Nature of the Beast:
This was written back in 2000. It seems to me it's still worth sharing, though.
Currently, there appears to be a rift in Styx. Dennis was ill and unable to commit to a tour, and JY and Tommy made the decision to go ahead with the tour anyway. Styx are still on tour without Dennis, despite the fact that Dennis says he is doing much better, and he is well enough to have done a solo show (with a 4 piece rock band and 50 piece orchestra -- I was there, and it was awesome!). TThere appears to be more to what's going on than Dennis's illness. Now, I don't know what's going on, or why any band members have done or said what they have, or haven't said or done what they haven't said. But I do know that they are human like the rest of us. "Deep inside we're all the same", as Dennis sings in "Grand Illusion". Dennis isn't perfect and Tommy's not evil. Nor is Tommy perfect and Dennis evil. They are both people who try to do their best but sometimes make mistakes.
Tommy Shaw has been the target of a lot of anger from unhappy Dennis DeYoung fans who seem to need a target for their anger. Has Tommy made mistakes in handling Dennis's inablility to commit to a tour due to illness and in what has happened since? Probably. But is it all his fault? No way. For one, anyone who doesn't think that JY has had a significant role (whether good or bad) in recent events is speaking with their emotions and ignoring the facts. JY has always played a significant role in Styx and there is no reason that would change now. And, something I can't help being aware of is that Tommy Shaw has had an unfulfilled recording contract with Damn Yankees; Dennis DeYoung has hopes and dreams for the future that have nothing to do with Styx (his Hunchback musical and future musicals), but JY only has Styx. JY has the most to lose if Styx doesn't go on. Furthermore, from what I know of Tommy, it would be totally out of character for him to make the decisions he and JY have made with regards to Styx on his own.
In addition, I can't help but point out that even if Tommy is as awful as people say, what's going on is certainly not all his fault because there are plenty of other people (the rest of the band, roadies, etc.) who are also taking part in this tour. They could have chosen not to.
As for the charge made by one fan that Tommy has no talent, well, Dennis DeYoung seems to think otherwise.
Furthermore, Dennis does not think Tommy and JY have done this because they are bad people. Rather, he has said he doesn't understand it. Yet people who don't know Tommy personally think they understand him better than Dennis does and they know Tommy did it because he's uncaring and power hungry.
Tommy's not an angel. And he's not a devil. He's human like the rest of us, and so he tries his best but sometimes makes mistakes. I can accept that. And even when I don't agree with his choices, I'm still a fan.
Nature of the Beast: Ellen's Tommy Shaw Appreciation Page
Ellen's Homepage
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