Catching Up With Ricky Phillips

Posted on June 29, 2018 by Michael Cavacini

Photo by Rick Diamond

Ricky Phillips is one of the most talented musicians around. For the past 15 years, he’s been the bass player for STYX. He’s also been a member of Bad English and The Babys. All three of these bands have topped the charts numerous times and sold millions of albums. In between these three legendary gigs, Ricky has played with additional legends, including Sammy Hagar, Ronnie Montrose, and Eric Singer. 2017 saw the release of two new albums featuring Ricky’s masterful musicianship: STYX’s new studio album The Mission and Ronnie Montrose’s posthumous 10X10. STYX is on tour this summer with Joan Jett and Tesla, and Ricky was kind enough to speak with me about his impressive career and passion for music.

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Tommy Shaw’s Sing For The Day!

Posted on June 26, 2018 by Michael Cavacini

Tommy Shaw, best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist in STYX, is releasing his solo 2016 concert performance with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra on Blu-ray, CD, and Digital Audio/Video on June 29 via Eagle Rock Entertainment.

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Meeting Dennis DeYoung

Posted on October 11, 2016 by Michael Cavacini

This past Saturday night I met Dennis DeYoung, former STYX lead vocalist on several of the band’s biggest hits, some of which include “Babe,” “Come Sail Away” and “The Best of Times.” Dennis performed all of these hits and more during the concert, and his voice was as beautiful and powerful as ever.

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A Conversation With Dennis DeYoung, Former STYX Vocalist

Posted on September 18, 2016 by Michael Cavacini

I had the pleasure of interviewing one of my favorite singers and one of the greatest voices in the history of music: Dennis DeYoung, lead vocalist of STYX hits “Come Sail Away,” “Babe,” “Mr. Roboto,” “The Best of Times,” “Don’t Let It End,” “Show Me The Way,” and “Lady.”

Our discussion lasted for more than an hour and we covered a myriad of topics, including Barry Manilow, Journey, what DeYoung misses most about being in STYX, the state of the music industry, politicians using music without the permission of the artists, and much more. DeYoung was funny, charming, smart, and easily one of the most enjoyable interviews I’ve ever conducted.

Make sure to visit DeYoung’s website for the latest tour dates. He has two performances in the Philadelphia/New Jersey/New York area coming up in October. I’m attending his show on October 8 at The Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pa. For those of you closer to New York, DeYoung has an October 21 performance scheduled at the St. George Theatre in Staten Island, with special guest Steve Augeri, former lead vocalist of Journey.

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Foreigner, Styx & Don Felder Bring The Soundtrack of Summer to NJ

Posted on July 16, 2014 by Michael Cavacini

Meeting Foreigner backstage before their concert.

Foreigner, Styx and Don Felder have been traveling across the country on the Soundtrack of Summer tour and I was in attendance for their July 3rd concert in Camden, NJ. The evening consisted of four hours of 31 classic songs, and the crowd loved every minute of it. People were swaying, singing and dancing in the aisles. It was a fitting way to kick off the celebratory July 4th weekend.

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A Conversation With Ricky Phillips

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Michael Cavacini

I recently interviewed Styx’s bassist and former member of The Babys and Bad English, the incredibly talented Ricky Phillips. Styx is currently on the road with Don Felder and Foreigner on the The Soundtrack of Summer Tour and they released a companion album, The Soundtrack of Summer: The Very Best of Foreigner & Styx, featuring a new version of “Hotel California” that’s performed by Felder, Styx and Foreigner. Enjoy the interview and make sure to catch the guys when they come to your area this summer.

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A Conversation With Kelly Hansen

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Michael Cavacini

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing the lead singer of Foreigner, Kelly Hansen. Foreigner is currently on the road with Don Felder and Styx on the The Soundtrack of Summer Tour and they released a companion album, The Soundtrack of Summer: The Very Best of Foreigner & Styx, featuring a new version of “Hotel California” that’s performed by Felder, Styx and Foreigner. Enjoy the interview and make sure to catch the guys when they come to your area this summer.

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A Conversation With Don Felder – Part 2

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Michael Cavacini

I recently had the honor of interviewing one of the greatest guitarists in the history of rock, Don Felder. For 27 years he was a member of one of the most influential and popular rock groups of all time, the Eagles. During his tenure with the band, Felder wrote the music for “Hotel California” and applied his signature sound to countless hits, including “Victim of Love,” “One of These Nights” and “New Kid in Town.”

Felder was inducted with the Eagles into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1998. After parting ways with the band, he went on to become a New York Times best-selling author with his autobiography, Heaven and Hell: My Life in The Eagles, and in 2013 released Road to Forever – Extended Edition.

He is currently touring with Foreigner and Styx on the The Soundtrack of Summer Tourand they released a companion album, The Soundtrack of Summer: The Very Best of Foreigner & Styx, featuring a new version of “Hotel California” that’s performed by Felder, Styx and Foreigner.

Below is part two of my two-part interview with this legendary artist. You can read part one here.

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