Dennis DeYoung Just Found Out That Cars Hated Styx
via Just Masters / Youtube
Dennis DeYoung recently discovered that the Cars had a dislike for Styx, a revelation that came from a 2006 interview with the late Ric Ocasek, which was republished online by Classic Rock last month. It appears DeYoung had never come across this interview before.
In the interview, Ocasek recalled the early days of the Cars: “We opened for about anybody in the beginning…,” He mentioned that Styx was among the bands they disliked. Ocasek noted that these bands would often watch the Cars’ performance from the side of the stage and become annoyed when they saw the audience connecting more with the Cars than with them.
DeYoung responded on his Facebook page, stating, “A pal in radio sent me this and I had a good chuckle…” He shared that he didn’t realize the Cars harbored any animosity toward Styx but acknowledged that it’s common for new bands to have some resentment towards established chart-toppers.
Regarding the notion that Styx was “pissed” about Cars fans connecting more with them, DeYoung dismissed it as “nonsense” and called it “the real knee slapper.” He recalled that the Cars had opened for Styx during some West Coast dates on the Paradise Tour in 1981, including a show at the Forum in L.A. He emphasized that Styx was at the peak of their success, selling out six shows between the Forum and the Los Angeles Sports Arena, and the idea that their fans were anything less than polite to the Cars was “ludicrous.”
DeYoung also mentioned that he had watched part of a Cars performance from the wings simply because he enjoyed their music but felt they were more enjoyable to listen to than to watch. He dismissed the idea that Styx would be envious of the Cars, stating:
“We didn’t give them a second thought, much less a first.”
In conclusion, DeYoung sent well-wishes to surviving members Eliot Easton and Greg Hawkes: “You played some nice parts – be well.
