Damn Yankees

[Baron Von Bielski]

What if any reason has kept them from doing anything together all these years? Even just a small tour. Not to put any of them down, but none of the 3 are so hugely successful right now which would keep them from even trying it out for a bit.

[ChicagoSTYX]

I don't think there would be enough interest. It would be like The Firm going on tour. They make more money doing what they are doing now.

[Archetype]

I doubt anyone involved wants to do a club tour, and that's what Damn Yankees would be playing.

[LtVanish]

Only chance is if Ted Nugent, Night Ranger gets packaged with Styx, I imagine then a Damn Yankees small set would be added.

[Everett]

Only chance is if Ted Nugent, Night Ranger gets packaged with Styx, I imagine then a Damn Yankees small set would be added.

take out terrible ted from that package please lol.

[ztyxlynne]

They missed the opportunity to get back together in the late 90s. They where supposed to make a new album in the late 1990s but that got screwed up,Tommy easnt involved in it to much. I guess there producer really messed up the sound. Does anyone have the story on this?

If they would do anything I could see a small set if Night Ranger,Styx and Ted where to play a package tour. But I xould see only a 4,5 song set at the most. Have Todd drum!

[Cassie May]

They did begin work on a third album but had a different producer than on the first two albums. The band wasn't happy with the sound, so the album was shelved. By then, Tommy was back with Styx and Night Ranger was reforming, so the Yanks went on hiatus. Plus, throw in the fact that the music scene was changing with grunge and rap/hip hop really taking over, and DY and pretty much every other band out there was done.

[scarab]

great song from them i totally forgot about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0Wf1u5At4k

[Toph]

Ah yes, yet another example of Tommy "I just want to rock" Shaw.

[yogi]

GREAT GREAT song.

Dont Tread was an awesome follow up to their self titled debut. Also loved the song Mister Please off the Dont Tread album. Thought that along with The Silence Is Broken should have been huge hits.

Damn Nirvana

[Monker]

GREAT GREAT song.

Dont Tread was an awesome follow up to their self titled debut. Also loved the song Mister Please off the Dont Tread album. Thought that along with The Silence Is Broken should have been huge hits.

Damn Nirvana

All of the songs off of "Don't Tread" are great. All the more reason to with they had a third album. Oh, well, at least I got to see them in concert back then.

[yogi]

You are correct Monk. 15 Minutes Of Fame ... Fantastic. I too got to see them live. Saw em near St Paul I think it was in Forest Lake MN right around the 4th of July back in 90 or 91. They were great!!!

No doubt they should package a Styx,Night Ranger, Ted Nugent, Damn Yankees tour. It would sell BIG

[FormerDJMike]

They did begin work on a third album but had a different producer than on the first two albums. The band wasn't happy with the sound, so the album was shelved. By then, Tommy was back with Styx and Night Ranger was reforming, so the Yanks went on hiatus. Plus, throw in the fact that the music scene was changing with grunge and rap/hip hop really taking over, and DY and pretty much every other band out there was done.

They actually added Damon Johnson to the band, I don't know if it was a replacement for Tommy or in addition to him because of him being involved with Styx at the time. Damon Johnson was in Brother Kane. Here is their most popular song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E39ckUBOrO0

Several of the songs have shown up on other releases. I forget which songs were which, but I believe "Together" was from the 3rd Damn Yanks album as was Klstrphnky that appeared on a Ted album:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFrwfyofm8Q

One of them might have even appeared on a Jack Blades solo album. SO far I haven't been impressed with any of the songs I have heard that were supposed to appear on the 3rd album (and only two come to mind right now, Together and Klstrphnky).

[masque]

Mike is correct on all of that.....i was just about to post it myself.

The only thing I know to be different was that Damon was a replacement for Tommy....not an addition.

[Cassie May]

"Yes I Can" from Cyclorama was originally slated for the third DY release.

[Monker]

Mike is correct on all of that.....i was just about to post it myself.

The only thing I know to be different was that Damon was a replacement for Tommy....not an addition.

Wasn't Tommy hanging on for a while as a writer but was not planning on recording or touring?

[Archetype]

"Yes I Can" from Cyclorama was originally slated for the third DY release.

Somehow that song was considered for a Damn Yankees release, yet they made fun of "Babe" on stage? No cognitive dissonance there or anything...

[yogi]

Yea Yes I Can was' NT a real heavy rocker BUT the video that they had planned for it WAS.

Ted was going to be blowing and shooting shi t up for the entire video.

Styx completely ignored that hard edged Ted produced video for Yes I Can and went for the softer flowery type of edge that Tommy's rock & roll soul so gravely needed. Had that hard rockin Little Girl World/Lonely School touch that cost Manlow DeYoung his spot in the band.

It's a shame that Dennis couldnt rock that hard.

[Monker]

"Yes I Can" from Cyclorama was originally slated for the third DY release.

Somehow that song was considered for a Damn Yankees release, yet they made fun of "Babe" on stage? No cognitive dissonance there or anything...

They made fun of "Sister Christian", too.

They stopped the "Babe" joke after Dennis told Tommy how much it hurt his feelings and wished he would stop.

[Cassie May]

Also, no one knows how Yes I Can may have sounded as a DY song. After all, High Enough was basically a ballad with a Nugent solo. Yes I Can may have originally been totally different.

[Archetype]

Also, no one knows how Yes I Can may have sounded as a DY song. After all, High Enough was basically a ballad with a Nugent solo. Yes I Can may have originally been totally different.

I've always thought that High Enough is at least as equally as cringeworthy as Babe from a "rocker" perspective.

[yogi]

Not even CLOSE

[Boomchild]

I've always thought that High Enough is at least as equally as cringeworthy as Babe from a "rocker" perspective.

Honestly, I don't get all the hate that is thrown at Babe. I could think of a lot worse examples in the POP genre. I think those that were looking for Styx to be a band that had just a straight forward rock format were looking in the wrong direction. It baffles me when TS and JY come up with this "we just wanted to rock" philosophy. What did they expect when a member of your group doesn't like to put labels on their musical creativity. Who believes that a song can be a good song no matter what style or label is attributed to it. This is not something that DDY evolved into, he was like that from day one. So it either took them a long time to figure that out or they just choose the wrong band to be in.

[Monker]

I've always thought that High Enough is at least as equally as cringeworthy as Babe from a "rocker" perspective.

Honestly, I don't get all the hate that is thrown at Babe. I could think of a lot worse examples in the POP genre.

It's because it marks a turning point in the sound of Styx. Cornerstone in general does that. Again, generalizing, after a single has reached number one the band is constantly trying to repeat that success. So, after Babe, Styx repeated that same formula of a ballad on every album after. So, you end up with a song representing what Styx is to the public being exactly what Tommy and JY did not want Styx to be...and Dennis constantly trying to repeat that song - over and over again...and to change the direction of the band to that sound.

I think those that were looking for Styx to be a band that had just a straight forward rock format were looking in the wrong direction. It baffles me when TS and JY come up with this "we just wanted to rock" philosophy. What did they expect when a member of your group doesn't like to put labels on their musical creativity. Who believes that a song can be a good song no matter what style or label is attributed to it. This is not something that DDY evolved into, he was like that from day one. So it either took them a long time to figure that out or they just choose the wrong band to be in.

Maybe Dennis was always like "Babe". But, Styx wasn't.

Nugent was correct when he described DY's ballads as "ballads with attitude". That is what Styx' ballads were prior to Babe. The best comparison for me is "Lady". That song is still a ballad, but is full of attitude, and "rock".

JY was a founding member of Styx, and Tommy joined for the Equinox tour. The band they joined was not a pop band with a "hit" ballad on every album. "Lady" is the ballad that represents what the band Styx was at that time...and THAT is the band they joined. The only song I can think of that is a "Dennis song" that is comparable to "Babe" is "Golden Lark"...not exactly Styx most requested song...and still sounding very different.

When Tommy joined the band, I don't believe Dennis ruled the band as he did in later years. IMO, it's silly to say Tommy and JY should have found a different band because 1/5 of the band demanded the band turn in a certain directly. The 1/5 of the band that disagreed with the others is the one who should have left, or be fired. In the end, that is what happened.

[Boomchild]

Maybe Dennis was always like "Babe". But, Styx wasn't.

Dennis was never like a specific song or style. The point is that his writing was diverse. He didn't believe in putting restrictions on the style music that could be done in Styx. That it was his belief that their influences on each other and diversity in the type of music Styx did is what made Styx special.

JY was a founding member of Styx, and Tommy joined for the Equinox tour. The band they joined was not a pop band with a "hit" ballad on every album. "Lady" is the ballad that represents what the band Styx was at that time...and THAT is the band they joined. The only song I can think of that is a "Dennis song" that is comparable to "Babe" is "Golden Lark"...not exactly Styx most requested song...and still sounding very different.

When Tommy joined the band, I don't believe Dennis ruled the band as he did in later years. IMO, it's silly to say Tommy and JY should have found a different band because 1/5 of the band demanded the band turn in a certain directly. The 1/5 of the band that disagreed with the others is the one who should have left, or be fired. In the end, that is what happened.

Lets be realistic here. The nucleus of the band had already existed prior to JY joining the group. It wasn't JY that started the band. In fact, JY's main reason for joining the group wasn't be cause he had the same musical interests as DDY did. He joined them because he needed to earn money and they were good at getting gigs. JY has gone to great lengths to point out that their opinions on musical style were polar opposites. From ground zero that is. Based on that alone, it tells me they were bound to implode sooner or later. Anyway the point is I do not think that DDY's views when it came to musical styles and how that applied to what Styx could do was nothing new. It was there from the start. So JY and to a lesser extent TS should have known that was going to cause a problem sooner or later.

[Monker]

Maybe Dennis was always like "Babe". But, Styx wasn't.

Dennis was never like a specific song or style. The point is that his writing was diverse. He didn't believe in putting restrictions on the style music that could be done in Styx. That it was his belief that their influences on each other and diversity in the type of music Styx did is what made Styx special.

And, my point above is that "Dennis DeYoung" does not equate to Styx. It your point is also a contradiction with reality since Dennis rewrote Babe over and over again on Styx albums, using the same formula.

Lets be realistic here. The nucleus of the band had already existed prior to JY joining the group.

JY joined Tradewinds/TW4, not Styx. The band "existed", but not as Styx.

The "nucleus" of Styx, in the beginning was Dennis, JY and JC. Dennis, JC, Chuck, and John equate to nothing but local success and a fun high school past time that was not Styx.

That is being realistic

[quote'It wasn't JY that started the band.[/quote]

Again, being realistic, nobody truly "started" Styx. Dennis heard Chuck and John jamming and joined in with an accordion. JC joined to form TW4. JY joined. They needed a name change so Styx they became.

Giving sole credit to any of them is unfounded. Any of them claiming sole credit is the very definition of being arrogant, selfish, and essentially a narcissist.

In fact, JY's main reason for joining the group wasn't be cause he had the same musical interests as DDY did. He joined them because he needed to earn money and they were good at getting gigs. JY has gone to great lengths to point out that their opinions on musical style were polar opposites. From ground zero that is. Based on that alone, it tells me they were bound to implode sooner or later.

That is all irrelevant. JY joined and they were not even Styx yet...and they were not performing poppish "Babe" ballads, which is what started this thread of discussion.

Anyway the point is I do not think that DDY's views when it came to musical styles and how that applied to what Styx could do was nothing new. It was there from the start. So JY and to a lesser extent TS should have known that was going to cause a problem sooner or later.

In nostalgic retrospective, you can look back from a 20/20 perspective and say "this is how Dennis was 50yrs ago" and you imply that the rest of the band knew that and should not have joined if they disagreed. That's crap...you do not know such things...even if DDY himself is in interviews saying such things....that is one perspective out of many. The fact is, Styx produced four albums of progressive rock prior to Tommy joining. There is absolutely no reason for JY, Tommy, or anybody else to think Dennis was going to go all soft-pop and force the band in that direction. The band that produced Styx, Styx II, Man of Miricles, Serpent is Rising, and even Equinox is going to start creating music closer to Barry Manilow or Air Supply than Kansas, Queen, Yes, and Genesis? I doubt anybody had any clue that Dennis would steer the band so far towards soft pop.

Again, realistically, one member of Styx is 1/5 of the band. If you can't function in that dynamic then you shouldn't be part of a band. That is the difference between being in a band and being solo. Being solo, you can pick and choose the players. You control the songwriting and all of the production - if you choose to, and if you are on a label - they agree to it. In a band, there are other creative minds with opinions and thoughts and ideas that have desires to be expressed.

[Boomchild]

And, my point above is that "Dennis DeYoung" does not equate to Styx. It your point is also a contradiction with reality since Dennis rewrote Babe over and over again on Styx albums, using the same formula.

I didn't say DDY equated to Styx. He was part of what made up the diversity in the band. Evidently JY and TS didn't want that. It was no mystery to them where Dennis was coming from when it came to musical style. They knew and somehow expected things to be different.

JY joined Tradewinds/TW4, not Styx. The band "existed", but not as Styx.

The "nucleus" of Styx, in the beginning was Dennis, JY and JC. Dennis, JC, Chuck, and John equate to nothing but local success and a fun high school past time that was not Styx.

That is being realistic

The "nucleus" of Styx existed before JY entered the picture. He replaced a guitarist that left. Your just playing semantics with Tradewinds\TW4\STYX. Which is just the band name. Which only changed due their Label wanting them to change it.

That's being realistic.

Giving sole credit to any of them is unfounded. Any of them claiming sole credit is the very definition of being arrogant, selfish, and essentially a narcissist.

There you go stating something I did not say. I said that JY joined a band that already existed. I didn't say DDY deserves the sole credit for the formation of the band.

That is all irrelevant. JY joined and they were not even Styx yet...and they were not performing poppish "Babe" ballads, which is what started this thread of discussion.

Bullshit. They were mainly playing covers that were considered POP music in those days. JY even talks about how he played the harder stuff like Hendrix and he brought the "counter culture edge" to the band.

In nostalgic retrospective, you can look back from a 20/20 perspective and say "this is how Dennis was 50yrs ago" and you imply that the rest of the band knew that and should not have joined if they disagreed. That's crap...you do not know such things...even if DDY himself is in interviews saying such things....that is one perspective out of many. The fact is, Styx produced four albums of progressive rock prior to Tommy joining. There is absolutely no reason for JY, Tommy, or anybody else to think Dennis was going to go all soft-pop and force the band in that direction. The band that produced Styx, Styx II, Man of Miricles, Serpent is Rising, and even Equinox is going to start creating music closer to Barry Manilow or Air Supply than Kansas, Queen, Yes, and Genesis? I doubt anybody had any clue that Dennis would steer the band so far towards soft pop.

Again, realistically, one member of Styx is 1/5 of the band. If you can't function in that dynamic then you shouldn't be part of a band. That is the difference between being in a band and being solo. Being solo, you can pick and choose the players. You control the songwriting and all of the production - if you choose to, and if you are on a label - they agree to it. In a band, there are other creative minds with opinions and thoughts and ideas that have desires to be expressed.

You are fooling yourself as did JY and to lesser extent TS did to think that DDY's views on musical style changed at all from the start of things. Look to JY's own comments about the bands sound and choice in material PRIOR to him entering the picture. I am not arguing this whole 1/5 of a band theory of yours. All I am saying is I'm not buying that JY couldn't see it coming in the first place.

[gr8dane]

Isn't it lucky,the Panozzos were not upstairs having lunch,when Dennis walked by ?

[StyxCollector]

If we're going to nitpick, "Sing for the Day" didn't rock - and that was essentially a TS ballad on Po8. "Aku Aku"? Nope. (Neither did the title track, but it did go uptempo/rocker-y.) Then there's "Boat" on Cornerstone - different, and definitely NOT a rocker. Not a ballad like Babe, but not a rocker. "She Cares"? Not a rocker; that's a straight up pop tune. "Lonely People" has way more edge.

So to say that all of the Styx "ballad-y" songs like "Suite Madame Blue" or "Lady" which started out slower and then rocked is not exactly true, and it wasn't just Dennis writing the pop-y, ballad-y stuff.

The hooey around TS not wanting Styx to become what DDY was doing ... he was ALREADY doing it himself, all on his own. Just listen to the Harvest demos or the original versions of "Crystal Ball" even - they didn't rock. I always found that disingenuous on TS' part. Yes, he can rock, but it wasn't his main outlet quite a bit. "Renegade" may have been a dirge had it not been Styxified.

JY? Sure. JY's always been a rocker. "Chain Me Down" would have been a better choice for GI than "Miss America", truth be told. Coming from JY, yeah, ballads would piss him off but they also made him money on touring (not songwriting) and albums sold.

[StyxCollector]

Back on topic:
http://ultimateclassicrock.com/ted-nuge ... s-reunion/

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/damn-yankees-history/

There were really two lost third albums: the one post-Don't Tread which they started writing but abandoned, and we got the first Shaw Blades album. Then there was the aborted Portrait album which we saw some songs from (like "Yes I Can"). The whole Portrait thing fell apart partly because of Tommy - he was in, out, in out ... he was working around Styx. Hence them looking for someone like Damon. Kelly Keagy was originally going to replace Michael. That whole thing was a big CF. I remember seeing the pics from the promo photo shoot from that album posted at the time.

It was an interesting time not well documented shrouded in a lot of rumors. We'll never truly know what happened, but it is what it is.