Author Topic: Styx appreciation (Read 84222 times)

KevShmev · « **Reply #735 on:** July 04, 2021, 07:42:51 PM »

I get the comparisons, but putting him in the same category with a true asshole like Tate feels a bit wrong.

That said, if anyone watches that interview with DDY that I posted, I think it can be obvious why others might not want to be around him anymore. I find him fascinating to listen to, but if you are in a band with him, he is going to be the guy who feels like he knows best and is going to outtalk everyone in the room. And I suspect it can be exhausting to be around a guy like that all of the time. With him gone, it is obviously a more relaxed, fun atmosphere. I think we can all agree that they'd sell more concert tickets if DDY were still in the band, but they obviously do well enough to where it's not worth the little extra cash to be around him on a regular basis. I get that.

TAC · « **Reply #736 on:** July 04, 2021, 07:47:19 PM »

Quote from: KevShmev on July 04, 2021, 07:42:51 PM

I find him fascinating to listen to, but if you are in a band with him, he is going to be the guy who feels like he knows best and is going to outtalk everyone in the room.

No wonder you find him interesting.

KevShmev · « **Reply #737 on:** July 04, 2021, 07:50:02 PM »

Quote from: TAC on July 04, 2021, 07:47:19 PM

Quote from: KevShmev on July 04, 2021, 07:42:51 PM
I find him fascinating to listen to, but if you are in a band with him, he is going to be the guy who feels like he knows best and is going to outtalk everyone in the room.

No wonder you find him interesting.

He is probably Mike Portnoy's idol.

jammindude · « **Reply #738 on:** July 04, 2021, 07:55:58 PM »

Directly from the Behind the scenes….

“Styx was a democracy….of which I was the president.” - DDY

At that moment, I completely understood why he was no longer in Styx…and nor should he be as long as he maintains that attitude.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #739 on:** July 05, 2021, 05:36:07 AM »

Well, that's not always true. Every band has the 1 or 2 guys that are the driving force. That take on the mantle of the leaser(s). It's how you handle yourself in that position. Ala, Trump analogy.

SoundscapeMN · « **Reply #740 on:** July 10, 2021, 07:41:37 PM »

Last Night in Prior Lake, MN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rABqfD_4V4

pg1067 · « **Reply #741 on:** July 12, 2021, 10:33:10 AM »

Quote from: SoundscapeMN on July 10, 2021, 07:41:37 PM

Last Night in Prior Lake, MN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rABqfD_4V4

Who's the third guitarist?

Grappler · « **Reply #742 on:** July 12, 2021, 11:01:24 AM »

Quote from: pg1067 on July 12, 2021, 10:33:10 AM

Quote from: SoundscapeMN on July 10, 2021, 07:41:37 PM
Last Night in Prior Lake, MN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rABqfD_4V4

Who's the third guitarist?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will_Evankovich

It says that he co-wrote a lot of the new album. I'm guessing that means that they need 3 guitarists to play it live, so they made him an official band member.

KevShmev · « **Reply #743 on:** July 12, 2021, 03:41:55 PM »

"We don't need Dennis."

"Except to co-write most of the new songs and play of our songs live."

Sorry, had to do it.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #744 on:** July 12, 2021, 04:22:45 PM »

😆

Or Tommy enjoys working with him and so does the band.

KevShmev · « **Reply #745 on:** July 12, 2021, 07:15:29 PM »

Yeah, but that knowledge makes my playful pun less fun.

Grappler · « **Reply #746 on:** July 12, 2021, 07:48:42 PM »

Quote from: KevShmev on July 12, 2021, 03:41:55 PM

"We don't need Dennis."

"Except to co-write most of the new songs and play of our songs live."

Sorry, had to do it.

I had that same thought.

KevShmev · « **Reply #747 on:** July 14, 2021, 06:02:29 PM »

I will say, the new album has grown on me. Quite a few of the songs still seem too short, but many of them pack a lot into their short running times, giving them that "this is only 'this-long'?" feel, so that is a good thing. I still prefer The Mission by quite a bit over it, and of course I can't say it touches the albums from their classic era, but it's a good, solid record for a band of old guys.

KevShmev · « **Reply #748 on:** August 25, 2021, 06:24:00 AM »

Started my run through the Styx discography this week (will listen to each studio album in order).

Those first and third albums are not good. They have their moments, but they have more forgettable stuff than memorable. I like the energy and the playing is very good, but the songs just aren't there. The sound quality of The Serpent Is Rising is really poor, too.

Styx II is quite nice, though. Father O.S.A and A Day have held up as nice longer (by their standards) tunes, Lady of course is the classic, and Earl of Roseland is one I never really noticed before, but liked this time around.

Anyone else give those early albums a whirl lately?

King Postwhore · « **Reply #749 on:** August 25, 2021, 07:05:03 AM »

I haven't listened to those album Kev in decades!

pg1067 · « **Reply #750 on:** August 25, 2021, 10:04:21 AM »

Quote from: KevShmev on August 25, 2021, 06:24:00 AM

Those first and third albums are not good. They have their moments, but they have more forgettable stuff than memorable. I like the energy and the playing is very good, but the songs just aren't there. The sound quality of The Serpent Is Rising is really poor, too.

Dude...don't sell Plexiglass Toilet short!

I listened to a decent chunk of of the first album last week and liked it better than I remember. What struck me was how little of it was written by the band members. I read that those songs were covers suggested by the label and that the band was unfamiliar with the material.

Styx II and Serpent are the WN albums I've listened to least (for whatever reason).

KevShmev · « **Reply #751 on:** August 25, 2021, 07:01:16 PM »

Quote from: kingshmegland on August 25, 2021, 07:05:03 AM

I haven't listened to those album Kev in decades!

Time to change that, sir.

Quote from: pg1067 on August 25, 2021, 10:04:21 AM

Quote from: KevShmev on August 25, 2021, 06:24:00 AM
Those first and third albums are not good. They have their moments, but they have more forgettable stuff than memorable. I like the energy and the playing is very good, but the songs just aren't there. The sound quality of The Serpent Is Rising is really poor, too.

Dude...don't sell Plexiglass Toilet short!

I listened to a decent chunk of of the first album last week and liked it better than I remember. What struck me was how little of it was written by the band members. I read that those songs were covers suggested by the label and that the band was unfamiliar with the material.

Styx II and Serpent are the WN albums I've listened to least (for whatever reason).

It's still hard to believe that Styx did something like that on a studio album. There is actually a nice melody in there, but it's hard to take seriously due to the lyrical content.

Orbert · « **Reply #752 on:** August 25, 2021, 07:50:32 PM »

I listened to the first album today for the first time in a while. Or at least I tried; I couldn't get through it. Some interesting ideas, some experimental shit, some decent rock considering the year it came out, and even some non-horrible proto-prog courtesy of DDY. But it didn't really come together, and was overall a little worse than I thought I remembered it being.

KevShmev · « **Reply #753 on:** August 25, 2021, 07:53:44 PM »

Agreed. It is not a good debut.

Listening to Man of Miracles tonight and this is better than I remember.

So, this week has showed me that the first and third albums are largely forgettable, and the second and fourth albums are good and worth having.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #754 on:** August 25, 2021, 07:56:44 PM »

Kev, If they are on Spotify I will spin the 1st album tomorrow.

TAC · « **Reply #755 on:** August 25, 2021, 08:01:08 PM »

Quote from: kingshmegland on August 25, 2021, 07:56:44 PM

Kev, If they are on Spotify I will spin the 1st album tomorrow.

It is, and I'm on it too!

KevShmev · « **Reply #756 on:** August 25, 2021, 08:04:29 PM »

Best to just skip to the second. For real.

TAC · « **Reply #757 on:** August 25, 2021, 08:08:07 PM »

I started the first song..is that John Curulewski singing I assume?

I finish it tomorrow but two minutes in, it seems pretty good.

KevShmev · « **Reply #758 on:** August 26, 2021, 06:24:56 AM »

First song has some cool proggy bits, but that spoken word part in the middle goes on way too long, and the song is a structural mess.

Best Thing is the best thing from the debut (pun intended).

Orbert · « **Reply #759 on:** August 26, 2021, 08:59:18 AM »

What is it with spoken word in songs? Once in a while, okay. There is something about spoken word that has its own rhythm and it can work in a song. But I don't want a recitation in the middle of a song. It does indeed go on too long.

I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane

pg1067 · « **Reply #760 on:** August 26, 2021, 10:52:49 AM »

Quote from: KevShmev on August 25, 2021, 07:01:16 PM

It's still hard to believe that Styx did something like that on a studio album. There is actually a nice melody in there, but it's hard to take seriously due to the lyrical content.

Especially a band that was, at that point, going nowhere. But I'm glad they did it.

Quote from: KevShmev on August 26, 2021, 06:24:56 AM

First song has some cool proggy bits, but that spoken word part in the middle goes on way too long, and the song is a structural mess.

Best Thing is the best thing from the debut (pun intended).

If I knew how to edit that out, I think Movement for the Common Man would be really cool. It's an interesting concept, but yeah...way too long.

Quote from: Orbert on August 26, 2021, 08:59:18 AM

I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane

In Houston they say that?

Orbert · « **Reply #761 on:** August 26, 2021, 10:59:31 AM »

No, it's from a Dream Theater song.

TAC · « **Reply #762 on:** August 26, 2021, 06:31:53 PM »

Movement For The Common Man-I suppose the spoken word part would've been just fine at 30 seconds instead of 90, but the part that comes after is fantastic. The song is a bit long, but every part is really quite decent to good.

Right Away-The verse reminds me of early UFO. Is this JY on vocals? The solo isn't bad actually. Not a fan of how it's recorded though. I wish they would've let it play clean. Nice guitar in the outro. OK track though.

What Has Come Between Us-Fantastic opening. Again, another early UFO/Scorps style verse. Man does young Dennis DeYoung sound like Matt Smith or what? This is DeYoung on the verses right?
The keyboard solo is nice, and I love when the song picks up at 3:54. After too many "Lovely Lady"s, it could use a bump.

Best Thing-It's OK. Behind MFTCM and WHCBU. Maybe even Right Away.

Quick Is The Beat Of My Heart-Another cool opening. The closest thing we have so far to an actual rocker. Has a cool Lucifer's Friend vibe to it all the way through.

After You Leave Me-Cool bluesy number. This song needs a guitar solo though, big time..

It doesn't suck, guys. Definitely worth 30 minutes of my evening.

KevShmev · « **Reply #763 on:** August 26, 2021, 07:19:45 PM »

Glad you enjoyed it. I do not hate it, even though I said it is largely forgettable. I just can't imagine coming back to more than one or two of those songs going forward.

TAC · « **Reply #764 on:** August 26, 2021, 07:33:03 PM »

I don't consider myself a huge Styx guy, but to me, Pieces Of Eight, The Grand Illusion, and Paradise Theater are indispensable. So mush so, that I've bought each of them three times. I had them on 8-track as a kid, replaced them on cassette as a teen, and again on CD as an adult.
For some reason, I've never been able to pull the trigger on Cornerstone or Equinox.

I'm certainly not interested in anything after Paradise Theater, but I'd definitely be into exploring their earliest stuff. Maybe I'll hit the second album tomorrow night.

KevShmev · « **Reply #765 on:** August 26, 2021, 07:39:28 PM »

Having listened to all four in order this week, I am surprised at how much they sound like Deep Purple at times. Maybe it's the raw sound of those early albums, but there is an edge to the sound that is very DP-ish at times. DDY getting that snarl out of his organ on a regular basis seemed very Jon Lord for sure.

TAC · « **Reply #766 on:** August 26, 2021, 07:49:38 PM »

Quote from: KevShmev on August 26, 2021, 07:39:28 PM

Having listened to all four in order this week, I am surprised at how much they sound like Deep Purple at times. Maybe it's the raw sound of those early albums, but there is an edge to the sound that is very DP-ish at times. DDY getting that snarl out of his organ on a regular basis seemed very Jon Lord for sure.

Well, I mentioned Lucifer's Friend. They were the "German Deep Purple". Their first album came out in 1970. If you've never heard it before, you really owe yourself a listen. Some of their albums do get a bit strange in the mid to late 70's, but their debut is incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD_mytxCdeg&list=PL8a8cutYP7fqKppFvwIRPxvsXn-3g7LI6

Everbody's Clown is a fantastic track.

KevShmev · « **Reply #767 on:** August 26, 2021, 07:51:29 PM »

Noted. I am admittedly not much of a Deep Purple fan, so not sure how much a German version would appeal to me, but I will give it a try (not at the moment, though).

KevShmev · « **Reply #768 on:** September 05, 2021, 07:22:27 AM »

Still in the midst of my deep dive with Styx.

Man oh man, does Kilroy Was Here suck. Mr. Roboto, cheesy and all, is still a good tune, but nearly every other song on that album is forgettable. A few good moments, like the guitar solo in Cold War, but what a fall off the cliff from Paradise Theatre, which was better as a whole than I remembered. Still hard to beat that Equinox through Pieces of Eight run, though. Four legit great albums in four straight years.

King Postwhore · « **Reply #769 on:** September 05, 2021, 07:44:25 AM »

Yeah, not a strong album. Haven't We Been Here Before is my favorite tune on the album.

News: Paralyzed official video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C7m7l8iqGAk

Author Topic: Styx appreciation (Read 84222 times)