Jy Interview 12-29-06

[styxfansite]

Nothing new in this interview. Jy talks about rocking with Country Fans.

Country fans can rock 'n' roll with Styx


C'mon. Admit it. You're dying to know why a New Year's Eve bill headlined by Lexington's own Montgomery Gentry includes a performance by Styx.

That's right. We're talking the veteran pop-rock ensemble that scored hits like Come Sail Away and Renegade in the '70s and The Best of Times and Too Much Time on My Hands in the '80s. We're talking a band with performance history at Rupp that extends back to when its album The Grand Illusion was a hit in 1977.

So, how is it these guys became part of a country music showdown?

"When we do New Year's Eve, we want it to be for everybody," said Montgomery Gentry's Eddie Montgomery. "We want it to be for all ages who like all genres of music. We knew Styx had so many classic hits that they would appeal to everybody."

For guitarist and co-founding Styx member James "JY" Young, the opportunity to play for a country crowd is more a privilege than a challenge. And while Sunday won't be the first time Styx has found itself the lone rock act on an all-country bill (it has played similar concerts in Colorado over the past decade), Young thinks a Montgomery Gentry audience should feel right at home with his band's hits.

"We're excited about the whole circumstance of us coming back to Lexington," Young said. "You can look back and see country and classic rock coming together with people like Garth Brooks, who embraced the ways Styx, Kiss and Queen influenced his music.

"But the fact is that in the '90s, music became more and more corporatized as target audiences became a lot narrower. Now, you see women gravitating more toward country, and classic rock stations gearing themselves more toward men. There is a great cross-pollenization that's going on. People are more open, particularly country audiences. As long as there is a sense of melody, which our music has, as long as there is a sense of joy about it, which there is, and as long as there is a little sense of humor, which on occasion our songs have, audiences will be tapping toes to Styx as well as to Montgomery Gentry."

Young and longtime Styx guitarist and singer Tommy Shaw pilot the band's current lineup. Singer-keyboardist Lawrence Gowan joined in 1999 after the band split acrimoniously with former frontman Dennis De Young, and drummer Todd Sucherman replaced John Panozzo, who died in 1996.

Bassist Ricky Phillips completes the current Styx's "starting five," as Young puts it. But the band also maintains an especially close relationship with its original bass guitarist Chuck Panozzo (brother of Styx's late drummer). In recent years, he has battled AIDS and prostate cancer, but continues to perform with Styx, often as a "special guest" at select performances. While Young wasn't making a guarantee, he said Panozzo is planning to be on hand for the Rupp performance.

"When he's well enough, Chuck usually comes out at the end of our show and becomes our 'sixth man,' so to speak," Young said. "That gives the show such a lift. He has to take a ton of medicine every day, but he's still with us. He's still standing. That's a true testament to his will."Country fans can rock 'n' roll with Styx





http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/en ... 333015.htm

[froy]

Nothing new in this interview. Jy talks about rocking with Country Fans.

Country fans can rock 'n' roll with Styx


C'mon. Admit it. You're dying to know why a New Year's Eve bill headlined by Lexington's own Montgomery Gentry includes a performance by Styx.

That's right. We're talking the veteran pop-rock ensemble that scored hits like Come Sail Away and Renegade in the '70s and The Best of Times and Too Much Time on My Hands in the '80s. We're talking a band with performance history at Rupp that extends back to when its album The Grand Illusion was a hit in 1977.

So, how is it these guys became part of a country music showdown?

"When we do New Year's Eve, we want it to be for everybody," said Montgomery Gentry's Eddie Montgomery. "We want it to be for all ages who like all genres of music. We knew Styx had so many classic hits that they would appeal to everybody."

For guitarist and co-founding Styx member James "JY" Young, the opportunity to play for a country crowd is more a privilege than a challenge. And while Sunday won't be the first time Styx has found itself the lone rock act on an all-country bill (it has played similar concerts in Colorado over the past decade), Young thinks a Montgomery Gentry audience should feel right at home with his band's hits.

"We're excited about the whole circumstance of us coming back to Lexington," Young said. "You can look back and see country and classic rock coming together with people like Garth Brooks, who embraced the ways Styx, Kiss and Queen influenced his music.

"But the fact is that in the '90s, music became more and more corporatized as target audiences became a lot narrower. Now, you see women gravitating more toward country, and classic rock stations gearing themselves more toward men. There is a great cross-pollenization that's going on. People are more open, particularly country audiences. As long as there is a sense of melody, which our music has, as long as there is a sense of joy about it, which there is, and as long as there is a little sense of humor, which on occasion our songs have, audiences will be tapping toes to Styx as well as to Montgomery Gentry."

Young and longtime Styx guitarist and singer Tommy Shaw pilot the band's current lineup. Singer-keyboardist Lawrence Gowan joined in 1999 after the band split acrimoniously with former frontman Dennis De Young, and drummer Todd Sucherman replaced John Panozzo, who died in 1996.

Bassist Ricky Phillips completes the current Styx's "starting five," as Young puts it. But the band also maintains an especially close relationship with its original bass guitarist Chuck Panozzo (brother of Styx's late drummer). In recent years, he has battled AIDS and prostate cancer, but continues to perform with Styx, often as a "special guest" at select performances. While Young wasn't making a guarantee, he said Panozzo is planning to be on hand for the Rupp performance.

"When he's well enough, Chuck usually comes out at the end of our show and becomes our 'sixth man,' so to speak," Young said. "That gives the show such a lift. He has to take a ton of medicine every day, but he's still with us. He's still standing. That's a true testament to his will."Country fans can rock 'n' roll with Styx





http://www.kentucky.com/mld/kentucky/en ... 333015.htm

Next stop the air force base and the Holiday Inn.
Anyone stupid enough to pay there fee will get this freak show.
And Im talking promoters so do go crazy on me,

[DerriD]

I'll give credit where credit is due...No DDY snips from JY. Maybe that's his New Year's Resolution..

[sadie65]

Given that Montgomery Gentry are the latest "bad boys" of country so to speak, I think it's probably a good pairing. They "rock" more than most country, though I realize country is going through its own evolution right now.

[styxfanNH]

Country music is still telling a story through its lyrics. Something that is missing from rock today.

[Ash]

Well not really. I do agree that good story telling is missing from modern rock and roll music, but songs can also be about ideals or philosophies. Some of the songs I like the best involve ideals or thoughts on different topics.

Styx, like many bands, found a balance between story telling and ideals. A lot of Styx' earlier music was ideal based and then moved more in the story telling direction with Paradise Theatre and Kilroy. But you could argue that even metaphorically those were ideal based.

A lot of modern music is songs for the sake of songs. Or songs about killing people or getting laid. I enjoy a good love song, but how many different ways can you talk about how bad you wanna screw?

[styxfanNH]

Well not really. I do agree that good story telling is missing from modern rock and roll music, but songs can also be about ideals or philosophies. Some of the songs I like the best involve ideals or thoughts on different topics.

Styx, like many bands, found a balance between story telling and ideals. A lot of Styx' earlier music was ideal based and then moved more in the story telling direction with Paradise Theatre and Kilroy. But you could argue that even metaphorically those were ideal based.

A lot of modern music is songs for the sake of songs. Or songs about killing people or getting laid. I enjoy a good love song, but how many different ways can you talk about how bad you wanna screw?

Ask Fergie

[stmonkeys]

Well not really. I do agree that good story telling is missing from modern rock and roll music, but songs can also be about ideals or philosophies. Some of the songs I like the best involve ideals or thoughts on different topics.

Styx, like many bands, found a balance between story telling and ideals. A lot of Styx' earlier music was ideal based and then moved more in the story telling direction with Paradise Theatre and Kilroy. But you could argue that even metaphorically those were ideal based.

A lot of modern music is songs for the sake of songs. Or songs about killing people or getting laid. I enjoy a good love song, but how many different ways can you talk about how bad you wanna screw?

Ask Fergie

LMAO!!!!!

[Abitaman]

Well not really. I do agree that good story telling is missing from modern rock and roll music, but songs can also be about ideals or philosophies. Some of the songs I like the best involve ideals or thoughts on different topics.

Styx, like many bands, found a balance between story telling and ideals. A lot of Styx' earlier music was ideal based and then moved more in the story telling direction with Paradise Theatre and Kilroy. But you could argue that even metaphorically those were ideal based.

A lot of modern music is songs for the sake of songs. Or songs about killing people or getting laid. I enjoy a good love song, but how many different ways can you talk about how bad you wanna screw?

According to Sammy Hagar, one night of sex could lead to 1,000 songs -ERIC

[LordofDaRing]

All stories to include the old drunk dog and the pick up truck!

[Blue Falcon]

Next stop the air force base and the Holiday Inn.
Anyone stupid enough to pay there fee will get this freak show.
And Im talking promoters so do go crazy on me,

[ChicagoSTYX]

STYX 2007

[froy]

STYX 2007

Yea so what

[Blue Falcon]

STYX 2007

...same as
STYX 2006
STYX 2005
STYX 2004
STYX 2003
STYX 2002
STYX 2001
STYX 2000
STYX 1999

SAME STYNX...DIFFERENT YEAR

[styxfanNH]

aren't ya glad we bring so much to the table to these discussions?

[froy]

STYX 2007

...same as
STYX 2006
STYX 2005
STYX 2004
STYX 2003
STYX 2002
STYX 2001
STYX 2000
STYX 1999

SAME STYNX...DIFFERENT YEAR

Thats 1000 Blue Collar Man's

[ChicagoSTYX]

STYX 2007

...same as
STYX 2006
STYX 2005
STYX 2004
STYX 2003
STYX 2002
STYX 2001
STYX 2000
STYX 1999

SAME STYNX...DIFFERENT YEAR

Thats 1000 Blue Collar Man's

And thats 10000 times better then 1000 Babe's!!!

[sadie65]

aren't ya glad we bring so much to the table to these discussions?

Amen. This is so stupid. For fans of this band and its members, people coming here to read these posts would be hard pressed to believe us as being fans.

[ChicagoSTYX]

aren't ya glad we bring so much to the table to these discussions?

Amen. This is so stupid. For fans of this band and its members, people coming here to read these posts would be hard pressed to believe us as being fans.

I agree

[AnnieOprah]

aren't ya glad we bring so much to the table to these discussions?

Amen. This is so stupid. For fans of this band and its members, people coming here to read these posts would be hard pressed to believe us as being fans.

I agree

THEN STOP RAILING ON DDY EVERY CHANCE YOU GET!

[StyxCollector]

Styx sucks! Dennis sucks! They both suck! Neither suck!

Folks, it's old. I'm as critical as anyone of what both camps are doing/have done, but who cares? To say the millionth version of "Blue Collar Man" is better than "Babe" is just silly. Opinions are like assholes - everyone has one.

Let's just see what gets released from both camps. If "Just Be" and "Everything ..." are indications of what's to come from Styx, color me unimpressed so far with the newest lineup with Ricky. As much as some of it will be just as "cringeworthy" to some as "Babe", I'll bet Influence will sound good because TS has passion for it. None of those songs are real rockers on that one. I was listening to the 1st S/B CD the other day. Good stuff. Not really rockin', tho.

Bottom line: let's just enjoy - or not if you hate it and want to ignore it without judging yourself - whatever comes down the pike. Who would have thought 10 years ago we would still be talking about Styx as an entity and now we even have DDY solo material coming out? After 96, I didn't necessarily think we would see much from them at all.

[froy]

And thats 10000 times better then 1000 Babe's!!!

[/quote]

What are ya gay?

I will take a 1000 Babes any day man.

[ChicagoSTYX]

And thats 10000 times better then 1000 Babe's!!!

What are ya gay?

I will take a 1000 Babes any day man.[/quote]

Funny!

[gr8dane]

STYX 2007

Yea so what

Look on the bright side.
You won't have to find a new hobby.

[Zan]

Look on the bright side.
You won't have to find a new hobby.

Post of the Day!!!!!

Hahahaha...

[gr8dane]

Look on the bright side.
You won't have to find a new hobby.

Post of the Day!!!!!

Hahahaha...

Well,thank you Zan.
May I remind you it was the only post of the day.
Tihi

[Zan]

Post of the Day!!!!!

Hahahaha...

Well,thank you Zan.
May I remind you it was the only post of the day.
Tihi[/quote]


Right, that's what I said: Post of the day.

nyuk nyuk.

[gr8dane]

Post of the Day!!!!!

Hahahaha...

Well,thank you Zan.
May I remind you it was the only post of the day.
Tihi

Right, that's what I said: Post of the day.

nyuk nyuk.[/quote]

Yoinks.Got me.