Chuck Bio

[styxfanNH]

Below is the Bio that Chuck has written on styxworld. I post it here because i don't know whether everyone goes there.

------------

Hi everyone! I've procrastinated long enough.


As a cofounder of Styx, I could write volumes about the group. From pre Styx, all the way to Styx in the then, up to the now.
In 1962, John and I had started a trio. John was on drums. I played rhythm guitar and a grammar school friend played the accordion. That spring our neighbor, Dennis De Young, replaced our accordion player and all summer we rehearsed as the Tradewinds.


We were a successful band. I defined success by being able to play with two talented
musicians.


At the time It made me, the odd guy, fit into a world where being different from the rest was difficult. In 1964 I went into the seminary. One year later I returned to the group as the bass player. I developed a style that complimented the unique writers that were emerging.


John, Chuck, Dennis, JC, and JY became Styx in 1972. Styx embarked on a journey that would lead us to another level when Tommy shaw replaced JC in the mid seventies. We went from small gigs to being one of the originators of arena rock, culminating in 1981 with Paradise Theater.


In 1983, the group's focus was lost leading to a break up. It was during this time I had the opportunity to discover who I was.


It took until 1991 that some semblance of the original group would re-form. Glen Burtnik replaced Tommy as singer/song writer. The tour was lack luster. The best part of it was it gave me the opportunity to suggest the lyric line "Show Me the Way" as opposed to "Roll Me Away." The title and verse were inspired when I spent a week with John in rehab. I had also been diagnosed HIV+. This was a spiritual time for me since it also coincided with my total acceptance of being gay.


The group took another hiatus until 1995 when a wonderful thing happened. I was approached with the idea of re-forming the band once again. Only this time Tommy would return and Glen would not. Johnnie's health was deteriorating so Todd became his replacement. In 1996, the Return to Paradise Theatre Tour began. John passed away on 7/16/96. Styx officially had it's new drummer-Todd Sucherman.


There was another tour to follow and in 1998, I was diagnosed with AIDS. During that time, Brave New World was in rehearsal. It was also time for total honesty with the guys. My decision to stop playing was due to my battle with AIDS. Glen was asked once again to join Styx, but this time to take my place on stage. The guys had told me when I was well enough to return, my position was secure. I don't think any of us were quite sure if that would happen.


Against the odds I returned to the stage on 9/11/99 in Las Vegas......as "Special Guest Artist who is AKA the bands original bass player and cofounder of Styx". My health dictated my ability to tour but as I was getting increasingly better, I was able to join Styx as much as I could. Sometimes even surprising the band who also had an occasional surprise for me too.


In the spring I was faced with another health challenge. I was diagnosed with prostate cancer. On April 16th I was operated on. The success of the surgery brings me to the year 2004. As most of you know, I've become an AIDS Advocate and have spoken openly about my most personal of journey's which I hope continue for many more years and tours.


Sincerely,


Chuck

[classicstyxfan]

Interesting about the Lyric "Show me the way"......it goes to show
that the Panozzo's contributed more to the band than just being the Rythem section.....Also interesting is his comment about the 1991 tour being "Lack luster" vs the 1995 re-forming being "a wonderful thing"

[bugsymalone]

Thanks for posting that, NH.

Interesting --- two completely different stories on "Show Me the Way." Dennis says he wrote it for his son. Chuck claims he wrote it as a consequence of rehab with his brother. Wherein lies the truth??

The only thing I can say about the EOTC era was it produced a really good album and those who saw the concert would claim it was anything but "lackluster". Again, wherein lies the truth? Maybe that one is purely perspective.

The strangest thing of all is that he considers the 1996 reunion and tour a "wonderful thing" and it was as low a point in his life as he could get --- his brother was dying. He seems almost dismissive of this, but I am sure that was not his intent.

As I said before, he seems to be doing fairly well health-wise and that is a very good thing indeed.

Just my observations.

Bugsy

[sadie65]

Well I am certainly glad that Chuck is feeling better these days.

Regarding the song lyric for Show Me The Way and what it was about, I think both men are speaking the truth. It would not surprise me to find that for any given song lyrics and music would have been discussed and options given. Chuck could easily have heard the song as originally being written and applied it to what his brother was going through at that time. And Dennis could certainly have been thinking about the world his son was growing up in and applied his feelings to it. I do agree that Show Me The Way is a much better lyric than Roll Me Away. Truth be told, I'd be hard pressed to get the same meaning out of the song with that lyric.

And I could see Chuck viewing it as a good time, even though his brother was so sick. No one thought John wouldn't recover, certainly not Chuck. And here was an opportunity to reunite with the people who created lightning in a bottle so to speak.

As for the "lackluster" comment, while I enjoyed the EOTC tour, it was done on a much smaller scale than their previous tours, so perhaps that's part of what Chuck was referring to.

Just my "wooden nickel"

Sadie

[GaryS]

Chucks also made the following contributions;
He insisted that Tommy change the lyric and title of Lemonade to Renegade for the POE album...
Again Blue Collar Ham became Blue Collar Man...
He was ahead of his time changing the spelling of Shoes to Shooz anticipating an early 2000's hip hop remix...
And last but not least he insisted that "Babe" was a much more suitable title for Dennis' new ballad "Bitch"...
I found all of that through google... look it up for yourself if you don't believe me.
Have a great weekend!

[classicstyxfan]

Gary, I havent laughed at a post this hard in a LONG time.....

thanks !


" Bitch I'm leaving, I must be on my way......."

Kinda gives it a whole new meaning, doesn't it ?

[piecesofeight]

Too funny Gary. Fits perfectly.

[classicstyxfan]

That's just the tip of the iceburg.......here's some other Working titles of Styx songs. Thank Goodness Chuck intervened

Love in the Midnight was originally " Love on Your Prom Night"
an early Ode to his future wife......

Blue Collar Man was " 2 Dollar Spam" ( Tommy really Loves imitation Pork Products ! )

Lady was originally "Sadie" ( luckily, Suzanne never found out about that early groupie by the same name.....)

Grand Illusion was "Grand Contusion" and was originally about
Dennis cutting his finger while making himself a Bologna Sandwhich.

These are the Times was inspired by a Shopping trip JY took when he needed a new suit, and was called " Please show the Ties"

And, though the title remained the same, "One with Everything" was originally penned about an especially tasty Omlette Tommy had one morning !

OK, OK , I wont quit my day job, but it was fun trying to think of these !

[bugsymalone]

Hi - lar -ri -ous, you all!!

I still am wondering how the song Show Me the Way could ever have evolved from Roll Me Away. Apparently the original song had to do with overeating?

Bugsy

[yogi]

VERY FUNNY POSTS!!!! I may be wrong cause I dont have the CD with me, but on the Edge Of The Century CD jacket Dennis thanks Chuck for the help with Show Me The Way.

As for the CD and tour, I LOVED them both!!!

Finally, When JY was touring with the JY GROUP he sang Show Me The Way but changed the lyrics to 'Show Me The Money'( Chuck gave him permission to do this) Later on that line was in some popular movie. I read in both this months issues of BLENDER and ROLLING STONE magazine that JY has filed a lawsuit in district court against the writers of 'Jerry Maguire' for stealing 'his' lyrics. It states in BLENDER and I will quote JY "I know the lyrics were stolen from my concert, there were less than 50 people attending that show. Its was the only time we performed, and I sang Show Me The Money. One of the people attending this concert was Tom Cruise. I talked to him at length in my Prowler trailer after the show. He told me he was so glad he attended, and that was the best bet he had ever lost". 'Tom actually came and saw us perform again at Pets Mart and said how disappointed he was we didnt play Show Me The Money.""Soon after all of this,this line appears in a movie that he stars in. I want my cut, fair is fair, how can you take something from me that I originated"."That ONE line is what most people remember about Jerry Maguire, and that line was mine".

[bugsymalone]

I want my cut, fair is fair, how can you take something from me that I originated"."That ONE line is what most people remember about Jerry Maguire, and that line was mine". ---From Yogi's post

Poor JY! Once again, cheated out of what is rightfully his by a better looking, more charismatic guy!

Bugsy

[Ash]

I just have to shake my head and remember what someone once told me


"Success has many fathers while failure is an orphan."


Anyone else want to come forward and take credit for Dennis' work?

[classicstyxfan]

Well, it was right after the Album Crystal Ball came out that I called Dennis and told him if he thought that album was going to take Styx to the heights of R&R stardom, he was living in his own "Grand Illusion" then when GI Came out and the money all came rolling in, I called him and I said.....you can cash in on MY IDEA...that's fine with me, but just remember...." Pieces of Eight cant buy you everything, dont let them turn your heart to stone"

a message he seemed to take to heart...by then, our friendship was THROUGH ! I called him and said "That's it......Babe, I'm leavin !" and Dennis, someday your career will crash and burn, and be as dead as the Paradise Theatre........

[piecesofeight]

Well, it was right after the Album Crystal Ball came out that I called Dennis and told him if he thought that album was going to take Styx to the heights of R&R stardom, he was living in his own "Grand Illusion" then when GI Came out and the money all came rolling in, I called him and I said.....you can cash in on MY IDEA...that's fine with me, but just remember...." Pieces of Eight cant buy you everything, dont let them turn your heart to stone"

a message he seemed to take to heart...by then, our friendship was THROUGH ! I called him and said "That's it......Babe, I'm leavin !" and Dennis, someday your career will crash and burn, and be as dead as the Paradise Theatre........

[Ash]

yeah man... and I told him after he was basking in the glory of all the new found stardom that this would be the cornerstone of their musical palace.

Who knew.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

FUNNY POSTS

Yogi, I dusted off my "Edge of the Century" and you're right. This is what it says "Special Thanks to Chuck Panozzo for inspiration on "Show Me The Way".

I forgot about JY's perm and Glen's long black hair - LOL