BIG BANG GOWAN!!!

[Adam]

ItsMyLife, you're sense of history amazes me. Writing off Elvis is a bit unrealistic. I suppose the Beatles were the Milli Vanilli of their time as well, right?

And all this from a big fan of who? BON JOVI and KISS.

[swwskj]

To be fair, IML has only claimed to like Kiss. The Bon Jovi nonesense was started by others and has been refuted by him several times.

You may now return to normal posting.

Scott

[bugsymalone]

I enjoyed reading your post. What a wonderful story. I think it's really nice that Elvis' surviving bandmates paid respect to your Father.

Let me second Suite here. Sy, that was a wonderful story.

Bugsy

[yogi]

GREAT Story Psycho!!! Who was your father?? What band did he play in? What type of music? For Elvis to say that WOW!!!! He must of been SUPER talanted.

[Zan]

Count me in for a "me too," Psy...What an honor.

[sadie65]

Chiming in as well with the thumbs up Psycho. Very cool.

People don't give Elvis enough credit for his musical skills. He may not have written songs, but he did understand music and instrumentation.

Again, a great story. Thanks for sharing.

[Guest]

Sorry, Elvis was nothing more than the Sean Cassidy of his day.

LOL and thats why hundreds of thousands of fans still flock to his house in Memphis every year. How many do that for John Lennon?

pwned.

John Lennon doesn't own a house in Memphis.

[Guest]

ItsMyLife, you're sense of history amazes me. Writing off Elvis is a bit unrealistic. I suppose the Beatles were the Milli Vanilli of their time as well, right?

And all this from a big fan of who? BON JOVI and KISS.

All I'm saying is he is given a TON more credit than he deserves.

If you're going to compare The Beatles to Elvis... here is simply no comparision.

[Adam]

IML: "If you're going to compare The Beatles to Elvis... here is simply no comparision"

Adam: says you. The guy pretty much created the industry of rock. He was the ICON. And the Beatles not only adored him, but set their goal to be as him.

There goes your lack of historical perspective.

[Guest]

IML: "If you're going to compare The Beatles to Elvis... here is simply no comparision"

Adam: says you. The guy pretty much created the industry of rock. He was the ICON. And the Beatles not only adored him, but set their goal to be as him.

There goes your lack of historical perspective.

I know that the Beatles admired and even met with Elvis. Big freakin' deal.

What does that have to do with the fact that the Beatles are completely and entirely creatively superior to Elvis Presley and MUCH more significant in the development of the rock genre.

You're the one with no perspective.

Plus, Elvis fell off a toilet and died.

[Adam]

IML: Elvis fell off a toilet and died
Adam: And Dennis faked having a sickness that would keep him off stage.

[sadie65]

IML: Elvis fell off a toilet and died
Adam: And Dennis faked having a sickness that would keep him off stage.

Ya know, I don't really care about the Elvis Beatle debate going on, but I don't think you should make charges you can't back up Adam. I know you aren't a fan, but, still, that crack is beneath you. Come on now. Arguing against brick walls can't be all the fun you seem to have with it...can it?

Seriously, be happy the band is doing well. But leave the conjecture about Dennis out of it.

[evileyes]

IML: Elvis fell off a toilet and died
Adam: And Dennis faked having a sickness that would keep him off stage.

Ya know, I don't really care about the Elvis Beatle debate going on, but I don't think you should make charges you can't back up Adam. I know you aren't a fan, but, still, that crack is beneath you. Come on now. Arguing against brick walls can't be all the fun you seem to have with it...can it?

Seriously, be happy the band is doing well. But leave the conjecture about Dennis out of it.

What Sadie said! As someone who also suffers from a condition triggered by photosensitivity, I think it is unfair of you to dismiss DeYoung's illness. This was a low blow.

[Ash]

IML: Elvis fell off a toilet and died
Adam: And Dennis faked having a sickness that would keep him off stage.

Ya know, I don't really care about the Elvis Beatle debate going on, but I don't think you should make charges you can't back up Adam. I know you aren't a fan, but, still, that crack is beneath you. Come on now. Arguing against brick walls can't be all the fun you seem to have with it...can it?

Seriously, be happy the band is doing well. But leave the conjecture about Dennis out of it.

What Sadie said! As someone who also suffers from a condition triggered by photosensitivity, I think it is unfair of you to dismiss DeYoung's illness. This was a low blow.

Insensitivity is due to ignorance and a lack of consideration. Adam, if you were married to someone who suffers daily from epstine barr and chronic fatigue to the point where they have to sleep upward of 14 hours a day to be functional, you might look at life entirely differently.

[Guest]

Insensitivity is due to ignorance and a lack of consideration. Adam, if you were married to someone who suffers daily from epstine barr and chronic fatigue to the point where they have to sleep upward of 14 hours a day to be functional, you might look at life entirely differently.

I believe Dennis. In 2001, I was stricken with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and only through the help of a great doctor and learning my limitations have I managed to get back to about 85% of my former self and able to function.

CFS is really an umbrella of symptoms with various causes.

[Ash]

I believe Dennis. In 2001, I was stricken with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and only through the help of a great doctor and learning my limitations have I managed to get back to about 85% of my former self and able to function.

CFS is really an umbrella of symptoms with various causes.

Yah... I'm pretty familiar with it... my wife has it. She goes to bed at 8pm, sleeps until 6am and requires a 4 hour mid-day nap in order to be able to function. Unfortunately, insurance companies aren't very comfortable doing treatments for it since they don't consider it a "real" or "serious" issue - and we don't have the money to pay for the treatments.

[yogi]

I too believe Dennis 100%.

A little over 3 years ago after getting 2 wisdom teeth extracted I got an infection that went from my mouth and settled in my left knee. The end result was my tibia getting eaten away by the infection, 2 years of h crutches,3 different surgeries, and two years of pure hell.

My odds on winning the loto would of been better than this happening. Barry Bonds steroids & all better be REAL careful if in fact an infection set in on his knee.

Anyway, I totally believe Dennis. If he was left behind by Tommy & JY because they didnt believe he was sick that was REALLY SHITT Y. I believe he was left behind because they didnt care too much for him, and they felt what he was bringing to the table was way sub standard.

[Guest]

Yah... I'm pretty familiar with it... my wife has it. She goes to bed at 8pm, sleeps until 6am and requires a 4 hour mid-day nap in order to be able to function. Unfortunately, insurance companies aren't very comfortable doing treatments for it since they don't consider it a "real" or "serious" issue - and we don't have the money to pay for the treatments.

There's a book called "From Fatigued To Fantastic" that has a ton of different treatments... it's trial and error but I've found some things in there that have helped me.

My doctor who believes in both mainstream and alternative treatments recommended this book and she has been willing to try different treatments.

It's trial and error but you can find things that help.

[froy]

Anyway, I totally believe Dennis. If he was left behind by Tommy & JY because they didnt believe he was sick that was REALLY SHITT Y. I believe he was left behind because they didnt care too much for him, and they felt what he was bringing to the table was way sub standard.[/quote]


Yogi you can tell that the reason they dumped Dennis was because they did not belive him, Look at goof JY in the BTM segment when he all but said he did not belive the guy, Now you know why I stick up for Dennis
the guy is sick and they spit in his face, That is 2 low life guys I will say that. Even to this day people don't know why dennis is not in the band
Even you don't know

[Lightninjackcane]

Sorry, Elvis was nothing more than the Sean Cassidy of his day.

That has to be THE MOST IDIOTIC statement i have ever read on any board at anytime ever, if you are a music fan you must respect the roots of music , without Blues/Gospel there would be no Elvis, without Elvis there would be know Beatles,& so on , the fact remains that Elvis Presley was the single biggest thing ever to happen to the music industry wether you like it or not , no other solo artist has sold in quantities such as he did , so get you head out of your arse & see whats going on , give respect were respect is due, even now 28yrs after his death Elvis continues to outsell , todays so called "popular musicians" and they ain`t selling new material, it`s all been heard before & most people will already have it , so that must mean a lot of youngsters are buying his music too , no mean feat for a man thats been dead 28yrs

There`s not many people you can say that about

[bugsymalone]

Adam: And Dennis faked having a sickness that would keep him off stage.

I think many fans of the Current Lineup ---AND I DON'T MEAN ALL OF THEM---feel this way because to admit that Dennis was really sick and was treated the way he was by his former bandmates is pretty hard to take.

That said, Yogi has, I think, the correct point. They used Dennis' illness, and inability to tour, to take the band in the direction they felt it should go. It was what they believed was best for them and for the band, and many feel they made the right decision; many feel otherwise. It is most certainly water under the bridge now.

the fact remains that Elvis Presley was the single biggest thing ever to happen to the music industry wether you like it or not ,

While I am not a fan of Elvis at all, you HAVE to give him his props for the pioneer in music he truly was and the legend he became. He most certainly earned it. His talent was extraordinary, no question.

Bugsy

[Ash]

Sorry, Elvis was nothing more than the Sean Cassidy of his day.

HEY! I did NOT say this! This makes it look like I was the one who said it! Please edit your post please

[yogi]

Froy,

If Tommy, JY and the rest believed Dennis was sick and that is why they left him I would have a VERY hard time supporting them as much as I do.

Since I feel they left Dennis because he was no longer bringing his A rock & roll game to the table I have less trouble supporting them. I have nothing to back this up other than instinct but I feel as long as Dennis was producing for the band they could take him. When he stopped producing( Tommy & JY) made a business decision.

It happens ALL the time in sports. Look at some of the superstars. As long as they produce they are accepted by their teams. When they stop producing.. It's goodbye Charlie. Sammy Sosa is a prime example of this.

In my opinion the MAJORITY does have the right to make a business decision. The majority wanted Dennis out.

What would of been interesting to me is what would of Tommy, JY and even Dennis done had Dennis not gotten sick. I still think they would of gotten rid of him. The illness was an easy excuse for JY & Tommy to move on without Dennis.

But what would of Dennis done??? I believe Dennis would of REALLY had a rough time playing The Far West Rodeo in San Antonio, along with some of the cornfield venues that styx played. I do believe Dennis would of been up for The REO/ Bad Company/ Journey festival shows. If Dennis doesnt get sick though, what happens to that 1999 bar/ cornfield venues??

Maybe Styx should of changed their name. But..... since Chuck still supported JY and Tommy that is why I feel them keeping the name Styx was ok. To me you have got to look at it this way. JY played in the band Styx from the beginning. Chuck helped form the band and still supports them now.Tommy played in the band when it was most popular. Glen was recruited by JY and Dennis and played with Dennis, Chuck, JY and John P. Chuck, Dennis, JY and Tommy chose Todd to replace John when John was too ill to tour. You add all of this up and I feel they do have the right to use the name Styx. Could of they changed the name ???? Maybe??, but I feel they didnt have to.

[bugsymalone]

Excellent points, Yogi and ones that make a lot of sense.

Two thumbs up for your post!



Bugsy

[styxfanNH]

Dennis' illness became the focal point of everything that was wrong with Styx that had been burried at the time and then brought back to the surface. There is no question about it that Tommy and JY wanted to tour the album when they went into the studio. Dennis' illness then took center stage when it was apparent that there were problems with getting the album done. Long before there was a BNW tour to go on, they all had gone there separate ways with Tommy and JY in one camp and Dennis in the other. It is amazing that there ever was a BNW. It was also said that Dennis was more for a small tour than the extensive touring they are now doing (and while I enjoy seeing them, the number of dates they are doing is insane).

It seems apparent to me that Dennis' illness became an excuse to part ways in a situation that allowed both sides to do their thing. True, Dennis would have been happier at the time staying with Styx, but I think the situation has worked out for the best of all parties.

Chuck is always the deciding factor. To me this was his band and everyone else came after. Chuck had the ability to choose sides and he did. He is very quiet about all that goes on with the politics in the band, but I have heard the words come out of his mouth that he just wants to play when he is able and this is the way he gets the opportunity.

[sadie65]

Dennis' illness became the focal point of everything that was wrong with Styx that had been burried at the time and then brought back to the surface. There is no question about it that Tommy and JY wanted to tour the album when they went into the studio. Dennis' illness then took center stage when it was apparent that there were problems with getting the album done. Long before there was a BNW tour to go on, they all had gone there separate ways with Tommy and JY in one camp and Dennis in the other. It is amazing that there ever was a BNW. It was also said that Dennis was more for a small tour than the extensive touring they are now doing (and while I enjoy seeing them, the number of dates they are doing is insane).

I believe the problem to be on both "sides". I honestly believe assumptions were made by both camps as to how the recording and touring would go. Since both camps had differing views on those expectations, when it came down to actually doing either, instead of collectively working together, egos, pent up frustrations, and years of compromise by ALL, took their toll. I can see both camps doing what they did, however it is amazing to me that they could not work out these differences. Certainly, many other bands have had far worse differences.

It seems apparent to me that Dennis' illness became an excuse to part ways in a situation that allowed both sides to do their thing. True, Dennis would have been happier at the time staying with Styx, but I think the situation has worked out for the best of all parties.

I don't know that it allowed each side to do their own thing originally. Look at what each camp went through. And look at how divided their fans still are. While by and large there is acceptance and agreement that the split worked out for the best eventually, but it was certainly costly all the way around.

Chuck is always the deciding factor. To me this was his band and everyone else came after. Chuck had the ability to choose sides and he did. He is very quiet about all that goes on with the politics in the band, but I have heard the words come out of his mouth that he just wants to play when he is able and this is the way he gets the opportunity.

See I don't think Chuck is the deciding factor. It's a business decision he made. I can respect the decision, but for me, that's all it was. Dennis couldn't commit to a tour. Chuck wanted to tour as long as he could (whether for financial reasons, or simply love of performing). I tend to think it was more a financial decision (let's be honest, the Panozzo's were most likely not getting the same amount of money as the other members). I figure as long as Chuck is up to touring the amount he is, all the more power to him.

All that being said, I sincerely do think it is best now that each side stay doing what they are doing.

Peace

[yogi]

I know we will NEVER know, but what do you think would of happened if Dennis did not become ill????

Would of Dennis or Tommy produced Brave New World???

Would of the CD Brave New World turned out the same???

Would of Tommy/JY found another excuse to boot his ass?? ( maybe the songs he brought to BNW??)

Would Dennis of done the extensive bar/ cornfield/ Jack In the box tour?

Would Dennis of been on board for the Arch Allies/ Bad Company/ Main Event ll tour??

Do you think if a decent lable told Styx (with Dennis) or DDY (solo) do a cover CD of the bands that influenced you growing up and we will really back it, Dennis would say OK???

[PsychoSy]

I think it's really nice that Elvis' surviving bandmates

No, not Elvis's bandmates -- my Dad's bandmates. The only entourage Elvis had with him was women and security. He was sitting at a table in this club and merely wanted to enjoy the show my Dad's band was putting on. The audience heckled him to go on stage and he wouldn't. Elvis attended this show as a civilian; not a celebrity and heard of my Dad and his band eithe from local radio or the grapevine.

Do we know your Dad is he a famous name?

Donald Sizemore.

Famous name, but he himself wasn't famous in terms of record sales, awards, etc. His fame was limited to certain people in businesses of boxing, music, and radio. Their names ring bells in this businesses because they had exposure at a time where exposure counted. In the 40s and 50s, that exposure was the booming market of radio in Detroit and when he was a boy, his father and he would play live music at an Ann Arbor radio station. I don't recall the call letters at the time but, growing up, I've known it as WIQB. Today, that station is WWWW -- "W4 Country". At 14 years old, my Dad also served as a jock at WTOD in Toledo -- he voice was so mature at that age that he sounded like someone in his 20s or 30s. Sometimes, he'd use his real name and other times he'd use an alias ("Ed Lesley" -- which was almost his REAL name, come to think of it!). His voice was so odd that I've never heard anyone sound like him anywhere. His everyday voice to my ears was a mix of Archie Bunker and Foghorn Leghorn. He had the southern drawl of Foggy and the overbearing bravado of Archie Bunker. It was quite hilarious if he was upset about something in the house and bitching up a storm -- you'd swear it was the TV!!

He really didn't care much for radio because playing music himself and boxing were his two main passions so he eventually gave radio up. In the boxing ring, he was known as Don "The Canvasback" Sizemore, winning the Golden Gloves twice. Musically, he and his close friends would play bars and night clubs in and around the Detroit and Toledo areas. Since the likes of George Jones, Loretta Lynn, and Elvis would hit these establishments if they were in town, they'd see him and his band perform. Plenty of times, he was approached by record company executives to sign a contract but he always turned them down. He told me, "I turned all them sonsabitches down because for one, they only wanted me. They didn't want Junior Pridemore, Pete Domier, my brother Bob, or anyone who has been in the band except for me and I wouldn't have that. Secondly, a common thread for famous musicians is divorce. Well, I've been divorced once already and I'm not going through that shit again for all the money in the world. I would rather keep playing music with my boys at these clubs, collect a couple a hundred every weekend, come home, and spend the rest of the week with you kids and that goofy mother of yours than lose all of it by signing my ass away!"

Fame almost came to my father and his band when they were invited to share the stage with Hank Williams Sr. On the way to the event, Hank Williams Sr. and his people took a different route than my father and his band traveled. Half way to the venue, they heard on the radio that the event was cancelled due to Hank Williams Sr. getting killed and was forced to turn around and head back home. I think if Hank hadn't died that night, they'd have brought the house down, the pressure to sign on the dotted line would've been too great for my Dad, and my life would've been probably much different.

Plus, Elvis fell off a toilet and died.

Exactly the same way my Dad went, too. He didn't fall off -- my mother and I were helping him off the shitter when he collapsed my arms. He had just came home from getting a newspaper and had one of his spells on the way back. It took everything he had to stay conscious driving the 4 miles back home and when he got in the driveway, he honked the horn. My mother woke me and we helped him out of the car and into his chair. He sat there a moment, telling us through his labored breathing, "I'll be alright as soon as I rest a bit. And, dammit, I need to get on that toilet." He lurched into the bathroom and soon as he sat down, fell into a deep sleep. Concerned, we woke him up, and he said, "I'll okay. I'll get up in a second" and then went unconscious again. When we got him to come back to us, he was rubbing a hand over his head and tried to give us a warning.

"Something..." he said, "Something's just..." and out again in that deep, unconscious-like sleep.

He kept making a very loud snoring sound and everytime he tried to breath in, his tongue would fleck out of his mouth a little bit. It reminded me of a newborn puppy gasping for breath. My mother and I got it to come back to us once more and we were able to help him off the toilet. We figured we'd get his pants back up, get him in his chair, and he'd be fine. Little did we realise that he was dying of a combination of congestive heart failure due to not watching his blood sugar. He collapsed in my arms while my Mom tried to pull up his PJs. The only thing I could think of doing was using the momentum to spin him around and gently lay him on his back on the bathroom floor. The look on his face as he tried to breath and I lowered him down was a look of horror and panic and it was then that I noticed that his tongue was swollen and his the cracks in his lips were turning purple.

As my mother then ran to the phone to call an ambulance, I sat indian style down on the bathroom floor, lifted his upper torso into my lap, and watched him take his last series of breaths. From the moment he stopped breathing to the moment EMTs arrives was roughly 17 minutes. If they managed to bring him back, he'd have been brain dead. When they arrived, they drug him out of the bathroom and into the living room. After 30 minutes of the EMTs trying to resusicitate him (which they did but his pulse was very shallow and would fade away to nothing within seconds), my mother said it was enough. The EMTs pronouced him dead at 7:42AM while I myself pronounced him dead at 7:08AM -- mere minutes after we helped him from the car. He was gone.

For the next 4 hours, he laid there dead in the living room, his PJs still around his ankles and a plastic tube jutting out of his mouth. Even when we draped a white sheet over him, one could still see that damned thing lifting a portion of the sheet to a point. He laid there because none of his doctors would sign his death certificate, each of them claiming, "Well, we didn't know him long enough to build a rapport yada yada". That left the coroner and the coroner said he was running 60-90 minutes behind. It was around 11AM when his body was removed. I prepared for his death during the mid 90s. I wasn't prepared for his dead carcass to languish that long on the living room floor. He deserved more dignity than that and yet that portion -- that 4 hours -- had pervaded my mind for a long time, even in my sleep.

It also turned me into a modern-day Howard Beale for quite a while.

There wasn't an ass I didn't rip open. I started with his doctors, moved on to the Republicans who reguarly protect the said doctors, and stopped shortly after reaming the Democrats for not having the spine to stand up to either of them rat-bastards!

[yogi]

Psycho,

Your father sounded like one incredible guy. It must of been hard writing this, but I sure enjoyed reading it.
Did he fight anyone famous? What weight class did he box in? That is a pretty rare combo - music & boxing??

At any rate he sounded like one GREAT dude. I am sorry about the way he died. But from the sounds of it he TRULY LIVED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SuiteMadameBlue]

PsychoSy,

I second Yogi's post. It sounds like he did truly live.

Thank you for sharing.