JY Interview, Vernon Hills, SunTimes

[styxfansite]

http://vernonhills.suntimes.com/enterta ... youth.html


Updated: December 27, 2012 11:18AM

Fronted by Tommy Shaw and James “JY” Young, progressive rock band Styx will present a rockin’ evening of their greatest hits at the Genesee Theatre Dec. 29.

The band — formed in Chicago’s southwest suburbs in the ’70s — will play hits like “Lady,” “Come Sail Away,” “Renegade,” and “Miss America.” But don’t expect to hear either “Mr. Roboto” or “Babe,” the band’s only two No. 1 hits penned by former lead singer Dennis DeYoung, who left the group for good in 1999.

“ ‘Mr. Roboto’ (released in 1983) sort of alienated much of the hard core progressive audience that we had,” said Young. “The irony being, 10 years later, I realized it spawned the next generation of fans. Liking that single they went to investigate the rest of our music and learned to love us that way. So there was a silver lining to what was a dark cloud at the time.”

In 2000, Young said on VH1’s “Behind the Music” that DeYoung would be back in the band “when they are playing hockey on the River Styx” and that sentiment still holds today.

“Dennis is difficult to work with and he doesn’t like being on the road,” said Young. “Dennis wasn’t happy when we had private planes and Four Seasons hotels every day, so I don’t think he would survive in this incarnation. Creatively we did some great work together but it’s a puzzle and the pieces don’t fit anymore.”

Young said that Chuck Panozzo, the original bassist for “Styx” who left due to illness, is likely to put in an appearance at the Genesee.

“His health is far better than it was but the road is certainly tougher on all of us than when we were in our 20s.”

The remainder of the band’s lineup includes Lawrence Gowan, Todd Sucherman and Ricky Phillips.

“I think this is the best incarnation of the band, in aggregate, that has ever taken the stage. By the end of the night the whole place is surfing this giant wave of joy.”

“Styx” last played at the Genesee in 2010.

“That time it was the ‘Grand Illusions/Pieces of Eight’ show playing those albums in their entirety with a big screen video behind us with a Pink Floyd visual presentation going on,” Young said. “This time it’s going to be a more traditional show.”

Ask Young, who turned 63 last month, where he finds the energy to keep going on the road for at least 100 shows a year and he says, “half kiddingly, it is a desperate need for attention and a desperate need for cash.”

“But that hour and a half that we spend on stage is really pure unadulterated joy. It’s that other 22 hours a day of having to suffer the indignities of being away from home that gets kind of old.”

As for going back into the studio, Young is a little leery.

“Original LPs of new music from classic rock bands who were popular in the ‘70s and ‘80s aren’t selling 100,000 copies these days. So it doesn’t make much sense for us to take time off the road to make a whole album of new songs,” he said. “Because we rarely introduce a new song, pretty much we are playing the soundtracks of people’s glorious misspent youth.”

Thanks to the internet, Young said Styx is immediately accessible “to anyone who gets a whiff of what our music can bring them.”

“That we continue to draw in new fans, who are under the age of 25, is astounding to me,” Young said. “Back in 1994, we couldn’t get arrested and I wondered if anyone even cared abut Styx anymore. Our manager said, ‘Put tickets on sale and they will come,’ and he was right about that.”~~.

[Everett]

Sigh same old response we've been getting forever about a new album. Still a good interview.
It was also great to see chuckie at that show. Almost a hometown show well if tommy remembered
what state he was in Thanks for posting both interviews.

[Toph]

http://vernonhills.suntimes.com/entertainment/17118857-421/styx-still-plays-soundtrack-to-glorious-misspent-youth.html


Updated: December 27, 2012 11:18AM

Fronted by Tommy Shaw and James “JY” Young, progressive rock band Styx will present a rockin’ evening of their greatest hits at the Genesee Theatre Dec. 29.

The band — formed in Chicago’s southwest suburbs in the ’70s — will play hits like “Lady,” “Come Sail Away,” “Renegade,” and “Miss America.” But don’t expect to hear either “Mr. Roboto” or “Babe,” the band’s only two No. 1 hits penned by former lead singer Dennis DeYoung, who left the group for good in 1999.

“ ‘Mr. Roboto’ (released in 1983) sort of alienated much of the hard core progressive audience that we had,” said Young. “The irony being, 10 years later, I realized it spawned the next generation of fans. Liking that single they went to investigate the rest of our music and learned to love us that way. So there was a silver lining to what was a dark cloud at the time.”

In 2000, Young said on VH1’s “Behind the Music” that DeYoung would be back in the band “when they are playing hockey on the River Styx” and that sentiment still holds today.

“Dennis is difficult to work with and he doesn’t like being on the road,” said Young. “Dennis wasn’t happy when we had private planes and Four Seasons hotels every day, so I don’t think he would survive in this incarnation. Creatively we did some great work together but it’s a puzzle and the pieces don’t fit anymore.”

Young said that Chuck Panozzo, the original bassist for “Styx” who left due to illness, is likely to put in an appearance at the Genesee.

“His health is far better than it was but the road is certainly tougher on all of us than when we were in our 20s.”

The remainder of the band’s lineup includes Lawrence Gowan, Todd Sucherman and Ricky Phillips.

“I think this is the best incarnation of the band, in aggregate, that has ever taken the stage. By the end of the night the whole place is surfing this giant wave of joy.”

“Styx” last played at the Genesee in 2010.

“That time it was the ‘Grand Illusions/Pieces of Eight’ show playing those albums in their entirety with a big screen video behind us with a Pink Floyd visual presentation going on,” Young said. “This time it’s going to be a more traditional show.”

Ask Young, who turned 63 last month, where he finds the energy to keep going on the road for at least 100 shows a year and he says, “half kiddingly, it is a desperate need for attention and a desperate need for cash.”

“But that hour and a half that we spend on stage is really pure unadulterated joy. It’s that other 22 hours a day of having to suffer the indignities of being away from home that gets kind of old.”

As for going back into the studio, Young is a little leery.

“Original LPs of new music from classic rock bands who were popular in the ‘70s and ‘80s aren’t selling 100,000 copies these days. So it doesn’t make much sense for us to take time off the road to make a whole album of new songs,” he said. “Because we rarely introduce a new song, pretty much we are playing the soundtracks of people’s glorious misspent youth.”

Thanks to the internet, Young said Styx is immediately accessible “to anyone who gets a whiff of what our music can bring them.”

“That we continue to draw in new fans, who are under the age of 25, is astounding to me,” Young said. “Back in 1994, we couldn’t get arrested and I wondered if anyone even cared abut Styx anymore. Our manager said, ‘Put tickets on sale and they will come,’ and he was right about that.”~~.

Well that certainly seems like a reunion is imminent.....

[Boomchild]

Well that certainly seems like a reunion is imminent.....

Well, since it seems JY's taxes just went up I am sure he doesn't want to have to split the money even more.

[Ash]

Asking JY about writing new music? Really? Not like he was the most prolific of the writers in Styx.

But then again, that is (as it always is) a business decision. I love Jack Blades attitude toward writing and new music. He, at least, gets it.