I'll start with parts of an interview with JY and his "City Slicker". I took out parts of his interview regarding his music and the music of Styx.
Rock Scene magazine, October 1986
RS: Do you feel that the material on City Slicker is a big departure from the Styx material?
YOUNG: Well, certain people have said that, but others have not. I think that my contribution to Styx was clearly evident. When you listen to this album you can hear certain elements from Styx, like the fact that the choruses and the songs involve the two and three part harmonies, similar song structures, and also that harder edge and aggressiveness that was evident on some of the older Styx material. I would say that it's more of a departure from what we've been doing recently, and it's less of a departure from what we did, maybe, in the middle-70s.
RS: When was the material for City Slicker written?
YOUNG: Some of the material were ideas that were too hard-edged for Styx, that had been submitted through the years, but were rejected. To me, 'Chain Me Down,' and 'Wild Dogs' are like fun-type hard rock and roll songs, and I really thought they were clever and powerful musical statements - but the other guys didn't see it my way. Those things were written a few years back. The title track, 'City Slicker,' was written with my collaborator, Steven A. Jones. We had always talked about writing a song, but had never gotten around to it. Then we got a chance to work on it, and we went into the studio, and I really liked what came out of it. So, some of the stuff is from the past, and some of the stuff is brand new.
RS: How do you think old Styx fans are going to react to the record?
YOUNG: I think they're gonna like it. I've known people who really liked the early direction Styx was in, with the Equinox, Grand Illusion, and Pieces of Eight days, who didn't like the band when it turned a little bit softer and more melodic. Some people say that this record sounds like the old Styx. You know, Dennis DeYoung fans are not going to find much on this record that's going to please them. Although... who knows? They may find a couple of things. But this is more for the people who came to see Styx in concert, and realized that we were a hard rockin' band in concert, more so than on albums. I think a lot of the Styx fans are going to like it. I mean, I've heard they're calling up radio stations requesting the 'new Styx song,' so people still do view it as Styx, in a way.
RS: We'd like to close now by letting you make a pitch for your album - directly to your fans - so let 'er rip!
YOUNG: If you like 'Miss America,' if you like 'Snowblind' from the Styx days, if you like hard-driving rock'n'roll, you're gonna like City Slicker!
