Harmless and Innocent

[BlackWall]

Just curious, I realize it's not likely, but is there any chance that Dennis could add "Snowblind" to any of his solo shows? I know he's listed in the writing credit, so.. why not? If current Styx can do "Lorelei" with J.Y. on lead, why couldn't Dennis tackle "Snowblind"? I actually think he could pull it off, vocally. If not, maybe they could save it for the Glen shows, and have Dennis do the intro, and Glen sing Tommy's part.. I know everyone will always think of J.Y. when they hear that intro, but I can really see Dennis' theatrical vocals being able to pull it off as well.

[styxfanNH]

Here is my GUESS.

The lawsuit agreement says that Styx can play the catalog and Dennis can play the songs that he wrote.

That said, I can't see why Dennis would want to play anything that is remotely associated with the devil incarnate.... I mean JY.

He has other songs that he wrote that he could easily touch on.

[stabbim]

Here is my GUESS.

The lawsuit agreement says that Styx can play the catalog and Dennis can play the songs that he wrote.

DDY can play whatever the hell he likes unless the settlement specifically states otherwise....and even then, it would be more trouble than it would be worth to penalize him for it, so I can't imagine it came to that.

Side note: I always wanted to hear "Snowblind" with DDY singing the choruses on the EOTC tour. Not that GB did a bad job, but...just would have been kinda cool.

[DarwinNebraska]

The point you all miss is Dennis doesn't NEED to play those songs... he wrote most of the hits and has plenty of other great songs to draw from.

Styx NEEDS to play Dennis songs or they have a very lackluster setlist.

[stabbim]

The point you all miss is Dennis doesn't NEED to play those songs...

Just curious, I realize it's not likely, but is there any chance that Dennis could add "Snowblind" to any of his solo shows?

I can't see why Dennis would want to play anything that is remotely associated with the devil incarnate.... I mean JY.

DDY can play whatever the hell he likes unless the settlement specifically states otherwise...

Zuh?

[StyxCollector]

Short answer is I don't see it happening.

I mean, it's a fan favorite (read: NOT a hit per se), but all three (TS/JY/DDY) wrote it (see my interview with TS for more on that), but it's not a song, shall we say, DDY can identify with. There's a reason TS wrote those lyrics and was familiar with the ... ahem ... source material. I think DDY had more to do with the music and arrangement than the lyrics.

[yogi]

Why would Dennis want to play Snowblind????

I would MUCH rather hear him play Born For Adventure, Golden Lark, A Song for Suzzanne, Why Me, Love At First Sight, Back To Chicago, Ballerina, Jennifer, Lonely Child & damn near anything or EVERYTHING off of 100 Years From Now.



Snowblind?????????? Why??????????????????????

[BlackWall]

Why would he want to do it? Well, as someone else stated, it's a fan favorite that he did write- or at least had a hand in writing the melody for.. If current Styx can do songs that Dennis, and Dennis alone was responsible for composing, why can he not do a classic song that he had a hand in writing??

Musically, I think it would fit very well with Dennis' shows, but I can see where the lyrical content isn't exactly where Dennis is presently at(or ever was), but is "Light Up"? What about "Queen Of Spades"(I don't think this is part of his regular set, but I'm pretty sure he has done it; correct me if I'm wrong).

I'm not saying there aren't other songs that I wouldn't rather hear myself, but it's a classic track that he "could" do since he had a hand in writing it. The fact that the current version of Styx does "Lorelei" with J.Y. on vox is really what made me consider this as an option. Should Styx not be able to do "Lorelei" since J.Y. didn't originally sing it, and only had a hand in writing part of the song??

I think it'd be interesting to hear how Dennis would conquer it without the other guys.

[yogi]

Styx plays his songs because Gowan was hired to replace Dennis and sing Dennis led Styx songs.

Styx also did this with Glen back in 1991. Glen was hired to replace Tommy Shaw.

Glen sang lead on all Tommy Shaw led Styx songs that they chose to play on The Edge Of The Century Tour.


Why would Dennis even want to sing a JY/Tommy Shaw led Styx song???

On second thought, Dennis could sing the JY parts, and Suzanne could then jump in and sing the Tommy parts.


GREAT idea!!!!

[bugsymalone]

I understand that this is a song *some* fans like. I agree with Yogi here. Why?? Ugh! He has some terrific songs to choose from. "Snowblind" would not be one of those for me.



Bugsy

[Rockwriter]

The reality is that anyone can cover any other songs they want to live, with no constraints. The guys could play "Babe" and "Best of Times" and such if they chose (but not record them for release), and Dennis could play "Renegade" and "Miss America" and "Fooling Yourself" if he wanted to. But why would he want to? He has more than enough hits that he wrote and sang, that he can make sound very much like the familiar recording. Why would he want to cheapen the quality of his show by dipping into songs that are not perceived as his? He would only suffer by comparison in the same way that ANYONE always suffers by comparison when they are competing with a performance that people have had stuck in their heads for decades. It would likely be people saying the same old shit we always say around here: "Dennis doesn't have enough of a 'rock voice' (whatever that means) to sing [fill in the blank]", or "I didn't like Glen doing Tommy songs before, so why should I like it now?" And so on and on and on and blah blah blah . . . LOL.

I WOULD like to see him pull out more "Lost Treasures", though. I think that's a really interesting concept and a cool way of trying to balance the needs of hardcore fans with casual fans. He's already doing "Castle Walls", I'd love to get other songs like "I'm OK", "Lords of the Ring" (which he sang on an early version if I remember right, and could probably sing JY under the table on that song, but most people don't know well enough to compare the performances), or "Why Me", or "Lonely People", "Nothing Ever Goes As Planned" . . . LOL, there's a lot of up-tempo Dennis stuff that he's not touching on yet that I would like to see as part of a future show. I'd also really love to see Styx mix it up a whole lot more.


Sterling

[AnnieOprah]

Why would Dennis want to play Snowblind????

I would MUCH rather hear him play Born For Adventure, Golden Lark, A Song for Suzzanne, Why Me, Love At First Sight, Back To Chicago, Ballerina, Jennifer, Lonely Child & damn near anything or EVERYTHING off of 100 Years From Now.



Snowblind?????????? Why??????????????????????

Snowblind wasn't that good of a song when it was released as a 5th single off an album that had already released its 4 best songs (the whole first side).

I wouldn't even call it a fan favorite. It has stayed in the set because they need for JY to sing something. I for one would like it retired forever and replaced with Half Penney Two Penney (JY's much stronger song of Paradise Theater).

[stmonkeys]

Why would Dennis want to play Snowblind????

I would MUCH rather hear him play Born For Adventure, Golden Lark, A Song for Suzzanne, Why Me, Love At First Sight, Back To Chicago, Ballerina, Jennifer, Lonely Child & damn near anything or EVERYTHING off of 100 Years From Now.



Snowblind?????????? Why??????????????????????

Snowblind wasn't that good of a song when it was released as a 5th single off an album that had already released its 4 best songs (the whole first side).

I wouldn't even call it a fan favorite. It has stayed in the set because they need for JY to sing something. I for one would like it retired forever and replaced with Half Penney Two Penney (JY's much stronger song of Paradise Theater).

agreed!!!! i saw the band play half penny 2 penny in poughkeepsie, 1999. it kicked SERIOUS ASS!!!!!!! that was one of the few times they dusted off that chesnut, and omg it ROCKED! i'd love for them to add it back to the set in place of snowblind. (not that they're currently playing snowblind, but...)

[Grotelul]

Why would Dennis want to play Snowblind????

I would MUCH rather hear him play Born For Adventure, Golden Lark, A Song for Suzzanne, Why Me, Love At First Sight, Back To Chicago, Ballerina, Jennifer, Lonely Child & damn near anything or EVERYTHING off of 100 Years From Now.



Snowblind?????????? Why??????????????????????

Snowblind wasn't that good of a song when it was released as a 5th single off an album that had already released its 4 best songs (the whole first side).

I wouldn't even call it a fan favorite. It has stayed in the set because they need for JY to sing something. I for one would like it retired forever and replaced with Half Penney Two Penney (JY's much stronger song of Paradise Theater).

I know plenty of borderline Styx fans who loved Snowblind. It's a little different and a nice change from the norm. I would rather hear Snowblind than let's say Lady for the bazillionth time.

[Higgy]

Why would Dennis want to play Snowblind????

I would MUCH rather hear him play Born For Adventure, Golden Lark, A Song for Suzzanne, Why Me, Love At First Sight, Back To Chicago, Ballerina, Jennifer, Lonely Child & damn near anything or EVERYTHING off of 100 Years From Now.



Snowblind?????????? Why??????????????????????

Snowblind wasn't that good of a song when it was released as a 5th single off an album that had already released its 4 best songs (the whole first side).

I wouldn't even call it a fan favorite. It has stayed in the set because they need for JY to sing something. I for one would like it retired forever and replaced with Half Penney Two Penney (JY's much stronger song of Paradise Theater).

I know plenty of borderline Styx fans who loved Snowblind. It's a little different and a nice change from the norm. I would rather hear Snowblind than let's say Lady for the bazillionth time.

I can tell you without a doubt that Snowblind sucks ass. I'd rather hear Lady played backwards with radio static than have to sit through Snowblind. By the way, who are we kidding that Dennis Deyoung would want to play that song at all? If he's going to dig up something he wrote but didn't sing, I'd rather have him sing Lord of the Rings or You Need Love.

[LifeGiver]

I never like Snowblind. I like Styx when they are positive. That song is a let down to me because She Cares is my favorite Styx song of all time. To have it followed by Snowbling just kind of brings me down.

-Shane

[froy]

IShe Cares is my favorite Styx song of all time.

Oh boy thats trouble



-Shane

[StyxCollector]

"Lords of the Ring" (which he sang on an early version if I remember right, and could probably sing JY under the table on that song, but most people don't know well enough to compare the performances)

You would be correct sir. There's a lot of that in Styx history (i.e. JY singing that outro verse in CSA but by the time they recorded it, DDY sang the whole tune).

[rajah2165]

"Lords of the Ring" (which he sang on an early version if I remember right, and could probably sing JY under the table on that song, but most people don't know well enough to compare the performances)

You would be correct sir. There's a lot of that in Styx history (i.e. JY singing that outro verse in CSA but by the time they recorded it, DDY sang the whole tune).

Come Sail Away would not have been the classic it was had JY sang the out-tro verse.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Dennis has played "I'm Ok", "Back to Chicago" and "Queen of Spades" live at a few "Lost Treasures" shows.

He'll be adding his new songs to his concerts, I think he's up to 3 now, probably rotating a few more in and out.

"Lords of the Ring" and "Born For Adventure" I could see added to future "Lost Treasures" shows, IMO.

I highly doubt he'll play "Why Me" live.

I don't know about "Snowblind", I personally like that song but I wouldn't want to hear it with anyone else, just the players that made that one, IMO.

I would LOVE to hear him sing "You Need Love". That was my very first Styx song that I ever heard

[stabbim]

"Lords of the Ring" and "Born For Adventure" I could see added to future "Lost Treasures" shows, IMO.

I always thought he seriously disliked LOTR (it's reworking for the Hunchback musical notwithstanding.) I'd dig hearing it live.

[StyxCollector]

Dennis has played "I'm Ok", "Back to Chicago" and "Queen of Spades" live at a few "Lost Treasures" shows.

Hrm. "Queen of Spades" I've seen at a LT show, but it's not really a LT considering it was in the '97 set. I'm annoyed I didn't see "I'm OK" and "Back To Chicago" - two of my favorite Styx songs.

"Lords of the Ring" and "Born For Adventure" I could see added to future "Lost Treasures" shows, IMO.

About friggin' time for "Born for Adventure", and I'd kill to see "Lords". Man, I need to go pop in Pieces of Eight.

[BlackWall]

Wow, I never realized so many fans didn't really care for "Snowblind".. I think it's a masterpiece, especially the live version on "CITA".


Everyone keeps saying that they'd rather he added this obscurity, or that obscurity, and while I'd love some rare album tracks as well, we are mostly the diehards here. I just don't think the idea of adding a song that's somewhat more fan familiar(and a fan favorite??), that he co-wrote, and that happens to be from Styx' only #1 album, is so off the wall. Also, in spite of what's being said here, I know that when I was first discovering Styx, "Snowblind" was one of the first songs I heard about, from someone who was really only a casual fan of the band. So, whether it's a "favorite" or not, I do stand by the fact that it's a somewhat well known Styx song, if only for the controversy.

What no one seems to understand, however, is that I'm not saying it's "necessary" for Dennis to add it. I've never said he doesn't have enough hits, so, he needs to add a Tommy/J.Y. lead song.. I'm just saying that it's ashame, since Dennis wrote such a cool melody(or had a hand in writing), that we haven't heard him play it since 1999. I think an arrangement with Glen would be interesting, but I'm obviously more than a little in the minority on this one. To show that I can compromise a little bit, I will say that I can see why Dennis wouldn't want to sing the lyrics..

[stabbim]

Wow, I never realized so many fans didn't really care for "Snowblind".. I think it's a masterpiece, especially the live version on "CITA".

One of my favs, too. I think the RTP version reaches higher than the CITA, but then I also think that about every other song those two releases have in common.

The lack of "Snowblind" love round these parts can, I believe, be mostly attributed to displaced JY-related anger. No big.

[yogi]

I REALLY REALLY like the song Snowblind.

It is a GREAT Styx song.

Personally, I have ALWAYS felt that it should of been the third release off of Paradise Theatre. I actually think that it could have been a top 20 or top 10 hit.

Royalities ALLLLLL around!!!!

Still with that said, why on earth would Dennis want to sing a Styx song where JY and Tommy perform all the lead vocals???? The ONLY reason I can think of now is if HE and Suzanne wanted to do a duet together.

But...... would anyone really want to see that???



On a side note, I went into San Antonio yesterday, and went to Borders. There is a priest or a brother who lives by us and he asked me to look for Chuck's book on tape for him. I found Chuck's book on tape(CD), and brought it home for him.

Did any of you realize that Chuck's "Grand Illusion' book on tape includes a couple of bonus features.

Bonus #1 is Chuck singing his version of Show Me The Way.
Bonus #2 finds Chuck singing The 'Yes' parts from Borrowed Time.

[Rockwriter]

Wow, I never realized so many fans didn't really care for "Snowblind".. I think it's a masterpiece, especially the live version on "CITA".


Everyone keeps saying that they'd rather he added this obscurity, or that obscurity, and while I'd love some rare album tracks as well, we are mostly the diehards here. I just don't think the idea of adding a song that's somewhat more fan familiar(and a fan favorite??), that he co-wrote, and that happens to be from Styx' only #1 album, is so off the wall. Also, in spite of what's being said here, I know that when I was first discovering Styx, "Snowblind" was one of the first songs I heard about, from someone who was really only a casual fan of the band. So, whether it's a "favorite" or not, I do stand by the fact that it's a somewhat well known Styx song, if only for the controversy.

What no one seems to understand, however, is that I'm not saying it's "necessary" for Dennis to add it. I've never said he doesn't have enough hits, so, he needs to add a Tommy/J.Y. lead song.. I'm just saying that it's ashame, since Dennis wrote such a cool melody(or had a hand in writing), that we haven't heard him play it since 1999. I think an arrangement with Glen would be interesting, but I'm obviously more than a little in the minority on this one. To show that I can compromise a little bit, I will say that I can see why Dennis wouldn't want to sing the lyrics..

I'd be willing to bet that Dennis likes the song, and I personally also like it. I just don't think he would want to be perceived in that way, as needing to reach for a song that's more readily identified with TS and JY. That's all I really meant. It would be interesting but I just don't see it happening


Sterling

[Zan]

I bet Dennis likes it too. After all, he co-wrote it. I falled™ in love "Snowblind" all those years ago when I became a Styx fan but got a little tired of it, that's all. I think it would be neat to hear Dennis' interpretation.

[bugsymalone]

In my case, it is simply not liking this song very much. One of the ones I skip on that album. I don't see Dennis having much use for it in a solo concert.

As to JY, he an be a jerk in some of his interviews, but it does not take away from his music. There are not many JY songs I like that much, but the ones I do like, I love to listen to. (Half Penny, Double Life, Young Man to name my 3 favorites).

Since Sterling mentioned the Lost Treasures (HATE that designation, btw), I wish he would return his full-out, rocked-out version of "Best Thing" to that set. It was beyond good.



Bugsy

[stmonkeys]

i don't hate snowblind- i always loved how the end of the song showed off their vocal harmonies. i would just love to hear half-penny added to the set. I'd prefer it if they lose Miss America for a while, and rotate in Snowblind and half penny.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

I always thought he seriously disliked LOTR (it's reworking for the Hunchback musical notwithstanding.) I'd dig hearing it live.

Maybe at one point he didn't like it, probably the same with many songs. I personally would love to hear this song with an orchestra live