after night and John Blasucci only get a finite amount of use the DVD because you only get who plays keyboards, which from it. You have to respect your a little bit of me interacting with frees me up to come out to the vocal cords, I mean don’t get me the audience. Usually I talk to front and be the lead singer. Oh wrong, because some people do them because I fancy myself as a and of course my beautiful wife buck that rule and those things comedian, so I’ll tell them jokes, Suzanne sings backing vocals I mentioned don’t affect them, usually about my age, about for us as well. but nine times out of ten if you being labelled a ‘Rock Star’ and do abuse your voice it will be I’m a guy who can’t take being Styx legend and solo performer Dennis DeYoung has a You mentioned earlier gone long before it should have. called a ‘Rock Star’ at my age wonderful new DVD/CD out entitled a ‘DDY And The Music Of and on the DVD that your too seriously. So I’ll answer your Styx’. Ian Johnson talks with Dennis - a real fan boy moment 67 years old. So how have I’ve watched the DVD question this way, I don’t really - about the new release, his love for music, what drives him at you kept your voice in such quite a few times now and know what art is, what makes the age of 67 to keep on Rocking and what the legacy of Styx good shape? Personally I the passion and enthusiasm something art. I went to the means to him. think you sound as good in your performance shines Museum of Modern Art and now as you ever did. What’s through in everything saw a toilet seat in a frame and Dennis, can you tell us please tell us about them. your trick? you do on stage. Also I thought to myself if that’s ‘art’ how the new DVD came This all came about really Thanks a lot for that, I’ll give your interaction with the I’ll take a photograph of my ass about please? when I realised that from you my phone number and you audience is warm and and call it a Picasso! Though I do The story is that AXS-TV 2001/02 onwards I was only can ring me up every morning funny, are they part of the know that when the fans pony came to me and asked if I would ever singing the songs that I and tell me that! (laughs) Well, reason you still have this up their hard earned money to like to be part of an ongoing wrote myself in Styx. So the what I do is wear underwear love for performing? come and see me or buy one series called ‘Live From The band I had in those early days, soaked in ice cold water that Yes, that’s a big part of the of my albums, that I have to, Grammy Museum’. That is who were all very good friends are three times too small for reason I love playing live, the regardless of how I’m feeling, put artists coming to the museum of mine, helped when we did me before I go on stage. No, fans. In part it’s you Brit’s fault on the very best show that I can to play their songs acoustically, the Symphony shows and really what it is, and I’m not because it was you that sent possibly do. I know these people so in essence they were offering continued touring with me for bragging or saying what I did the Beatles over to America in deserve my best effort, the best you and your wife Suzanne, didn’t want to intrude on what that it’s never the same. Anything me the opportunity to do many years. However, when was right and what somebody the 60s. That made me want to that I can do each and every what song must always go Styx were doing at that time. So that develops and tarnishes that my acoustic show for them. I the bass player wanted to leave else did was wrong, but I never become a singer, performer, single night that I perform, into your set-list? I could write an album like that connection just isn’t right. So thought about it for a while and and he was the guy who sang did drugs, I don’t drink and I whatever you want to call it. I which is what I try to do. Well I suppose it would have or a Styx sounding album. At what I’d like to say to all Styx said “Well, I’ve already done all the high harmony parts, don’t smoke. I was always very saw them on the Ed Sullivan to be ‘Come Sail Away’. That the moment I have about seven fans is that we were together as a non-Rock show, when I did I needed to think of getting conscious, even in the very early Show and from that moment on So as a long time Styx song is the ultimate Styx song, or eight finished songs that are a band for a really long time and the ‘Music Of Styx’ with the something new together. So a Styx days, that your vocal cords I knew what I wanted to do with and DDY fan I have to ask at the time of its release it didn’t stylistically all very different so we all genuinely liked each other, symphony orchestra”, so I told little while after he’d left, my are a muscle and an instrument my life. My show though is a lot for everyone who reads this get much recognition around I’m not sure if or when I’ll make for all that time we were really them “Hell! What I want to do son phones me and says “Dad and if you abuse it, you will different from what you see on magazine. When can we the world but it has grown into a new album. I won’t ever make good friends and we made some is Rock!” I said to them that as go downstairs and look on the see you over here on tour? the biggest song in the Styx/ an album unless I think I have beautiful records together. I’d be good as the band I have with internet”, I said “What for? It’s The trouble for me is this. DDY catalogue. If someone had something creative musically surprised if anyone in Styx now me now are acoustically, what 1:30 in the morning!” He goes When Styx came over and played never heard of the band before to offer the fans and with the wouldn’t say that what we did, I really want to give the fans “Just go and look at this guy the UK and European shows, and you wanted to introduce wonderful help of Frontiers, the music we created, wasn’t part is a full blown Rock show, to called August Zadra”. So I did. they were part of a package them to the music of Styx that yourself and the other writers of a whole band identity. All of let them see and hear the Styx And I saw this guy from a Styx deal. I’m not sure if people would be the song you’d choose. I’ve spoken to recently, who have us, Tommy, JY, Chuck and John songs as they should be heard. cover band singing ‘Blue Collar who remember Styx remember It has the light beginning, the all said they’d like to hear some all brought great things to each I wanted to play a greatest hits Man’, ‘Renegade’ and ‘Too Much that Dennis DeYoung was the Proggy middle section and then new music from me, the odds are other’s music and I honestly show because if you look at what Time…’ and I said “Whoa who singer in that band. Only really the big anthemic chorus, which in favour of me doing just that. don’t think it would have been I’ve done, or Styx have done over is this guy?” So I contacted dedicated fans would know that sums up the variety that we had the same with other players. the years, it hasn’t ever been a August, invited him down to I was the singer in Styx. The within the songs of Styx. That’s With all the songs you The five of us made something full on greatest hits concert. So my place and we got on well, so other thing is I’ve never been what I always loved about Styx, and Styx have written special and it’s a mystery as to I asked if there was any way we right then and there I decided asked. If a promoter over there the variety in the songs we all together and the lives why, why voices blend, why could do this electrically and to put together a band with the said “Hey Dennis, how about brought to the table. you’ve touched with them, five people can come together they said yes and suggested we specific job of performing the playing Great Britain?” I’d be you must be happy with the and make music that sounds so record it at the El Rey Theater, music of Styx with the same there in a shot.