In 1990, just before they released the gold record Edge of the Century, Shaw was replaced by guitarist Glen Burtnik. Whatever you ask him about, DeYoung has an opinion on it. Despite battles with HIV/AIDS and cancer, Chuck Panozzo, 71, still performs to this day. It seems like "artistic differences" might be a pretty sure bet in this particular scenario, or maybe some remaining animosity from the band's first break-up way back in 1984. News/NBC, Consumer Reports, People and SiriusXM. If they want to play ‘Mr. I can always buy another pair of socks! Former STYX vocalist Dennis DeYoung says that he was "totally shocked" by the band's decision to perform the song "Mr. Roboto" live in its entirety for the first time in 35 years. Young says things came to a head when the band started considering a replacement for DeYoung, with the man himself stepping onstage whenever he felt up to it. Styx guitarist James "J.Y." See Bon Iver's Justin Vernon Perform Ruth Bader Ginsburg Tribute Song 'Your Honor', Donald and Melania Trump Quarantine After Top Aide Tests Positive for Coronavirus, Watch ‘Weird Al’ Yankovic Moderate Presidential Debate in ‘We’re All Doomed’ Video, Watch Chris Wallace Blame Trump for Debate Debacle, While Navigating Fox Host’s Anti-Biden Narrative, Watch 10-Year-Old Drummer Nandi Bushell Perform Dave Grohl Theme Song, BTS Perform ‘Black Swan,’ Talk Goal of Grammy Win on ‘Fallon’ Residency, Flashback: Phil Collins Dances Into the Light, Rolling Stone 500: How Talking Heads Stumbled Onto a Masterpiece With ‘Remain in Light’, Neil Young Announces ‘Return to Greendale’ Live Album and Film. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. I've worked as a producer at E! You can see the look of joy in people’s faces when we play them.”, When Shaw was getting a ride to the airport recently, the driver started talking to him about a new album by another band from from Styx’s era. (Photo by Paul Natkin), onstage during the group's 'Kilroy Was Here Tour' at the Auditorium Theater, Chicago, Illinois, April 25, 1983. Since then we’ve put songs like ‘Man In The Wilderness,’ ‘I’m OK’ and ‘Castle Walls’ into the set.”, Read Lester Bangs’ Review of Styx’s ‘Pieces of Eight’, Shaw says it’s unlikely they’ll tackle any other albums in the foreseeable future. You want to move on from that, you don't want to revisit. “We knew John was in a bad way,” says Shaw, who’s been open about his own struggles with alcohol and cocaine. Today, Young says their audience includes fans of all ages. “I was in remission for a decade,” Panozzo says. The only thing they do seem to agree on is the lasting impact Styx has made on generations of music fans. '", Styx proceeded to mount a successful tour, and, JY notes, "a year later [Dennis] sued us...over the use of the [band's] name. He’s as amazing as ever.”, Styx focus their show on their long catalog of hits (“Come Sail Away,” “Renegade,” “Too Much Time On My Hands”), but they are also sprinkling in some deep cuts inspired by a tour last fall where they did 1977’s The Grand Illusion and 1978’s Pieces of Eight straight through. Yeah, because I think it's detrimental to the name of Styx. “I don’t think [a reunion] is realistic,” Shaw tells Rolling Stone. Dennis Deyoung was the talent in styx. Roboto,’” 66-year-old Tommy Shaw says. DeYoung put out three solo albums and worked on other projects throughout the 90s, including a stage adaption of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. When we play it now, we love seeing the surprise on people's faces, playing this song we said we would never play.”. DeYoung tells The Eddie Trunk Podcast that he bears no ill-will towards his former band and he still wants a reunion, so they can repair their divided fanbase. And Chuck Panozzo did the furthest thing from quit. (Photo by Michael Ochs Archives), “I finally came to terms with that,” Shaw says. According to Styx … Lawsuits ensued, with Tommy Shaw and James "JY" Young retaining the rights to the name, and DeYoung being allowed to tour using "performing the music of Styx" or "formerly of Styx" in his billing. Still mourning the loss of his brother, Chuck Panozzo was going through his own whirlwind. News & Guts/AXS TV Styx's James "JY" Young, Tommy Shaw and Lawrence Gowan are featured on the latest episode of the Dan Rather-hosted AXS TV series The Big Interview, airing tonight at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.During their conversation, Young and Shaw discuss the group's bitter split with founding singer/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung.. Best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx as primary lead vocalist and keyboardist, a tenure that lasted from 1970 until June 1999. "And I said, 'Well, we're going with you or without you.'" Lawrence Gowan, who joined Styx in 1999, performs at The Palladium on June 4, 2019 in London, ... [+] England. "And I think it hurts our legacy, which to me is the most important thing. (Photo by Paul Natkin). (He wouldn’t name names, but Journey probably isn’t a bad guess.) In a preview clip from the episode, JY maintains that the issues with DeYoung revolved around the fact that the singer decided he didn't want to tour at a time when Styx's commercial popularity had waned and the band was relying on playing shows to bring in revenue. Get his tour dates here. Roboto” and the entire Kilroy Was Here rock opera concept album as the catalyst that led to the demise of the original Styx. “We've settled,” Young explains. “So we were playing songs we’ve been doing for 35 years next to songs we were doing for the first time. Dennis DeYoung is speaking his mind, loudly and clearly: about the band he formed in his basement with friends Chuck and John Panozzo; about politics and the news media; about the music business; about the state of rock & roll and radio airplay; about his new album and video. And the band’s founding vocalist tours with his own crew, billing the show as “Dennis DeYoung and The Music of Styx.”. In 2019, he still performs with the band as often as he can, but puts his body first. '...So now, I look at it and I think all those people have literally been thrown under the bus by this reversal of fortune. And while the band enjoys playing 2017’s The Mission, they continue to bust out tracks 1977’s The Grand Illusion — a timeless record to both the band and audience. ‘Roboto’ was at the top of that list.” [Styx denied that claim to Billboard in 2018. (Photo by Fin Costello/Redferns/Getty Images), quintet "Styx." The band’s 2017 record, The Mission, was met with praise from fans. “I felt I had to back Dennis because he’d led the charge to that point, but he really got carried away with. “After the success of 1996, [Dennis] was already talking about his own project that he had to do in 1997,” Young says. Yet, two of their best-known songs include the famed synth-pop tune "Mr. Roboto," and the chart-topping soft rock ballad, "Babe." In 1996, his brother John Panozzo died of cirrhosis, causing the band to recruit drummer Todd Sucherman. “I intend to do it for a long time to come. © Copyright 2020 Rolling Stone, LLC, a subsidiary of Penske Business Media, LLC. (Photo by Larry Marano), Temecula, California (Photo by Daniel Knighton), 2019 in Vancouver, Canada. “It's undefinable right now. He concedes that some of their audience didn’t understand the concept, but asserts that the narrative that “Mr. So we got somebody to replace him.”. Roboto” as a defensive narrative about the band’s creative dissolution. They told them one thing and now they're playing this song!". ". As is so often the case, the truth is more complicated. Shaw, meanwhile, compares the split with DeYoung to a divorce. © 2020 Forbes Media LLC. “In retrospect, we weren’t even happy working with each other in our heyday. "[I]n 1999…we had offers galore to go out and perform live, and Dennis refused to leave the house…he said for a medical reason," explains Young. Roboto” tore apart the band is a total fabrication. Copyright © 2020, ABC Audio. Styx reunited in the mid-'90s, but DeYoung says the real damage was done when Styx fired him in 1999. “It was just a very tough experience. Tommy and I felt like we were going to go with him or without him. American Rock musicians Tommy Shaw (left) and Dennis DeYoung, both of the group Styx, perform ... [+] onstage during the group's 'Kilroy Was Here Tour' at the Auditorium Theater, Chicago, Illinois, April 25, 1983. John Panozzo died on July 16, 1996 at the age of 47. These days, Styx’s setlist features songs spanning five decades. And I wish him the best…I have no desire to work with him again.". “Dennis … By the time the band released its 1972 self-titled debut album, the trio had picked up James “JY” Young and John Curulewski on vocals and guitar, while the twins played the rhythm section: Chuck on bass and John on drums. CIRCA 1976: Chuck Panazzo, Tommy Shaw, Dennis De Young, John Panazzo, James Young of the rock ... [+] quintet "Styx." He says his face was always red and hot, his eyes bloodshot. But why did DeYoung leave the group in 1999, in the first place? Unfortunately, the idea proved unpopular with DeYoung. That was the fast track to the end.”. Next came the platinum Kilroy Was Here (1983). But they say the great works of art come from tortured souls. But at this stage, after 20 years with Gowan behind the microphone, he doesn’t feel the band owes anyone an explanation. It was a really good exercise for our brains. So as wonderful as the song is, we’re playing it for a handful of fans. They weren't playing enough hits. ", "It's just wrong; it's counterproductive," DeYoung said. But he promised great fortunes for us in this whole thing.”. Though Andy Greene of Rolling Stone notes that fans have been clamoring for DeYoung and Styx to reunite, this seems unlikely. He was also the band's most successful writer, penning 7 of the band's 8 Billboard top 10 singles as well as a solo top 10 single. So why did the band decide to ignore the song entirely for 20 years?