Former STYX vocalist Dennis DeYoung recently spoke with Jeb Wright at Classic Rock Revisited. An excerpt from the in-depth interview, which looks back on Styx' history and DeYoung's new album 100 Years From Now, is available below:

Jeb: I have seen Styx in concert without you. They were not bad at all.

Dennis: "Why would they be?"

Jeb: It wasn’t the same as seeing them with you but it was good. I chose sides in the Styx divorce. I wanted to hate them live but I didn’t.

Dennis: "That’s okay. Just because I’m not there does not mean that these guys can’t play and sing. Just because I’m not there doesn’t mean that Tommy Shaw lost his talent. There is one thing in this world that I’m better that than anyone else and that is being me. I have to walk the finest line in any discussions about the current band. Let me just say this: I invite anybody to pick up 100 Years From Now, you don’t have to buy it; you can steal it online; just listen to it. To me, I think I’ve made my case."

Jeb: You have a new band now as well.

Dennis: "I have made the choice to play all of the music that the Styx fans want to hear. For the last ten years they were not able to see all of that if they came to see me. I only did the songs I wrote. Tommy and JY are not doing a lot of the songs that people want to hear so I put this band together where I play all of the songs that people want to hear. I’ve got a guy named August Zadra who does 'Renegade' and 'Blue Collar Man'. I bet you didn’t know that. You can check it out on YouTube. He plays JY’s leads too. I made the decision to do this because I now felt this music could be credibly played. I’ve done it and it has been an incredible success.

I didn’t ever want to get into a situation where someone was standing on the stage next to me, playing those songs that Tommy had written and have them do that music a disservice. I just couldn’t feel good about it. After seeing this guy then I knew it was possible to this now. We played 50 shows last year and I am putting the schedule together for 2012 now. I am working on a DVD with my new band. We’re probably going to do it during the first quarter of 2012. We have had a great deal of success with Public Television. The last DVD helped them raise over two million dollars. We will be doing, on this DVD, 'Renegade', 'Blue Collar Man', 'Crystal Ball' and 'Too Much Time On My Hands'."

Jeb: After all the BS that has gone down, would you want to play with the band again?

Dennis: "Here’s the thing: I have never ever said one bad thing about the music that we created. You want to know why? It’s because I don’t believe it. I think the music we created is something to be proud of – some better than others as we’ve already discussed."

Jeb: So if Tommy or JY called you on the phone today and asked you to rejoin Styx as a touring and recording member of the band, would you join Styx again?

Dennis: "Yes."

Click here for the complete interview.