Tommy gives Kudos to Dennis.. wow..

[Rockwriter]

I will say this: In 91 I had a chance to meet Jack, breifly. I was working part-time in radio then and I had a hand shake and autopgraph. This maybe lasted 5 minutes tops. Anyway, months down the road I saw DY again and Jack saw me and said "What's up Mike?" and I have respected him ever since for remembering my name after such a brief encounter.

That's really cool. He always struck me as being very nice.

The second time I ever met JY, it was after a JYG show at a local bar in Ft. Lauderdale I jokingly told him that he needed to space out his shows because I had to rearrange my work schedule at the last minute to be at this one (it was two weeks to the day after the first - and I only found out about it the DAY OF the show, so I had to get someone to cover for me like 2 hours before the show was set to start, it was crazy). The next time they came into town was 6 months later. When I saw JY, I (again, jokingly) asked him what took them so long getting back to South Florida, and he pointed at me and shouted, "YOU SAID: Give me a little more time in between shows, so I don't have to rearrange everything! YOU said that." Freaked me out completely. LOL

LOL, you didn't know that JY has the memory of an elephant? He's kinda legendary for that. If he ever writes a book of his own about Styx, it will have to be 1000 pages long because he remembers everything that ever happened in the history of the world, LOL. JY's autobiography, Part One: "In the beginning there was the Great Void . . ." LOL.

I met Jack at the same time that I met Tommy, but only in passing. He really does seem like a nice guy, and I interviewed Michael for my book, and he was just great, really great. A group of nice guys, those Damn Yankees.


Sterling

[Zan]

LOL, you didn't know that JY has the memory of an elephant?

I did know it, but to see it in action was another story altogether. The steel trap memory is likely what keeps him so "bitter," as some fans like to call it because he can't just forget things that went down like most people maybe could.

[rajah2165]

cittadenno23 wrote:

but Ted was way over the top. I have NEVER seen any musician trying so hard to get attention and BE the center of attention. EVER. And I have been to a lot of concerts.
That was Just my opinion, and the 4 people who were watching it with me too. Ted was annoying as hell. I thought the way they dragged him off stage at the end was appropriate.
They should have pried his guitar out of his hands and beat him with it too!

And I'm sorry, but If I had been at one of the shows where he shot his stupid Bow and Arrow through a STYX logo, I would have gotten thrown out of the concert for heaving my beer in his face!!

I would have thought this too but in 90 or 91 we went backstage to meet the band. Ted was the nicest of them all and stayed and talked to my brother and I for over TWO HOURS after the show. Jack was around maybe a half hour, Tommy was gone after one picture and was backstage less than 5 minutes. Kudos to Ted for showing us some respect and talking to us that long when he didn't have to. We kept saying "if you gotta go, go" but he said "I enjoy chatting with you guys let's hang out for a while".

Ted is just... well TED.

Mike

I know Ted can come off a certain way, and I can't say that I care all that much for his stage persona either, but like Mike says, he's altogether different in person. Kinda reminds me of Gene Simmons in that respect . . . Gene can seem like such an ass, but in person he's really a sweetheart. So is Ted. Very different from what you would probably expect. Kinda quiet, believe it or not, until he starts telling some great rock and roll war story and the whole room is just hanging there waiting for the next sentence.

I know Ted really did not endear himself to a lot of Styx fans with some of his comments and actions during the Damn Yankees era, but you have to understand that's how he gets PR, is by saying and doing outlandish things. I thought it was stupid, too, but that's his persona and he was playing to his audience.

There's a scene I left out of the book because I didn't really know where to slot it, but it was really interesting: did any of you see the episode of VH1's 'The List' where Dennis and Ted are on together? It's from maybe 2000 or so. Someone from VH1 told me they were hesitant to ask Dennis because of Ted being there, but Dennis said, "I have no problem with Ted . . . he doesn't even know me." So they booked them both, and before the show, Dennis and Ted had a nice chat in the green room and wound up getting along really great. Ted had only ever heard Tommy's side of things and just went with it . . . but you have to realize that in 1999-2000 DY was supposed to get together, but Tommy opted for Styx instead. It was the exact opposite of the situation in 1990 when the guys in Styx felt that Tommy had strung them along, only to go with DY instead. So now Ted saw that he and Dennis had had similar experiences with Tommy and that maybe Dennis was not the devil that Tommy had portrayed. If you watch the show, he and Dennis are debating, but also raising their water glasses to each other and goofing around a lot. They had a great time together. It is no secret that Ted was very angry with Tommy at that time. I bet he has a very different take on the Styx situation now.

I hope all is well.


Sterling

You should have included it - it would have helped balance out the obvious pro-Tommy slant that is quite evident in the book.

[Skates]

You know, I felt it had a pro dennis slant, but then again, Sterling did manage to give us the best of both worlds, much like the band is doing now, so I liked it.

[Abitaman]

I am about to start the Best of times chapter, and I am surprised at the nice-nest of Tommy's comment s about Dennis so far. -ERIC

[brywool]

I know I said I wouldn't post... (sorry froy!)

I think Sterling did a HELL of a job giving a pretty equal share to the whole thing. I think the interviews in the book were anti Dennis and the actual stuff that Sterling wrote was pretty unbiased and in some cases pro Dennis and in some cases pro Tommy/JY.
The most surprising for me was how Glenn came off. I thought some of his comments were not great (and I love Glen Burtnik folks). Glen also seems to really minimize his whole Styx-thing. Maybe to Glen he was a footnote, but he brought a lot to the party in my opinion.
The most revealing stuff came from Vose/Cahill/Sutton. Lots of info there. They seem pro-Shaw but in their experiences, that's how they saw it and that's how they reported it. Doesn't make them right or wrong, it just means that was there experience.

I love the book. I'm glad I bought it.

My complaints are- some sub-standard photos and I think some of the outsider/web people's opinions really didn't have anything to do with the story. There were a lot of their opinions in there. Seemed to cheapen the account a bit. No offense to them or their opinions (some of them were valid) I just don't think they were relevant to the book.

[froy]

Hows this your stupid and you dont know a thing about Styx history

Speaking of "stupid"- It's "you're" not "your", it's "how's" and not "hows", it's also "don't" not "dont".

And ya had to edit this to get it right
Nice try'

[ManOfMiracles]

did any of you see the episode of VH1's 'The List' where Dennis and Ted are on together? It's from maybe 2000 or so. Someone from VH1 told me they were hesitant to ask Dennis because of Ted being there, but Dennis said, "I have no problem with Ted . . . he doesn't even know me." So they booked them both, and before the show, Dennis and Ted had a nice chat in the green room and wound up getting along really great. Ted had only ever heard Tommy's side of things and just went with it . . . but you have to realize that in 1999-2000 DY was supposed to get together, but Tommy opted for Styx instead. It was the exact opposite of the situation in 1990 when the guys in Styx felt that Tommy had strung them along, only to go with DY instead. So now Ted saw that he and Dennis had had similar experiences with Tommy and that maybe Dennis was not the devil that Tommy had portrayed. If you watch the show, he and Dennis are debating, but also raising their water glasses to each other and goofing around a lot.



Sterling

I never saw this, but I'd like to! Know if anybody has it posted anywhere? Sounds interesting.

[ManOfMiracles]

did any of you see the episode of VH1's 'The List' where Dennis and Ted are on together? It's from maybe 2000 or so. Someone from VH1 told me they were hesitant to ask Dennis because of Ted being there, but Dennis said, "I have no problem with Ted . . . he doesn't even know me." So they booked them both, and before the show, Dennis and Ted had a nice chat in the green room and wound up getting along really great. Ted had only ever heard Tommy's side of things and just went with it . . . but you have to realize that in 1999-2000 DY was supposed to get together, but Tommy opted for Styx instead. It was the exact opposite of the situation in 1990 when the guys in Styx felt that Tommy had strung them along, only to go with DY instead. So now Ted saw that he and Dennis had had similar experiences with Tommy and that maybe Dennis was not the devil that Tommy had portrayed. If you watch the show, he and Dennis are debating, but also raising their water glasses to each other and goofing around a lot.



Sterling

I never saw this, but I'd like to! Know if anybody has it posted anywhere? Sounds interesting.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

did any of you see the episode of VH1's 'The List' where Dennis and Ted are on together? It's from maybe 2000 or so. Someone from VH1 told me they were hesitant to ask Dennis because of Ted being there, but Dennis said, "I have no problem with Ted . . . he doesn't even know me." So they booked them both, and before the show, Dennis and Ted had a nice chat in the green room and wound up getting along really great. Ted had only ever heard Tommy's side of things and just went with it . . . but you have to realize that in 1999-2000 DY was supposed to get together, but Tommy opted for Styx instead. It was the exact opposite of the situation in 1990 when the guys in Styx felt that Tommy had strung them along, only to go with DY instead. So now Ted saw that he and Dennis had had similar experiences with Tommy and that maybe Dennis was not the devil that Tommy had portrayed. If you watch the show, he and Dennis are debating, but also raising their water glasses to each other and goofing around a lot.



Sterling

I never saw this, but I'd like to! Know if anybody has it posted anywhere? Sounds interesting.

I have this on dvd. I don't have the time to post it on You Tube. I love watching how these guys interact

[ManOfMiracles]

I have this on dvd. I don't have the time to post it on You Tube. I love watching how these guys interact

Awww, SMB... all ya needed to add to that was a "nyah nyah nyah" to make me feel even worse. LOL "I got it but you can't see it?" And I was thinking of inviting ya to my birthday and everything...

[rajah2165]

I know I said I wouldn't post... (sorry froy!)

I think Sterling did a HELL of a job giving a pretty equal share to the whole thing. I think the interviews in the book were anti Dennis and the actual stuff that Sterling wrote was pretty unbiased and in some cases pro Dennis and in some cases pro Tommy/JY.
The most surprising for me was how Glenn came off. I thought some of his comments were not great (and I love Glen Burtnik folks). Glen also seems to really minimize his whole Styx-thing. Maybe to Glen he was a footnote, but he brought a lot to the party in my opinion.
The most revealing stuff came from Vose/Cahill/Sutton. Lots of info there. They seem pro-Shaw but in their experiences, that's how they saw it and that's how they reported it. Doesn't make them right or wrong, it just means that was there experience.

I love the book. I'm glad I bought it.

My complaints are- some sub-standard photos and I think some of the outsider/web people's opinions really didn't have anything to do with the story. There were a lot of their opinions in there. Seemed to cheapen the account a bit. No offense to them or their opinions (some of them were valid) I just don't think they were relevant to the book.

It was biased dude! Only talking to Tommy's friends? Only talking to Tommy's solo band members? Not interviewing Tommy Dziallo or Hank Horton? Putting in Jim Vose and that egomaniac Jim Cahill - two guys that are close friends to Tommy? Come on!

[Zan]

It was biased dude! Only talking to Tommy's friends? Only talking to Tommy's solo band members? Not interviewing Tommy Dziallo or Hank Horton? Putting in Jim Vose and that egomaniac Jim Cahill - two guys that are close friends to Tommy? Come on!

Yeah. An ex-wife, a fired employee (who is not on speaking terms with Tommy, incidentally - surely your insider sources have told you this, Raj).

[SuiteMadameBlue]

I have this on dvd. I don't have the time to post it on You Tube. I love watching how these guys interact

Awww, SMB... all ya needed to add to that was a "nyah nyah nyah" to make me feel even worse. LOL "I got it but you can't see it?" And I was thinking of inviting ya to my birthday and everything...

I'll bring you a nice birthday gift

I love going to birthday parties!!! I'll even bring a chocolate cake

[FormerDJMike]

I thought Sterling's book was very balanced. In fact, I am disappointed in myself that I declined his invitation to participate in it several years ago when the whole thing started rollin'. This is the most balanced story you will read about them. But like Allan said in an earlier post, you can see it from any perspective. It will be nice when Chuck's is released too. That way we get another perspective, and probably the most interesting because Chuck was always the "quiet one" in the band. Usually the quiet ones have the best stories to tell.

[Rockwriter]

You should have included it - it would have helped balance out the obvious pro-Tommy slant that is quite evident in the book.[/quote]



LOL, now THAT's funny . . . since there are pages and pages of various people saying how he lied about the breakup, hoe he dissed the fans, how he has turned into "the new Dennis" and so on. I'd be pretty surprised if Tommy himself sees it as a pro-Tommy slant. I think people on each side have a tendency to pull certain isolated quotes out and use them to reinforce what they need to experience from what I wrote, which I knew would happen. While you're reading this, please keep in mind that Styx manager Charlie Brusco read it and told me that I had portrayed everyone as who they are, whether they would like it or not. Someone I can't name in the Dennis camp said the same thing. And please also bear in mind that one of the band members in the current Styx completely went off on me because he felt I had favored Dennis, LOL. I guess everyone has their point of view.

Thanks, I hope all is well.


Sterling

[Zan]

What's really funny is that you dignified it with a response. LOL

[brywool]

Hows this your stupid and you dont know a thing about Styx history

Speaking of "stupid"- It's "you're" not "your", it's "how's" and not "hows", it's also "don't" not "dont".

And ya had to edit this to get it right
Nice try'

Sorry Froy, I can't understand you. Maybe if you take DeYoung's manhood out of your mouth I could hear you better...
It was edited because I got particularly nasty in the original posting. I toned it down. However, I'm leaving this one as is.

[pinkfloyd1973]

I'm 3/4 of the way through the book and I think it is a very balanced assessment of the band.....incidentally I don't think i've seen a bad quote from Tommy about Dennis yet. If anything it seems that Tommy still respects Dennis even after all that has happened


Robin

[brywool]

I have this on dvd. I don't have the time to post it on You Tube. I love watching how these guys interact

Awww, SMB... all ya needed to add to that was a "nyah nyah nyah" to make me feel even worse. LOL "I got it but you can't see it?" And I was thinking of inviting ya to my birthday and everything...

I'll bring you a nice birthday gift

I love going to birthday parties!!! I'll even bring a chocolate cake

My birthday is in October. I'll be waiting for my copy too!

[Rockwriter]

I know I said I wouldn't post... (sorry froy!)

I think Sterling did a HELL of a job giving a pretty equal share to the whole thing. I think the interviews in the book were anti Dennis and the actual stuff that Sterling wrote was pretty unbiased and in some cases pro Dennis and in some cases pro Tommy/JY.
The most surprising for me was how Glenn came off. I thought some of his comments were not great (and I love Glen Burtnik folks). Glen also seems to really minimize his whole Styx-thing. Maybe to Glen he was a footnote, but he brought a lot to the party in my opinion.
The most revealing stuff came from Vose/Cahill/Sutton. Lots of info there. They seem pro-Shaw but in their experiences, that's how they saw it and that's how they reported it. Doesn't make them right or wrong, it just means that was there experience.

I love the book. I'm glad I bought it.

My complaints are- some sub-standard photos and I think some of the outsider/web people's opinions really didn't have anything to do with the story. There were a lot of their opinions in there. Seemed to cheapen the account a bit. No offense to them or their opinions (some of them were valid) I just don't think they were relevant to the book.

That's what I was trying to do, was achieve balance through presenting as many different angles as I could. I love Glen's comments, and his interviews are among my favorites, but I can understand how they might strike someone in a particular way. Both of his stints in Styx were frustrating in various ways. You know, he came to the party too late to have the effect that his talents should have allowed him to have, and that's frustrating.

I agree that a couple of the photos didn't print as well as they looked on the screen when editing this thing together on computer . . . the last one of Ricky, as well as the one of Dennis on p. 142. If I manage to strike a deal with a distributor to go into book stores (which I am working on now), I'll probably drop those two and replace them with others. There's a couple of names misspelled and some small text changes like that I'd like to make as well. I'm probably 95 percent happy with everything in terms of presentation. It's always valuable to get feedback from different perspectives, because other people see things that I don't.

The quotes from fans and such have been, surprisingly to me, the most controversial part of the book. Perhaps that's because so many of the people actually reading the book know/used to know those people. But while those people did not directly participate in the career of Styx, I kinda felt like a book that didn't address how the fans reacted to the band would be incomplete in the reader understanding why things went the way they did. So that's the purpose of that, is just to offer a couple of differing perspectives on things from people outside the band, but still knowledgeable about it.

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the book.


Sterling

[brywool]

I know I said I wouldn't post... (sorry froy!)

I think Sterling did a HELL of a job giving a pretty equal share to the whole thing. I think the interviews in the book were anti Dennis and the actual stuff that Sterling wrote was pretty unbiased and in some cases pro Dennis and in some cases pro Tommy/JY.
The most surprising for me was how Glenn came off. I thought some of his comments were not great (and I love Glen Burtnik folks). Glen also seems to really minimize his whole Styx-thing. Maybe to Glen he was a footnote, but he brought a lot to the party in my opinion.
The most revealing stuff came from Vose/Cahill/Sutton. Lots of info there. They seem pro-Shaw but in their experiences, that's how they saw it and that's how they reported it. Doesn't make them right or wrong, it just means that was there experience.

I love the book. I'm glad I bought it.

My complaints are- some sub-standard photos and I think some of the outsider/web people's opinions really didn't have anything to do with the story. There were a lot of their opinions in there. Seemed to cheapen the account a bit. No offense to them or their opinions (some of them were valid) I just don't think they were relevant to the book.

It was biased dude! Only talking to Tommy's friends? Only talking to Tommy's solo band members? Not interviewing Tommy Dziallo or Hank Horton? Putting in Jim Vose and that egomaniac Jim Cahill - two guys that are close friends to Tommy? Come on!

Maybe those others wouldn't give consent, ask Sterliing. Vose, Cahill, and Sutton worked for the entire band, not just Tommy. Tommy stayed on pretty good terms with them while Dennis... or Dennis' wife (not Froy, Suzanne) burned Dennis bridges with at least Sutton. Dennis fires him because his wife (not Froy, Suzanne) did the Yoko thing to Sutton? Dennis was a major Puss. Even Chuck's pal quoted Chuck as saying that Dennis was being a puss about the whole 'sickness' thing.
However, Then there's that sociologist guy that basically says Dennis is freakin' Nostradamus and just goes on about what a genius he is.... How is THAT anti-Dennis? Do you really think that Dennis' solo band would do an interview? Do you really think he'd let them?

I think it was a pretty even-handed account from the people that were there. Tommy's solo band stuff was more about Tommy's solo experience. Dennis... well, he didn't have much of a solo experience until the past few years.
I dunno, I think it was pretty unbiased.

[brywool]

I agree that a couple of the photos didn't print as well as they looked on the screen when editing this thing together on computer . . . the last one of Ricky, as well as the one of Dennis on p. 142. If I manage to strike a deal with a distributor to go into book stores (which I am working on now), I'll probably drop those two and replace them with others.

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed the book.


Sterling

The Damn Yankees picture was also pretty bad but a great read.

[Rockwriter]

It was biased dude! Only talking to Tommy's friends? Only talking to Tommy's solo band members? Not interviewing Tommy Dziallo or Hank Horton? Putting in Jim Vose and that egomaniac Jim Cahill - two guys that are close friends to Tommy? Come on![/quote]



Though Zan is almost certainly right that it's idiotic of me to reply, please allow me to explain a few things: first, the friend of Tommy's that I spoke to, Eddie Wohlford, is actually a "former" friend who has not spoken with Tommy in years and years, and his insight had a purpose in that he was in a pre-Styx band with Tommy, worked on his solo album, traveled with Tommy on the RTP tour and also auditioned for Styx in 1979 when Dennis was kicked out. That's why I talked to him, and if you'll notice, some of what he says about Tommy is kinda negative to a degree, or balanced.

Tom Dziallo and Hank Horton did not respond to interview requests. I spoke to Danny Goldberg, Dennis' manager from his solo career, who said many nice things about him. I also spoke to his good friend and roadie, George Leemon, who also said many nice things about him. You somehow failed to mention that.

Jim Vose and Jim Cahill were both instrumental in breaking Styx, how in the world do I not interview them? The story would be really incomplete without them. I should also point out that Vose and Tommy did not speak for years and years and are kinda on-again, off-again friends at best. Yeah, Cahill has a huge ego, no doubt, which is part of the job requirement for a promo guy. But he also has a different and interesting perspective on the band and an entertaining way of telling it. Take Sutton, Vose or Cahill out of the equation, the career of Styx as we know it would be entirely different.

Thanks.


Sterling

[Rockwriter]

What's really funny is that you dignified it with a response. LOL

TWICE! LOL.

[I Stumble In]

Glen is just bitter because he screwed up royally turning down Richie Samobora's invitation to join his new band years ago. The band turned out to be Bon Jovi!!! Now imagine the millions he lost on that!!

[Zan]

Glen is just bitter because he screwed up royally turning down Richie Samobora's invitation to join his new band years ago. The band turned out to be Bon Jovi!!! Now imagine the millions he lost on that!!

Actually, it was John Bon Jovi's request, not Richie Sambora's.

[brywool]

It was biased dude! Only talking to Tommy's friends? Only talking to Tommy's solo band members? Not interviewing Tommy Dziallo or Hank Horton? Putting in Jim Vose and that egomaniac Jim Cahill - two guys that are close friends to Tommy? Come on!

Though Zan is almost certainly right that it's idiotic of me to reply, please allow me to explain a few things: first, the friend of Tommy's that I spoke to, Eddie Wohlford, is actually a "former" friend who has not spoken with Tommy in years and years, and his insight had a purpose in that he was in a pre-Styx band with Tommy, worked on his solo album, traveled with Tommy on the RTP tour and also auditioned for Styx in 1979 when Dennis was kicked out. That's why I talked to him, and if you'll notice, some of what he says about Tommy is kinda negative to a degree, or balanced.

Tom Dziallo and Hank Horton did not respond to interview requests. I spoke to Danny Goldberg, Dennis' manager from his solo career, who said many nice things about him. I also spoke to his good friend and roadie, George Leemon, who also said many nice things about him. You somehow failed to mention that.

Jim Vose and Jim Cahill were both instrumental in breaking Styx, how in the world do I not interview them? The story would be really incomplete without them. I should also point out that Vose and Tommy did not speak for years and years and are kinda on-again, off-again friends at best. Yeah, Cahill has a huge ego, no doubt, which is part of the job requirement for a promo guy. But he also has a different and interesting perspective on the band and an entertaining way of telling it. Take Sutton, Vose or Cahill out of the equation, the career of Styx as we know it would be entirely different.

Thanks.


Sterling[/quote]


Gee Sterling, couldn't you have FORCED them to do interviews so Dennis didn't look like an ass???

[StyxCollector]

I don't think anyone gets a free pass in Sterling's book, quite frankly. It's funny seeing people post that it is either pro-DDY or pro-TS.

Forget the fact I was interviewed for the book - I tend to agree that just putting interviews of people who worked with the band or were in the band doesn't give a whole balanced perspective. And those of us who have also encountered the band firsthand as I have also have some insight. I mean, I wouldn't go on record with some of the stuff that went down in '97 because it still annoys me a bit. The same type of stuff has happened since to me. I had to learn to divorce my love for the music from the band themselves. 96 and 97 was the first time I really opened my eyes to to how the workings of the band were.

I'll leave it at that.

[cittadeeno23]

Sterling, I'm almost done with the book. I have to say it is much better than I ever expected.
The detail is amazing and the interviews are all very good. I wasn't expecting so much candid information being exposed by all the people you interviewed. It has ALWAYS been very difficult getting any inside information about Styx.
The only free time I get to read it is on my lunch hour and I have been extending that to 2-3 hours just because I can't put it down! I will give it a review on Amazon when I am finished, but so far it's a thumbs up.

Jimmy