JY Interview

[StyxCollector]

I think the problem that many of us "who find fault" with JYs constant nastiness is that it brings the Styx name down to a bad level.

Do you honestly think many people outside of the complainers here (and maybe some members of the band) give a rats ass? I'm not trying to be snippy, I'm asking seriously. Poll 100 people on the street. I bet they are more concerned with Iraq, Iran, the economy, and global warming WAY before the latest round of JY vs. DDY. Styx is just a band. Not a lifestyle.

Why does he repeat it every 15 days?

As many others have noted, he just gets asked the same questions. Maybe if interviewers did some homework we would get some new info or at least some new answers. How would you respond if you got asked the same question over and over and over and over and over ... wouldn't you get snippy?

The fans threw shit at each other - they are supposed to. Thats what fans do.

Really, I must have missed that in my fan handbook. My bad.

As for finding fault with what JY says. I have never found fault with Tommy's comments on the subject, because Tommy is a class act (as is DDY). You don't hear them going on and on about the other side twice a month.

Back the short bus up. Do you clearly not remember about, oh, 1999 - 2003 or so? EVERYONE got their digs in even if it was small, or it was live (see: DDY's dreams speech before CSA up until a few years ago). It's only in the past 2 - 3 years that both TS and DDY have changed the message with DDY being the most conciliatory. TS is a close second. They both realized it was pointless to throw barbs constantly. I don't think it makes them have any more or less class, just they got over whatever it is they needed to get over.

And if you don't think JYs assholishness can hurt the band's reputation - look at what Mike Love did to the Beach Boys name in all those years of being a shithead about Brian Wilson's music.

See my note above and I agree with Zan here ... you will find more that think DDY (and I don't necessarily agree but perception can be reality) that Roboto did more to harm Styx. Styx at this point is a historical footnote in the history of rock.

[Blue Falcon]

"I have a love/dislike for that song," said guitarist/vocalist John "J.Y." Young, an original member who has been with the band for more than 30 years. (DeYoung hasn't toured with the band in a decade.) "It alienated the first generation of Styx fans. But a lot of young kids bought the single and ended up buying all the old albums, too."

So what are you b!tching about, JY?

Will DeYoung ever tour with Styx again? "I'll repeat what I said on VH1's 'Behind the Music' a few years back: 'When they're playing hockey on the River Styx.'

Funny, the Eagles and the Police both said the same thing for many years...so it must chap JY's a$$ to see both of those bands have hugely successful albums or tours...while Stynx is reduced to opening for Def Leppard.

My role is to re-establish Styx as a legitimate progressive-rock force.

JY, it's not 1978 any longer...progressive rock is DEAD. He still hasn't faced up to the fact that Stynx is now just a novelty act. Besides, DDY's songs mixed with JY's and TS's are what made Styx progressive in the first place...take DDY out and you basically have a hard rock band with little 'progressive rock' at all.

I think bringing back the creator of 'Babe' and 'Mr. Roboto' will destroy eight years of hard work."

This statement is so ignorant it makes little sense to comment on it. But here goes: WHAT HAS STYNX ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST EIGHT YEARS? Compared to their heyday, it's not much. No one cares for their new music and they can barely fill a club playing by themselves, so it's a downward slide. And to refer to DDY as just the creator of JY's two least-favorite songs is sociopathic at best...and so do the thousands of people who staty home and don't spend their money on JY's version of Stynx.

"We did 109 shows last year. We'll probably do about the same this year. We hit the U.K. last year. We will tour Canada more extensively this year."

JY, you wouldn't HAVE to play so many shows each year if you and Tommy didn't have huge debts to pay. You've diluted the Styx name so much by constantly touring that no one really thinks "oh my gosh, Styx is coming...I better go see them."

"They had to turn people away.

That was a mob with pitchforks and torches, not fans.

Keep it up, JY. Your negativity may end up chasing away the only other guy who is saving your bacon right now, if TS gets sick of all this and leaves. Then what will JY do? Complain about the "guy who wrote Renegade and Blue Collar Man, two songs that I can't stand."?

[DarwinNebraska]

JY certainly doesn't have to answer these questions... especially after 8 years.

However, I bet the interviews would be few and far in between if he did that.

People just don't care that much about the current line-up unless you're going to dish some dirt.

[sadie65]

I've been on many message boards/forums over the years. While several have other topics discussed I do disagree that this is the only one that beats the dead horse. It isn't. The other forums still have it have with some regularity. It's just hidden better since the other forums do have other topics to talk about.I think perhaps the difference here is the unwritten thought that all that should be discussed here is Styx only topics. Since the majority of those topics either relate to past glories or current interviews/articles/concerts, we find the same old same old responses occuring.

Most other forums have different sections to discuss different things. Since this particular forum here lists itself as "Styx" I don't think people come to it expecting to talk about other topics as a norm.

[LordofDaRing]

Every single other fan-based board I've been part of DOES talk about more than just Dennis vs. Styx and every micromanaging aspect of that topic. We DO discuss ourselves, our lives, and current events. Personally, I don't see that as a bad thing at all. It gives people an opportunity to feel like they are all part of something, rather than anonymous screen names with opinions about one endless subject. We also discuss other things about Styx than who fucked over who the most, who's more of an asshole this week, and who is the biggest loser in the group. We discuss how certain songs impacted our lives, particular memories we have about songs, concerts, band-member meetings, and so on. It ISN'T a constant battle of "us vs. them." Believe it or not. It CAN be done, and it's done so with relative ease. Never in my nine years of coming to Styx forums have I seen SO much dead-horse beating as I have here, and that includes AOL in 2000.

So, go ahead and make fun of the fact that we have literally nothing more to offer each other than the same ol', same 'ol. That's your right, but for the record, it *would* be a bit richer if people made even the slightest attempt to change it up a little. Hell, you might even find some of you LIKE it friendlier.

But I won't hold my breath.

Point 1 - I did not start the current topic, but my bad for responding to it the same way over and over. Of course if I didn't, somebody else would have.
Point 2 - I have spoken to many people here on personal topics and issues other than James JY Young or Dennis DeYoung. If you read back through old posts, you will see that I have offered my perspective numerous times on which songs affected me in a personal way, etc. For example, I thought I offered up a nice personal account of my one and only meeting with a member of Styx (past member) recently. Therefore I would take exception, if it was indeed your intent, to lump me in with some who post in here and don't want a friendly environment. I can only remember one so called poster in here that I ever had a mini war with, and his rights were removed. Everyone was fighting with him (Itchy/Scratchy or whatever)
Point 3 - "So, go ahead and make fun of the fact that we have literally nothing more to offer each other than the same ol', same 'ol." That was done more out of sarcasm to some of the reactions within this topic, if you do not believe that refer back to point 2 and old posts of mine not just in the Styx forum but in the movie/DVD/Sports forums. There was no ill intent here. By the way, I stole the line about taking out the garbage from either Chuck or John during an interview during the EOTC tour, when asked what they had been doing since the 1983 breakup. The response was well the day after we broke up was garbage day (kind of funny I thought)
Point 4 - I have actually initiated new topics in here unlike some who never do or seldom do deliver an original topic to the forum, but are quick to jump on the ones that do, and no I am not referring to you specifically.
Point 5- Go ahead and start a new topic about Styx or anything that you feel will invite a friendly discussion. As in the past, if I feel like I can contribute something, I will.

[Zan]

I've been on many message boards/forums over the years. While several have other topics discussed I do disagree that this is the only one that beats the dead horse. It isn't. The other forums still have it have with some regularity. It's just hidden better since the other forums do have other topics to talk about.I think perhaps the difference here is the unwritten thought that all that should be discussed here is Styx only topics. Since the majority of those topics either relate to past glories or current interviews/articles/concerts, we find the same old same old responses occuring.

Most other forums have different sections to discuss different things. Since this particular forum here lists itself as "Styx" I don't think people come to it expecting to talk about other topics as a norm.

First of all, Sadie, I never said that other places didn't ever beat the dead horse. What I said was (and I'll repost it here for posterity with the key words underlined, so there is no mistake as to what I meant):

Every single other fan-based board I've been part of DOES talk about more than just Dennis vs. Styx and every micromanaging aspect of that topic.
It ISN'T a constant battle of "us vs. them." Believe it or not. It CAN be done, and it's done so with relative ease. Never in my nine years of coming to Styx forums have I seen SO much dead-horse beating as I have here, and that includes AOL in 2000.

What that means is, of all boards and lists I've been part of, and that includes the bitter & angry desert moon yahoo mailing list from early 2000's, THIS ONE beats them all - and by far.

(And what makes matters even worse is that it's 2008!!!! Fer f*cksake! I mean, Dennis is doing well for himself, he seems happy. He even has Glen with him now. And JY says he's happy, and Tommy's free to do whatever he wants, so he's probably happy. Chuck is even happy! Take what you want, and leave the rest, people. Life's too short for such scorn!)

Maybe it does appear limited by the simple "Styx" topic, as opposed to many conferences to choose from, but I still retain that the only reason the hate continues to, well, continue here is because it is tolerated and even embraced at times, even by some of the more "diplomatic" posters here. So...Maybe more of an effort could be made by everyone to try and take it somewhere different and see what happens.

Which brings me to LoTR... I'll get to him next! lol

[jrnyman28]

Albeit a small one.

http://www.accessatlanta.com/services/c ... 7&cxcat=13


My role is to re-establish Styx as a legitimate progressive-rock force.

Someone tell me when Styx starts becoming aprogressive rock force again...

[Zan]

Point 1 - I did not start the current topic, but my bad for responding to it the same way over and over. Of course if I didn't, somebody else would have.

My biggest issue with your post is that you didn't use the quote button correctly, and it took me a minute before I realized you were quoting ME and not your own stuff. Bad Lord.

Now, when you were little, didn't your mother ever ask you "if Johnny was jumping off a bridge, would you jump too?"

Point 2 - I have spoken to many people here on personal topics and issues other than James JY Young or Dennis DeYoung. If you read back through old posts, you will see that I have offered my perspective numerous times on which songs affected me in a personal way, etc. For example, I thought I offered up a nice personal account of my one and only meeting with a member of Styx (past member) recently. Therefore I would take exception, if it was indeed your intent, to lump me in with some who post in here and don't want a friendly environment. I can only remember one so called poster in here that I ever had a mini war with, and his rights were removed. Everyone was fighting with him (Itchy/Scratchy or whatever)

Yes, I have one (or...several, depending on which IP address you're talking about) of those too, so I can relate. No, I wasn't meaning to single you out specifically, as even though you do beat it once in awhile , you're one of the tamer ones. I guess I just can't wrap my mind around the concept of people getting so worked up over what JY says at this stage in the game. I mean, who f*cking cares?

Rant here: Mid-December, just days before Christmas a woman and her 7 year old daughter were abducted from a local mall in one of S. Florida's "safest" neighborhoods - at 3:00 in the afternoon, no less. They were taken to an ATM, robbed, bound & gagged, then shot execution style and left in the parking lot of the mall, with the car still running. The guy hasn't been caught, and police have very little to go by, but are confident he will strike again. A week ago, a 12 year old boy who was watching his two younger siblings got annoyed that the toddler was crying and he couldn't hear the TV, and he bashed her head in with a baseball bat. THEN, on a lighter note (like, what isn't lighter than that?), the housing market is crashed, taxes are way up, I can't lose the weight I gained from the baby. So...forgive me if I don't let things like "working with the guy who wrote Babe would be a catastrophe for the band" get me worked up. It just doesn't even register on the scale of things to get emotional about, to be wholly honest.

I realize we come here to escape the horrors of daily life, blah blah...Yet, we come here to escape, then ARGUE about the SAME SHIT DAY IN, DAY OUT! is this enjoyable? Is it really???

Point 3 - "So, go ahead and make fun of the fact that we have literally nothing more to offer each other than the same ol', same 'ol." That was done more out of sarcasm to some of the reactions within this topic, if you do not believe that refer back to point 2 and old posts of mine not just in the Styx forum but in the movie/DVD/Sports forums. There was no ill intent here. By the way, I stole the line about taking out the garbage from either Chuck or John during an interview during the EOTC tour, when asked what they had been doing since the 1983 breakup. The response was well the day after we broke up was garbage day (kind of funny I thought)

Not sure of this was the same quote you're referring to, but Dennis DeYoung made the comment on one of their late night appearances (Arsenio or Rick Dees, maybe?) about Tommy Shaw being gone by saying "it was trash day. We had to get that trash outta there. was starting to stink," or something to that effect.

I got annoyed when I saw that, but then I got over it. lol

And yes, I caught the sarcasm. But it read to me as malicious sarcasm (just a bit), so I felt it important to defend the idea of discussing the weather, as opposed to the same shit that gets stirred here daily. Sorry if that wasn't the intent.

Point 4 - I have actually initiated new topics in here unlike some who never do or seldom do deliver an original topic to the forum, but are quick to jump on the ones that do, and no I am not referring to you specifically.
Point 5- Go ahead and start a new topic about Styx or anything that you feel will invite a friendly discussion. As in the past, if I feel like I can contribute something, I will.

As have I. Those topics are nice once in awhile. But I would also like for people to be able to share, say, a concert experience without the inevitable "remark" from the peanut gallery EVERY SINGLE TIME. And that *never* happens.

[shaka]

BTW, I forgot to mention that I DO think JY could say, "not in the foreseeable future" when asked if DeYoung will ever return, if he cared about sounding less bitter. Although, it's likely that it wouldn't make a bit of difference to many of the hard core folks who just don't like the guy regardless.

JY has achieved something most members of Styx haven't been always able to do: tell a consistent story for years lol

Seriously, at this point, who does JY have to appease by softening what he says? No one really. Some here may not like it, but the real question is why is it still getting under their skin 8 years later?

While JY may never like "Babe" or "Roboto", he knows what success it brought him. I don't think anyone on this board who has a day job and it pays them enough loves every moment of every day. Do you expect all members of a band to love every song equally?

JY could kiss DDY's ass and people here would find fault with it.

I think the problem that many of us "who find fault" with JYs constant nastiness is that it brings the Styx name down to a bad level. JYs total lack of class brings him down to, say David Lee Roth's 28 year old level. Styx are elder statesman and they (actually just JY) acts like a bratty child who has JUST gotten his way after 40 years. And before the inevitable, more-tactful-than-thou posts about MY comments on Styx and JY come about - I am a FAN, I'm supposed to act like this. JY, as a member of the band is supposed to show some class. We ALREADY know how he feels. He showed his skid marked underwear to the whole world in Behind The Music. Why does he repeat it every 15 days?

Look at a band that actually HAS some class. The members of Asia have all hated each other since about 1983. Did fans ever hear them throw shit at each other during this time? No. The fans threw shit at each other - they are supposed to. Thats what fans do. But the members themselves, being class acts, held themsleves to a certain level to the press.

As for finding fault with what JY says. I have never found fault with Tommy's comments on the subject, because Tommy is a class act (as is DDY). You don't hear them going on and on about the other side twice a month. I wouldn't find fault with JY if he said, honestly, "I suffered though professional jealousy being third fiddle to DDY and Tommy for years. Yeah, I fucked over Dennis and then spent the next 10 years blasting his lifetime of work, but I finally got to be what I always wanted - a rock star. Sure, Tommy uses the band as a cash cow to fund his real projects, but I still care about Styx. Finally I can play more than just Miss America and Snowblind in concert!"

In any case, would I want JY to kiss DDY's ass? No. Should JY act like the 60 year old rock veteran that he is instead of some less important version of Axl Rose? Yes.

And if you don't think JYs assholishness can hurt the band's reputation - look at what Mike Love did to the Beach Boys name in all those years of being a shithead about Brian Wilson's music.

Wow, it's kind of funny you should mention Asia. I seem to remember Steve Howe not acting too classy in regard to Trevor Rabin. Wasn't Steve a member of Asia?

[elmotano]

Wow, it's kind of funny you should mention Asia. I seem to remember Steve Howe not acting too classy in regard to Trevor Rabin. Wasn't Steve a member of Asia?[/quote]

This is correct. I think you will find, that some on this forum create their facts in the same manner that the rest of us pass gas.

[Rockwriter]

Point 3 - "So, go ahead and make fun of the fact that we have literally nothing more to offer each other than the same ol', same 'ol." That was done more out of sarcasm to some of the reactions within this topic, if you do not believe that refer back to point 2 and old posts of mine not just in the Styx forum but in the movie/DVD/Sports forums. There was no ill intent here. By the way, I stole the line about taking out the garbage from either Chuck or John during an interview during the EOTC tour, when asked what they had been doing since the 1983 breakup. The response was well the day after we broke up was garbage day (kind of funny I thought)

Not sure of this was the same quote you're referring to, but Dennis DeYoung made the comment on one of their late night appearances (Arsenio or Rick Dees, maybe?) about Tommy Shaw being gone by saying "it was trash day. We had to get that trash outta there. was starting to stink," or something to that effect.

I got annoyed when I saw that, but then I got over it. lol


You know, I think that was Rick Dees, but my memory tells me that's not quite the correct context for the quote. It wasn't aimed at Tommy, it was actually kind of a joke - albeit a weak one - about how they had been doing nothing for the last seven years. It seems like Rick asked what the band members had been doing for the past few years, and Dennis said something like, "Well, Tuesday was trash day . . ." He said the same thing on Rockline. It's one of those throwaway lines he used a lot for a time.

As for the new JY interview, well, I'm not surprised by it, certainly. Blah blah blah blah blah BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH FUCKING BLAH . . . . . . and still somehow the world continues to turn, LOL.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

[Rockwriter]

BTW, I forgot to mention that I DO think JY could say, "not in the foreseeable future" when asked if DeYoung will ever return, if he cared about sounding less bitter. Although, it's likely that it wouldn't make a bit of difference to many of the hard core folks who just don't like the guy regardless.

JY has achieved something most members of Styx haven't been always able to do: tell a consistent story for years lol

Seriously, at this point, who does JY have to appease by softening what he says? No one really. Some here may not like it, but the real question is why is it still getting under their skin 8 years later?

While JY may never like "Babe" or "Roboto", he knows what success it brought him. I don't think anyone on this board who has a day job and it pays them enough loves every moment of every day. Do you expect all members of a band to love every song equally?

JY could kiss DDY's ass and people here would find fault with it.

I think the problem that many of us "who find fault" with JYs constant nastiness is that it brings the Styx name down to a bad level. JYs total lack of class brings him down to, say David Lee Roth's 28 year old level. Styx are elder statesman and they (actually just JY) acts like a bratty child who has JUST gotten his way after 40 years. And before the inevitable, more-tactful-than-thou posts about MY comments on Styx and JY come about - I am a FAN, I'm supposed to act like this. JY, as a member of the band is supposed to show some class. We ALREADY know how he feels. He showed his skid marked underwear to the whole world in Behind The Music. Why does he repeat it every 15 days?

Look at a band that actually HAS some class. The members of Asia have all hated each other since about 1983. Did fans ever hear them throw shit at each other during this time? No. The fans threw shit at each other - they are supposed to. Thats what fans do. But the members themselves, being class acts, held themsleves to a certain level to the press.

As for finding fault with what JY says. I have never found fault with Tommy's comments on the subject, because Tommy is a class act (as is DDY). You don't hear them going on and on about the other side twice a month. I wouldn't find fault with JY if he said, honestly, "I suffered though professional jealousy being third fiddle to DDY and Tommy for years. Yeah, I fucked over Dennis and then spent the next 10 years blasting his lifetime of work, but I finally got to be what I always wanted - a rock star. Sure, Tommy uses the band as a cash cow to fund his real projects, but I still care about Styx. Finally I can play more than just Miss America and Snowblind in concert!"

In any case, would I want JY to kiss DDY's ass? No. Should JY act like the 60 year old rock veteran that he is instead of some less important version of Axl Rose? Yes.

And if you don't think JYs assholishness can hurt the band's reputation - look at what Mike Love did to the Beach Boys name in all those years of being a shithead about Brian Wilson's music.

Wow, it's kind of funny you should mention Asia. I seem to remember Steve Howe not acting too classy in regard to Trevor Rabin. Wasn't Steve a member of Asia?

I'm not as familiar with this as I ought to be. I have interviewed both Steve and Trevor, but I don't know anything about Steve giving Trevor a hard time. What has he said in public on this topic? I know Trevor DID mention that things didn't work out between them during the UNION tour, but he said that was musical, not personal. Their playing styles simply didn't mesh. And Steve, in his interview with me (which was in support of the 'Symphonic Music of Yes' project) said that he didn't try to re-create Trevor's parts for "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" because he couldn't relate to that kind of playing, but it wasn't said with animosity, just matter-of-factly. Is there bad blood between them now?


Sterling

[shaka]

BTW, I forgot to mention that I DO think JY could say, "not in the foreseeable future" when asked if DeYoung will ever return, if he cared about sounding less bitter. Although, it's likely that it wouldn't make a bit of difference to many of the hard core folks who just don't like the guy regardless.

JY has achieved something most members of Styx haven't been always able to do: tell a consistent story for years lol

Seriously, at this point, who does JY have to appease by softening what he says? No one really. Some here may not like it, but the real question is why is it still getting under their skin 8 years later?

While JY may never like "Babe" or "Roboto", he knows what success it brought him. I don't think anyone on this board who has a day job and it pays them enough loves every moment of every day. Do you expect all members of a band to love every song equally?

JY could kiss DDY's ass and people here would find fault with it.

I think the problem that many of us "who find fault" with JYs constant nastiness is that it brings the Styx name down to a bad level. JYs total lack of class brings him down to, say David Lee Roth's 28 year old level. Styx are elder statesman and they (actually just JY) acts like a bratty child who has JUST gotten his way after 40 years. And before the inevitable, more-tactful-than-thou posts about MY comments on Styx and JY come about - I am a FAN, I'm supposed to act like this. JY, as a member of the band is supposed to show some class. We ALREADY know how he feels. He showed his skid marked underwear to the whole world in Behind The Music. Why does he repeat it every 15 days?

Look at a band that actually HAS some class. The members of Asia have all hated each other since about 1983. Did fans ever hear them throw shit at each other during this time? No. The fans threw shit at each other - they are supposed to. Thats what fans do. But the members themselves, being class acts, held themsleves to a certain level to the press.

As for finding fault with what JY says. I have never found fault with Tommy's comments on the subject, because Tommy is a class act (as is DDY). You don't hear them going on and on about the other side twice a month. I wouldn't find fault with JY if he said, honestly, "I suffered though professional jealousy being third fiddle to DDY and Tommy for years. Yeah, I fucked over Dennis and then spent the next 10 years blasting his lifetime of work, but I finally got to be what I always wanted - a rock star. Sure, Tommy uses the band as a cash cow to fund his real projects, but I still care about Styx. Finally I can play more than just Miss America and Snowblind in concert!"

In any case, would I want JY to kiss DDY's ass? No. Should JY act like the 60 year old rock veteran that he is instead of some less important version of Axl Rose? Yes.

And if you don't think JYs assholishness can hurt the band's reputation - look at what Mike Love did to the Beach Boys name in all those years of being a shithead about Brian Wilson's music.

Wow, it's kind of funny you should mention Asia. I seem to remember Steve Howe not acting too classy in regard to Trevor Rabin. Wasn't Steve a member of Asia?

I'm not as familiar with this as I ought to be. I have interviewed both Steve and Trevor, but I don't know anything about Steve giving Trevor a hard time. What has he said in public on this topic? I know Trevor DID mention that things didn't work out between them during the UNION tour, but he said that was musical, not personal. Their playing styles simply didn't mesh. And Steve, in his interview with me (which was in support of the 'Symphonic Music of Yes' project) said that he didn't try to re-create Trevor's parts for "Owner Of A Lonely Heart" because he couldn't relate to that kind of playing, but it wasn't said with animosity, just matter-of-factly. Is there bad blood between them now?


Sterling

I think they are fine now. Back in the eighties when Cinema became the new Yes Howe did not have good things to say. I was a pretty big Yes fan back then and paid attention. Unfortunately I would have no way to uncover the statements as they happened so long ago.

I've always been a big fan of both guitarists. I think Rabin is a musical genius.

[Higgy]

Wow, it's kind of funny you should mention Asia. I seem to remember Steve Howe not acting too classy in regard to Trevor Rabin. Wasn't Steve a member of Asia?

This is correct. I think you will find, that some on this forum create their facts in the same manner that the rest of us pass gas.

Okay, then cite the "fact" you created. Please tell me where Steve Howe acted anything like JY acts toward Trevor Rabin. And IF IT'S TRUE. Steve Howe was in his 20s at the time. JY is a 60 year old man - too old to act like this.

[Zan]

You know, I think that was Rick Dees, but my memory tells me that's not quite the correct context for the quote. It wasn't aimed at Tommy, it was actually kind of a joke - albeit a weak one - about how they had been doing nothing for the last seven years. It seems like Rick asked what the band members had been doing for the past few years, and Dennis said something like, "Well, Tuesday was trash day . . ." He said the same thing on Rockline. It's one of those throwaway lines he used a lot for a time.

Like the shrinking organ. Yeah, I know that now, not that it matters anyway, but it in response to Rick asking them why they decided to get together with a new lineup, and his response was that he needed to get rid of the trash, and it definitely (at the time I saw it) came off as a dig at Tommy. Perhaps he was so used to using that line (which I don't really get, to be honest) that he just used it without thinking about how it might sound. Regardless, it's ancient history and has no relevance to my life.

[DarwinNebraska]

Like the shrinking organ. Yeah, I know that now, not that it matters anyway, but it in response to Rick asking them why they decided to get together with a new lineup, and his response was that he needed to get rid of the trash, and it definitely (at the time I saw it) came off as a dig at Tommy.

Of course you thought that.

Regardless, it's ancient history and has no relevance to my life.

Sure it doesn't.

I always find if you look quite closely, those telling everyone else to not obsess are often the most obsessive of the bunch.

[Zan]

I always find if you look quite closely, those telling everyone else to not obsess are often the most obsessive of the bunch.

You always find that often they are, huh? lol

[RedWingFan]

I always find if you look quite closely, those telling everyone else to not obsess are often the most obsessive of the bunch.

You always find that often they are, huh? lol

[shaka]

Wow, it's kind of funny you should mention Asia. I seem to remember Steve Howe not acting too classy in regard to Trevor Rabin. Wasn't Steve a member of Asia?

This is correct. I think you will find, that some on this forum create their facts in the same manner that the rest of us pass gas.

Okay, then cite the "fact" you created. Please tell me where Steve Howe acted anything like JY acts toward Trevor Rabin. And IF IT'S TRUE. Steve Howe was in his 20s at the time. JY is a 60 year old man - too old to act like this.

I didn't create it. I lived through this era as a fan of both incarnations of Yes. Believe it or not Yes fans divided into camps in a very similar manner to what you see with the present day Styx. It's well known that Steve Howe had a lot of animosity towards Yes and Trevor Rabin when Yes experienced it's eighties comeback. In Wikipedia (I recognise Wiki isn't the ultimate in facts) it states that Steve Howe employed the press to criticize Trevor Rabin and Yes. Steve admits he was going through a divorce at the time and that affected his behaviour towards the new Yes.

Even later during the Union tour Howe really didn't like Rabin playing along with him on his era's Yes songs and really disliked playing the songs of the eighties version of Yes. Rabin and Howe eventually came to respect each other but as Sterling stated they really don't sound that great on stage together.

You may want to check your facts. Steve how was in his late thirties/early forties when Yes experienced its resurgence. Steve was born in 1947.

There's a book that documents all of the things that went down with Yes. It's called Close To the Edge and it's by Chris Welch. Howe's comments are documented in this book. Go buy it.

[Rockwriter]

You know, I think that was Rick Dees, but my memory tells me that's not quite the correct context for the quote. It wasn't aimed at Tommy, it was actually kind of a joke - albeit a weak one - about how they had been doing nothing for the last seven years. It seems like Rick asked what the band members had been doing for the past few years, and Dennis said something like, "Well, Tuesday was trash day . . ." He said the same thing on Rockline. It's one of those throwaway lines he used a lot for a time.

Like the shrinking organ. Yeah, I know that now, not that it matters anyway, but it in response to Rick asking them why they decided to get together with a new lineup, and his response was that he needed to get rid of the trash, and it definitely (at the time I saw it) came off as a dig at Tommy. Perhaps he was so used to using that line (which I don't really get, to be honest) that he just used it without thinking about how it might sound. Regardless, it's ancient history and has no relevance to my life.

Here it is! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAQ0TxW_cbU Gosh, you really can find a lot of useless shit if you look, can't you? LOL. To me, in looking at this again, I don't think it comes off as directed at Tommy, but I can see why you might have taken it that way. What strikes me about this clip - not just the interview, which is really awkward, but even the performance - is that the band seems really nervous and stiff. The performance is not that great, and that's true of all the other live TV they did for EOTC as well. Those few TV appearances actually marked the first time Styx had ever played LIVE on TV, and they just seemed so unnatural. The bootlegs from the tour are much, much, much better. But this is not so great, Arsenio was mixed ("Lady" not too good, "Show Me The Way" came off well I thought), and as I recall, "Show Me The Way" on the Tonight Show was really pretty bad.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

[shaka]

You know, I think that was Rick Dees, but my memory tells me that's not quite the correct context for the quote. It wasn't aimed at Tommy, it was actually kind of a joke - albeit a weak one - about how they had been doing nothing for the last seven years. It seems like Rick asked what the band members had been doing for the past few years, and Dennis said something like, "Well, Tuesday was trash day . . ." He said the same thing on Rockline. It's one of those throwaway lines he used a lot for a time.

Like the shrinking organ. Yeah, I know that now, not that it matters anyway, but it in response to Rick asking them why they decided to get together with a new lineup, and his response was that he needed to get rid of the trash, and it definitely (at the time I saw it) came off as a dig at Tommy. Perhaps he was so used to using that line (which I don't really get, to be honest) that he just used it without thinking about how it might sound. Regardless, it's ancient history and has no relevance to my life.

Here it is! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAQ0TxW_cbU Gosh, you really can find a lot of useless shit if you look, can't you? LOL. To me, in looking at this again, I don't think it comes off as directed at Tommy, but I can see why you might have taken it that way. What strikes me about this clip - not just the interview, which is really awkward, but even the performance - is that the band seems really nervous and stiff. The performance is not that great, and that's true of all the other live TV they did for EOTC as well. Those few TV appearances actually marked the first time Styx had ever played LIVE on TV, and they just seemed so unnatural. The bootlegs from the tour are much, much, much better. But this is not so great, Arsenio was mixed ("Lady" not too good, "Show Me The Way" came off well I thought), and as I recall, "Show Me The Way" on the Tonight Show was really pretty bad.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

Wow, was that a Rockman XP100 on top of the Marshall Cabs? I think you should write a new book that chronicles the various equipment used by Styx during the years.

[sadie65]

I've been on many message boards/forums over the years. While several have other topics discussed I do disagree that this is the only one that beats the dead horse. It isn't. The other forums still have it have with some regularity. It's just hidden better since the other forums do have other topics to talk about.I think perhaps the difference here is the unwritten thought that all that should be discussed here is Styx only topics. Since the majority of those topics either relate to past glories or current interviews/articles/concerts, we find the same old same old responses occuring.

Most other forums have different sections to discuss different things. Since this particular forum here lists itself as "Styx" I don't think people come to it expecting to talk about other topics as a norm.

First of all, Sadie, I never said that other places didn't ever beat the dead horse. What I said was (and I'll repost it here for posterity with the key words underlined, so there is no mistake as to what I meant):

Every single other fan-based board I've been part of DOES talk about more than just Dennis vs. Styx and every micromanaging aspect of that topic.
It ISN'T a constant battle of "us vs. them." Believe it or not. It CAN be done, and it's done so with relative ease. Never in my nine years of coming to Styx forums have I seen SO much dead-horse beating as I have here, and that includes AOL in 2000.

What that means is, of all boards and lists I've been part of, and that includes the bitter & angry desert moon yahoo mailing list from early 2000's, THIS ONE beats them all - and by far.

(And what makes matters even worse is that it's 2008!!!! Fer f*cksake! I mean, Dennis is doing well for himself, he seems happy. He even has Glen with him now. And JY says he's happy, and Tommy's free to do whatever he wants, so he's probably happy. Chuck is even happy! Take what you want, and leave the rest, people. Life's too short for such scorn!)

Maybe it does appear limited by the simple "Styx" topic, as opposed to many conferences to choose from, but I still retain that the only reason the hate continues to, well, continue here is because it is tolerated and even embraced at times, even by some of the more "diplomatic" posters here. So...Maybe more of an effort could be made by everyone to try and take it somewhere different and see what happens.

Which brings me to LoTR... I'll get to him next! lol

Why thanks for clarifying for me. I understood what you meant. And I disagree. I think all the boards have displayed this "hate" to varying degrees. This particular board does indeed have it's fair share, but it is nowhere near the level of venom spewed by the aforementioned sites. And that "hate" and "scorn" is tolerated to varying degrees. It is "tolerated" here simply because each "side" recognizes the futility and the baiting. That people choose to act this way is to me, well, pathetic. I'd love nothing more than to discuss a concert without the nearly constant trashing of what someone else enjoys...regardless of "sides". There are those here on both "sides" that are hell bent to not let that happen without adding their oh so exalted opinions. So those around here on either "side" mostly move on from it. Letting a few pathetic posters cast a blanket statement that it is this way overall...not my problem.

So perhaps with that said...

If you had to pick a side project for each member of the band that you think they would get the greatest personal satisfaction from...what would it be?

[Higgy]

I've been on many message boards/forums over the years. While several have other topics discussed I do disagree that this is the only one that beats the dead horse. It isn't. The other forums still have it have with some regularity. It's just hidden better since the other forums do have other topics to talk about.I think perhaps the difference here is the unwritten thought that all that should be discussed here is Styx only topics. Since the majority of those topics either relate to past glories or current interviews/articles/concerts, we find the same old same old responses occuring.

Most other forums have different sections to discuss different things. Since this particular forum here lists itself as "Styx" I don't think people come to it expecting to talk about other topics as a norm.

[b]
[color=magenta]First of all, Sadie, I never said that other places didn't ever beat the dead horse. What I said was (and I'll repost it here for posterity with the key words underlined, so there is no mistake as to what I meant):

Every single other fan-based board I've been part of DOES talk about more than just Dennis vs. Styx and every micromanaging aspect of that topic.
It ISN'T a constant battle of "us vs. them." Believe it or not. It CAN be done, and it's done so with relative ease. Never in my nine years of coming to Styx forums have I seen SO much dead-horse beating as I have here, and that includes AOL in 2000.

What that means is, of all boards and lists I've been part of, and that includes the bitter & angry desert moon yahoo mailing list from early 2000's, THIS ONE beats them all - and by far.

...and yet, Zan, you are always among the first to post in every one of these threads. Oh sure, you'll make your subtle comments disguised as fretting about how trivial we are - but YOU are among the worst. You just disguise it better - and you have a group of friends on this board that are quick to rush to your defense,

Face it, you love the soap opera. If you didn't you wouldn't be on this "dead-horse beating" board.

I have nothing against you other than your very pompous comments that you always make to those who get upset by certain situations there favorite band is in.

Try to see it from the DDY fan point of view. Their favorite rock star was dumped by the band he created. Then, the members of this band KEEP trashing him 10 years later. To make matter worse, his old FANS slam him and his songs. DDY fans get upset by this. It is understandable.

[Zan]

Here it is! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAQ0TxW_cbU Gosh, you really can find a lot of useless shit if you look, can't you? LOL.

And sometimes when you don't! LOL

To me, in looking at this again, I don't think it comes off as directed at Tommy, but I can see why you might have taken it that way.

As I said, I think it's very possible it had nothing to do with Tommy, but the timing was not in his favor. As Tommy once said, "Comedy is risky."



What strikes me about this clip - not just the interview, which is really awkward, but even the performance - is that the band seems really nervous and stiff. The performance is not that great, and that's true of all the other live TV they did for EOTC as well. Those few TV appearances actually marked the first time Styx had ever played LIVE on TV, and they just seemed so unnatural. The bootlegs from the tour are much, much, much better. But this is not so great, Arsenio was mixed ("Lady" not too good, "Show Me The Way" came off well I thought), and as I recall, "Show Me The Way" on the Tonight Show was really pretty bad. [/quote]


I've got all those old shows on tape somewhere. Yeah, Styx has never been a great "LIVE TV" band. I've yet to hear them sound *really good* in that type of setting, but a couple from that period were pretty frightening, for sure.

[stabbim]

Try to see it from the DDY fan point of view. Their favorite rock star was dumped by the band he created. Then, the members of this band KEEP trashing him 10 years later. To make matter worse, his old FANS slam him and his songs. DDY fans get upset by this. It is understandable.

You know, I keep re-reading this interview and for the life of me I can't see the "trashing" and "slamming" that other folks seem to.

My role is to re-establish Styx as a legitimate progressive-rock force.

Someone tell me when Styx starts becoming aprogressive rock force again...

Yeah, I did find that comment a bit silly. Styx was never really all that proggy to begin with, but that's neither here nor there. Even taking that at face value as JY's true goal for the band, though, he's falling way short of the mark -- progressive rockers tend to be forward-thinking and have faith in their new material, for one thing.

[Grotelul]

I've been on many message boards/forums over the years. While several have other topics discussed I do disagree that this is the only one that beats the dead horse. It isn't. The other forums still have it have with some regularity. It's just hidden better since the other forums do have other topics to talk about.I think perhaps the difference here is the unwritten thought that all that should be discussed here is Styx only topics. Since the majority of those topics either relate to past glories or current interviews/articles/concerts, we find the same old same old responses occuring.

Most other forums have different sections to discuss different things. Since this particular forum here lists itself as "Styx" I don't think people come to it expecting to talk about other topics as a norm.

[b]
[color=magenta]First of all, Sadie, I never said that other places didn't ever beat the dead horse. What I said was (and I'll repost it here for posterity with the key words underlined, so there is no mistake as to what I meant):

Every single other fan-based board I've been part of DOES talk about more than just Dennis vs. Styx and every micromanaging aspect of that topic.
It ISN'T a constant battle of "us vs. them." Believe it or not. It CAN be done, and it's done so with relative ease. Never in my nine years of coming to Styx forums have I seen SO much dead-horse beating as I have here, and that includes AOL in 2000.

What that means is, of all boards and lists I've been part of, and that includes the bitter & angry desert moon yahoo mailing list from early 2000's, THIS ONE beats them all - and by far.

...and yet, Zan, you are always among the first to post in every one of these threads. Oh sure, you'll make your subtle comments disguised as fretting about how trivial we are - but YOU are among the worst. You just disguise it better - and you have a group of friends on this board that are quick to rush to your defense,

Face it, you love the soap opera. If you didn't you wouldn't be on this "dead-horse beating" board.

I have nothing against you other than your very pompous comments that you always make to those who get upset by certain situations there favorite band is in.

Try to see it from the DDY fan point of view. Their favorite rock star was dumped by the band he created. Then, the members of this band KEEP trashing him 10 years later. To make matter worse, his old FANS slam him and his songs. DDY fans get upset by this. It is understandable.

I didn't care when Dennis was saying crap about the current band. If he was now I could care less. He had/has a right just like JY has a right to respond to an interviewer asking the same shit over and over again. Why get so caught up in their drama and take it personally? I agree to a point if the slams against DDY are of the personal nature sure that may be taking things too far but to be critical of his music..I see nothing wrong with it.

[gr8dane]

I am getting dizzy.

[Rockwriter]

Try to see it from the DDY fan point of view. Their favorite rock star was dumped by the band he created. Then, the members of this band KEEP trashing him 10 years later. To make matter worse, his old FANS slam him and his songs. DDY fans get upset by this. It is understandable.

You know, I keep re-reading this interview and for the life of me I can't see the "trashing" and "slamming" that other folks seem to.

My role is to re-establish Styx as a legitimate progressive-rock force.

Someone tell me when Styx starts becoming aprogressive rock force again...

Yeah, I did find that comment a bit silly. Styx was never really all that proggy to begin with, but that's neither here nor there. Even taking that at face value as JY's true goal for the band, though, he's falling way short of the mark -- progressive rockers tend to be forward-thinking and have faith in their new material, for one thing.

I agree, Styx was never a true progressive rock band, not in my view anyway. I mean, 'The Grand Illusion' is my favorite record of all time, but it's not like it's 'Tales From Topographic Oceans' or anything, LOL. To me Styx always was - and still is - a song-based pop rock act that borrowed some of its arrangement ideas and conceptual motifs from progressive rock. In my circle of friends that are actually really into progressive rock, Styx is not remotely considered a progressive rock band, but rather a bit of an interloper. Of course, these are the same people who think 'Brain Salad Surgery' is a pop album, LOL, so go figure.

As for the current incaration of the band being a progressive rock act, well, when you consider that the balance of their set list consists of their older songs, I don't know how that makes them much different now than they were in the past. I think it would be hard to argue that "Renegade", "Blue Collar Man", "Too Much Time On My Hands", "Miss America", or much of the rest of the set is progressive rock. Perhaps "Come Sail Away" and "Suite Madame Blue", and some of Gowan's stuff when they play it, and maybe "Everything All The Time" and "Just Be", though I think that's a stretch. But that's JY's new thing, just like a couple of years ago he was contending that Styx was really a hard rock band at heart and always had been. It's strange, but whatever.


Sterling

[Zan]

...and yet, Zan, you are always among the first to post in every one of these threads. Oh sure, you'll make your subtle comments disguised as fretting about how trivial we are - but YOU are among the worst. You just disguise it better - and you have a group of friends on this board that are quick to rush to your defense,

That's because my "friends" have common sense...and I was far from the first to post in this thread.

Yes, I "disguise" it better. I'm just a regular freakin' genius around these parts. And you've cracked the case. Go, boy.

Face it, you love the soap opera. If you didn't you wouldn't be on this "dead-horse beating" board.

Wrong. I used to love it about six years ago. Now it's nothing more than masochism on my part that tells me there is still a way to make people see reason.

I have nothing against you other than your very pompous comments that you always make to those who get upset by certain situations there favorite band is in.

And I have nothing against you other than your very irrational issues with JY and anyone who points out your irrational issues with JY.

And that you're really Rajah.

Try to see it from the DDY fan point of view. Their favorite rock star was dumped by the band he created. Then, the members of this band KEEP trashing him 10 years later.

Higgy, I don't have to try to see it from a DDY fan POV (which is an interesting choice of words, considering we're supposed to be STYX fans). It's not exactly rocket science to figure out, especially when it's there, staring you in the face for eight years. The REASONS behind their hatred don't escape me, it's the complete disregard for logic that often does. WHY IS IT SUCH AN EMOTIONAL ISSUE FOR SOME PEOPLE???? It's just a bunch of musicians, human beings with flaws (and musicians are generally more flawed than regular humans).

To make matter worse, his old FANS slam him and his songs. DDY fans get upset by this. It is understandable.

Oh, boo fucking hoo. Yeah, it's understandable if you're twelve.

Music is subjective. Tastes change. Shit happens. And musicians aren't perfect. get over it.

[stabbim]

To me Styx always was - and still is - a song-based pop rock act that borrowed some of its arrangement ideas and conceptual motifs from progressive rock.

Right. And if that's what JY means by "re-establish....progressive" then I'm all for it, the Equinox-Po8 era of the band being my favorite by far. But I don't see much evidence of returning to that sensibility either.