Dennis the Cameo Critic

by **chowhall** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:57 am

Cameo critic: Dennis DeYoung
By JON BREAM, Star Tribune

Last update: October 11, 2009 - 7:36 PM

Dennis DeYoung

Star Tribune

Dennis DeYoung may be best known as one of Styx's lead vocalists. Since leaving the group for a solo career in 1999, he has worked with orchestras and stage musicals. He composed the score for "101 Dalmatians: The Musical," which opens Tuesday at the Orpheum Theatre. The renaissance rocker shared a few of his favorite things.

"Recent book: Richard Ford's 'The Lay of the Land' has more insight into the human condition on one page than most writers can conjure up in an entire novel. TV: 'Law and Order' -- the original, not the various spinoffs. Broadway musical: Catch 'Sweeney Todd' on DVD with Angela Lansbury or 'Ragtime,' which is being revived in New York. Current movie: 'Changeling' was engrossing. Current CD: Do they make these anymore? Well, of course, they do. I have purchased quite a few in recent memory and truthfully I'd rather listen to the Beatles' 'Abbey Road' -- starting with 'Golden Slumbers' to 'and in the end the love you take is equal to the love you make.' Styx tried to make this record a couple of times; we never even got close."

by **Everett** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:09 am

~left styx in '99 to persue solo career~ ah so that's what happened.

by **Ehwmatt** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:42 am

Dennis loves Law and ORder, classic.

by **LordofDaRing** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 9:59 pm

A Styx medley similar to Side 2 of Abbey Road, would have been interesting.

by **chowhall** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:11 pm

LordofDaRing wrote:A Styx medley similar to Side 2 of Abbey Road, would have been interesting.

I think Dennis is being overly critical of himself. No one has equalled Side 2 of Abbey Road and most likely never will. Styx put forth some great efforts with GI, PT, and even POE. Maybe none of those albums are as good as Abbey Road, but certainly better than Yellow Submarine or Help.

by **bugsymalone** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 10:56 pm

I am of the same mind on Abbey Road as Dennis. I never get tired of listening to, as we called it in vinyl days, Side 2.

I had put that book he mentioned on a list of books I wanted to read and promptly lost the list and forgot about the book. I may try to find it again. The reviews for it were really good as I recall.

Ok, well, I am a fan of L&O:SVU.

Bugsy

by **Higgy** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:39 pm

LordofDaRing wrote:A Styx medley similar to Side 2 of Abbey Road, would have been interesting.

I know I'll get some flak for this, but I would consider the second side of Kilroy Was Here, Dennis's crowning production achievement - akin to what he loves about the 2nd side of Abbey Road. His production on this portion of this album is far beyond anything he had done before or anything he would ever do again. Its a shame that it doesn't get the credit it deserves.

by **yogi** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:47 pm

Greatest Side 2's EVER!!!!!!!

2. Styx - Pieces Of Eight

1. Styx - Equinox

by **LordofDaRing** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:52 pm

Interesting note about Abbey Road, if John Lennon had got his way, side 2 would have never existed. It still would have been a great album, if for nothing else George's excellent contributions.

by **bugsymalone** » Tue Oct 13, 2009 11:56 pm

LordofDaRing wrote:Interesting note about Abbey Road, if John Lennon had got his way, side 2 would have never existed. It still would have been a great album, if for nothing else George's excellent contributions.

George really did shine on Abbey Road. Maybe that is why it is my favorite Beatle album, since he was my favorite Beatle.

Bugsy

by **stmonkeys** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:17 am

abbey road is their crowning achievement. and i can't possibly imagine it without the side 2 medley. brilliant! the only real "throwaway" tracks on the album would be maxwel's silver hammer and octopus' garden (which my kids LOVE, thank you rockband).

by **Abitaman** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:23 am

Beatles YUCK!!!!

by **LordofDaRing** » Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:37 am

How bout the Rutles..."Hold my hand, yeah yeah, Hold my hand and I'll see you home", "Ouch you're breaking my heart, Ouch, I'm falling apart..Ouch Ouch Ouch..."

by **froy** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 6:12 pm

Abitaman wrote:Beatles YUCK!!!!

The Greatest Band ever

Best songs

Nowhere Man

If I Fell

I Will

by **Abitaman** » Fri Oct 16, 2009 7:38 pm

froy wrote:
Abitaman wrote:Beatles YUCK!!!!

The Greatest Band ever

Best songs

Nowhere Man

If I Fell

I Will

Ok I give up, If you fell, you will what?

by **thefoolisback** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 1:11 pm

chowhall wrote:
LordofDaRing wrote:A Styx medley similar to Side 2 of Abbey Road, would have been interesting.

I think Dennis is being overly critical of himself. No one has equalled Side 2 of Abbey Road and most likely never will. Styx put forth some great efforts with GI, PT, and even POE. Maybe none of those albums are as good as Abbey Road, but certainly better than Yellow Submarine or Help.

not even close(never has anything been close) yellow submarine was a soundtrack anyways.IDIOT!!!

by **chowhall** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 1:15 pm

thefoolisback wrote:
chowhall wrote:
LordofDaRing wrote:A Styx medley similar to Side 2 of Abbey Road, would have been interesting.

I think Dennis is being overly critical of himself. No one has equalled Side 2 of Abbey Road and most likely never will. Styx put forth some great efforts with GI, PT, and even POE. Maybe none of those albums are as good as Abbey Road, but certainly better than Yellow Submarine or Help.

not even close(never has anything been close) yellow submarine was a soundtrack anyways.IDIOT!!!

Sure Raj.

by **Monker** » Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:26 pm

Abitaman wrote:
froy wrote:
Abitaman wrote:Beatles YUCK!!!!

The Greatest Band ever

Best songs

Nowhere Man

If I Fell

I Will

Ok I give up, If you fell, you will what?

break his yellow submarine.

by **Zan** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:48 am

Abitaman wrote:Beatles YUCK!!!!

YOU ARE OFF THE ISLAND!

by **brywool** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:12 am

chowhall wrote:
LordofDaRing wrote:A Styx medley similar to Side 2 of Abbey Road, would have been interesting.

I think Dennis is being overly critical of himself. No one has equalled Side 2 of Abbey Road and most likely never will. Styx put forth some great efforts with GI, PT, and even POE. Maybe none of those albums are as good as Abbey Road, but certainly better than Yellow Submarine or Help.

HELP! Is a masterpiece. The film songs especially. Yellow Submarine had a few good (new) cuts on it. All Too Much is a great track.

by **brywool** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:21 am

LordofDaRing wrote:How bout the Rutles..."Hold my hand, yeah yeah, Hold my hand and I'll see you home", "Ouch you're breaking my heart, Ouch, I'm falling apart..Ouch Ouch Ouch..."

"People were strange, in Doubleback Alley..." and the styx board.

by **LordofDaRing** » Thu Oct 29, 2009 5:27 am

to the tune of I am the Walrus "Piggy in the middle..do ah poo poo"

I like Help too, the title song itself is a masterpiece.

by **brywool** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:24 am

LordofDaRing wrote:to the tune of I am the Walrus "Piggy in the middle..do ah poo poo"

I like Help too, the title song itself is a masterpiece.

Definitely. The only real "throw aways" on that album are Act Naturally and Tell Me What You See.

But dang, Yesterday's on there.
Ticket to Ride's on there.
Help! is on there.

etc.

The songs from the Film are ALL excellent songs. Help! was my favorite album for years. I think it's in my top 3 along with Rubber Soul and Revolver. Just a great freakin' band. I know many don't dig them, but there's NOBODY that comes close to me.

And the second Rutles album didn't do much for me. "Archeology" wasn't very good. They should've "Let it Rot".

by **LordofDaRing** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 5:41 am

I missed the second Rutles album. Yeah and Help and Hard Days Night were forerunners for what was to become MTV, when they played videos. You've got to hide your love away is another classic.

by **Everett** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:13 am

Would i make it out alive if i said the beatles were the most overrated band in rock history?

by **Jodes** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 7:20 am

And see I can't over-rate the Beatles or the Stones, but guys like the Doors, Hendrix or Led Zeppelin are highly over-rated.

But thats just me..

by **chowhall** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:07 am

Thenightbull wrote:Would i make it out alive if i said the beatles were the most overrated band in rock history?

Well, by definition they are the highest rated so if anyone was overrated they would have to be considered. But they were the leaders and instigators of so many new things in Rock N Roll, it would be a hard argument to make. They took 3 chord Rock N Roll and morphed it into so many new avenues. A band like Styx would not have had the inspiration to go off on the tangents they went on without the Beatles. You would have had Ballads like Lady and Babe, and rockers like Midnight Ride and Eddie. The Beatles paved the way for songs like CSA, Renegade, & TGI IMO.

I wasn't really picking on Help or Yellow Submarine, I was just trying to pick 2 of the weaker albums of the Beatles to compare to 2 of Styx's best albums. It's pretty hard to do.

by **Rockwriter** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:34 am

Jodes wrote:And see I can't over-rate the Beatles or the Stones, but guys like the Doors, Hendrix or Led Zeppelin are highly over-rated.

But thats just me..

For me, I think The Beatles had a huge body of great work - along with some obligatory crap - and broke up before they could start to suck too bad. Whereas I think the Stones had some great records early on, but overstayed their shelf life and have had several decades worth of fairly worthless "product" and a bunch of repititious tours. For me, I think the Stones have, at this point, put out more bad and so-so records than great ones.

Zeppelin I think was brilliant in its time (and I hope there won't be any more reunions), and The Doors and Hendrix, one thing in their favor is that their legacy is preserved in our minds at a point in time when they were young and vital. Imagine an aging Morrison or Hendrix . . . that's not a good picture. Each of them is frozen in time at their peak, when they were young and cool and hadn't been around long enough to do anything that truly sucked. Had they lived, they would have eventually put out some bad records, played some rib fests, maybe wound up on Celebrity Rehab, Celebrity Fit Club or The Surreal Life, LOL.

Sterling

by **stmonkeys** » Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:45 am

Thenightbull wrote:Would i make it out alive if i said the beatles were the most overrated band in rock history?

no

by **Higgy** » Sat Oct 31, 2009 1:08 am

Thenightbull wrote:Would i make it out alive if i said the beatles were the most overrated band in rock history?

Yeah, they really suck. The only thing good in this world is Damn Yankees and new Styx. The Beatles, Stones, U2, Zeppelin, and ESPECIALLY Asia all pale in comparison to the awe inspiring wisdom of a good JY song!

MR

Dennis the Cameo Critic

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