Tommy Shaw Says Damn Yankees ‘Wasn’t Meant to Be Forever’

Tommy Shaw has reflected upon his years in Damn Yankees, admitting the supergroup “wasn’t meant to be forever.”

It was 1989 when the Styx rocker joined forces with Night Ranger’s Jack Blades, drummer Michael Cartellone (who later joined Lynyrd Skynyrd) and guitarist Ted Nugent. In a recent conversation with UCR, Shaw noted the latter musician’s eccentricities gave Damn Yankees a unique ingredient.

“Having Ted in the mix… he’s a big personality,” Shaw noted. “It’s like a big spice if you’re preparing a feast. And this is a really powerful spice. You have to figure out how to work it all in together so that it’s something that people can consume.”

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The Damn Yankees recipe worked for a while, as the band released a pair of successful LPs – Damn Yankees (1990) and Don’t Tread (1992) – cumulatively selling over three million copies. However, by 1994, their run was done and each member had moved on to other projects.

“It was so spicy,” Shaw said, reflecting on the super group. “It was one of those things that wasn’t meant to be forever. It’s something that we had a great time doing. We made two records and you could kind of feel it pulling it away at the seams after that.”

Styx’s 2025 Tour Plans

While Shaw has no plans to revive Damn Yankees, his main band, Styx, remains very busy. The beloved rocker will start the year with a residency in Las Vegas where they’ll perform their 1977 album The Grand Illusion in its entirety. In the summer, they’ll join with REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin for a nationwide tour, featuring special guest Don Felder.

READ MORE: 2025 Rock Tour Preview

“There’s so much good music and it’s all good folks that we’re gonna love spending time with,” Shaw noted while sharing his enthusiasm for the summer trek.