IS "GRAND DELUSION" WORTH IT?

[PianoMan1986]

First off I'm not putting it down or anything and I've seen quite a few positive reviews. I just wanted to get the die-hard's opinion on it. To get to the point, I have an amazon.com giftcard leftover from my birthday and I'm debating between that and some Tommy Shaw solo CDs. I already have Chuck's book, which I really enjoyed his perspective and explanation on things. If any of you can help, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Nick
PS - Sterling's really going to write a JOURNEY book? Will it focus on all aspects and not be an entirely "Perry" focus -- meaning will it cover all of the members past and present?

[LordofDaRing]

I have not read Chuck's book, but GD is more than worth getting. This, as far as I know, is the only book of its type about Styx. Sterling did an amazing job of not taking sides in the ongoing saga. Proof of the pudding is I have yet to hear one camp or the other come out publicly against it. It holds your interest throughout.

[yogi]

Sterling's book is GREAT and a MUST read, BUTTTTTTTTTT.......... If you dont have Tommy Shaw's Seven Deadly Zens it's a no brainer. Seven Deadly Zens is a GREAT GREAT CD an an absoluter must. Better yet would be Glen Burtnik's 'Welcome To Hollywood'. One of the Best CD's EVER!!

Proper Order To Purchase:

1. Glen Burtnik's - Welcome To Hollywood
2. Tommy Shaws - Seven Deadly Zens
3. Sterling's Book - The Grand Delusion
4. Tommy Shaw's - Girls With Guns
5. Tommy Shaw's - Ambition

6. Cut off your own finger or purchase Tommy Shaw's 'What If'

[Everett]

First off I'm not putting it down or anything and I've seen quite a few positive reviews. I just wanted to get the die-hard's opinion on it. To get to the point, I have an amazon.com giftcard leftover from my birthday and I'm debating between that and some Tommy Shaw solo CDs. I already have Chuck's book, which I really enjoyed his perspective and explanation on things. If any of you can help, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,

Nick
PS - Sterling's really going to write a JOURNEY book? Will it focus on all aspects and not be an entirely "Perry" focus -- meaning will it cover all of the members past and present?

GET THE BOOK!!!! It is an amazing read it will open your eyes to this band that once were impossible. From a die hard's perspective this is a must read. If you can get past the minor language part of it it is an awesome read.

[Bearded Clam]

Get the book, forget the cd. I love most of Tommy's stuff but that was one of the most boring cd's I've ever listened to. it was innovative though, having video tracks. But to me, not one single song on there stands out.

The book was written very well, I thought it was fair and balanced (!?)

[yogi]

On Seven Deadly Zens, Stop Knockin, It's All In How You Say It, Inspiration, Who I Am, and A Place To Call My Own are all classics.

The entire CD is AWESOME. By far some of the best work Tommy has EVER done!!

Ask Sterling, I love his book but the CD is a faaarrrrr better purchase.

[LordofDaRing]

The song he does with Cronin is good too. My favorite is the Beatle sounding tune Its all in how you say it. I would buy the Burtnik CD too. Skip Girls with Guns, download a couple of the tunes on to the IPOD (Kiss Me hello would be one).

[kansas666]

I have read both books and I found Sterling's book to be more balanced and a much better read.

I only have Girls With Guns and What If by Tommy. IMO they are both average.

[Ehwmatt]

Sterling's book is FAR more interesting than Chuck's. Chuck's is more like an autobiography of a gay guy who happened to be in Styx... Sterling's book is a comprehensive look at the band ITSELF. Styx is much more of a backdrop to Chuck's story than anything

[sniper16]

good reaad a little anti dennis in spots but a good read

[chowhall]

good reaad a little anti dennis in spots but a good read

If it's anti-Dennis, It's because his side of the story is not in it. I'd love to have Dennis collaborate on a book that had his side. But, what is in the story are opinions in and out of the band about how Dennis is perceived.

[LtVanish]

Get the book, by far the best thing I have read in the last 5 years. I read the book in 1 1/2 days.

[MCM]

I have just re-read this book this week, it's a good read full of details. As for Tommy's solo albums, that's hit or miss, although I loved them all at the time and still do listen to them now and then. I see in the book that What if only sold about 100,000 copies, sadly four of those were mine.

If only he would do a "pick and choose" from those four albums and re-do some of the older ones...wishful thinking.

[MRMUSIC413]

Great read. Highly recommended.

[Rockwriter]

Wow, thanks everybody! I really, really appreciate your kind words about 'The Grand Delusion', as well as everybody's support. The reception to the book has literally changed my life. I've done the typical struggling writer thing for many years, trying to find a way to have a career as a writer. Now I actually HAVE one. I don't know if any of you know any struggling writers, but it's incredibly difficult, and the odds against a self-published book by an unknown writer doing as well as this has are astronomical, so the success of it has been kinda mind-boggling. I feel like the tortoise that somehow ends up ahead of the hare at the end of the race, and nobody can quite figure it out. Thanks very, very much to all.


Sterling

[yogi]

So what do you purchase your book Vs Seven Deadly Zens or Welcome To Hollywood, or Ambition, or Hallunication, or Girls With Guns.

Which is the best purchase Sterling????

[Rockwriter]

So what do you purchase your book Vs Seven Deadly Zens or Welcome To Hollywood, or Ambition, or Hallunication, or Girls With Guns.

Which is the best purchase Sterling????

LOL, I'm afraid I'm probably not the most impartial party to answer that question, since I have a financial stake in the answer. Obviously I want the entire world to buy my book, and one for a friend. But if you're asking me what I myself would buy . . . well, I already know what's in my book, and I already own all the aforementioned Tommy albums, and I already own 'Welcome to Hollywood', so I'm going to answer None of the Above. Instead, my answer is, the next Styx-related purchase I plan to make is Todd's instructional video.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

[yogi]

Bad answer.

Say YOUR BOOK #1, and then rate the other CD's for our confused poster.

Who knows with gas prices going down he may be able to afford a second purchase soon.

[Rockwriter]

Bad answer.

Say YOUR BOOK #1, and then rate the other CD's for our confused poster.

Who knows with gas prices going down he may be able to afford a second purchase soon.

Well, as long as it's understood my book is #1, LOL . . . then I would say 'Hallucination', then 'Welcome To Hollywood', then 'Ambition', ''Seven Deadly Zens', and finally 'Girls With Guns'. That's just my opinion for what little it's actually worth. GWG just has a couple too many weaker tracks for me, even though the standout tracks are very, very good.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

[LordofDaRing]

Hey convert your book to one of those CD's that you can listen to in rotation with TS and other STYX music. Just don't hire Ozzy Osborne to narrarate it

[Rockwriter]

Hey convert your book to one of those CD's that you can listen to in rotation with TS and other STYX music. Just don't hire Ozzy Osborne to narrarate it

LOL, that would be hysterical. It would have to be bleeped every few seconds because he would throw in a bunch of profanity . . . more than is already there, that is.

I actually AM working on getting a Kindle version of the book, hopefully in time for Christmas.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

[brywool]

Sterling's book is GREAT and a MUST read, BUTTTTTTTTTT.......... If you dont have Tommy Shaw's Seven Deadly Zens it's a no brainer. Seven Deadly Zens is a GREAT GREAT CD an an absoluter must. Better yet would be Glen Burtnik's 'Welcome To Hollywood'. One of the Best CD's EVER!!

Proper Order To Purchase:

1. Glen Burtnik's - Welcome To Hollywood
2. Tommy Shaws - Seven Deadly Zens
3. Sterling's Book - The Grand Delusion
4. Tommy Shaw's - Girls With Guns
5. Tommy Shaw's - Ambition

6. Cut off your own finger or purchase Tommy Shaw's 'What If'

Sure would be nice if Glen posted his album on iTunes. I HATE sending away for crap and it's kept me from buying his album, which I'm sure is great...

Both books are good.

[Abitaman]

One of the best book I have read in many many years!!!! Looking forward to the Journey family book!!

[brywool]

One of the best book I have read in many many years!!!! Looking forward to the Journey family book!!

Is that in the works?

[Abitaman]

One of the best book I have read in many many years!!!! Looking forward to the Journey family book!!

Is that in the works?

Yes, unless Mr Sterling's mind has changed. Would love to ALL Journey members past and present in this book, along with solo.

[Rockwriter]

One of the best book I have read in many many years!!!! Looking forward to the Journey family book!!

Is that in the works?

So far I've only made the exploratory calls to see who might and might not be available, and why, and so on. But yes, Journey is going to be the subject of the next book. I won't start in earnest until after the turn of the year. One of the sticking points has been that I just don't have a title, and the title is the prime marketing tool. I was actually going to start this book by now, but then we put our house on the market, and we were showing it all the time, and then we moved and we're not even quite settled yet, so come January I'm going to just force myelf to get started. I imagine the research part of the Journey book will be quite arduous.

I am also really excited about the idea I have for a book about Spinal Tap. My idea is to make it a full-blown history of the filming of the movie, then the aftermath of it, and how it wound up making a fictionalized band into a real band that went on tour and released an album with all-star guests, and so on. I picture it with interviews with all the cast including all of those who made cameos, the band members/writers, and Rob Reiner. I would also have a chapter with stories from real rock stars sharing their own "Spinal Tap" stories about funny things that have gone wrong, etc. It would be part biography, part oral history, and I have a great title for it: 'We Will Mock You'. I'm hoping that could build on the recognition from the Styx book, but it would afford a wider base for exposure because it would be dealing with not only music, but movies as well. I really love a book called 'Live From New York', which is an oral history of SNL, and I'm thinking this could take a similar slant on Spinal Tap.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

[brywool]

One of the best book I have read in many many years!!!! Looking forward to the Journey family book!!

Is that in the works?

So far I've only made the exploratory calls to see who might and might not be available, and why, and so on. But yes, Journey is going to be the subject of the next book. I won't start in earnest until after the turn of the year. One of the sticking points has been that I just don't have a title, and the title is the prime marketing tool. I was actually going to start this book by now, but then we put our house on the market, and we were showing it all the time, and then we moved and we're not even quite settled yet, so come January I'm going to just force myelf to get started. I imagine the research part of the Journey book will be quite arduous.

I am also really excited about the idea I have for a book about Spinal Tap. My idea is to make it a full-blown history of the filming of the movie, then the aftermath of it, and how it wound up making a fictionalized band into a real band that went on tour and released an album with all-star guests, and so on. I picture it with interviews with all the cast including all of those who made cameos, the band members/writers, and Rob Reiner. I would also have a chapter with stories from real rock stars sharing their own "Spinal Tap" stories about funny things that have gone wrong, etc. It would be part biography, part oral history, and I have a great title for it: 'We Will Mock You'. I'm hoping that could build on the recognition from the Styx book, but it would afford a wider base for exposure because it would be dealing with not only music, but movies as well. I really love a book called 'Live From New York', which is an oral history of SNL, and I'm thinking this could take a similar slant on Spinal Tap.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

The spinal tap thing'd be great. However, I wouldn't have posted that idea. SSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH!


On Journey, call it "Cluster Fu** to Infinity".

I'd be real surprised if you got anything worthwhile for it as Perry ain't talking and the others, I believe, are under a gag order. Still, both sound interesting.

[BlackWall]

Sterling's book is a great read. I can't compare to Tommy solo albums because I don't actually own any.. Before anyone flips, I don't own any official DeYoung solo "albums" either(not counting "100 Years From Now"; ok, so I don't own any official US releases.. )

Comparing Sterling's book is kinda like comparing apples to oranges; I mean, how interested are you in the history and the behind the scenes aspect of the band? If yes, then without a doubt I would grab the book. On the other hand, I can see where any diehard fan would want to have all the albums they could get their hands on, but for some reason, it's never been that important to me to find releases outside of the main Styx catalogue.

Anyway, I can say that if all you've read is Chuck's book, then you don't know the half of it. Chuck's is a good read, but not really if you're trying to find out about Styx, lol. Although, I have to say that the part where he touched on the end of John's life was very touching.. and sad.