Sometimes the room isn’t big enough for more than one rock star. But that’s not the case for Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and former Eagle Don Felder and legendary mega-million album-selling band Styx. This month, they will join forces on stage in a five-night limited engagement at the Venetian Theatre, Las Vegas (January 6-14), highlighting the power of great music and artistic collaboration. I cornered Styx icon James “JY” Young and legendary guitarist Felder in separate conversations for my podcast to discuss their fascinating journeys and the details on their upcoming show Renegades in The Fast Lane.
Listen to the conversations with Don Felder and James “JY” Young on iTunes.
James “JY” Young, guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and the guy who has been credited with steering Styx toward their first recording contract in 1972 is right where he wants to be in 2017—taking to the stage and playing music.
“Forty-five years of doing this, and to me, it’s the fountain of youth,” Young says. “And I may be in my 60s, but when I get on stage I feel like I’m in my 20s.” Fans obviously share the Styx enthusiasm—over the last two decades, the band has averaged 80-90 shows a year, with that number growing to over one hundred shows in recent years.
The band, with hits that have ranged from “Lady” and “Come Sail Away” to “Renegade,” “Blue Collar Man” and “Babe,” hasn’t been without transitions, but its sound and significance continues to leave its mark in the music world. Young knows this will be the case in Vegas.
“We’ve lost a few of our original members along the highway,” he says. “Original drummer John Panozzo passed on [in] ’96. And John Curulewski, who left the band, also has passed on—a few years after he left the band. But he was part of our first top 10 single “Lady.” And he played a pivotal role in the formative years of the band. And so, we’ve lost those two guys. But the replacement parts that we have in this band are all home run hitters and we just get out there and crank up the big machine. And it’s always been my favorite part of what I do. I just like the immediacy of the moment.”
Joining Young at the Venetian Theatre will be Styx power players Tommy Shaw, Lawrence Gowan, Todd Sucherman, Ricky Phillips and Chuck Panozzo. And then, of course, there’s that other rock star. “Don Felder, who’s like a long-lost brother of mine and Tommy Shaw’s, is going to be on stage with us…I love that guy. He’s phenomenal,” says Young.
Felder, one of the artists (and one of the amazing guitarists) behind The Eagles 1978 Grammy Award-winning Record of the Year Hotel California, couldn’t be happier. After collaborating with Styx’s Tommy Shaw for years, and recently touring with the band, it seems like there was quite a bit of bonding.
“It just sounded like a dream come true,” Felder says about Renegades in The Fast Lane. “After spending almost a year with these guys on the road, and playing golf together, and going to dinners together, and telling jokes together, and making silly songs up backstage—just having fun, you know, it turns out these guys are really good people as well as brilliant musicians. Offstage they are just a delight to work with. And so we’re friends—we feel like family. These guys feel like brothers to me in that band. So to be able to spend a week together, or 10 days together, working at the Venetian. I cannot wait. We’re gonna have so much fun I can’t stand it.”
“And a night of Styx and Eagle’s music sounds like a heckuva way to get out of the cold winter,” Young says. He can say that again.
Listen to Nancy’s conversations on iTunes and follow her podcast on Facebook.
Check out Don Felder’s latest album Road to Forever.
Get more Styx music information.
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