THE PROG INTERVIEW
Dennis DeYoung co-founded the band that became Styx back in the 1960s, fed by a love of prog and hard rock. He’s since added a solo career and musical theatre to his résumé but, as he readies his farewell album, 26 East, Vol 2, he returns to that earlier sound. Here he looks back over a fascinating life.
Every month we get inside the mind of one of the biggest names in music. This issue it’s Dennis DeYoung. The Chicagoan singer began his career in the 60s aged just 15 in the band that would later be known as Styx. As lead vocalist, keyboardist and songwriter, he was responsible for hits including Babe and The Best Of Times, and released his first solo album in 1984. He’s enjoyed a varied career, even appearing in the musical Jesus Christ Superstar, and reunited with Styx in 1990 before leaving in ’99. Now on the cusp of releasing his final studio album, DeYoung reflects on his extraordinary life so far.
After a half century of releasing albums, both with Styx and as a solo artist, Dennis DeYoung has announced that the upcoming 26 East, Vol 2 will be his final one.
The teenage DeYoung co-founded Styx with the Panozzo brothers Chuck (bass)
“Hearing Yes play No Opportunity Necessary, No Experience Needed had a profound effect on all of us in Styx.”
and John (drums) in the 60s.
Back then they were called The Tradewinds, but by 1970, with guitarist James ‘JY’ Young and John Curulewski (subsequently replaced by Tommy Shaw in 1975) onboard, the band had become Styx. As keyboardist, accordion player, vocalist and writer, DeYoung had a core role in the development of their sound, mixing progressive influences with AOR, creating what became known as pomp rock.
A rift over their 1983 album Kilroy Was Here led to the band taking a six-year break. During this period, DeYoung began his solo career, releasing the albums Desert Moon in ’84, Back To The World two years later and Boomchild in ’89. None achieved the level of success enjoyed by Styx, but the title track from that first album was a Top 10 single in the States – the only time any member of the band has had a hit on their own.
Styx reunited in 1990, but DeYoung left in controversial circumstances during ’99. The band decided to move on without him when he had significant health issues. To this day, DeYoung remains angry about the way his one-time bandmates appeared to abandon him.
In the 21st century, he’s pursued a varied career, not only recording albums, but also working on orchestral reinterpretations of Styx songs, acting and even writing a musical based on The
Hunchback Of Notre Dame. He also accepted a role mentoring contestants on Canadian Idol in 2006.
Now, he looks back at his distinguished career and forward to what he plans to do next.
Who made a big impression on you artistically in your youth? The first one was my next-door neighbour in Chicago. He played the accordion. This was 1953, when I was six or seven years old, and hearing that had a big impact. In the early days of rock’n’roll loads of bands had accordion players. Then the guitar took over. But I never forgot the joy and sparkle in my mother’s eyes whenever she heard the accordion. That’s why I started to play it – to get her approval.
Then, the Panozzo brothers came into my life. They were also neighbours, and I heard them playing in their living room on hot summer days. So I invited them to my place in 1962, and they brought over their drums and guitar. The three of us jammed, leading to the