Welcome to the Grand Illusion

[styxfanNH]

http://www.classicrockrevisited.com/Int ... ozzo07.htm

An Interview with Styx Bass Player Chuck Panozzo
by Jeb Wright

Growing up I was introduced to Styx from my older sister. She brought home an album with a very interesting cover. It has burning ice on it. As interesting as I found the album art, I found the music even more addictive. Equinox by Styx featured some of their most adventurous songwriting to date. "Suite Madam Blue," "Lorelei" and "Light Up" became classics that are still performed by either Styx or Dennis DeYoung to this date. I was hooked and became a fan for life. Like most Styx fans, however, I had no idea that bass player Chuck Panozzo was leading a double life.

complete interview available in the link above.

[Rockwriter]

I read this interview with great interest because I think it's the first time Chuck has answered a question about MY book in an interview. He's been respectful, which is nice. In this interview he mentions that he's read some excerpts - I assume the one I put up, as well as the one from here on Melodic Rock - and he's nice about it. I think maybe if he read the whole book he would understand that the interviews aren't from twenty or thirty years ago, LOL, as he says here, but still, I appreciate his being respectful.

Last week I actually sent a bunch of copies of the book to Styx' manager to pass out, so I guess the band members who choose to will be reading it soon. I honestly don't think it's as bad as they probably fear. I know some people in the Dennis camp have finally read it, and although they weren't thrilled with everything that everyone said regarding Dennis, they appreciated that I had given balanced coverage. If the Dennis camp can handle it, then the Styx camp ought to be a breeze, LOL. But then these guys tend to be very, very, very defensive when it comes to the printed media, so you never really know what little thing might piss them off, LOL.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

[styxfansite]

I read this interview with great interest because I think it's the first time Chuck has answered a question about MY book in an interview. He's been respectful, which is nice. In this interview he mentions that he's read some excerpts - I assume the one I put up, as well as the one from here on Melodic Rock - and he's nice about it. I think maybe if he read the whole book he would understand that the interviews aren't from twenty or thirty years ago, LOL, as he says here, but still, I appreciate his being respectful.

Last week I actually sent a bunch of copies of the book to Styx' manager to pass out, so I guess the band members who choose to will be reading it soon. I honestly don't think it's as bad as they probably fear. I know some people in the Dennis camp have finally read it, and although they weren't thrilled with everything that everyone said regarding Dennis, they appreciated that I had given balanced coverage. If the Dennis camp can handle it, then the Styx camp ought to be a breeze, LOL. But then these guys tend to be very, very, very defensive when it comes to the printed media, so you never really know what little thing might piss them off, LOL.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

Watch out for Jy He might read something about himself that is the truth and not like it and send you a nice letter

[brywool]

Although I like JY, I loved the quote from Chuck about "Jy wanted lawyers to read it first..."

Jeez JY- relax man.

[Rockwriter]

I read this interview with great interest because I think it's the first time Chuck has answered a question about MY book in an interview. He's been respectful, which is nice. In this interview he mentions that he's read some excerpts - I assume the one I put up, as well as the one from here on Melodic Rock - and he's nice about it. I think maybe if he read the whole book he would understand that the interviews aren't from twenty or thirty years ago, LOL, as he says here, but still, I appreciate his being respectful.

Last week I actually sent a bunch of copies of the book to Styx' manager to pass out, so I guess the band members who choose to will be reading it soon. I honestly don't think it's as bad as they probably fear. I know some people in the Dennis camp have finally read it, and although they weren't thrilled with everything that everyone said regarding Dennis, they appreciated that I had given balanced coverage. If the Dennis camp can handle it, then the Styx camp ought to be a breeze, LOL. But then these guys tend to be very, very, very defensive when it comes to the printed media, so you never really know what little thing might piss them off, LOL.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

Watch out for Jy He might read something about himself that is the truth and not like it and send you a nice letter

I'm sincerely not worried about it. I think JY comes off very well in my book for the most part. He comes off as who he is, and in all sincerity, whatever his drawbacks (the greatest of which is his being rather uptight at times), he has made great contributions to Styx over thirty years, especially off stage. The book reflects that. And really, the only person who particularly "dissed" him is Tommy Shaw himself, so what's he gonna do, sue me for what Tommy said? LOL, now THAT would be interesting.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

[Rockwriter]

Although I like JY, I loved the quote from Chuck about "Jy wanted lawyers to read it first..."

Jeez JY- relax man.

LOL, exactly.


Sterling

[brywool]

Hey Sterling-
Were YOU ever faced with any legal action over the book?
Granted, since the band probably just got it, it may be a bit early for this question...

Have you talked directly with any of them since and are they now less likely to talk to you?

Thanks, killer book by the way.

[Rockwriter]

Hey Sterling-
Were YOU ever faced with any legal action over the book?
Granted, since the band probably just got it, it may be a bit early for this question...

Have you talked directly with any of them since and are they now less likely to talk to you?

Thanks, killer book by the way.

I have had not a whiff of legal action or any threat of any such thing, from either camp. I didn't expect any, frankly, though I naturally consulted about what I would do if it came to that. I did an awful lot of research and the truth is hard to refute, and besides, the law is on my side. Hey, Frank Sinatra could not stop a book about his life, nor could Nancy Reagan, so Styx? No sweat, LOL.

I have e-mailed back and forth a small amount with no apparent hard feelings since the book came out. And some of the people in the Styx camp have had positive things to say, which is why I sent the books on over. One person in their office said, "You presented everyone as who they are . . . whether they will like it or not, that's another question." LOL. But I've had very, very positive feedback from not only people that work with the band now, but people who worked with the band in the past as well. I doubt it will become JY or Tommy's favorite book in the world, but I don't expect any really negative feelings, either. Like I said, if the Dennis camp can accept what got said about HIM, Styx should be a breeze!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked the book.


Sterling

[blt man]

Like I said, if the Dennis camp can accept what got said about HIM, Styx should be a breeze!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked the book.


Sterling

Sterling, do you think he is taking responsibility in Crossing the Rubicon and admitting to his mistakes?

[kipthekid]

This is all conjecture - sorry for the latest infestation - actually, I'm finding that "infesting" is a core competency - but I "interpret" his apology to be from the Kilroy "era." He's admitted, in hindsight, that having this be a Styx (as opposed to solo/side project) was a mistake on his part. Perhaps what happened in '99 provided himl, upon reflection, with a slight dose of reality.

Some of US could play "woulda, coulda, blah, blah, blah" - but imagine someone like Dennis DeYoung thinking about what "might have been" had he not pursued Kilroy, had he not ignored Tommy's overtures to put out (again, IMHO) a pretty weak solo effort in "Boomchild", etc.

Rubicon, to me, is an admission that he "screwed up." "Foregiveness," however, seems to reflect some of his anger at his former bandmates.

And, of course, "Breathe Again" reveals that he's as hopeless "whipped" as ever.

[Rockwriter]

Like I said, if the Dennis camp can accept what got said about HIM, Styx should be a breeze!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked the book.


Sterling

Sterling, do you think he is taking responsibility in Crossing the Rubicon and admitting to his mistakes?

That's really impossible for me to say. There ARE some lyrics on his new album that could be construed as being directed toward Styx, but they could also be unrelated. I do think that Dennis is aware of his past mistakes, however.


Sterling

[Zan]

Like I said, if the Dennis camp can accept what got said about HIM, Styx should be a breeze!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked the book.


Sterling

Sterling, do you think he is taking responsibility in Crossing the Rubicon and admitting to his mistakes?

That's really impossible for me to say. There ARE some lyrics on his new album that could be construed as being directed toward Styx, but they could also be unrelated. I do think that Dennis is aware of his past mistakes, however.

I got that vibe, myself.

[rajah2165]

Like I said, if the Dennis camp can accept what got said about HIM, Styx should be a breeze!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked the book.


Sterling

Sterling, do you think he is taking responsibility in Crossing the Rubicon and admitting to his mistakes?

That's really impossible for me to say. There ARE some lyrics on his new album that could be construed as being directed toward Styx, but they could also be unrelated. I do think that Dennis is aware of his past mistakes, however.


Sterling

BUt let's be clear - there have been mistakes on EVERYONE's part in that band. No one is to blame for the breakup and there are no angels here either.

[DarwinNebraska]

Sterling... I've read most of the book... not from start to finish... I jumped around to the parts that interested me most and am still working though it.

Fantastic book... fantastic read.

Thank you.

[shaka]

Like I said, if the Dennis camp can accept what got said about HIM, Styx should be a breeze!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked the book.


Sterling

Sterling, do you think he is taking responsibility in Crossing the Rubicon and admitting to his mistakes?

That's really impossible for me to say. There ARE some lyrics on his new album that could be construed as being directed toward Styx, but they could also be unrelated. I do think that Dennis is aware of his past mistakes, however.


Sterling

BUt let's be clear - there have been mistakes on EVERYONE's part in that band. No one is to blame for the breakup and there are no angels here either.

Holy cow, this is the most rational thing ever written by rajah

[gr8dane]

Like I said, if the Dennis camp can accept what got said about HIM, Styx should be a breeze!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked the book.


Sterling

Sterling, do you think he is taking responsibility in Crossing the Rubicon and admitting to his mistakes?

That's really impossible for me to say. There ARE some lyrics on his new album that could be construed as being directed toward Styx, but they could also be unrelated. I do think that Dennis is aware of his past mistakes, however.


Sterling

BUt let's be clear - there have been mistakes on EVERYONE's part in that band. No one is to blame for the breakup and there are no angels here either.

Holy cow, this is the most rational thing ever written by rajah

Group hug,,,,

[rajah2165]

Like I said, if the Dennis camp can accept what got said about HIM, Styx should be a breeze!

Thanks, I'm glad you liked the book.


Sterling

Sterling, do you think he is taking responsibility in Crossing the Rubicon and admitting to his mistakes?

That's really impossible for me to say. There ARE some lyrics on his new album that could be construed as being directed toward Styx, but they could also be unrelated. I do think that Dennis is aware of his past mistakes, however.


Sterling

BUt let's be clear - there have been mistakes on EVERYONE's part in that band. No one is to blame for the breakup and there are no angels here either.

Holy cow, this is the most rational thing ever written by rajah

Thank you. If you fault Dennis for making the band much bigger in the early 80s than the late 70s, then you can say he made mistakes - but the results speak for themselves on their popularity post 1979.

[kipthekid]

Dennis has admitted that, perhaps, the Kilroy project "was a mistake." Whatever "short-term" spike in popularity that effort may have garnered seemed to be more than off-set by reactions to the "tour," and the ridicule the band withstood - not just from critics but from their peers.

Hell, they COULD have had a similar-themed album but with music that was more similar to what was on Paradise Theater. A more "accoustic" sound would have made sense given Kilroy's theme of "too much technology" - railing on about too much "technology" and then producing an album replete with techno pop didn't make alot of sense - to me anyway. Also - I thought "The Best of Times" was the best balad that Dennis had ever written - there was alot of effort put into the melody and lyrics of that song. What does he follow that up with? Don't Let it End....which sounded to me...and still sounds to me...like he wrote it in about 10 minutes.

Paradise Theater sort of separated them from a critical point of view from other U.S. arena acts. "Escape" may have outsold Paradise Theater, but, if I'm not mistaken, the Paradise Theater tour had, at the time, set a record for an American band. The critics were coming around, Styx was among the hottest acts in the U.S....and Dennis follows it up with Kilroy.

As I said - I'm a "reform" DeYoungian.