tastes do not always equate with the
mainstream taste of a Styx audience. They
all have their individual tracks – their
hidden treasures- and occasionally we do
that, but really for this DVD and for this
CD, I was bound and determined to play
those hits start to finish because there is
no DVD that exists of the former band or
the current where they play all the big
hits.
IE: Tell us about where your new solo
band came from and how they formulate
ter-in-law was one of the harmony
singers and I had one guitar player for
many years. I wasn't trying to be Styx. I
was just playing the music and I thought
"okay, I will dedicate myself to putting a
band together that creates that spirit and
that sound." [In addition to August],
we've got Jimmy Leahey on guitar, who
played with John Waite on a bunch of
shows he opened for Styx, and Craig
Carter on bass, who I found really from
Phil Ehart, the drummer in Kansas. The
other guys were in my other band-
November 4
Ani DiFranco – Allergic To Water
Dirty South – With You
Calvin Harris – Motion
Inspiral Carpets – Inspiral Carpets
Theophilus London – Vibes!
Magic Bronson – Wildlife
Wild Smiles – Always Tomorrow
Neil Young – Storytone
November 11
11•2014
the sound of Styx.
DDY: The good news about them is that
they work cheap. That's the thing I like
about them the most. But seriously, one
night my son, Matt [who also designed
the DVD's stage set] called me and said
"go downstairs to the computer check this
out" and it was August Zadra from a Styx
cover band in L.A. called The Grand
Illusion. He was singing "Too Much Time
On My Hands" and "Blue Collar Man"
and I looked and went "that guy sounds
just like the record!" Not only was he a
great singer, but he was a showman and
he could play both J.Y.'s [James Young]
and Tommy's leads note for note. I
thought "well, I gotta meet this guy" and
he came to my house and at that moment
I said "I'm going to put together a band."
The first ten years or so I toured I just
played my music. Dawn [Feusi] my sis-
[drummer] Tom Sharpe and [keyboardist] John Blasucci, [plus my wife
Suzanne on backing vocals], so that's
how it got put together.
IE: Another new aspect is the fact that
this is your first ever Blu-ray.
DDY: I'm pissed they waited until I was
67 to come up with something so clear
and sharp. Where were they when I was
25? Let's do a close up on him – oh my
god- there go the fans running out the
door!
IE: Your singing sounds flawless and you
look really healthy. How are you staying
in shape vocally and physically?
DDY: Cryogenics. After I'm done performing they freeze me and then they
thaw me for performance only (laughs). I
don't know. You have to have some
10 illinoisentertainer.com november 2014
Garth Brooks – Man Against Machine
Bryan Ferry – Avonmore
Foo Fighters – Sonic Highways
Job For A Cowboy – Sun Eater
Machine Head – Bloodstone & Diamonds
Pink Floyd – The Endless River
Damien Rice – My Favourite Faded Fantasy
The Buzzcocks
November 18
Buzzcocks – The Way
Exit Verse – Exit Verse
In This Moment – Black Widow
Manchester Orchestra – Hope
Nickelback – No Fixed Address
TV On The Radio – Seeds
November 25
Eminem – Shady XV
David Guetta – Listen
Pitbull – Globalization
The Preatures – Blue Planet Eyes
CJ Ramone – Last Chance To Dance
Trent Reznor/Atticus Ross – Gone Girl
Simple Minds – Big Music
Exit Verse