Watch Dennis DeYoung’s ‘Farewell’ Video
Dennis DeYoung released a video covering the two closing tracks on his upcoming solo album – “To the Good Old Days,” featuring Julian Lennon, and the brief outro “A.D. 2020.”
26 East, Vol. 1 arrives on May 22 and will be joined by a second volume later. The albums, DeYoung said, mark the end of his recording career.
You can watch the video, which is made up of personal video clips and photos from throughout his life, below.
“It was written specifically for Jules and I to sing together,” the former Styx frontman said of “To the Good Old Days." “He nailed the vocal and I harmonized. Harmony, baby, I love it. It’s the final song on my album, and it’s a simple farewell from me as I recall the sweetest days of my past with my fans, friends, family and forgiveness.”
“A.D. 2020” is a brief piece that sees him bidding his last farewell while playing accordion and singing: “For time has claimed its prize, but the music never dies / Just listen and close your eyes and welcome to paradise.”
DeYoung said he's adorned the album with “keyboards, fake drums, fake bass, fake news and some vocals. Oh, and a vuvuzela.” The drums on “To the Good Old Days” were recorded by his son Matthew.
Announcing Vol. 1, the singer explained that "there were so many songs written that Serafino Perugino, CEO of [record label] Frontiers, suggested dividing it into two albums. So be it. This is Volume 1, which sounds pretentious to me, but the marketing folks wanted you to know there are going to be two of them, so hey, kids, there are two of them. This is Volume 1.”
Details of the second record have not yet been released.