Former Styx singer/keyboardist Dennis DeYoung recently posted a message on his Facebook page responding to comments ex-bandmate Tommy Shaw made in a recent interview with Cleveland.com. Shaw apparently hit a nerve with DeYoung when he told the website Styx was planning to play the Dennis-penned ballad “The Best of Times” on their current tour with Foreigner, praising it as “a brilliant song.”
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DeYoung, who was fired from Styx in 1999, was miffed because for many years after his departure from the group, Shaw and Styx guitarist James “J.Y.” Young criticized some of Dennis’ more-pop-oriented songs and refused to perform tunes like “The Best of Times” and “Mr. Roboto.” Now, both of those tunes are back in Styx’s sets.
In a new interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, DeYoung explained why he felt Shaw’s and J.Y.’s criticism was hurtful to him and to Styx fans. He also reiterated why he’d still like to reunite with the band for a farewell tour, even though, he insists, he isn’t interested in rejoining the group.
“The most hurtful part about all of this to me is what it did to easily one of the most loyal fanbases in classic rock history,” DeYoung maintained. “To this day, people will be at odds with each other on social media arguing about this point, 25 years later. That’s just the worst part for me. Because the fact that a Styx fan would disparage any of us—and they do, depending on their point of view—is hurtful to me.”
About DeYoung’s Departure from Styx and Its Aftermath
DeYoung discussed in detail with Ultimate Classic Rock the circumstances surrounding his firing from Styx. He noted that around the time the band recorded it’s 1999 comeback album Brave New World, he’d gotten sick with a lingering illness, and wanted the band to wait six months for him to recover before starting new tour. Instead, Styx hired singer/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan to replace DeYoung and hit the road.
According to DeYoung, he finally ended up suing Styx in 2001 after they continued to tour under the moniker without offering him any monetary compensation.
During the ensuing years, Young and Shaw explained in various interviews that they were unhappy with DeYoung’s controlling ways in the studio. They also said they weren’t enamored with DeYoung’s ballads and the 1983 rock opera Kilroy Was Here, which he spearheaded and which included “Mr. Roboto.”
DeYoung Says Ex-Bandmates Weren’t Truthful About Why He Was Fired
DeYoung told Ultimate Classic Rock that he felt Young and Shaw hadn’t been truthful about the reason why he was fired from the band.
“For the last 25 years, J.Y., mostly, but Tommy too, have been clear about their feelings about some of the songs I’d written. Most especially, the ballads,” Dennis said. “And of course, the lightning rod for all Styx fans is ‘Mr. Roboto.’ I know it’s all untrue, everything that was said and has been said.”
He added, “It was a story they decided to tell back in 1999 when they replaced me when I was sick. Because the story they should have told was, ‘Well, we replaced the sick colleague, because we really wanted to go on the road and make some money and didn’t want to wait for him to get better.’ That’s what really happened. But that’s not a good story to tell.”
DeYoung told Ultimate Classic Rock that he felt that it was “unnecessary” for Young and Shaw to criticize his songwriting.
“What gets me is when I see ‘The Best of Times’ now being lauded by Tommy and the same thing with ‘Mr. Roboto,’ I think, well, why [has there been] all of the negativity?” he posed. “Who does that serve? Who does that help? That’s my opinion.”
DeYoung’s Praises Classic Styx Lineup’s Work Together
DeYoung maintained that he never would disparage the work done by his former bandmates did while he was in Styx.
“I defy anyone to see anywhere where I’ve ever given an interview where I said anything bad about anybody else’s music in this band,” he said. “I’ve never said one bad word about Tommy’s music or J.Y.’s music. It’s simple for me, because I don’t feel that way. I love what we created together.”
DeYoung’s Feeling About a Reunion Tour
Dennis told Ultimate Classic Rock that, even with the bad blood, he still wanted to do a Styx reunion tour. He said he did reach out to his ex-bandmates through third parties, but Shaw and Young have rebuffed any offer to reunite.
“[It’s about] the [chance to say] farewell to those fans that gave me a life that fulfilled the dream,” DeYoung explained about why he wanted to do the reunion tour. “We can say thank you. This is what we did, here’s the three guys … We appreciate what you did. I could just disappear. That was my intention.”
DeYoung also revealed whether he’d like to restore his friendship with Shaw and Young.
“Of course,” he said. “I never wanted it to go the way it did.”
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