Steve Perry didn’t perform with Journey at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction last week. Neal Schon thinks he knows why.

Schon says that all of the emotion from the event kept Perry from joining the band during the performance part of their induction. “Knowing everything else and how he was feeling – he was very emotional too – it’s understandable to me that he wouldn’t want to sing. It was just highly emotional,” Schon said.

Instead, Journey performed with their singer of 10 years, Arnel Pineda. Though the reunion didnt’ occur, Schon is still glad he could reconnect with Pery.

“I looked at him and said, ‘Hey man, I really miss you,’” Schon tells Rolling Stone. “There was very good eye contact. It was real. It wasn’t just things being said because of the ceremony and to keep things cool.”

“He was tearing up. I was definitely tearing up; I had tears running down my eyes,” Schon added. “I was trying to keep my composure on the stage for that event, but it was something that was too strong.”

Tune in later this month when the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony airs on HBO. The show premieres on April 29.