Styx/Charlie Brusco drama @ the Leftsetz Letter

[brywool]

I love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

Remember why Tommy got into drugs AND quit the band...
Starts with a D...

The whole Cornerstone thing, the whole Concept thing for PT, then Kilroy... it's a wonder all of them didn't quit or kill each other.

[Everett]

I love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

Remember why Tommy got into drugs AND quit the band...
Starts with a D...

The whole Cornerstone thing, the whole Concept thing for PT, then Kilroy... it's a wonder all of them didn't quit or kill each other.

+1

[styxfanNH]

I love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

Actually, it is the blindness of those in this forum to place blame of the break up on all of the individuals in the band that led to the break up. They all had a hand in it.

[bugsymalone]

Gaaaa! This has been hashed and rehashed a million times in this forum. Everyone caused the breakup. No one caused the breakup. One guy's an S.O.B. All of them are S.O.B.'s.

I agree with those who said it was all for the better that Dennis is off as a solo performer and music creator, and that Styx is the touring machine the current members always wanted it to be.

I am a fan of DeYoung and like everything he has done and is doing as a solo performer. I am a fan of his music who is perfectly happy with the way things have turned out.

Bugsy

[styxfanNH]

Gaaaa! This has been hashed and rehashed a million times in this forum. Everyone caused the breakup. No one caused the breakup. One guy's an S.O.B. All of them are S.O.B.'s.

I agree with those who said it was all for the better that Dennis is off as a solo performer and music creator, and that Styx is the touring machine the current members always wanted it to be.

I am a fan of DeYoung and like everything he has done and is doing as a solo performer. I am a fan of his music who is perfectly happy with the way things have turned out.

Bugsy

I agree with everything you say. Everything happens for a reason. The music and projects we are getting from Dennis now, would never hae happened if he was still with Styx.

if Styx was broken in '83, then I am happy with the results of the aftermath.

As usual, you put it perfectly.

[froy]

Gaaaa! This has been hashed and rehashed a million times in this forum. Everyone caused the breakup. No one caused the breakup. One guy's an S.O.B. All of them are S.O.B.'s.

I agree with those who said it was all for the better that Dennis is off as a solo performer and music creator, and that Styx is the touring machine the current members always wanted it to be.

I am a fan of DeYoung and like everything he has done and is doing as a solo performer. I am a fan of his music who is perfectly happy with the way things have turned out.

Bugsy

I agree Bugsy but one thing is wrong. Dennis can't get headliner shows with big production and his shows suffer from it.
STYX shows are low budget crap with stale setlists , Gone are the days of the great STYX concerts like we saw in the past.

[Monker]

I feel that the DDY doesn't want to really tour was not the real issue in '99. It was more over that he needed to delay it's start because he was ill. That is when the other members saw an opening to hijack the band since DDY was at a weak point and maybe did not have the energy to fight back.

I disagree with that. When Dennis got all possy he made it harder, when he sued the band, he made rejoining the band impossible.

I also think that it is silly to think that DDY was any less committed to Styx because of his Hunchback project. All things are timing in the entertainment industry and DDY did not want to lose an opening on a project that he had worked on for years while Styx was not doing anything.

Hunchback was in Dennis forte from shortly after Edge until, well, his recent solo shows. I do believe Styx was doing things during that time.

Not to mention the fact that originally Styx was not suppose to tour in '97 but DDY agreed to do it anyway since he was informed that another member of the band needed the money. Yeah, that's really the actions of a person who cares only about himself and is not committed to a band that he was so "controlling" over.

I did not say he cares only about himself. I say he did not fully commit himself to Styx because of Hunchback.

I love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

Seems to me there was this robot thing in the middle of that somewhere.

[Monker]

I feel that the DDY doesn't want to really tour was not the real issue in '99. It was more over that he needed to delay it's start because he was ill. That is when the other members saw an opening to hijack the band since DDY was at a weak point and maybe did not have the energy to fight back.

I disagree with that.

Well your wrong again. Even Todd admitted the guy was sick,

Quit being an idiot. The part I disagree with is the 'band saw an opening...blah, blah, blah..." bit.

When Dennis got all possy he made it harder, when he sued the band, he made rejoining the band impossible.

He should have never gave up, He could have stopped a legacy from being destroyed.
He should sue them again

LOL...over what? "Nobody in the band wants me, so I am going to sue my way back in...." Yeah, makes a lot of sense froy. He had no sole claim to the name. He got as much as he could in the settlement. He seems satisfied...you should be too.

[Monker]

Oh I see when your in STYX you can't have outside projects I get it.

That's not what I said. I said he allowed his solo career to affect the band.

But when Tommy decides to snort coke and kill off the band for many years in the mid 80's that's ok.

Forcing the band to an album about robots is just as bad. I'm not making excuses for Tommy's behavior in 198x. Why are you making excuses for Dennis?

Even though Dennis wanted him back with no questions asked in the 90's.

He wanted him back so bad that he told him to join DY.

Yea but he helped out a broke Tommy Shaw in 97

Prove it. Seems to me it has already been discussed here that nobody knows SPECIFICALLY who Dennis was talking about.

[bugsymalone]

I agree Bugsy but one thing is wrong. Dennis can't get headliner shows with big production and his shows suffer from it.
STYX shows are low budget crap with stale setlists , Gone are the days of the great STYX concerts like we saw in the past.

That is exactly right. Styx is not, nor will it ever be, what it was 20/30 years ago. But, honestly, both Dennis and his former band are getting to do performances many many bands who were popular back in the day are not really getting to do. Styx gets the rock bills with other bands and Dennis always gets some nice gigs that give him an outlet for his performing skills. They are not 1981 Styx but they do very nicely in my view, and maybe in theirs, too.

Dennis has an outlet for his creativity. HE put out an album of new music. HE got the invite to write for a musical done by the top echelon of Broadway producers. His Hunchback musical finally saw a fitting, well-received run in Chicago resulting in a prestigious award. No telling what lies down the road for him. I look at it as only good for him.

Others on this board have said, and I completely agree, that even a reunited Styx likely would not get a big tour or arena settings. Those days are gone.

And I agree with myself. Dennis solo = Good!!!

Bugsy

[froy]

Monker - "froy"
Oh I see when your in STYX you can't have outside projects I get it.

That's not what I said. I said he allowed his solo career to affect the band.

Im sorry Monker but Hunchback was far from a Dennis DeYoung solo career.
It's a damn musical.

But when Tommy decides to snort coke and kill off the band for many years in the mid 80's that's ok.

Forcing the band to an album about robots is just as bad. I'm not making excuses for Tommy's behavior in 198x. Why are you making excuses for Dennis?

Forcing the band? Who said they were forced?
JY looked pretty good as DR R did not look forced to me and the Roboto tour was great, I saw it 5 times, So there was 1 stupid song.
The cd was really good IMO and the tour made money,
It was Shaw who was on drugs and his baby attitude ruined the band.

Even though Dennis wanted him back with no questions asked in the 90's.

He wanted him back so bad that he told him to join DY.

yea I guess Shaw's solo career was more important.

Yea but he helped out a broke Tommy Shaw in 97

Prove it. Seems to me it has already been discussed here that nobody knows SPECIFICALLY who Dennis was talking about.

12 thousand concerts and a sandbagged Dennis is proof enough.

[froy]

Monker

I love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

Seems to me there was this robot thing in the middle of that somewhere.

A song way ahead of it's time and one that everyone knows.
The song that VW paid big bucks to use,
Not a bad decision at all

[Toph]

I love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

Remember why Tommy got into drugs AND quit the band...
Starts with a D...

The whole Cornerstone thing, the whole Concept thing for PT, then Kilroy... it's a wonder all of them didn't quit or kill each other.

Yeah...Dennis put a gun to Tommy's head and shoved a spoon down his nose. Give me a FUCKING break. What's next...Dennis gave Chuck AIDS? Dennis killed John C? Dennis forced John P to become a drunk and die? Dennis put JY's wife in a coma?

Congrats Bry, this is probably the absolutely stupidest post I've ever seen on this forum and given all the posts fro night/chicken/everett (whatever he is calling himself these days), that is an accomplishment.

[froy]

Toph

Yeah...Dennis put a gun to Tommy's head and shoved a spoon down his nose. Give me a FUCKING break. What's next...Dennis gave Chuck AIDS? Dennis killed John C? Dennis forced John P to become a drunk and die? Dennis put JY's wife in a coma?

Congrats Bry, this is probably the absolutely stupidest post I've ever seen on this forum and given all the posts fro night/chicken/everett (whatever he is calling himself these days), that is an accomplishment.

Nightbull and Chickenshit are gone all that is left is one of 3 Everett and he is been quiet cause he knows he 's gone next.

[Boomchild]

I feel that the DDY doesn't want to really tour was not the real issue in '99. It was more over that he needed to delay it's start because he was ill. That is when the other members saw an opening to hijack the band since DDY was at a weak point and maybe did not have the energy to fight back. I also think that it is silly to think that DDY was any less committed to Styx because of his Hunchback project. All things are timing in the entertainment industry and DDY did not want to lose an opening on a project that he had worked on for years while Styx was not doing anything. Not to mention the fact that originally Styx was not suppose to tour in '97 but DDY agreed to do it anyway since he was informed that another member of the band needed the money. Yeah, that's really the actions of a person who cares only about himself and is not committed to a band that he was so "controlling" over.

You're delusional

And why is that?

[Boomchild]

JY and his wife in 2008 is a very bad analogy JY only missed like four show and told the band to go on without him. Dennis insisted that they wait for him to "get better" which held up the band and was indefinite. The other guys have to put food on the table. Tough shit for Dennis.

Dennis told the band he needed about six months to get better and not an indefinite period of time. He did not agree with replacing members of the band even short term, he felt that would harm the integrity of the band.

[Boomchild]

Toph

I think that gets lost - the fact that Dennis DID GO TOUR in 1997 when they weren't supposed to - to HELP another band member out who was having financial issues. Some of you forget about that because it doesn't align with your "DeYoung is a cruel heartless bastard" stereotype that the touring band tries to sell. Facts are facts - they let JY continue with his wife being ill. Dennis asked for 6 months (which by the way could have been used to redo Brave New Flop and make it a respectable album). They didn't give it to him. So the entire Dennis won't tour line is bullshit - and yet another lie perpetrated by Styx touring version to oust him. They've changed their story so many times to make the pieces fit that it isn't funny. JY and Tommy and Brusco are the ones you should write Froy. They are the liars, cowards, and money grubbing fools - not Gowan. Gowan just is doing a job,

Do you know what an enabler is Toph? Gowan is an enabler plain and simple. Look at Aerosmith nobody would run to do
THE JOB of Tyler so they were forced to work it out. Gowan on the other hand ENABLED STYX to run and do 12 thousand shows,
Im sorry Gowan is a opportunistic enabler, You are correct about what you say just don't let Gowan off the hook.
If he would have declined the so called job none of this shit would be going on. If nobody would have stepped in for Dennis and they toured without anyone singing Dennis I would careless, Tour without a Dennis copycat that would be fine.

JY and TS would have found someone else if Gowan turned them down. They along with CP are the ones responsible for what happened. It starts and stops with them. To think that everyone would turn them down out of respect for the integrity of Styx or DDY I think is a bit unrealistic.

[Boomchild]

I feel that the DDY doesn't want to really tour was not the real issue in '99. It was more over that he needed to delay it's start because he was ill. That is when the other members saw an opening to hijack the band since DDY was at a weak point and maybe did not have the energy to fight back.

I disagree with that. When Dennis got all possy he made it harder, when he sued the band, he made rejoining the band impossible.

He sued the band because they forced his hand to do so. He first attempted to resolve it by trying to talk to the other members of the band. They chose to completely ignore his attempts and not even give him the respect to talk to him. Under those circumstances I don't blame him.

I did not say he cares only about himself. I say he did not fully commit himself to Styx because of Hunchback.

I guess I will just have to agree to disagree on that point.

[Boomchild]

Yea but he helped out a broke Tommy Shaw in 97 and got stabbed in the back. I don't care what he was doing in his career.
The guy was there for Shaw and Shaw fucked him

I am not sure it has ever been stated who exactly needed the money but, whom ever it was did kind of stab DDY in the back.

[Boomchild]

I

love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

That is a good point but I am sure the blame for the split in '84 extends to other members of Styx as well.

[Boomchild]

I love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

Remember why Tommy got into drugs AND quit the band...
Starts with a D...

The whole Cornerstone thing, the whole Concept thing for PT, then Kilroy... it's a wonder all of them didn't quit or kill each other.

It is unfair to blame DDY for TS getting into drugs. DDY wasn't shoving the coke up his nose. TS made that choice himself and I am sure that even he would disagree with your comment. It seems to me that TS had a problem confronting people face to face on issues he had with them. Instead he would go to other people to try and have them resolve it for him, like Derek Suttun (SP?).

[Boomchild]

Even though Dennis wanted him back with no questions asked in the 90's.

He wanted him back so bad that he told him to join DY.

Dennis has said that TS had already joined DY when DDY discussed about reforming Styx and DDY could not tell TS that he had to drop that commitment and re-join Styx.

[Boomchild]

Forcing the band to an album about robots is just as bad. I'm not making excuses for Tommy's behavior in 198x. Why are you making excuses for Dennis?

Forcing the band? Who said they were forced?
JY looked pretty good as DR R did not look forced to me and the Roboto tour was great, I saw it 5 times, So there was 1 stupid song.
The cd was really good IMO and the tour made money, It was Shaw who was on drugs and his baby attitude ruined the band.

To say that the other members were forced to do anything is not correct. It has been stated by more than one member of Styx that they each had a vote on band decisions. So if they felt forced then it was their own fault. They could have just voted not to accept DDY's project. It's that simple.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Toph

I think that gets lost - the fact that Dennis DID GO TOUR in 1997 when they weren't supposed to - to HELP another band member out who was having financial issues. Some of you forget about that because it doesn't align with your "DeYoung is a cruel heartless bastard" stereotype that the touring band tries to sell. Facts are facts - they let JY continue with his wife being ill. Dennis asked for 6 months (which by the way could have been used to redo Brave New Flop and make it a respectable album). They didn't give it to him. So the entire Dennis won't tour line is bullshit - and yet another lie perpetrated by Styx touring version to oust him. They've changed their story so many times to make the pieces fit that it isn't funny. JY and Tommy and Brusco are the ones you should write Froy. They are the liars, cowards, and money grubbing fools - not Gowan. Gowan just is doing a job,

Do you know what an enabler is Toph? Gowan is an enabler plain and simple. Look at Aerosmith nobody would run to do
THE JOB of Tyler so they were forced to work it out. Gowan on the other hand ENABLED STYX to run and do 12 thousand shows,
Im sorry Gowan is a opportunistic enabler, You are correct about what you say just don't let Gowan off the hook.
If he would have declined the so called job none of this shit would be going on. If nobody would have stepped in for Dennis and they toured without anyone singing Dennis I would careless, Tour without a Dennis copycat that would be fine.

JY and TS would have found someone else if Gowan turned them down. They along with CP are the ones responsible for what happened. It starts and stops with them. To think that everyone would turn them down out of respect for the integrity of Styx or DDY I think is a bit unrealistic.

There were a couple people who tried out to take over Dennis' position, 1 or 2 well-known singers but turned down the offers.

There were 3 not well-known singers too, including the singer from our local band "Light Up". If I'm not mistaken, I'll find the article, but it was Glen who contacted him.

Now from what I heard from the Styx "inside", after a few try-outs, offers and what not, they decided they NEEDED one person that could sing and also play keyboards, something they weren't looking for at first when everything happened. They were looking to fill 2 spots at the beginning. This is just what I heard, don't know if it's totally true or happened exactly like that, but close.

[Archetype]

JY and his wife in 2008 is a very bad analogy JY only missed like four show and told the band to go on without him. Dennis insisted that they wait for him to "get better" which held up the band and was indefinite. The other guys have to put food on the table. Tough shit for Dennis.

Dennis told the band he needed about six months to get better and not an indefinite period of time. He did not agree with replacing members of the band even short term, he felt that would harm the integrity of the band.

They already gave him a year and a half. During that time, he didn't rest and recover; he worked on Hunchback and solo work. He blew it.

[Monker]

Monker - "froy"
Oh I see when your in STYX you can't have outside projects I get it.

That's not what I said. I said he allowed his solo career to affect the band.

Im sorry Monker but Hunchback was far from a Dennis DeYoung solo career.
It's a damn musical.

Oh, I see, so somebody else came up with the idea, wrote all the songs, promoted it every chance he had, even put a HB song on BNW. Yeah, it has nothing to do with Dennis' being solo.

Forcing the band? Who said they were forced?
JY looked pretty good as DR R did not look forced to me and the Roboto tour was great, I saw it 5 times, So there was 1 stupid song.
The cd was really good IMO and the tour made money,
It was Shaw who was on drugs and his baby attitude ruined the band.

Dennis was as much in control of Styx for Kilroy as Perry was for ROR. If you can't see that, then you are just plain blind and stupid.

Even though Dennis wanted him back with no questions asked in the 90's.

He wanted him back so bad that he told him to join DY.

yea I guess Shaw's solo career was more important.

At one time in alt.music.journey YOU said that Dennis didn't want Tommy in the band for Edge. Funny how time and circumstance changes your mind.

Yea but he helped out a broke Tommy Shaw in 97

Prove it. Seems to me it has already been discussed here that nobody knows SPECIFICALLY who Dennis was talking about.

12 thousand concerts and a sandbagged Dennis is proof enough.

In other words - you are just guessing like everybody else.

[Monker]

Monker

I love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

Seems to me there was this robot thing in the middle of that somewhere.

A song way ahead of it's time and one that everyone knows.
The song that VW paid big bucks to use,
Not a bad decision at all

So, everybody knows "Tip Toe Through the Tulips", and we all know how much you love Tiny Tim.

Kilroy destroyed the band, just as much as Perry and ROR destroyed Journey. One person controling everything in a band is wrong and this is what it leads to.

[Monker]

He sued the band because they forced his hand to do so. He first attempted to resolve it by trying to talk to the other members of the band. They chose to completely ignore his attempts and not even give him the respect to talk to him. Under those circumstances I don't blame him.

Not true. Suite knows more about this...But, I believe he sued the band because he felt he was not getting his shares of concert royalties, and maybe because of how they were using his name/voice/image in advertisements...but, it had nothing to do with 'forcing his hand', or a battle over the name "Styx", or getting back into the band. It ended up being settled by summary judgement, which means both parties agreed to allow the evidence to stand and the judge to decide the case without any further argument from either side....In other words, Dennis felt like he could not 'win' and agreed to just get it over with.

[Monker]

I love how Tommy's Coke snorting idiotic decisions about singles to release and then quiting the band seem to get a pass by some in this forum and caused to break up at their height of success.

Remember why Tommy got into drugs AND quit the band...
Starts with a D...

The whole Cornerstone thing, the whole Concept thing for PT, then Kilroy... it's a wonder all of them didn't quit or kill each other.

It is unfair to blame DDY for TS getting into drugs. DDY wasn't shoving the coke up his nose. TS made that choice himself and I am sure that even he would disagree with your comment. It seems to me that TS had a problem confronting people face to face on issues he had with them. Instead he would go to other people to try and have them resolve it for him, like Derek Suttun (SP?).

That may be true...But, at the same time, you can't excuse Dennis' dictator like actions for that time and say that his rule over the band did not severly impact how the other members viewed their place in the band, and how they viewed Dennis. Remember, he was almost fired prior to PT for those very reasons. Nobody in Styx wanted Dennis to have so much control, except for Dennis.

[Monker]

Even though Dennis wanted him back with no questions asked in the 90's.

He wanted him back so bad that he told him to join DY.

Dennis has said that TS had already joined DY when DDY discussed about reforming Styx and DDY could not tell TS that he had to drop that commitment and re-join Styx.

The interview on this very site contradicts that. *DENNIS* said that Tommy called him a few times about a Styx reunion. The last call, Tommy told him there was this thing with Jack Blades and Ted Nugent...and *DENNIS* said he told Tommy to do it. There was another inteview from way back where Tommy told this exact same story in exactly the same way. Sorry, but I'll believe the story that the two parties agree on...over one that came out later where Dennis changes things.