Year 2001

November 2nd, 2001

Hello friends,

It was an amazing night in Ottawa last night. Instead of feeling like we were in a foreign country, it felt like a homecoming. After a couple of years of feeling like we needed to reintroduce ourselves to the Canadian fans, it finally felt as if no introductions were necessary, just getting down to the business at hand, which was to Rock the House.

From very early in the set, fans left their seats and came right up to the stage, which we always enjoy. Nothing like getting close. Everyone was in fine voice last night as the fans rivaled our P.A. system on many of the choruses. It was pure joy.

Alannah Myles and her band ROCKED and it seems to be another excellent pairing of bands as we embark on this slew of Canadian dates.

Feels great. See you soon!

Tommy

September 11, 2001

Dear friends,

Thank you all for the sweet letters and cards today. I am truly blessed to have so many people wishing me well. The world was saddened today by a few evil men's deeds but the hearts of good people can transcend any act of cowardice. Goodness will always prevail.

Peace,

Tommy

September 1st, 2001

Hello friends,

It's September 1st already. Wow, where did the summer go? We are here in Cleveland for a day off after spending the week on the East Coast with tons of STYX fans we had not seen either EVER, or for quite some time. It is a real challenge trying to get to everyone's vicinity on a regular basis, but I think we've made some serious progress in the last 26 months!

We may be coming to Canada in November, so keep checking in. As of yesterday it looked like a go, but there are still a few important details to work out before we make it official. We hope it works out.

Last night Jimmy Johnson presented me with a newly refinished Paul Reed Smith electric that had been out of service all summer. It looks brand new and I can't wait to put it back to work. It's more of a "cobalt blue" which I like even better than the "sea blue" it was before going back to the factory. This new finish really brings out the flame in the maple top.

This summer has been the most exciting for us since anyone can recall. Performing with Bad Company, Billy Squier and Joe Stark was extremely satisfying on a musical level; to be in the company of such giants made us perform at even higher levels than we knew we were capable of and now THAT is our base line for going forward. We have always enjoyed the challenge of standing next to the very best and rising up to show them what we're made of. It makes us the best we can be.

And now to get to perform with REO again has been like a family reunion with our favorite relatives. Just before we reconnected with them, VH1 ran their "Behind the Music." Knowing them as well as we do, and knowing the landscape of their world as it exists in 2001, we knew that there would be some adjusting to the VH1 interpretation of their story. They knew that it took us a while to adjust to their view of our world when the final edit of "STYX: Behind the Music" came out last year. Still, it was not until theirs aired that they really understood how VH1 is "Entertainment" television, not a "News" organization. The reality is, BOTH ours and their BTMs were very entertaining. The reality part was probably not nearly as "interesting" as what made it to the screen, and that will probably take a little longer for them to get used to, but in the meantime their catalog sales have DOUBLED! Their recognition factor has probably QUADRUPLED. So given these statistics, I think just like it was for us, their appreciation for VH1's reality will become easier and easier to come to terms with.

I can only tell you from my view, this current REO that has been a constant now for almost a decade, is as rock solid a band as I've ever seen, strong enough to continue on into the future, growing as they go. We look forward to saluting them as our tours intersect for many years to come.

So now it's Labor Day weekend and we join all of you who like to play as hard as you work. This holiday is a slate to us all!

Cheers, my friends!!!

August 6, 2001

Hello friends,

This is the photo I refered to recently in an article on STYXworld.com. It was the moment Chuck returned to the stage in 1999 after fighting his way back to health from his near fatal battle with AIDS. The expression on his face speaks volumes. He had quietly done this in private and only we and his family knew how sick he'd been. We'd covered for him not being with us for so long by saying he was "on an extended leave of absence," while in reality no one knew how things would work out. To see him walk out on stage with the bass guitar was unforgettable.

These days he maintains his good health by following the advice of his doctors, coming to sit in with STYX, and most recently has become a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), a Washington, DC based political activist group whose ranks include Candice Gingrich.

Photo by Susan Turnbow

January 3, 2001

To all of you who sent congratulations to Jeanne and me, we are moved by warm and heartfelt response to our recent marriage. Thanks a million!

January 2nd, 2001

Hello friends,

2000 was an unforgettable year for me. From our first Japanese tour since the 1981 Paradise Theater tour to our first trip to Germany and Switzerland in even more years.

Our tour with REO spawned a live CD and DVD, providing us with a new name for the remaining dates of our tour with them--"Arch Allies."

VH1's "Behind the Music" turned fans all over the world onto the fact that STYX was back and provided an entertaining look into the inner workings and history of the group.

In the middle of our Canadian tour we learned via the press that Dennis DeYoung had filed suit in federal court, naming JY, Chuck and myself as defendants.

We said farewell to friend Benjamin Orr, to JY's younger brother Ricky Young and a few weeks later mourned the passing of JY's father, Vincent Young.

On December 28, after being engaged for two years, Jeanne and I were married in Las Vegas.

On December 31 we played our second New Year's Eve celebration with Lawrence and Glen.

These were just a few of the most memorable moments in a year that was filled with amazing events.

Thanks for checking in and being a part of our story. Believe it or not, we are just getting started!

See you soon...

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