Styx Members Never Spoke to Dennis DeYoung After Firing Him in 1999, Manager Says

Styx parted ways with their former singer, Dennis DeYoung, in 1999, and, as their manager Charlie Brusco claimed, the band has not spoken with their old bandmate since.

The manager recently appeared in an interview with The Bob Lefsetz Podcast, where he explained why DeYoung was removed from the group decades ago.

"Tommy (Shaw) and J.Y. (James Young) came to me and said, 'We got a new album coming out. Dennis can't tour. We want to go out there without him,'" he recalled conversing with two group members. (via Loudwire)

He later told them their decision could have repercussions as it could either work or not. He also clarified with the two that if they decided on it, they would not "turn around and go back" to DeYoung."

Another reason the group ousted the former singer was his demands, as Brusco noted that he "likes to be in control of everything."

Charlie Brusco Told Dennis DeYoung That He Was Fired From Styx

Eventually, the band decided to fire DeYoung, but Brusco told the musician the bad news.

Recalling what happened, the manager said he called him on the phone and told him about the decision, and the singer didn't react well.

The conversation didn't go well, and it was an uncomfortable moment for him; adding, "he said to me, 'You know that no one will come to see them without me.' And I go, 'We'll see. We'll find out.'"

Eventually, the band found a new frontman in Lawrence Gowan, and they have been touring and releasing new music since then.

Unlike other bands still in contact with their former members, Brusco noted that Styx's ties with DeYoung have been completely cut as they never spoke to him again.

"I'm pretty sure of this: I don't think me, Tommy or J.Y. have ever spoken to Dennis since I let him go," he said.

Styx Updates

In other updates about Styx, the band will go on a co-headlining tour with Foreigner this summer. The series of concerts will kick off at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, MI, on June 11, 2024.

Billed as "The Renegades & Juke Box Heroes," the two groups will also visit cities across the United States and Canada like Toronto, Clarkston, Maryland Heights, Rogers, Dallas, Woodlands, Bend, Charlotte, Charleston, Noblesville, and many more.

More details are available on Styx and Foreigner's websites.

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