# How bad is Styx without Dennis DeYoung? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 28, 2014, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-styx-without-dennis-deyoung/684783 "2014-03-28T20:10:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![dalej42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/67e7ee/32.png) [@dalej42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dalej42)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-styx-without-dennis-deyoung/684783/21 "2014-03-29T23:50:41Z")
I’ve never thought DeYoung to be a particularly accomplished piano/keyboard player, I put him around the Paul McCartney level of piano playing talent. Billy Joel is certainly better, and they’re nowhere close to the Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman level. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-styx-without-dennis-deyoung/684783/22 "2014-03-30T00:01:18Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I’ve never thought DeYoung to be a particularly accomplished piano/keyboard player, I put him around the Paul McCartney level of piano playing talent. Billy Joel is certainly better, and they’re nowhere close to the Keith Emerson or Rick Wakeman level. Where would you place Gowan? (though I suppose you might not have heard him much if you’re not Canadian or following Styx around the country. lol) ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2014, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-styx-without-dennis-deyoung/684783/23 "2014-03-30T00:44:39Z")
> [@dalej42](#): > > I found [Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight concert on YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8tFmGxHKEE) > > I’ll probably go to the concert this summer if the tickets aren’t outrageous. Hey thanks! I’ve been watching the [Return to Paradise](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sg6ccWZJo4I) concert in recent weeks. I’ll watch this now as well. I’ve only seen a few songs so far, but Gowan seems to be an improvement over DeYoung live. He sings well and has a lot more energy than DeYoung, plus everyone in the band doesn’t hate him. If you notice in the Return to Paradise concert, DeYoung mostly stays to his own side of the stage. ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [April 2, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-styx-without-dennis-deyoung/684783/24 "2014-04-02T01:58:39Z")
I’ve been to two Styx concerts, both with Gowan, and they were Perfectly Acceptable. But they weren’t GREAT. ---
**Author:** ![lbrat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@lbrat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lbrat)\ **Post date:** [June 14, 2020, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-styx-without-dennis-deyoung/684783/25 "2020-06-14T14:08:34Z")
STYX rocks without the dictator ddy. Lawrence has a stage presence ddy has never had and we do not need to listen to sappy babe, show me the way and other disaster ballads from ddy. JY and Tommy should have kicked his sorry butt out ages ago. ddy is just a STYX wanna be these days. the real STYX will get into the hall of fame after the ddy dinosaur kicks the bucket. Has been ddy is also hoping for a “reunion” for years. Why would the real STYX agree to a living Hell of that said reunion? Anybody can see the real STYX is much happier without the dictator. Just watch the body language. STYX ROCKS WITHOUT ddy!!! ---
**Author:** ![ekedolphin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ekedolphin/32/10003_2.png) [@ekedolphin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekedolphin)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2020, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-styx-without-dennis-deyoung/684783/26 "2020-06-15T18:01:59Z")
I love Styx both with, and without, Dennis DeYoung. I especially like when the Gowan-led Styx breaks out “A Criminal Mind”. JY rocks that guitar solo. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-bad-is-styx-without-dennis-deyoung/684783.md?page=1)