Monker wrote:Michigan Girl wrote:Monker wrote:That is such a lame comment.
they have the name Styx for the same reason Journey is still Journey and DDY attaches :"Styx" to his shows - because that is what sells tickets. Neal tried REPEATEDLY to go on without Journey and simply couldn't. The closest he came was with BE...but NOTHING else he has done has been even close to Journey. If Styx changed their name to : Hardline, Abraxas Pool, Soul Sirkus,etc, they would have the same level of recording success as Neal did - and wouldn't be able to tour - at all. Why would any venue book some new band with a bunch of senior citizens from an 35yr old rock band whose name they refuse to use?
It's all a matter of choices there, Monker!! They either want to forge ahead, spread their artisic wings and make new
STYX music or they want to rest on their laurels and use that as an excuse. From what I understand, they wanted 'ol Dennis out so they
could do things
their way ...is this the STYX way?!? I don't remember it being so. Journey is a bit different as far as I'm concerned,
seems to me they've tried a number of different scenarios, losing fans along the way, but picking up several more. They have managed
to maintain an extremely respectable level of success
in spite of their fans.
I think it's all about risks ...and that in itself is very respectable, whether or not the fans like those risks ...Im not getting that
same vibe from Styx. Choices!!

If Hardline would have taken off and had hits like Bad English, there would have been no Journey reunion.
If Soul Sirkus would have taken off, or if PlanetUS had happened with Sammy Hagar, then Journey would have become Neal's side project...or broken up. In fact, with JSS joining Journey, it may as well have been Soul Sirkus covering Journey songs...So, if that's what Neal wanted, why not change the name? Because it was proven to him that no matter how good the music is that he records outside of Journey - it doesn't sell like Journey does, not albums, and not tickets.
You asked what good the Styx name is doing them, and I told you. You may not like the answer, but that is what it is.
Why does Dennis tour with "the music of Styx" and replace THE ENTIRE BAND? Because that is what puts butts in the seats. The average person doesn't give a damn about "Dessert Moon", "100 Years From Now" or Hunchback. They want Babe and Lady, and a Kilroy mask. They would rather hear a Journey tribute guitarist cover Tommy's songs then hear Dennis' solo songs. If he hadn't made that change, I think he would have stopped touring. Styx is what sells - not Dennis DeYoung.
On Perry's last tour, why did he perform mostly Journey songs? He had two solo albums...he didn't have to do that. But, that is what people expect....Journey. Perry touring and not singing Journey would be incredibly foolish - because his solo career is no where near as popular as Journey. Without Journey Perry is nothing.
Dennis got kicked out because he wanted them to delay the tour following the reunion album indefinitely. Then he sued the band. Not even Steve Perry sued the band. Yeah, Styx vented a lot of frustration about their history with Dennis. So what? Frankly, that's irrelevant to me. They tour FAR more then they ever would with Dennis in the band. Styx is MUCH more of a 'band' now, IMO, then Dennis and his backup musicians who follow their leader's footsteps.
Again, it's not much different then Journey. If Perry were in the band after TBF, Journey would be a band that records once ever ten years and NEVER toured again. If Dennis were in the band, Styx would record in between his addiction to Hunchback and tour once every few years. I would MUCH rather have the Styx of today then one with Dennis still in it. Those who have some attachment to Dennis can still see his show. People should feel lucky for that because he could have followed Steve Perry and became more interested in baseball then recording or performing music.
Finally, it's not like Styx has sat about and done nothing since Cyclorama. It's just that people here don't like the fact that they recorded a covers album with Big Bang Theory, released the CYO album (with new songs..and even more new songs on the DVD), and the Regeneration albums (with new songs). So, people whine and bitch and moan. TOO BAD. They do what they want - and their actions are not designed to appease the whiny bitches on this forum.