Dennis Deyoung Review on Classic Rock

[Abitaman]

Classic Rock has the full Dennis review. Check it out it's good-ERIC

www.classicrockrevisted.com then go to interviews, DDY's is the first one

[kansas666]

I didn't find much in the interview that I didn't already know.

I did found Denny's comment about producing all the albums interesting.

"I was really the producer on those Styx records as well. I know what I am trying to do. I think I am the guy who is best suited to bring that to fruition. I could be wrong but so far it has worked out."

He may think that. But I believe Cyclorama was one of the best produced STYX albums.

[Abitaman]

I didn't find much in the interview that I didn't already know.

I did found Denny's comment about producing all the albums interesting.

"I was really the producer on those Styx records as well. I know what I am trying to do. I think I am the guy who is best suited to bring that to fruition. I could be wrong but so far it has worked out."

He may think that. But I believe Cyclorama was one of the best produced STYX albums.

Cycorama was good production wise, better than BNW, but everything was recorded loud, to the max. Which took away from the clean sounf they always had with Dennis-ERIC

[Monker]

I didn't find much in the interview that I didn't already know.

I did found Denny's comment about producing all the albums interesting.

"I was really the producer on those Styx records as well. I know what I am trying to do. I think I am the guy who is best suited to bring that to fruition. I could be wrong but so far it has worked out."

He may think that. But I believe Cyclorama was one of the best produced STYX albums.

I agree...

Also, in his interview that is posted on this site, I think he also said that EotC still sounds like a "Styx" album...because he produced it...and BNW doesn't because he did NOT produce it. I completely disagree with that and found it extremely arrogant. Edge sounds as much like a Styx album as Boomchild or "Heros and Zeroes". In the link that was posted in this forum to Burtnik's Q/A forum, Glen even seemed to think it sounded like two different albums slammed together...which is what many people say about BNW.

Dennis did not have some kinda magic touch which was on the pulse of Styx. It was a team effort and that team effort made the 'Styx sound'' regardless of who produced and/or wrote the songs.

[BlackWall]

I agree about "EOTC".. You have songs like "Love Is The Ritual" and "Edge Of The Century", and then you have "Back To Chicago".. I guess it does sound more like one group then "BNW", at least Dennis' contributions here("Back To Chicago" aside) are kind of power ballads, not like the Broadway glitz of his tracks on "BNW"..

I just don't think that "EOTC" comes anywhere close to a classic Styx recording, even with Dennis as producer. I did like Burtnik's tracks on "Cyclorama", but on here, to me it sounds like he's trying to make Styx something it's not.. "Girls wanna dance, boys wanna fight, gonna get rocky, in the world tonight".. and Dennis welcomed this with open arms..

[Guest]

I just don't think that "EOTC" comes anywhere close to a classic Styx recording, even with Dennis as producer. I did like Burtnik's tracks on "Cyclorama", but on here, to me it sounds like he's trying to make Styx something it's not.. "Girls wanna dance, boys wanna fight, gonna get rocky, in the world tonight".. and Dennis welcomed this with open arms..

EOTC is an anomally to me... when you're trying to ressurrect a band that hasn't played together in, what... 5-6 years, it's hard to just start the engine and expect it to fire on all cylinders... especially when you're replacing one of the key members.

That's why I expected better things from BNW as the band had been at least touring together for several years.

"Cyclorama" just doesn't sound like Styx to me at all except "These Are The Times"... I think they were consciously trying to sound like Styx on that one and succeeded.

Other than that song though, the album does nothing for me.

[Monker]

"Cyclorama" just doesn't sound like Styx to me at all except "These Are The Times"... I think they were consciously trying to sound like Styx on that one and succeeded.

...and "These Are the Times" is a song that Dennis refused to record for RTP. So, he welcomes Burtnik's non-Styx sounding contributions for Edge, records Hunchback songs for BNW, and turns down the most Styx-like song since PT...I find that completely amazing...and he still feels he understands the "Styx sound" better then "the other two guys". I don't think so.

[Guest]

...and "These Are the Times" is a song that Dennis refused to record for RTP. So, he welcomes Burtnik's non-Styx sounding contributions for Edge, records Hunchback songs for BNW, and turns down the most Styx-like song since PT...I find that completely amazing...and he still feels he understands the "Styx sound" better then "the other two guys". I don't think so.

Big deal... we don't know what state TATT was in... perhaps it hardly resembled it's final form... songs evolve over time. So to just say that he rejected it is kinda absurd.

Nobody's perfect... but it ain't Styx with Dennis to me.

Sorry.

[Monker]

Big deal... we don't know what state TATT was in... perhaps it hardly resembled it's final form... songs evolve over time. So to just say that he rejected it is kinda absurd.

Yes, it IS a big deal. Dennis and his fans elevate his abilities far too high. If he was able to produce every album, create almost all of the hits, and deserves the mountain load of credit for all of Styx' success, then he should have noticed that TATT was a STYX song and he should have recorded it...it's not asking much.

Nobody's perfect... but it ain't Styx with Dennis to me.

Correct, Styx with Dennis STILL doesn't sound like Styx. It didn't sound that way on BNW, or EotC...and Kilroy was Dennis overload. IMO, he is no longer as capable in delivering Styx the way the fans expect it. His mind and heart have been buried in theater and Hunchback for over ten years...that is what he has wanted to do. Styx has been a 'distraction' since EotC. His main focus has been on other things.

You, and others, may not like Styx without Dennis...But, I have doubts you would like Styx with TODAY's Dennis nearly as much as you think. Over the past 20yrs, Styx led by Dennis earned a LOT of critique FROM THE FANS.