Dennis DeYoung

The former Styx man returns with a new album, and still hopes a reunion with his old band could happen.

Dennis DeYoung was a core member of Styx from 1970 to 1999. As vocalist, keyboard player and producer, he played a crucial role in making the Chicago band hugely successful.

Since leaving Styx, over the past two decades DeYoung has carved out a successful solo career that has included working with orchestras and composing musicals. Now he’s back with a new album, 26 East: Volume One, which combines the melodic rock, progressive and musical theatre touches that have long been his trademarks. He explains why this is his farewell recording.

Why such a long gap between the new album and your previous one, 2007’s Hundred Years From Now? Well, that album sold so poorly that it was as if it was invisible. The music business changed so much, because of the internet, which is a shit-storm of destruction for musicians like me. So there was no way I could sell any copies. Had it not been for Frontiers Records asking me to do this album, then I’d never have thought about recording again.

You’ve announced that this is your last album. Why is that? As I said, there’s no way for new music to sell decently. When Frontiers asked me to do an album, I did wonder why would I want to. But they persuaded me, and I ended up recording eighteen tracks, and wrote about half of these with Jim Peterik [Survivor founder and co-writer of Eye Of The Tiger]. The label want to release all of them, so there will be a Volume Two, which will be my farewell.

Are you really able to just stop creating new music? I did it for over ten years, so sure I can.

What did you set out to achieve with the new album? I want people to have an understanding of my life. It gives me a thrill to know that strangers will be able to listen to these songs and find themselves in my story.

How did you come to have Julian Lennon duet with you on the track The Good Old Days? I wrote this specifically for Julian to do as duet. I had thought about asking him to sing with me in the past, but thought he probably gets inundated with such requests. This time I boldly sent him an email out of the blue – we had never met previously – and was delighted he accepted. Julian gets a bad rap from people but he’s a really nice guy. He told me that he had given up the idea of making new music himself, but I hear he’s now working on his own material. I am delighted he’s doing his own album.

“Had Frontiers not

asked, I’d never have thought about recording again.”

Do you have any plans to play shows in the UK and mainland Europe? I’m ready to come over at any point. But no promoters seem interested in me. I am not deliberately keeping away. It’s down to them to contact me.

Is there any chance of you having a reunion with Styx? In 1999 Tommy Shaw and JY decided to replace me in Styx when I was sick. I have always said that I would love to return, but those two have constantly dismissed the offer. To me, unless you have the three of us together then you do not have Styx. I don’t have an axe to grind, but I feel we owe it to the fans to get Larry, Curly and Mo back in harness one last time. MD

26 East: Volume On is available now via Frontiers Records.