MR

My question for you to ponder and comment on is ( for both Styx and DDY ) which will give out 1st, their will to perform, or their physical ability to do so ??

As they enter their 60's, that light at the end of the tunnel will certainly be coming into view, wont it ? Or can you envision live shows and or/studio releases from a 70 year old Dennis....or JY ? Tommy of course is several years younger, so he should outlast the others.

My opinion..........Dennis in particular has accomplished everything he really wanted to ( unless his success in Quebec has his musical juices flowing ) and within a few years, he'll call it a career.....for him, the will to perform will supercede his ability to.


Tommy and JY are a little tougher call.........my hunch is physical abilities will lead to the end of their road. It is impossible to predict what will bring on the end, or when that will be. Could TS be the one close the book by deciding he'd like to focus on Shaw/Blades ?

I have a real hard time envisioning any of them out there perfrorming in 2017 though. thoughts ????

Obviously physically unable to preform. I have read that tommy/jy want to tour until they drop. I am surprised they are still touring at there age. Could you imagine all of them back then still touring today in there 60's or going on 60?

I don't see how either camp can last much more than 6 or 7 years. That's why I hope for just one more miracle reunion so they can call it a career and give the hardcore fans one last thrill.
But if they can't reconcile, I will make sure I see both bands on their last tours. Which means I am going to have to fly somewhere to see Dennis since he doesn't seem to come to Northern Cal very often! I think he would love the Mt. Winery. The Tommy/JY version of Styx play there all the time.

Could TS turn his attention more to S/B? Sure, but Styx is the cash cow, much like Night Ranger is for Jack. I think they'll be out there as long as they physically can, but TS will have to do projects like S/B to stay musically interested. Just my opinion of course having seen two S/B shows. I'll be interested to see TS with Styx in a few weeks to see the difference.

I think the problem for both Styx and DDY is their audience is, by and large, aging. Sure, some younger people are coming out but I'd say the average crowd for both is generally 40+. I'm usually one of the youngest of the adults at a show (Styx or DDY).

I think between them they have a good 3 - 5 year run of fairly constant touring but beyond that, who knows. I've said it for awhile, but if a Styx reunion doesn't happen by 2010, it won't happen at all. At some point, it won't matter that much anyway. A reunion won't be 1996 redux if it happens in the next few years.

I think Dennis - being Dennis of course - had something to prove. He built his brand again. He's going strong. He's not hurting financially (as far as anyone can tell). I don't think he'll all of a sudden pull a Steve Perry and vanish like a ghost. At his current touring pace, he can arguably last for awhile assuming his voice holds up. I think if DDY felt he couldn't put out 100% each time, he'd stop with no regrets. He seems like that kind of a guy.

TS still enjoys it I think. JY - can't tell. Styx, for better or worse, is his life ... his job. What else is JY going to do? Now, JY would be forced to hang it up if TS said "I'm done" and he couldn't get DDY back. At that point, I would say Styx would definitely be over. So JY is in as long as TS is in.

The cane and rocker tour anyone-ERIC

I don't see any of them wanting to stop anytime soon, their life is on the road, DDY will probably be the first. My wish would be to see Styx take 6 mos-1 year off and for Tommy to go out with either Shaw/Blades or Damn Yankees. Now that would be awesome. Sure Styx and Night Ranger are their cash cows, but don't they have enough cash yet?

Denise

tommyluvr2 wrote:I don't see any of them wanting to stop anytime soon, their life is on the road, DDY will probably be the first. My wish would be to see Styx take 6 mos-1 year off and for Tommy to go out with either Shaw/Blades or Damn Yankees. Now that would be awesome. Sure Styx and Night Ranger are their cash cows, but don't they have enough cash yet?

Denise

I know Tommy doesn't.

(Some of this has already been addressed, here, but .... you asked! )

As long as the offers come in for both DDY and the Current Styx (the personnel may possibly change again, but if the core of JY and Tommy are there, they will continue), both entities will continue to play in some form or other for an audience. As Dennis says, I sing for my supper. As long as someone will pay him to do so, and he is able, he will. Ditto the group. I think age will have nothing to do with it if there are still monetary offers to perform.

What form any of this takes down the road will surely depend on their physical ability to carry on -- voice, body and mind.

Dennis has a number of options open to him because he is the most versatile performer. He could go Broadway (and he has had plenty of offers), orchestra performances, acoustic in small clubs, as long as his voice is there. (And Tony Bennett is proof you can do quite nicely even unto your 80's if you take care of yourself. )

I think Tommy has many options open to him as well, especially continuing on as an acoustic performer. And it is certainly possible, if the Styx offers to perform dry up, for him to end up in another super group. Again, I don't think age would be a factor here, only ability and will to continue.

Styx, as a band, will last as long as the money to pay them to BE a band does.


Bugsy

kmd2009 wrote:

tommyluvr2 wrote:I don't see any of them wanting to stop anytime soon, their life is on the road, DDY will probably be the first. My wish would be to see Styx take 6 mos-1 year off and for Tommy to go out with either Shaw/Blades or Damn Yankees. Now that would be awesome. Sure Styx and Night Ranger are their cash cows, but don't they have enough cash yet?

Denise

I know Tommy doesn't.

You know that, huh? lol

I think that the only way they get back together is if, by some remote chance, they get into the HOF. Other than that - no real chance. Tommy really holds the strings here. If he insists on a tour with DDY back in the fold - it will happen. If he leaves the current line-up - JY is screwed. No-one is going to pay to see Styx with only JY. That being said - I think they will tour next year, and then look for a year break. At that point Night Ranger will be done touring on their new album, and I really expect something new from Tommy, Jack, Ted, and Michael. A reunion by them would be and even bigger cash cow then what they are in right now. Look at the comments that have been made lately out of the Styx camp. They want to record a new album, but they know that the public in general isn't going to buy it. They realize that getting significant airplay now is a one in a million chance.
As for retirement - I see DDY playing until he wants to stop (even if it's just at the Redhead in Chicago once in a while), JY plays until Tommy has had enough and then disappears, Gowan plays in Canada and woeks as a studio musician, Ricky goes back to producing and working as a studio musician, Todd hooks up with another group (he's too good to simply being relegated to being a studio guy), and Tommy continues to do the acoustic thing and write for other groups - appearing on others albums and doing solo albums once in a while. I see "retirement" in the next 6-10 years for all.
Just my opinion.

Zan wrote:

kmd2009 wrote:

tommyluvr2 wrote: Sure Styx and Night Ranger are their cash cows, but don't they have enough cash yet?

Denise

I know Tommy doesn't.

You know that, huh? lol

Dude....he had to put the top up.

stabbim wrote:

Zan wrote:

kmd2009 wrote:

tommyluvr2 wrote: Sure Styx and Night Ranger are their cash cows, but don't they have enough cash yet?

Denise

I know Tommy doesn't.

You know that, huh? lol

Dude....he had to put the top up.

You mean top down? LOL

Zan wrote:

stabbim wrote:

Zan wrote:

kmd2009 wrote:

tommyluvr2 wrote: Sure Styx and Night Ranger are their cash cows, but don't they have enough cash yet?

Denise

I know Tommy doesn't.

You know that, huh? lol

Dude....he had to put the top up.

You mean top down? LOL

Pffft.....up and down mean the same thing, don't they?

Gah.

<---- needs more caffiene

stabbim wrote:Pffft.....up and down mean the same thing, don't they?

Not when you're trying to drive home 16 new guitars in a convertible, they don't!

I understand. He couldn't decide. Who wouldn't do the same thing? lol

cittadeeno23 wrote:I think he would love the Mt. Winery. The Tommy/JY version of Styx play there all the time.

Three times in the last week alone!

stabbim wrote:

Zan wrote:

stabbim wrote:

Zan wrote:

kmd2009 wrote:

tommyluvr2 wrote: Sure Styx and Night Ranger are their cash cows, but don't they have enough cash yet?

Denise

I know Tommy doesn't.

You know that, huh? lol

Dude....he had to put the top up.

You mean top down? LOL

Pffft.....up and down mean the same thing, don't they?

Gah.

<---- needs more caffiene

if they do, you're in serious trouble