The Grand Illusion: Love, Lies, and My Life with Styx
by Chuck Panozzo, Michele Skettino
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Book Summary Information
Author: Chuck Panozzo, Michele SkettinoEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2007-05-15
ISBN: 0814409164
Number of pages: 240
Publisher: AMACOM
Book Reviews of The Grand Illusion: Love, Lies, and My Life with Styx
Book Review: Rock Star Reveals His Life Story With Honesty and Integrity
Summary: 5 Stars
Being a 45-year-old heterosexual male who has been married for 22 years, I found "The Grand Illusion: Love, Lies and My Life With Styx," by Chuck Panozzo with Michele Skettino, a writer from New York City, to be really intriguing and interesting. Not just from a Rock N' Roll history point of view, this book reveals the secret life of one of the founding members of the mega-hit Rock band Styx from the late 70's and early 80's.
Fortunately, Styx is still recording and playing concert dates as of late 2007 and they have been around almost 40 years now. Growing up in Memphis, Tenn., I saw Styx in concert during "The Grand Illusion" tour in downtown Memphis in 1977 and the "Pieces of Eight" and "Cornerstone" tours in 1978 and 1979 at The Mid-South Coliseum with the original members, Panozzo, his brother, John, Dennis DeYoung, Tommy Shaw and James Young (JY). They were an incredible performance band with an excellent sound and lights playing such hit songs as "Miss American," "Lady," and "Crystal Ball," just to name a few. I was surprised to read later in the book that DeYoung who was a founding member sued the band because the others made decisions about the band's future without his input. Panozzo does not mention how the lawsuit turns out.
Although, I am not into the "Gay thing," I found Panozzo's book to be written with sincere honesty and integrity. Living in Southcentral Kentucky for the last 20 years, Gays still tend to live in the shadows just like in most parts of the South especially in small towns. Panozzo tells of being with diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and starting treatment, suffering with side effects from taking 23 pills a day. Then he writes about his coming out in the open and getting involved on a national level in Gay activism.
I enjoyed reading about how Panozzo, who played bass in the band, and his brother, John Panozzo, who played drums, who by the way both achieved college degrees, grew up in a south side of Chicago in a large Italian Catholic family. He writes about his dad, mother and sister as well as his large extended family who would get together at family gatherings and play music. Panozzo also talks about a favorite uncle who played a major roles in the Panozzo brothers choice of heading in the direction of a music career.
Panozzo also writes about attending Catholic Schools with mean nuns and at one time-attended seminary at the age of 15 for a year. But as we all know, that didn't work out. I converted to being a Catholic in 1990 and one of the things that concerns me about Panozzo's book, is that he says that when he dies he wants to have a Catholic funeral and burial. However, the Catholic Church still does not accept homosexuality according to Catholic teaching, at least not openly. However, there are rumors and rumblings that there are priests across America in Catholic faith communities who are Gay. But it's not for me to judge or decide about Panozzo's funeral arrangements.
One of the saddest parts of the book is when Panozzo writes about his brother who struggled with alcoholism and eventually dies of the disease. I feel by reading Panozzo's book that Chuck is a very caring individual and feels deeply for his brother, his family and friends as well as his domestic partner, Tim. It evens seems he likes his fans too. I highly recommend this book especially if your Styx fan and if you're like me, it will help you understand some of struggles that a Gay person has deal with in our Modern society....relationships, HIV/AIDS and the discrimination of homosexuals that still exist today among many other things.
Summary of The Grand Illusion: Love, Lies, and My Life with Styx
They are still one of the biggest rock bands of the last three decades. With four consecutive triple-platinum albums and 54 million records sold, their tours continue to sell out and classic songs like 'Lady,' 'Renegade,' 'Come Sail Away,' and 'The Grand Illusion' have earned them a whole new generation of fans. At the height of their fame, they were living the ultimate rock 'n' roll fantasy - an odyssey of groupies, drugs, and music that most musicians only dream of. As a band, Styx seemed invincible. But their founding member and bass player, Chuck Panozzo, was about to hit rock bottom. His seemingly debauched life as the ultimate rocker was a lie - and the truth was about to catch up with him."The Grand Illusion" is a no-holds-barred, backstage pass to the journey of one of the world's most revered bands, and the true story of Chuck Panozzo's 50-year struggle to reconcile his public life as a rock star with his private life as a gay man. Beginning with the birth of Styx in Chicago and their meteoric rise, "The Grand Illusion" is a revealing look at the triumphs and tragedies that surrounded Panozzo's life. He chronicles life on the road, the break-up of the band, his struggle to help his twin brother and bandmate John Panozzo battle addiction, as well as his split with Dennis De Young, and finally coming to terms with his HIV positive status. Illuminating and unflinching, "The Grand Illusion" will captivate the band's legions of devoted fans, as well as music lovers everywhere.Music Books
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