MR

Just heard a podcast that JY did recently with Eddie Trunk ( That Metal Show). They seemed to be really good friends based on all the conversation.

Anyway toward the end of the interview Eddie asked JY about the new album and JY sounded real positive about the album BUT....... he actually said that when Tommy brought the project and the concept to the rest of the band he just went 'blank trying to write songs about Mars'. He said it was a real challenge to think about songs about Mars, spaceships and outer space. "He went blank'.

He then stated that after a 14 year album layoff 'all he really wanted to do was rock'.

It sounded like only 1 of his songs made the cut.


Strangely enough he said if the concept would of been about robots he came up with tons of material.

I heard he wanted to remake Eddie and Homewrecker, suprised those two gems were not shipped on the journey to Mars.

It's always been said that there is always some truth in humor.

So here’s the breakdown given to me by an un-named source!

If JY were to leave the band the flowing would happen:

Johnathan Chance sings Styx (Tommy’s band)
Fooling Yourself, The music of Styx Lite (Chuck’s band that only plays 2 songs at each show)
Dennis DeYoung and the music of Styx (JY’s band, strangely enough Dennis loses the rights to his name)
Sticks (Todd’s band)
Denny sings the Styx Songbook (Dennis’s band)
The Babe - E's A Tribute to Styx (Ricky’s band, Chuck and Glen sit in on some shows to feature 3 bass players)
Styx (JC’s estate get the rights to the name and his 2nd cousin’s son tours the country with a banjo)

Now back to reality…….

The irony of Tommy pushing a concept on the band after the Paradise Theater and Kilroy Was Here fiasco. But with that said, The Mission sounds great so far in the two songs that I've heard. I'm really glad to be hearing new Styx music. I didn't think it would happen. Takes me back to the excitement of the Cyclorama era 14 long years ago.

i think it is hilarious how so many want to rail on tommy for a comment he made 35 some odd years ago?????

yes, at that time, he was burnt out on the idea of writing songs about a concept. I totally get that. keep in mind that DDY was pretty much the designer of the concepts so Tommy was writing to DDY's vision.

with all that said, I take tommy's comments and position in the early 80's to that of someone going through a divorce. How many times have you heard someone say, "i'll never get married again" after a divorce and then a few years later they are telling everyone that they have really found the "one" this time. happens all the time in nearly everything we do in life.

so for me, going back to the idea of a concept piece falls right in line with the 6=8 years of tommy's most successful time in his career. so it makes sense.

masque wrote:i think it is hilarious how so many want to rail on tommy for a comment he made 35 some odd years ago?????

yes, at that time, he was burnt out on the idea of writing songs about a concept. I totally get that. keep in mind that DDY was pretty much the designer of the concepts so Tommy was writing to DDY's vision.

with all that said, I take tommy's comments and position in the early 80's to that of someone going through a divorce. How many times have you heard someone say, "i'll never get married again" after a divorce and then a few years later they are telling everyone that they have really found the "one" this time. happens all the time in nearly everything we do in life.

so for me, going back to the idea of a concept piece falls right in line with the 6=8 years of tommy's most successful time in his career. so it makes sense.

That's all well and good. Except for the fact they kept commenting on it years later. Also I believe I am correct in saying that BNW was supposed to be a concept which originated from Tommy. One would think if that caused such a rub in the past, that wouldn't be the thing to do right after you have reunited the band. Perhaps it has more to do with who is bringing the concept to the table.

Archetype wrote:The irony of Tommy pushing a concept on the band after the Paradise Theater and Kilroy Was Here fiasco. But with that said, The Mission sounds great so far in the two songs that I've heard. I'm really glad to be hearing new Styx music. I didn't think it would happen. Takes me back to the excitement of the Cyclorama era 14 long years ago.

How was Paradise Theatre a fiasco? It was their only album to hit #1 and by many it is considered to be the most complete Styx album. That's fake news right there.

Boomchild wrote:

masque wrote:i think it is hilarious how so many want to rail on tommy for a comment he made 35 some odd years ago?????

yes, at that time, he was burnt out on the idea of writing songs about a concept. I totally get that. keep in mind that DDY was pretty much the designer of the concepts so Tommy was writing to DDY's vision.

with all that said, I take tommy's comments and position in the early 80's to that of someone going through a divorce. How many times have you heard someone say, "i'll never get married again" after a divorce and then a few years later they are telling everyone that they have really found the "one" this time. happens all the time in nearly everything we do in life.

so for me, going back to the idea of a concept piece falls right in line with the 6=8 years of tommy's most successful time in his career. so it makes sense.

That's all well and good. Except for the fact they kept commenting on it years later. Also I believe I am correct in saying that BNW was supposed to be a concept which originated from Tommy. One would think if that caused such a rub in the past, that wouldn't be the thing to do right after you have reunited the band. Perhaps it has more to do with who is bringing the concept to the table.

oh I think you are pretty spot on correct there in saying it maybe has alot to do with who is bringing the concept to the table. no doubt. that's just human nature. and look, Im not making excuses for any of the guys, I'm sure they all have good qualities and not so good qualities and those things are probably only brought out more by trying to work together in a multi million dollar business that creates music art. tough to say the least.

tommy may well be an impossible ass to work with, or maybe DDY is the epic ass? who knows, maybe it's just not the right combo for the three of them to be together?

I'm just saying that I dont really know of tommy complaining about concept albums other than remembering his feelings and quoting himself from those days on behind the music. all he says was that he was burned out on concepts, didn't want to do another one and when DDY persisted he went blank trying to come up with songs about robots. I am unaware of him discussing his distaste of concept albums in recent years?

and honestly when it comes to creating art/music you can't really believe a word an artist says, because so many of them are "done" with whatever they just did and "never" will do it again.

neal peart has been saying he won't do another rush tour since the early 80's and it has truly been iffy at times, but when they rebounded from the death of his wife and daughter they went on a 15 year run where they were as busy as they have ever been touring and working......now he says he's done again, and maybe this time its for real.....but people in the music industry make dogmatic proclamations all the time only to eat their own words later on. I just dont sweat it. i'm just glad they chose to make a new album.

I don't think JY will go anywhere. He has always been on board with Styx to the extent that he has stuck around while both Tommy and Dennis have been replaced

Archetype wrote:I don't think JY will go anywhere. He has always been on board with Styx to the extent that he has stuck around while both Tommy and Dennis have been replaced

Let's be realistic here. If Tommy was to leave Styx would cease to exist.

Boomchild wrote:

Archetype wrote:I don't think JY will go anywhere. He has always been on board with Styx to the extent that he has stuck around while both Tommy and Dennis have been replaced

Let's be realistic here. If Tommy was to leave Styx would cease to exist.

True, but what I'm saying is that JY Is the only member of Styx who has never been replaced. He stayed in Styx when Tommy Shaw left and was replaced by Glen Burtnik, and he has remained in Styx through Tommy's return and Dennis' departure and replacement by Lawrence Gowan. He knows where his money and security is, and doesn't seem ready to walk away from it.

For me Raised By Wolves is probably the best release from any of them since 95. I still love that album and is good is it is/was and the touring that went behind it, it is his best interest to stay put, as much as I would like another album with the RBW line-up. Some good stuff and their live shows were excellent.

LOVED the Raised By Wolves album!

GREAT GREAT work by JY and his band!!!