I thought: “Oh my God, I suck! People hate what I do.” So with the next two albums I tried to be anybody but Dennis DeYoung.Įverything changed when Lady was a hit.

Our second album was a huge failure, and I was crushed. It had this song Jonas Psalter, which I wrote about a pirate for God’s sake! Listen, I love Long John Silver, but Jesus Christ, I don’t have an eye patch! I was trying to fit in with the prog-rock thing. Anyone who wants to argue about it, don’t come to my door.

But of course The Grand Illusion is our best album. Top three: Equinox, The Grand Illusion and Paradise Theatre. So if people want more music they should go ask the Talking Heads.

The people who still support us are emotionally bound to the music of their youth, which is true of all generations. But I’m not going to go through the tortuous effort of making a complete album again, because my audience will go: “Hey, that’s nice, Dennis,” pat me on the head and then say: “Please play Come Sail Away.” And if the spirit moves me I might write a song from time to time and put it out through Apple or whoever the local robber baron is. It was all good – except for that time he kicked my dog.Īre you retiring from music, period, or will you still go out and perform live? He and I have known each other a long time, and we really connected on these records. But Jim Peterik talked me into it, the sonofabitch! And I’m glad he did. Why should somebody in his seventies still be annoying the public? That’s what I thought. When I first got the offer from Frontiers Records to do Vol 1 I didn’t want to do it. And on both albums you worked with former Survivor legend Jim Peterik – another old fart! The deck is heavily stacked against people in rock music, and particularly old farts like myself.īut you’re still making great music, with last year’s 26 East Vol 1, and now Vol 2. Do I have to explain this to you? I don’t think so. I grew up in the greatest time in the history of mankind to be a musician. I’ve always been so neurotic and consumed with being the best I can, and it’s made me successful and miserable at the same time. I gave it my best shot, and I always did. Unless I turn into Kiss! But yeah, this is it.

Dennis deyoung river city casino