, and in 2006 ranked 15th, with $33 million in gross and 728,078 tickets sold, according to Boxscore.

Schon was on hand in NYC to accept the Billboard touring honor, with his new girlfriend as his date.

The suit is not without its salty moments, and includes a claim that on Sept. 13 Schon sent Salahi a photo of a male body part he believed to belong to the rocker. It also alleges, "Your plaintiff… received a phone call that evening from someone who said, 'This is Neal, I am [expletive] your wife.'"

Salahi is asking for monetary and punitive damages. Lawyers for both Salahis declined to comment to the NV Daily.

The Salahis first entered the public eye in 2009 when they crashed a state dinner at the White House. They later starred on Bravo's "Real Housewives of D.C."

Additional reporting by Ray Waddell in Nashville.

Irving is a happy cat. Journey is going exponential and you just can't stop an 80 MPH train with a measly $50m lawsuit. Sorry Tork. Neal should have been fingering her in that vid just to give him the final F/U.

"Prior to 2011, the band had been on a growth trend, and in 2006 ranked 15th, with $33 million in gross and 728,078 tickets sold, according to Boxscore" (billboard)

You got to be kidding me! This guy is saying that their affair really helped ticket sales that much, come on maybe a little bit. Lets face it since 2008 Journey has been on a steady increase in popularity, record sales, and selling concert tickets and this was way before this dude came into the picture. If anything the affair thing might be turning some people away, afterall who wants to see a bunch of 50 year olds kissing? Ill pass.

jrny84 wrote:"Prior to 2011, the band had been on a growth trend, and in 2006 ranked 15th, with $33 million in gross and 728,078 tickets sold, according to Boxscore" (billboard)

You got to be kidding me! This guy is saying that their affair really helped ticket sales that much, come on maybe a little bit. Lets face it since 2008 Journey has been on a steady increase in popularity, record sales, and selling concert tickets and this was way before this dude came into the picture. If anything the affair thing might be turning some people away, afterall who wants to see a bunch of 50 year olds kissing? Ill pass.

I agree. Look at the this board, we're a decent sample of their hard core fans and it certainly hasn't helped. Its not going to help with positive buzz in general. It may draw some awareness, but overall its a silly assertion and a laughable lawsuit.

If anything Michaele Salahi makes my pecker scream in terror and shrivel. Sorry, sloppy seconds or thirds are not something I'd brag about Neil.

By using numbers from 2006 tour, the complaint is a bit misleading as would be comparing the numbers to the 2009 tour also.

If anything, 2011 was actually a down year when looking at the number of sellouts against total shows played if compared to the 2008 tour, the last big time world tour featuring a new album debut.

Journey averaged $700,000 a show in 2008 while averaging a little below $600,000 this year.
Granted the majority of sellouts this year did come after Michaele came aboard but there could other factors at work there, such as better summer weather, changes to the set-list (they had dumped nearly all of the new music by that time) and just different variables in general.

Don wrote:By using numbers from 2006 tour, the complaint is a bit misleading as would be comparing the numbers to the 2009 tour also.

If anything, 2011 was actually a down year when looking at the number of sellouts against total shows played if compared to the 2008 tour, the last big time world tour featuring a new album debut.

Journey averaged $700,000 a show in 2008 while averaging a little below $600,000 this year.
Granted the majority of sellouts this year did come after Michaele came aboard but there could other factors at work there, such as better summer weather, changes to the set-list (they had dumped nearly all of the new music by that time) and just different variables in general.

but how do you figure sales when there are two acts on the bill like in 2006 with Def Leppard headlining and with three acts on the bill in 2011. How can those numbers all be attributed to just one band?

MCC620 wrote:

Don wrote:By using numbers from 2006 tour, the complaint is a bit misleading as would be comparing the numbers to the 2009 tour also.

If anything, 2011 was actually a down year when looking at the number of sellouts against total shows played if compared to the 2008 tour, the last big time world tour featuring a new album debut.

Journey averaged $700,000 a show in 2008 while averaging a little below $600,000 this year.
Granted the majority of sellouts this year did come after Michaele came aboard but there could other factors at work there, such as better summer weather, changes to the set-list (they had dumped nearly all of the new music by that time) and just different variables in general.

but how do you figure sales when there are two acts on the bill like in 2006 with Def Leppard headlining and with three acts on the bill in 2011. How can those numbers all be attributed to just one band?

The tour name and and to a lesser extent stage time. Despite having three bands on the bill this past year, Journey still averaged 15 t o16 songs per night, the same amount usually done by the band on the 2006 tour.
The tour in 2006 was called the 'Yeah' tour officially. The 2011 Tour was called the 'Eclipse' tour so Journey would be the one getting close to 50% of the gate as the official headliner.

Also, the 2006 tour did have a third act, Stoll Vaughan at many of the dates from June to November.

Don wrote:

MCC620 wrote:

Don wrote:By using numbers from 2006 tour, the complaint is a bit misleading as would be comparing the numbers to the 2009 tour also.

If anything, 2011 was actually a down year when looking at the number of sellouts against total shows played if compared to the 2008 tour, the last big time world tour featuring a new album debut.

Journey averaged $700,000 a show in 2008 while averaging a little below $600,000 this year.
Granted the majority of sellouts this year did come after Michaele came aboard but there could other factors at work there, such as better summer weather, changes to the set-list (they had dumped nearly all of the new music by that time) and just different variables in general.

but how do you figure sales when there are two acts on the bill like in 2006 with Def Leppard headlining and with three acts on the bill in 2011. How can those numbers all be attributed to just one band?

The tour name and and to a lesser extent stage time. Despite having three bands on the bill this past year, Journey still averaged 15 t o16 songs per night, the same amount usually done by the band on the 2006 tour.
The tour in 2006 was called the 'Yeah' tour officially. The 2011 Tour was called the 'Eclipse' tour so Journey would be the one getting close to 50% of the gate as the official headliner.

Also, the 2006 tour did have a third act, Stoll Vaughan at many of the dates from June to November.

thanks for the explanation. i have always wondered about that. and i meant third act like a recognizable name.

Where is the logic that a perceived increase in ticket sales in a handful of concerts can be attributed to one individual and is, therefore, worth awarding the gross of the ENTIRE tour plus an additional $6 million?

Laughable. Does this guy like hot coffee from McDonald's too?