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General => General Music Discussion => Topic started by: ehra on August 26, 2009, 08:25:26 PM
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Throughout my 19 years of life there have been plenty of bands that I got really into at one point and now I either can't even remember them or I absolutely hate them. A few of them I'll still enjoy listening to, but they just won't wow me like they did when I first got into them. Strangely enough, however, Styx still manages to get that effect from me just as much as it did back when I was watching The Little Mermaid four times a day.
I decided to give Equinox a listen today just for shits and giggles, and Suite Madame Blue still kicks my ass as much as it did when I was 8. I think it's amazing how even a lot of Dio stuff sounds ridiculously dated to me, someone I have a huge amount of respect for as an artist, yet Styx, a band that I really haven't given much attention for the past five or so years, still sounds as great as I remember them sounding.
So I figured I'd make an appreciation thread. This may also double as a Damn Yankees appreciation thread if you want, because they're awesome and I say so.
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*appreciates* I've seen them 3 times and they have wowed me each time. Tommy Shaw is my dude.
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Been a fan of Styx for over 20 years, and still love 'em. They are one of those bands I burned out on a long time ago from listening to them so much, but I still go through phases where I listen to them a lot.
And hell yeah to Damn Yankees! Both cds are good, especially the second one, which rocks pretty hard. "The Silence Is Broken" is just a killer tune. :coolio
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First saw Styx in 1982(Kilroy tour). I've seen then 4 times since. Can't say enough of the music, songsmenship & harmonies. I wish they do a new album with this line up they have now. BTW, I saw Tommy Shaw solo in 1983-84? backing up The Kinks
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I was a big fan of theres way back when , But until Grand illusion came out that was the last one I liked after that forget it LOL
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You didn't like Pieces of Eight?
Also, while the newer stuff isn't as great as their 70s stuff, "One With Everything" is easily one of their best songs ever.
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You didn't like Pieces of Eight?
Also, while the newer stuff isn't as great as their 70s stuff, "One With Everything" is easily one of their best songs ever.
I second that KevShmev.
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Big Styx fan here, too. Still have most of their stuff on vinyl. The DVD "One With Everything" is fantastic. I just regret I never saw them with the original lineup (the one after John Curulewski, I mean).
Actually, I just got to see them twice (in 2000 and 2005)... The latter was with Kansas opening. I had such a great time at the Styx gig - awesome band!
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Their current drummer Todd Sucherman is one of the best drummers right now IMO, and ``Suite Madame Blue´´ is one of my favorite songs of all time.
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I already made a thread about this.
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My first "favorite band". Great band with a pretty cool combination of pop rock and a small amount of prog.
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Listen to how amazing Dennis DeYoung's live voice was back in 1996. The note he holds starting at 2:40 (and holds for over 20 seconds) is godly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKlw-eoZGgo
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I love Styx as well. There's just such an undeniable energy about them that's kinda tough to put your finger on.
Also, after 10 beers last Thursday night, I totally nailed "Blue Collar Man" on karaoke at our favorite dive. :metal
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After an Evanescence concert we were walking back and saw Dennis DeYoung singing STYX songs. It was sort of underwhelming.
Otherwise, they're usually a really enjoyable group to listen to, and their two-disc Return to Paradise was a great release. Anybody else really love Heavy Water?
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I realy liked their 2002 album Cyclorama. I'd wish they'd work on a new one.
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GC, nice! :tup :tup
yorost, "Heavy Water" isn't too bad, kind of like the bulk of the material on Brave New World. That album had potential, but the fractured nature of the band at the time really hurt the end product. "Number One" is probably the song I like the most from it.
kingshmegland, I like Cylorama a lot; the first seven songs, "Together," and "One with Everything" all range from good to very good. :coolio
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Yea, it does tail off a little bit but I love Killing the Thing That You Love and who doesn't love One With Everything. It's very proggy for Styx. It almost could fit on some of the 70's albums.
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I always intend to get some more Styx (I only have their Greatest Hits), but it always slips my mind.
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Crystal Ball makes me :metal
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Listen to how amazing Dennis DeYoung's live voice was back in 1996. The note he holds starting at 2:40 (and holds for over 20 seconds) is godly.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKlw-eoZGgo
I didn't even have to open that link to know what video that was going to be. But shit, watched it anyway. Amazing.
I saw then live maybe in 2002? I was never a huge fan, and just knew their hits at the time (and only went to the show because I won the tickets - Bad Company and Billy Squire opened :metal), but they put on an awesome show.
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My very first concert was "The Grand Illusion". I was in ninth grade, and amazingly my parents allowed me to go, as long as I could get a ride to and from. My buddy and I got a ride there and ended up walking home because we got separated from the chicks who drove us and couldn't find them afterwards.
Uh... so yeah, I've been a Styx fan for a long time.
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who doesn't love One With Everything. It's very proggy for Styx. It almost could fit on some of the 70's albums.
Very true. And I love the keyboard solo in it!
My very first concert was "The Grand Illusion". I was in ninth grade, and amazingly my parents allowed me to go, as long as I could get a ride to and from. My buddy and I got a ride there and ended up walking home because we got separated from the chicks who drove us and couldn't find them afterwards.
Uh... so yeah, I've been a Styx fan for a long time.
Very nice. :hat
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Always been a sucker for Come Sail Away
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Styx is always a fun summer band for me.
Anyone else a fan of Tommy Shaw's solo record, 7 Deadly Zens? Released in 1998, many of the songs sound like what would have ended up on the 3rd Damn Yankees record that was never recorded. Plenty of great songs with wonderful melodies on that record. :coolio
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Ive seen Styx twice (they come to phoenix every 4.5 months...) and would see them again. I love them!
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LOW-RUH-LY LET'S LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE TO-GAH-THAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
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Paradise Theater is one of my goto road trip CDs. I love listening to that disc while out on the road...
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Styx is one of those bands that can do no wrong and it is always good to hear.
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LOW-RUH-LY LET'S LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIVE TO-GAH-THAAAAAAAAAAAAH!
The first girl I ever (heh heh) was named Lorelei. She absolutely hated that song, which is understandable.
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I hope this lineup comes out with a new ablum besides the cover album.
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The first girl I ever (heh heh) was named Lorelei. She absolutely hated that song, which is understandable.
I can imagine. Despite that, it is a pretty cool tune.
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Styx News » STYX announces The Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight tour
STYX announces The Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight tour
Posted by Styx Management on 4 August 2010 | 0 Comments
Tags: STYX Fall tour 2010 The Grand Illusion Pieces of Eight
STYX is very happy to announce that for the first time ever, they will perform TWO of their classic albums live, in their entirety, in an exclusive and limited tour this Fall! Read the press release below for details!
STYX SET TO LAUNCH “THE GRAND ILLUSION/PIECES OF EIGHT” TOUR THIS FALL, PERFORMING BOTH ALBUMS IN THEIR ENTIRETY;
SEVEN-SONG EP OF RE-RECORDED CLASSICS AND ONE BRAND NEW TRACK FOR SALE AT EVERY SHOW
August 4, 2010 -- It’s the tour STYX fans have been waiting for.
STYX--Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitars), James “JY” Young (vocals, guitars), Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), Todd Sucherman (drums) and Ricky Phillips (bass), along with the occasional surprise appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo—are getting ready to head out on the U.S. concert trail again this year. However, for this round of dates, the band has an extra-special treat planned - it won’t be a typical STYX show. Along with the classic hits, the band will be performing 1977's THE GRAND ILLUSION and 1978's PIECES OF EIGHT in their entirety. Both albums spawned such hit singles and Classic Rock radio standards as "Come Sail Away," "Renegade," "Blue Collar Man" and "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man).”
And as icing on the cake, a seven-song EP, entitled REGENERATION, VOLUME 1, containing six newly re-recorded classics--"Come Sail Away,” "Crystal Ball," "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” “Lorelei,” “The Grand Illusion” and “Sing For The Day”—and a brand new track, “Difference In The World,” will be available for sale at every stop along “The Grand Illusion/Pieces Of Eight” October/November tour route.
“This is the most unique STYX concert ever,” says singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw. “It's a hybrid experience of enjoying the artistry of the vinyl album and the energy and of our live performance. Some songs have never been performed live!”
Spawned from a suburban Chicago basement in the early ‘70s, STYX would eventually transform into the virtual arena rock prototype by the late '70s and early '80s, due to a fondness for big rockers and soaring power ballads. Over the course of their 38-year career they’ve released 15 studio albums, 6 best-of compilations and 4 live albums, garnering 8 Top Ten singles. STYX has sold over 30 million albums worldwide.
On the touring front, STYX has performed more shows since ’99 than all of the previous years of its career combined. Two Super-Bowl appearances, Pollstar box office chart-topping tours with Def Leppard, Journey, Boston, REO Speedwagon, Bad Company, Foreigner (to name a few), two more studio albums and no end in sight, STYX continues to conquer the planet, one venue at a time.
Check out the “The Grand Illusion/Pieces Of Eight” at any of the following stops:
DATE CITY VENUE
Thu 10/14 Evansville, IN The Centre (on-sale 8/13)
Fri 10/15 Merrillville, IN Star Plaza Theatre (on-sale 8/14)
Sat 10/16 Waukegan, IL Genesee Theatre (on-sale /14)
Sun 10/17 Columbus, OH The Palace Theatre (on-sale 8/13)
Tue 10/19 Chattanooga, TN Tivoli Theatre (on-sale 8/20)
Thu 10/21 Melbourne, FL King Center (on-sale 8/20)
Fri 10/22 Ft. Myers, FL Barbara B. Mann Perf Arts Hall (on-sale 8/20)
Sat 10/23 Clearwater, FL Ruth Eckerd Hall (on-sale 8/20)
Mon 10/25 Salem, VA Salem Civic Center (on-sale 8/20)
Wed 10/27 Washington, DC Warner Theatre (on-sale 9/10)
Thu 10/28 New York, NY Beacon Theatre (on-sale 8/6)
Fri 10/29 Baltimore, MD Hippodrome Theatre (on-sale 8/20)
Sat 10/30 Albany, NY Palace Theatre Albany (on-sale 8/19)
Tue 11/2 Bangor, ME Bangor Auditorium (on-sale 8/27)
Wed 11/3 Lowell, MA Lowell Memorial Auditorium (on-sale 8/20)
Fri 11/5 Erie, PA Warner Theatre Erie (on-sale 8/27)
Sat 11/6 Toledo, OH Stranahan Theatre (on-sale 8/27)
Sun 11/7 Louisville, KY Louisville Palace (on-sale 8/27)
Tue 11/9 Memphis, TN The Orpheum Theatre (on-sale 8/27)
Thu 11/11 Nashville, TN Ryman Auditorium (on-sale 8/27)
Fri 11/12 Biloxi, MS Hard Rock Casino & Resort (on-sale TBA)
Sat 11/13 Atlanta, GA Cobb Energy Center (on-sale 8/27)
**On-sale dates are subject to change.
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Why no Phx date?! boooooo
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Doing this tour without Dennis DeYoung is the biggest travesty. A DDY soundalike singing "Pieces of Eight" will be a crying shame.
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I totally agree. If I were to pick two Styx albums to see in their entirety, The Grand Illusion would be one, and I'd probably take Crystal Ball over Pieces of Eight, but Pieces of Eight is also very good, and from the same "classic" period, so that's cool too.
But doing it without DDY is silly. I know... he's gone, he ain't coming back, the band has moved on, deal with it. But it's still wrong to me.
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If Dennis Deyoung wasn't such an egomaniac, he'd still be in the band. Sometimes a band says, enough is enough. Also Lawrence Gowan is great live and he will not dissapoint. Though, I'd rather have a new album!!!!
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Time for more Styx talk!
The talk about Cyclorama in the DT thread the other day has me starting the day with it today. :tup :tup
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I found myself a Pieces of Eight Picture-Disc a few months ago at 1 of my local record stores. I pass up on most of the Styx Vinyl I see, as there's loads of it that show in the Used Bins. But Picture Discs look cool and are pretty rare.
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Mad love for Styx. Two albums, Pieces of Eight and Grand Illusion were in my Top 50. Nuff said.
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You know... I was always a 'radio' or 'classic' hit fan of theirs. It wasn't until RJ's Top 50 that I finally got the full albums. What the fuck was I thinking?? Why didn't I do that long ago??
:youfail:
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I own 3 Styx CDs:
Pieces Of Eight
The Grand Illusion
Paradise Theater
I saw them twice in the early/mid 90's, on the Return To Paradise (freaking awesome) and The Grand Illusion themed show.
I'm good with that. Don't really have an interest in the current goings on.
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Styx was my "gateway" prog band. As mentioned upthread, I started with The Grand Illusion. What attracted me was that their songs had synths doing actual synth things alongside the guitars, and the arrangements had some meat to them. "Fooling Yourself" has the awesome Minimoog intro in 3/4, then the song is 4/4, and the break is in 7/4. "Come Sail Away" has the synth breakdown where they go from C to Ab, and half the band plays (3+3+2)/8 while the other half plays (4+4)/8. "Castle Walls" has yet another synth breakdown that turns it into a mini-epic. As a budding keyboard player, this was some cool shit.
As I worked back through their catalogue I found that, as with many bands, they started off proggier, but had reached a balance between their prog and pop sides to where they could actually sell albums. I stuck with them through Pieces of Eight and Cornerstone, but they were already starting to lose me. It was a combination of them going more pop, and me leaning more towards "real prog". By time Styx actually released their semi-concept album Paradise Theater, I was gone. The radio hits still sounded good, but I couldn't sit through albums of theirs anymore. And Kilroy was Here with "Mr. Roboto" finally turned me off of them completely. I hate that song.
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"Mr. Roboto" finally turned me off of them completely. I hate that song.
Who doesn't?
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That's the thing. I don't know a single person who likes that song, but it was a huge hit. Yeah, it's catchy as hell, but seriously, it should take more than that to be such a gigantic runaway hit. (I know... it doesn't.)
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If Dennis Deyoung wasn't such an egomaniac, he'd still be in the band. Sometimes a band says, enough is enough. Also Lawrence Gowan is great live and he will not dissapoint. Though, I'd rather have a new album!!!!
I saw them in Lowell, MA on this tour and they were outstanding. One of the best concerts I've ever seen. Lawrence Gowan is an incredible musician and performer. None of us at the show thought it would have been any better or worse with DDY.
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As I worked back through their catalogue I found that, as with many bands, they started off proggier, but had reached a balance between their prog and pop sides to where they could actually sell albums. I stuck with them through Pieces of Eight and Cornerstone, but they were already starting to lose me. It was a combination of them going more pop, and me leaning more towards "real prog". By time Styx actually released their semi-concept album Paradise Theater, I was gone. The radio hits still sounded good, but I couldn't sit through albums of theirs anymore. And Kilroy was Here with "Mr. Roboto" finally turned me off of them completely. I hate that song.
I enjoyed Paradise Theater quite a bit, but yeah, Kilroy Was Here is a steaming pile of poo.
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That's the thing. I don't know a single person who likes that song, but it was a huge hit. Yeah, it's catchy as hell, but seriously, it should take more than that to be such a gigantic runaway hit. (I know... it doesn't.)
Well, it was cool at the time, and remember that it was 1983 when it was big, and that was kind of a, eh, different time for music. :lol
And I don't hate Mr. Roboto. Sure, the robot thing is rather dumb, but musically it is pretty damn good.
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I totally agree. If I were to pick two Styx albums to see in their entirety, The Grand Illusion would be one, and I'd probably take Crystal Ball over Pieces of Eight, but Pieces of Eight is also very good, and from the same "classic" period, so that's cool too.
But doing it without DDY is silly. I know... he's gone, he ain't coming back, the band has moved on, deal with it. But it's still wrong to me.
Aw. :heart
If Dennis Deyoung wasn't such an egomaniac, he'd still be in the band. Sometimes a band says, enough is enough. Also Lawrence Gowan is great live and he will not dissapoint. Though, I'd rather have a new album!!!!
You and I have had discourse about this before - you cannot convince me that it isn't JY and Tommy in the wrong here, especially since (at that time) Dennis had a light sensitivity issue that took a long time to diagnose. JY basically called Dennis a crackpot for going to so many doctors and they (JY and Tommy) pretty much demanded that either Dennis go on tour ASAP for Brave New World or he was out of the band.
And what have they done since? 1 original album. ONE. In 10 years.
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My gut tells me that Young and Shaw would have given DDY more leeway and time to get better if he wasn't such a pain in the ass in the first place, but they took that as an opportunity to kick him out of the band and move on.
And yeah, doing only one original album in 10 years since is pretty poor. They have basically become a nostalgia band with a poor man's Dennis DeYoung doing his keyboard parts and singing now. If others enjoy him on stage, that is great, but when my brother and I saw them on the Styx/Yes tour two summers ago, we were both almost embarrassed at how corny Gowan's on stage antics were. I lost count at how many times we looked at each other with that "Holy crap, look at how ridiculous that guy looks" look. :lol
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That's funny that you say that, because after either the first tour with Gowan or the first few shows JY/Tommy told Gowan to tone his schtick down.
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My gut tells me that Young and Shaw would have given DDY more leeway and time to get better if he wasn't such a pain in the ass in the first place, but they took that as an opportunity to kick him out of the band and move on.
That's how it looks to me as well. The band was fractured anyway, but conceivably could have held it together for another album/tour cycle. There are various versions of how exactly it went down, but basically DDY's illness came up at a time when it made the most sense from a business perspective to hit the road and promote the new album, so that's what they did. DDY couldn't go, so they got someone else.
Should this have meant he was permanently out of the band? Probably not. But there's no question that Styx was not the cohesive unit that they were in the late 70's, early 80's, so hey, it happened. To Tommy and JY, it probably seemed a positive move for the band and they never looked back.
And yeah, doing only one original album in 10 years since is pretty poor. They have basically become a nostalgia band with a poor man's Dennis DeYoung doing his keyboard parts and singing now. If others enjoy him on stage, that is great, but when my brother and I saw them on the Styx/Yes tour two summers ago, we were both almost embarrassed at how corny Gowan's on stage antics were. I lost count at how many times we looked at each other with that "Holy crap, look at how ridiculous that guy looks" look. :lol
I saw Styx do a live thing on cable TV maybe a year ago, and Gowan (if that's who it was) was very silly. Made a huge show of playing the solo from "Fooling Yourself" backwards. The fast 3/4 stuff might have been impressive, but it was the slow 7/4 solo in the middle which, let's face it, most third-graders could play. Did a lot of overdramatic movements with his arms while playing, but now that I think about it, DDY did the same thing. I think a lot of keyboard players have trouble "putting on a show" because they're anchored to one spot. Even if a guitarist stands still, he can do windmills and look pretty cool. A keyboard player doing exaggerated arm movements and squirming around while he plays just looks stupid.
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I think Cyclorama is a good album, although I haven't felt the need to listen to it in years. To me the great era of Styx starts with "Equinox" and ends with "Pieces of Eight". "Cornerstone" lacks a little to me as does "Paradise Theater", although they are good records.
I saw Styx on the "Pieces" tour and the "Cornerstone" tour, which was great. I then saw them I think in 2007 opening up for Boston. They were a good, well oiled machine then too, even though JY's face has been pulled back so much he looks like he is 15.
I would love to see DDY with them one more time, even though Gowan doees a nice job, it's not DDY.
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I like a few songs from the first four albums (Ladyyyyyy!), but most of the stuff I like is from Equinox-Kilroy Was Here. I don't really remember liking Edge Of The Century or Cyclorama very much.
Only album I'm missing is Brave New World, and whatever new material was on Regeneration.
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Let me just chime in and say I ****LOVE**** Mr. Roboto....so now you can say you know someone who loves that song.
I also think KWH gets a bad rap... I got a little sick of Don't Let It End, but Heavy Metal Poisoning and Cold War are good songs...there are a few others. I have to go refresh my memory. I havn't listened to any Styx in a very long time.
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Let me just chime in and say I ****LOVE**** Mr. Roboto....so now you can say you know someone who loves that song.
I love it too. :metal
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I do agree that it is so disappointing that they've only released that one album. This line up kicks ass but in this day and age, none of their demographic buys albums anymore. Sad to say.
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Count me in as a Roboto fan
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See... I think I love some of the stuff from the first four albums more than The Grand Illusion, Crystal Ball and Cornerstone combined. They weren't doing anything earth-shattering, but they had their own twist on prog and it really shows/shines on the older albums. Their last really true "prog" album was Pieces of Eight. :heart
Okay. Now. Let's tackle Kilroy. Eeeeghhh.... okay. Other than Mr. Roboto (which I'll explain here in a jif why I've never liked it), Kilroy was a halfway decent album. The songs jammin isn't remembering are High Time, Double Life, and Just Get Through This Night. Double Life was SO kick ass, as was Just Get Through This Night. I could also pretty much tolerate Dennis' scat routine on High Time to a certain degree, plus the horns were more than tolerable in my book thanks to some of my favorites from Cornerstone and Paradise Theater (Why Me and Lonely People, to name just two).
Deb's Roboto story (such as it is)--so... I get into Styx HARDCORE when I was 12, back in the late summer of 1982. The obsession was so bad I saved up just about all of my allowance so I could get Paradise Theater back to Styx I, minus Man of Miracles. I DUG just about everything I bought, and was really looking forward to their new album (when I heard about them working on it, that is). Back in those days, my brother and I would have this silly game that we would play where we would try to predict what a band's new album cover would look like. I had Kilroy pretty much pegged... except for the robots, that is...
Anyhoo - Mr. Roboto was of course the first single from Kilroy. I damn near threw my radio out of my bedroom window I was so upset. THEN, I come to find out after the album comes out that Dennis cut his hair! OMG!!! :omg: :lol
So... as a 12 going on 13 year old with a MASSIVE crush on Dennis... well, that pretty much threw my world pear-shaped for a while. :lol
Fast forward to 1994.... Dennis was touring as a part of Jesus Christ Superstar (playing Pilate) and he made a morning radio station stop in Houston that a friend of mine taped. Now, Dennis is a funny fellow anyway. His short parody of Mr. Roboto had me cracking the fuck UP. So... since he has a good sense of humor about it AND it was the 80s to boot, I'll give him a pass. But JUST one. :lol
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Those early, early Styx albums were interesting. I'll admit, I don't listen to them very often, but I remember thinking that they wanted to do more than they were truly capable of. Dennis clearly was always the prog side of the band, things like "Movement for the Common Man", "Krakatoa", and "Little Fugue in G" showed how he was trying to figure out how to fuse classical and rock. It wasn't always successful, but I'll give him props for trying.
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The early Styx albums really were ambitious failures; Styx was a band that really benefited from trimming off the excess and keeping songs between 4-6 minutes and making them just pop enough to be accessible but just proggy enough to be interesting. I'll never quite get what happened between Pieces of Eight-which is the closest Styx came to being a heavy metal band-and Cornerstone, where the band is so laid back they're horizontal. That to me was the thing I never got, going from Renegade to Babe in a year. Paradise Theater was a nice compromise between their heavier and poppier sides, and Kilroy Is Here...oh boy.
Here's the thing: I actually didn't MIND the album. Yes, even Mr. Roboto. It's silly and earnest and over the top, but it's a concept album, a full blown ROCK OPERA as they were known back then, when music was basically becoming all about image and four minute music videos, and it deserves some credit for that. But good lord, have you guys seen the concert from that tour? It played on MTV, and, oh, god, was it cringeworthy with all the acting between songs with everyone playing characters. That being said, it also provides me with a lasting memory of my youth. I was at a party as a teenager, and it was, shockingly, one that actually lasted the night, despite having a ton of young people there drinking and playing loud music. You know how most high school parties went; you invited 500 of your closest friends, played music at 120 decibels, and were actually shocked when the police showed up to shut it down. This party, though, was about 40 people, spread out through out the house and the yard, having just enough fun to be a party, and in the den, I fell in with about six people who were watching the Kilroy Was Here concert that they'd taped off MTV. I started chatting with one of them, a kind of bookish looking girl with long hair, big glasses, and a kind of hippy sensibility about her. She'd said something about how she was a little annoyed at her boyfriend because he was outside rather than hanging with her. Whatever, she was fun to talk to and MAN is this Styx concert silly.
Anyway, we talked, bantered, had fun, laughed at the guy air guitaring just like JY playing the end solo on Renegade, started throwing lines from movies at each other, and finally I said, in a flamboyant, movie star fashion, "Kiss me, dahlin'!"
And she proceeded to give young Jaq his first french kiss ever, and continue to do so in various places throughout the house, while her boyfriend was outside, drunkenly pushing a friend of mine's car down the street in an attempt to make him think his car had been stolen, a effort doomed to failure since my friend was outside watching them push the car.
So yeah...despite being silly, I am fond of Kilroy Was Here. :lol
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-snip-
So yeah...despite being silly, I am fond of Kilroy Was Here. :lol
These kind of stories are the best reason to read music forums. Thanks Jaq!
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Then you need to head over to the MTV song thread, where I've become INFAMOUS for those sort of stories. :rollin
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Jaq, you pretty much win the internet. Your stories are pure gold
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I'll never quite get what happened between Pieces of Eight-which is the closest Styx came to being a heavy metal band-and Cornerstone, where the band is so laid back they're horizontal. That to me was the thing I never got, going from Renegade to Babe in a year.
Different writers. Dennis wrote "Babe" and while he was the prog side of the band, he was also the sappy, cheesy love song guy. Tommy wrote "Renegade". Tommy and JY have always been the straight-on rockers. My favorite Styx songs are the ones where you can tell they collaborated on the arrangements, regardless of who wrote it. They hit a really nice balance from Crystal Ball through Pieces of Eight. Most songs from that period are pretty great. Some weak ones, but in general it's prime stuff.
If I had to choose, I guess I'd take the rock over the cheese, which is why DDY leaving was not the death knell that many thought it would be. By that point, there were plenty of great rockers in their catalogue, throw in the obligatory DDY songs ("Lady", "Come Sail Away") sung by some guy who sounds just like him, and you've got a great concert.
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Jaq, you pretty much win the internet. Your stories are pure gold
This x infinity. :tup :tup
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I got my frist french kiss during a cheesy 80s concert video
Almost as impressive as me getting my first french kiss during the ultimate cheesy 80s movie: 'They Live.'
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The best part of that story, which I neglected to point out, was that what I said was merely in the spirit of movie lines we were quoting at each other. I wasn't asking her to kiss me or expecting her to, but man, I enjoyed it while it lasted!
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Those early, early Styx albums were interesting. I'll admit, I don't listen to them very often, but I remember thinking that they wanted to do more than they were truly capable of. Dennis clearly was always the prog side of the band, things like "Movement for the Common Man", "Krakatoa", and "Little Fugue in G" showed how he was trying to figure out how to fuse classical and rock. It wasn't always successful, but I'll give him props for trying.
I so WISH they could've expanded upon "Movement for the Common Man" - IMO, they really had something with that, and I believe it was the longest song in their discog. And sure - there were hits and misses on the first four albums, but like I said... they sound the most prog there (besides Pieces of Eight, IMO).
Jaq - the man, the myth, the legend. :lol
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/bows. Thank you, thank you.
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I got my frist french kiss during a cheesy 80s concert video
Almost as impressive as me getting my first french kiss during the ultimate cheesy 80s movie: 'They Live.'
SUch a romantic movie! :lol
Was that the movie with Roddy Piper?
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Was that the movie with Roddy Piper?
The very same.
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I only know the songs from the first four albums that are on a compilation disc that covers the four. I like some of them quite a bit - Lady, I'm Gonna Make You Feel It, Man of Miracles, etc. - but they never made me want to check out the full albums.
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Great story, Jaq! :tup
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I only know the songs from the first four albums that are on a compilation disc that covers the four. I like some of them quite a bit - Lady, I'm Gonna Make You Feel It, Man of Miracles, etc. - but they never made me want to check out the full albums.
Fair enough. :tup
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The Atliator just found the Styx thread.... :omg:
uh oh...
Anyway, I've been an obsessive Styx fan since I was 4 (I'm 15 now). 14 Styx concerts between 2003 - 2013 and 3 DDY concerts.
I think Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight, Serpent is Rising, and Cyclorama (which I think is nearly flawless from beginning to end) are my favorites. I REALLY wish Styx would come out with a new album, of course, and that they'd change up the set more often, but really they are FREAKING INCREDIBLE nowadays. I have hours and hours more to say, but you guys and I don't have that time, so I'll just kinda save it :lol
If anyone has ANY vitally important, life or death, urgent Styx questions, you know who to ask :)
That said, here's a 59 year old man hitting two E5s after a series of A and B 4s-
https://youtu.be/phKLATsvQwg?t=5m50s
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59 already, wow...!
Wish Styx would come to Germany again...
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Yea they tour around the US all year long. Usually they're in CA twice a year, but they very rarely go to Europe or anywhere else, at least anymore.
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I saw them perform after a Pittsburgh Pirates game last summer. The sound/mix pretty much sucked for every band that performed in that concert series, but Styx somehow managed to make it sound pretty good. They absolutely kicked ass.
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VH1 Classic had a Styx concert on yesterday, from when they played all of The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight, so I DVR'd it, and when I got home from out 4th fun last night, I flipped through it (too late to watch all of it, but I was able to watch a few full songs and parts of each). Good performances, although I have to admit it pained me to hear someone else doing DDY's original vocal parts in songs like Come Sail Away, Queen of Spades and Pieces of Eight. I mean, Lawrence Gowan does a pretty good job (good range, but can't vibrato, at least on a regular basis, on those long notes like DDY can), but it's just not the same. Tommy Shaw still sounds really good, though. And for some reason, I'm OK was omitted from the broadcast (probably for time cause of all of the commercials), which was a slight bummer, as that is a song that is never played live, so I was curious to see how it sounded, but shit happens. :biggrin:
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I agree. Gowan has a bigger range and better playing ability, but DDY has a better voice and I like that he improvises his solos and changes them, which Gowan does not. I'd still much rather Gowan with Styx and DDY in the DDY band though.
And you can see plenty of fan shot performances of I'm Okay on youtube btw. I love watching all of LG's awesome introductions :lol they're so funny .Plus I think one other (Miss America? JY is fantastic on that!!) also. But when I heard they played the DVD without those >:(
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That's kinda lame. The big draw was that they were playing these two albums in their entirety. I can understand leaving some songs out of the TV broadcast. That's pretty common, since (a) they have to make room for commercials, and (b) they have to leave some reason for people to buy the DVD. But if those songs aren't on the DVD either, then I'm not sure what the point was of playing the albums.
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No, they ARE on the DVD!!!! Just weren't played on tv!
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Ah. This is what confused me:
But when I heard they played the DVD without those >:(
They don't literally play the DVD on a TV broadcast. They play a special edit, made per some kind of specs which I'm sure are carefully outlined in some contract. That's why I thought you meant that they didn't play the songs on the DVD.
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I agree. Gowan has a bigger range and better playing ability, but DDY has a better voice and I like that he improvises his solos and changes them, which Gowan does not. I'd still much rather Gowan with Styx and DDY in the DDY band though.
Not me. I would hope they would all come around some day to burying the hatchet and doing one last tour together, especially since DDY's voice still reportedly sounds awesome, but I am not counting on it. It just sucks that they did a tour where they played all of their two best albums, but not when DDY was with them. Like I said before, I saw them a few years back when they toured with Yes, and they still put on a really good show, but there was just something missing. Or shall I say, someone. It just wasn't the same.
Oh, and James Young doing the "Hahahaha, superstars!..." part near the end of Superstars was somewhat cringe-worthy.
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I've got to disagree Kev. I love this line up and Gowan is a great showman. I love his voice. Sure DDY was great but when you become an issue with the rest of the bandmates it affects everything and he needed to go. I just wish they'd release some new music.
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Oh, I know that DDY being a huge pain in the ass is the main reason why he is no longer with them; I get it. I just think it is unfortunate for fans, as given the ages of the guys, they have to be nearing the end, and to see them go out like this (with only one original member, and two from the classic lineup) is kind of a bummer, especially since, like you said, they seem to have no interest in writing new music.
But I disagree about Gowan being a great showman. I think I already said it earlier in this thread, but when my brother and I saw that Styx/Yes tour, it was a close call as to who was more LOL-worthy, Gowan or Benoit David from Yes.
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I think the rift is just too big for them to get back. They tried in the late 90's and it didn't work. You could also here it in that last album, Brave New World. It was like, and probably was true, that DDY and the other guys recorded in 2 separate studios. You could here it in the songs by who wrote it.
You are in the minority, (at least for most I know that have seen Styx with Gowan), that they like him a lot. But heh! You got that right good sir!
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That might be, but Styx draws a lot less than they used to, and I gotta think that a lot of that has to do with some fans not wanting to see them because DDY is not there. I know a few Styx fans who have no interest in seeing them anymore because of that reason.
And I suspect that a lot of people like Gowan because he is a better replacement than most thought they could have gotten for DeYoung. He probably surpassed the expectations of most, and expectations can greatly influence opinions.
I do agree, though, that the rift is probably too big for a reunion to ever happen, but at least we have that Return to Paradise DVD from 1997. That tour was awesome. :hat
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That might be, but Styx draws a lot less than they used to, and I gotta think that a lot of that has to do with some fans not wanting to see them because DDY is not there. I know a few Styx fans who have no interest in seeing them anymore because of that reason.
Yep, my dad is one of these people. I've seen DDY a few times and I have to say that I agree with him -- I just wouldn't really care to see Styx without him.
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I like the current lineup of Styx and I don't care if DDY never comes back, but I think Gowan is a terrible showman. A lot of people do seem to find him entertaining though. Still, he's a great singer/musician and I hope they make another studio album with him.
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I saw Styx several times in the latter 90s when the core lineup was still together (minus John Panozzo).
I saw Dennis DeYoung about 10 years ago or so on a solo tour.
I saw Styx two years ago without DeYoung.
It is no contest which option was the best. Hint: it is not the second or third ones. ;) Don't get me wrong, the DDY and recent Styx shows were both highly enjoyable for the most part, but despite any personal issues they might have had, the magic on stage just isn't the same without DDY, Shaw and Young all there.
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I stopped at the CVS Pharmacy on the way home the other night to grab milk. I get to the counter, and they have a small display of CDs sitting there for cheap. The one right in front is The Grand Illusion with a $4.99 sticker. "Wow, The Grand Illusion for five bucks!" I think to myself. There are a few people in front of me in line, so I pick up the CD and turn it over. "Ha ha, Tommy Shaw looks so young!" I think to myself. I put it back down. I have the CD (and of course the original vinyl) but haven't actually looked at the cover in years. It's on my iPod and my PC; no need to ever access the physical media.
A man and woman about my age get in line behind me. The guy sees the CDs and goes "Wow, The Grand Illusion for five bucks!" I laugh quietly to myself because that's exactly what I thought. Those exact words. He picks up the CD, turns it over, and says "Ha ha, Tommy Shaw looks so young!" to his wife/girlfriend. Again, I laugh quietly to myself because again that's exactly what I said to myself.
Then the person in front of me is done, everybody moves up, the guy puts the CD back down, and life continues. True story.
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I like the current lineup of Styx and I don't care if DDY never comes back, but I think Gowan is a terrible showman. A lot of people do seem to find him entertaining though. Still, he's a great singer/musician and I hope they make another studio album with him.
I thought Gowan was great when I saw Styx two years ago. His musicianship cannot be questioned. His vocals are equally superb. Sure, his antics on stage are a little bit over the top, but I wasn't bothered by it at all. In fact, for the most part, I found the guy to be pretty damned entertaining. I went to show with my wife and two other couples and we all loved it. And I didn't see or hear anyone in the audience complaining about him.
As far as how many they draw to their shows, we saw Styx at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium which seats 2800 and they sold it out. Place was packed.
DDY filled about half of the Twin Rivers Event Center auditorium when we saw him live there. Capacity is 3000.
I thought both shows were great as far as music and performance goes, but Styx definitely had a better stage presentation, more lighting, etc. And I think their show was more energetic in general.
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Woohoo Styx thread!
I'm hoping to catch them next month. They are going to be playing the county fair here :JayOctavarium:
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As far as how many they draw to their shows, we saw Styx at the Lowell Memorial Auditorium which seats 2800 and they sold it out. Place was packed.
DDY filled about half of the Twin Rivers Event Center auditorium when we saw him live there. Capacity is 3000.
I thought both shows were great as far as music and performance goes, but Styx definitely had a better stage presentation, more lighting, etc. And I think their show was more energetic in general.
That sounds about right. Styx fans will tend to go to Styx shows, which are still very good, high energy, and entertaining overall. The only people who'd go to a Dennis De Young show would be fans specifically of his solo work (such as it is) and his side of Styx.
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Styx fans also go to DDY concerts. I just went to one this year and he and his band ROCK.
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Okay, what I said was an oversimplification. But if you're not really a fan of Dennis' solo stuff or his work within Styx, then why would you go to a DDY concert?
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Styx selling out a venue that holds no more than close to 3K doesn't impress me, especially when you consider that on their last major tour with DDY in the late 90s, they were playing as a headlining act and playing venues that held 10K+. We saw them at Riverport and it was pretty full (and that venue holds 15K+).
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Okay, what I said was an oversimplification. But if you're not really a fan of Dennis' solo stuff or his work within Styx, then why would you go to a DDY concert?
Because my wife made me go :lol
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(https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/38524_1357085889127_6013295_n.jpg)
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If men who do things their wives want them to do are whipped, what are women who do things their husbands want them to do?
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Dicklashed Hef, dicklashed.
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If men who do things their wives want them to do are whipped, what are women who do things their husbands want them to do?
Fairy tales.
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It was the choice of words, and obviously I'm just kidding anyway. "She made me go" sounds so much worse than "My wife wanted to go, so I took her." There are things we do for our loved ones, we all do it, we don't always talk about it. But the minute you say your wife made you do it, to me it just conjures up the "whipped" image.
She didn't make you do it. You ultimately changed your mind and did it to please her, because you are a thoughtful and loving man.
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Dicklashed Hef, dicklashed.
:lol
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If men who do things their wives want them to do are whipped, what are women who do things their husbands want them to do?
Fairy tales.
:(
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It was the choice of words, and obviously I'm just kidding anyway. "She made me go" sounds so much worse than "My wife wanted to go, so I took her." There are things we do for our loved ones, we all do it, we don't always talk about it. But the minute you say your wife made you do it, to me it just conjures up the "whipped" image.
She didn't make you do it. You ultimately changed your mind and did it to please her, because you are a thoughtful and loving man.
And the consequences for NOT doing it were simply not worth the bother. ::) :angel:
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Exactly. But still, it's all in how you present it.
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:lol
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVtMcLu22m0 This song should have been a gigantic prog hit like Roundabout or something. :metal I can't believe just how obscure this incredible song is! Maybe it's because JC quit before the tour of this album :(
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"Mother Dear" is one of my favorite songs from Equinox. I don't know if it could've been a radio hit, though.
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Mother Dear is easily one of my favorite songs by Styx from any era. I remember getting Equinox, already knowing the three main hits pretty well, and being blown away by how great Mother Dear, Lonely Child and Born for Adventure all are.
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And yea BFA is my other favorite from that album!
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Equinox is actually pretty solid all the way through. I played it recently during a road trip, just the wife and I, and she never asked me to change tunes, even sang along with some of them, and that's saying something. I generally don't get through an entire album of anything when I'm not the only one in the car.
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The past few days I've been listening to each Styx album in order really loudly while doing my school work. Today was Man of Miracles and Equinox :biggrin:
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Alright my friends, I present to you... the ultimate Styx tribute band, here to take you on an exciting ride through the entire catalog of Styx music; everything from the chart-topping "The Grand Illusion" and "Come Sail Away" to the classic deep album cuts and never-before attempted live, "Grove of Eglantine" and everything in between!! To all lovers of Classic Rock and Prog, please enjoy the work of the 16-22 year old musicians of the ultimate tribute to Styx... ONE WITH EVERYTHING.
The Grand Illusion - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnFvMUIsTTY
Half Penny Two Penny - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kp8xJD0_PY0
The Grove of Eglantine - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW2lPsKBt5Y
Enjoy and let me know what you think! More videos to come. :) :biggrin:
Deriving its motivation from a genuine passion for every Styx album, ONE WITH EVERYTHING not only has the power to promise fans an impeccable evening of great rock songs, but more-so, has the aptitude to truly take its captivated audiences on an exciting, emotional journey through the elaborate story of STYX music through their performance.
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Never having heard any Styx before I saw the Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight I think it is DVD cheap the other week. I picked it up and am really surprised with it. Great songs and performances, gotta check out their albums. Miss America is killer. The JY guy is legit.
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Never having heard any Styx before I saw the Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight I think it is DVD cheap the other week. I picked it up and am really surprised with it. Great songs and performances, gotta check out their albums. Miss America is killer. The JY guy is legit.
I own three Styx CDs; The Grand Illusion, Pieces Of Eight, and Paradise Theater. All three are killer. If you like JY, check out Snowblind off of Paradise Theater.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSXTu-WllZ8
Their current lineup (without Dennis DeYoung) has gotten high marks, though I am not really familiar with their performances.
I heavily recommend Dennis DeYoung's new live album; Dennis DeYoung And The Music Of Styx Live In Los Angeles.
His band is tight. I saw them last year. He doesn't just do the DeYoung songs, but the Tommy Shaw ones too. The guy in his band that does the "Tommy part" is incredible.
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If you like JY, check out Snowblind off of Paradise Theater.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSXTu-WllZ8
Not bad at all.
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Never having heard any Styx before I saw the Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight I think it is DVD cheap the other week. I picked it up and am really surprised with it. Great songs and performances, gotta check out their albums. Miss America is killer. The JY guy is legit.
I've been lucky to see Styx 4 times live and they put on a great show.
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Enjoy and let me know what you think! More videos to come. :) :biggrin:
Is this your band? If so, which one are you?
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Big, big Styx fan here, of all eras and albums. And I must say that this tribute band is AWESOME. I'm thouroughly impressed. Harmonies were great, playing was great, song choices are great (of the three I've seen, I'd love to see what a typical setlist is like with these guys). I am also really impressed with the JY guy, he sounds very close to the original. My only gripe is that the guy singing as Dennis sounds much more like Tommy Shaw, which makes me wonder if he's doing both parts. He's still a great singer, but it's a little strange hearing "Tommy" sing Grand Illusion!
I'd love to be in a Styx Tribute band myself, just because I love the deep tracks so much. A few I would include: Put Me On, Winner Take All, All In a Day's Work, Brave New World, Love at First Sight.... oh man, I'm probably going to list every song haha. Except Captain America. That song sucks! :laugh:
Anyway, I'd love to hear/see more videos from these guys. Where are they from? I'd love to catch them if I could.
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Enjoy and let me know what you think! More videos to come. :) :biggrin:
Is this your band? If so, which one are you?
Yep! I'm the kid on the spinning keyboard. :)
Big, big Styx fan here, of all eras and albums. And I must say that this tribute band is AWESOME. I'm thouroughly impressed. Harmonies were great, playing was great, song choices are great (of the three I've seen, I'd love to see what a typical setlist is like with these guys). I am also really impressed with the JY guy, he sounds very close to the original. My only gripe is that the guy singing as Dennis sounds much more like Tommy Shaw, which makes me wonder if he's doing both parts. He's still a great singer, but it's a little strange hearing "Tommy" sing Grand Illusion!
I'd love to be in a Styx Tribute band myself, just because I love the deep tracks so much. A few I would include: Put Me On, Winner Take All, All In a Day's Work, Brave New World, Love at First Sight.... oh man, I'm probably going to list every song haha. Except Captain America. That song sucks! :laugh:
Anyway, I'd love to hear/see more videos from these guys. Where are they from? I'd love to catch them if I could.
Thanks for the kind words and feedback!! Really cool to hear what you think. One of my main reasons for working so hard at this band is because I really want to give some justice to the incredible obscure Styx songs that so many people don't even know about. If you do catch us one day, you could very well end up getting to hear some songs that are on your wish list!
We are in Los Angeles, but I plan to get this to the level of being able to have out of state shows. Hopefully we'll be able to make that happen in the not-too-distant future!
I own three Styx CDs; The Grand Illusion, Pieces Of Eight, and Paradise Theater. All three are killer. If you like JY, check out Snowblind off of Paradise Theater.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSXTu-WllZ8
Their current lineup (without Dennis DeYoung) has gotten high marks, though I am not really familiar with their performances.
I heavily recommend Dennis DeYoung's new live album; Dennis DeYoung And The Music Of Styx Live In Los Angeles.
His band is tight. I saw them last year. He doesn't just do the DeYoung songs, but the Tommy Shaw ones too. The guy in his band that does the "Tommy part" is incredible.
The current lineup is awesome beyond words.. So awesome that I named my Styx tribute band after the song "One With Everything".. and I've seen them live 14 times in 10 years :lol. Definitely give a listen to their GI/PO8 Live and the studio album "Cyclorama"- believe it or not that's probably my favorite Styx album (and that is not at all a slight to DDY, it's just a GREAT album).
I can definitely second what you said about DDY. I was at the concert they filmed for the DVD and I've seen them 3 times before then too. That band, especially now with August Zadra ("Tommy" guy), is phenomenal as well.
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Saw Styx on a festival a couple of years ago without knowing much about them other than Mr Roboto and Todd Sucherman, what a beast of a drummer, seriously! They were great but the sound was pretty bad and they played on the middle of the day with not many people paying attention unfortunately. Other than that they were great and I checked them out more when I came home.
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The line up they have now is killer. I wish they'd make a new album. I'd love to hear new music form them.
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I have the strongest urge to listen to Styx right now...
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Go for it!
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This thread inspired me to listen to Equinox and Pieces of Eight. :)
Man, I'd forgotten how bright and happy this music was. Equinox is such a good time party record. I'm starting to think I've been listening to too much dark, modern music. This made my day.
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This thread inspired me to listen to Equinox and Pieces of Eight. :)
Man, I'd forgotten how bright and happy this music was. Equinox is such a good time party record. I'm starting to think I've been listening to too much dark, modern music. This made my day.
So true. Sometimes that's when I reach for an 80's album to make me happy. Power Windows is such an uplifting ablum from the 80's. Or, a little T & A music as well. :lol
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Okay, now I'm listening to Crystal Ball...uh, the song Jennifer is making me completely uncomfortable! :lol Is anyone else bothered by grown men singing about having sex with a seventeen year old girl?
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Okay, now I'm listening to Crystal Ball...uh, the song Jennifer is making me completely uncomfortable! :lol Is anyone else bothered by grown men singing about having sex with a seventeen year old girl?
..or 16.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUL_3hdFSEE
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:TAC:
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Okay, now I'm listening to Crystal Ball...uh, the song Jennifer is making me completely uncomfortable! :lol Is anyone else bothered by grown men singing about having sex with a seventeen year old girl?
I've been listening to Crystal Ball since I was about 15, so the idea of seeing a 17-year-old girl as a woman and worthy of love (or lust) was completely fine, and normal. I guess it never occurred to me that this was a 20-something man (Dennis) writing and singing the song. Completely tunnel vision there, I guess. Teenagers tend to see themselves as "adults, pretty much" and listening to Crystal Ball takes me back to those days. Reading the lyrics now... whoa.
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Okay, now I'm listening to Crystal Ball...uh, the song Jennifer is making me completely uncomfortable! :lol Is anyone else bothered by grown men singing about having sex with a seventeen year old girl?
I've been listening to Crystal Ball since I was about 15, so the idea of seeing a 17-year-old girl as a woman and worthy of love (or lust) was completely fine, and normal. I guess it never occurred to me that this was a 20-something man (Dennis) writing and singing the song. Completely tunnel vision there, I guess. Teenagers tend to see themselves as "adults, pretty much" and listening to Crystal Ball takes me back to those days. Reading the lyrics now... whoa.
Oh, I completely agree. It never occurred to me until now how completely unsettling it is. When the album was released I was 14 (I think) so "a child in her mother's eyes, but a woman every night" seemed totally cool to me then. It's only now, after not hearing the entire album for 20 years or better, that I cringe.
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So Tommy Shaw is/was the lead singer in Damn Yankees! Funny how certain things slip you by after all these years. #90s ballads #Nostalgia #Hairspay
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Let me drop this on you folks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84503534&v=P_rs3mQBzfo&x-yt-ts=1421914688
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So Tommy Shaw is/was the lead singer in Damn Yankees! Funny how certain things slip you by after all these years. #90s ballads #Nostalgia #Hairspay
Well, he and Jack Blades were co-lead singers, but yeah, they did some great stuff. That 2nd album was damn great.
Also, the Shaw/Blades album from the mid 90s was really nice, too, albeit more laid back and not as rocking as the Damn Yankees stuff.
Man, I'd forgotten how bright and happy this music was. Equinox is such a good time party record. I'm starting to think I've been listening to too much dark, modern music. This made my day.
Great record. The hits from it are great, but those deeper cuts in the middle of the record are tremendous, too. Mother Dear is killer!
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The other weird thing is that Dennis had been married to Suzanne for many years before singing "Lorelei" and "Jennifer", I never got that :lol
Let me drop this on you folks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84503534&v=P_rs3mQBzfo&x-yt-ts=1421914688
This.
Also, I must second KevShmev's comment- the second Damn Yankees album "Don't Tread" is absolutely killer.
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It is, but I love the first album too. Some great songs there.
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I was lucky enough to see Tommy Shaw live as a solo act opening for The Kinks in 1983. I was a wee lad. 15 years old. The only concert I saw in the old Boston Garden in Boston.
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Let me drop this on you folks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84503534&v=P_rs3mQBzfo&x-yt-ts=1421914688
Yea said it before, Todds a beast.
On a side note: I also had no idea Ted Nugent was in Damn Yankees but on the other hand I had no idea who any of those guys were back then. Basically I didn't knew shit about the band only their music. :lol #No Internet #Teen #Clueless
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Speaking of solo Tommy Shaw, I may have said this before, but his solo album from the late 90s, 7 Deadly Zens, is fantastic. Songs like Down on the Ground, Half a Mind, A Place to Call My Own and Who I Am are all tremendous. Check them out if you have time. :coolio
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I need to get that.
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Let me drop this on you folks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=84503534&v=P_rs3mQBzfo&x-yt-ts=1421914688
Yea said it before, Todds a beast.
On a side note: I also had no idea Ted Nugent was in Damn Yankees but on the other hand I had no idea who any of those guys were back then. Basically I didn't knew shit about the band only their music. :lol #No Internet #Teen #Clueless
I knew about them thanks to the old magazine of Kerrang!, there's some pro shot live footage on YT and an official video, they sounded pretty good live and threw in Nugent/Night Ranger/Styx covers.
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Big Styx fan here. Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight, Paradise Theater, and even Kilroy pop up occasionally in my phone's shuffle.
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Basically I didn't knew shit about the band [Damn Yankees] only their music. :lol #No Internet #Teen #Clueless
I will second that. I knew Ted Nugent because songs like Stranglehold because it cropped up on my local classic rock channel all the time, even though I didn't like his stuff. And I knew the short blonde guy was in the band who did Come Sail Away, which was all I knew of him or that band. I had no idea who the other two guys were. I'm still not sure I do today.
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The drummer was a total no-name.
The bass player/co-lead singer was Jack Blades, who had the same role in Night Ranger (most known for Sister Christian, which Blades did not sing lead on).
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The drummer was a total no-name.
He was the drummer from Tommy Shaw's solo band, before Damn Yankees was formed.
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Michael Cartellone is from Lynyrd Skynyrd, but I think that was after DY. According to Wikipedia he's played with some other giant names too.
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My Styx tribute band is playing in Riverside, California this Saturday (3/14) - Check it out!!!
https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=853117094745818&set=vb.100001426055668&type=2&theater
Tickets (only $12) - https://www.theconcertlounge.com/calendar.html
SUPER excited for this, we had an incredible two gigs this past weekend, and now this one is a full two-hour Styx show. It'll include all the hits PLUS a lot of surprises. Die-hards will LOVE it, as will the whole audience. As it says in that post, we're going under the name Rockin' the Paradise, but it's the same 5 guys as in One With Everything (if you've seen the posts a couple pages back) with the addition of an amazing singer/frontman, who is the creator of RTP.
(https://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a619/styxkyd/IMAG4770_zpsc9455ksn.jpg) (https://s1286.photobucket.com/user/styxkyd/media/IMAG4770_zpsc9455ksn.jpg.html)
(https://i1286.photobucket.com/albums/a619/styxkyd/IMG_1918_zpsgixph6i4.jpg) (https://s1286.photobucket.com/user/styxkyd/media/IMG_1918_zpsgixph6i4.jpg.html)
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Come to the Boston area and I'm there! Hope the show goes well! I'd love to see the setlist after the show.
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STYX To Release First Studio Album In 14 Years, 'The Mission'
"The Mission", STYX's sixteenth studio album and its most ambitious, most challenging, and most rewarding release to date, will arrive on June 16 via the band's label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe.
(https://assets.blabbermouth.net.s3.amazonaws.com/media/styxthemissioncd.jpg)
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/styx-to-release-first-studio-album-in-14-years-the-mission/
Styx - Gone Gone Gone (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1gVIBKZ6cg)
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Not terrible. I remember when the single Waiting for our Time was released - 14 years ago. That was a good single release... I don't ever remember checking out the album though.
Man, these guys have a lot of miles under the hood.
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I really dig Cyclorama. Check it out Chad. I've been pissing and moaning wanting Styx to make another album of new material. Finally.
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Well shit. I never thought I'd see another Styx album. :lol
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I am not a fan of Lawrence Gowan's voice, so that song was pretty blah to me, but I am hopeful that we'll get plenty of good songs with Tommy Shaw on lead vocals. All I can do is hope.
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First Kansas puts out their first new album in over a decade last fall, and now Styx? Wow, I may have to check it out. Styx have never really settled with me but I enjoy most of their albums and songs, and have always meant to dig into them deeper.
Looks like it'll be a 14-track concept album running about 43 minutes long, which explains why the single is so short. Interesting concept, too! Having been 2 years in the making, I hope it's all top-notch stuff!
-Marc.
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YEEESSS! YES!!!!!! YES YES YES YES YES YES!!!!! FINAALLY!!!!!!!!!!!!
I've been waiting almost my whole life :lol
Cyclorama was one of the best rock albums of the decade, why on EARTH have they waited so long to follow it up!!? :metal :metal :corn :corn
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Man, these guys have a lot of miles under the hood.
Indeed. Their breakthrough album, The Grand Illusion, is 40 years old this year, and it was their seventh album.
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First Kansas puts out their first new album in over a decade last fall, and now Styx? Wow, I may have to check it out. Styx have never really settled with me but I enjoy most of their albums and songs, and have always meant to dig into them deeper.
The deep tracks/non-hits from albums like The Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight and Equinox are mostly fantastic. They were great at channeling a prog vibe, while never jumping into the deep water of prog.
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I might be going to see Styx and REO this summer, should be a good show.
The recent Styx blu-ray/dvd Pieces of Eight is excellent! I highly recommend if you haven't seen it.
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I just wanna say that Todd is slowly becoming one of my favourite drummers and i'm surprised I discovered him so late given i've played drums for so long but for some reason he's slipped under my radar. I saw Styx at a festival a couple of years ago and I was blown away during his solo, i'm like who the hell is this guy and how come i've never heard of him. He has such a clear and firm grasp of his technique and his stick control is pretty much flawless imo.
I highly recommend his drum lesson he did a couple of days ago on Drumeo.
Todd Sucherman: "Sounds & Choices" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YU5_NJfNunQ&t=1348s)
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Cyclorama was one of the best rock albums of the decade, why on EARTH have they waited so long to follow it up!!?
Musically it was OK. Certainly not close to their best. But there was absolutely no reason for all the nasty lyrics directed at Dennis.
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Dennis deserved it.
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Deserve's got nothing to do with it. ;) Some of the lyrics came off as petulant and vindictive.
That said, it was a still good album with a handful of really good tunes.
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We only heard some of him hijacking the band. I'll assume it was really bad for them to have those lyrics.
Sometimes one person in a band let's his ego get in the way. (DeYoung, Perry, Waters)
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I have no doubt about that, but I am still not going to excuse lyrics like that.
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Deserve's got nothing to do with it. ;)
(https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/great-movie-unforgiven-1992/hero_EB20020721REVIEWS08207210301AR.jpg)
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Deserve's got nothing to do with it. ;)
(https://static.rogerebert.com/uploads/review/primary_image/reviews/great-movie-unforgiven-1992/hero_EB20020721REVIEWS08207210301AR.jpg)
(https://media.giphy.com/media/xT77XWum9yH7zNkFW0/giphy.gif)
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:lol
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Sometimes one person in a band let's his ego get in the way. (DeYoung, Perry, Waters)
See now, if we were in DT side, someone would invariably mention MP here. :lol
As much of a tool that DeYoung is, for me... he is the voice of Styx. Larry Gowan (I refuse to acknowledge him as Laurence) just doesn't click for me. He was good in the 80s, but him+Styx just doesn't sound right.
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What did Gowan do in the 80's. I never heard of him before Styx.
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I wish I had still never heard of him. :lol His voice smacks of being a poor man's Dennis DeYoung, but without the charm or warmth, and the way he acts on stage, as seen in that new video, is embarrassing and laughable. It reminded me of when my brother and I saw them and Yes on their double bill tour 5-6 years ago and how many times we exchanged "holy shit, that guy is ridiculous" looks.
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What did Gowan do in the 80's. I never heard of him before Styx.
He auditioned for Michael Schenker and turned the job down.
LOL.
He had a couple of very well known solo albums - not up your alley though. Strange Animal was all over Much Music/MTV.
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Not that well known.
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I got into him because I found out Alex Lifeson played on one of his albums.
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What did Gowan do in the 80's. I never heard of him before Styx.
He auditioned for Michael Schenker and turned the job down.
LOL.
He had a couple of very well known solo albums - not up your alley though. Strange Animal was all over Much Music/MTV.
Does the song "Criminal Mind" ring a bell? That was his coolest song and biggest hit. Way more depth and substance than Strange Animal.
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^ Oh, I agree. Criminal Mind is a Top 25 song of all time for me personally. I just mentioned Strange Animal for Tim, as surely even that song got air/TV-time in the rock he was under in the mid-80s. :neverusethis:
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OK, I just checked Criminal Mind and Strange Animal. Criminal Mind is certainly a nice enough song, but Strange Animal is total 80's suckage.
And I have NEVER heard either song before today, nor have I ever heard of Gowan in the 80's.
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I had never heard Criminal Mind before either. Just checked it out. Decent enough, I guess, but I can't imagine going out of my way to listen to it ever again.
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This is a song from Gowan with Alex Lifeson on guitar.
https://youtu.be/NeETro1_rFA
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Gowan was in the bucket of Pop Rock in the 80s. I'd put his sound along with Mr. Mister, Collins solo and Gabriels solo stuff from that era. I always considered him somewhere between Popular and Rock.
So, in the TAC dictionary,
total 80's suckage.
nails it.
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I like the new CD The Mission a lot, the track Locomotive is great
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Despite my disdain for Gowan, I sacked up and bought this from iTunes. I checked it out on YT and was pleasantly surprised at how good quite a bit of it was. They really did a great job with nailing the choruses on this record. Hundred Million Miles From Home, Locomotive, Radio Silence, Red Storm and The Outpost are all worthy tunes. The Outpost even has Gown doing lead vocals on the verses, but they are laid back and he doesn't try to overdo it, so it is fine. And the chorus in that song is killer. Sometimes, it is fun to be proven wrong. :lol :lol
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Yeah, I quite enjoyed it as well. They really did a great job to deliver the classic Styx vibe. Nice vocal harmonies and melodies. Not sure I'll purchase it, but I'll likely spin it on Spotify a few more times.
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Im picking it up today.
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Not a fan. I love Styx buy will rarely listen to this. Nice harmonies, good attempt at progressiveness. Songs - blah. When you compare the stuff here to the classics, absolutely no reason to listen to this.
And I love Tommy but the irony of not wanting to write songs about robots (I know, a long time ago) but writing songs about space travel doesn't escape me.
A worthy effort. But a failed effort for me. Not a single track.
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I'm a casual fan at best but I heard the Gone Gone Gone track and liked it so gave it a play on Spotify. Really liked it. A few more plays needed and a listen with headphones because I read an interview with TS where he said it's a real headphone album.
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I just listened to the album on the way home. The Queen and I really liked it. I'll play the crap out of it this week.
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When someone finds a track on the new CD in the same universe of quality as Crystal Ball, Renegade, Come Sail Away, Blue Collar Man, etc, please let me know because I haven't found it. The fact that many of the tracks don't suck doesn't make them good and definitely doesn't make them worthy of the Styx name.
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Thsts like saying, let me know when Rush makes a song like on Hemispheres to Moving Pictures.
We know it's not on that level. It still can be very good.
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No shit right? Just because new stuff (from any band) isn't god-tier like earlier stuff, it doesn't mean it can't be good. If those songs you mention are the standard by which you hold them to, you're simply setting yourself up for disappointment.
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Just listened to the new album. While I liked it on the first spin, it ends too fast. Very short for a concept album, or any album for that matter. It needs a side two or something...
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Thsts like saying, let me know when Rush makes a song like on Hemispheres to Moving Pictures.
We know it's not on that level. It still can be very good.
Well I don't think it's very good. That's just me I guess. Honestly I'm glad when it's over. For aging bands, new Iced Earth kills this. Heck, The Astonishing was DT's 13th CD and while it may not have been their best it's got a ton more life and creativity that this. Styx hasn't had a CD of new material in 13 years, I am stunned that Shaw didn't have a couple of great tracks in him.
my comment was based on a review here which makes it sound like a "great Styx album" not "decent enough considering their age" :
https://teamrock.com/review/2017-06-14/styx-the-mission-album-review
"The Mission is right up there with the very best of Styx" . . . LMAO.
Anyway, if you love it, have at it. I don't.
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let me know when Rush makes a song like on Hemispheres to Moving Pictures.
Yes please. Please let me know. :P
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let me know when Rush makes a song like on Hemispheres to Moving Pictures.
Yes please. Please let me know. :P
Strike this guy from the jury. :lol
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Thsts like saying, let me know when Rush makes a song like on Hemispheres to Moving Pictures.
We know it's not on that level. It still can be very good.
Well I don't think it's very good. That's just me I guess. Honestly I'm glad when it's over. For aging bands, new Iced Earth kills this. Heck, The Astonishing was DT's 13th CD and while it may not have been their best it's got a ton more life and creativity that this. Styx hasn't had a CD of new material in 13 years, I am stunned that Shaw didn't have a couple of great tracks in him.
my comment was based on a review here which makes it sound like a "great Styx album" not "decent enough considering their age" :
https://teamrock.com/review/2017-06-14/styx-the-mission-album-review
"The Mission is right up there with the very best of Styx" . . . LMAO.
Anyway, if you love it, have at it. I don't.
So one comment sent you over the edge? From one listen they crafted a very good album. I need more listens. It will never hit certain albums by STYX but I don't think it's bad like you say at all.
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So one comment sent you over the edge? From one listen they crafted a very good album. I need more listens. It will never hit certain albums by STYX but I don't think it's bad like you say at all.
I'm not going to keep on about it. I just don't like it that much. Nothing horrible, just nothing particularly above average either. Just like every one of their CDs since Kilroy, I will have no reason to listen to it. I'm listening to it now, still looking for that great track. It does sound nice and is done well. I just find the songwriting boring and uninspired.
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And I love Tommy but the irony of not wanting to write songs about robots (I know, a long time ago) but writing songs about space travel doesn't escape me.
I did chuckle at the fact that:
Dennis DeYoung had an album in 2007 called One Hundred Years from Now.
Styx has a song on this new album called Hundred Million Miles from Home.
:lol :lol
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I did chuckle at the fact that:
Dennis DeYoung had an album in 2007 called One Hundred Years from Now.
Styx has a song on this new album called Hundred Million Miles from Home.
I actually chuckled at this fact:
Dennis DeYoung had a 2007 album that sucked.
Styx has a new album that sucks.
I'm kidding!! ;D
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Just played The Mission on Spotify. Other than the horrific suckage that is Gone Gone Gone, this album is very good. Locomotive really stood out to me as the premier track.
They capture a great old school feel. Sounds real familiar.
B-Fan...if I may, you might be trying to hard. Don't put any parameters on this. This is a quality album, and if I say so, then it is. ;D :lol
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It really is a quality album. I'm so happy that you can see the effort, the craft. I see this album growing on me.
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B-Fan...if I may, you might be trying to hard. Don't put any parameters on this. This is a quality album, and if I say so, then it is. ;D :lol
I will try again. I adore Styx but don't like this much. Ironically, The Astonishing could have made a great Styx album if Dennis were still there.
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This is a quality album,
I'll take "Things I was not expecting to hear from Tim" for $600, Alex.
and if I say so, then it is.
I'll take "Things I did expect to hear from Tim" for $800.
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Gave this a quick listen today. Am not familiar at all with any Styx post-DD. Liked it overall, will definitely listen to it a bit more when I have some more time to just sit and enjoy it.
Also, seeing them live on video and in person, they deliver such a good show, even more so for a "has-been" band at the stage of their careers when most bands are content to coast through nostalgia tours at the local casinos in front of a few hundred fans in their 50s.
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I still like this album, glad one of my favorite bands growing up is still at it :metal
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First listen through now...
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This is a quality album,
I'll take "Things I was not expecting to hear from Tim" for $600, Alex.
and if I say so, then it is.
I'll take "Things I did expect to hear from Tim" for $800.
:rollin
Haha. Very funny.
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I love Todds drumming, haven't checked out the album yet though.
Todd Sucherman performance of "The Red Storm" by Styx from "The Mission" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXScvbFbmss)
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So far, it is a good, solid listen. No, nothing on it touches most of their material from the peak era in the 70s, but I would say this is about as good as Cyclorama, except this one is more consistent, while Cyclorama had higher highs and lower lows.
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"Overture" and "Khedive" are among the best tracks Styx has released!! This album has its moments for sure and it's neat to see them not staying in the totally safe zone. A lot of new territory, as always on a Styx album. And they haven't lost the proggy side or their energy!
When someone finds a track on the new CD in the same universe of quality as Crystal Ball, Renegade, Come Sail Away, Blue Collar Man, etc, please let me know because I haven't found it.
I would concede The Mission has less of that strait-forward awesome stand alone songs aspect that many of their other albums have, but you should check out Cyclorama if you haven't. They matched and surpassed those you mentioned track after track after track on that album. See: Styx - Waiting for our Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtNS2ZM7JSY)
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Speaking of Cyclorama, the song "These are the Times" is one of my fav Styx songs! :metal
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One with Everything is the clear standout on that record, IMO, but These Are the Times and Waiting for Our Time are in the next tier (along with Together).
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"Overture" and "Khedive" are among the best tracks Styx has released!! This album has its moments for sure and it's neat to see them not staying in the totally safe zone. A lot of new territory, as always on a Styx album. And they haven't lost the proggy side or their energy!
When someone finds a track on the new CD in the same universe of quality as Crystal Ball, Renegade, Come Sail Away, Blue Collar Man, etc, please let me know because I haven't found it.
I would concede The Mission has less of that strait-forward awesome stand alone songs aspect that many of their other albums have, but you should check out Cyclorama if you haven't. They matched and surpassed those you mentioned track after track after track on that album. See: Styx - Waiting for our Time (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtNS2ZM7JSY)
While I think you overstate it somewhat, I do agree that Cyclorama had better songs than The Mission. Better than Pieces of Eight, Paradise Theater, Kilroy ? No. But close enough. The problem I have with Cyclorama is the juvenile lyrics unnecessarily attacking Dennis. That's a big turnoff for me.
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What if Dennis became so overbearing that the songs are a release for them? I've read the stories and while I agree they should have stayed away from the subject Dennis hijacked them and pushed them to that point.
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Thsts like saying, let me know when Rush makes a song like on Hemispheres to Moving Pictures.
We know it's not on that level. It still can be very good.
So true.
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Dear John is the best Styx song post-Kilroy Was Here.
Dispute that. :biggrin:
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Thsts like saying, let me know when Rush makes a song like on Hemispheres to Moving Pictures.
We know it's not on that level. It still can be very good.
So true.
Except with Styx some of the newer stuff is even better than the old stuff :lol
Dear John is the best Styx song post-Kilroy Was Here.
Dispute that. :biggrin:
K.
All in a Day's Work
On My Way
Everything is Cool
Heavy Water
Do Things My Way
Waiting for Our Time
Kiss Your Ass Goodbye
More Love For the Money
These are the Times
Together
Fooling Yourself (Palm of Your Hands)
Captain America
One With Everything
Everything All The Time
Overture
Locomotive
Red Storm
Khedive
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Thsts like saying, let me know when Rush makes a song like on Hemispheres to Moving Pictures.
We know it's not on that level. It still can be very good.
So true.
Except with Styx some of the newer stuff is even better than the old stuff :lol
Dear John is the best Styx song post-Kilroy Was Here.
Dispute that. :biggrin:
K.
All in a Day's Work
On My Way
Everything is Cool
Heavy Water
Do Things My Way
Waiting for Our Time
Kiss Your Ass Goodbye
More Love For the Money
These are the Times
Together
Fooling Yourself (Palm of Your Hands)
Captain America
One With Everything
Everything All The Time
Overture
Locomotive
Red Storm
Khedive
Disagree completely but that's cool. Nothing they have done since Kilroy touches Pieces of Eight, Paradise Theater and Kilroy. Note I skipped Cornerstone although a few from that, like Boat on the River, are of that quality.
And I'm not a "things were always better" type. The Astonishing is up there (not on top) of DT albums, and Book of Souls is the same for me with Maiden. Although Dennis went overboard with the sappy ballads, Styx badly misses his melodic sense.
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Thsts like saying, let me know when Rush makes a song like on Hemispheres to Moving Pictures.
We know it's not on that level. It still can be very good.
So true.
Except with Styx some of the newer stuff is even better than the old stuff :lol
Dear John is the best Styx song post-Kilroy Was Here.
Dispute that. :biggrin:
K.
All in a Day's Work
On My Way
Everything is Cool
Heavy Water
Do Things My Way
Waiting for Our Time
Kiss Your Ass Goodbye
More Love For the Money
These are the Times
Together
Fooling Yourself (Palm of Your Hands)
Captain America
One With Everything
Everything All The Time
Overture
Locomotive
Red Storm
Khedive
Had me until Captain America. What a crap song, haha. Otherwise that list is so impressive, it makes me realize that the "reunion-era" of Styx may be my favorite era. I listen to Edge of the Century, Brave New World, and Cyclorama probably more than any other 3 Styx records. Edge might be my favorite as I can't find a bad song on that record. And the one-off songs like Everything All the Time, Dear John, and On My Way during this era are almost always home runs.
On the topic of the new album, I really like it. I'm surprised Gonex3 isn't a favorite on people's list. The whole 3.5 minute opening with Overture is one of the best Styx album opening sequences since Put Me On. the rest of the album is totally solid, and I've been having fun listening to it this week non-stop.
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The new album is growing on me. The old school classic Styx production threw me off at first. I think this album would have rocked way more with a modern edge sound with the Vocals, keys, and guitars. The vocal tracks, while good, are a little too dry (especially Tommy Shaw's solo parts) with the tight reverb etc.
It sounds like their producer was a little too bent on achieving that classic 70's organic sound..
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The new album is growing on me. The old school classic Styx production threw me off at first. I think this album would have rocked way more with a modern edge sound with the Vocals, keys, and guitars. The vocal tracks, while good, are a little too dry (especially Tommy Shaw's solo parts) with the tight reverb etc.
It sounds like their producer was a little too bent on achieving that classic 70's organic sound..
Oddly, the end of The Outpost seems to be way overcooked, with the drums too loud and muddy in the mix (the overplaying there doesn't help either, which is unusual for a Styx song). That aside, I like the sound of the album.
On the topic of the new album, I really like it. I'm surprised Gonex3 isn't a favorite on people's list. The whole 3.5 minute opening with Overture is one of the best Styx album opening sequences since Put Me On. the rest of the album is totally solid, and I've been having fun listening to it this week non-stop.
Gowan's vocals annoy me in Gone, Gone, Gone. He doesn't bug me when he sings in a softer voice, like in The Greater Good or The Outpost, but when he belts it out, he really does sound like a poor man's Dennis DeYong, and not in a good way. That is an obstacle I simply cannot get past with his voice when he belts it out.
The Overture is cool, though, and should have been longer. Or at least segued way into something better.
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I always thought both Gowan and DeYoung both sound like a cabarnet singer when they hit they belt it out.
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DeYoung's voice has a warmth and charm that Gowan's is simply lacking, IMO. But we don't need to go round and round about that again. :lol :lol
So far, I think the best songs are Locomotive, Red Storm, The Outpost, Hundred Million Miles From Home and Mission to Mars.
It's too bad that James Young's only real vocal contribution is pretty bad. Trouble at the Big Show has some really nice harmonies in the chorus, but Young's lead vocals in that tune sound like really bad karaoke, especially when he does the call and response lead parts in the chorus.
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Isn't all his lead vocal pretty bad? :lol. He's perfect with harmonies.
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I felt Young's lead vocal was a token lead, like Peter Criss on Psycho Circus.
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Yup. Can't argue there.
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Isn't all his lead vocal pretty bad? :lol. He's perfect with harmonies.
Nah, some of his lead vocals are solid. I think with age, his overly bombastic way of singing, since he really isn't a natural lead singer, just comes off really bad now. Letting Tommy Shaw do the vast majority of the lead vocals on the album was a very wise move. :tup :tup
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I'm very pleased with the album in general.
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I'm very pleased with the album in general.
I owe it another listen.
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It's one of those albums Tim that needs multiple listens and that's a good thing.
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Hmmm, I think it's an immediate grabber. Given my low expectations and ambivalence towards its release in general, had the first listen not done a lot for me, I likely wouldn't have bothered again, but I liked most of it quite a bit when I listened on YT, so I went off and bought the mp3s right after that.
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I kind of agree. I expected NOTHING. Ran through it on Spotify. Other than Gonex3, which sucks so bad, the albums was surprisingly solid.
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Letting Tommy Shaw do the vast majority of the lead vocals on the album was a very wise move. :tup :tup
No doubt there.
I can't think think of him without recalling a good-natured comment Dennis made when he first saw him. Sorry I can't find the source, so I will paraphrase..." I saw this guitarist they brought in (Tommy) and he looked like... a fetus"
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Liking The Mission more and more! It just seems to end so abruptly, it needs to go out with a epic masterpiece...kind of like Pieces of Eight..
Btw, the dvd/blu-ray release of the Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight concert is fantastic! It really captures their live sound and the filming is good. Great performance by all members, especially Tommy Shaw. Todd is a monster on the drum kit as well. :metal
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Hmmm, I think it's an immediate grabber. Given my low expectations and ambivalence towards its release in general, had the first listen not done a lot for me, I likely wouldn't have bothered again, but I liked most of it quite a bit when I listened on YT, so I went off and bought the mp3s right after that.
I think that is because of your low expectations. I've been bitching to my cousin for a long time I wished Styx would make a new album.
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I can't think think of him without recalling a good-natured comment Dennis made when he first saw him. Sorry I can't find the source, so I will paraphrase..." I saw this guitarist they brought in (Tommy) and he looked like... a fetus"
I remember getting The Grand Illusion on CD, looking at the band on the back cover, and thinking, "Holy crap, does Tommy Shaw look young." :lol :lol
Liking The Mission more and more! It just seems to end so abruptly,
I like the song Mission to Mars a lot, but I definitely would have liked to have heard it expanded a little bit more. Not saying they had to go full prog with it and make it overly long, but as the album finisher, it could have been better (while being really good isolated on its own).
Hmmm, I think it's an immediate grabber. Given my low expectations and ambivalence towards its release in general, had the first listen not done a lot for me, I likely wouldn't have bothered again, but I liked most of it quite a bit when I listened on YT, so I went off and bought the mp3s right after that.
I think that is because of your low expectations.
Maybe, but most of the vocal harmonies have an immediacy to them that makes them easy to like right away.
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So I mowed my lawn listening to the album. Perfect timing as it ended as I parked the lawnmower.
I was thinking that Styx playing The Grand Illusion & Pieces Of Eight from beginning to end live might have influenced them making this album
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So I mowed my lawn listening to the album.
This album is not for mowing the lawn. It's actually more suited to soothe you as you recover from your heart attack from mowing the lawn. ;D
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You mean, my ride on lawnmower sucka?! :lol
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Shit, you're probably still breathing heavy after that! :lol
I would be! :lol
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Didn't even break a sweat
I should have worn a manzier though.
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Black eyes??
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Im no Dolly Parton.
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As much as I like Tommy Shaw, it's odd that he was so concerned about Styx losing their rock credibility by releasing consecutive ballads as singles, considering his songs from Cornerstone do not exactly rock.
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I think Dennis was moving towards softer music and while a ballad here and there is ok they still in essence was a rock band.
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Finally discovered why I am disappointed in this. No-one in Styx was the main songwriter, Will Evankovich was.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mission_(Styx_album)
I thought it just missed Dennis' melodic sense, it looks like it is more than that. Again, I do like the album; it just doesn't sound like Styx songwriting and now I know why.
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Finally discovered why I am disappointed in this. No-one in Styx was the main songwriter, Will Evankovich was.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mission_(Styx_album)
I thought it just missed Dennis' melodic sense, it looks like it is more than that. Again, I do like the album; it just doesn't sound like Styx songwriting and now I know why.
You mean storyline by Tommy Shaw and Will Evenkovich? The guy that produced and engineered the album.
Also the credits are "All Songs Written by Tommy Shaw, Will Evenkovich, Lawrence Gowan, and James Young. Where do you get that they were not the main songwriter. It's a collaboration with all the main writers.
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BTW, I got my info from the album. Not wikipedia. In the album there is no breakdown to who wrote the individual songs. So who is updating that info when it's not on the album credits?
Edit: They do have the credits for each song. Let me look at them.
Second Edit: The Wiki is misleading. They have Will as the first credited when in the album he is always the last credit for the music or the lyrics. I think he's just a musician that they liked working with as a producer and engineer and he help structure this concept album with them and they liked his input and guidance.
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I just read this connection as well about Will. I never knew this and I have a few Shaw/Blades albums.
"The Mission is partially the brainchild of Tommy Shaw and producer Will Evankovich, who is the third man in Shaw Blades’ live show and has worked with Tommy on various other projects including his orchestra show last year in Cleveland"
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I wish Tommy Shaw would take a year off from Styx's never-ending nostalgia touring and do another album of original material with Jack Blades.
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I wish Tommy Shaw would take a year off from Styx's never-ending nostalgia touring and do another album of original material with Jack Blades.
They seem to tour every year now. Finally backing a new album I might have to see them again. I do hope to hear another Shaw/Blades album like you are wishing for Kev.
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I held out for a 3rd Damn Yankees album for as long as I could remember, but finally accepted that that would never happen (I wonder if Ted Nugent turning into a total nut job sealed the deal on that).
I'll take a Shaw/Blades album in a heartbeat. The way their voices blend together has a very Simon & Garfunkel-esque quality.
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Maybe I'm wrong but I thought the 3rd album was recorded but never released?
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Maybe I'm wrong but I thought the 3rd album was recorded but never released?
Should've done that with the first two.
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Maybe I'm wrong but I thought the 3rd album was recorded but never released?
Should've done that with the first two.
:lol you dirty......
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Second Edit: The Wiki is misleading. They have Will as the first credited when in the album he is always the last credit for the music or the lyrics. I think he's just a musician that they liked working with as a producer and engineer and he help structure this concept album with them and they liked his input and guidance.
Maybe I made a bad assumption based on that - but they don't sound like Styx songs to me. Shaw has always had a distinctive sound and this isn't it. Again, I find it to be a very good, solid, nice album. Just not a very strong Styx album.
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Oh I get ya. To each their own. I'm just really digging it myself.
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Oh I get ya. To each their own. I'm just really digging it myself.
Recent CDs from long term bands, I love the new Iced Earth, think the Styx is OK and the Buckingham/Christine McVie CD is a god awful snooze fest (and I like Buckingham a lot usually).
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I stayed away from Buckingham/McVie. the New Kansas was not bad at all.
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Second Edit: The Wiki is misleading. They have Will as the first credited when in the album he is always the last credit for the music or the lyrics. I think he's just a musician that they liked working with as a producer and engineer and he help structure this concept album with them and they liked his input and guidance.
Maybe I made a bad assumption based on that - but they don't sound like Styx songs to me. Shaw has always had a distinctive sound and this isn't it. Again, I find it to be a very good, solid, nice album. Just not a very strong Styx album.
They are songs written and played by the band currently known as Styx. How can it not sound like Styx? This is what Styx sounds like currently.
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Second Edit: The Wiki is misleading. They have Will as the first credited when in the album he is always the last credit for the music or the lyrics. I think he's just a musician that they liked working with as a producer and engineer and he help structure this concept album with them and they liked his input and guidance.
Maybe I made a bad assumption based on that - but they don't sound like Styx songs to me. Shaw has always had a distinctive sound and this isn't it. Again, I find it to be a very good, solid, nice album. Just not a very strong Styx album.
They are songs written and played by the band currently known as Styx. How can it not sound like Styx? This is what Styx sounds like currently.
Not looking for a fight, it just doesn't sound like Styx to me. Of course, only half (Chuck seems part time) of the classic lineup is here so I guess that's not a big surprise.
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I am not looking to argue either. I am just saying, if this is what Styx sounds like now, then it does sound like Styx. Imagine if the internet had been around in 1976. Fans would have been like, "OMG, Crystal Ball does not sound like Styx. Who is this Tommy Shaw guy, writing a song that doesn't sound like Styx?" Make sense? :)
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Ok, now this album (The Mission) is amazing to me. It took a few listens to sink in but I now think this is some of their best work ever! Right up there with Pieces of Eight, Grand Illusion etc.
It's funny how some of my favorite albums of all time, I didn't like at first. That has happened with Rush and Dream Theater too, lol.
The Mission has alot of prog elements, and the story while simple takes you on a great adventure. Radio Silence and The Outpost are now amongst the best Styx songs of all time imo, Red Storm is epic too. The rest of the album is strong throughout. Tommy Shaw and Lawrence Gowan shine on this album and Todd Sucherman's drumming is awesome. He is very capable of playing for a band like DT, but he doesn't need to as he has a great gig with Styx. James Young is great on this album too.
I would like to see this album played live in its entirety. The spaceship sounds are a bonus too throughout the album..
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And you didn't even mention what might be the best song from it: Locomotive. :tup :tup
But yeah, this album is still sounding really good. How it ages, as always, will be the test of how it compares to the classics, but I think it's got a great shot at breaking the top 5.
Radio Silence should have been the lead single from it. That would have gotten a much more positive response, I think, than Gone x3.
I cannot remember if i said this already or not, but the back to back of Time May Bend and Ten Thousand Ways is the sleeper section of the record.
Unfortunately, the nature of their current tour - a triple bill with two other older acts - makes playing all of it impossible. You can't have Felder and REO playing all of their classic hits and then Styx come out and play all of their new album.
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I'll assume they'll tour for it after this summer tour.
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And you didn't even mention what might be the best song from it: Locomotive. :tup :tup
I did!!!
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Yes indeed, Locomotive is awesome! Also The Greater Good is a nice melodic song where Gowan and Shaw trade off vocal parts.
I agree about Radio Silence being a much better single. This album would be almost perfect if they ended it with a epic masterpiece. The song Mission to Mars makes the album go out on a light hearted happy note,, haha, almost cheesy yet somewhat charming..
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I'll assume they'll tour for it after this summer tour.
Wonder if they could pull off normal arenas or if they'd have to cut down to smaller venues. I doubt they can draw like they used to. I'd love to see Styx at a venue that seats 2-3 K.
And you didn't even mention what might be the best song from it: Locomotive. :tup :tup
I did!!!
Sorry, it got lost in all of your Winger chatter. :biggrin:
Yes indeed, Locomotive is awesome! Also The Greater Good is a nice melodic song where Gowan and Shaw trade off vocal parts.
I agree about Radio Silence being a much better single. This album would be almost perfect if they ended it with a epic masterpiece. The song Mission to Mars makes the album go out on a light hearted happy note,, haha, almost cheesy yet somewhat charming..
It has grown on me as the closer. It's a fun little song. And the album is short enough to where they didn't really need a long closer.
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I don't think they could pull off arena shows for that album by themselves. I agree about the 2-3k venues. This would make for a great Theater show..
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Agreed. On their comeback tour in '96, it was a double bill with Kansas. They haven't been a band that can fill arenas/amphitheaters regularly for a long time.
Still, I am not sure they'd wanna take the monetary hit to play smaller venues alone.
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What's wrong with that? Who's under the illusion that they can play 10,000 + arenas as a headliner? Who cares?
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Tommy really shines on this album. The drumming is great, and the rest of the instrumentation is solid, but I am only really captivated when Tommy's singing lead.
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Tommy Shaw is right up there amongst my favorite musicians of all time,, bad-ass singer/guitar player with great stage presence! He also writes really good songs..
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I read an interview where it was revealed that the album was definitely the brain child of Tommy Shaw's, which does not surprise me. Having him sing the vast majority of the lead vocals was the smart move, since some fans do not want to hear the poor man's DDY sing too much, and JY's voice is almost cartoonish now; it's no surprise that his song is the worst on the record (unless we count the 14-second segueway they called All Systems Stable).
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I actually think Gowan is great on this album, he is a significant part of Styx now and I'm really digging it! Excellent musician..
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I'm not with you Kev on Gowan. I like his voice.
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It doesn't bother me that much on this record, but I am still not a fan.
I have went recently and listen to some of the songs from the Wooden Nickel era and was reminded that there are some gems in there. Lady is their only "known" song from the first four albums, but Best Thing is a really good song I had forgotten about; I love the acoustic breakdown in the middle when JY sings. Man of Miracles, You Need Love, Winner Take All and I'm Gonna Make You Feel It are all highly enjoyable as well.
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DDY still wants back in:
https://ultimateclassicrock.com/dennis-deyoung-styx-reunion/
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That's just sad. I mean, I feel sorry for the guy, but it's obvious to everyone in the world except him that it's just not gonna happen. Tommy Shaw could say a lot more, but just saying they've gone their separate ways really does sum it up. They're not the same people they were in the 70's and 80's, their musical and personal goals don't align, so there's no way a band is going to work. Plus, what are they going to do, kick Gowan out? That would be like DT kicking Mangini out so Portnoy could come back. Not gonna happen. (And yeah, I went there, because the parallels are obvious and it would've happened anyway.)
To be clear, I too would love another album with the classic lineup. I'm just not deluded enough to think that it will happen. Styx is doing fine without him, so Dennis is right about one thing: it's up to them. And they've made their position clear.
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Yep, he needs to get over it and move on. I can understand his frustration, as he was basically forced out of the band he spent nearly 30 years directing, but his actions for the last 20 of those years are the reason why. You reap what you sow. DDY still has one of the best voices ever in rock, IMO, but his current situation is of his own making.
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I'll read it later but like you said Kev, he made his own bed.
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Just watched the Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight concert on blu-ray, and Wow, what a show. Great drum sound too, Todd Sucherman is as good as any drummer out there.. Even if your just a casual Styx fan, I would highly recommend this. I would put this show up there with all the Rush and Dream Theater shows I own..
I really hope Styx does a tour featuring their new album "The Mission"..
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I am so win you on that. The album needs to played in full live.
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But with DeYoung, not Gowan, amirite? :P
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:lol
Oh you.
NO!
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But with DeYoung, not Gowan, amirite? :P
noyurnot.. It will never happen, and I'm ok with that.. Gowan has stepped up to the plate, and Shaw shines! Shaw-shank redemption.. ;D
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Tommy Shaw is always great. His voice has held up well, and he can write a song.
James Young, on the other hand, is an arrogant dick. Go look at the writing credits during Styx's peak years. He has, what, 4-5 good songs on those six albums (none of which are the best from their respective albums). He should be kissing Dennis DeYoung's ass for the career he has, yet he has often spoken of him in completely dismissive terms in the last 18 years. Hell, even the new album has almost no writing credits for him, and his lone lead vocal contribution is easily the worst song on the album. He's on the Mount Rushmore of musicians who have ridden coattails.
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I agree. That being said, DD made his own musical grave. His arrogance is the reason he is not with Styx.
There is no way around it.
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I agree. That being said, DD made his own musical grave. His arrogance is the reason he is not with Styx.
There is no way around it.
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James Young has never come across to me as arrogant. I like him live, he adds a lot of charm and humor to the band plus he's a great guitar player.
As was discussed earlier in this thread, James Young took lead vocals on one of my fav Styx songs called "These are The Times".. Of course the Chorus is the most powerful part when everyone sings, but JY's guitar parts are always awesome!
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I've always wondered what JY contributes to the band musically. I am not like a lot of people here who hear an Iron Maiden song and when the solo comes on, think "Ah, that's Adrian, I can tell right away." I don't like his voice, but his vocals are not prominent enough for it to be a turn-off for me.
When I have heard him talk about DD, it struck me as pretty matter-of-fact. Maybe he could sound more appreciative of helping make the band as big as it is, but he never sounds unduly arrogant or prickish.
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James Young has never come across to me as arrogant. I like him live, he adds a lot of charm and humor to the band plus he's a great guitar player.
As was discussed earlier in this thread, James Young took lead vocals on one of my fav Styx songs called "These are The Times".. Of course the Chorus is the most powerful part when everyone sings, but JY's guitar parts are always awesome!
Eh, he is a solid player, but that is about it. I do like These Are the Times a lot, as well as Miss America and Great White Hope, but my point was that he should be a little more gracious towards DeYoung, considering the man wrote the bulk of the hits that made them a household name (with Shaw writing the others, and Young writing...none of them). Calling him an arrogant dick might have been a bit harsh, but he just seems awfully ungrateful.
When I have heard him talk about DD, it struck me as pretty matter-of-fact. Maybe he could sound more appreciative of helping make the band as big as it is, but he never sounds unduly arrogant or prickish.
He has, on more than a few occasions, referred to DeYoung as "our old keyboard player." If that isn't dismissive, I don't know what is.
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There is obviously reasons they talk about him in this manor. I would say it's deserving Kev.
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Deserve's got nothing to do with it. :P
And actually, I will say that Midnight Ride is one JY song that is always good to crank up. :metal
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But it has everything to do with it. If he didn't act like he did, they woyld be still together. So it has everything to do with it.
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Eh, I find their position somewhat hypocritical. Tommy Shaw loved bagging on DeYoung for Babe, but Shaw and Young were the ones who came to the studio and wanted it on a Styx album when they heard the demo DeYoung had done of it with just the Panozzo brothers. I am sure they loved the money that songs like Babe, Mr. Roboto and The Best of Times brought them, thanks to the bigger tours and wider exposure, but hey, let's bite the hand they fed us! Like I have said before, I have no doubt that DeYoung is a major pain in the ass, and I totally get why they do not want to work with anymore, but their attitude and public comments towards him have been off-putting, especially since DeYoung has mostly taken the high road since getting kicked out of his own band.
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Best of times is waaaaaaay different than Babe and Mr. ROBOTO.
Babe was nothing like they ever did and Mr Roboto was to most just too much when most wanted a straightforward rick album. I liked it but that's what the other band members felt. DD was taking full charge and If wasn't a band effort. That's why they bitched.
Kev, you can't be blind to one band member who becones overbearing in all aspects. When they become more important than the band. Evrn if they are a key cog.
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Ya. My understanding is that DD pretty much resorted to schoolyard blackmail just to get Kilroy done. No one else wanted to do the Kilroy album....or the theatrical tour that followed. But DD basically told them "It's my ball, and if we can't play by my rules, I'm going to go straight home!"
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Hey, DD is an incredible singer and songwriter but other band members are just as important and sometimes they have to move on.
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Best of times is waaaaaaay different than Babe and Mr. ROBOTO.
They clearly lump them all into the same category, since the current incarnation never plays any of them (has The Best of Times been played by the band since they kicked DeYoung out?).
Hey, DD is an incredible singer and songwriter but other band members are just as important and sometimes they have to move on.
Which is what I repeatedly agreed with and even said myself.
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Best of times is waaaaaaay different than Babe and Mr. ROBOTO.
They clearly lump them all into the same category, since the current incarnation never plays any of them (has The Best of Times been played by the band since they kicked DeYoung out?).
I might be misremembering, but I saw them on the BNW tour (their first w/o DD) and I could have sworn they played it.
EDIT - looking at a few sets from that tour, Lady was a staple, and TBOT was played originally but later dropped.
The one I think you're absolutely correct on, is Mr. Roboto. Kilroy is the one album both Tommy and James both have a very bitter taste in their mouth about.
Kilroy is as much a Styx album as The Final Cut was a Pink Floyd album.
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The one I think you're absolutely correct on, is Mr. Roboto. Kilroy is the one album both Tommy and James both have a very bitter taste in their mouth about.
Styx hasn't ever played Mr. Roboto in full since the split, but they did tease 10 seconds of it during the middle of Edge of a Century on the BNW/Arch Allies tours.
I'd love to see one last tour with the classic lineup. I used to be full-on in the Styx camp after they replaced Dennis (I had seen the 1996 reunion tour and the 1997 Grand Illusion anniversary tour). I loved how they became a faster-paced, full on rock band and dropped the typical DDY ballads. I saw them on the BNW tour with REO Speedwagon and gain on the Cyclorama tour.
Then I saw Dennis live in 2010 and 2011. I was completely blown away - he sounds incredible for his age, and hearing him sing his songs - Rockin the Paradise, Lorilei, Suite Madame Blue, and his staples of Lady and Come Sail Away, it reminded me how much I love him and those songs. Since then I can't stand to listen to Gowan. I have no need to see Styx again unless it's another reunion- I've seen them twice with the reunion lineup, twice without Dennis, and I've seen Dennis twice solo.
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Just wanted to add to my Kilroy/Final Cut comparison by saying that I actually do enjoy both of those albums. But they are somewhat like the respective lead singers solo albums masquerading as band albums.
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I might be misremembering, but I saw them on the BNW tour (their first w/o DD) and I could have sworn they played it.
EDIT - looking at a few sets from that tour, Lady was a staple, and TBOT was played originally but later dropped.
The one I think you're absolutely correct on, is Mr. Roboto. Kilroy is the one album both Tommy and James both have a very bitter taste in their mouth about.
I get they want to avoid playing Mr. Roboto (and Babe). The best of Times seems like a mistake to not play. It seems like they tried to avoid DDY songs at first, even not playing Come Sail Away on a few tours, but then seemingly figured out that Styx fans want those songs, even if DeYoung is not there.
Kilroy is as much a Styx album as The Final Cut was a Pink Floyd album.
??? ???
Shaw and Young wrote 5 of the 9 songs.
I'd love to see one last tour with the classic lineup. I used to be full-on in the Styx camp after they replaced Dennis (I had seen the 1996 reunion tour and the 1997 Grand Illusion anniversary tour). I loved how they became a faster-paced, full on rock band and dropped the typical DDY ballads. I saw them on the BNW tour with REO Speedwagon and gain on the Cyclorama tour.
Then I saw Dennis live in 2010 and 2011. I was completely blown away - he sounds incredible for his age, and hearing him sing his songs - Rockin the Paradise, Lorilei, Suite Madame Blue, and his staples of Lady and Come Sail Away, it reminded me how much I love him and those songs. Since then I can't stand to listen to Gowan. I have no need to see Styx again unless it's another reunion- I've seen them twice with the reunion lineup, twice without Dennis, and I've seen Dennis twice solo.
I've seen Styx four times - 1990, 1996, 1997 and 2011 - and the one in 2011 with the current lineup was far the least best of the four.
DeYoung's voice has held up extremely well. There is simply no comparison between him and Gowan.
I'd still pay to see the current lineup, if they were gonna play most or all of the new album, but I would definitely go in knowing that part of the concert will seem empty (seeing Come Sail Away performed without DeYoung is just total fail).
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I might be misremembering, but I saw them on the BNW tour (their first w/o DD) and I could have sworn they played it.
EDIT - looking at a few sets from that tour, Lady was a staple, and TBOT was played originally but later dropped.
The one I think you're absolutely correct on, is Mr. Roboto. Kilroy is the one album both Tommy and James both have a very bitter taste in their mouth about.
I get they want to avoid playing Mr. Roboto (and Babe). The best of Times seems like a mistake to not play. It seems like they tried to avoid DDY songs at first, even not playing Come Sail Away on a few tours, but then seemingly figured out that Styx fans want those songs, even if DeYoung is not there.
Kilroy is as much a Styx album as The Final Cut was a Pink Floyd album.
??? ???
Shaw and Young wrote 5 of the 9 songs.
This is *technically* correct....but remember that they were being forced to write around DDY's concept. .....if their heart was truly in those songs, I would imagine they would have resurrected at least one of the songs......or *at the very least* spoken of the album has having at least some saving graces.
Neither one of these things is true. In spite of contributing music to the album, they were forced into the confines and concept of DDY's "vision" with a metaphorical "gun to their head". I actually LIKE the album, but I can tell that Tommy and James feel very bitter about being forced into the confines of Dennis story.....thus, the snubbing of the entire album. I think Tommy and James would both agree with me in saying that Kilroy was DDY's "baby" completely.
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Just to clear up what DDY songs Styx has played since the split (because I know too much about the subject)....
Styx played Babe once in 1999 for some reason, I think the venue requested it and they booked the show before Dennis was gone or something like that. They also played an abridged Best of Times in their acoustic set throughout 1999, and a small portion of Mr Roboto in the middle of Edge of the Century '99-2000, and the first lines of Mr Roboto in their Borrowed Time Medley (2001 and 2010) and their 18-song medley (2003-08).
They have played Lady, Grand Illusion, Come Sail Away at every single show '99-current (there could be some exception I don't know of) and Lorelei almost every show 99-2015 and sometimes now, Rockin the Paradise at most '99-2001 and every show since late 2011, and always Light Up 2013-current. They've also done: Suite Madame Blue, Castle Walls, I'm Okay, The Message/Lords of the Ring, Queen of Spades, Pieces of Eight, Borrowed Time (most of it) fairly regularly on certain tours.
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From what I remember, Come Sail Away was definitely not played on several tours shortly after DeYoung's departure (or at least was featured sporadically).
That is cool to see they have dug deep to play stuff like A Man in the Wilderness, Castle Walls, I'm OK, Queen of Spades, etc. They have so many great deep cuts from their classic era that trotting out just the hits would get boring pretty quickly. Busting out some of the deep tracks from Equinox is now in order. :tup :tup
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Heres the setlist i saw in 2000 with REO & Survivor.
https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/styx/2000/tsongas-arena-lowell-ma-7bdd2a60.html
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As long as we're dabbling in pre-Tommy stuff....about about Best Thing?
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I love Best Thing. One of my favorites from the Wooden Nickel era. :coolio
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Stumbled across this (official) complete show in B&W from 1978.
Classic stuff indeed.
https://youtu.be/W12irfo3w24
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So they didn't even play Castle Walls on the Grand Illusion tour? Was the recent performance of the complete album the first time?
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It's pretty hard to narrow down Styx favorites, since so many from that time period are so good, but Castle Walls would have to be in my top 5. Maybe even top 3. Maybe even higher... I love it that much. :hat
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So they didn't even play Castle Walls on the Grand Illusion tour? Was the recent performance of the complete album the first time?
For Styx, yes I believe 2010 was the first, outside of playing part of it in their big medley. However DDY beat them to that one and played it on his solo tours starting in the early 2000's.
The 2010 GI/PO8 tour also live-debuted Superstars and The Message/ Lords of the Ring.
Also, this is pretty awesome: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMKg14V9tbQ
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After watching the dvd, the song "I'm Ok" kind of has a Alice Cooper/Desmond Child vibe to it. Lol, Styx was ahead of their time! :lol
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It's pretty hard to narrow down Styx favorites, since so many from that time period are so good, but Castle Walls would have to be in my top 5. Maybe even top 3. Maybe even higher... I love it that much. :hat
don't know a lot of Styx outside the radio songs, checked this one out then had to see which came first, this or the Halloween theme. Seems John Carpenter may have stolen the keyboard solo from this song. :biggrin:
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It's pretty hard to narrow down Styx favorites, since so many from that time period are so good, but Castle Walls would have to be in my top 5. Maybe even top 3. Maybe even higher... I love it that much. :hat
don't know a lot of Styx outside the radio songs, checked this one out then had to see which came first, this or the Halloween theme. Seems John Carpenter may have stolen the keyboard solo from this song. :biggrin:
Haha, I remember thinking that the first few times I heard Castle Walls. It's definitely similar.
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I don't want to take anything away from the "other" guys. But DDY was the biggest reason of Styx success. The arrival of Shaw gave them an amazing boost because of his youth, is great stage presence and also he came with solid song writing as well as being a solid musician. I don't like to see Dennis out of the band. It's just not the same. Just like it is with Roger Hogson of Supertramp. It just can't be ever the same. But it happened and Styx tours constantly each year giving fans what they want with top notch performances. And Dennis do great shows, he still has a great voice and his popularity is intact.
It's not the same but both are worth it and Styx last album is surprisingly very good.
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I honestly rather watch DDY's band. I saw them live and they were incredible. And the live album he released a couplethree years ago was awesome.
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No way Jose. Look at the last Styx album with him. Brave New World. Tell me one DD song you listen to?
Dennis got too power hungry and it even affected his songwriting. Shmalty isn't my thing.
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I've never heard a single note of anything they did after Kilroy. :lol
But his last live album is amazing. And the dude in his band that does Tommy is excellent.
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Shaw didn't exactly bring his 'A' game to Brave New World either (although most of the good songs on it were his). But it's unfair to criticize any of the members for that album, considering they were totally splintered at that point and the record was anything but a true band effort.
However, red barchetta's point about DeYoung being the biggest reason for Styx's success is dead accurate, and I defy anyone to argue otherwise.
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No one could argue that.
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With the exception of Goodbye Roseland (which has a resonance that is hard not to like), the songs DDY contributed to Brave New World were...not good. High Crimes & Misdemeanors is laughably bad.
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There's only one Brave New World anyway...Iron Maiden's! ;D
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I absolutely love his work. At the end. I just thought he was missing his core audience which was us. I was ready for the change.
I'm just sad thst Styx only released 2 original studio albums in 15 years.
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Yeah. Sad because it's at least one too many.
I know, I know...bitch slap!
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Yeah. Sad because it's at least one too many.
I know, I know...bitch slap!
Go listen to The Mission with an open mind and prepare to be shocked.
I'm just sad thst Styx only released 2 original studio albums in 15 years.
On the one hand, it is disappointing, but on the other hand, at least they waited till they had something really good to record, instead of churning out a bunch of mediocre albums just for the sake of releasing something new.
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I look at it another way. They were too busy making money touring every year. The problem these days with classic rock bands is their revenue is touring.
I just love bands touring behind new music.
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Go listen to The Mission with an open mind and prepare to be shocked.
I was just joking. The Mission is very impressive.
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There ya go. :coolio
As for the touring, I actually wonder how well they do touring nowadays. They always have to tour with one or two other older acts to draw a sizable crowd at all, and often times are not even the main act (they were 2nd billing this summer to...REO Speedwagon, oof). I mean, I am sure it is enough to make a living, but it's not like they are raking it in.
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But that's the point. They make a living. Albums these days don't make money.
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I actually like all the Dennis songs on BNW. While There's Still Time, Fallen Angel, and Goodbye to Roseland are all fantastic ballads, and I even like Great Expectations and High Crimes (even though I totally understand that it is not a very good song). I actually think that with some tweaking (ie, deleting) of some of the weaker tracks off this album (which include Tommy and JY songs), it stands right up with Grand Illusion as a GREAT album. My Grand Illusion-style BNW track list is as follows:
1. I Will Be Your Witness (Tommy)
2. Brave New World (Tommy)
3. While There's Still Time (Dennis)
4. Fallen Angel (Dennis)
5. Everything is Cool (Tommy)
6. Heavy Water (JY)
7. Goodbye to Roseland (Dennis)
8. Brave New World (Reprise) (Dennis/Tommy)
That, to me, balances the album like the classics did. A few from Tommy and Dennis (both doing what they do best), and a rockin' JY song. Succinct and without the fat. I think if they put THAT album out in 1999, there would be less to complain about from fans.
EDIT: 5 replies since I typed this. you guys are fast!
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Lol. The DD songs you listed are for me I just don't care for.
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I actually like all the Dennis songs on BNW. While There's Still Time, Fallen Angel, and Goodbye to Roseland are all fantastic ballads, and I even like Great Expectations and High Crimes (even though I totally understand that it is not a very good song). I actually think that with some tweaking (ie, deleting) of some of the weaker tracks off this album (which include Tommy and JY songs), it stands right up with Grand Illusion as a GREAT album. My Grand Illusion-style BNW track list is as follows:
1. I Will Be Your Witness (Tommy)
2. Brave New World (Tommy)
3. While There's Still Time (Dennis)
4. Fallen Angel (Dennis)
5. Everything is Cool (Tommy)
6. Heavy Water (JY)
7. Goodbye to Roseland (Dennis)
8. Brave New World (Reprise) (Dennis/Tommy)
That, to me, balances the album like the classics did. A few from Tommy and Dennis (both doing what they do best), and a rockin' JY song. Succinct and without the fat. I think if they put THAT album out in 1999, there would be less to complain about from fans.
EDIT: 5 replies since I typed this. you guys are fast!
Oh, good god, no. There isn't a single song on Brave New World as good as any song on The Grand Illusion (or Pieces of Eight, or Equinox).
And you left off the best song, Number One!
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I missed the highlighted.
GOOD GOD MAN!!! NOT EVEN CLOSE!!!
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lol. to each his own I guess!
Oh, good god, no. There isn't a single song on Brave New World as good as any song on The Grand Illusion (or Pieces of Eight, or Equinox).
And you left off the best song, Number One!
Everything is Cool and Goodbye to Roseland are both in my Top 10. Number One is awful, IMO.
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Yup. What do you think about The Mission?
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The Mission may just be my favorite Styx album of all time.. Right up there anyway :coolio
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Yup. What do you think about The Mission?
I think I'm in the minority on both accounts where I think the album is just alright, and one of the better songs is Gonex3. It's pretty good, but it loses a lot of momentum after Gone... doesn't really get it back until about halfway through when there's some better songs... I'm looking at the tracklist now. I do like everything from Radio Silence to Red Storm. Then Outpost is good too. Everything else I could lose and be ok with it. And when I say I "like" everything, that's it, I don't LOVE it. I like it. Not as fun as Edge, or Brave, or Cyclorama (as far as post-reunion albums go). It's probably fourth in that category for me.
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Gonex3.
Might be one of the worst songs I've ever heard.
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Number One is awful, IMO.
I like it. It is the best song, to me, on album that is lacking anything great. Number One is my favorite song from it and still wouldn't make my top 50.
Gonex3.
Might be one of the worst songs I've ever heard.
There ya go with the exaggerating again! :lol
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Gonex3.
Might be one of the worst songs I've ever heard.
There ya go with the exaggerating again! :lol
What? That is one of the most ridiculous outrageous mindblowing things I've ever heard! ;D
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Gonex3.
Might be one of the worst songs I've ever heard.
There ya go with the exaggerating again! :lol
What? That is one of the most ridiculous outrageous mindblowing things I've ever heard! ;D
Alright Tim, settle down haha :P
Though I'm actually genuinely curious why you don't like it... Is it the awesome riff? Is it the upbeat tempo? Is it the catchy chorus?? :tup
Number One is awful, IMO.
I like it. It is the best song, to me, on album that is lacking anything great. Number One is my favorite song from it and still wouldn't make my top 50.
I mean, yeah, it's definitely not Top 50 material... we can agree on that. :lol
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Gone X3 is a good rocking tune. But damn the rest of the album slays. I'd say for me it's the bottom of the tier with the JY song.
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Gone X3 is a good rocking tune. But damn the rest of the album slays. I'd say for me it's the bottom of the tier with the JY song.
Could not agree more. Gone X3 and Trouble at the Big Show are both solid tunes. Everything else is pretty great, with the standouts still being, IMO, Red Storm and Locomotive.
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A big hell yeah there.
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Gone X3 is a good rocking tune. But damn the rest of the album slays. I'd say for me it's the bottom of the tier with the JY song.
Could not agree more. Gone X3 and Trouble at the Big Show are both solid tunes. Everything else is pretty great, with the standouts still being, IMO, Red Storm and Locomotive.
Also, Radio Silence and The Greater Good are placed perfectly on this album. :tup
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Radio Silence and The Outpost would duke it out for the 3rd best song on this record, for me.
The Greater Good is very good, although I think Time May Bend/Ten Thousand Ways would probably place 5th.
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Yeah great songs! Every time I put this cd in, I like to listen to it in it's entirety at high volumes. It flows so nicely throughout the melodic journey.
. They could make a cool stage production and light show with the theme of this album. I really hope they do a Mission tour.. 🚀
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Imagine them having made this album in the early 80s and doing a tour with it with lasers and everything? Would've been cool. Seems like very few bands even use lasers live anymore. I rarely leave concerts anymore wowed by the stage show (lights, lasers, etc.).
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I think I like the smaller venues these days so I never see the big stadium, laser shows.
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Imagine them having made this album in the early 80s and doing a tour with it with lasers and everything? Would've been cool. Seems like very few bands even use lasers live anymore. I rarely leave concerts anymore wowed by the stage show (lights, lasers, etc.).
Agreed! It's possible for them to pull the lasers back out. Rush went out with some cool lasers on the R40 tour. Metallica is using them heavily on their current tour, and Roger Waters had some cool lasers at the tail end of his show this year.
I think bands rely too heavily on the screens these days, I prefer a cool light show any day..
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Dennis DeYoung is doing a Grand Illusion 40th Anniversary Tour early next year and will be coming to St Louis...to play at one of the local casinos. :eek :eek That has to be a tough pill to swallow. I might go, though, since it's on a Friday night and this casino is only 15-20 minutes from where I live.
Meanwhile, the new Styx record still kicks ass. :hat
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There's no shame in playing casino shows. It's often a shorter set for a huge paycheck. Here in the Chicago area, there are a bunch of casinos, and classic acts from the 70's and 80's come through and play them all the time. Maybe you can't fill stadiums anymore, but some promoter offers you half a million dollars to play a two-hour show, you take it.
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Very true. I just mean it is has to be tough to go from playing in front of thousands in an arena to maybe a hundred or two in a casino.
America is coming to that same casino in March. I wouldn't mind going to see them if the tickets are cheap.
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Lol, I remember Cheap Trick came to our little town a few years back to a local Casino. They played for 1hr and 10 mins, then bailed. No encore or nothing. About 1,000 in attendance. The band sucked anyway and they definitely lived up to theiir name...
Styx on the other hand is a class act! They actually have talent..
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Damn, an hour and 10 for 1000 people. They probably got a nice paycheck for that, too.
Yeah, it's a step down from the stadiums and sports arenas, but players gotta play. And from what I've seen, some of those casino auditoriums are pretty nice venues.
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After many years (decades now) of knowing about Styx, and being familiar with some of their bigger hits on the radio, I'm finally at a place where I am discovering them properly. Right now, I'm listening to Return to Paradise, the live album from 1997. I do that with older bands I haven't really given time to -- I check out a live record, and then start looking at the back catalog. I'm up to "Crystal Ball" right now (on Return to Paradise - Live), and I'll be headed to the local CD shop near my house later today to buy it.
I'm a firm believer that it usually takes three albums with a band's classic lineup to really have them hone in on their sound. That probably holds somewhat true with Styx, as that would mean Pieces of Eight. But obviously, Crystal Ball, and The Grand Illusion come before that. So, after picking up this live record later today, I'll probably buy Pieces of Eight, and then work backward a couple of albums, and then forward for Cornerstone and Paradise Theater.
Everything I have read on Kilroy Was Here makes me believe I will absolutely loathe it. But once I am done checking out all the albums I named above, I'll give it a listen on YouTube. But I'm really diggin' Return to Paradise - Live. Great stuff.
Unfortunately, looks like I missed the Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight tour. I looked into dates -- Dennis DeYoung is playing around the corner from my office, but it is expensive as hell. Styx is playing within long driving distance, but I'd probably have to take the next day off (and I'd need to go solo). So perhaps I should just wait for Styx to get a little closer.
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Wow. Styx was one of my first musical experiences as a kid - my mom loved them (and saw them play a local high-school prom before they made it big). So I grew up with their music, and the Styx reunion in 1996 was my first legitimate rock concert that I attended. I've seen Styx 4 times (twice with Dennis, twice without) and Dennis' solo band twice (for free at 4th of July festivals, and they were incredible). Kind of weird that someone a little older than me is just now getting into them. :lol
I listen to the 2 greatest hits records the most, and don't even own many of the studio albums. Between the live records and the hits albums, it covers most of the territory. Return to Paradise is an awesome album, and the definitive live Styx record. After Gowan joined, they became more of a rock band again and started playing the songs at a little faster tempo.
Kilroy has a few good songs and I have no embarrassment in saying that I love Mr. Roboto, but the album doesn't stand up to the albums that came before it. I'd focus on Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight/Paradise Theater.
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My first favorite band was the Beatles. My mother and I spent three weeks visiting with my sister during the summer between 8th grade and high school (1981), and I spent a LOT of time listening to her Beatles albums.
After I started getting into more "modern" bands, Styx replaced the Beatles as my favorite. This would have been a year or so before Kilroy was released. I started with Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight but eventually got all of the "classic era" albums (Equinox through Paradise Theatre). A friend of mine even picked up a cassette that had some of the Wooden Nickel songs.
I would rank those albums as follows:
1. Pieces of Eight (best song is Queen of Spades, and the unsung hero is the title track)
2. Grand Illusion (best song is either the title track or Fooling Yourself)
3. Paradise Theatre (best song is Best of Times)
4. Crystal Ball (best song is the title track)
5. Equinox (obvious best song is Suite Madame Blue)
6. Cornerstone (most of this album is just meh; Boat on the River is a bit of an unsung hero)
I wanted so much to like Kilroy, but I was getting into heavier stuff at the time, so it just didn't do it for me. Caught in the Act was a good live album, but the new studio track (Music Time) was just embarrassing.
I had little interest in any of the solo stuff that came out in the late 80s (including Damn Yankees).
Edge of the Century was ok, but it finally gave me the chance to see Styx live. One of the most memorable concerts for me (even with Tommy's absence from the lineup).
I've had mostly no interest in any of their stuff since Brave New World. I somehow completely missed out on One with Everything when it came out (only discovered it a year or so ago). It's probably a top five song for me.
Styx is little more than a nostalgia band now, but I don't have a lot of interest in seeing them live without Dennis (and I certainly don't have much interest in seeing whatever Dennis doing on his own).
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1. Pieces of Eight (best song is Queen of Spades, and the unsung hero is the title track)
2. Grand Illusion (best song is either the title track or Fooling Yourself)
3. Paradise Theatre (best song is Best of Times)
4. Crystal Ball (best song is the title track)
5. Equinox (obvious best song is Suite Madame Blue)
6. Cornerstone (most of this album is just meh; Boat on the River is a bit of an unsung hero)
Agreed on Pieces of Eight, plus Blue Collar Man and Renegade! Paradise Theater has the title track (Rocking the Paradise), Miss America and Too Much Time on my Hands - which I think are all better than Best of Times, though that is a great song. Agreed on Crystal Ball, though Equinox also has Lorelei.
Edge of the Century was ok, but it finally gave me the chance to see Styx live. One of the most memorable concerts for me (even with Tommy's absence from the lineup).
The title track and Love is a Ritual are awesome songs. I got to see them do the title track in 2001 when Glen Burtnick was playing bass.
I've had mostly no interest in any of their stuff since Brave New World. I somehow completely missed out on One with Everything when it came out (only discovered it a year or so ago). It's probably a top five song for me.
Brave New World has some awesome songs, as does Cyclorama, though I'm not much a fan of the Gowan-sung tunes compared to Tommy and JY's songs. I really like both of those albums.
Styx is little more than a nostalgia band now, but I don't have a lot of interest in seeing them live without Dennis (and I certainly don't have much interest in seeing whatever Dennis doing on his own).
Agreed and very much disagree. Styx is a nostalgia band, though they are still very, very good live. I won't see them without Dennis again, though.
As for Dennis, his live shows are phenomenal. He's 70 years old, but sounds like he's 35 - his voice is 100% still there, and there is not one small ounce of degredation. The first time I saw him, he stuck to "his" songs that he sang with Styx, plus some of his solo stuff like Desert Moon. The second time I saw him, he had added a guy named August Zadra to his band....who was the "Tommy Shaw" of a Styx tribute band. The guy was a dead ringer for Tommy both in looks and in his voice. That allowed him to add some of Tommy's songs to his solo show, which made it a lot more fun and more of a "music of Styx" show, rather than having to stick with only songs he sang on. His shows are well worth it.
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The only Styx albums I listen to are (in order):
Pieces of Eight
Grand Illusion
Paradise Theater
Kilroy Was Here
Some really good songs on others but Cornerstone is too soft overall. The pre Tommy Shaw albums have great tracks but I don't listen to them in total in albums (I can get Crystal Ball, Lorelei, Suite Madam Blue on the live album Return to Paradise. And I haven't liked anything too much since the criminally underrated Kilroy.
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1. Pieces of Eight (best song is Queen of Spades, and the unsung hero is the title track)
2. Grand Illusion (best song is either the title track or Fooling Yourself)
3. Paradise Theatre (best song is Best of Times)
4. Crystal Ball (best song is the title track)
5. Equinox (obvious best song is Suite Madame Blue)
6. Cornerstone (most of this album is just meh; Boat on the River is a bit of an unsung hero)
Agreed on Pieces of Eight, plus Blue Collar Man and Renegade! Paradise Theater has the title track (Rocking the Paradise), Miss America and Too Much Time on my Hands - which I think are all better than Best of Times, though that is a great song. Agreed on Crystal Ball, though Equinox also has Lorelei.
Edge of the Century was ok, but it finally gave me the chance to see Styx live. One of the most memorable concerts for me (even with Tommy's absence from the lineup).
The title track and Love is a Ritual are awesome songs. I got to see them do the title track in 2001 when Glen Burtnick was playing bass.
I've had mostly no interest in any of their stuff since Brave New World. I somehow completely missed out on One with Everything when it came out (only discovered it a year or so ago). It's probably a top five song for me.
Brave New World has some awesome songs, as does Cyclorama, though I'm not much a fan of the Gowan-sung tunes compared to Tommy and JY's songs. I really like both of those albums.
Styx is little more than a nostalgia band now, but I don't have a lot of interest in seeing them live without Dennis (and I certainly don't have much interest in seeing whatever Dennis doing on his own).
Agreed and very much disagree. Styx is a nostalgia band, though they are still very, very good live. I won't see them without Dennis again, though.
As for Dennis, his live shows are phenomenal. He's 70 years old, but sounds like he's 35 - his voice is 100% still there, and there is not one small ounce of degredation. The first time I saw him, he stuck to "his" songs that he sang with Styx, plus some of his solo stuff like Desert Moon. The second time I saw him, he had added a guy named August Zadra to his band....who was the "Tommy Shaw" of a Styx tribute band. The guy was a dead ringer for Tommy both in looks and in his voice. That allowed him to add some of Tommy's songs to his solo show, which made it a lot more fun and more of a "music of Styx" show, rather than having to stick with only songs he sang on. His shows are well worth it.
The entirety of side 2 of Pieces of Eight is stellar (with the possible exception of Aku-Aku, which is nothing but a throwaway filler track). If you ask me about best album sides of all time, it's probably top 10.
I need to give some of the more recent albums more of a listen. I gave the new one a shot, and it didn't grab me. Maybe I'll try again. Cyclorama deserves more attention simply because One with Everything is so good.
As far as concerts, I'm really picky nowadays. Styx always seems to do multiple billings with other "nostalgia bands," so maybe if the right show comes along I'll give it a shot. I hear what you're saying about Dennis, but I'm still skeptical. I just looked, and he's playing in Los Angeles on Friday, but I can't go. Maybe next time, or maybe I'll go catch one of his Vegas dates in September.
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They are playing at the casino by me next month where I go occasionally. Saw them around 2000, no real desire to see them now, especially at the price. Can't find anything on an opening act(s).
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They are playing at the casino by me next month where I go occasionally. Saw them around 2000, no real desire to see them now, especially at the price. Can't find anything on an opening act(s).
You should. This band lineup kicks ass live and their new album is amazing.
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I do like the new album after a few listens on Spotify and appreciate they do put on a good show. It's just not in the budget.
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I would see DeYoung solo before the current incarnation of Styx - DDY's voice still sounds great vs Gowan's crappy live voice and embarrassing stage persona. That Styx album from last year is still really good, largely because Tommy handles most of the lead vocals.
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I do like the new album after a few listens on Spotify and appreciate they do put on a good show. It's just not in the budget.
That I can understand.
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I would see DeYoung solo before the current incarnation of Styx - DDY's voice still sounds great vs Gowan's crappy live voice and embarrassing stage persona. That Styx album from last year is still really good, largely because Tommy handles most of the lead vocals.
PASS!!!!
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I would see DeYoung solo before the current incarnation of Styx - DDY's voice still sounds great vs Gowan's crappy live voice and embarrassing stage persona. That Styx album from last year is still really good, largely because Tommy handles most of the lead vocals.
PASS!!!!
Come on, now, The Mission really is a good record!
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:lol
He has 2 guys dressed up and hair like Tommy Shaw and JY. Height as well. He'd have more credibility just doing the songs and not a circus act.
No thank you.
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As opposed to Styx with their poor man's Dennis DeYoung who sounds awful live and dances around like a jackass while doing that spinning keyboard thing 391 times a night? :P
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He does not sound terrible live. Your ears are broken. :lol
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He does not sound terrible live. Your ears are broken. :lol
Haha, not at all. I saw two different live renditions of The Outpost, which I was curious to see, and he sounded awful both times. And that song isn't even that hard to sing (compared to the DDY stuff he has to sing). :lol :lol
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I've seen it. I think your hate for him is blinding you.
I get his stage presence bothers some. It never bothered me.
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I don't hate him. I just find a) him to be a mediocre singer (solid in the studio + awful live = mediocre), and b) his stage antics to be totally embarrassing.
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And I'd rather see the band happy.
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I blame James Young more than Tommy Shaw. Shaw at least write a decent portion of their hits/classic rock staples, while Young should be thanking DeYoung every night for his career, otherwise he'd be working at a Jiffy Lube back in Chicago. For Young to get on his high horse is hilarious.
Remember the 1996 reunion tour? It was great.
Then they toured again in 1997, which DeYoung didn't want to do since he had already committed to doing that Hunchback of Notre Dame thing, but Tommy was in dire straits financially and needed the tour, so DDY did it and found a way to make it work to help out his bandmate.
And look how he was repaid.
Ingrates.
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Dennis was playing the auto immune thing. It's simple to me. Dennis makes everybody revolve around him and the band felt, "Here we go again". They wanted to move on.
Same with Journey.
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Don't get me wrong, I have no doubt that he was a gigantic pain in the ass to work with and always wanted things done his way. And that worked for the band most of the time. Work is not always easy or fun, but results are what matter.
Tommy/JY: "We wanted to rock!"
Yeah, that is why you wanted Babe to be a Styx song when Dennis had written it as a personal song intended for just his wife.
Someone should tell Tommy and JY that they aren't Black Sabbath. Styx was never an "OMG, we have to ROCK hard" band.
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I saw Dennis DeYoung....at EPCOT! :lol
Anyway, he was fantastic, and his band RULED. Seriously. The "Tommy Shaw" dude was amazing. He released a live album recentrly which is excellent. I would rather that than the Tommy Shaw show.
Dennis DeYoung>>>>>>>Tommy Shaw.
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Brave New World shows that divide you are talking about Kev. I can tell you the rocking songs are the only songs worth listening to on that album.
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Brave New World shows that divide you are talking about Kev. I can tell you the rocking songs are the only songs worth listening to on that album.
That album was a travesty on most levels. While Tommy has more good songs on it than Dennis, Goodbye Roseland is the clear standout.
Dennis DeYoung>>>>>>>Tommy Shaw.
It is close once I factor in Damn Yankees and the one Tommy solo album I really like (7 Deadly Zens), but when it comes to Styx, yep, DDY is the man.
Dennis wrote 7 of their 8 top 10 hits, and the majority of their classic rock staples.
James Young wrote ZERO in either category. He is on the Mount Rushmore of luckiest rock stars ever.
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He is. His voice in lead vocals are more annoying than Gowan.
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I'm not saying Tommy Shaw blows or anything like that. I actually like him, although I do think Damn Yankees blow big time.
It's just that we are not even talking about Styx if it weren't for Dennis DeYoung.
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And I agree Tim but at some point, even a leader hijacks a band to the point that it's unbearable.
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I'm just butting my nose into your conversation. Yeah, he seemed like a douche Styx-wise.
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Here is a comparison Joe will get: DDY reminds me of Andy Partridge. Both are funny and charming when you hear/see them in interviews, yet both are/were most likely complete nightmares to work with at times because of their insistence of getting their way. And getting their way was almost always for the betterment of the band, as history has shown in the cases of both Styx and XTC.
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Absolutely.
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No idea who Andy Partridge is. Is he part of the family?
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Main songwriter of the band XTC. One of very few musicians I can call 'genius'.
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I don't think I've heard a single note of XTC.
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I don't think I've heard a single note of XTC.
Since you won't branch out musically, you'll hate it.
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Did they have anything popular I might know? Ever?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0invUXXsRAQ
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0invUXXsRAQ
Good grief. I'd rather listen to David Partridge.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0invUXXsRAQ
Good grief. I'd rather listen to David Partridge.
told you.
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No idea who Andy Partridge is. Is he part of the family?
This was my first thought as well.
If I have ever heard any XTC, I am not aware of it. I think I get them mixed up with the band with the three black girls, one of them was married to Andre Rison and tried to burn down their house.
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That's Tender Loving Care.
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Something else I am unfamiliar with.
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I remember the name XTC, and I remember "Senses Working Overtime" from the heyday of MTV, but I probably haven't heard the song in 35 years and wouldn't have connected it as an XTC song if I hadn't just googled it.
Anyway, interesting discussion about Styx.
When I first got into the band, I naturally gravitated to JY because he was the "rocker" of the group, and "Miss America" was (and still is) catchy. "Put Me On" also kicks ass (although that's credited to DDY, Shaw and Young, so who knows who wrote what). My favorite all time Styx song -- "Queen of Spades" -- is also a Young/DDY composition. But that's pretty much it in terms of JY contributions -- either vocally or songwriting. My list of five star Styx songs would be the following:
Suite Madame Blue DDY
Put Me On DDY/Shaw/Young
Crystal Ball Shaw
The Grand Illuision DDY
Fooling Yourself Shaw
Come Sail Away DDY
Man in the Wilderness Shaw
Castle Walls DDY
Sing for the Day Shaw
Blue Collar Man Shaw
Queen of Spades Young/DDY
Renegade Shaw
Pieces of Eight DDY
The Best of Times DDY
One with Everything Burtnik/Gowan/Shaw/Sucherman/Young
JY was/is sort of the Ringo Starr of the group, and a lot of his songs are sort of comic relief.
I don't know much about who contributed what beyond the writing credits as shown on the album (the only thing beyond that I've ever heard was the story about DDY suggesting that "Renegade" be made into a rocker), but I don't think anyone would seriously disagree that Styx wouldn't have succeeded without DDY. It would be interesting to see what might have been if JC hadn't left the band, but I doubt it would have been anything significant.
The other interesting thing to think about is the Panozzo brothers. Neither had a single songwriting credit (I don't think), which means that, when Styx stopped selling albums and wasn't playing live, they had no income (unless the band organization was set up to distribute songwriting income).
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One with Everything is such a killer tune.
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The Panozzo brothers get cred for being original members, but that is where it ends. You could have swapped them out with just about any other average drummer and bass player and we would've never known the difference.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0invUXXsRAQ
Good grief. I'd rather listen to David Partridge.
:rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0invUXXsRAQ
Good grief. I'd rather listen to David Partridge.
:rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
Sam, you know that's a lie. David Partridge isn't metal enough. :lol
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0invUXXsRAQ
Good grief. I'd rather listen to David Partridge.
:rollin :rollin :rollin :rollin
Sam, you know that's a lie. David Partridge isn't metal enough. :lol
True. You know Tim and his metal. But that was one damn funny quote. :lol
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:lol
I guess that lets everybody know how old we are. :lol
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The Panozzo brothers get cred for being original members, but that is where it ends. You could have swapped them out with just about any other average drummer and bass player and we would've never known the difference.
I always thought John was a pretty good drummer. Too bad he couldn't get help before it was too late. I remember when DDY, Shaw and Young started putting out solo albums, my friend and I jokingly talked about what a Chuck Panozzo album might sound like. It always baffled me that never ever had a single songwriting credit.
Also, who the heck is David Partridge?
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Secured great seats to see Dennis DeYoung in February where he'll be playing all of The Grand Illusion. :coolio
Meanwhile, Styx is going to tour with Larry the Cable Guy. For real.
At this rate, DDY should never want back in the band after what is sure to be an embarrassing debacle.
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Wow, that's actually a good idea. Should increase ticket sales.
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Wow, that's actually a good idea. Should increase ticket sales.
Agreed. DDY playing all of The Grand Illusion will definitely bring out more fans. :tup :tup
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Secured great seats to see Dennis DeYoung in February where he'll be playing all of The Grand Illusion. :coolio
Awesome. Saw him in....um...EPCOT :lol a few years ago. His band was awesome, especially the "Tommy Shaw" dude.
Meanwhile, Styx is going to tour with Larry the Cable Guy. For real.
(https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Lku6S24pWSU/hqdefault.jpg)
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Hmmm...doesn't look like Mr. The Cable Guy will be on the bill at the venue near me. That's a good thing. Given the prices, I think I'll maintain my position that I don't really want to see Styx without DDY.
And DDY isn't playing near me, so I don't have to make that decision.
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The DDY show last night was really good! His band is damn good and getting a 2nd keyboard player was really smart as it allows DDY to really play the front man role at times while the 2nd keyboard player handles the keyboard parts, instead of DDY being stuck behind his the whole show. The guy playing the Tommy Shaw role was definitely really good. DDY can still sing his ass off. Not bad for a guy who is now 72! :eek :eek
Set list:
The Grand Illusion
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man) - w/ Sing for the Day teaser at the end
Superstars
Come Sail Away
Miss America
A Man in the Wilderness
Castle Walls
The Grand Finale
Lady
Lorelei
Blue Collar Man (preceded by a short organ solo by DDY)
Mr. Roboto
Too Much Time on My Hands
Babe
Suite Madame Blue
The Best of Times (segued into next song)
A.D. 1958 - w/ final vocal excerpt from The End (The Beatles)
Renegade
Come Sail Away outro reprise
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That's a nice setlist!
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For sure. The only glaring omission was Crystal Ball, but even though he played a handful or so of Tommy songs, that one seems like much more of a Tommy song than the others, so I get its exclusion.
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I'm a big fan of their drummer Todd Sucherman. Some cool videos i've seen lately:
A Day In The Life Of Todd Sucherman [On tour with Styx] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=60BE7PaWL-0)
The Most Epic Drum Video We've Ever Made (Todd Sucherman) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUKMr0_hVNg&t=1s)
Todd Sucherman Playing Drums ON A MOUNTAIN ("Wild Horses" by Neil Zaza) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rs-qlQ4i64)
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That's a nice setlist!
It is!
The guy playing the Tommy Shaw role was definitely really good.
His band was awesome, especially the "Tommy Shaw" dude.
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Tommy Shaw was the opener for the first Rush concert I attended in 1988, the Hold Your Fire tour, before they did the Evening With thing. Did 4 Styx songs and 4 from a his solo record, I think.
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Michael Schenker opened the HYF show that I saw.
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That's a nice setlist!
It is!
The guy playing the Tommy Shaw role was definitely really good.
His band was awesome, especially the "Tommy Shaw" dude.
:tup :tup
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Going to see Styx for the first time this summer. Really looking forward to it. Night Ranger is opening, so hoping for some Damn Yankees love....
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I was at the first show that Dennis did The Grand illusion in its entirety. 7/7/17 at The Arcada in St. Charles, IL. Exactly the 40th anniversary of the album. I had taken my Dad for his 65th and raved about the show the next day on MP's old place. It was a spectacular show and I also raved about his Tommy Shaw.
My Dad has already mentioned they are playing the Rosemont Theater sometime soon but I don't think we'll make that show.
Either way, Dennis puts on an amazing show.
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For sure. He has a camaraderie with the other members of the band that wasn't there with Styx the three times I saw them in the 90's, so that was cool to see. Mr. Roboto is easy to make fun of, but it sure is fun live, and he had the whole crowd singing "I'm Kilroy!" at the end.
And hearing those classic songs like was a good reminder of how well they worked together in their prime. It wasn't "DDY's song is all DDY with the others," or, "Tommy's song is all Tommy with the others."
-Tommy's Blue Collar Man has the lead organ.
-DDY is all over the place with synth leads and solos in Tommy's Fooling Yourself.
-Tommy has a great guitar solo in DDY's Castle Walls.
-DDY has that great synth intro in JY's Miss America.
-etc.
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Styx was just here. My bandmate John and his wife went, said it was a great show. I saw some camera vids, not bad.
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I would really like to see Styx perform their new album "The Mission" in it's entirety. This may be my favorite Styx album of all time!
Anyone else on the same page?
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It's really good, but it can't touch the 4-album run of Equinox through Pieces of Eight. That said, I might put it in the 5th spot if I had to rank the Styx records.
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I detest The Mission. First, the songwriting is generic. I don't know how much of it was done by Will Evankovich but he was a co-writer on every song. I don't think Shaw has many good ideas left either.
I tried but the songs just aren't that good. It's been a year or so since I bothered so maybe I'll try again with a clean slate. No way is it touching the classics though.
I also can't get past the irony of Shaw and JY laughing at DDYs robots in Kilroy and now Shaw and JY are part of a mission to Mars? Seriously?
For me there's not been a good Styx album since Kilroy. Some good songs since then, for sure, but no good albums.
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The hypocrisy of Tommy and JY goes without saying, but Locomotive, Radio Silence and Red Storm are all great songs (and most of the rest is good).
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The hypocrisy of Tommy and JY goes without saying, but Locomotive, Radio Silence and Red Storm are all great songs (and most of the rest is good).
I do like Radio Silence a lot. And some others are fairly good. But compared to The Grand Illusion through Kilroy Was Here? It's not even close in quality for me.
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For me there's not been a good Styx album since Kilroy. Some good songs since then, for sure, but no good albums.
Comments like this always make me wonder:
1. Are you aware of Cyclorama?
2. Have you listened to it
3. Really, are you sure?
4. Did you check that you didn’t accidentally put some other CD in the player and listen to that and not Cyclorama?
That album has always felt to me like the epitome of the perfect rock album. It just captivates you and blows you away from the first listen and then only gets better every time you hear it. Just one undeniably knock-out song after another.
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I only meant for that comment to be funny, not condescending in any way haha
Just baffled how anyone can not love one of my favorite albums :biggrin:
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No kidding Dennis. Man I wish it didn't take so long to get another album after Cyclorama.
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I detest The Mission. First, the songwriting is generic. I don't know how much of it was done by Will Evankovich but he was a co-writer on every song. I don't think Shaw has many good ideas left either.
I tried but the songs just aren't that good. It's been a year or so since I bothered so maybe I'll try again with a clean slate. No way is it touching the classics though.
I also can't get past the irony of Shaw and JY laughing at DDYs robots in Kilroy and now Shaw and JY are part of a mission to Mars? Seriously?
For me there's not been a good Styx album since Kilroy. Some good songs since then, for sure, but no good albums.
I didn't like the album on the first spin, but I was busy cleaning house with dishes clattering and other distractions. Once I finally sat down and gave it my undivided attention, the light came on. The songs are really good throughout, and the sound is very well done.
They recorded this album using nothing but analog so it has that classic rock sound and the mixing and production is top notch. This album is a grower, so I do recommend giving it another chance. Radio silence, The Locomotive, For the Greater Good, The Depot, and Red Star, are all great tracks. The whole album tells a fun story that isn't cheesy at all. Each song stands alone even though it's a concept album. The songs actually have double meaning which can be symbolic to situations in life. :coolio
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The hypocrisy of Tommy and JY goes without saying, but Locomotive, Radio Silence and Red Storm are all great songs (and most of the rest is good).
I do like Radio Silence a lot. And some others are fairly good. But compared to The Grand Illusion through Kilroy Was Here? It's not even close in quality for me.
That is interesting that Cornerstone through Kilroy Was Here is part of what seems to be your favoite run, but not Crystal Ball and Equinox.
Comments like this always make me wonder:
1. Are you aware of Cyclorama?
2. Have you listened to it
3. Really, are you sure?
4. Did you check that you didn’t accidentally put some other CD in the player and listen to that and not Cyclorama?
That album has always felt to me like the epitome of the perfect rock album. It just captivates you and blows you away from the first listen and then only gets better every time you hear it. Just one undeniably knock-out song after another.
Cyclorama is about 4-5 tracks too long (most of which are on the back half of the record), and the childish swipe song at DDY (that completely rips off the Damn Yankees Where You Going Now? melody) should have been discarded, but there are some really good songs on it for sure, and of course one great one in One with Everything.
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Comments like this always make me wonder:
1. Are you aware of Cyclorama?
2. Have you listened to it
3. Really, are you sure?
4. Did you check that you didn’t accidentally put some other CD in the player and listen to that and not Cyclorama?
That album has always felt to me like the epitome of the perfect rock album. It just captivates you and blows you away from the first listen and then only gets better every time you hear it. Just one undeniably knock-out song after another.
Cyclorama is about 4-5 tracks too long (most of which are on the back half of the record), and the childish swipe song at DDY (that completely rips off the Damn Yankees Where You Going Now? melody) should have been discarded, but there are some really good songs on it for sure, and of course one great one in One with Everything.
Speaking of Cyclorama...
I was not pay attention to Styx when this album came out, and I didn't hear "One with Everything" until a few years ago. I immediately tried to buy Cyclorama, but it's not available on either Amazon or iTunes. Seems to be the only Styx album that's not available. Am I missing something or what's the deal with this?
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I have Cyclorama, but haven't spinned in a while. It is a good album and "These Are the Times" is easily my favorite track on the album, such a cool catchy chorus and break section!
The Mission is a overall better record, but Cyclorama has it's moments.
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I like Cyclorama more than The Mission. To the best of my memory it has about half an album's worth offer really good stuff but also a lot of filler. To better fair to it comparing it to the 70s and 80s albums maybe I should chop it down to 40-45 minutes and I'd like it more.
I'm also biased against it do to the lyrical content (Do Things My Way, Bourgeois Pig, Kiss Your Ass Goodbye) which I believe are u necessary slams against DDY.
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Cornerstone is an interesting album.
It was definitely a drop-off, but it is still a good album. Love in the Midnight, Borrowed Time and Boat on a River are all very good songs, and I like Why Me and Never Say Never both quite a bit as well. Lights is solid, and even though it's a wuss bag song, Babe is very nice. First Time and Eddie are throwaways.
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Rumor has it that Styx is working on a new album. If it is even close to as good as The Mission, I will be pleased.
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Rumor has it that Styx is working on a new album. If it is even close to as good as The Mission, I will be pleased.
well, AFAIK they currently are on tour until the beginning of September, so I'm sure they're not making one now. (I'd welcome a new album though nonetheless, if it's played well)
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Rumor has it that Styx is working on a new album. If it is even close to as good as The Mission, I will be pleased.
It was far too long between the last 2 albums. I look forward to it.
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Rumor has it that Styx is working on a new album. If it is even close to as good as The Mission, I will be pleased.
Agreed, The Mission is fantastic!
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Went to go see Styx for the first time this weekend, with Night Ranger opening. It was a great bill!
With Night Ranger, I knew what to expect. I had seem them headline a club show about 10 or 11 years ago, and it was just a great hard rock show of hits and covers. This time around, it was all their stuff in a 45-minute headline set. The stuff everyone knew. The nice additions, however, were a performance of the actual song "Night Ranger," from their first album, Dawn Patrol, and a great performance of "High Enough" by the Damn Yankees. I had suspected they'd ask Tommy Shaw from Styx to come up and do it, and he did. It was a lot of fun, and great to see Tommy Styx and Jack Blades together doing the song. I really miss Damn Yankees. They were a great band. Here's "High Enough" from the show:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvAu802z6cg
I was familiar with Night Ranger, but the last time I saw them, they had Joel Hoekstra on guitar next to Brad Gillis. This time it was Keri Kelli. I forgot just how good he is. He took about half the leads, and I was really impressed with his chops. Brad was great, as he always is.
And a note for those who haven't watched my vids. I don't really care about quality all that much, etc. All my vids are me enjoying the show, and I try to capture moments that mean something for me. Its a little jumpy, but the audio is fine. You catch me singing at points, deal with it. :lol I'm not off key or anything. Just having a blast singing along to my favorite tunes.
Styx came on next, and man, what a solid 90 minutes of classics, and some more recent material to boot. Here was the set (SPOILERS BELOW):
Gone Gone Gone
Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
The Grand Illusion
Lady
Radio Silence
Miss America
Crystal Ball
Red Storm
Light Up
Rockin' the Paradise
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
Too Much Time on My Hands
Khedive
Bohemian Rhapsody (Queen) - partial cover
Come Sail Away
Encore:
Mr. Roboto
Renegade
I didn't take any video, as this was my first time seeing Styx, and I wanted to take it in. I came away really impressed by them. The set list, for a newb, was well balanced with stuff I remember from the radio, and well chosen other cuts. As someone who really appreciates a band finding that sweet spot with classics and support of new material, I think Styx nailed it. It all worked together well.
The vocals were just incredible. Just a clinic on harmony. I knew that DDY has been gone for 20 years, and Larry really delivered. I mean, in retrospect, I can hear small differences, but he was full of showmanship and great range. And his showmanship didn't appear TOO over the top. It was what I was expecting it to be. JY was much more flamboyant and cheesy than I thought he'd be (remember, I have no frame of reference), but it worked, and it was funny. And Tommy, man, Tommy F'ing Shaw. I've been a big fan of Damn Yankees for decades. Loved his voice and playing, and he didn't disappoint whatsoever. That voice hasn't lost a thing. I didn't realize Ricky Phillips was such an accomplished musician on bass either.
I had a great time, and would absolutely see Styx again. As I said, I'm a newb, and don't own ANY Styx material, so I ordered up Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight, and Mission. I considered going to see DDY when he plays in the general vicinity in October, but looking at his current set, and the one from Styx, I think there is too much overlap for me to really be into it. But I was extremely pleased by Styx (and of course, Night Ranger), and look forward to seeing them again, and being a bit more familiar with the catalog by then.
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Awesome! I haven't seen Styx since 2003, and I saw Dennis twice in 2008 and 2010. They're one of my all time favorites, having seen the reunion tour in 1996 and the 20th anniversary of the Grand Illusion tour in 1997. I then saw them twice without Dennis and thought that they were a much harder rocking band, playing the tunes with a bit faster tempos.
I'm not sure I'd go see Styx again, unless it was a Styx/Night Ranger/Nugent tour, because that would guarantee 3 of the four Yankees would likely do a song or two. I can say that I've seen them 4 times, plus Dennis twice. That's enough for me, unless Dennis comes to another one of my local, free summer festivals again.
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Awe man, Red Storm must have been amazing to see live!
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WOOOT! Seeing Styx on a Saturday night in November playing all of The Mission!! :metal :metal
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(https://i.postimg.cc/zDW7pjQF/20191109-213423.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/F1r0HjNY)
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Nice. Gowan's blah vocals and embarrassing stage presence aside :P, good show?
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Lol. He was great. Bonus was Chuck Panozzo played that night and I got to see in full "The Mission."
Only a handful of shows they played it in full.
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Seeing all of The Mission would be cool. And it's not a long album, so plenty of time left for them to play most of the hits, I am sure.
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Yup. 43 minute first set then hit after hit after hit.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk7gmblQ5Tc
Yowza!!
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk7gmblQ5Tc
Yowza!!
Dude, that is awesome. is that you?
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk7gmblQ5Tc
Yowza!!
Dennis, as always, awesome.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk7gmblQ5Tc
Yowza!!
Dude, that is awesome. is that you?
Yep! :biggrin:
Thanks guys!! Help me share around and like our Facebook - facebook.com/styxology (http://facebook.com/styxology) I am submitting the band to casinos and festivals, the more action, the better!
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Already following.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk7gmblQ5Tc
Yowza!!
Good stuff. Well done! :tup :tup
On a somewhat-related note, Styx fans, I finally got the Tommy Shaw solo CD's from the 80's earlier this year and to say I am pleased would be an understatement. I am loving the heck out of both Girls with Guns and Ambition. Really good stuff!
And this is where Joe tells me about when he saw Tommy Shaw live in the 80's... :lol :lol
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:lol
With the Kinks in 84. :lol
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Haha, of course.
Do you have those Shaw solo albums? I would think any fan of the Tommy Shaw songs in Styx would love them. They rock pretty good at times and have great melodies all over the place.
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You know what? Never got them on CD's. I loved "What If."
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A friend of mine is a huge Styx fan and he played some of Girls With Guns one time. It was pretty good. I never went out and got a copy or anything, but it was pretty good stuff.
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You know what? Never got them on CD's. I loved "What If."
What If is easily the least best of the three, although I like the title track and This Is Not a Test are both quite nice. Girls with Guns and Ambition would be right up your alley! :tup :tup
A friend of mine is a huge Styx fan and he played some of Girls With Guns one time. It was pretty good. I never went out and got a copy or anything, but it was pretty good stuff.
I like it a lot. Little Girl World should have been a huge hit. There is another case of a record company dropping the ball, probably because they thought DDY was the hit maker in Styx and didn't give Shaw's solo material the push it deserved.
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I owned them all on album. Man, it's been forever listening to them.
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Both are definitely worth getting on CD, sir. :coolio
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I just might.
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Completely random and nothing new:
I was listening to Crystal Ball at lunch, and holy crap!
I've been a Styx fan since about 1981. Styx was my first "favorite band" after the Beatles. I don't remember what my progression was through the albums, but I've always thought Crystal Ball was one of the weakest of the "classic era" albums. I was initially drawn to Put Me On, but the title track is really the only song that still holds up.
Anyway...I had listened to Put Me On and Mademoiselle, and then Jennifer started. It has been a long time since I listened to it, and even longer since I really paid attention to the lyrics beyond the opening line about Jennifer drinking her "sherry wine."
Is this Dennis's anthem to statutory rape or what?! I get that it was 1976 and all, but how does someone write something like that and not think, "hmm....maybe I should rethink this"?
Anyway, I'm mostly surprised that it took me so long to realize this.
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Yeah, the lyrics there certainly make you think. I was in high school at the time, and teenagers see and think of themselves as basically adults, so the idea of a 20-something guy being attracted to a teenaged girl didn't seem out of place. For every girl who knew that it was weird and creepy, there were ten who were flattered that an older guy thought they were hot.
Those same lyrics now... whoa.
Also, "sherry wine" is a stupid lyric.
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Yep, lyrics like that in the mid 70's were not unusual at all and considered part of the normal rock cannon; if that song came out nowadays, it would be a different story.
Also, it is worth noting that 17 is the legal age to have sex in many states, Illinois included (where Styx was from), so there is no statutory rape subject in this instance (technically speaking). I feel dirty just typing that given the nature of the song, but just felt it needed to be pointed out.
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Yeah, the lyrics there certainly make you think. I was in high school at the time, and teenagers see and think of themselves as basically adults, so the idea of a 20-something guy being attracted to a teenaged girl didn't seem out of place. For every girl who knew that it was weird and creepy, there were ten who were flattered that an older guy thought they were hot.
Those same lyrics now... whoa.
Exactly. When I bought the album in high school, it had lyrics on the inner sleeve, and in those days, I'd basically lie on my bed with the lyrics sheet the first several times listening. Didn't give a second thought then.
Also, it is worth noting that 17 is the legal age to have sex in many states, Illinois included (where Styx was from), so there is no statutory rape subject in this instance (technically speaking). I feel dirty just typing that given the nature of the song, but just felt it needed to be pointed out.
LOL!
TBH, I actually thought about that when I posted yesterday. As a result some volunteer stuff I do, I have learned that California's hardline "under 18 is statutory rape" rule is not the norm (although it's not the only state where that's the law). Most states have the "age of consent" at 16 or 17, and a lot of states have "Romeo and Juliet" laws that cover situations where the adult and the minor (or two minors) are relatively close in age.
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I went through a Styx phase last summer where I finally listened to complete albums rather than just the singles, and Crystal Ball is definitely one of my favorites. "Mademoiselle," "Clair De Lune," "Put Me On," and the title track are so good. I also like "Jennifer" a great deal despite that one unfortunate line that also made me cringe, but it's immediately followed by that catchy and well-harmonized "Her love gives me the power, her dreams carry me on" part and so the disapproval was very short-lived.
Also, does anyone else consider "Just Get Through This Night" from Kilroy to be one of their greatest songs?
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I went through a Styx phase last summer where I finally listened to complete albums rather than just the singles, and Crystal Ball is definitely one of my favorites. "Mademoiselle," "Clair De Lune," "Put Me On," and the title track are so good. I also like "Jennifer" a great deal despite that one unfortunate line that also made me cringe, but it's immediately followed by that catchy and well-harmonized "Her love gives me the power, her dreams carry me on" part and so the disapproval was very short-lived.
Also, does anyone else consider "Just Get Through This Night" from Kilroy to be one of their greatest songs?
Eh, Just Get Through This Night is a solid tune, but I can't give it any more props than that.
I am with ya on Crystal Ball. Damn fine album, and most of the deep cuts are really good (except for Shooz).
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I went through a Styx phase last summer where I finally listened to complete albums rather than just the singles, and Crystal Ball is definitely one of my favorites. "Mademoiselle," "Clair De Lune," "Put Me On," and the title track are so good. I also like "Jennifer" a great deal despite that one unfortunate line that also made me cringe, but it's immediately followed by that catchy and well-harmonized "Her love gives me the power, her dreams carry me on" part and so the disapproval was very short-lived.
Also, does anyone else consider "Just Get Through This Night" from Kilroy to be one of their greatest songs?
Eh, Just Get Through This Night is a solid tune, but I can't give it any more props than that.
I am with ya on Crystal Ball. Damn fine album, and most of the deep cuts are really good (except for Shooz).
Ditto re Just Get Through (although I have to say I haven't listened to Kilroy in a LONG time).
I was surprised how much I liked Crystal Ball on the whole when I listened to it recently. I don't care for the opening part of Shooz (which gets repeated about halfway through), but the rest of it is pretty good. The problem with side 2 is that there isn't really a standout track. All three songs are good but not great.
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:lol I was re-reading the thread, and we had this same discussion about the "Jennifer" lyrics five years ago. I thought it all sounded familar. (I even said almost the exact same thing both times :|)
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Also, does anyone else consider "Just Get Through This Night" from Kilroy to be one of their greatest songs?
I love Just Get Through This Night and also Haven't We Been Here Before. KWH was vastly under rated to me. I still don't get the love for The Mission, though, there's very little on there that I consider above average. Bottom tier Syx album for me. Without both Dennis and Tommy, I don't really consider it to be Styx, tbh.
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But Tommy is on The Mission and still in the band. Or are you going back to EOTC?
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But Tommy is on The Mission and still in the band. Or are you going back to EOTC?
Tommy is but Dennis isn't. Both or no Styx. For me.
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Fun fact: of the 16 studio albums Styx has released (or 15 if you want to ignore the all-covers album from '05), only 7 have had both Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw.
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True. But for many, that was the magic combination. It is for me. That 70's-80's run with Tommy on board before DDY left was amazing.
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True. But for many, that was the magic combination. It is for me. That 70's-80's run with Tommy on board before DDY left was amazing.
I don't really like any without them both. Leaving the pre-Tommy ones out, EotC was mediocre, Cyclorama was juvenile, The Mission was mediocre.
Crystal Ball . . . Kilroy was some of the best stuff ever.
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But Tommy is on The Mission and still in the band. Or are you going back to EOTC?
Tommy is but Dennis isn't. Both or no Styx. For me.
Ah, gotcha!
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:lol I was re-reading the thread, and we had this same discussion about the "Jennifer" lyrics five years ago. I thought it all sounded familar. (I even said almost the exact same thing both times :|)
LOL! I just read those posts from 2015. Podaar's comments were very similar to mine, and someone else pointed out the other weird thing that occurred to me yesterday (when I was listening to Man of Miracles): Dennis and Suzanne had been married for several years at the time he wrote Jennifer (and Lorelei before that). I'll mark my calendar for 2025 for someone else to realize this.
True. But for many, that was the magic combination. It is for me. That 70's-80's run with Tommy on board before DDY left was amazing.
I don't really like any without them both. Leaving the pre-Tommy ones out, EotC was mediocre, Cyclorama was juvenile, The Mission was mediocre.
Crystal Ball . . . Kilroy was some of the best stuff ever.
That's kinda how I feel as well, although I like Equinox and probably an album's worth of songs on the Wooden Nickel albums. Also, while Cyclorama might be juvenile, it does feature the best Styx song released in the past 35 years.
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Also, while Cyclorama might be juvenile, it does feature the best Styx song released in the past 35 years.
I actually like a good bit of the music on Cyclorama. But with songs like Bourgeois Pig and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye, I just don't want to listen.
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Also, while Cyclorama might be juvenile, it does feature the best Styx song released in the past 35 years.
I actually like a good bit of the music on Cyclorama. But with songs like Bourgeois Pig and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye, I just don't want to listen.
I haven't heard the rest of the album because I missed when it came out and didn't know anything until I heard One with Everything about five years ago. I would have bought the album, but it appears to be out of print and not even available on iTunes (although I suppose I could find a copy on eBay or something).
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I saw a tour before the album came out in 2001. When I got the album I recognized 2 songs they played from the album.
They toured with Survivor & REO Speedwagon.
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True. But for many, that was the magic combination. It is for me. That 70's-80's run with Tommy on board before DDY left was amazing.
For sure, and I am sure most Styx fans would agree that it was their golden era, but the albums outside of that era all had their moments and a couple of those albums are among their best, IMO (Equinox, The Mission).
That's kinda how I feel as well, although I like Equinox and probably an album's worth of songs on the Wooden Nickel albums. Also, while Cyclorama might be juvenile, it does feature the best Styx song released in the past 35 years.
The aforementioned Bourgeois Pig and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye (which musically rips off Tommy's other band Damn Yankees) are embarrassing and it's too bad the band didn't stay above taking shots that low, but One with Everything and These Are the Times are both really good tunes, and would have stood out on just about any Styx album.
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I was surprised how much I liked Crystal Ball on the whole when I listened to it recently. I don't care for the opening part of Shooz (which gets repeated about halfway through), but the rest of it is pretty good. The problem with side 2 is that there isn't really a standout track. All three songs are good but not great.
I think both This Old Man and Ballerina are great tunes. Some amazing harmonies in both of those songs, and the ride-out to the Ballerina at the end if one of the most epic things the band has ever done. I often say that the band was prog lite, as they would sometimes stick their toes in the deep end of prog but never stayed long, but the end of Ballerina was them jumping in feet first. :metal :metal
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I think both This Old Man and Ballerina are great tunes. Some amazing harmonies in both of those songs, and the ride-out to the Ballerina at the end if one of the most epic things the band has ever done. I often say that the band was prog lite, as they would sometimes stick their toes in the deep end of prog but never stayed long, but the end of Ballerina was them jumping in feet first. :metal :metal
I like that description. Sometimes they were really subtle about it, and I think that's an indication that they really knew what they're doing. Fooling Yourself is all over the place with time signatures and does it in a really clever way, but has a much wider appeal than most songs that play around with that sort of thing.
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I like that description. Sometimes they were really subtle about it, and I think that's an indication that they really knew what they're doing. Fooling Yourself is all over the place with time signatures and does it in a really clever way, but has a much wider appeal than most songs that play around with that sort of thing.
As a non-musician, I am terrible at figuring out what time signatures are what :lol, but Styx in their prime always seem to have that bit of extra bit of artiness, like they were channeling the prog rock vibe, but without going too far with it, hence my "prog lite" definition. Their standing among the all-time greats in rock would be more secure if they hadn't been the punching bags of critics for so long. Not that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame means diddly squat, but is there another classic rock band who still has this many songs regularly played on the radio that hasn't gotten any consideration?
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I like that description. Sometimes they were really subtle about it, and I think that's an indication that they really knew what they're doing. Fooling Yourself is all over the place with time signatures and does it in a really clever way, but has a much wider appeal than most songs that play around with that sort of thing.
As a non-musician, I am terrible at figuring out what time signatures are what :lol, but Styx in their prime always seem to have that bit of extra bit of artiness, like they were channeling the prog rock vibe, but without going too far with it, hence my "prog lite" definition. Their standing among the all-time greats in rock would be more secure if they hadn't been the punching bags of critics for so long. Not that the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame means diddly squat, but is there another classic rock band who still has this many songs regularly played on the radio that hasn't gotten any consideration?
Can't disagree with any of that. Also doesn't help that they've positioned themselves as a "nostalgia band" for the better part of the 21st Century.
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Can't disagree with any of that. Also doesn't help that they've positioned themselves as a "nostalgia band" for the better part of the 21st Century.
Perhaps not, but they are at least still out there touring on a regular basis, and while many may mock it, Mr. Roboto has had a bit of resurgence in the last few years, to the point where the band is now playing it live (something they had never done since DeYoung's departure).
I hope the rumors of them planning to release a new album are true, as The Mission was pretty excellent, and I'd love to see a follow-up.
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From what I've read they are in the writing phase for the new album.
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That means by the time they finish writing, recording it, and getting it mixed and ready for release, it will be 2023. :lol :facepalm:
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:lol
They sound energetic about making a new album. I've always felt bands are better live when releasing new music to tour with.
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For sure, as it gives them some new stuff to play, if nothing else. Sure, they are great songs and classics, but it can't be easy to get up to play Renegade, Blue Collar Man and Come Sail Away for the millionth time (and counting) every night.
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I think it breathes life into the older songs. At least in my experience it seemed like it.
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I hear ya.
To continue the Styx chatter, even though the making of it was a mess and there are some major duds on it, Brave New World does have a handful of nice tunes that are nice to have as part of the Styx legacy.
In other news, I see that DDY is releasing a solo album this spring. I don't have a single song of his, so I can't say I am excited, but if the feedback is positive from the right places, maybe I will give it a whirl.
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For the former/current band and choir nerds out there:
I like Styx (but don't own any) and enjoyed the music played on the radio in my formative years. That said, and knowing very little about the band per se, someone directed me to this clip today. With the shitstorm all around us, it made me feel good to watch. The young musicians are simply awesome. I hope you like it as much as I did. If anyone knows the backstory (why it was filmed or was it made for a benefit, etc) I'd love to know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpYHgbjOIq0&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR19LgiE7iURDY3OUH0L_BQxXJOnYuIsoyQdYfB-kha7qQyRvZ3tmLdwsBU
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Thought it was going to be this show, which I saw on TV a while back, and also highly enjoyed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9lPOq-LOcY
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Thought it was going to be this show, which I saw on TV a while back, and also highly enjoyed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9lPOq-LOcY
Nice! So is playing with youth orchestras a 'thing' for these guys?
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:) I don't know, I have no idea the background or history of that concert I linked, I was just flipping channels one day and saw Styx and stopped to check it out. I thought "I'll just listen to a song or two and watched the whole darn thing."
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For the former/current band and choir nerds out there:
I like Styx (but don't own any) and enjoyed the music played on the radio in my formative years. That said, and knowing very little about the band per se, someone directed me to this clip today. With the shitstorm all around us, it made me feel good to watch. The young musicians are simply awesome. I hope you like it as much as I did. If anyone knows the backstory (why it was filmed or was it made for a benefit, etc) I'd love to know.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpYHgbjOIq0&feature=share&fbclid=IwAR19LgiE7iURDY3OUH0L_BQxXJOnYuIsoyQdYfB-kha7qQyRvZ3tmLdwsBU
In May 2006, Styx played a show with the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Liza Grossman at the Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland. Going back to 2003, the group has done a "Rock the Orchestra" series with artists, including Jon Anderson, Pat Benatar, Bootsy Collins and Graham Nash. The 2006 concert was released on CD and DVD under the title One with Everything: Styx and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra. In 2016, Tommy Shaw returned by himself to do Sing for the Day! which is where the video you linked came from (some of Tommy's vamping suggested that he and Liza Grossman became friends following the 2006 show). Apparently, that was released as a live album, and both shows get played with some frequency on AXS-TV.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One_with_Everything:_Styx_and_the_Contemporary_Youth_Orchestra
P.S. Since you enjoyed this, and if you like Yes, you should check out Symphonic Live. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphonic_Live
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Great info - thanks pg1067. And I will definitely check that clip out.
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In other news, I see that DDY is releasing a solo album this spring. I don't have a single song of his, so I can't say I am excited, but if the feedback is positive from the right places, maybe I will give it a whirl.
Dennis is definitely making the rounds promoting this new album. Whether it's all lip service or not, but everyone who's talked to him about it has said that it's really good and that it would be a welcome listen for anyone who is a fan of the classic Styx sound. I think I'm gonna have to give it a listen. He has Julian Lennon singing with him on a song paying tribute to The Beatles.
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Speaking of DDY, check out a recent interview he did with Rolling Stone (link below). It's long and he talks about a lot of different things.
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/dennis-deyoung-interview-styx-interview-solo-album-mr-roboto-968709/
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In other news, I see that DDY is releasing a solo album this spring. I don't have a single song of his, so I can't say I am excited, but if the feedback is positive from the right places, maybe I will give it a whirl.
Dennis is definitely making the rounds promoting this new album. Whether it's all lip service or not, but everyone who's talked to him about it has said that it's really good and that it would be a welcome listen for anyone who is a fan of the classic Styx sound. I think I'm gonna have to give it a listen. He has Julian Lennon singing with him on a song paying tribute to The Beatles.
The lead single, East of Midnight, is a good song (below); I love the vibe in the verses. The song with Julian Lennon sounded pretty good; I will have to listen to it again. I checked out the samples of the rest of the songs and they all sounded okay; nothing really grabbed me at all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ezG38Iirqg
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I have Dennis' 1986 album Back to the World. I like it. I've listened to it a few times.
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Didn't feel like digging through the thread to see if this has already been addressed...
I was listening to Mr. Roboto at lunch and wondered:
1. What do the Japanese lines at the beginning of the song mean? I know that domo arigato is thank you very much, but what about the other stuff? I've seen conflicting things online.
2. Is there any known reason (other than Dennis being Dennis) why, at one (maybe more?) point, but not always, he sings "modren man" instead of "modern man"?
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I've wondered both of those things before. But never enough to look them up, I guess. :p
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I found these quotes:
Here is a translation of the Japanese:
Doomo arigato, Mr. Roboto [Thank you very much, Mr. Robot]
Mata au hi made [Until the day we meet again...]
Himitsu wo shiritai [I want to know your/the secret]
And this:
A Comment About the Word "MODREN"
The movie "Westworld" was released in 1973.
Mr. Roboto was recorded by Styx in 1982.
Westworld was a movie about a futuristic, adult-themed amusement park, populated by extremely lifelike robots, where you could live out your fantasies, by role playing amongst these robots. In the movie, they bounced between a "Medieval World" (Western European life during Medieval times), a "Roman World" (life in Rome during the Roman Empire), and Westworld (life in in the Old West of the United States). Although very lifelike, the robots weren't entirely perfect. The robots are programmed not to hurt any of the vacationers, but by the end of the movie, all the robots are malfunctioning and killing everyone.
The tagline from the movie was "Westworld...where nothing can possibly go worng!" (Note, the word "wrong" is misspelled "worng".)
The word "modern" in Mr. Roboto is deliberately misspelled "modren" as a tip of the hat to the movie Westworld. It also hints that our alter-egos, although employed to shield the inner-self, are still fallible and subject to malfunction.
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I remember the original Westworld movie, and the tagline from the movie posters, but intentionally misspelling and mispronouncing "modern" as some kind of homage to Westworld is really bizarre. I never made the connection, and I'm pretty sure no one would unless it's pointed out. It's in no way obvious, and basically it's just like a weird mistake that DDY insists on making, like maybe he pronounces that word oddly sometimes and that's how it is.
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I remember the original Westworld movie, and the tagline from the movie posters, but intentionally misspelling and mispronouncing "modern" as some kind of homage to Westworld is really bizarre. I never made the connection, and I'm pretty sure no one would unless it's pointed out. It's in no way obvious, and basically it's just like a weird mistake that DDY insists on making, like maybe he pronounces that word oddly sometimes and that's how it is.
Yeah...I'd never heard of the movie before, but if you're going to pay homage to something, there ought to be at least SOME way for people to figure that out.
I googled "styx mr. roboto modren westworld," and it seems like the idea of this being an homage to the movie is nothing but rank speculation of some random internet dweller. However, I did see one thing that suggested that "modren" might be a Britishism, which is something that Dennis has used in other lyrics (when I first was getting into Styx in my early teens, I thought they were British). In fact, there's a published book called Reflections essays on Modren Theatre. So maybe it's more Dennis trying to be British. On the other hand, I did see something that suggested that "modren" is used in Westworld somewhere, but I don't know if that's accurate.
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Is this where we start discussing Triumph now?
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Tommy Shaw is awesome!
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Tommy Shaw is awesome!
So is Damn Yankees!
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Tommy Shaw is awesome!
So is Damn Yankees!
And Power Windows!
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Tommy Shaw is awesome!
So is Damn Yankees!
And Power Windows!
Now you're doing it right! :tup
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Tommy Shaw is awesome!
Rik Emmett >>> Tommy Shaw!
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Tommy Shaw is awesome!
Rik Emmett >>> Tommy Shaw!
:lol
You devil.
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Copied from the Triumph thread:
It never occurred to me until just now that Pieces of Eight had exactly zero DDY singles.
I wonder if that had something to do with the paradigm shift on Cornerstone?
But yes...we should take this to the proper Styx thread.
Styx was my second favorite band (meaning the Beatles were initially my favorite band, and then Styx took that place), but I never did much exploration of the band's history beyond what we got on Behind the Music (and, more recently, on the Dan Rather interview with TS and JY). Is there a particular biography that is considered "seminal"?
Pieces of Eight is probably my favorite Styx album, and Queen of Spades might be my favorite song. It's probably the heaviest song DDY sang, and it is credited to "Young, DeYoung," but I don't know what to make of how the credits are done. I would have assumed it was a single, but it wasn't. I've also read (probably here at DTF) that Renegade was originally a much mellower song and that DDY convinced TS to make it heavier (but DDY got no writing credit on the song).
Not really sure what happened to cause the stylistic shift on Cornerstone. JY and TS objected big time to First Time, but it's not like either of them brought anything exceptional to the table. JY is almost completely absent from the album. Lights and Babe are really the only songs I go to on that album.
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I love Styx, they're the only band I've seen live as many times as Iron Maiden :metal
(https://scontent-bos3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/149090_1319835376043_2168610_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=3&_nc_sid=cdbe9c&_nc_ohc=yLevbDfhP7sAX9OKwuo&_nc_ht=scontent-bos3-1.xx&oh=4d7f7179afa2143865db8d234297b82c&oe=60626234)
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From the Triumph thread post I moved it here
Well, Damn Yankees blows. And sure DDY has done shit. I don't think he really cared about being a rock band singer guy.I did see DDY at (fucking) EPCOT (of all places) a few years ago and he was great. The Tommy Shaw dude he had in his band was fantastic.
I seen the both - actual Styx with DDY and Styx with Lawrence Gowan and DDY with August Zadra and they were equally good musically, but the Styx stage setup was quite a bit more elaborate. I've heard rumors that Dennis Deyoung wants back in with Styx, and he is right that the fans would love to see a reunion tour. But Tommy's rationale sounds quite reasonable for why he won't do it: (https://blabbermouth.herokuapp.com/news/dennis-deyoung-i-want-one-last-tour-with-styx/)Shaw went on to say that he is content to let the past remain in the past, choosing instead to surround himself with positivity as he enters the next part of his career. He continued: "Personality-wise, at this stage in my life, I want to be happy. I want to be around people who love me and that have my best interest at heart, and I don't have to fight with. There's just not enough years left that I would want to risk not having that again."
Tommy is 67 and as a dude who is rapidly approaching 60 I *totally* get this. It's the exact reason why I've stayed at the same job for just short of 21 years. Everything is great for me here and I'll be retiring in less than 10 years if all goes according to plan. Why risk my happiness with a different job at this point in my career? I can see DDY's side of it, though, and I admit I'd love to see them work something out for maybe a quick US reunion tour. I'd pay good money for a seat at one of those shows, that's for sure.That said, I don't see it happening nor do I really care all that much. Styx's latest album "The Mission" is awesome and from what I understand they are working on new material right now.
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DDY voiced their biggest hits.
Crystal Ball - Shaw
Come Sail Away - DeYoung
Fooling Yourself - Shaw
Blue Collar Man - Shaw
Sing for the Day - Shaw
Renegade - Shaw
Babe - DeYoung
Best of Times - DeYoung
Too Much Time on My Hands - Shaw
Mr. Roboto - DeYoung
That's a 6:4 ratio in Shaw's favor (I intentionally didn't include Lady since that was before Shaw joined).
Eh, including Sing for the Day, which didn't crack the top 40 here, and leaving off DDY's Don't Let It End, which was a top 10 hit, skews the numbers. No, Tommy was not in the band for Lady or Show Me the Way, but those were two more top 10 hits that DDY wrote. Throw in classic rock mainstays like Light Up, The Grand Illusion and Suite Madame Blue, all of which were written by Dennis, and DDY has the big edge overall.
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DDY voiced their biggest hits.
Crystal Ball - Shaw
Come Sail Away - DeYoung
Fooling Yourself - Shaw
Blue Collar Man - Shaw
Sing for the Day - Shaw
Renegade - Shaw
Babe - DeYoung
Best of Times - DeYoung
Too Much Time on My Hands - Shaw
Mr. Roboto - DeYoung
That's a 6:4 ratio in Shaw's favor (I intentionally didn't include Lady since that was before Shaw joined).
Eh, including Sing for the Day, which didn't crack the top 40 here, and leaving off DDY's Don't Let It End, which was a top 10 hit, skews the numbers. No, Tommy was not in the band for Lady or Show Me the Way, but those were two more top 10 hits that DDY wrote. Throw in classic rock mainstays like Light Up, The Grand Illusion and Suite Madame Blue, all of which were written by Dennis, and DDY has the big edge overall.
Fair enough. I honestly forgot about Don't Let It End (can you blame me?). The rest are more obscure, and I could find a Tommy song to match every one of them. Fact is that Styx ain't Styx without either of them.
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Copied from the Triumph thread:
It never occurred to me until just now that Pieces of Eight had exactly zero DDY singles.
I wonder if that had something to do with the paradigm shift on Cornerstone?
But yes...we should take this to the proper Styx thread.
Styx was my second favorite band (meaning the Beatles were initially my favorite band, and then Styx took that place), but I never did much exploration of the band's history beyond what we got on Behind the Music (and, more recently, on the Dan Rather interview with TS and JY). Is there a particular biography that is considered "seminal"?
Pieces of Eight is probably my favorite Styx album, and Queen of Spades might be my favorite song. It's probably the heaviest song DDY sang, and it is credited to "Young, DeYoung," but I don't know what to make of how the credits are done. I would have assumed it was a single, but it wasn't. I've also read (probably here at DTF) that Renegade was originally a much mellower song and that DDY convinced TS to make it heavier (but DDY got no writing credit on the song).
Not really sure what happened to cause the stylistic shift on Cornerstone. JY and TS objected big time to First Time, but it's not like either of them brought anything exceptional to the table. JY is almost completely absent from the album. Lights and Babe are really the only songs I go to on that album.
I think Cornerstone was the beginning of the end for DDY with Styx. There is a story out there on the internet that says Styx had a meeting in Chicago in 1980 and told DDY to take a hike because he was "too bossy" but when they failed to find a suitable replacement, they invited him back, but he came back on the condition that he would be given more creative control over the band's music. Cornerstone was the first album they released after that. Not one of my favorites from them. But I LOVED Paradise Theater in 1981. I broke my cherry to that album.
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DDY voiced their biggest hits.
Crystal Ball - Shaw
Come Sail Away - DeYoung
Fooling Yourself - Shaw
Blue Collar Man - Shaw
Sing for the Day - Shaw
Renegade - Shaw
Babe - DeYoung
Best of Times - DeYoung
Too Much Time on My Hands - Shaw
Mr. Roboto - DeYoung
That's a 6:4 ratio in Shaw's favor (I intentionally didn't include Lady since that was before Shaw joined).
Eh, including Sing for the Day, which didn't crack the top 40 here, and leaving off DDY's Don't Let It End, which was a top 10 hit, skews the numbers. No, Tommy was not in the band for Lady or Show Me the Way, but those were two more top 10 hits that DDY wrote. Throw in classic rock mainstays like Light Up, The Grand Illusion and Suite Madame Blue, all of which were written by Dennis, and DDY has the big edge overall.
Fair enough. I honestly forgot about Don't Let It End (can you blame me?). The rest are more obscure, and I could find a Tommy song to match every one of them. Fact is that Styx ain't Styx without either of them.
hmm, that's weird because I have a Styx album that Dennis DeYoung had nothing to do with so clearly they ARE Styx without DDY. I know this because the Styx logo is on The Mission - their latest album.
Is Dream Theater no longer Dream Theater without Mike Portnoy? Of course not. Neither argument is any good. Styx is who they say they are. Bands change personnel all the time. Is Spock's Beard no longer Spock's Beard without Neal Morse? How about without Neal Morse AND Nick D'Virgilio? After all they are BOTH the original voices for Spock's Beard. They're both gone but we still call them Spock's Beard. The "Styx is not Styx without DDY and Tommy Shaw" argument is weak sauce.
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I think Cornerstone was the beginning of the end for DDY with Styx. There is a story out there on the internet that says Styx had a meeting in Chicago in 1980 and told DDY to take a hike because he was "too bossy" but when they failed to find a suitable replacement, they invited him back, but he came back on the condition that he would be given more creative control over the band's music. Cornerstone was the first album they released after that. Not one of my favorites from them. But I LOVED Paradise Theater in 1981. I broke my cherry to that album.
Someone had mentioned the Behind the Music episode, and I watched that (again) yesterday. This incident is discussed, and Dennis said something along the line of the following: "Do I think I know what's best for Styx? Ninety-nine percent of the time, yeah, I do."
hmm, that's weird because I have a Styx album that Dennis DeYoung had nothing to do with so clearly they ARE Styx without DDY. I know this because the Styx logo is on The Mission - their latest album.
Is Dream Theater no longer Dream Theater without Mike Portnoy? Of course not. Neither argument is any good. Styx is who they say they are. Bands change personnel all the time. Is Spock's Beard no longer Spock's Beard without Neal Morse? How about without Neal Morse AND Nick D'Virgilio? After all they are BOTH the original voices for Spock's Beard. They're both gone but we still call them Spock's Beard. The "Styx is not Styx without DDY and Tommy Shaw" argument is weak sauce.
Yeah, yeah, yeah...of course Styx exists (and I don't know thing 1 about Spock's Beard), but I think you know the point I was making. I don't know that I gave The Mission a fair try, but I got about three songs in and got bored and didn't go back.
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PG, try it again. I'd love to read what you think of The Mission in full.
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The Mission doesn't start super strong, with the first full song being an average Gowan one and then JY's song (track 4) being the only dud, but Locomotive to the end is all money.
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Kev is 100% correct.
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Said no one ever.
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Tim is 100% correct.
Said no one ever.
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Gee that's original. :lol
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Power Windows is 100% awesome.
Yup
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You guys have too much time on your hands.
(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/GleefulLiveHerald-size_restricted.gif)
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You guys have too much time *clap*clap* on your hands.
(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/GleefulLiveHerald-size_restricted.gif)
FTFY
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Power Windows is 50+% crap.
Yup
Now we've got it.
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:lol
Hey, seriously though, try The Mission again and give us your review.
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Will do.
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Even the first one without Dennis, Cyclorama, had some great stuff. Okay, it's not that consistent, but I would say half of it is at least good, and One with Everything is easily one of the best songs the band has ever done. I love These are the Times as well (one of the best Styx songs where JY sings lead).
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Even the first one without Dennis, Cyclorama, had some great stuff. Okay, it's not that consistent, but I would say half of it is at least good, and One with Everything is easily one of the best songs the band has ever done. I love These are the Times as well (one of the best Styx songs where JY sings lead).
One with Everything is absolute greatness, and I only learned of its existence a couple years ago. Cyclorama hasn't been available on Amazon or on Spotify, but it seems it's now on both (albeit $25 for the CD?!), so I can check that out in more detail.
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For as much as I pile on Gowan, largely for his cartoonish stage behavior and his voice being a poor man's DDY, his keyboard solo in One with Everything is pretty awesome.
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It feels like a victory lol. Kev ever hear Alex Lifeson on Gowan's solo album?
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Nope. Hard pass on hearing any Gown solo material. :biggrin:
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But, but, but, Alex Lifeson! Lol. It is a good album. Seriously.
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Enjoy it, then! :biggrin: :metal
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*shrug* Gowan was -after seeing him with Styx 6 times now- probably the perfect replacement for DDY because their voices have very similar characteristics. I was trying to think of something I care about less than his "stage antics" (a.k.a. having fun during performances) but I'll have to get back to you on that. I've thoroughly enjoyed those Styx concerts which were just as good as when I saw them with DDY in 1979 and 1981 in Boston and Providence respectively. Sure, I'd rather have the original group all together but they're still making new music that's pretty great and their concerts are still awesome.
I'll tell you what's really interesting is Styx fired DDY then went out and hired a DDY clone. DDY got fired from Styx and when he put a band together he found a Tommy Shaw clone to tour with! :lol
Why can't they just get along and tour together? :laugh:
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Who played bass for a few tours too before he left! :lol
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Even the first one without Dennis, Cyclorama, had some great stuff. Okay, it's not that consistent, but I would say half of it is at least good, and One with Everything is easily one of the best songs the band has ever done. I love These are the Times as well (one of the best Styx songs where JY sings lead).
Cyclorama has to be one of the most inconsistent albums I've ever heard in my life. There are some truly terrible songs on there, plus a handful of good ballads and pop-rock tracks, and then -- as you mention -- One With Everything, which is simply incredible in a Styx-by-way-of-Spock's-Beard kind of manner. Lucky enough to see it performed in concert once. Amazing song.
I really love The Mission. Not sure it's a masterpiece, but it's far better than I thought a Styx album getting released in 2017 had any right to be. It's a really compact album, and I actually kind of think it's a little too short. There are a few themes, both lyrical and musical, that I wouldn't have mind seeing developed a little further. But the run from Locomotive to The Outpost is pretty much flawless. The story is quite good, too, especially once you realize that their titular "mission to Mars" is actually a lot more than just that...
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Cyclorama has to be one of the most inconsistent albums I've ever heard in my life. There are some truly terrible songs on there, plus a handful of good ballads and pop-rock tracks, and then -- as you mention -- One With Everything, which is simply incredible in a Styx-by-way-of-Spock's-Beard kind of manner. Lucky enough to see it performed in concert once. Amazing song.
Even though it sounds like it would have worked better on a Damn Yankees record, Together is a great song as well. It really is too bad that Tommy has spent most of the past 20 years doing an endless loop of greatest hits tours with Styx instead of doing a bit of new work with Jack Blades. Those two worked so well together, and their voices meshed amazingly.
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Thanks to this thread, I ended up listening to a bunch of Styx the last few days, and I will say this, even though it was kind of a mess, there is good stuff on Brave New World. On the flip side, what are the odds that the moment Tommy and JY heard Dennis' High Crimes and Misdemeanors is the exact time when they thought, "Okay, this guy needs to go." :lol :lol
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Ya...I can’t believe that didn’t get vetoed. That almost feels like DDY trolling the band.
That being said, I do find it getting stuck in my head from time to time. It’s a fun song, but it’s not a Styx song.
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It does sort of feel like he was trolling the band, but it's probably more likely that his tank was running low on good ideas. He had five contributions to that album, and by my estimation, four of them pretty much blow, with Goodbye Roseland being the exception, and even that wouldn't be a top 3 song from that record for me.
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HIP HOP
HIP....HOP HYPOCRISY...HIP HOP
Ya. Thanks for getting THAT stuck in my head again. :\
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Even the first one without Dennis, Cyclorama, had some great stuff. Okay, it's not that consistent, but I would say half of it is at least good, and One with Everything is easily one of the best songs the band has ever done. I love These are the Times as well (one of the best Styx songs where JY sings lead).
Cyclorama has to be one of the most inconsistent albums I've ever heard in my life. There are some truly terrible songs on there, plus a handful of good ballads and pop-rock tracks, and then -- as you mention -- One With Everything, which is simply incredible in a Styx-by-way-of-Spock's-Beard kind of manner. Lucky enough to see it performed in concert once. Amazing song.
I really love The Mission. Not sure it's a masterpiece, but it's far better than I thought a Styx album getting released in 2017 had any right to be. It's a really compact album, and I actually kind of think it's a little too short. There are a few themes, both lyrical and musical, that I wouldn't have mind seeing developed a little further. But the run from Locomotive to The Outpost is pretty much flawless. The story is quite good, too, especially once you realize that their titular "mission to Mars" is actually a lot more than just that...
Yeah, that was intentional. They went into the studio with the idea to make a "classic" Styx album using 100% analog equipment including recording to tape instead of digital and they wanted to keep the album to a length that would fit on an LP
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Nope. Hard pass on hearing any Gown solo material. :biggrin:
I dunno if he did anything since the 80s (I'm sure he did... but I never listened to it), but Strange Animal and Great Dirty World are two excellent albums. Of course, I could just be in that camp because I listened to them a lot as they were released. Going back to them now, I seriously doubt they'd be my cup of tea.
For the DDY lovers, anyone else check out his release from last year - 26 East, Vol 1? Very enjoyable stuff.
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Nope. Hard pass on hearing any Gown solo material. :biggrin:
I dunno if he did anything since the 80s (I'm sure he did... but I never listened to it), but Strange Animal and Great Dirty World are two excellent albums. Of course, I could just be in that camp because I listened to them a lot as they were released. Going back to them now, I seriously doubt they'd be my cup of tea.
For the DDY lovers, anyone else check out his release from last year - 26 East, Vol 1? Very enjoyable stuff.
Yes! Pretty good album, especially the asshole song! ha ha :lol
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Not much else stuck with me, but I thought East of Midnight was a nice little song. Given that it sounds like something that would have sounded right at home on Cornerstone or Paradise Theater, it is hard to not wonder how much better those harmonies in the chorus would sound with Tommy and JY singing along with him.
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I think I listened to it twice myself. It was good but I doubt I'll ever go back to it.
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Not a fan of Styx
but a huge fan of Todd Sucherman
Oustanding drummer.
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What I find goofy about Styx, looking at their set lists over the years, is their predictability. Yes, they have to play most of the hits, and I am good with that, but why not bust out some cool deep cuts once in a while from the older albums not named Pieces of Eight or The Grand Illusion? When is the last time songs like Born for Adventure, Mother Dear, Lonely Child, This Old Man, Jennifer, Love in the Midnight, Never Say Never or Borrowed Time got regularly featured on a tour, or heck, played at all? Feels like they could be a lot less predictable. The casual fans would still get Renegade and Come Sail Away and the others, and the diehards who live it up with getting a cool deep cut or two. I saw the set list of the first show where they played all of The Mission, and when looking at the rest of the set list, they played two covers? WTF?
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When I saw them play all of "The Mission" this was the setlist after the break.
(https://i.postimg.cc/44WNhtsF/Screenshot-20210309-181813-Chrome.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/XXy0RrZw)
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What I find goofy about Styx, looking at their set lists over the years, is their predictability. Yes, they have to play most of the hits, and I am good with that, but why not bust out some cool deep cuts once in a while from the older albums not named Pieces of Eight or The Grand Illusion? When is the last time songs like Born for Adventure, Mother Dear, Lonely Child, This Old Man, Jennifer, Love in the Midnight, Never Say Never or Borrowed Time got regularly featured on a tour, or heck, played at all? Feels like they could be a lot less predictable. The casual fans would still get Renegade and Come Sail Away and the others, and the diehards who live it up with getting a cool deep cut or two. I saw the set list of the first show where they played all of The Mission, and when looking at the rest of the set list, they played two covers? WTF?
That was probably a rhetorical question, but Lorelei, Suite Madame Blue (a top five Styx song in my book), Boat on the River, Light Up and Lights were in regular rotation in 2019-20. They did I'm O.K. in 2016-17. Borrowed Time showed up on the regular in 2001-02, and again for three shows in 2010. Midnight Ride made one appearance in 2019 and, before that, for a half dozen shows in 2007. Love in the Midnight made one appearance in 2014.
But yeah...they hit the hits hard. And I don't think they'll be busting out Jennifer for the "me too" generation. If setlist.fm is to be believed, they only played that song once on the Crystal Ball tour and once as part of a medley in 1996.
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That was probably a rhetorical question, but Lorelei, Suite Madame Blue (a top five Styx song in my book), Boat on the River, Light Up and Lights were in regular rotation in 2019-20. They did I'm O.K. in 2016-17. Borrowed Time showed up on the regular in 2001-02, and again for three shows in 2010. Midnight Ride made one appearance in 2019 and, before that, for a half dozen shows in 2007. Love in the Midnight made one appearance in 2014.
But yeah...they hit the hits hard. And I don't think they'll be busting out Jennifer for the "me too" generation. If setlist.fm is to be believed, they only played that song once on the Crystal Ball tour and once as part of a medley in 1996.
Okay, but most of the bolded there are not deep cuts (Lorelei used to always get played, Light Up is a classic rock radio mainstay, Suite Madame Blue was always a live mainstay back in the day). However, that is good to see that some of those others have gotten played.
Good point about Jennifer. :lol Ballerina is a killer tune with some smoking guitar work, but that is likely too much of a Dennis deep cut to play.
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That was probably a rhetorical question, but Lorelei, Suite Madame Blue (a top five Styx song in my book), Boat on the River, Light Up and Lights were in regular rotation in 2019-20. They did I'm O.K. in 2016-17. Borrowed Time showed up on the regular in 2001-02, and again for three shows in 2010. Midnight Ride made one appearance in 2019 and, before that, for a half dozen shows in 2007. Love in the Midnight made one appearance in 2014.
But yeah...they hit the hits hard. And I don't think they'll be busting out Jennifer for the "me too" generation. If setlist.fm is to be believed, they only played that song once on the Crystal Ball tour and once as part of a medley in 1996.
Okay, but most of the bolded there are not deep cuts (Lorelei used to always get played, Light Up is a classic rock radio mainstay, Suite Madame Blue was always a live mainstay back in the day). However, that is good to see that some of those others have gotten played.
Good point about Jennifer. :lol Ballerina is a killer tune with some smoking guitar work, but that is likely too much of a Dennis deep cut to play.
I agree, but in the Styx world, you don't have to go too deep to be a "deep cut," and I was mainly going for stuff not on Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight and Paradise Theater (the first two of which were played in their entirety). Frankly, I'd love to see something from the Wooden Nickel albums that isn't Lady. Rock & Roll Feeling would be a great way to open a show, and Man of Miracles and a few others would be good too.
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Don't forget Plexiglass Toilet. :P
The Grove of Eglantine is a very nice tune, but given that it's about a vagina, I don't see that one happening. :lol :lol
Best Thing from the debut is very nice as well.
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I personally feel that their all time greatest song doesn’t get enough attention or setlist attention it deserves.
CASTLE FREAKING WALLS
Yes, they pull it out during complete album runs, but I think it needs to be much more prominent in the setlist than just relegating it to only playing it when they feel like playing all of TGI.
Maybe rotate it with Madame Blue in the “epic closer” portion of the set.
EDIT - And while we’re at it...why not bust out Prelude 12 to intro Madame Blue? My local rock station ALWAYS played them together when busting out that song. The first time I heard Madame Blue without the intro, it was quite the letdown.
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Don't forget Plexiglass Toilet. :P
Dude...that song is the shit! :)
I personally feel that their all time greatest song doesn’t get enough attention or setlist attention it deserves.
CASTLE FREAKING WALLS
Yes, they pull it out during complete album runs, but I think it needs to be much more prominent in the setlist than just relegating it to only playing it when they feel like playing all of TGI.
Maybe rotate it with Madame Blue in the “epic closer” portion of the set.
EDIT - And while we’re at it...why not bust out Prelude 12 to intro Madame Blue? My local rock station ALWAYS played them together when busting out that song. The first time I heard Madame Blue without the intro, it was quite the letdown.
Honestly, I hadn't given Prelude 12 any thought in AGES, but yeah, that would be cool. The only reason I can think of for not doing it is that it was a JC thing, but whatever.
As far as Castle Walls.... Great song? Absolutely. All time greatest? Nah.... But again, yeah, bust out some more obscure tracks for sure!
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Castle Walls is definitely most awesome. Glad I got to see it two years ago when DDY was here and played all of The Grand Illusion.
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New album coming in June, called Crash of the Crown. If it's even close to as good as The Mission, I will be ecstatic. :hat :hat
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OH HELL YEAH!! 1ST SONG!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtCpmFDVhII
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I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the new song!! Fuck yes :hat
The opening part in 5/8 is awesome.
This has to be another concept album
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I may have posted this before. But, I was driving behind this car a few years ago and actually pulled into the parking lot behind it because I needed to get a picture. There are certain bands you think of with people doing customized plates or stickers on their cars to celebrate. I'm not knocking Styx because I enjoy their music. But, in the mid 2010's, I never expected to see this. Good on them for flying the Styx flag!
(https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.blackenedtrading.net%2Fuploads%2FIMG_2807.jpg&hash=c7edaded27881ef7518bce8f5cfec1f23c45eff4)
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Dueling Styx with Dennis' new CD close to release also: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUzp4FJ0tCM
I don't like The Mission at all. No reason to listen to it, I hope to like this one better.
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Loved "The Mission" and it's still in rotation.
DDY's last solo album was pretty good too, although I admit I put it away after a couple of spins and haven't really felt compelled to go back to it.
I'll probably check out the new one on Amazon.com music but I didn't care enough about the last one to buy it and where this one is "Part 2" I have a feeling it's going to end up the same way.
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James Young drives a Honda?
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JY's voice is starting to sound like a parody, but still an interesting tune. I am expecting a lot of songs with Tommy on lead vocals still to come. I expect this to be another good one. :coolio
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OH HELL YEAH!! 1ST SONG!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mtCpmFDVhII
VERY cool. Very much a Queen vibe toward the end and definitely has an "overturish" feel to it.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rfL2jy7-Ic
Second Dennis single, this one with Tom Morello.
I liked the first Styx single better than what was on The Mission so hopefully the album will be good. I know most disagree but for me, No Dennis = No Styx. Gowan is a solid journeyman, Dennis is an all timer. Taking Dennis or Tommy out of Styx is like taking Bruce or Steve out of Maiden for me; still good but not the real band.
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Dennis took himself out of Styx with his actions.
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Dennis took himself out of Styx with his actions.
Yep. Even though I am not a fan of the way JY has dogged him at times over the years, and Tommy to a lesser degree, Dennis not being in the band anymore is his own fault.
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Dennis took himself out of Styx with his actions.
Yep. Even though I am not a fan of the way JY has dogged him at times over the years, and Tommy to a lesser degree, Dennis not being in the band anymore is his own fault.
And he absolutely was the music linchpin. But, sometimes power gets to bandmates.
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It's too bad they can't all kiss and make up. Hell, let Gowan stay AND bring back DDY. What a live group that would be. Gowan could play supplemental keys and piano and sing backing vocals on the DDY material and lead vocals on the stuff from Cyclorama and The Mission and the new album. It would be a win/win/win.
I don't see it happening, though.
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https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dennis-deyoung-tommy-shaw-said-no-to-styx-reunion-tour/
Ugh.
At this point, I wish Dennis would just shut up about it. It's been 20+ freaking years. The band has moved on. You need to as well.
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Dennis made his bed. Go back to you JY & Tommy actors for your tour.
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Cause everybody, every STYX fan would like to see that one more time.
I wonder if how true this is.
Shaw went on to say that he is content to let the past remain in the past, choosing instead to surround himself with positivity as he enters the next part of his career. He continued: "Personality-wise, at this stage in my life, I want to be happy. I want to be around people who love me and that have my best interest at heart, and I don't have to fight with.
Amen, Tommy.
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Anyone notice the ship-leaving-the-atmosphere stock footage in the new lyric video?
On the left are screen caps from Transatlantic's "Reaching For The Sky" and on the right, screen caps from the new Styx video.
(https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.6435-9/fr/cp0/e15/q65/195807876_10102817346861481_7571684478470471683_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-3&_nc_sid=ca434c&efg=eyJpIjoidCJ9&_nc_ohc=m6KPhRvFcIAAX-tbl98&_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.xx&tp=14&oh=09f8e20f95afb6fc9fc143cfe9dd0992&oe=60E0D07E)
Guess it's a popular clip to use!
-Marc.
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Cause everybody, every STYX fan would like to see that one more time.
I wonder if how true this is.
Shaw went on to say that he is content to let the past remain in the past, choosing instead to surround himself with positivity as he enters the next part of his career. He continued: "Personality-wise, at this stage in my life, I want to be happy. I want to be around people who love me and that have my best interest at heart, and I don't have to fight with.
Amen, Tommy.
I am sure not EVERY Styx fan wants to see it, but I am sure there are plenty of fans who do not see the band anymore who would again if Dennis were back in the band. I can say I am one of them, while acknowledging that it's Dennis' own fault that he is not in the band anymore and that he needs to get over it. That said, he is now 74 (I looked it up :lol), so in his mind he has to be thinking he doesn't have many tours or years left, so if a Styx reunion is going to happen, it needs to happen ASAP.
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Another new song from the forthcoming Styx record:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkR4ZuaSRpI
Seems a lot better than the first one, even with Gowan on lead vocals. ;)
We need some new Styx songs with Tommy on lead vocals soon, though. :hat :hat
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I like the new song as well.
Tommy just sounds adamant that it will never happen again.
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They spent a bit of time discussing this when Tommy and James were on Dan Rather's Big Interview, so Dennis saying he doesn't know why seems disingenuous.
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They spent a bit of time discussing this when Tommy and James were on Dan Rather's Big Interview, so Dennis saying he doesn't know why seems disingenuous.
Very true. It was odd to see Lawrence there when they were getting asked about Dennis.
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They spent a bit of time discussing this when Tommy and James were on Dan Rather's Big Interview, so Dennis saying he doesn't know why seems disingenuous.
Feels like he is trying to portray himself to the public as the good guy here, like, "Hey, I want the reunion, but the guys won't budge." And the odd thing, too, is that of the classic lineup, it's not like the rest is intact. Drummer John died 25 years ago, and bass player Chuck only makes the occasional appearance. And I am pretty sure the current bass player came into the band after DDY's departure, so they have no prior working relationship.
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yeah they never worked together. When Dennis was out they brought Glen back in the band and he played bass and they brought Lawrence in. They toured a year and made Cyclorama. Glen left and they brought Ricky in and did the cover album.
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Another new song from the forthcoming Styx record:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkR4ZuaSRpI
Seems a lot better than the first one, even with Gowan on lead vocals. ;)
We need some new Styx songs with Tommy on lead vocals soon, though. :hat :hat
It's OK in a minimalistic kind of way. I like the keyboard, there's nothing much in the vocal melodies though. I hope there's much better on the album, this sounds like a throwaway track that is album worthy but in the bottom 50% of quality of a good album.
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Another new song from the forthcoming Styx record:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkR4ZuaSRpI
Seems a lot better than the first one, even with Gowan on lead vocals. ;)
We need some new Styx songs with Tommy on lead vocals soon, though. :hat :hat
It's OK in a minimalistic kind of way. I like the keyboard, there's nothing much in the vocal melodies though. I hope there's much better on the album, this sounds like a throwaway track that is album worthy but in the bottom 50% of quality of a good album.
I agree, but the first song we heard from The Mission was Gone, Gone, Gone, which was easily one of the two or three least best ones from that one. Most of the best songs from it were album cuts that were unheard till the album dropped, and I am hopeful that will be the case again this time. I am not overly optimistic, as releasing an album as good as The Mission at this late stage of the game was pretty shocking, and it might be unrealistic to think that they can catch lightning in a bottle again this quickly, but I am hopeful.
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https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dennis-deyoung-tommy-shaw-said-no-to-styx-reunion-tour/
Ugh.
At this point, I wish Dennis would just shut up about it. It's been 20+ freaking years. The band has moved on. You need to as well.
After hearing the actual interview (below), I rescind my earlier post. Dennis was asked about it, and just gave an honest answer. And as I said to Joe offline earlier, the more I think about it, the more I realize that Dennis' story throughout the years has never changed, while Tommy and JY are always being evasive or giving answers that do not necessarily line up with prior ones, making me think that maybe Dennis isn't the bad guy that they have portrayed him to be. Not saying he is blameless, but this "Tommy and JY are the good guys and had to rid themselves of Dennis and his Broadway shlock" narrative really sounds like a load of crap when you really dig into it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij1tMw50k5Y
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I agree that Tommy & JY have acted childish with their verbal jabs over the years.
I do think that Dennis and his actions lead to both guitarists jabbing for 2 decades.
In the end, he wants one more day in the son for the 50th, and the band wants nothing to do with him.
I love Styx and loved their greatest output un the 70's but sometimes a marriage goes sour. This is the reality.
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Yep, a reunion would not work well since there'd be too animosity.
It's a small comfort, but Dennis should rest easy knowing that, decades after he and the rest of the Styx lineup are dead and gone, most of the songs they will be remembered for will be ones he wrote.
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I'm glad he finally woke up and made the music he should have.
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It's a small comfort, but Dennis should rest easy knowing that, decades after he and the rest of the Styx lineup are dead and gone, most of the songs they will be remembered for will be ones he wrote.
I could've sworn I said something along these lines earlier in the thread and got attacked by the Tommy Police.
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Because Dennis is his own problem. His actions in the past lead to this. This is why I side with Tommy, why I side with Neal Schon ect.
Power corrupts.
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I just think there is likely plenty of blame to go around.
I still think it's funny that Dennis' replacement, in over 20 years with the band, is the sole writer of a grand total of, wait for it, zero Styx songs (we'll see if that changes when the new album is out). :eek :eek But hey, he can twirl his keyboard a lot. :lol :lol
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Kev-Team Dennis
Joe-Team Tommy
Is this right?
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I am not anti-Tommy by any means. I still love the Damn Yankees records (shut it! :P), still listen to his Girls with Guns album from the 80's, which I had never heard until a few years ago, often, and the Shaw/Blades stuff is great. I just don't think this is black and white situation.
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I am not anti-Tommy by any means.
Just because you're Team Dennis does not make you anti Tommy.
Pick a side. Have a spine! :lol
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Fine, I am Team Panozzo brothers. :biggrin: :biggrin:
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Fine, I am Team Panozzo brothers. :biggrin: :biggrin:
That's another cop out.
Team John OR Team Chuck? :lol
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Team Panozzo brothers!!
(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/FlimsyImpossibleBoubou-max-1mb.gif)
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I see Kev tailors a swift response.
I don't get it, but...
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:lol :lol
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Team Tommy representing. I like Dennis but obviously there was a band revolt for a reason. Just like why Journey went on with different singers.
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https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dennis-deyoung-tommy-shaw-said-no-to-styx-reunion-tour/
Ugh.
At this point, I wish Dennis would just shut up about it. It's been 20+ freaking years. The band has moved on. You need to as well.
After hearing the actual interview (below), I rescind my earlier post. Dennis was asked about it, and just gave an honest answer. And as I said to Joe offline earlier, the more I think about it, the more I realize that Dennis' story throughout the years has never changed, while Tommy and JY are always being evasive or giving answers that do not necessarily line up with prior ones, making me think that maybe Dennis isn't the bad guy that they have portrayed him to be. Not saying he is blameless, but this "Tommy and JY are the good guys and had to rid themselves of Dennis and his Broadway shlock" narrative really sounds like a load of crap when you really dig into it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ij1tMw50k5Y
I love a lot of Tommy's stuff. My opinion, totally conjecture:
Tommy wanted nothing to do with Dennis after Kilroy. Ironic that the man who couldn't write about robots could write about a mission to Mars. Though, admittedly it was 30+ years later. Tommy realized that the Styx name was the cash cow. So he "made up" with Dennis and rejoined. JY doesn't care who is in Styx as long as he is but he has more in common musically with Tommy than Dennis.
Tommy bides his time until the time is right to dump Dennis. He's rid of the guy he doesn't like and he gets the Styx name to fill the arenas. It was Tommy or Dennis but Tommy had to get back in to get Dennis out.
I don't like The Mission that much, I think it's medicore. On the other hand I didn't want Styx to become Barry Manilow with harmonies (and I love Barry) so I'm not all in on Dennis. I love Girls with Guns and What If. And I love Tommy's Kilroy and prior stuff. I am not anti Tommy. But I think this was the plan all along. Get back in Styx, get JY to agree to boot Dennis and, voila, it's Tommy's band and sold out arenas.
I hope the new Styx CD is great. So far I prefer the two Dennis singles to the two Styx singles.
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Either I never realized it, or I totally forgot, that Tommy left the band for a while. When was this? I was a pretty big Styx fan in the 70's, but they lost me around Cornerstone and I never picked up Paradise Theater. They seemed to be mostly repeating themselves, cashing in on the formula, and the occassional ventures into new territory didn't work for me.
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I love a lot of Tommy's stuff. My opinion, totally conjecture:
Tommy wanted nothing to do with Dennis after Kilroy. Ironic that the man who couldn't write about robots could write about a mission to Mars. Though, admittedly it was 30+ years later. Tommy realized that the Styx name was the cash cow. So he "made up" with Dennis and rejoined. JY doesn't care who is in Styx as long as he is but he has more in common musically with Tommy than Dennis.
Tommy bides his time until the time is right to dump Dennis. He's rid of the guy he doesn't like and he gets the Styx name to fill the arenas. It was Tommy or Dennis but Tommy had to get back in to get Dennis out.
I don't like The Mission that much, I think it's medicore. On the other hand I didn't want Styx to become Barry Manilow with harmonies (and I love Barry). I love Girls with Guns and What If. And I love Tommy's Kilroy and prior stuff. I am not anti Tommy. But I think this was the plan all along. Get back in Styx, get JY to agree to boot Dennis and, voila, it's Tommy's band and sold out arenas.
I hope the new Styx CD is great. So far I prefer the two Dennis singles to the two Styx singles.
Some interesting points.
Regarding biding his time, it is interesting to note that the Styx reunion in '96 came right after the Shaw/Blades project went belly up. I really liked the album, but I remember that the planned tour was canceled due to lack of interest. And Ted Nugent had made it clear that he wanted to stick with solo career again, so the Damn Yankees was not an option. So hey why not make up with Dennis. And to Tommy's credit, he took another crack at the solo career with 7 Deadly Zens (an album I still love to this day), but that failed to make much of a dent. And then Damn Yankees attempted a 3rd album in the late 90's, but the magic was not there and they abandoned the idea, so Tommy basically had nada left except Styx, so once Dennis could not tour to being sick (it's not like he just didn't want to do it), Tommy saw his chance to snag control of the Styx name and executed a major power move, which had paid off. Props to him.
As for the Kilroy era, I have always chuckled at revisionist history of that album by Tommy and JY. Check the songs. JY and Tommy wrote the majority of that album, not Dennis. :lol :lol I am sure the tour wasn't fun, and I totally get that, but for them to slag the album is basically them slagging themselves.
I can't get a lot of love to Tommy's What If album, but Girls with Guns is damn good from start to finish, and Ambition is mostly very good as well, despite the more 80's sounding drum machine bits.
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Either I never realized it, or I totally forgot, that Tommy left the band for a while. When was this? I was a pretty big Styx fan in the 70's, but they lost me around Cornerstone and I never picked up Paradise Theater. They seemed to be mostly repeating themselves, cashing in on the formula, and the occassional ventures into new territory didn't work for me.
Tommy was not in the band for the 1990 album or that tour. That was the first time I saw Styx (my 3rd concert ever). I think he departed shortly after the Kilroy tour and did not return till the mid 90's.
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I can't get a lot of love to Tommy's What If album, but Girls with Guns is damn good from start to finish, and Ambition is mostly very good as well, despite the more 80's sounding drum machine bits.
I love "What If". I never liked Ambition or 7 Deadly Zens. The former sounded too "generic rock" without the signature Shaw sounds and the latter was just inconsistent and mediocre. That said, it's been a few years, I need to give them both another shot.
I just listened to Girls With Guns and What If and very definitely love those. Listened to the whole Styx discography with the albums out soon. Tommy albums were amazing except too much schmaltz on Cornerstone. Not a single album I like since Kilroy. Brave New World is the worst. I hadn't listened in years. Thought it would be fun. Good God that was bad.
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I've seen Styx 4 times (twice with Dennis in 1996 & 1997 and twice without in 2001 & 2003). I've also seen Dennis' solo band twice around 2010 & 2011 or so. All of the shows were enjoyable and fun for their own reasons.
I have no desire to see Styx again unless Dennis is there. I do think there was a difference - in 2001 & 2003, they seemed much more up-tempo and "rockin," which at the time, I loved. But Dennis just has that untouchable voice. He hasn't lost a step, and I much prefer hearing him sing those classic songs than Gowan.
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I love "What If". I never liked Ambition or 7 Deadly Zens. The former sounded too "generic rock" without the signature Shaw sounds and the latter was just inconsistent and mediocre. That said, it's been a few years, I need to give them both another shot.
I just listened to Girls With Guns and What If and very definitely love those. Listened to the whole Styx discography with the albums out soon. Tommy albums were amazing except too much schmaltz on Cornerstone. Not a single album I like since Kilroy. Brave New World is the worst. I hadn't listened in years. Thought it would be fun. Good God that was bad.
Brave New World has a few good songs (I like Heavy Water a lot), but the majority of it sucks dirty swamp water.
Cyclorama is more miss than hit, but the good ones are excellent. One with Everything and These Are the Times are both killer songs.
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I like the new singles. Looking forward to the new album.
But I can't lie, I wish the major players would kiss and make up for the sake of a final tour.
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Either I never realized it, or I totally forgot, that Tommy left the band for a while. When was this? I was a pretty big Styx fan in the 70's, but they lost me around Cornerstone and I never picked up Paradise Theater. They seemed to be mostly repeating themselves, cashing in on the formula, and the occassional ventures into new territory didn't work for me.
Tommy was not in the band for the 1990 album or that tour. That was the first time I saw Styx (my 3rd concert ever). I think he departed shortly after the Kilroy tour and did not return till the mid 90's.
Thanks for that. I guess I had forgotten that.
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I love "What If". I never liked Ambition or 7 Deadly Zens. The former sounded too "generic rock" without the signature Shaw sounds and the latter was just inconsistent and mediocre. That said, it's been a few years, I need to give them both another shot.
I just listened to Girls With Guns and What If and very definitely love those. Listened to the whole Styx discography with the albums out soon. Tommy albums were amazing except too much schmaltz on Cornerstone. Not a single album I like since Kilroy. Brave New World is the worst. I hadn't listened in years. Thought it would be fun. Good God that was bad.
Brave New World has a few good songs (I like Heavy Water a lot), but the majority of it sucks dirty swamp water.
Cyclorama is more miss than hit, but the good ones are excellent. One with Everything and These Are the Times are both killer songs.
Agreed! These Are the Times is a top tier Styx song. :hat
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I haven't done a top 50 list that I count down in a long while...might be time to scrape one together for Styx. :hat
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The definition of scrape...
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The definition of scrape...
Go to bad old man.
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Yeah!! Bad old man!!
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Duh.
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I spoke with Dennis today...the interview was supposed to last 30 minutes, but we ended up talking for almost an hour. Really cool guy to talk to, very entertaining, funny and endearing. I know he has an axe to grind with the other Styx guys, and he's not shy to say that, but I really enjoyed the conversation.
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I spoke with Dennis today...
I love reading stuff like that. I'll probably never sit down and have a chat with anyone famous, for reasons professional, personal, or otherwise, but I think it would be cool as hell.
I was jamming one time with one of my buddies back in Michigan, and we got into a discussion about some song (I forget which; I think it was by King Crimson), and he goes "Well, I was talking to Bill Bruford the other day, and..." Asshole. I say that with a smile, because it's just his way of casually bragging, and he knows I'm jealous. Apparently he'd been to the King Crimson show a few nights before, and got a chance to go backstage and meet the band. He'd managed to strike up an online friendship with Adrian Belew (this was back during the double trio era), and saw him outside before the show and introduced himself. Adrian told him to catch him after the show, so he did, and he got to meet Bruford, Levin, Fripp, and the others.
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I spoke with Dennis today...the interview was supposed to last 30 minutes, but we ended up talking for almost an hour. Really cool guy to talk to, very entertaining, funny and endearing. I know he has an axe to grind with the other Styx guys, and he's not shy to say that, but I really enjoyed the conversation.
Nice. He is always nothing but personable, engaging and funny in literally every interview I have ever seen with him. You know he is proud of his life's work and he damn well should be. :coolio :coolio
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Smiling while holding an axe. Perfect. Lol
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Well, if someone delivers an axe to you first, then you have the right to swing one back, right? (metaphorically of course)
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You know I was provoking you. Lol
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(https://thumbs.gfycat.com/WillingDeadAnglerfish-size_restricted.gif)
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Honestly, all are to blame. Relationships gone bad.
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Speaking of blah, blah, did you see that Styx released an EP last week with two new songs? I guess as a precursor to the new studio album coming out this week. I thought both songs were pretty blah. My expectations have been tempered big time now for the new album, and I will likely try before buying. All of these new songs not being very impressive makes me think the lightning in a bottle they captured on The Mission went away as quickly as it appeared.
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Crap. I missed this.
Btw, one of the old DTF'ERS (Atliator) is in a Styx cover band. Dennis Atlas. They already play Crash of the Crown live. They sound amazing.
https://youtu.be/zAypw3H2ENQ
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Do I need to see a cover band playing a Styx song that sounds blah when played by the actual band Styx*? :P
*Really the fake Styx since there is no Dennis, but we can call them the "actual band Styx" in this instance. ;)
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Kev, their band is amazing. That's only one song. I'd say 85% is classic. Check them out. They are great.
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Crash of the Crown is pretty boring. I loved the old Styx so much, but their modern stuff. :\
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Crash of the Crown is pretty boring. I loved the old Styx so much, but their modern stuff. :\
Boring? Nothing about that that song is boring. The second song released (Reveries) was average. Like the chorus a lot though.
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Crash of the Crown is pretty boring. I loved the old Styx so much, but their modern stuff. :\
Boring? Nothing about that that song is boring. The second song released (Reveries) was average. Like the chorus a lot though.
My bad... I meant the album.... ;D :'(
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Ooooh! I'll let you know when I get it.
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Not sure what to think of the new record. Tons of good harmonies, but it seemed like every song ended way too soon. Feels like one of those albums where I think, "this is pretty good," and then end up never listening to it. Time will tell.
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2 listens and I really like it. I do agree with Kev that most songs are very short and some feel like there should be another verse but I think that was done purposely.
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.
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..
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I may like it more than The Mission (but I didn't like The Mission). I think over time it will be dragged down by being a bit samey. I like "Our Wonderful Lives" a lot.
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I really like the new album. Lots of good stuff. Nothing overstays its welcome.
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Not sure what to think of the new record. Tons of good harmonies, but it seemed like every song ended way too soon. Feels like one of those albums where I think, "this is pretty good," and then end up never listening to it. Time will tell.
Pretty much. Just finished my first (and likely last) run through of it. Pretty enjoyable, but entirely forgettable. Not a single track longer than 4:00. I'm really tired of bands releasing 40-ish minutes of music, then charging a full album's price. This ain't the 70s anymore. Part of my album buying criteria now includes how much music I'm getting for the price.
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I think they went into making this album with a mindset of short songs.
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I think they went into making this album with a mindset of short songs.
Then they succeeded!
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:lol
I like the album a lot but i can admit i felt there were songs I felt like there was another verse was coming but the song ended.
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There's a fine line between leaving them wanting more, and leaving them disappointed that there wasn't any more. I guess I can understand wanting to get back to shorter songs as a deliberate step away from the semi-proggy stuff, but there's still such thing as a well-written song, and I think a well-written song can push four or five minutes without feeling padded out or trying to be prog.
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These songs were definitely semi-proggy IMO.
I don't know, I'm a little tired of every "proggy" album having to be 2 discs with a 75-minute epic. Bigger is not always better. I thought it was nice to get a smaller does with tasteful amounts of progginess.
*shrugs*
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I totally get that, but I think they swung the pendulum too far the other way, and most of the songs end up having that, "Wait, that's it?" feel.
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Here's my chat with Dennis DeYoung, guys. If you have any comments, please post them on the YouTube video, and not here: https://youtu.be/8MIdQt5qYng
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Here's my chat with Dennis DeYoung, guys. If you have any comments, please post them on the YouTube video, and not here: https://youtu.be/8MIdQt5qYng
Nice work! Dennis is still so full of energy, and once he gets going with a thought, best to just let him go. :lol The Styx fallout will always be in the pink elephant in the room, so I have no issues with asking him about it or his answers. I always figured that it was JY that had the problem with Dennis and that Tommy went along with it, but it appears evident at this point that it is the opposite.
Sorry, while they can be entertaining to read, I try to avoid posting in the YT comment section at all costs (I think I have maybe 4-5 over like 10 years :lol), so my comments went here. :biggrin:
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Here's my chat with Dennis DeYoung, guys. If you have any comments, please post them on the YouTube video, and not here: https://youtu.be/8MIdQt5qYng
Nice work! Dennis is still so full of energy, and once he gets going with a thought, best to just let him go. :lol The Styx fallout will always be in the pink elephant in the room, so I have no issues with asking him about it or his answers. I always figured that it was JY that had the problem with Dennis and that Tommy went along with it, but it appears evident at this point that it is the opposite.
Sorry, while they can be entertaining to read, I try to avoid posting in the YT comment section at all costs (I think I have maybe 4-5 over like 10 years :lol), so my comments went here. :biggrin:
Thanks anyway! Yeah, he was great to talk to...I knew very little about him and Styx before I agreed to do the interview, and I'm happy I got to know their back catalogue now.
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OK, I've now had the opportunity to listen to this new album a few times and it's AWESOME! I was skeptical that they'd be able to top The Mission which was my album of the year when it came out, but this new one is even better. This might be the best thing they've released in a couple of decades. Definitely better than Cyclorama, slightly better than The Mission. I'd put this album up against anything in their entire catalog with and without DDY. Right now I've got it at 4 stars but it might go higher.
I don't care that the songs are short, they all kind of blend into each other and this feels more like a long, continuous epic to me.
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OK, I've now had the opportunity to listen to this new album a few times and it's AWESOME! I was skeptical that they'd be able to top The Mission which was my album of the year when it came out, but this new one is even better. This might be the best thing they've released in a couple of decades. Definitely better than Cyclorama, slightly better than The Mission. I'd put this album up against anything in their entire catalog with and without DDY. Right now I've got it at 4 stars but it might go higher.
I don't care that the songs are short, they all kind of blend into each other and this feels more like a long, continuous epic to me.
Anyone who compares this to the classics like Paradise Theater just loses me, it's not as good and it's not the same band. They're down to one songwriter and he needs a non Styx co-writer. I like it, though. It's too samey and bland to be really good but for this point in Shaw's career it's a solid effort.
Not sure if I like this or Dennis' new stuff better. The two combined would have been nice :)
I combined the two 26 East Deyoung albums into one. I deleted "With All Due Respect" - don't need a 70 year old singing about "assholes", 'St. Quarantine" - stupid and Grand Finale as it's just a dumb rehash of The Grand Finale on Grand Illusion. Too bad Dennis didn't do a true Grand Finale but whatever.
Then I moved "To the Good Old Days" and "AD 2020" (may rename to AD 2021) to the very end of the now 19 track album. As this is Dennis' last album those two at the end fit well; not sure why he ended Volume 1 with them.
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I wouldn't put Paradise Theater in the top tier, as for me, their best albums are that 4-album run of Equinox, Crystal Ball, The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight. Nothing else touches those for me. That said, The Mission, which I mostly loved, might be my 5th favorite. It really was that good. No, it didn't touch those classics from the 70's, but it was light years better than anything they had done since then, IMO. The new one is okay, but just way too much musical blue balls with all of those truncated songs for me to really enjoy. Too bad, cause they came up with some killer choruses with those harmonies, but just not enough around them in most cases.
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OK, I've now had the opportunity to listen to this new album a few times and it's AWESOME! I was skeptical that they'd be able to top The Mission which was my album of the year when it came out, but this new one is even better. This might be the best thing they've released in a couple of decades. Definitely better than Cyclorama, slightly better than The Mission. I'd put this album up against anything in their entire catalog with and without DDY. Right now I've got it at 4 stars but it might go higher.
I don't care that the songs are short, they all kind of blend into each other and this feels more like a long, continuous epic to me.
Anyone who compares this to the classics like Paradise Theater just loses me, it's not as good and it's not the same band. They're down to one songwriter and he needs a non Styx co-writer. I like it, though. It's too samey and bland to be really good but for this point in Shaw's career it's a solid effort.
Not sure if I like this or Dennis' new stuff better. The two combined would have been nice :)
I combined the two 26 East Deyoung albums into one. I deleted "With All Due Respect" - don't need a 70 year old singing about "assholes", 'St. Quarantine" - stupid and Grand Finale as it's just a dumb rehash of The Grand Finale on Grand Illusion. Too bad Dennis didn't do a true Grand Finale but whatever.
Then I moved "To the Good Old Days" and "AD 2020" (may rename to AD 2021) to the very end of the now 19 track album. As this is Dennis' last album those two at the end fit well; not sure why he ended Volume 1 with them.
So let's compare it to DDY's new album. I like the Styx album better. It's more consistent. Dennis was the main writer in the classics Styx's lineup yet his new album is spotty. So songwriting premise has no legs.
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So let's compare it to DDY's new album. I like the Styx album better. It's more consistent. Dennis was the main writer in the classics Styx's lineup yet his new album is spotty. So songwriting premise has no legs.
Perhaps, but it's still hilarious that the guy they replaced DDT with has still, in over 20 years with the band, yet to write a single song by himself with the band, assuming the credits for the new album I saw online are correct, but if they are not and Gowan did write a song or two to bring his total up to one or two, by all means correct me. :P
I haven't heard DDY's new album as I thought Volume 1 was largely forgettable, and the two new songs I heard from Volume 2 were okay (Isle of Misanthrope sounds like classic Styx in the verses, but I thought the chorus fell a bit flat), but at least he is writing songs. You know I am not a fan of Gowan, but I'd have a lot more respect for him as a member of the band if he was writing songs for them, but he can't even bring that to the table.
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OK, I've now had the opportunity to listen to this new album a few times and it's AWESOME! I was skeptical that they'd be able to top The Mission which was my album of the year when it came out, but this new one is even better. This might be the best thing they've released in a couple of decades. Definitely better than Cyclorama, slightly better than The Mission. I'd put this album up against anything in their entire catalog with and without DDY. Right now I've got it at 4 stars but it might go higher.
I don't care that the songs are short, they all kind of blend into each other and this feels more like a long, continuous epic to me.
Anyone who compares this to the classics like Paradise Theater just loses me, it's not as good and it's not the same band. They're down to one songwriter and he needs a non Styx co-writer. I like it, though. It's too samey and bland to be really good but for this point in Shaw's career it's a solid effort.
Not sure if I like this or Dennis' new stuff better. The two combined would have been nice :)
I combined the two 26 East Deyoung albums into one. I deleted "With All Due Respect" - don't need a 70 year old singing about "assholes", 'St. Quarantine" - stupid and Grand Finale as it's just a dumb rehash of The Grand Finale on Grand Illusion. Too bad Dennis didn't do a true Grand Finale but whatever.
Then I moved "To the Good Old Days" and "AD 2020" (may rename to AD 2021) to the very end of the now 19 track album. As this is Dennis' last album those two at the end fit well; not sure why he ended Volume 1 with them.
So let's compare it to DDY's new album. I like the Styx album better. It's more consistent. Dennis was the main writer in the classics Styx's lineup yet his new album is spotty. So songwriting premise has no legs.
The Styx album is more consistent because it all sounds the same ;)
I'm OK with CotC, same with Dennis'. Tommy and Dennis have both long since written their best stuff and neither is as good without the other. CotC is good for what it is. It just shouldn't be compared to the classics. Compared to everything since Kilroy? Sure because they all range from bad to just OK.
Just saw that Will Evanovich was announced as in Styx now. But live he was in the back on the two tracks I saw. Kind of weird and awkward:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEM8QQWaSNo
They'd be better together, too bad it's ending this way.
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Perhaps, but it's still hilarious that the guy they replaced DDT with has still, in over 20 years with the band, yet to write a single song by himself with the band, assuming the credits for the new album I saw online are correct, but if they are not and Gowan did write a song or two to bring his total up to one or two, by all means correct me. :P
Alright, I will! Gowan wrote Lost at Sea on the new album. :tup
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Perhaps, but it's still hilarious that the guy they replaced DDT with has still, in over 20 years with the band, yet to write a single song by himself with the band, assuming the credits for the new album I saw online are correct, but if they are not and Gowan did write a song or two to bring his total up to one or two, by all means correct me. :P
Alright, I will! Gowan wrote Lost at Sea on the new album. :tup
10-4, I stand corrected. I will now give mad props to Gowan for having one sole songwriting credit in 20+ years with the band, that one being a song that is 38 seconds long. :lol :lol
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Kev, don't make me razz you about songwriting. Rush rarely had sole songwriting credits. Does that lessen their songwriting skills?
I know you know the answer and why they did that.
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Kev, don't make me razz you about songwriting. Rush rarely had sole songwriting credits. Does that lessen their songwriting skills?
I know you know the answer and why they did that.
Big difference, though, as Rush was always a collaborative effort (Neil writing the lyrics, Geddy and Alex writing the music), while Styx over the years has largely been either one man writing the song or maybe a collaborative effort between a couple (like DDY and Shaw writing songs together during their prime). From what I can tell, Tommy Shaw's most prolific collaborator since DDY's departure in Styx is a guy who was never even a member of the band until literally this month. The point, of course, being that Gowan has not pulled his weight when it comes to songwriting since joining the band, especially when you consider the guy he replaced.
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It's been group writing from Cyclorama though so there obviously was a team change in writing.
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It's been group writing from Cyclorama though so there obviously was a team change in writing.
I am guessing that was a calculated decision, so they could portray themselves as a real band post-DDY ("see, we write and work together now!"), rather than a real collaboration between the entire band. And even if you look at the writing credits for The Mission, Tommy Shaw and Will Evankovich did most of the heavy lifting when it came to the writing, with Young and Gowan throwing some crumbs into the pile.
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It that evil or something those against Tommy try to use against the band? If so, why has Gowan left?
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It that evil or something those against Tommy try to use against the band? If so, why has Gowan left?
I am guessing auto-correct butchered your post :lol, but based on what I think you are asking...
Why would Gowan leave? This has to be the best paying gig he's ever had, and he gets to play and sing a lot of lot of classic rock mainstays (none of which he had any part in writing or creating) while doing so. It is probably a dream gig for him. And he seems to get along with the guys from Styx really well, so it's win-win.
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Yeah. I was saying if Tommy was so controlling with the songwriting why would Lawrence stay for 20 years?
See my point?
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Yes, I see your point, but not sure if it is a case of Tommy being controlling as it is Gowan have little to nothing to offer with regards to writing, so he is probably content with his position. He gets paid to tour every year being a part of a brand he had no part in building to where it has gotten, and likely gets paid nicely for doing so. As I said, it is probably a dream gig for him.
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He was a Juno Ward winner and sold a ton of records as a solo artist in Canada. He was doing well but for sure Styx opens him up to a whole (brave? Lol) new world.
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It's pretty easy to be OK to not be a factor in songwriting when you are part of a cash cow (although I bet Gowan's cut is a lot less than Shaw's is or Dennis' would be). We know who the contributors are based on the credits. Gowan is not a major contributor.
I'm not anti Tommy - I thought The Mission was OK and CotC slightly better than that. These two are the best since Kilroy (including the two Dennis was on, Turn of the Century and Brave New World). That doesn't make them great, though, or on par with the classics, or as good as they could have bee with Dennis.
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If you think Styx is a cash cow now you're not paying attention. To Kevin's point they sold out 15,000 seat areas with DDY. The new lineup plays 3 to 4000 seat arenas these days.
But they are happier.
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If you think Styx is a cash cow now you're not paying attention. To Kevin's point they sold out 15,000 seat areas with DDY. The new lineup plays 3 to 4000 seat arenas these days.
But they are happier.
I may have overstated it but Gowan's share from Styx has to be a heck of a lot better than he would be doing as a solo artist. And Gowan's share is probably a lot less than DeYoung's would be.
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Who knows. But if that was the case would he stay 20 years? I think they are in a good place.
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Boy, the existence of Lawrence Gowan really seems to get under some peoples' skin for some reason. The band has clearly moved on and the last two albums are the freshest, most consistently good albums they've done in a very long time. In fact, for me personally the last album of theirs that was as consistently good as either The Mission or The Crash of The Crown was their breakout album The Grand Illusion, which is -for me- that rarest of rare 5-star albums. It's a little early for TCofC but after 5 spins I'm giving it 4.5 stars and I rate The Mission 4.5 stars. Those are the only two albums in their catalog that I rate that highly and The Grand Illusion is the only one I see as perfect. So...
Let me see...nope, I can't come up with a single shit to give about who wrote what songs when. That's irrelevant to my enjoyment of this version of Styx. I'm pretty sure the length of my toenails means more to me than who wrote what songs and when in Styx or how much X member contributed to songwriting verses Y member. WHO CARES? More importantly, WHY?
I got my first Styx album in 1978 for my 14th birthday (it was The Grand Illusion) and I've been a fan ever since. I've seen them live more times (9) than I've seen any band except Iron Maiden. (12) I've seen them live in both versions of the band, with and without DDY. They put on a fantastic concert both ways. I like both versions of the band. I know I'm probably a heretic for that, but hold on while I check my pockets for a couple of fucks...nope, sorry I don't have a single fuck to give about any of the DDY/Gowan drama bullshit. New album is great. For me it's just as good as anything they released in the 70's and the 80's and almost as good as The Grand Illusion.
DDY has some new music out too. I've listened and there's nothing that really strikes my fancy there but if other people love it, good for them :) . By the way, I don't care who wrote that music either, or any music for that matter. I doubt I'll ever listen to any of the DDY solo stuff again, but I've had The Mission in regular rotation since it was released and I am pretty sure this new Styx album will stay in rotation just as long, I love everything about it. The songwriting, the melodies, the performances...I love how concise it is too. Don't get me wrong, I love Transatlantic style prog where the short songs are 6 minutes long and there are extended jams all over the place, but that's not what Styx are into right now. And frankly, I think their music has benefitted from it. I love most of Paradise Theater but there are a few tracks on there that I routinely skip. I do not ever feel compelled to skip anything on either of the last two Styx albums. They can keep making albums like this and I'd be a happy camper.
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He was a Juno Ward winner and sold a ton of records as a solo artist in Canada. He was doing well but for sure Styx opens him up to a whole (brave? Lol) new world.
Yes, but some day he will pay for his high crimes and misdemeanors (which are hip-hop cracy!). :P
I'm not anti Tommy - I thought The Mission was OK and CotC slightly better than that. These two are the best since Kilroy (including the two Dennis was on, Turn of the Century and Brave New World). That doesn't make them great, though, or on par with the classics, or as good as they could have bee with Dennis.
I am actually not anti-Tommy at all. Either though I think he did DDY kind of dirty, I am still a huge fan of his work. I got into his 80's solo albums finally a couple years ago. Big fan of Girls with Guns. And I still love the Damn Yankees records, 7 Deadly Zens and the Shaw/Blades stuff. I can usually separate the art from the artist (and I don't think Tommy is a bad dude, I just think he seized his opportunity to snatch the Styx brand and was successful in doing so). I still need to check out that bluegrass record he did about a decade ago.
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No dog in this race, but got me wondering what a DDY/Tommy/JY Styx tour would pull. I imagine even the slightest Styx fan would at least consider buying a ticket, just to say they were part of it. If Roger/David/Nick touring as Floyd to be the holy grail of classic rock reunion tours (if indeed it is), but DDY/Tommy/JY Styx has to rank up there somewhere.
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No dog in this race, but got me wondering what a DDY/Tommy/JY Styx tour would pull. I imagine even the slightest Styx fan would at least consider buying a ticket, just to say they were part of it. If Roger/David/Nick touring as Floyd to be the holy grail of classic rock reunion tours (if indeed it is), but DDY/Tommy/JY Styx has to rank up there somewhere.
I suspect they would tour as headliners and do arenas/amphitheaters, but not sure they'd fill them up, although they could always bring along an opening act that is also a classic rock mainstay to help fill up the crowds. Heck, even on the comeback tour in 1996, that was a joint tour with Kansas for much of the year IIRC (when they played here, both bands got about the same amount of time on stage, although Styx did go on last), so I am not sure even now, with it being billed a reunion tour, they'd be guaranteed to sell out (unless they did 3-4 K venues). Would certainly be an upgrade over what they are doing now, but as much as I love Styx, they are not close to being a Pink Floyd or Rolling Stones (not that I am saying you said that, just saying). I doubt DDY needs the payday as he has to make the most out of royalties out of any of them, but I am sure it's both a pride thing and a way to get some percentage of the Styx brand back under his thumb.
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I am not a concert guy so was curious what someone else thought the numbers could be. The few shows I attend are either the small venues (couple hundred), or arenas (10k+). I thought a Styx reunion would fall in that middle ground, just not where.
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I'd agree Chris. It would be those minor league (for hockey) stadiums where it holds about 10,000. Now they play 3,000 seat arenas.
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No dog in this race, but got me wondering what a DDY/Tommy/JY Styx tour would pull. I imagine even the slightest Styx fan would at least consider buying a ticket, just to say they were part of it. If Roger/David/Nick touring as Floyd to be the holy grail of classic rock reunion tours (if indeed it is), but DDY/Tommy/JY Styx has to rank up there somewhere.
I suspect they would tour as headliners and do arenas/amphitheaters, but not sure they'd fill them up, although they could always bring along an opening act that is also a classic rock mainstay to help fill up the crowds. Heck, even on the comeback tour in 1996, that was a joint tour with Kansas for much of the year IIRC (when they played here, both bands got about the same amount of time on stage, although Styx did go on last), so I am not sure even now, with it being billed a reunion tour, they'd be guaranteed to sell out (unless they did 3-4 K venues). Would certainly be an upgrade over what they are doing now, but as much as I love Styx, they are not close to being a Pink Floyd or Rolling Stones (not that I am saying you said that, just saying). I doubt DDY needs the payday as he has to make the most out of royalties out of any of them, but I am sure it's both a pride thing and a way to get some percentage of the Styx brand back under his thumb.
I think Kev is right. A "reunion" show would bring out the usual Styx crowd (less maybe 2-3 people who don't go BECAUSE DDY is back or Gowan is gone) and would add people who haven't seen Styx BECAUSE DDY has been missing. I don't imagine that number would bump them up beyond the 3,000 - 10,000 seat venues.
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It's obvious that it won't happen though. They still are great live. (Even with Kev dissention. Lol)
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I doubt DDY needs the payday as he has to make the most out of royalties out of any of them, but I am sure it's both a pride thing and a way to get some percentage of the Styx brand back under his thumb.
I disagree that it's not about control of the band. Dennis is 74. He knows that he's moving closer to the end of his life and I think he was very honest in one of those interviews where he said that it's for the fans.
If Styx gave him a really one-sided contract that said he's simply a salaried employee for ONE tour, he'd take it, maybe after a little hassling over money. Maybe he'd hope that it would lead to him being back in the band, but he could at least make do on his wish to get the Dennis/Tommy/JY lineup in front of fans one last time.
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It's obvious that it won't happen though. They still are great live. (Even with Kev dissention. Lol)
I saw Styx once post-DDY, back in 2011. It was a good show for the most part, but Gowan's embarrassing stage antics and inferior vocals on the DDY songs sucked the life out of it at times. The rest of the band still killed it, though. It's not like I woke up one day and decided to hate on Lawrence freaking Gowan. I had no idea who he was until he joined Styx, and have formed my opinion of him based on what I have seen and heard since then.
I think Kev is right. A "reunion" show would bring out the usual Styx crowd (less maybe 2-3 people who don't go BECAUSE DDY is back or Gowan is gone) and would add people who haven't seen Styx BECAUSE DDY has been missing. I don't imagine that number would bump them up beyond the 3,000 - 10,000 seat venues.
Oh, I would go for sure. I saw them once without DDY and that was enough. The DDY show I saw two years ago, when he and his band played all of The Grand Illusion, actually felt much more like a real Styx show than the Styx show I saw in 2011. Even with their limited output since, Styx is still lapping DDY when it comes to good music put out since the split, but when it comes to live, it is no contest for me.
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I doubt DDY needs the payday as he has to make the most out of royalties out of any of them, but I am sure it's both a pride thing and a way to get some percentage of the Styx brand back under his thumb.
I disagree that it's not about control of the band. Dennis is 74. He knows that he's moving closer to the end of his life and I think he was very honest in one of those interviews where he said that it's for the fans.
If Styx gave him a really one-sided contract that said he's simply a salaried employee for ONE tour, he'd take it, maybe after a little hassling over money. Maybe he'd hope that it would lead to him being back in the band, but he could at least make do on his wish to get the Dennis/Tommy/JY lineup in front of fans one last time.
I am sure he is being honest when he says he wants to do it for the fans, but don't get me wrong, he has his own interests in mind as well. How could he not?
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I doubt DDY needs the payday as he has to make the most out of royalties out of any of them, but I am sure it's both a pride thing and a way to get some percentage of the Styx brand back under his thumb.
I disagree that it's not about control of the band. Dennis is 74. He knows that he's moving closer to the end of his life and I think he was very honest in one of those interviews where he said that it's for the fans.
If Styx gave him a really one-sided contract that said he's simply a salaried employee for ONE tour, he'd take it, maybe after a little hassling over money. Maybe he'd hope that it would lead to him being back in the band, but he could at least make do on his wish to get the Dennis/Tommy/JY lineup in front of fans one last time.
This seem naive. Dennis has always been about control. No way he does it without concessions.
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It's just the way I felt when hearing that interview - he didn't make it seem like he wanted back IN the band, he wanted to do one tour for the fans. It felt genuine to me.
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To me, that's unrealistic. He wants one more shot. To go out where it began. Saying it's for the fans is a way to win them over.
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I think Kev is right. A "reunion" show would bring out the usual Styx crowd (less maybe 2-3 people who don't go BECAUSE DDY is back or Gowan is gone) and would add people who haven't seen Styx BECAUSE DDY has been missing. I don't imagine that number would bump them up beyond the 3,000 - 10,000 seat venues.
Oh, I would go for sure. I saw them once without DDY and that was enough. The DDY show I saw two years ago, when he and his band played all of The Grand Illusion, actually felt much more like a real Styx show than the Styx show I saw in 2011. Even with their limited output since, Styx is still lapping DDY when it comes to good music put out since the split, but when it comes to live, it is no contest for me.
As would I. No question that there are people who aren't going because of the lack of DDY. I just don't think that number is enough to push them beyond the level of venue I mentioned. I think there's also a third category of fan: those who, while not staying away because of no DDY, simply haven't been going out of ambivalence. Many of those would probably go if DDY were in the fold.
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I think many of the third party you talk about have no clue who is in the band.
Most in there late 40's/50's only go to hear the hits from their past. They have no clue of the new albums. Life gets in the way of fandom.
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The last 3 times I've seen Styx they've played venues that seat between 3,000 and 5,000.
They're playing the Orpheum Theater in 2021, the exact same venue I've seen Dream Theater at 4 times.
It was sold out the last two times I saw them
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I know a lot of people who kinda bailed on Styx when Dennis left. If Styx did a tour with Dennis, Tommy, and JY, I bet the attendance would be at least double what it's been for recent tours. Moot point, since we know it'll never happen, but there are still a lot of people my age who would risk the crowds to see Dennis with Styx one last time.
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Interestingly, I just saw that Styx is playing in Vegas in September -- three consecutive nights at the Venetian (Friday through Sunday). I know nothing about the venue, but all three nights seem to be sold out, and I couldn't find a ticket on Stubhub for less than $100.
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I love the lineup they have now. I always feel with most bands that they are better live backing new music. That was my gripe with Styx for years that it took them 16 years to release new music.
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Just a random musing here, but I was watching the '78 Winterland show the other night, and it dawned on me that Styx is the American Queen. They're not as talented individually or collectively, but they're doing essentially the exact same thing. Opening with TGI you could actually see DDY trying to be Freddie Mercury.
Just thought that was interesting.
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I've watched that show before, and that is a more than reasonable musing.
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Interesting observation. I wouldn't go as far as calling Styx the American Queen, but it does seem that Dennis watched a few Queen videos or saw Freddie a few times and picked up some Front Man Moves from him. He did a lot to play to the crowd, and it was almost a shame that he had to spend most of his time behind the keyboards. I don't think Dennis was quite as good as Freddie, but then, very few were, if any.
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I think many of the third party you talk about have no clue who is in the band.
Most in there late 40's/50's only go to hear the hits from their past. They have no clue of the new albums. Life gets in the way of fandom.
I think this is true. A friend I have known for over 30 years and I were driving somewhere about two years ago, and I had The Mission on in the car and he literally said, "What happened to Dennis' voice?" This was during the verses of The Outpost, which of course features Gowan on lead vocals. He had no idea that DDY was out of the band (he is a casual music fan at best anymore, although he still loves Rush, Floyd, Styx and Queen).
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I assume we're talking about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyOv91RRtq8
It's interesting on the song TGI - on the intro riff, it sounds like they're playing straight sixteenth notes instead of the sixteenth note triplets. Also, I'm not sure I've ever seen so many white clothes at a rock concert. Chuck looks like there was a memo he didn't get or something. :lol
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Chuck always looks like there was a memo he didn't get.
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I assume we're talking about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FyOv91RRtq8
It's interesting on the song TGI - on the intro riff, it sounds like they're playing straight sixteenth notes instead of the sixteenth note triplets. Also, I'm not sure I've ever seen so many white clothes at a rock concert. Chuck looks like there was a memo he didn't get or something. :lol
Good to see Mademoiselle on there! Aside from the snippets of Put Me On Styx has played a few times since the turn of the century, it's like both the current incarnation and DDY have forgotten that the Crystal Ball has other good songs besides the title track. This Old Man and Ballerina are both killer tunes that are just begging for one of them to play again, maybe, I don't know, sometime, again, ever!! :lol :lol
Cool to see Midnight Ride on there. Not my favorite, but the least best song from Equinox is still pretty damn good. That's another album with killer deep cuts that get ignored by both factions. :(
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I saw them with Angel back in 78 79 fun times
I never saw the Queen comparo, but I guess one could see that...
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I'm not a huge Styx fan by any stretch, but did grow up in the 70's & 80's, so had most of their classic albums from that era (I'm not at all familiar with their newer material) - and just wanted to say that if DDY did rejoin for a tour, I'd go see it for sure. I also wanted to mention that after reading this thread I went down the YouTube wormhole watching live clips of both Styx and DDY - and I've got to say, that both DDY and Tommy Shaw can still really bring it vocally. Quite impressed by both considering their ages (DDY 74 / TS 67, I looked it up). Very impressive!
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Tommy joined Styx when he was 17 so he's been with the band for 50 years now :eek
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I believe he was 22. Born in 1953 and joined Styx in December of 1975.
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I believe he was 22. Born in 1953 and joined Styx in December of 1975.
Yeah...if he had joined when he was 17, he'd have been there for all of the Wooden Nickel albums.
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Still, 22 years old in a touring band is amazing. Plus, he had writing skills at 22!
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I always loved the fact that the band was so welcoming that they allowed the first album with Tommy to be named after one of his songs (Crystal Ball). The demo of that song sounds like an America song, but then he joined the band and it got Styx-ized! Still one of my favorite Styx songs ever.
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I need to listen to the pre Tommy albums. It's been a while.
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I always loved the fact that the band was so welcoming that they allowed the first album with Tommy to be named after one of his songs (Crystal Ball). The demo of that song sounds like an America song, but then he joined the band and it got Styx-ized! Still one of my favorite Styx songs ever.
Crystal Ball is indeed a great tune.
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Crystal Ball is indeed a great tune.
:tup :tup
I need to listen to the pre Tommy albums. It's been a while.
The Wooden Nickel albums are pretty inconsistent, with II likely being the best, but Equinox is fantastic. I am surprised you don't listen to that one more.
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Honestly, I don't know why either. Got to head up to Vermont for 1 day so it's a 3 hour drive.......
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I believe he was 22. Born in 1953 and joined Styx in December of 1975.
I think I must have confused him with someone else, maybe the drummer in def leppard. Anyway, that's still 46 years in the same band :hefdaddy
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68 and still has the pipes and the energy to tour. crazy.
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Yep, Tommy still sounds very good. He wasn't with the band for a bit in the later 80's and early 90's (Styx was my 3rd concert ever in '90 and he was not in the band then), but has been a mainstay since 1995/1996.
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Have you guys seen Tommy on Live From Daryl's House? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTnu27jHz-g
I apologize if this has already been discussed, I haven't read all the pages in this thread
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Have you guys seen Tommy on Live From Daryl's House? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YTnu27jHz-g
I apologize if this has already been discussed, I haven't read all the pages in this thread
I saw that a while back. Pretty cool.
I really wish the Tommy Shaw name was much bigger as a brand and he could do a tour on his own where he played a bunch of his solo stuff and other songs from his history, but sadly it is not. The planned Shaw/Blades tour in '95 was canceled due to lack of interest, and I suspect that is when Tommy realized that he needed Styx again, especially since Nugent had gone back to his solo career and Damn Yankees were on (what has turned out to be a permanent) hiatus.
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Great interview with DDY by Pete Pardo (links below). It is long, but a great listen. Whatever you think of DDY, his encyclopedic knowledge of Styx and their history is pretty amazing, and to hear him talk in depth about the Wooden Nickel era is pretty interesting.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtLL_78dUqc (Part 1)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO8WhXLlQ_8 (Part 2)
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New Styx album is a very strong contender for album of the year.
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New Styx album is a very strong contender for album of the year.
I'm happy that many of you like it so much. I like the middle section a lot but the album as a while is too samey for me. "Hold Back the Darkness" through "Our Wonderful Loves" and "To Those" are the ones I like the best. I am going to rename the band for this and The Mission as Shaw-Evankovich Project. Dennis' last two are just as good and sound more like Styx. The Shaw-Evankovich Project doesn't deserve the Styx name any more than Dennis does.
I like both albums.
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Except Dennis settled and they do have the right.
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Except Dennis settled and they do have the right.
"doesn't deserve the Styx name" ... "do have the right".
I'm separating them off in my library, they aren't Styx. Sure they have the legal right.
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Right, Crash of the Crown is what Styx sounds like now. Sure, it is very much a "Tommy Shaw with friends"-sounding album, but as he is the man in charge now, it makes sense that he will be the dominant personality on the album, which I am good with. It worked to a large degree on The Mission, and to a lesser degree on the new album, which has grown on me a little, but still feels like there is too much musical blue balls going on. A few of the songs do pack a lot into their shorter running times for sure, but too many still feel unfinished. The finisher, Stream, starts off with this really cool vibe and you think, "Okay, this could be a really good slow burner," and then it changes quickly, busts out a quick guitar solo, and then just ends. Just strange. I get taking the "take it as a whole" approach, but with so many songs that feels underdeveloped, the album almost sounds bipolar, like they just bounced from idea to idea before finishing some of them first. But there are some good tunes here. The Fight of Our Lives is great opener.
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Except Dennis settled and they do have the right.
"doesn't deserve the Styx name" ... "do have the right".
I'm separating them off in my library, they aren't Styx. Sure they have the legal right.
Doesn't deserve is crap. Obviously Dennis settled because everyone else in the band was done with him.
So he doesn't deserve anything. If he acted better than this situation wouldn't of happened.
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Damn, BelichickFan is like the Epicview of the Styx thread. :lol
Sounds just like his Queensryche posts.
Joe, I sent you a text. Check out the album I just posted in the Album Thread!
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Tim. Lol
Geoff Tate
Steve Perry
Dennis DeYoung
All caused their own exodus. Are the bands better without them? Nope. But a band has to move on with them because they choked the life out of other bandmates. Kev has brought up Tommy is taking over but it seems that are content the last 20 years with his leadership because they are all involved.
So that's why your take is bad. No one person is better in a band and if he believes so, it runs a band to cause a breakup.
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I get the comparisons, but putting him in the same category with a true asshole like Tate feels a bit wrong. :lol
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.
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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. :lol
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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. :lol
He is probably Mike Portnoy's idol. :P :P
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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.
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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.
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Last Night in Prior Lake, MN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rABqfD_4V4
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Last Night in Prior Lake, MN
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4rABqfD_4V4
Who's the third guitarist?
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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.
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"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. :P
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😆
Or Tommy enjoys working with him and so does the band.
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Yeah, but that knowledge makes my playful pun less fun. :biggrin:
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"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. :P
I had that same thought. :lol
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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. :lol :lol
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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?
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I haven't listened to those album Kev in decades!
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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! :lol
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).
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I haven't listened to those album Kev in decades!
Time to change that, sir. :tup :tup
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! :lol
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. :lol :lol
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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.
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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.
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Kev, If they are on Spotify I will spin the 1st album tomorrow.
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Kev, If they are on Spotify I will spin the 1st album tomorrow.
It is, and I'm on it too! ;D
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Best to just skip to the second. For real.
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I started the first song..is that John Curulewski singing I assume?
I finish it tomorrow but two minutes in, it seems pretty good.
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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). :P
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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
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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. :lol :lol
Especially a band that was, at that point, going nowhere. But I'm glad they did it.
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). :P
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.
I know all about the honor of God, Mary Jane
In Houston they say that?
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No, it's from a Dream Theater song. :neverusethis:
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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).
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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. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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Yeah, not a strong album. Haven't We Been Here Before is my favorite tune on the album.
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From '75-'79 STYX was awesome! :hefdaddy
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I like Kilroy a lot. Everything from Crystal Ball through Kilroy was great. Not a fan of any full albums before or after that run.
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The only full album I'm a fan of since then is The Mission.. :coolio :coolio :coolio 🪐☄
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Yep, The Mission is great.
And I was dead wrong about Crash of the Crown. Damn good album, one that I cannot get enough of lately. I love being wrong sometimes (although my knee jerk reactions, which I have never been shy about voicing, are often not always correct). :lol :lol
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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. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
As I sit here, these are the songs on Kilroy that I remember: Roboto, Heavy Metal Poisoning, Don't Let It End, Cold War, and Haven't We Been Here Before (and I might have forgotten about Cold War if you hadn't mentioned it). I'm confident I haven't listened to the album in 30+ years. And Paradise is excellent. I think Lonely People is probably the only song I don't really care for, but it's not at all bad.
I think maybe I'll do what you're doing with Styx.
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Living on the edge, on the edge of the century.....
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I was always aware of the name - but now because of Drumeo - i'm fully aware of the amazing Todd Sucherman.
I've listened to their latest album and it's not my cup of tea. Like Dream Theater for people who don't like rock.
My Dad might like it though.
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Todd is amazing.
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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. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
As I sit here, these are the songs on Kilroy that I remember: Roboto, Heavy Metal Poisoning, Don't Let It End, Cold War, and Haven't We Been Here Before (and I might have forgotten about Cold War if you hadn't mentioned it). I'm confident I haven't listened to the album in 30+ years. And Paradise is excellent. I think Lonely People is probably the only song I don't really care for, but it's not at all bad.
I think maybe I'll do what you're doing with Styx.
Good deal. We are making a segue-way to Tommy's Girl with Guns before we get back to Styx. I have little recollection of Edge of the Century, so that ought to be interesting.
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I know you will be shocked Kev but I saw the Edge Of The Century tour. Lol
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I know you will be shocked Kev but I saw the Edge Of The Century tour. Lol
Hey, I did, too! We discussed this last week. That was my 3rd concert ever. :hat
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I know you will be shocked Kev but I saw the Edge Of The Century tour. Lol
Hey, I did, too! We discussed this last week.
:lol
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See Tim, old age. Now I remember. :lol
I think the album is OK. The next studio album though....ouch.
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We normally do not do live albums, but we are going to do Return to Paradise since it has three studio songs as additions, one of which is a must-have/hear (Dear John).
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That was the 1st time I saw Todd live with them. Kansas opened.
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I know you will be shocked Kev but I saw the Edge Of The Century tour. Lol
Hey, I did, too! We discussed this last week. That was my 3rd concert ever. :hat
Me three. It's the only Styx show I've seen. I don't remember much about Edge, but I remember the show being really good.
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That was the 1st time I saw Todd live with them. Kansas opened.
What a perfect match!
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That was the 1st time I saw Todd live with them. Kansas opened.
What a perfect match!
It was a great show. The reunion tour.
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Actually, I think it was a double bill, as I remember Kansas and Styx both getting about the same amount of time to play when they came here (like 80-90 minutes), but Styx went on last.
Meanwhile, I revisited Edge of the Century. Holy smokes, that record sucks major swamp water. Their worst album by far. Even Kilroy and Brave New World are better than that piece of dog excrement.
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No way. Brave New World takes that suck mantle.
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I thought this was an "appreciation" thread. Have some damn respect!
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No way. Brave New World takes that suck mantle.
Nah, Brave New World, despite being a huge mess, at least has a few good songs I would call very good. Some of those Glenn Burtnik tunes on Edge of the Century are just embarrassing. Love Is a Ritual sounds like a reject from the hair metal era. Oof.
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I can't wait for you to revisit it. Lol
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I can't wait for you to revisit it. Lol
Oh yeah, some songs will have me reaching for the vomit bucket, but there is some good on there. Tommy was on a roll in the 90's with good songs and fortunately some of them carried over on to that record.
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There are 3 top notch songs then as Max Kellerman says, a cliff.
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Meanwhile, I revisited Edge of the Century. Holy smokes, that record sucks major swamp water. Their worst album by far. Even Kilroy and Brave New World are better than that piece of dog excrement.
Kilroy is awesome. Edge is mediocre. BNW is awful.
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There are 3 top notch songs then as Max Kellerman says, a cliff.
I am curious, which three do you think are the top notch ones?
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Oops. I meant 2.
I Will Be Your Witness
Brave New World
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Oops. I meant 2.
I Will Be Your Witness
Brave New World
No love for Heavy Water? I think that is easily the best song on there. I like Number One a lot as well; it's kinda weird, but the melodies are nice. The two you mentioned are also good. Goodbye Roseland is DDY's one good song on there.
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I seem to only play those 2 songs. I will revisit the album.
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I seem to only play those 2 songs. I will revisit the album.
I suspect that amongst the filth, you will like a few others aside from those first two. It is almost like their Union (Yes). The factions resulted in it being a total mess, but still gave us a handful of good tunes.
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Updates:
Return to Paradise is definitely one of my favorite live albums ever. Killer set list, and the band was on fire. I watched the live DVD this week for the first time in years and it was awesome.
Brave New World is a mess. It has a handful of tunes I like quite a bit, Heavy Water being the clear standout, but some of those songs are just crappy.
We will hit the three 21st century albums next week. :coolio
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Hip hop….
Hip hop hypocrisy hip hop…
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Hip hop….
Hip hop hypocrisy hip hop…
I swear, I knew that was coming. :lol :lol
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Hip hop….
Hip hop hypocrisy hip hop…
I swear, I knew that was coming. :lol :lol
I find that song utterly stupid…but for some reason it stays in my head for days every time I think of it. I don’t think I’ve actually HEARD it since the album first came out. So, as annoying as it is, it’s got an “earworm” thing going on.
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I find that song utterly stupid…but for some reason it stays in my head for days every time I think of it. I don’t think I’ve actually HEARD it since the album first came out. So, as annoying as it is, it’s got an “earworm” thing going on.
Ah, so it's like herpes...once it gets stuck to you, you can't get rid of it. :eek :eek :lol :lol
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Meanwhile, on deck is the Styx album that somehow featured Billy Bob Thornton on vocals for one (very short) song.
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I think I like this album more than you do.
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I think I like this album more than you do.
You probably do. Close to half of it is really good/great. And then the rest is just kind of meh. And the Billy Bob song and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye are just embarrassments to the Styx name. The latter not only features childish digs at DDY, but they recycled the melody from Tommy's Where You Going Now from the second Damn Yankees for the main chorus line. Lame.
But I will stand firm that One with Everything and These are the Times are major keepers, and Together and Yes I Can are pretty damn good as well.
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I'll list out my faves once you post and yes, that song shouldn't be on the album.
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:metal These are the Times. Top tier Styx song!
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I'll list out my faves once you post and yes, that song shouldn't be on the album.
:tup :tup
:metal These are the Times. Top tier Styx song!
:hat :hat
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Not Styx related but Todd related. The orchestration on this tune is beatifully layered and played by Todd:
Todd Sucherman- Recording Session for "Beautiful" by Finally George from "Icy Skies" album. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlUtoDrFx_w&ab_channel=ToddSucherman)
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Interesting that he overdubs drums. Also funny that people overdub vocals, guitar etc but overdubbing drums is seen as cheating or something.
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Interesting that he overdubs drums. Also funny that people overdub vocals, guitar etc but overdubbing drums is seen as cheating or something.
He has a nice touch with his cymbal playing. Yea it's stupid to call it cheating when absolutely every album nowdays is going through a cleaning phase with protools and so on. You will not find a wrong note on any mildly popular album, that's just standard protocol. So how come it's cheating then to add extra layers to a song when you remove any kind of blemishes and quantize the hell out of everything these days?
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Cyclorama summation:
-One with Everything and These are the Times are top tier Styx tunes.
-Do Things My Way, Together, Yes I Can and Waiting for Our Time are all really good, and major keepers as well.
-Genki Desu Ka (not counting the bonus crap stuff) is kinda nice. I had forgotten about that one.
-The Fooling Yourself reprise and Captain America seem like contrived attempts to reference the classic material and somehow add more legitimacy to the new lineup.
-Bourgeous Pig and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye are trash.
-Fields of the Brave ... there is a good song in there somewhere, but Gowan just didn't have the voice to bring it out.
-More Love for the Money and Killing the Thing That You Love have their moments, but are both also brought down by weaker lead vocals.
Overall, I like the album quite a bit, largely because of how strong the good material is. Probably their best since Paradise Theatre, but the least best of the three post-DDY albums.
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I always knew the name and became more aware of them because of Todd (amazing drummer). But their music doesn't grab me at all.
To me they sound like if Falling Into Infinity was a gigantic hit so Dream Theater went more and more commercial and poppy.
Dream Theater lite. Not bad by any means but not my cup of tea. :) My Dad might like the newest album though.
And this isn't " just entering the thread to say they suck ". I love Todd obviously and have listened to their music.
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Probably their best since Paradise Theatre, but the least best of the three post-DDY albums.
I'm having trouble parsing this. All of the post-DDY albums came after Paradise Theatre, so how can something be the best since Paradise Theatre but also the least best of that same group?
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Probably their best since Paradise Theatre, but the least best of the three post-DDY albums.
I'm having trouble parsing this. All of the post-DDY albums came after Paradise Theatre, so how can something be the best since Paradise Theatre but also the least best of that same group?
Because the next 2 studio albums that came out after sans DDY was better that Kilroy, Brave New World & Edge Of The Century.
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Cyclorama summation:
-One with Everything and These are the Times are top tier Styx tunes.
-Do Things My Way, Together, Yes I Can and Waiting for Our Time are all really good, and major keepers as well.
-Genki Desu Ka (not counting the bonus crap stuff) is kinda nice. I had forgotten about that one.
-The Fooling Yourself reprise and Captain America seem like contrived attempts to reference the classic material and somehow add more legitimacy to the new lineup.
-Bourgeous Pig and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye are trash.
-Fields of the Brave ... there is a good song in there somewhere, but Gowan just didn't have the voice to bring it out.
-More Love for the Money and Killing the Thing That You Love have their moments, but are both also brought down by weaker lead vocals.
Overall, I like the album quite a bit, largely because of how strong the good material is. Probably their best since Paradise Theatre, but the least best of the three post-DDY albums.
I agree with almost all of this except I think Killing The Thing that you love should be ranked higher and field Of the Brave as well. Not saying top tier but I like them more than you do.
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Probably their best since Paradise Theatre, but the least best of the three post-DDY albums.
I'm having trouble parsing this. All of the post-DDY albums came after Paradise Theatre, so how can something be the best since Paradise Theatre but also the least best of that same group?
Because the next 2 studio albums that came out after sans DDY was better that Kilroy, Brave New World & Edge Of The Century.
So it was the best since Paradise Theater when it came out, but has since been eclipsed by the others? That makes sense.
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I agree with almost all of this except I think Killing The Thing that you love should be ranked higher and field Of the Brave as well. Not saying top tier but I like them more than you do.
Well, those two are probably the best of the bottom half of the album, but I do not consider either to be a keeper.
Note that summation was not necessary listing the songs in order of preference, otherwise Bourgeous Pig and Kiss Your Ass Goodbye would have been listed last, or not at all. :lol :lol
Probably their best since Paradise Theatre, but the least best of the three post-DDY albums.
I'm having trouble parsing this. All of the post-DDY albums came after Paradise Theatre, so how can something be the best since Paradise Theatre but also the least best of that same group?
Because the next 2 studio albums that came out after sans DDY was better that Kilroy, Brave New World & Edge Of The Century.
So it was the best since Paradise Theater when it came out, but has since been eclipsed by the others? That makes sense.
Yes sir, that is the gist of it for me. :tup :tup
Cyclorama has some great stuff, but doesn't touch the consistency, IMO, of either The Mission or Crash of the Crown.
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Probably their best since Paradise Theatre, but the least best of the three post-DDY albums.
I'm having trouble parsing this. All of the post-DDY albums came after Paradise Theatre, so how can something be the best since Paradise Theatre but also the least best of that same group?
Because the next 2 studio albums that came out after sans DDY was better that Kilroy, Brave New World & Edge Of The Century.
So it was the best since Paradise Theater when it came out, but has since been eclipsed by the others? That makes sense.
Yes 100%. Bob, have you heard the last 2 albums?
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We are discussing The Mission today, and the buddy I am do these band run-throughs with is in agreement that The Mission is awesome. In fact, he thinks it is on par with The Grand Illusion. And he did not grow up on this band (he is late 30's, only know their radio hits prior to the last month), so he is not predisposed to automatically assume the tried and true classics are automatically the best. Now, I cannot go that far as say it is as great as The Grand Illusion (or Pieces of Eight), but it is pretty freaking great regardless. Locomotive and Red Storm in particular are just tremendous. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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I was lucky to see one of those shows that played The Mission in full. The only distraction was the fucking dipshits behind us who talked over every song saying, "PLAY the hits!"
I turned around and asked him to stop it as the hits would come after the intermission.
How could these idiots not read that they would play the new album in whole first is beyond me.
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Bob, have you heard the last 2 albums?
I haven't heard Crash of the Crown yet. But I have Brave New World, and I listened to Cyclorama and The Mission once or twice each, and honestly I don't have any desire to listen to any of them again. If I feel like listening to Styx, I have plenty of other, better options. I'm not a "they suck without Dennis" kind of guy, Tommy and JY can rock for sure, but most of it's just not interesting enough to draw me back. I just don't bother because I can play anything from Equinox to Cornerstone all the way through no problem.
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At least check out the album.
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Locomotive and Red Storm in particular are just tremendous. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
Along with Radio Silence, The Greater Good, and The Outpost. :hat
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Locomotive and Red Storm in particular are just tremendous. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
Along with Radio Silence, The Greater Good, and The Outpost. :hat
And Hundred Million Miles from Home, Khedive and Time May Bend... the good songs never end!! :hat :hat
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Todd Sucherman is one beast of a drummer. He's good enough to play for Rush or DT imo.. :metal
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I haven't heard Crash of the Crown yet.
Oooh, it's tasty.
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I've heard that. I've also heard that it's kinda weird because all the tracks are so short. Some just seem like they're getting somewhere, then they're over. It's sounds... frustrating.
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I've warmed up to that part. You'll never know unless you spin it a few times.
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I've heard that. I've also heard that it's kinda weird because all the tracks are so short. Some just seem like they're getting somewhere, then they're over. It's sounds... frustrating.
I thought that at first, too, but the more you listen, the more you realize that they pack a lot into those shorter running times. It's like they gave us an album full of songs in bite sizes, yet you still feel full after most of them.
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I'm sure I'll check it out eventually. It's just not a priority right now.
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I'm sure I'll check it out eventually. It's just not a priority right now.
I hear ya. :tup :tup
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Anyone else give those early albums a whirl lately?
Other than 'the hits', I've only got the run of Grand Illusion/Pieces of Eight/Paradise Theater in my library - and ironically, Edge of the Century. Of course I have Classics, but that's it. So, I'm a month behind, but I'm gonna give the discog a spin, and catch up with you guys in due time.
Commentary later.
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I don't have the first three albums, so I started with Man of Miracles over the weekend.
When I started to move past the Beatles in the early '80s, Styx was the first "modern" rock band I latched onto. My best friend liked them, and he was influenced by his older brother who was a huge fan. I borrowed so many albums from my friend's brother, including all of Styx's best known works. I don't think we ever heard the debut album, but I think we heard Styx II at some point and then, a couple years later, he showed up with Serpent and Man of Miracles. I don't remember how much time we spent listening to the two albums, but the two songs that have always stuck with me are Rock & Roll Feeling and Man of Miracles.
Rock & Roll Feeling is a REALLY good, high energy rock song. The intro riff on guitar with the swirling keyboards in the background always sounded so cool to me. And it's JY at his best and before he became a caricature of himself.
Havin' a Ball is another JC/JY song, but it's just kind of meh. Whereas Rock & Roll Feeling is credited to Young and Curulewski (in that order), this song is credited to Curulewski and Young. Probably has something to do with it.
Golden Lark is the first of five DDY songs on the album. It's a really good song, but you have to be in the right frame of mind since it's more of a Broadway song than a rock song. It's primarily DDY playing piano and singing, with cello and synth accompaniment. I don't think there's any guitar. Some occasional and minimal bass and maybe a couple cymbal hits.
A Song for Suzanne is another DDY song. It's a tribute to his then wife of a few years (they have now been married over 50 years). Surprisingly, it's got a bit of a proggy feel to it, and the intro wouldn't be at all out of place on The Grand Illusion. Really good chorus, but the verses are a bit typical of early '70s rock. All in all a good song.
The quality really falls off here.
A Man Like Me is JY's only solo composition on the album, and it's about as JY-esque as can be. Kind of a Lynyrd Skynyrd/southern rock feel to it. Very meh.
Side 2 opens with Lies, which is a cover of a 1965 song by the Knickerbockers (I've never heard of them). DDY handles the lead vocals. Another very meh track.
DDY continues with Evil Eyes. An odd combination of Broadway and blues with full band accompaniment.
JY's overt southern rock references come through again with Southern Woman. Skip....
The penultimate track is Christopher, Mr. Christopher. If you didn't peg this as a DDY track just from the name, then you haven't been paying attention. It's another Broadway-rock track that reminds me of something like Godspell. Not bad but not great.
The title track ends the album. It's the only song on the album where JY and DDY co-wrote. The intro sounds a bit like a score to a bad King Arthur movie, but once the full band kicks in, it's really good -- especially DDY's work on the Hammond organ. It's a song you'd expect to have DDY singing, but JY's vocals are right for this, and the band flirts with a bit of prog in the middle synth breakdown.
The band was clearly getting close to something. About half of the album is really good or better.
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I doubt I will be as active discussing like I would have been weeks ago when I was in full blown Styx mode, but I will read all posts with great interest in the hopes that more fans arise. :)
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So I haven't really listened to a studio Styx album. The only album of them that I had is the Return to Paradise live album which I bought in a CD sale. But because of this thread and the accessibility of Spotify, I decided to listen a Styx album and started with Crash of the Crown.
Wow, I like it.
I don't know how to describe it. It's like I am listening to a cross of non-prog Yes and 1970s Queen with Brian May on lead vocals. Does that even make sense? :lol So this is what Styx sounds like? I will give the other albums a listen from the most recent to the old.
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I finally got Crash of the Crown on cd. It's a good album but I'm not blown away. I like Lawrence Gowan a lot, but he's brought too much Beatles influence into the band particularly with this release. I like The Mission much better, it is more interesting musically and flows nicely. The new album is just a bunch of short random songs and seems like it is over too soon.
Perhaps it will grow on me. The new NMB album blows it away imo! :lol
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So I haven't really listened to a studio Styx album. The only album of them that I had is the Return to Paradise live album which I bought in a CD sale. But because of this thread and the accessibility of Spotify, I decided to listen a Styx album and started with Crash of the Crown.
Wow, I like it.
I don't know how to describe it. It's like I am listening to a cross of non-prog Yes and 1970s Queen with Brian May on lead vocals. Does that even make sense? :lol So this is what Styx sounds like? I will give the other albums a listen from the most recent to the old.
Nice! If you like Crash of the Crown, you should love The Mission as well. :hat :coolio
I finally got Crash of the Crown on cd. It's a good album but I'm not blown away. I like Lawrence Gowan a lot, but he's brought too much Beatles influence into the band particularly with this release. I like The Mission much better, it is more interesting musically and flows nicely. The new album is just a bunch of short random songs and seems like it is over too soon.
Perhaps it will grow on me. The new NMB album blows it away imo! :lol
Not sure what NMB has to do with Styx :P, but I think the albums are pretty comparable in quality, even if they are very different stylistically.
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The reason I compared it with the new NMB album is because I purchased both albums simultaneously a few days ago at the local record store. I listened to the new Styx first, and then the NMB afterwards. I just thought the NMB release is a lot more interesting with better song writing.
Also, Eric Gillette could easily sit in with Styx and pull off the DD parts of the classic songs on vocals. I think both bands have some similarities in their music..
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True, I think it is a given that Styx has been an influence on Neal especially (some of his keyboard parts over the years have sounded very Styx-ish), and that can sometimes seep into his music for sure, but the rhythm section and guitar playing in NMB is not like Styx really at all, so I think the similarities are likely more on the surface than deeply rooted, if that makes sense.
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Architeuthis, if you look back at Kev and my first responses after the 1st few listens we felt similar to you but this album is a true grower. With multiple spins I really love it.
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Never heard the first four albums before last week. Spun the s/t debut, and thought it was pretty good. Solid even :biggrin:. Yeah, the spoken part of MftCM is too long, but the rest of the song is really good otherwise. I get a lot of Moody Blues vibes out of the 2nd part. You can certainly here the beginnings of their tremendous vocal harmonies throughout the album, particularly on What Has Come Between Us.
Overall, I give it a B-... maybe a B. Not sure how much replay value it'll get, but I did find it quite enjoyable.
On to Styx II...
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A Day... yeah, total Deep Purple tribute here. Or a demo/outtake of a Yes experiment.
You Better Ask .... bigtime early 70s classic rock vibe. Oh wait, that's exactly what this is. I mean, this could be the bizarro universe version of Up On Cripple Creek - especially that baseline.
Father OSA ... this sounds like the formation of the Styx sound we know and love.
Earl of Roseland ... musically, it sure sounds like a prequel to Lorelei. Nice one.
All in all, another good one. Stronger than the debut - not by a considerable amount, but a noticeable one.
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I just bought a two-CD set that contains all four of the Wooden Nickel albums, so I may go back and pick up from the beginning, but for now I'll do Equinox.
Like a lot of folks around my age (born in '67 and graduated high school in '85), my first exposure to Styx was to the "classic" albums after the fact. Probably the first three I heard were The Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight and Paradise Theatre. Cornerstone, Crystal Ball and Equinox came later.
Light Up: After coming close on Man of Miracles, you get that classic "Styx sound" right off the bat with this track. Swirling keyboards/synths with heavy band accenting before jumping into a multi-tracked vocal track of the chorus/intro. Up-tempo all the way. DDY lead vocals and he's the only credited writer. Lyrics are nothing special, but a STRONG opening track. It feels like the band has really come together as a full unit.
Lorelei: A bit more of the same (joint composition between DDY and JY). The track opens a bit more "wimpy" than Light Up, but it grows in intensity pretty quickly. LOTS of layered vocals -- especially at the end. Again, the lyrics aren't anything special (generic love song).
Mother Dear: This is a VERY interesting track. It's the first of three songs on which John Curulewski got a writing credit. It's got a fair amount of proggy elements, some heavy parts, and a mixing of major and minor keys. Also, if Wikipedia is to be believed, lead vocals are shared by JC and DDY. It's not trading off of vocal parts, but it seems to be both of them singing (mostly in unison) throughout the entire song. It doesn't even feel like JY does any backing vocals. Musically, the song strongly evokes a bustling city feel. It seems to be written from the perspective of a guy who moved to the big city to make it big as a writer and has fallen victim to all that the city has to offer, but now he's returning to his mother's home.
Lonely Child: By this point it seems pretty clear that DDY got himself a new synthesizer and did a lot of experimenting with it on this album. After a brief synth intro, this song (another DDY solo composition and lead vocal) moves into a soft verse with acoustic and clean electric guitar with occasional synth accents. The chorus is heavier and has more of that classic "Styx sound." Another somewhat generic love song.
Midnight Ride: With the opening of side 2, we finally get some real JY flavor. This is JY's only solo composition and only lead vocal on the album. It's a fairly cheesy lyric about raising hell, and the song is a very straightforward rocker. After the second chorus, it moves into a half-time bluesy feel, which transitions into a pretty strong guitar solo.
Born for Adventure: Suite Madame Blue is rightly credited as the best song on this album, but Born for Adventure is grossly underrated. The track is credited to all three of DDY, JC and JY. I'm guessing the lyrics were primarily written by DDY, but he may have gotten help from Ronnie James Dio (there's a vibe that reminds me of Rainbow's debut). Perhaps most notably, this song FEATURES Chuck Panozzo on bass (yes, Styx has a bass player). Chuck absolutely kills it throughout this song. There are also some prog elements. No time changes but lots of tempo changes. It's an absolute crime that this song hasn't been played live since 1978 (although DDY has played it live with his solo band).
Prelude 12: This is a short (75 second) solo acoustic piece that functions as an intro to Suite Madame Blue. A JC solo composition.
Suite Madame Blue: As noted above, this song is the most well known and best song from this underrated album. It's credited solely to DDY, and he really made it a tour de force live. The beginning starts with only acoustic guitar and vocals (with some very subtle bass in the background) and then builds to add a bit more bass. After the second verse, the full band joins with a simple but strong chorus. Lyrically, the song is something of a lament for problems plaguing the U.S. in the mid-'70s. The guitar slowly stars to drop out and we get a synth solo that builds to a frenzy before the guitar kicks in with a HEAVY (for Styx) riff that repeats and eventually adds a four part vocal harmony section that is probably one of my favorite things Styx has ever done (even though it's just the word "America" repeated over and over). The song ends with a brief and hopeful ending section.
Equinox hit on all cylinders. The band performed their asses off, the vocals were super strong, and the songwriting was in top form. Even its weakest track (Midnight Ride) isn't a bad song. A definite harbinger of things to come and a seriously underrated album.
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I just bought a two-CD set that contains all four of the Wooden Nickel albums, so I may go back and pick up from the beginning, but for now I'll do Equinox.
Like a lot of folks around my age (born in '67 and graduated high school in '85), my first exposure to Styx was to the "classic" albums after the fact. Probably the first three I heard were The Grand Illusion, Pieces of Eight and Paradise Theatre. Cornerstone, Crystal Ball and Equinox came later.
Light Up: After coming close on Man of Miracles, you get that classic "Styx sound" right off the bat with this track. Swirling keyboards/synths with heavy band accenting before jumping into a multi-tracked vocal track of the chorus/intro. Up-tempo all the way. DDY lead vocals and he's the only credited writer. Lyrics are nothing special, but a STRONG opening track. It feels like the band has really come together as a full unit.
Lorelei: A bit more of the same (joint composition between DDY and JY). The track opens a bit more "wimpy" than Light Up, but it grows in intensity pretty quickly. LOTS of layered vocals -- especially at the end. Again, the lyrics aren't anything special (generic love song).
Mother Dear: This is a VERY interesting track. It's the first of three songs on which John Curulewski got a writing credit. It's got a fair amount of proggy elements, some heavy parts, and a mixing of major and minor keys. Also, if Wikipedia is to be believed, lead vocals are shared by JC and DDY. It's not trading off of vocal parts, but it seems to be both of them singing (mostly in unison) throughout the entire song. It doesn't even feel like JY does any backing vocals. Musically, the song strongly evokes a bustling city feel. It seems to be written from the perspective of a guy who moved to the big city to make it big as a writer and has fallen victim to all that the city has to offer, but now he's returning to his mother's home.
Lonely Child: By this point it seems pretty clear that DDY got himself a new synthesizer and did a lot of experimenting with it on this album. After a brief synth intro, this song (another DDY solo composition and lead vocal) moves into a soft verse with acoustic and clean electric guitar with occasional synth accents. The chorus is heavier and has more of that classic "Styx sound." Another somewhat generic love song.
Midnight Ride: With the opening of side 2, we finally get some real JY flavor. This is JY's only solo composition and only lead vocal on the album. It's a fairly cheesy lyric about raising hell, and the song is a very straightforward rocker. After the second chorus, it moves into a half-time bluesy feel, which transitions into a pretty strong guitar solo.
Born for Adventure: Suite Madame Blue is rightly credited as the best song on this album, but Born for Adventure is grossly underrated. The track is credited to all three of DDY, JC and JY. I'm guessing the lyrics were primarily written by DDY, but he may have gotten help from Ronnie James Dio (there's a vibe that reminds me of Rainbow's debut). Perhaps most notably, this song FEATURES Chuck Panozzo on bass (yes, Styx has a bass player). Chuck absolutely kills it throughout this song. There are also some prog elements. No time changes but lots of tempo changes. It's an absolute crime that this song hasn't been played live since 1978 (although DDY has played it live with his solo band).
Prelude 12: This is a short (75 second) solo acoustic piece that functions as an intro to Suite Madame Blue. A JC solo composition.
Suite Madame Blue: As noted above, this song is the most well known and best song from this underrated album. It's credited solely to DDY, and he really made it a tour de force live. The beginning starts with only acoustic guitar and vocals (with some very subtle bass in the background) and then builds to add a bit more bass. After the second verse, the full band joins with a simple but strong chorus. Lyrically, the song is something of a lament for problems plaguing the U.S. in the mid-'70s. The guitar slowly stars to drop out and we get a synth solo that builds to a frenzy before the guitar kicks in with a HEAVY (for Styx) riff that repeats and eventually adds a four part vocal harmony section that is probably one of my favorite things Styx has ever done (even though it's just the word "America" repeated over and over). The song ends with a brief and hopeful ending section.
Equinox hit on all cylinders. The band performed their asses off, the vocals were super strong, and the songwriting was in top form. Even its weakest track (Midnight Ride) isn't a bad song. A definite harbinger of things to come and a seriously underrated album.
My ABSOLUTE favorite Styx album. Followed closely by TGI! :hefdaddy
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The Serpent is Rising:
Young Man caught my ear quite nicely … very ELP like in the keyboard solo. Seems they were influenced by quite a lot of early prog bands. This was a pretty cohesive song.
Really loved the acoustic intro… er, 1st half .. of As Bad As This. Then it just got fuckin weird
Winner take all was corny af 22 Years was a nice little rocker - even if the call/response vocal opening was pretty weak.
The rest... rather unremarkable.
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True, I think it is a given that Styx has been an influence on Neal especially (some of his keyboard parts over the years have sounded very Styx-ish), and that can sometimes seep into his music for sure, but the rhythm section and guitar playing in NMB is not like Styx really at all, so I think the similarities are likely more on the surface than deeply rooted, if that makes sense.
Yes indeed! The keyboards are mostly what I was referring to. A lot of the same type of sounds and chord phrasings along with the soloing. The guitar playing takes a way different approach.
Also as Kingshmegland said, this new Styx album is a grower. So I will definitely give it a few more spins. The Mission was the same way, I was indifferent to it at first but it became one of my all time favorite Styx albums.
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I just bought a two-CD set that contains all four of the Wooden Nickel albums, so I may go back and pick up from the beginning, but for now I'll do Equinox.
-snip- But I agree with just about everything.
I used to consider Crystal Ball the first "main sequence" Styx album, with the arrival of Tommy Shaw and the classic lineup. But I think it's really Equinox where it all came together. Everything before then seemed to have at least one or two glaring weaknesses, mostly songs that didn't quite work or were otherwise skippable, but Equinox is the first one I can listen to all the way through. The first of their great albums.
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I used to consider Crystal Ball the first "main sequence" Styx album, with the arrival of Tommy Shaw and the classic lineup. But I think it's really Equinox where it all came together. Everything before then seemed to have at least one or two glaring weaknesses, mostly songs that didn't quite work or were otherwise skippable, but Equinox is the first one I can listen to all the way through. The first of their great albums.
Same...and I like Equinox more and more every time I listen to it.
I remember when my friends and I were really getting into Styx, John Curulewski was a total enigma. Who was this guy? What happened to him? Did he and John Rutsey ever play together? Obviously, the story was pretty mundane. It's too bad that he died so young and during Styx's hiatus. If he were still around, I bet he'd have joined them on stage at some point.
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Curulewski is kind of the forgotten Styx guy, but he was really good. Prelude 12 sounds very Steve Howe, so I suspect he was the main guy bringing in the prog on those early albums.
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Suite Madame Blue has always been a favorite of mine. One of those songs I heard on classic rock radio when I was just getting in to the genre and instantly fell in love with. A song that I didn't know what it was called, or who the artist was, but made me think "Yes! This is everything I have been looking for in music."
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Curulewski is kind of the forgotten Styx guy, but he was really good. Prelude 12 sounds very Steve Howe, so I suspect he was the main guy bringing in the prog on those early albums.
Yeah...that's a good point, because some of that disappeared when he left.
Let's do Crystal Ball!
It seems pretty clear that whoever put this package together was going to a restart on Styx's career. I really liked the inner sleeve with the long biographies. The bit about how they had so much faith in Tommy Shaw that they named the album after his song seemed cool at the time but now seems super contrived. James Young is ALMOST an afterthought on this album. He has only two joint writing credits and only one song where does some, but not all, of the lead vocals.
Put Me On: I had been prepared for this song by my friend who said it's a real burner, which it is. It opens with more swirling synths, followed by some classical influenced keyboards and chord progressions. It then smacks you in the face with the opening, "put me on, I'm your brand new record album." Probably the only song I've ever heard that speaks from the point of view of a record album (and who better to personify it than JY). The song then brings it way down with a soft bit, sung by DDY, which is supposed to represent the ebb and flow of an album. And then the song ends with some heavy riffing and soloing. Still a favorite of mine.
Mademoiselle: This is our first taste of Tommy Shaw. The writing credits are to DDY and Tommy, and Tommy takes the lead vocals. Lyrically, it's a bit of a vanilla love song, but it's a very solid song.
Jennifer: Several pages back, I think I described this song as DDY's ode to pedophilia. It's a VERY '70s song and it's basically about a guy with the hots for a 17-year old girl (certainly not unheard of in rock circles in the mid-'70s) and talking about how she thinks "she's much too young to keep me satisfied," but that only seems to turn him on more. Strong choruses, though and certainly not a bad song. Just a little weird.
Crystal Ball: Tommy Shaw announces his arrival in grand fashion. Tommy wrote and performed an early version of this song with his prior band, Harvest. Has a very CSN feel to it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSgV__rqb5o . The Styx version opens with Tommy playing acoustic guitar and singing by himself. The structure is verse, verse, prechorus, chorus, and DDY and JY join in with some oohs and aahs for the prechorus, and then the full band kicks in hard for the chorus. We then get a synth solo over a quiet bed, and then the song kicks into overdrive for a final prechorus and chorus. The transition right before the final chorus starts is so simple and so well thought through. The song ends with an excellent electric guitar solo over the same backing as the earlier synth solo. It's such a well-written song, and hearing the development from how it started speaks volume for the craftsmanship of the band.
Shooz: This song illustrates the other, rockin' side of Tommy Shaw, and he co-wrote it with James Young. It's easily my least favorite song on the album, and the best way I can describe it is that it sounds like a ZZ Top song with less "dirty" guitars and much better vocals (from Tommy).
This Old Man: The first of two DDY songs to end the album. Not surprisingly given where and how he grew up, Dennis had a fascination with the blue collar worker. The first half of the song is DDY singing over acoustic guitar, and then it builds to a Broadway-esque middle section before the full band kicks in with a heavier section before an ELP-esque instrumental section (I think it's pretty clear that DDY was a Keith Emerson fan). The song builds in intensity with a guitar solo and a "majestic" outro section.
Clair de Lune/Ballerina: For the first 70 seconds of this piece, DDY adapts the Clair de lune section (solo piano) from Claude Debussy's Suite bergamasque. The "Ballerina" section starts with solo piano and DDY singing, with organ and, eventually, the full band joining. The song builds in intensity in typical Styx style, and the Broadway influence is heavy throughout. Styx was never big into odd times, but there are a lot of prog elements in this song (they didn't all disappear with Curulewski), and you can start to hear the grand designs that were ultimately DDY's undoing. A couple of excellent guitar solos, coupled with some well done "la la" sections bring the song to a close.
Perhaps a slight drop from Equinox, but Crystal Ball is on the same level of quality as Suite Madame Blue, and the addition of Tommy Shaw opened up several new doors for the band.
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Nice writeup on Crystal Ball! Once again, I agree with pretty much all of it.
I always figured Dennis brought the prog to early Styx, and it slowly eroded away as part of the natural evolution of their sound into something that actually sells. I hadn't considered that Curulweski was also bringing it, and I'm not ruling it out. But as pg points out, there were still prog elements after he left, and everything seems to point to Dennis.
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Jennifer: Several pages back, I think I described this song as DDY's ode to pedophilia. It's a VERY '70s song and it's basically about a guy with the hots for a 17-year old girl (certainly not unheard of in rock circles in the mid-'70s) and talking about how she thinks "she's much too young to keep me satisfied," but that only seems to turn him on more. Strong choruses, though and certainly not a bad song. Just a little weird.
Sad but true. Read up on David Bowie and Jimmy Page (among others).
But yeah, Crystal Ball is a great record. I think Equinox might a tad better, largely because it doesn't have anything as average Shooz, and its highs overall as just as high, although I do think Crystal Ball is the best song from either album by a hair over Suite Madame Blue.
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But yeah, Crystal Ball is a great record. I think Equinox might a tad better, largely because it doesn't have anything as average Shooz, and its highs overall as just as high, although I do think Crystal Ball is the best song from either album by a hair over Suite Madame Blue.
I'm the other way around with those two songs, but there are so many underrated tracks on both albums.
I always figured Dennis brought the prog to early Styx, and it slowly eroded away as part of the natural evolution of their sound into something that actually sells. I hadn't considered that Curulweski was also bringing it, and I'm not ruling it out. But as pg points out, there were still prog elements after he left, and everything seems to point to Dennis.
I'm mean...JC wrote Plexiglass Toilet, so we should've known! And I'm with you...I assumed it was a DDY thing (and he did have some of it, and it did stick around after JC left), but Kev's comment kind lit a light bulb. "Oh yeah!"
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Just spun Crystal Ball (apparently for the first time ever!). Nice writeup on it, pg. I too put it just below Equinox, but there's some really great music there.
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Where is the gushing over The Grand Illusion?? ;)
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Where is the gushing over The Grand Illusion?? ;)
It's coming. I've been crazy busy since I did Crystal Ball.
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Haven't had too much time on your hands, eh? ;)
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Haven't had too much time on your hands, eh? ;)
:clap: :clap:
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Tick tick tick tick tick tickin' away from me.
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4:00 on a Friday...let's do this!
The Grand Illusion
Styx released Crystal Ball in October 1976 and proceeded to tour through late March 1977 (about 65 dates). Setlist.fm says the first show in support of TGI was May 6, 1977, but the album wasn't released until two months later, so who knows if that's accurate. At any rate, they only had a five week break during which TGI was recorded, and they made the most of that time.
The Grand Illusion: Come Sail Away was probably the first Styx song I ever heard, and the title track might have been the second. The song hits you hard right from the start. The opening root riff plays around with root notes, a major second, and perfect fourths and fifths, so it doesn't quite tell you what the overall tone of the song will be. At the end of the opening segment and some trademark swirling synths, we blasted vocally by DDY in the guise of a carnival barker. "Welcome to the Grand Illusion; come on in and see what's happening." Very much a nod to ELP and Carn Karn Evil 9. The band then settles in for the verse and chorus, followed by a blistering guitar solo, which I believe is JY. The intro riff makes a reappearance, followed by the chorus and a more mellow guitar solo. The song closes with DDY wondering out loud, "who the hell we are." The intro riff closes out the song.
Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man): This song is credited solely to Shaw, but I have a hard time believing DDY didn't have some significant input. The song opens with synth riff over a pedal tone and then segues into dueling acoustic guitar and synth. The song starts out primarily in 6/4 and then moves into what feels to me like 6/8. The verse is primarily acoustic guitar and drums, with the bass playing octaves. The synth sits nicely in the background. Lyrically we hear about a disillusioned and angry young man who is encouraged by the chorus to get up and get back on his feet. Following the chorus, we get a synth solo in 7/4 and the second chorus. The opening riff returns followed by a short bridge in 5/8 to get back to the acoustic guitar from the verses, but this time it serves as the bed for a frenetic synth solo. One of Styx's most popular and well-known songs, it drips with "sneaky" prog elements throughout.
Superstars: This song is a bit more basic but starts out with a grand chorus talking about reaching for the stars (figuratively). The mid-tempo verses plod a bit, but not so much as to be borning. The song is credited to JY, DDY and Shaw, but it's probably one of the lesser songs on this album. After the return of the intro riff, we get a nice harmony solo by JY and Shaw. We then get a bit of an odd breakdown in which DDY seems to re-assume the carnival barker role.
Come Sail Away: What can be said about what is probably Styx's best-known and most popular song. The beginning is classic DDY cheese. A very light and breezy piano motif with DDY singing about setting course for "the virgin sea" and seeking new adventures. After the first verse, we get some synth played by JY, and the rest of the band comes in relatively quietly. In the second verse, DDY reminisces about childhood friends and the dreams they had. After the second verse, the song starts to rock and DDY abandons the piano and we hear about "a gathering of angels" appearing above his head and singing to him, "come sail away." We then get a synth breakdown (which I believe is referred to in the liner notes as the "Arp odyssey" -- after the brand of synth) and a BIG ROCK MOMENT with crunching guitars. And then, SPOILER ALERT...the angels who told DDY to "come sail away" are actually traveling aboard a starship. The song deserves every bit of credit it gets, but the lyrics are really weird when you really pay attention.
Miss America: Hey...we haven't had a JY song in a while (in fact, not since Midnight Ride on Equinox). Miss America opens with what I think might be a mellotron, some clean electric guitars join in for this mysterious intro. But then we get that riff that's instantly recognizable by any Styx fan (and remember this riff). Lyrically, and for reasons I can't explain, decided to go all guns blazing at Miss America. This song would have made sense after the Vanessa Williams scandal in the '80s, but I'm not sure what the motivation was in 1977. After the standard verse, chorus, verse, chorus, we get a brief synth solo and guitar solo, followed by a closing verse. A very simple song, but it serves as a nice contrast tot he rest of the album. Probably JY's best known song.
Man in the Wilderness: This song and Castle Walls are, IMO, the hidden gems of this album. Man in the Wilderness is a low mid-tempo song that starts fairly mellow. Shaw is the sole credited author, but I feel like DDY also played a pretty strong role with this one also. The relatively mellow verses build to a brooding chorus. Lyrically, it's certainly a companion piece to Fooling Yourself. The angry young man has grown up a bit but has lost his way. After the second chorus, the intensity build with the bridge, and then...remember that riff from Miss America? Have some more! It's not identical, but the riff that is played prior to and underneath the guitar solo is REALLY close, and I've never heard an explanation why that was. The song segues into a final chorus. Tommy's vocals on this song are one of the standout features on this album.
Castle Walls: Castle Walls has the same brooding feel as Man in the Wilderness. It opens quietly with Chuck keeping time by playing a repeating quarter note pattern while DDY adds a synth melody. John Panozzo adds cymbal accents. DDY sings about a fantasy style encounter in a forest while the music builds to the chorus that tells of castle walls and a battle raging "like hell." A mini guitar solo is followed by another synth riff over a pedal tone. The guitars and drums build in intensity and more synths are added. The opening of the song returns with a rocking guitar solo, followed by a final chorus in which DDY meets the blind prophet of Apollo, Tiresias (although I suspect he just liked the sound of the name).
The Grand Finale: Apparently not feeling like a 37 minute album was long enough, but not having another song, they decided to tack on this bit of filler. The "song" starts out with the lyrics, "sail away; superstars," and then proceeds as a bit of a redux on the title track. Not a bad way to end the album, but nothing special.
Despite having a lot of earmarks of the mid-'70s, I believe it has aged incredibly well and still stands up strong today.
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The Grand Illusion is great album. One of the 3 essential Styx albums, along with Pieces Of Eight and Paradise Theater.
Great live show from The Grand Illusion tour..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYeYqhlVNQU
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Pg, great details.
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The breakthrough album for Styx. Sure, a few Styx songs got airplay prior to this album (everyone knew "Crystal Ball", "Lorelei", and of course "Lady") but this is the one that really hit it big. Or maybe it's just because it was my first concert and this happened to be the big album at the time of my rock awakening. Or maybe both.
Karn Evil 9
The intro to Miss America is a synth. Similar patch to the break on Suite Madame Blue. Flutey sound, but it not a Mellotron; definitely a synth, probably a Moog.
Other than that, I agree with pretty much every word.
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The Grand Illusion is great album. One of the 3 essential Styx albums, along with Pieces Of Eight and Paradise Theater.
Great live show from The Grand Illusion tour..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYeYqhlVNQU
DDY: "Hey guys...hey guys...I have a great idea!"
JP: "What is it now, Dennis?"
DDY: "Let's wear all white at the show!"
TS: "What? Why?"
DDY: "Because it's fucking artistic! Tommy, just borrow that sweater your wife...the one she wore to dinner the other day."
JY: "Fine, Dennis, whatever."
Chuck: <shows up in all black.>
Karn Evil 9
Damn...major faux pas.
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Regarding the writing, it feels like Styx must have used the Fleetwood Mac rule back then, meaning that whoever came up with the original idea got the writing credit, because it is clear that DDY had a big hand in writing Fooling Yourself and Miss America. Granted, I believe Dennis did the heavy lifting when it came to producing (the band as a whole is credited as the producer), so he might have chalked it up to his contributions being part of the production, or it could just be a simple case of the band being in their prime, at their peak, writing great music, and not overly worrying about credit and whatnot. The band was firing on all cylinders in the later 70s.
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Castle Walls is and will always be my #1 all time favorite Styx song and I can’t believe it doesn’t get more love.
The tension buildup in that song is off the charts, and the power chords over the synth riff (slightly reminiscent of the Halloween theme) is so much fun to crank!! :metal :metal :metal :xbones
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Castle Walls is and will always be my #1 all time favorite Styx song and I can’t believe it doesn’t get more love.
The tension buildup in that song is off the charts, and the power chords over the synth riff (slightly reminiscent of the Halloween theme) is so much fun to crank!! :metal :metal :metal :xbones
It's unfortunate. CW and Man in the Wilderness get overshadowed by the big 3 of this album (Fooling, Sail and Miss America).
I may do Pieces of Eight later today.
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I wasn't born when The Grand Illusion was released, though I grew up enjoying Styx's music in the 80's as my mom loved them. She saw Styx play at high school dances in the early 70's, before they became a national act.
My first real rock concert was the reunion/Return to Paradise tour in 1996, and in 1997, we saw their tour in support of The Grand Illusion's 20th anniversary. They played five songs from the record then. When I saw Dennis' solo band in 2010, he played Castle Walls, which was really neat to see, so I've seen quite a bit of that album played live.
As much as I love them, I haven't ever really done a deep dive into their studio records, so this is a fun discussion to read.
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I wasn't born when The Grand Illusion was released, though I grew up enjoying Styx's music in the 80's as my mom loved them. She saw Styx play at high school dances in the early 70's, before they became a national act.
My first real rock concert was the reunion/Return to Paradise tour in 1996, and in 1997, we saw their tour in support of The Grand Illusion's 20th anniversary. They played five songs from the record then. When I saw Dennis' solo band in 2010, he played Castle Walls, which was really neat to see, so I've seen quite a bit of that album played live.
As much as I love them, I haven't ever really done a deep dive into their studio records, so this is a fun discussion to read.
No time like the present. :)
Castle Walls is and will always be my #1 all time favorite Styx song and I can’t believe it doesn’t get more love.
The tension buildup in that song is off the charts, and the power chords over the synth riff (slightly reminiscent of the Halloween theme) is so much fun to crank!! :metal :metal :metal :xbones
It's unfortunate. CW and Man in the Wilderness get overshadowed by the big 3 of this album (Fooling, Sail and Miss America).
I may do Pieces of Eight later today.
I think the big 3 from this one would be the classic rock radio mainstays (The Grand Illusion, Fooling Yourself and Come Sail Away), but I agree that Castle Walls and Man in the Wilderness are killer songs that deserve any and all love they get.
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Pieces of Eight
One thing I've noticed in doing these reviews is that there's relatively little good information about the background and recording of these albums. Is there a good Styx biography out there (other than the Behind the Music episode)?
The Grand Illusion was certified Gold on October 19, 1977 (three months after it was released) and Platinum on December 22, 1977. According to setlist.fm, the tour in support of TGI ended in Seattle, WA on May 31, 1978. Pieces of Eight was apparently recorded in June and July 1978, and the band hit the road again in early August, with the album being released on September 1, 1978. About five weeks later, on October 10, 1978, it received both Gold and Platinum certifications.
The album cover is striking. I don't believe the band or album named appeared on the cover, and the cover is dominated by the large heads of three 50-ish year old women. One is looking right at you, and she is PISSED about something. The women are wearing Easter Island earrings, and the front cover continues to the back cover that features a fourth head and an Easter Island statue. The inner sleeve features similar large heads of the band members and an Easter Island background. The band members' expressions seem to say, "yeah...we nailed it again."
Great White Hope: The album opens not with music, but with the rhythm of a boxer hitting a speed bag. Cheering crowd noise and the band quickly join in, followed by DDY announcing that "the #1 contender" from "the city of the big shoulders" (a nickname for the band's hometown of Chicago, taken from a Carl Sandburg poem) will compete in "a 10-round exhibition" against an unidentified opponent "for your entertainment." The song kicks in following DDY's announcement. JY (the sole credited writer) sings lead. It's a high energy verse, with a return to the pulsing speed bag rhythm for the chorus. The song breaks down with a big synth passage and a guitar solo that alternates with more synth work. Chorus, verse, chorus to the ending fade-out. A strong opening effort, but it's actually one of the weaker tracks on the album -- i.e., the best is yet to come.
I'm O.K.: It's not just any rock band that can pull off a song titularly based on a self-help book! This song again starts off with a heavy rhythmic focus -- a drum pattern by John Panozzo, followed by one of the more bizarre vocal lines I can think of (chanted gang-vocal style no less). I don't entire know what they say, but I've always heard it as "hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, skate! Sit around and rotate!" I've also seem that some folks think it's "seven on the rotate!" and that seems to be what went up on the screen when they did it live in 2010, so I guess that's the real thing. What the fuck does that mean? Anyway, then then get a nice, mid-tempo bit with the full band, followed by...pipe organ and vocals from DDY (I'm guessing DDY heard "Awaken" by Yes and liked it). Ok...the lyrics are consistent with the title, telling the tale of someone who's told to conform but who who comes to terms with being a bit different. After a synth breakdown and a really good guitar solo (I always assumed it was JY, but it was apparently Tommy), the pipe organ returns in full force. The last chorus is sung church choir style with DDY and others whooping it up in the background. This DDY/JY contribution is a bit weird, but I quite like it.
Sing for the Day: We get our first Tommy Shaw contribution here, and he picks up right where he left off with Fooling Yourself and Man in the Wilderness. The song opens with acoustic guitar and a synth patch that sounds very familiar, but I can't quite place it. There's also some mandolin in the background and eventually accordion. But it works. Lyrically, it's a fairly basic love song...for a woman named Hannah. However, at the time, Tommy was married to a woman named "Cuppy" Smith. Hmmm... Tommy eventually had a daughter, but she wasn't born until 1987. Anyway, this is one of the most singable songs on the album, but we'll eventually see that Tommy had much more to offer.
The Message: The Message is simply DDY noodling around with a synthesizer for 68 seconds, and this serves as an ominous intro for the next song.
Lords of the Ring: This is a DDY solo contribution, and I envision a discussion something like this: DDY: "Hey guys, I have a great idea!" CP: "I hope it's better than that 'let's all wear white' idea." Everyone: Laughter. DDY: "Ha ha ha, Chuck. Anyway...you know how everyone has been writing songs about the Lord of the Rings?" TS (rolling his eyes): "Sure...." DDY: "Well...I've got this song that'll be...wait for it...'Lords' (plural) 'of the Ring' (singular)!" JY: "Ummm...ok, but only if you let me sing lead." DDY: Exactly! JY: "Wait...what? I wasn't being serious." This is a bombastic, mid-tempo rocker about exactly what the title says. Who are these lords, and what is this ring? No idea, but they're majestic and mysterious. Not a terrible song, but easily the worst song on the album.
Side 2 is where this album really gets down to work.
Blue Collar Man (Long Nights): After side 1, you're thinking, "this album is a bit of a letdown after TGI. Not bad, but not as strong." Then you flip over the record and are immediately hit in the face by one of the most recognizable synth (or is it Hammond organ?) intros in '70s rock. The song quickly kicks into high gear with a rocking ode to a friend of Tommy's who was laid off from a railroad job and was pissed about standing in line at the unemployment office. This was a guy who was going to get back to work soon. Crunchy guitars highlight this song, with Tommy pulling off a blistering solo. You all know this song, so what more is there to say?
Queen of Spades: For most folks, Blue Collar Man and Renegade are THE songs on Pieces of Eight, but Queen of Spades has been my favorite since high school. This joint effort between JY and DDY starts innocently enough with clean electric and DDY singing about the warm embrace of a woman. The synth and bass kick in quietly, and then DDY finds that this woman has left him. He then "tries to escape," but she finds him and cannot escape. The band kicks in hard. Killer riff from JJY kicks things off, followed by DDY's verse about this woman who will "lock you in a duel where you [will] come out the fool." We then get one of the best choruses in the band's catalog -- both musically and lyrically. This woman means business, and "her love means only your death." Shit! Following a blistering solo from JY, the song goes into half-time before a couple choruses, but not before DDY maniacally laughs, "ha ha ha...YOU LOSE!" GREAT FUCKING SONG!
Renegade: This is another song that everyone knows unless you've lived in a cave for 40 years. The song opens with the haunting vocal about the renegade who implores his mother that he is in fear for his life from the long arm of the law. The bass drum/heart beat adds to the building of tension as DDY and JY join in for some of the best harmonies this side of a Yes album. After chorus, verse, chorus, we get another tasty solo from JY, whom Tommy let take the spot (with JY returning the favor a couple albums later). Following the solo and a synth interlude, the harmony vocals kick back in (the hand clap section when the song is done live). Three killer songs in a row.
Pieces of Eight: Man in the Wilderness and Castle Walls are the un(der)appreciated songs of TGI, and the title track serves that function on this album. I don't know if people were just worn out from the trio of songs that start side 2, but Pieces of Eight is a practically unknown and never talked about song -- seemingly even among hardcore fans. The song begins with DDY singing over solo piano about how he walks through life without stopping to smell the roses. After the full band announces its presence with a prechorus, a clean guitar joins the fun for the second verse. Another prechorus and then the heavy, majestic, four-part harmony chorus implicitly implores us to stand up with hands in the air. The following instrumental section is both epic and simple at the same time. The full majesty of Styx closes this one out. Do NOT sleep on this song. One of DDY's best compositions.
Aku-Aku: Not really sure what the point of this nearly 3-minute instrumental is. The album was already nearly 40 minutes, so they didn't really need any filler. It's mostly a clean electric guitar piano. The drums and bass join, and Tommy whispers "aku-aku." Nothing offensive about this, but it really doesn't add anything to the album.
An absolutely worthy follow-up to TGI
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I never liked "Great White Hope" because JY screaming "Look at me!" always sounded exactly like "Aren't you?" and "Don't you?" from "Miss America" only one album prior. Even the guitar riff is similar. It's really kinda the same song with different lyrics. I've always considered JY the weakest of the three main songwriters, and point to this as my example.
The synth patch on "Sing for the Day" always evoked a pan flute to me. Mrs. Orbert even asked me one time if they got Zamfir to play on the album or what, though I don't think she was being serious. But that confirmed to me that it was meant to evoke a pan flute. But it's a synth.
I thought the intro to "Blue Collar Man" was a really heavy-ass Hammond sound, and lacking even a regular Hammond, I tried emulating it on a synth. The results were much better. So I think it's a synth patched to emulate a really heavy-ass Hammond sound.
Ha ha, I thought the same thing about "Lords of the Ring". I was in high school in the late 70's, and the books were making a resurgence in popularity. Or maybe they were always popular among junior high and high schoolers. Anyway, "Lords of the Ring" <==> "Lord of the Rings" was pretty obvious, but the song at least took it in a different direction.
(PS: You might want to double-check the first line in the post)
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(PS: You might want to double-check the first line in the post)
Gaaahhh!!!
I was thinking pan flute too. It fits with the acoustic guitar and mandolin. And I definitely agree about JY being the weak link among the "big three" (although, when I was in high school, he was my favorite. Never really noticed that about GWH, but it makes sense, and now I'll probably never not notice it!
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Where is the gushing over The Grand Illusion?? ;)
I got behind a little. Consider me gushing. What a gem of an album. I mean, it's virtually flawless. Fantastic opener, and it has four of their Top 10 all-time songs (imo).
Great writeup PG. As much as Come Sail Away is horribly overplayed, it deserves all the love and accolades it gets. It's the Tom Sawyer, the Don't Stop Believin, the Bohemian Rhapsody ... flagship songs that (usually) defy being "overplayed"
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Come Sail Away and Sweet Madame Blue are both in that category of flagship songs. :coolio
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Come Sail Away and Sweet Madame Blue are both in that category of flagship songs. :coolio
Except that SMB is UNDERplayed.
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I have to think it was pretty rare back in the 70s where the top singles AND the best deep cuts were all on Side 2 of the vinyl. Side 1 of Pieces of Eight is great, but Side 2 is just money, Aku-Aku, which I agree seems like an unnecessary add-on at the end, notwithstanding.
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Come Sail Away and Sweet Madame Blue are both in that category of flagship songs. :coolio
Ahh... I'd put probably 3-5 other songs ahead of SMB as the alternate flagship. The Best of Times, Babe, Crystal Ball for sure.
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Babe is too sappy, but it is a universal hit. Best of Times and Crystal Ball are good calls though. SMB has the killer break/solo section though. :metal
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Babe is too sappy, but it is a universal hit. Best of Times and Crystal Ball are good calls though. SMB has the killer break/solo section though. :metal
Oh, don't get me wrong, nowadays I prefer SMB over all four of those (including CSA). Just that at a general level, I wouldn't consider SMB a 'flagship' song. For me "flagship" would be the song that any general layperson thinks of first when you mention a band, and the one that typically gets the most airplay from Classic Rock / 70s-80s radio stations.
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Babe is too sappy, but it is a universal hit. Best of Times and Crystal Ball are good calls though. SMB has the killer break/solo section though. :metal
Oh, don't get me wrong, nowadays I prefer SMB over all four of those (including CSA). Just that at a general level, I wouldn't consider SMB a 'flagship' song. For me "flagship" would be the song that any general layperson thinks of first when you mention a band, and the one that typically gets the most airplay from Classic Rock / 70s-80s radio stations.
Yeah I see what you're saying. Kind of like Tom Sawyer, Don't Stop Believing, More Than a Feeling, etc.
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I have to think it was pretty rare back in the 70s where the top singles AND the best deep cuts were all on Side 2 of the vinyl. Side 1 of Pieces of Eight is great, but Side 2 is just money, Aku-Aku, which I agree seems like an unnecessary add-on at the end, notwithstanding.
Yeah...not at all common. If I had to rank the songs on POE, I'd probably go with:
1. Queen of Spades
2. Blue Collar Man
3. Renegade
4. Pieces of Eight
5. Sing for the Day
6. I'm OK
7. Great White Hope
8. Lords of the Ring
9. The Message
10. Aku-Aku
There is basically zero margin between 2-4, and I could easily rank them in any order, and the margin between 4 and 5 isn't all that great either.
I need to listen to Cornerstone a couple more times to really get my bearings on some of the songs. There's actually a lot to say about the album.
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What brought me back to the those 2 albums was the Blu Ray of the newer lineup playing both albums.
I have fond memories of my friends band playing Crystal Ball in battle of the bands. They slayed it.
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We did a killer version of Come Sail Away, if I do say so myself. It was our "big finish" song for a while. We did a decent Babe as well. Back home with the guys, I've done Come Sail Away plus Renegade and Blue Collar Man. All great tunes to play, great fun.
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I need to listen to Cornerstone a couple more times to really get my bearings on some of the songs. There's actually a lot to say about the album.
It's a drop-off from the four that preceded it, but it's still a good album, one with several outstanding tunes (Love in the Midnight, Boat on the River) and most of the rest is good. Eddie and The First Time are the only misfires.
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Cornerstone
Back in the day, I bought Cornerstone, but I never gave it much thought. It had Babe, and everyone knew that song, and it was fine, but it was not well-regarded among my peer group, so it mostly went on the shelf. Because of that, I've listened to it about a half dozen times over the past week to make sure I can give it a fair and reasonable discussion.
The Pieces of Eight tour that started in August 1978 wrapped up in early April 1979. Setlist.fm says the Cornerstone tour began on August 23, 1979, but the set list from that show doesn't contain any material from the album. Regardless, after a four month "break," during which Cornerstone was presumably recorded, Styx returned to the road in late August, and Cornerstone was released on October 19, 1979 (didn't realize when I started this that it was the anniversary of its release). After the success of TGI and Pieces, Cornerstone basically shipped Platinum. It received its Gold and Platinum certifications in early February 1980.
Cornerstone is prominently featured in the early 2000s episode of Behind the Music. It's the album that nearly tore the band apart. Styx always had that narrative of the fire burning beneath the surface that was carefully controlled. That was a great description of the prior four albums, but this time things changed.
If I had to pick one word to describe Cornerstone, it would be "wimpy." Not that Wikipedia is the be all and end all, but when you look at the entries for Equinox through Pieces of Eight, the genres are listed as progressive rock and hard rock. I don't know if that's totally accurate. Styx has never been a prog band or a hard rock band. "Progressive hard rock" is the term I always used for Rush (at least up to the synth era), but it's never a term I would have used for Styx. Styx has always been a rock band that occasionally was proggy and occasionally rocked hard. However, When you get to Cornerstone, the genres listed are pop rock and soft rock, and those are spot on for 90% of the album.
James Young had one song on the album and was otherwise mostly absent -- both overtly and in spirit. Of the other eight songs on the album, three are credited to Tommy Shaw, and three are credited to DDY, and the other two are Shaw/DeYoung and DeYoung/Shaw. While I've never heard this said, I have to believe that not having had a significant time break in years was getting to the band. Onto the songs...
Lights: The album starts promisingly. Lights is a Shaw/DeYoung composition. Nice synth intro into a verse that's primarily Tommy singing with n acoustic guitar. JY and DDY enter with some accent vocals, and there's a slight build to the chorus that is pure Styx harmony vocals. And then the middle section is....hmmm...what is happening here? DDY got himself a new toy -- a Fender Rhodes electric piano. This is a great instrument to use if you want your song to sound like it was written and recorded in the late '70s. There's sort of a guitar solo in there, but I'm pretty sure there's also some saxophone. Not sure about that. We return to the excellent chorus, which fades out the song. Lights is a really good song -- sort of in the same vein as Sing for the Day -- but that middle section is a bit of a head scratcher. By the way, please enjoy this video -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdlDuMU7sMY -- which appears to be from some German "Top of the Pops" type show. Chuck apparently got the "all white" message, but this time, JY said "fuck that," and Tommy apparently decided he should look like an 8-year old boy fromt he '50s in a sailor outfit.
Why Me: Now we're really scratching our heads. I can't make up my mind about this song. It starts with DDY on vocals accompanied by his Fender Rhodes. The full band jumps in with a fairly heavy riff, but it ultimately seems that DDY decided Styx should stop being Styx and, instead, be Supertramp, who was, at that time, in the full glow of it's highly successful Breakfast in America album. Ok...well...the song isn't so bad, but then. Rubelator! Beg pardon? Right before the break in the middle of the song, we hear Dennis utter this nonsense word. Back in the day, I thought he said "boogelator," which doesn't make any more sense. But the internet tells me its "rubelator," which is a reference to a Rube Goldberg machine. Ummm...ok. Solo time...bring on that guit...err...saxophone? I didn't know Styx had a sax player. Oh...it doesn't, and this is a guest musician. Yup, we get a sax solo...oh, but it's ok because it goes back and forth with electric guitar, and eventually the two harmonize. A verse and a chorus and a fade out with some more sax over the top gets us to the end of this one. Not a bad song, but...doesn't really feel like Styx.
Babe: Not much to say about this one. A very saccharin love song written by DDY for his wife. Supposedly, it wasn't intended to be on this album (or any other Styx album). However, depending on which story you believe, either Tommy and DDY JY heard it and begged DDY to let it be on the album. OR the record company magically heard it and smelled hit single money and demanded that it go on the album. Either way, this song -- which is almost entirely DDY and the Panozzo brothers (with a short "guitar solo" in the middle breakdown section -- is one of songs most associated with Styx. For what it is, it's a REALLY good song. The chorus harmonies are excellent, and it was my #2 go to karaoke song back in the early '90s. But it's hella wimpy.
Never Say Never: Isn't it about time we got something heavier or proggy? Bite your tongue! The opening guitar chord suggests something more, but we quickly get a good ol' late '70s sing along song. This time, Tommy is singing about love. Want to wimp up your song? Take the title of the song and repeat it in the chorus and then repeat it again in French...oh, and talk about smelling the roses. This song, minus the electric guitar chords, wouldn't be out of place on an America album.
Boat on the River: Hey...you know what Styx has never done? Eastern European folk music. Well...let's remedy that! Umm...what? We'll get Chuck an upright bass, which he can both bow and finger pick, and Tommy can get a mandolin...and hey, didn't the band start when DDY brought his accordion over the the Panozzos' house? Do you still have that? Of course he does! Not sure what the motivation was for this song, and it's actually pretty good. It became the band's biggest European hit. In this video -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9Qs8-BkiLw -- they all have a bit of a "what the fuck are we doing?" look on their faces.
Maybe all the Styxish stuff is on side 2!
Ha ha ha ha...you lose!
Borrowed Time: This is a DDY/Shaw composition, and it starts with a bunch of arpeggios on the Fender Rhodes before we get some seriously heavy guitar chords! Yeah! Not so fast, pal. The song quickly turns into a very standard late '70s rock song. Verse, verse chorus and a very weird exchange of "yes" and "no" between DDY/Chuck and JY/Tommy. A perfectly serviceable guitar solo from Tommy, another verse and chorus, and another fade out. Another song about which the best thing I can say is that it's "not bad."
First Time: Is it time for the heavy and proggy stuff yet? Fuck no! First Time is the song for those who think Babe is just too damn heavy and rockin'. Barry Manilow would reject First Time for being too wimpy. But the record company wanted this as the follow up single to Babe. This led to Tommy threatening to quit the band and Why Me being used instead.
Eddie: Hey...JY is still in the band! Eddie is as typical a JY song as you can get. Apparently, it was a plea to Edward "Ted" Kennedy not to run for president in 1980. Ya know...no offense, but when I think of politically astute rockers, James Young is not the guy who comes to mind. As with many of the songs on this album, this one is just fine. Aside from the lyrics, it sounds like something leftover from the Wooden Nickel era.
Love in the Midnight: Ok...fuck it...I give up. ANOTHER love song. Ha ha...fooled you again! The song starts innocently enough with Tommy singing over an acoustic guitar (a la Crystal Ball). Apparently, they decided that there would be no intros on the songs on this album. Some keyboard and guitar and harmony vocal accents come in on the second verse, and then the full band kicks in with a slightly heavy, thumping chorus with call and response vocals. OK...now we're talking. The Panozzo heavy breakdown section is reminiscent of Castle Walls. The chant vocals are kinda funky but kinda cool. DDY then kicks in with an excellent synth solo, followed by an electric guitar solo. Very cool vibe through this section. The vocals come back in with another verse and chorus and then a reprise of the middle section to the fade out. This song would not have been at all out of place on TGI.
All in all, Cornerstone was a disappointing follow up to TGI and Pieces. But it's not without merit. Unfortunately, the best songs are all but unknown to most folks.
1a. Love in the Midnight
1b. Lights
3. Babe
4. Boat on the River
5. Why Me
6. Never Say Never
7. Borrowed Time
8. Eddie
9 First Time
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Another nice writeup!
This is where they lost me. I'd been a fan since we spent hours listening to The Grand Illusion and smoking things that were illegal at the time, went through the back catalog, and I stayed with them through Pieces of Eight, but Cornerstone felt like the "sellout" album. We knew it was coming; it happened to most bands at some point. They hit it big with a love song, got the girls all hot and bothered, and decided that that was the future of the band.
It wasn't quite like that, of course, but between the overall feel of the album being a bit lighter, and the huge success of "Babe", they turned the corner(stone) with this album. I thought the original LP packaging was pretty cool, and played with putting the record in in various orientations because that was kinda fun, but the album spent most of its time on the shelf.
I'm a sax player myself, and I kinda like the sax work, but it does feel out of place on a Styx album. But you can't blame them for trying new things.
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I'm a sax player myself, and I kinda like the sax work, but it does feel out of place on a Styx album. But you can't blame them for trying new things.
Pretty sure the only rock song that has sax that I really like is Long, Long Way from Home by Foreigner (which I think is mostly bari sax, except for the solo, which is very short).
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Even though it was quite a drop from the first albums that preceded it, Cornerstone is still a good album. Not great, but good.
I always chuckle any time JY bags on Babe considering the only song he brought to this album was the crappy ass Eddie. Maybe do better yourself, JY, before you start ragging on the actual good songwriters in the band.
Boat on the River is a killer song, one of my favorites of Tommy's back in that era, and Love in the Midnight is pretty damn good as well. Most of the rest is good, with First Time being a bit too shmaltzy. Babe, for all of the heat it takes, is a very well written ballad. First Time just sounds limp.
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Paradise Theatre
After a steady stream of one album per year -- actually nine albums over a span of 7 years and 2 months -- Styx finally took a bit of a break before releasing Paradise Theatre. The Cornerstone tour wrapped up with a handful of dates in Germany in June 1980. I'm not sure exactly when PT was recorded, but the band took the rest of 1980 for down time and recording PT, which was released on January 19, 1981. The tour in support of PT started three days before the album was released and didn't end until February 28, 1982, by which time the band had played 130 shows
Paradise Theatre is ostensibly a concept album -- a fictional account of Chicago's Paradise theatre, which opened in 1928 as theater that was "built to stand forever." Despite that loft goal, the theater was closed in 1956 and was finally demolished in 1958. Although Cornerstone had taken some heat from critics and fans, Paradise Theatre still shipped Platinum, earning both its Gold and Platinum certifications two months after release, on March 19, 1981 (with a 3x Platinum certification coming in November 1984).
A.D. 1928: A.D. 1928 is a 68 second intro piece that features DDY playing piano (sort of an old-timey player piano sound) and singing. "Tonight's the night we'll make history." Cool! "As sure as dogs can fly." Huh? Not so much an "overture," but the theme from this song is used throughout the album. Tommy or JY lends a more modern feel to the song with (I think) a vocoder. And hey...1928? Didn't someone else have a concept album that used 1928 as the starting point? Hmmm...
Rockin' the Paradise: A.D. 1928 ends with the line, "here at the Par...a...DISE!!!!" with the last syllable essentially being the start of this song. This is a song where the title fits to a T. A straight-ahead rocker. The song is credited jointly to DDY, JY and Tommy, and JY really makes a return on this album. A bit of an early rock feel with DDY in the background on piano. Tommy with an excellent solo. NOTHING like this on Cornerstone. And, to boot, this was the 10th video ever played on MTV: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OuREpab44Kk. I really think JY doesn't get enough credit in the fashion world for pioneering the jacket with shoulder pad look!
Too Much Time on My Hands: This is the first of Tommy's two solo writing credits on the album. As with the prior track, it was made into a video that got fairly heavy airplay on early MTV (but didn't make the cut for the first day): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XcKBmdfpWs. The "live" portion of the video was obviously recorded at the same time as Paradise, but this time we get some cheesy video of the members of Styx sitting around in a bar. As for the song, it's a bit funky and largely based on a repeating riff played on the synth and bass. It's a super catchy song with an infectious chorus. It was released as the second single from the album and reached #9 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Nothing Ever Goes as Planned: DDY takes over the rest of side 1. This song follow in the vein as Why Me from Cornerstone, but it's got a lot more in terms of Styxish rock elements. But DDY hams it up with his Fender Rhodes and vocals about a working man having his vacation spoiled. We also amp up the guest musician spots on this song. Steve Eisen makes a return on sax and brings no fewer than five horn players with him. These folks are credited in the liner notes as the "Hanglator Horn Section" (whatever that means. Not a bad song, but they probably should have left this sort of thing to Chicago.
Best of Times: The original -- and much better -- TBOT starts with the same musical theme as A.D. 1928. This time, it's a more modern sounding piano. The vocals talk about a rumor that "it's the end of Paradise." The band enters with a soft/pop rock prechorus with all three of DDY, JY and Tommy harmonizing in traditional Styx fashion. This is followed by a chorus that features a bit of call and response between DDY and JY and Tommy. TBOT was the first single released from the album and hit #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. We also got another video shot the same day as the first two: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_fzJGxpcenc. This one was the 33rd video played on the first day of MTV and got two more first day plays.
Lonely People: It was not until I started to write this that I saw the connection between this song and the "concept" of the album. At the start, you can hear city street sounds with someone playing the saxophone. Someone is banging on a door and yelling to cut it out. I figured this was just two neighbors in an apartment building, but apparently the last thing the guy says is, "I tell ya Irma, I can't wait 'til next week when they start to tear that damn old theater down." This is DDY's lament about the closing of the Paradise Theatre. Musically, the song starts with big horns, guitar, bass and drums. The verses are a bit jazzy with mostly electric piano, bass and drums. Tommy (I assume) adds some guitar fills with a wah pedal. The full band then jumps in, and this song is reminiscent of some of DDY's earlier compositions that mixed the sound of Broadway tunes with rock -- but this one adds the jazz horns. We get a bit of an odd, synth-based section with a guitar solo, then a second guitar solo over a more traditional bed of electric piano, bass and drums. The horns continue throughout and to the end with a final chorus. Not a bad song, but the horns are too heavy for my taste.
She Cares: You can almost think of this song as part of a Tommy Shaw trilogy: Sing for the Day, Never Say Never, and She Cares. Unfortunately, this is the worst of the bunch. It's a VERY generic, early '80s song. You could picture someone like Billy Joel doing this song and doing a much better job of it. Lyrically, it seems to be Tommy's ode to a woman who really cares about him, and he can't understand why. For me, this is easily the worst song on the album, although the guitar solo is very well done. Unfortunately, the guitar gives way to the saxophone.
Snowblind: This is a JY/DDY composition that got some publicity in the early '80s when a California legislator decided there were "backward satanic messages" (supposedly, "Oh, Satan, move in our voices"). Yeah...sure thing buddy. The song begins with a repeating keyboard pattern, some bass/drum accents and JY singing in a sinister manner about cocaine. The full band comes in with a shuffle feel and Tommy takes over the lead vocals. Verse, chorus, verse chorus, and JY gives us a ripping good guitar solo. Another chorus, and the outro mimics the intro with a final chorus.
Half-Penny, Two-Penny: This song is credited to JY and Ray Brandle. Who is Ray Brandle? Fuck if I know (I searched and couldn't find anything), but he's also credited with co-writing "Witch Wolf" (from The Serpent Is Rising) and "Southern Woman" and "Man of Miracles" (from Man of Miracles). Anyway, this song is a rocker with a bit of a bunk touch. The main riff serves as both the intro riff and the bed for the verses, sung by JY. Lyrically, the song seems to be about economic inequity between rich and poor. The verse has a very Styxish harmony vocal feel that reminds me slightly of the Suite Madame Blue chorus. We get a mid-section that seems to be hinting at the demolition of the Paradise Theatre, followed by a blistering guitar solo from Tommy (this is the return of the favor for JY taking the solo on Renegade). DDY provides piano backup, and the song eventually fades into the two closing tracks. This song is the hidden gem of this album, and this video illustrates why, with the band absolutely on fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DQBMzlXpdA.
A.D. 1958: This is the bookend piece with the album's intro, following the same basic structure, and being almost exactly the same length.
State Street Sadie: Barely even a song, running only 28 seconds, this is DDY noodling on the piano in a 1920sish style.
Paradise Theatre is not without its faults, but it was an excellent return to form following Cornerstone.
1. The Best of Times
2. Half-Penny, Two Penny/A.D. 1958/State Street Sadie
3. Too Much Time on My Hands
4. A.D. 1928/Rockin' the Paradise
5. Snowblind
6. Lonely People
7. Nothing Ever Goes as Planned
8. She Cares
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I realize that concept albums tend to have recurring themes, both musical and lyrical, but since this isn't a "proper" concept album IMO, to me it's just the one where a bunch of tracks start off the same and you never know which song it's gonna be. I never noticed that the piano sounds are different.
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I have to admit that Too Much Time on My Hands has become one of those songs I am good with never hearing again ever. Good song, but I've just heard it too much.
I've always thought the Half-Penny, Two-Penny/A.D. 1958 combo to basically end the album was pretty bad ass. I was excited beyond belief on the 1996 tour when they closed with The Best of Times and then attached A.D. 1958 to the end of it. I never though I would hear that glorious melody played live. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
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I realize that concept albums tend to have recurring themes, both musical and lyrical, but since this isn't a "proper" concept album IMO, to me it's just the one where a bunch of tracks start off the same and you never know which song it's gonna be. I never noticed that the piano sounds are different.
Yeah...obviously, AD1928/Rockin' the Paradise, TBOT and AD1958/SSS tie into the theme. Lonely People has the connection I mentioned, and the DDY sections of HP-2P are musically similar, but I'm not sure what Snowblind, Too Much Time and She Cares have to do with the "concept." As for the pianos, I assume he did it to illustrate the passage of time. Kind of a cool little "nugget."
I have to admit that Too Much Time on My Hands has become one of those songs I am good with never hearing again ever. Good song, but I've just heard it too much.
I've always thought the Half-Penny, Two-Penny/A.D. 1958 combo to basically end the album was pretty bad ass. I was excited beyond belief on the 1996 tour when they closed with The Best of Times and then attached A.D. 1958 to the end of it. I never though I would hear that glorious melody played live. :hefdaddy :hefdaddy
I only saw Styx once -- in 1991 (Edge of the Century). They opened with Rockin' the Paradise and also played TBOT. Good show, although Tommy's absence was glaring.
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I'm not sure what Snowblind, Too Much Time and She Cares have to do with the "concept." As for the pianos, I assume he did it to illustrate the passage of time. Kind of a cool little "nugget."
That's all I meant. A "proper" concept album would have every track be part of the story, or concept, or whatever. Here, there's the bookending pieces, and some connections scattered throughout, so there's definitely some cohesion. But then you have the "regular" songs that aren't part of the grand concept, so they basically fit them into the track order in a way that isn't too disruptive. What's the prog-bash saying? "Every album is a concept album if you overanalyze it enough." You could make it work, but you're stretching. I'll listen for the piano stuff next time.
Genesis did a similar thing with their Duke album. The opening three tracks, closing two, and midpoint ("Turn It On Again") were originally a 30-minute piece of music. But they didn't want to invite comparison to their famous epic "Supper's Ready" so they spread the pieces around, and the other songs actually fit rather well into the concept, even if they weren't originally written that way. When Styx did something similar with Paradise Theater, but IMO not quite as well, I took it as one more thing to bash them about. But I was already losing interest at that point. I never bought Paradise Theater, but listened to it a few times at friends' houses. That was all I needed to hear.
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Late to this thread. Loving the write ups, with some disagreements here and there, but overall enjoyed the read.
When I moved 20 years ago, I donated around 1000 vinyls to Goodwill because we just didn't have room in our temporary apartment (I had most recorded onto cassettes or had the CD). I kept around 200. The donation did make for a fair tax write off.
An album that I stupidly donated was Paradise Theater.
(https://i.pinimg.com/originals/bc/cc/77/bccc7758e39380a5d354d2e21647c52a.jpg)
Just thought I'd also mention from a post eons ago that both Orbert and myself were at the old Lansing Metro Ice Arena for a 'Grand Illusion' show. There was such a torrential downpour that they opened the doors for everyone, ticket in hand or not (my friend and I did not). Still remember DeYoung 'skating' on the damp stage. No wonder that building didn't last much longer.
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My wife has that vinyl!
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I only saw Styx once -- in 1991 (Edge of the Century). They opened with Rockin' the Paradise and also played TBOT. Good show, although Tommy's absence was glaring.
I saw them in '91 as well, but it was only my 3rd concert ever, so the euphoria made me not care about Tommy not being there.
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My wife has that vinyl!
I used to have it. I always wondered if that marking on the playing surface impacted the sound. But then I got the CD and trashed the vinyl, so it didn't matter.
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We still have all of our original vinyl from the good old days, easily a couple hundred from each of us. The ones from my collection are almost all in mint or near-mint condition. My wife's... not so much. We have two copies of a lot of albums, and three of some. But we are both collectors and have trouble just dumping anything that we've acquired that still has value.
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As I started to buy CDs in the late '80s and replace vinyl records, I dumped the records. By '97 or '98, I had replaced everything I was going to replace and had about 50-75 vinyl albums remaining. I wasn't going to buy another copy of Motley Crue's Theatre of Pain or Dokken's Under Lock and Key on CD, and I never listened to them, so I took the turntable and the vinyl to the dumpster at our apartment complex, and in they went. I suppose I would have kept them if my wife hadn't urged me to do it in the interest of de-cluttering, but I don't regret it. I did keep a few inner and outer sleeves for autographed stuff, covers that I thought were cool, and lyric sheets where the CD didn't have lyrics.
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Kilroy is proving harder to get through than I expected. Maybe later today or tomorrow.
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Kilroy is proving harder to get through than I expected. Maybe later today or tomorrow.
Your better option is to bypass it and move on to the next.
Oh wait, the next is Edge of the Century. Skip that one, too. :lol :lol
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No wait!.... :lol
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Your better option is to bypass it and move on to the next.
You're not wrong, but here we are anyway...
Kilroy Was Here
According to setlist.fm, Styx wrapped up the tour in support of Paradise Theatre on December 6, 1981. They presumably took the holidays off and then played two dates in Japan in mid-January 1982. setlist.fm also shows a random show in Albuquerque on February 28, 1982, but I have a feeling that was entered in error. Assuming I'm right about that, the Japanese dates were the only Styx shows in 1982.
When I first got into popular/rock music, the Beatles were my favorite band. I relatively quickly moved on to Styx, who was eventually replaced by Rush. Kilroy Was Here was my first "new" Styx album, and Grace Under Pressure was my first new Rush album. Both were big disappointments for a lot of the same reasons.
One thing that immediately stands out when looking at the credits is that Kilroy is the first Styx album since The Serpent Is Rising without ANY collaboration among the songwriting members of the band. Given the amount of time the band took off after the Paradise Theatre tour, this seems surprising.
Kilroy was a concept album that was a mocking response to the Christian anti-rock activists who were becoming prominent in the early '80s. The story is that a guy named Dr. Everett Righteous has gained power in the U.S. and has outlawed all rock music. The protagonist is Robert Orin Charles Kilroy.* Kilroy has been imprisoned after violence erupted at a concert and a pro-Righteous protestor was killed. The killing was actually perpetrated by Righteous's henchmen (Col. Hyde and Lt. Vanish) but was pinned on Kilroy. The prison in which Kilroy is held is patrolled by Robotos (Japanese robots). Kilroy manages to subdue one and disguise himself to appear as a Roboto. He eventually encounters young Jonathan Chance, a "rock activist," and together, they do something and live happily ever after.
* - Back in the day, I somehow missed that Kilroy's initials were an acronym that spelled "ROCK."
Styx went so far as to create a short movie (10 minutes). They began the tour in 1983 playing small, intimate theaters and would play the movie leading into the opening song of the concert, Mr. Roboto. They lost massive amounts of money on these shows and moved into larger arenas.
Onto the songs...
Mr. Roboto: This song starts with the trademark Styx swirling synth, albeit more modern sounding. A robotic voice then says, "Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto," and the song bursts into the BIG, BIG chorus. OK...let's go! Not so fast, buddy. The song has become iconic and now has an appeal based on nostalgia, but the first thing you think is, "wher are the guitars?" You then wonder about the Japanese lyrics. The band sings, "Domo arigato, Mr. Roboto" (or, if Wikipedia is believed, "misuta robotto," followed by another line in Japanese. The line is said another time followed by more Japanese words. Supposedly: "Thank you ver much, Mr. Roboto, until the day we meet again. Thank you very much, Mr. Roboto, I want to know your secret." At least it sounds better in Japanese. Everyone knows this song. It's probably best described as "synth pop," there's nary a guitar to be found (or, if there are guitars there, they're BURIED under mountains of synths). Apparently, the song structure is fairly complex from a music theory perspective, but whatever. Unfortunately, it's actually one of the better songs on the album.
Cold War: Alright! It's 1983 and we're in the height of nuclear fear. The Soviets are going to drop the bomb any day and end the Cold War. This should be a rocker! Like Roboto, the song opens with the chorus, and it's pretty rockin'. At least there are guitars. Then we get to the chorus and a bunch of wimpy synth patches and Tommy doing something at sounds vaguely like rap. It's got a bit of melody, but what do these lyrics have to do with the Cold War (or the concept of the album)? In the Behind the Music episode, Tommy says prominently that he didn't want to do a concept album and, "try as I might, I just couldn't think of any songs about robots." Apparently, you couldn't think of any good songs, period. But this comment also illustrates either a post hoc desire to poke fun at DDY and the album or a blatant lack of understanding of the album's concept. Anyway, it's a really flaccid attempt at a rock song.
Don't Let It End: Babe, Pt. 2. With wimpy synths. Not terrible, but....
High Time: When I listened to the album last week, it was probably the first time in 35 years I had heard this song. It was apparently the third single released from the album (after Roboto and Don't Let It End), and the unsourced Wikipedia article says its "poor performance killed momentum on the 'Kilroy' album." Ya think? This is just an awful song. It starts with a drum figure - either on electronic drums or heavily produced drums - then add some doo-wop vocals and wimpy synths and overly Broadway-esque DDY vocals talking about the rising rebellion against Righteous. It's high time to start a revolution. DDY's Broadway style theatrics were always tempered with a rock edge, and this time they forgot the rock.
Let's hope side 2 is better.
Heavy Metal Poisoning: After the Kilroy tour, Styx released a live album with one studio track, called Music Time. At that time, one of the rock magazines had a section where they'd have a band or individual listen to new songs and give a critique. In one issue, Saxon (I think) was doing the reviewing, and one of the songs presented was Music Time. Instead of talking about the song, they talked about how Styx had once written that heavy metal was poison, so they hated anything Styx. Ummm...not quite guys (although Music Time was probably worse than High Time). Heavy Metal Poisoning is the first of two JY songs, and it's probably the best song on the album. When the best song on a Styx album is a JY song, you know you've got problems. It starts off with a pretty kick ass riff, and the synth stays way down in the mix. JY's lead vocals (as Dr. Righteous) are a bit theatric, but that's not too unusual. There's a bit of a synth section before the guitar solo starts. If this were an ordinary Styx album and this song had better lyrics not based on the album's concept, this would be a pretty decent JY song.
Just Get Through This Night: The first 95 seconds of this 6:09 song is a bunch of quiet, Japanese instruments, which I guess is a nod to the album's theme (although it doesn't otherwise seem to relate). It then turns into Tommy's best effort to out-wimp DDY. A very lame, soft, pop-rock song.
Double Life: JY returns with a song whose lyrics sound exactly like what the title says. Given that JY's character is Dr. Righteous, it's not really clear what this has to do with the concept of the album. Musically, it starts off with a low synth bed and then a very synthy rhythm section. There's some muted guitar in the reasonably catchy chorus. It sounds like about a dozen other early '80s synth-rock songs, and most of the others are better, although this isn't a horrible song. It might have benefitted from some collaboration with 1977-78 DDY.
Haven't We Been Here Before: Tommy's third song on the album starts off with the wimpy synths that are the hallmark of this album. Tommy sings very nicely. Tommy and DDY harmonize on the chorus. It seemingly relates to the theme of the album in that it talks about learning from the past. Interestingly, a video was made for this song that has nothing to do with the Kilroy concept and in which only Tommy appears. The video was never played on MTV.
Don't Let It End (Reprise): This means it's almost over! Yay!! This is 2:22 of filler, starting with a vague reprise of the namesake track and ending with a bunch of vocal masturbation by DDY that resolves into him just yelling the names of early rock musicians.
This was the album that killed Styx. DDY has admitted that this happened because of the shear power of his will (or something like that). JY and Tommy have rightly talked a lot of smack about the album and, while JY brought some decent songs, Tommy did not.
At this point, I'm going to go back and do the first three albums, which I didn't have when I started this.
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"I'm schizophrenic, and so am I" JY, 'Double Life
I've used this line hundreds of times since the album's release, for various things I've done that might be 'out of character' (good and bad).
'Don't Let It End', 'High Time' were OK, 'Heavy Metal Poisoning' by far the best cut (always sounds like Cheech & Chong during the kids fade out).
I recall reading that they were often booed during this tour for the outfits and various other Kilroy related stuff. They did break up during the tour. A shame that a band that released superb albums from 'Equinox' through 'Paradise Theater' (stumbling with 'Cornerstone') would crash and burn in such a way.
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pg1067: Your writeups are really great, and as I am going to check out their albums (I'll be starting with Equinox and go from there) they'll be really helpful in my exploration.
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This was the album that killed Styx. DDY has admitted that this happened because of the shear power of his will (or something like that). JY and Tommy have rightly talked a lot of smack about the album and, while JY brought some decent songs, Tommy did not.
That is my beef with Tommy and JY on this issue: they talk smack about it and blame it all on DDY, when they collectively had more songs on the album than he did. :lol :lol And DDY had the only two hits from it, so to blame it all on him seemed unfair, but Tommy and JY are no strangers to revisionist history. so there is that.
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This was the album that killed Styx. DDY has admitted that this happened because of the shear power of his will (or something like that). JY and Tommy have rightly talked a lot of smack about the album and, while JY brought some decent songs, Tommy did not.
That is my beef with Tommy and JY on this issue: they talk smack about it and blame it all on DDY, when they collectively had more songs on the album than he did. :lol :lol And DDY had the only two hits from it, so to blame it all on him seemed unfair, but Tommy and JY are no strangers to revisionist history. so there is that.
I think it was the control factor that upset them. Forced to do another concept from Dennis, forced to make a rock band act on stage. That's what was ultimately the end of their marriage.
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That was my take as well. Tommy once pointed out that ten minutes into the "concert" they hadn't played any music yet. Dennis was all into the theatrical elements of the show and pushing for more, while Tommy and JY just wanted to rock and roll. Dennis admits that he got his way a lot of the time simply because he was the most insistent and pushed his ideas onto the others. It's no surprise that the others came to resent that and, given the opportunity to get away from it, regardless of the circumstances and personal stuff Dennis was going through, they moved on without him. I still think it was kind of a shitty thing to do, but I understand it.
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I recall reading that they were often booed during this tour for the outfits and various other Kilroy related stuff. They did break up during the tour. A shame that a band that released superb albums from 'Equinox' through 'Paradise Theater' (stumbling with 'Cornerstone') would crash and burn in such a way.
My only knowledge about the tour comes from the Behind the Music episode. They talk about starting the tour in small theaters to give a more intimate setting. If you look at the dates on setlist.fm, they played places of the size that Dream Theater usually plays -- e.g., 4 shows in 5 days at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles (capacity ranging from just over 2,700 to just over 2,800), as opposed to the Paradise Theatre tour where they played 6 shows in 8 days at the Forum and the Sports arena (capacity of just over and just under 17k). Based on what's available at setlist.fm, they played these sorts of venues from the start of the tour on March 11, 1983 until mid-May (they played a 4k seat theater in Chicago on April 29, and the next show was May 11 at the 19,500 seat Kemper Arena in Kansas City). The one where they talk about getting booed mightily was the Texxas Jam show at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas. It starts at 17:44 of this video: https://youtu.be/b7slOg80T2M
It feels like the term "crash and burn" was invented for this band in 1983.
pg1067: Your writeups are really great, and as I am going to check out their albums (I'll be starting with Equinox and go from there) they'll be really helpful in my exploration.
:tup
I think it was the control factor that upset them. Forced to do another concept from Dennis, forced to make a rock band act on stage. That's what was ultimately the end of their marriage.
I mean yes and no. Forced? They could've put their feet down. What was the decision making process in Styx in 1982? Was it like DT, where whoever was willing to maintain his position the longest would win (kinda sounds like it)? Did Chuck and John get a vote (and, if so, did they side with DDY)? Or did they just leave it to the other three to make decisions and went along with those decisions. Kev is right. Tommy and JY had more songs than DDY. They certainly could have imposed their will on DDY, but they obviously chose to back down.
Tommy and JY did The Big Interview with Dan Rather, and I need to rewatch that. The only thing I remember is that they pretty much shit on any possibility of ever playing again with DDY.
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The album as a whole certainly isn't good, but Mr. Roboto is a killer song. I have always loved it and have never been embarrassed to admit it. :metal
It was fun when Styx teased it in the middle of Edge of the Century on the Brave New World tour, and it was awesome to see Dennis' band play it live twice. I'm glad that Styx is playing it again, and that's only due to Gowan's insistence.
Edit: Music Time was my true introduction to Styx. My mom had the Caught in the Act live cassette and my brother and I would listen to it as kids in the 80's. We LOVED Music Time.
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pg, I saw it. They definitely said they'd never play with him again.
I think you forget they kicked him out in the 70's between albums and when he came back he became assertive because of Babe's charting.
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Re: what was the power structure in DDY’s own words.
“I think Styx is a democracy of which I am the president.” - from Behind the Music
That sentence alone made me roll my eyes and gave me much more of an understanding of why he’s gone.
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DDY is on record, though, as saying that the Behind the Music special, which came out shortly after he was fired, was a hit piece against him, so I would take a lot of it with a grain of salt. Not saying that he doesn't get his share of the blame in the pie chart, but I think there was plenty to go around, yet the Behind the Music thing made it sound like DDY was this evil tyrant and Tommy and JY were the innocent villagers who were finally free.
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How they acted leads to Dennis was overbearing and should have heard them out. There are so many examples of one guy forcing a band to move on.
I wonder where I could find that example? :lol
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How they acted leads to Dennis was overbearing and should have heard them out. There are so many examples of one guy forcing a band to move on.
I wonder where I could find that example? :lol
:lol :lol
Plenty of blame to go around. The two camps are better off apart. It sucks for Dennis that he got axed from the band considering he was the one most responsible for their success and the Styx brand name being valuable, but it is what it is. We likely do not get The Mission and Crash of the Crown as they are if he was still in the band, so I can't say the decision hasn't worked out for this fan.
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It sucks for Dennis that he got axed from the band considering he was the one most responsible for their success and the Styx brand name being valuable, but it is what it is.
Didn't we talk about this like a year ago, where you said it was Tommy that was most responsible?
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It sucks for Dennis that he got axed from the band considering he was the one most responsible for their success and the Styx brand name being valuable, but it is what it is.
Didn't we talk about this like a year ago, where you said it was Tommy that was most responsible?
No, I never would have said that. Tommy is 2nd in the pecking order, as he has the 2nd most hits/classic rock mainstays, but Dennis has the most in both regards. The hits and the classic rock mainstays are what have made the Styx brand strong, not Gowan's spinning keyboard. :lol
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No. Kev has always said DDY was the biggest cog and he is correct. But even the catalyst for success and be the downfall of a band.
Sometimes that level of fame isn't worth it.
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Who was I arguing with then?
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Who was I arguing with then?
Probably someone who foolishly tried to tell you that Power Windows wasn't awesome.
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Who was I arguing with then?
Probably someone who foolishly tried to tell you that Power Windows wasn't awesome.
Amen brotha!
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Who was I arguing with then?
Probably someone who foolishly tried to tell you that Power Windows wasn't awesome.
Amen brotha!
You guys don't think that Power Windows was awesome?
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Reading skills for Tim.
Yoda - "This one is not strong reading the with."
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Reading skills for Tim.
Yoda - "This one is not strong reading the with."
Tim makes fun of it, but you know this is him every night before he goes to bed when listening to Middletown Dreams:
(https://media.giphy.com/media/3WvcvcX8OKTAqxOXwV/giphy.gif)
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Secretly, he loves the lyrics to Territories.
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I'm only human. :lol
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I'm only human. :lol
Now he's quoting the Human League. :lol
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I'm only human. :lol
Now he's quoting the Human League. :lol
I love you too much. ;D
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:lol
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As Chad says, I'm next level! :lol
I should sig that.
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(https://y.yarn.co/e2e195ee-bce0-462f-81ee-f82867ea6871_text.gif)
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Shut your whore mouth Kev. :lol
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DDY is on record, though, as saying that the Behind the Music special, which came out shortly after he was fired, was a hit piece against him, so I would take a lot of it with a grain of salt. Not saying that he doesn't get his share of the blame in the pie chart, but I think there was plenty to go around, yet the Behind the Music thing made it sound like DDY was this evil tyrant and Tommy and JY were the innocent villagers who were finally free.
I didn't really get the feeling that the show itself took that position, but it was pretty obvious that Tommy and JY were throwing DDY under the bus and engaging in revisionist history.
My sense is that DDY was definitely "president" of the band and likely overbearing (kinda like a certain drummer we know). Tommy and JY accepted DDY's dictatorial leanings as long as it resulted in platinum albums. However, when the hit machine ran dry, they couldn't make up the slack and therefore pilloried DDY for "forcing" things on them that they didn't want.
Who was I arguing with then?
Might've been me, although I'm not sure I'd call it an argument (just a friendly debate between folks who truly understand Power Windows).
Classic Rock Staples/Hits
Lady*
Suite Madame Blue*
Crystal Ball
Come Sail Away
Fooling Yourself
Blue Collar Man
Renegade
Babe
Too Much Time on My Hands
The Best of Times
Mr. Roboto
Don't Let It End
There are a few other songs that charted, but I think calling them "hits" would be a stretch. If you take out the two songs from before Tommy was in the band, it's even, and if you only consider Equinox through Paradise Theatre, Tommy "wins" 5-4.
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Something that I don't think comes up enough, which is probably because others don't consider as important as I do, but Dennis was a founding member of the band. Dennis and the Panozzo brothers started the band when they were teenagers. Curulewski, JY, and Shaw all came later.
This means that at some point, each of the guitarists joined the band that DDY helped found. Fair or not, I'd think that in the back of Dennis' mind there was always a sense of "hey, you joined this band, so if you don't like it, you can leave". Sure, after years of playing together, and several gold and platinum albums, being a member for a few years longer than the others may not seem like much of a difference to outsiders, but within the band, or at least in Dennis' mind, there was always that distinction. It was more "his band" than Tommy's or JY's. And I would bet that Tommy and JY didn't see it that way. When they chose to move forward without him, maybe they weren't kicking him out as such, but the band had to go on and Dennis wasn't able to continue. Dennis meanwhile saw it as being kicked out of his own band. I've read almost nothing from the Panozzos, ever, so presumably they were both rather quiet guys (at least compared to the "big three") and stayed clear of the drama. But the short version is that Dennis always saw it as his band, and he was ultimately kicked out of it by guys that he had brought in.
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There are a few other songs that charted, but I think calling them "hits" would be a stretch. If you take out the two songs from before Tommy was in the band, it's even, and if you only consider Equinox through Paradise Theatre, Tommy "wins" 5-4.
Okay, but why would be stop at Paradise Theatre? Mr. Roboto, Don't Let It End and Show Me the Way were all massive hits that helped keep the Styx brand going, so they count.
Something that I don't think comes up enough, which is probably because others don't consider as important as I do, but Dennis was a founding member of the band. Dennis and the Panozzo brothers started the band when they were teenagers. Curulewski, JY, and Shaw all came later.
This means that at some point, each of the guitarists joined the band that DDY helped found. Fair or not, I'd think that in the back of Dennis' mind there was always a sense of "hey, you joined this band, so if you don't like it, you can leave". Sure, after years of playing together, and several gold and platinum albums, being a member for a few years longer than the others may not seem like much of a difference to outsiders, but within the band, or at least in Dennis' mind, there was always that distinction. It was more "his band" than Tommy's or JY's. And I would bet that Tommy and JY didn't see it that way. When they chose to move forward without him, maybe they weren't kicking him out as such, but the band had to go on and Dennis wasn't able to continue. Dennis meanwhile saw it as being kicked out of his own band. I've read almost nothing from the Panozzos, ever, so presumably they were both rather quiet guys (at least compared to the "big three") and stayed clear of the drama. But the short version is that Dennis always saw it as his band, and he was ultimately kicked out of it by guys that he had brought in.
Excellent post. :tup :tup
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Something that I don't think comes up enough, which is probably because others don't consider as important as I do, but Dennis was a founding member of the band. Dennis and the Panozzo brothers started the band when they were teenagers. Curulewski, JY, and Shaw all came later.
This means that at some point, each of the guitarists joined the band that DDY helped found. Fair or not, I'd think that in the back of Dennis' mind there was always a sense of "hey, you joined this band, so if you don't like it, you can leave". Sure, after years of playing together, and several gold and platinum albums, being a member for a few years longer than the others may not seem like much of a difference to outsiders, but within the band, or at least in Dennis' mind, there was always that distinction. It was more "his band" than Tommy's or JY's. And I would bet that Tommy and JY didn't see it that way. When they chose to move forward without him, maybe they weren't kicking him out as such, but the band had to go on and Dennis wasn't able to continue. Dennis meanwhile saw it as being kicked out of his own band. I've read almost nothing from the Panozzos, ever, so presumably they were both rather quiet guys (at least compared to the "big three") and stayed clear of the drama. But the short version is that Dennis always saw it as his band, and he was ultimately kicked out of it by guys that he had brought in.
I feel certain you're right about DDY's mindset.
I think the Panozzos are actually kind of fascinating and would love to get Chuck's take on some of this stuff (has anyone here read his autobiography?). If you take it to (probably ridiculous) extremes, THEY are the founding members, and DDY joined THEIR band. You could even factor in that Chuck left the band for a year and was replaced by a guy named Tom Nardini, with Chuck switching to bass once he returned. Nardini left, JC joined, followed by JY.
As a fan, I sort of see it as nothing before the first album matters (e.g., I don't consider Jeff Jones to have been a member of Rush), so the initial band was the Panozzos, DDY, JC and JY. Obviously, Tommy is "the new guy" (at least through the first break up).
As with a lot of situations like this, I would LOVE to see how the band is structured legally. The only thing I discern without spending way more time than I have is that, regardless of who wrote the songs, Styx's classic era songs were published by Almo Music Corp. and "Stygian Songs." In 1986, Almo Music Corp. was merged (along with two other corporations) into its corporate parent, Rondo Music International, Inc., which, in 2019, was merged into Universal Music Corp. The conclusion I draw from that is that the record company or management was getting a cut of publishing. Not sure about Stygian Songs. It doesn't have "Inc." in the name, and it was not incorporated (or organized as an LLC) in any of Illinois, California, New York and Delaware.
When you have guys in the band with few or no writing credits (e.g., the Panozzos and Ian Hill), you wonder if they are receiving any publishing income and how much voting power they have in band affairs. At this point, it's obviously Tommy and JY calling the shots, but Chuck presumably still has the same voting power he's always had. Are Gowan, Sucherman and Phillips "hired guns" (a la Scott Travis in Judas Priest) or are they "full members" of the band? Inquiring minds want to know!
Okay, but why would be stop at Paradise Theatre? Mr. Roboto, Don't Let It End and Show Me the Way were all massive hits that helped keep the Styx brand going, so they count.
You're right about the Kilroy songs, and I already made the point that Tommy brought squat to the Kilroy party. Show Me the Way was a hit, but it's not in the "classic rock staple" category, and I was only looking at the "classic era."
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Good questions regarding the legal stuff. I suspect that during the 70s and 80s, they were all equal partners, given that they were able to fire DDY briefly around the time Cornerstone was released (he was rehired weeks later, IIRC), so I am guessing they had to have had a majority vote to make it happen.
I doubt the non-writers get any publishing income, but I am sure they would still have voting power if they are an official member of the band, ala Chuck Panozzo, who I believe is still a part of the band, which I suspect is partly out of courtesy since he is a longtime member and partly so they can still say 3/5 of the classic lineup is still intact (for the 1-2 shows a year Chuck shows up :lol).
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Lucky for me I saw The Mission in full and Chuck was there for the show.
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Time for them to do a tour and play The Mission and Crash of the Crown back to back in full. :hat :hat
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Well, I am seeing Transatlantic play two albums soon....
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Well, I am seeing Transatlantic play two albums soon....
Yeah, buddy! :metal :metal
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:metal :metal
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I think the Panozzos are actually kind of fascinating and would love to get Chuck's take on some of this stuff (has anyone here read his autobiography?).
By the way, after posing this question, I looked up his autobio on Amazon and checked out some of the reviews. I thought this one was kind of interesting:
"If the idea of a reasonably talented bass player who never wrote a single song bitching and moaning through hundreds of pages about the guy on whose coattails he became rich and famous sounds good, then this is the book for you.
"As a lifelong Styx fan, this was a difficult book for me to read because Panozzo clearly distorts aspects of the band's history that are a matter of public record. The hypocrisy of him and the other two classic-era members (Shaw and Young) has been very obvious, and in this book it's on full display. Panozzo acts as if Styx were Led Zepellin until Dennis DeYoung attempted to turn them into Air Supply. Styx, much like Queen, derived their identity through a clever mix of rock, theatricality, and a touch of camp. According to Shaw, as quoted by Panozzo, they didn't want to 'write songs about robots,' which is absurd enough considering that the only song on the album in question that is about that subject is a stone classic, but the current incarnation of the band wrote an entire album (admittedly a good one) about taking a rocket to Mars. Very selective criticism.
"Panozzo has undoubtedly had a tough go of things, but his life just isn't that interesting except for his tenure in Styx, for which he did not sing a note [except for the "America" refrain in "Suite Madame Blue"], nor did he write a note or a lyric. No one expects such a memoir to be objective, but his panning of DeYoung, who wrote and sang all of their biggest hits, including their only #1, comes off as petty after a while. . . ."
Seems like the person who wrote this has a bit of a pro-DDY lean, but the other reviews seems to support the conclusion that Chuck's book isn't going to deliver much about the band beyond what you get on the Behind the Music episode.
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I didn't know a thing about Chuck's book, but that is unfortunate that he felt the need to apparently crap all over DDY. Then again, he probably still gets paid nicely to show up for a few shows and remain on the band's payroll, so it's probably a lot easer to tow the company line and not stop the money train than to risk it by not backing Tommy and JY's version.
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They should rename the band Dyx.
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To read that kind of disdain tells you that DDY probably stepped over lines. Flexed his muscles too much and his bandmates had enough.
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DDY has muscles?
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Since he took control of the band I'd say yes.
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https://youtu.be/I_2ZMPJNFSw?t=160
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I saw that tour. It was phenomenal. Pat Benatar opened.
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I saw that tour. It was phenomenal. Pat Benatar opened.
No, no, Benatar opened for them in 1997.
That clip is from the '96 tour.
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You're right. 1997, the Grand Illusion tour. I saw that tour too.
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Kansas. Right Kev?!
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Yep. The Styx/Kansas double bill was killer.
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Yeah, that was a fantastic show. Seeing Todd for the 1st time blew me away.
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As I was not online yet and not aware yet of the inner workings of the band, I am not sure I realized at the 1996 show that it wasn't the original drummer. :lol :lol
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As I was not online yet and not aware yet of the inner workings of the band, I am not sure I realized at the 1996 show that it wasn't the original drummer. :lol :lol
:lol
Well of course we did not know how bad John Panozzo was at the time. It was understandable how private they were of the situation.
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I saw the 1996 tour too; it was my first rock show (I was 16). Kev, was it you who said upthread this was your first show as well? I had to convince my mom they weren't satanic, because they were named after the river of the dead :lol
Styx was my first favorite band, but I knew virtually nothing about them. I had taped a bunch of their hits off classic rock radio stations and finally got their Greatest Hits CD, which was pretty much my sole source of information. It had a decent bio and showed all the A&M album covers, but that's all I knew. I didn't even realize Tommy had left and this was a significant reunion for them. I did figure out they had a replacement drummer from context, because at one point Dennis brought the four of them to the front of the stage (minus the drummer) and said something like "did you ever think you'd see this again?". My friend laughed and said "I never saw it the first time!".
Needless to say the show blew me away, and I have a lot of good memories from that night. Kansas was great too. I knew even less about them, because their crummy Best Of CD had no info in it ;D. Thinking back, Kansas' set was more what I expected a rock show would look like - gear all over the place, dudes just rocking out. Styx had that elaborate stage with like Greek marble floors, and no gear in sight. They even had wireless transmitters on their guitars, which was probably common by then but I had never heard of it. My sixteen-year-old mind was blown.
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I saw the 1996 tour too; it was my first rock show (I was 16). Kev, was it you who said upthread this was your first show as well? I had to convince my mom they weren't satanic, because they were named after the river of the dead :lol
Styx was my first favorite band, but I knew virtually nothing about them. I had taped a bunch of their hits off classic rock radio stations and finally got their Greatest Hits CD, which was pretty much my sole source of information. It had a decent bio and showed all the A&M album covers, but that's all I knew. I didn't even realize Tommy had left and this was a significant reunion for them. I did figure out they had a replacement drummer from context, because at one point Dennis brought the four of them to the front of the stage (minus the drummer) and said something like "did you ever think you'd see this again?". My friend laughed and said "I never saw it the first time!".
Needless to say the show blew me away, and I have a lot of good memories from that night. Kansas was great too. I knew even less about them, because their crummy Best Of CD had no info in it ;D. Thinking back, Kansas' set was more what I expected a rock show would look like - gear all over the place, dudes just rocking out. Styx had that elaborate stage with like Greek marble floors, and no gear in sight. They even had wireless transmitters on their guitars, which was probably common by then but I had never heard of it. My sixteen-year-old mind was blown.
It was probably me. I was 16 too :tup
I loved Styx that night, but Kansas bored the shit out of me. In fact, my brother and I have a funny memory of that night involving Kansas. He sat next to a rather large man, who was constantly tapping and stomping his feet along to Kansas. Because he was seated, his legs were positioned wide and his stomps kept landing on my brother's foot. The experience of "fat guy stomping on a 14 year old's foot" ruined Kansas for him. He was so annoyed with the guy.
As for Styx, my mom impressed on us how big of a deal it was that Tommy was back with the band. Aside from the popular songs we'd heard as a kid, we knew nothing about the band. We came home from our family vacation and bought the new Greatest Hits cd and learned everything we could about Styx.
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I didn't know a thing about Chuck's book, but that is unfortunate that he felt the need to apparently crap all over DDY. Then again, he probably still gets paid nicely to show up for a few shows and remain on the band's payroll, so it's probably a lot easer to tow the company line and not stop the money train than to risk it by not backing Tommy and JY's version.
It's weird reading the description of the book and reviews. The description seems to try and emphasize the Styx-related content, but some of the other reviews seem to indicate there's nothing Styx-related that everyone doesn't already know. Who knows?
That 1996 clip is fan-friggin'-tastic! Really wish I'd seen it.
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It was probably me. I was 16 too :tup
I loved Styx that night, but Kansas bored the shit out of me. In fact, my brother and I have a funny memory of that night involving Kansas. He sat next to a rather large man, who was constantly tapping and stomping his feet along to Kansas. Because he was seated, his legs were positioned wide and his stomps kept landing on my brother's foot. The experience of "fat guy stomping on a 14 year old's foot" ruined Kansas for him. He was so annoyed with the guy.
As for Styx, my mom impressed on us how big of a deal it was that Tommy was back with the band. Aside from the popular songs we'd heard as a kid, we knew nothing about the band. We came home from our family vacation and bought the new Greatest Hits cd and learned everything we could about Styx.
:tup
I see you're an Illinois alum. Did you happen to see their Chicago show, the one that was recorded/released from that tour? I saw them in Baltimore, but I live in the Chicago suburbs now.
I already liked Kansas a lot, so was primed to enjoy their set. I'm also a violinist. I thought it was cool that their violin player (David Ragsdale, but again I knew nothing) picked up a guitar for the end of the show and busted out all the solos on Carry On Wayward Son.
Ah, Foot Stomping Guy. At least it makes for a good story. We were on the lawn, and some guys behind us were super into it and were playing air instruments for most of the show. They weren't right in our space so it was more entertaining than annoying.
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:tup
I see you're an Illinois alum. Did you happen to see their Chicago show, the one that was recorded/released from that tour? I saw them in Baltimore, but I live in the Chicago suburbs now.
I already liked Kansas a lot, so was primed to enjoy their set. I'm also a violinist. I thought it was cool that their violin player (David Ragsdale, but again I knew nothing) picked up a guitar for the end of the show and busted out all the solos on Carry On Wayward Son.
Ah, Foot Stomping Guy. At least it makes for a good story. We were on the lawn, and some guys behind us were super into it and were playing air instruments for most of the show. They weren't right in our space so it was more entertaining than annoying.
I saw them in 1996 in Las Vegas. My family was on vacation and as we walked through the MGM Grand, my mom saw a Styx concert poster. She stopped in her tracks and said "they're here tomorrow night....AND TOMMY SHAW IS BACK IN THE BAND." It was my first real rock concert, i.e., buying a ticket and seeing a band. Up to that point, I'd only seen the local neighborhood festival, where they might have a band like The Guess Who, with zero or one original members in the band.
I did see the 1997 Grand Illusion anniversary tour in Chicago/Rosemont. I also saw them in 2001 and 2003 in Champaign (Brave New World/Arch Allies tour with REO Speedwagon) and the Cyclorama Tour (boring old Kansas again).
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2001 was with Survivor as well. That was a great show with REO in the middle.
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I saw the 1996 tour too; it was my first rock show (I was 16). Kev, was it you who said upthread this was your first show as well? I had to convince my mom they weren't satanic, because they were named after the river of the dead :lol
Close, but not quite. Styx in 1991 was my 3rd concert ever (the first two being a Beatle tribute band and then Michael Penn). :)
Just looked it up...the Styx/Kansas double bill in '96 was my 20th concert. :hat :hat
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Saw the original band in 77 and 78, then with REO around 96, and then Baltimore a couple of times, including the Grand Illusion / Pieces of Eight tour. THAT was damn enjoyable.
For the heck of it, my decades old 'best of'
AD 1928 / Rockin' The Paradise * Too Much Time On My Hands * Why Me * Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) * Grand Illusion * Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man) * Light Up * Lorelei * Crystal Ball
Great White Hope * I'm OK * Renegade * Heavy Metal Poisoning * Man In The Wilderness * Come Sail Away * Lady * Prelude 12 / Suite Madame Blue * AD1958 * State Street Sadie
Ah, to have an illegal substance (in some parts) to listen to side 2 of 'Equinox' and all of the aforementioned albums again. The evenings I would drift off to them....
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This thread prompted me to go back and listen to the early Styx albums from S/T up through Equinox, and boy oh boy do they sound like an American version of Uriah Heep. I'm digging it.
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Dennis at it again (haha):
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dennis-deyoung-on-styx-reunion-the-vast-majority-of-fans-wanna-see-the-band-back-together-one-last-time/
I liked that interview because it was on KSHE-95 here in STL, which is somehow going strong (not sure how any FM radio station continues to thrive). That was my go-to rock radio station for most of the 90s.
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I liked that interview because it was on KSHE-95 here in STL, which is somehow going strong (not sure how any FM radio station continues to thrive). That was my go-to rock radio station for most of the 90s.
I mentioned WHJY (94.1) in Providence in the DT Oh Holy Night thread. I've been listening to it since 1981, and it's still on. Other than sports talk radio (we have two stations in Boston), it's the only miusic station in my pre-sets.
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Dennis at it again (haha):
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dennis-deyoung-on-styx-reunion-the-vast-majority-of-fans-wanna-see-the-band-back-together-one-last-time/
I liked that interview because it was on KSHE-95 here in STL, which is somehow going strong (not sure how any FM radio station continues to thrive). That was my go-to rock radio station for most of the 90s.
Yes they do. Those fans who never follow the band anymore who want to see the classic lineup.
Yeah, those fair weather fans want Dennis because they don't know better.
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Hey snob, what % of their set is made up of Dennis Era songs?
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Hey fly by night fan. They are promoting a new album. I don't hear you complain when Maiden plays new songs like the fair weather fans that haven't followed them since the 80's.
Get my point?
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Hey fly by night fan. They are promoting a new album. I don't hear you complain when Maiden plays new songs like the fair weather fans that haven't followed them since the 80's.
Get my point?
Not applicable.
The only applicable comparison is Journey. People want the original voice on the Classics. Plain and simple.
The Iron Maiden comparison doesn't work because the voice is the same.
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Dennis doesn't need them anymore. I took my Dad to the very first The Grand Illusion show that Dennis did on 7/7/17. He and his band blew us away. Even my Dad, who is a huge Styx fan, said that there is no need for Dennis to get back with them. His band is tight and his Tommy clone, August Zadra, is excellent.
I would see a Dennis show again in a heartbeat. I have no desire to see the Tommy-show, or Dyx as TAC so nicely put it.
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Wrong. I went to a concert in 2019 where Styx played all of The Mission. I knew going in this was one of a few special shows they would play the album in full. After the intermission it was hit after hit after hit.
These old timer fans were dumbfounded they weren't playing hits. There wasn't cries fir DDY. They only wanted the hits.
They had no clue it was a special show because the old fans don't pay attention to what these bands do. They just think of the hits.
That's what made Maiden and Rush special. They still tour behind new music that mattered.
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Dennis doesn't need them anymore. I took my Dad to the very first The Grand Illusion show that Dennis did on 7/7/17. He and his band blew us away. Even my Dad, who is a huge Styx fan, said that there is no need for Dennis to get back with them. His band is tight and his Tommy clone, August Zadra, is excellent.
I would see a Dennis show again in a heartbeat. I have no desire to see the Tommy-show, or Dyx as TAC so nicely put it.
I saw DDY in ....EPCOT lol. But he was awesome, and his band was amazing. Yes, the Tommy-guy was excellent.
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Okay, ladies, settle down. :P :P
I guess have the weird dichotomy in that I feel that Dennis is better live since the split than Styx (saw them both last decade and the DDY show was way better), but Styx is better without him these days when it comes to making new music (see: The Mission and Crash of the Crown). And with rumors that the record company wants a 3rd album out of this current incarnation of Styx given how well the last two were received, I'd rather they continue w/o DDY and make that 3rd album than get a one-off reunion tour. Doing it just for the fans would not come off well as it would be like Yes at the R&RHOF (where Steve Howe played with Anderson, Rabin and Wakeman while not even acknowledging their presence and vice versa).
I liked that interview because it was on KSHE-95 here in STL, which is somehow going strong (not sure how any FM radio station continues to thrive). That was my go-to rock radio station for most of the 90s.
I mentioned WHJY (94.1) in Providence in the DT Oh Holy Night thread. I've been listening to it since 1981, and it's still on. Other than sports talk radio (we have two stations in Boston), it's the only miusic station in my pre-sets.
:tup :tup
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Dennis at it again (haha):
https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/dennis-deyoung-on-styx-reunion-the-vast-majority-of-fans-wanna-see-the-band-back-together-one-last-time/
I liked that interview because it was on KSHE-95 here in STL, which is somehow going strong (not sure how any FM radio station continues to thrive). That was my go-to rock radio station for most of the 90s.
Yes they do. Those fans who never follow the band anymore who want to see the classic lineup.
Yeah, those fair weather fans want Dennis because they don't know better.
I've been a Styx fan since the 80s. I'm not fair weather. I like about half The Mission and less of Crash of the Crown. I much prefer Dennis' two new ones. You have your taste, I have mine along with others. My opinion: No Dennis = No Styx AND no Tommy = No Styx.
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I'd say your ears are broken then.
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The problem is really with DDY. I’ve totally seen (actually known) his type before.
He uses a very controlling form of passive aggressive in order to make it appear to be the other person’s fault. It’s extremely manipulative, but they are usually masters at making themselves smell like roses to any and all onlookers while actually being the initiators of the problem.
The tell is that it’s usually the one who blows the hardest trumpet.
DDY is basically slightly less cartoon-ish version of DLR. But there are definitely similarities.
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So, DDY is a dick. I'd still rather hear him sing the Styx classics than some other guy.
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I'd like to see both honestly. If you've followed the band, you'd know there will never be a reunion again and it's crazy that Dennis keeps pushing it.
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So, DDY is a dick. I'd still rather hear him sing the Styx classics than some other guy.
It’s just not that easy. Wolfie wanted to tour with DLR, but by the time it was done he was really sorry he did.
Everyone really likes the guy even if they know he can be a dick…but it’s different when you actually have to be around the guy for an entire tour. Right now, Tommy, JY, and other guy are having fun, and they play to smaller venues to crowds of people who support what they do and love them for it. Trading in that joy to go through the misery of being around an egomaniac who sucks the joy out of performing (maybe not for the audience, but for them) just to play slightly bigger venues for slightly bigger paychecks holds no appeal, and I don’t blame them.
I’ve told my friends at work, “I would rather be on a really crappy miserable job with people I love and laugh through the pain with every day, than be on a smooth running cushy job with people that make me want to jump out a window every day”
That’s honestly where I think Tommy and JY are at.
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I'd still rather hear him sing the Styx classics than some other guy.
It’s just not that easy.
No, I think that's pretty easy.
J-Dude, I'm not trying to reunite the band. I don't give a shit. My point was, I don't care if DDY is a dick, I'd still rather hear him sing those songs than some other dude.
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I’ve told my friends at work, “I would rather be on a really crappy miserable job with people I love and laugh through the pain with every day, than be on a smooth running cushy job with people that make me want to jump out a window every day”
Love it. And eventually those guys and gals you love to laugh with will make that job all the less crappy and miserable.
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I'd still rather hear him sing the Styx classics than some other guy.
It’s just not that easy.
No, I think that's pretty easy.
J-Dude, I'm not trying to reunite the band. I don't give a shit. My point was, I don't care if DDY is a dick, I'd still rather hear him sing those songs than some other dude.
And Styx doesn't care what you think. They are much happier doing what they do now than dealing with DDY. No matter how much revenue that brings in.
Their last 2 albums are fantastic and their happiness shows. It's their career that matters.
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I DON'T CARE!! :lol
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:lol
Love you too. Lol
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Styx kicked ass last night. They were here in STL as a co-headliner with REO Speedwagon, with Loverboy opening (lots of cheese :P :lol).
I was like a kid in a candy store when they opened with The Fight of Our Lives, and I pretty much geeked out for all three Crash of the Crown songs. Even songs like Fooling Yourself, Come Sail Away and Renegade sounded great, even though I have heard them all a billion times. The band sounded great, and Tommy Shaw's voice is still excellent.
And...we got a guest appearance from original bassist Chuck Panozzo, who only does a couple shows a year now. He came out and played on three songs near the end.
Set list:
The Fight of Our Lives
Blue Collar Man
The Grand Illusion
Lady
Crash of the Crown (setlist.fm has Reveries listed here, but, no, I was there and it was Crash of the Crown)
Light Up
Sound the Alarm
Rockin' the Paradise
Fooling Yourself
Too Much Time on My Hands
Come Sail Away
Mr. Roboto
Renegade
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I forgot to mention as well, when they brought out Chuck out, before that, Tommy gave a brief little summation of Styx with it being their 50th anniversary. He talked about the formation of the band with the Panozzo brothers, JY being a big part, and even mentioned the original guitarist John Curulewski, but did not mention Dennis DeYoung. My immediate reaction was, "Really?", but then I thought about it after the show when we were talking about it on the car ride, and given the acrimony over the years and how divided the fanbase can be, it was best to not mention DDY's name at a show. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands at that point, ironic since Fooling Yourself was the next song :P, so best to keep it positive and "rah rah" and not say the quiet part at all.
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Interesting philosophy you might be on to there. Now I'm curious what the reaction would have been. I don't know the mind of the typical Styx concert-goer.
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This reminds me that I filled out my Styx catalog not too long ago. That means the debut to Roboto. What I was really surprised by is how much I enjoyed the Wooden Nickel albums. I got a set that has all the Wooden Nickel stuff, which is their earliest albums, and then another box that gave me a good chunk of the rest. Those early albums were just completest pickups for me since the Wooden Nickel set was so cheap but it turns out that I really like them so it worked out well.
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Those Wooden Nickel albums are gold.
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Interesting philosophy you might be on to there. Now I'm curious what the reaction would have been. I don't know the mind of the typical Styx concert-goer.
Hard to say, but the last thing you want is to mention his name and then a bunch of fans at the show start chanting DDY's name, although I suspect any "it ain't real Styx without Dennis!" person wouldn't be going to a Styx show in 2022 anyway. It is best to not chance it.
This reminds me that I filled out my Styx catalog not too long ago. That means the debut to Roboto. What I was really surprised by is how much I enjoyed the Wooden Nickel albums. I got a set that has all the Wooden Nickel stuff, which is their earliest albums, and then another box that gave me a good chunk of the rest. Those early albums were just completest pickups for me since the Wooden Nickel set was so cheap but it turns out that I really like them so it worked out well.
Don't sleep on the two newest albums, The Mission and Crash of the Crown. Assuming you are a big fan of the Tommy Shaw-led songs, those two albums should be right up the alley of any Styx fan who isn't still throwing hissy fits that Dennis isn't in the band anymore. ;)
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I'm on the fence about this show. I really want to go, but I'll be flying back from Chicago that day and am not sure I'll want to go to a concert that night.
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Interesting philosophy you might be on to there. Now I'm curious what the reaction would have been. I don't know the mind of the typical Styx concert-goer.
Hard to say, but the last thing you want is to mention his name and then a bunch of fans at the show start chanting DDY's name, although I suspect any "it ain't real Styx without Dennis!" person wouldn't be going to a Styx show in 2022 anyway. It is best to not chance it.
That's about how I see it.
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I'm on the fence about this show. I really want to go, but I'll be flying back from Chicago that day and am not sure I'll want to go to a concert that night.
I will help you decide...
Go!! You won't regret it. :hat :hat
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I forgot to mention as well, when they brought out Chuck out, before that, Tommy gave a brief little summation of Styx with it being their 50th anniversary. He talked about the formation of the band with the Panozzo brothers, JY being a big part, and even mentioned the original guitarist John Curulewski, but did not mention Dennis DeYoung. My immediate reaction was, "Really?", but then I thought about it after the show when we were talking about it on the car ride, and given the acrimony over the years and how divided the fanbase can be, it was best to not mention DDY's name at a show. They had the crowd in the palm of their hands at that point, ironic since Fooling Yourself was the next song :P, so best to keep it positive and "rah rah" and not say the quiet part at all.
If they don't mention Dennis they shouldn't talk about the history. Curulowski but not DeYoung? Seriously?
And they're still playing Mr. Roboto and Lady. LMAO.
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This reminds me that I filled out my Styx catalog not too long ago. That means the debut to Roboto. What I was really surprised by is how much I enjoyed the Wooden Nickel albums. I got a set that has all the Wooden Nickel stuff, which is their earliest albums, and then another box that gave me a good chunk of the rest. Those early albums were just completest pickups for me since the Wooden Nickel set was so cheap but it turns out that I really like them so it worked out well.
Don't sleep on the two newest albums, The Mission and Crash of the Crown. Assuming you are a big fan of the Tommy Shaw-led songs, those two albums should be right up the alley of any Styx fan who isn't still throwing hissy fits that Dennis isn't in the band anymore. ;)
I will sleep on them. If you look up a bit in the thread you will remember that TAC and I were a united front on the side of Dennis. I only own the original run of albums up to Roboto. I actually just noticed the 2 albums Dennis put out a year or so ago and checked some stuff out from them. Highly considering picking them up as well as the live album of Styx material he did with the band that I essentially saw him with in 2017.
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And they're still playing Mr. Roboto and Lady. LMAO.
What do you mean "still"? They didn't play Mr. Roboto after firing DDY for like 20 years, and only brought it back the last few years because they fans supposedly kept asking them to play it.
I will sleep on them. If you look up a bit in the thread you will remember that TAC and I were a united front on the side of Dennis. I only own the original run of albums up to Roboto. I actually just noticed the 2 albums Dennis put out a year or so ago and checked some stuff out from them. Highly considering picking them up as well as the live album of Styx material he did with the band that I essentially saw him with in 2017.
See, I don't get this. You are going to sleep on the albums and ignore them because of "sides"? "I am on Dennis' side, so I am going to deprive myself of music I might like." I guess whatever floats your boat, but that kind of tribalistic view towards music seems self-defeating.
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See, I don't get this. You are going to sleep on the albums and ignore them because of "sides"? "I am on Dennis' side, so I am going to deprive myself of music I might like." I guess whatever floats your boat, but that kind of tribalistic view towards music seems self-defeating.
We all have our personal preferences. I saw Styx twice with Dennis (1996, 1997) and twice without (2001, 2003). At first, I loved the new lineup - the tempos were up, they were more of a rock band, and they didn't play Babe. Then I saw Dennis play two solo shows (2009, 2010) and was blown away by how well his voice has held up over the years. Those songs sounded like they should - I walked away having fallen back in love with how those songs sound with HIS voice, and that it was a shame that he wasn't in Styx anymore, regardless of the reasons.
I respect Styx for finally putting out some new albums, even if I haven't had the interest in listening to them. At least they're being creative again and playing some newer music. But I have no interest in seeing them unless it's a reunion.
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They sound amazing live now. You are missing out.
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We all have our personal preferences. I saw Styx twice with Dennis (1996, 1997) and twice without (2001, 2003). At first, I loved the new lineup - the tempos were up, they were more of a rock band, and they didn't play Babe. Then I saw Dennis play two solo shows (2009, 2010) and was blown away by how well his voice has held up over the years. Those songs sounded like they should - I walked away having fallen back in love with how those songs sound with HIS voice, and that it was a shame that he wasn't in Styx anymore, regardless of the reasons.
I respect Styx for finally putting out some new albums, even if I haven't had the interest in listening to them. At least they're being creative again and playing some newer music. But I have no interest in seeing them unless it's a reunion.
Without Tommy and JY, you can't really say that.
I have seen DDY solo twice since he got kicked out of Styx, once in 2000 and then again in 2019. He was great both times. He didn't play any Tommy or JY Styx tunes in 2000, but he did in 2019, and while they were good with members of his band handling their vocal and guitar parts, it just wasn't the same. Still more than good enough. Same goes for Styx live now without Dennis. I have been hard on Gowan over the years, but he sounds enough like DDY that he can do a respectable job on his songs, and then Tommy still sounds great.
As for a reunion, no thanks. I would rather Styx in their current incarnation keep the momentum going and spit out another album or two while they still can (Tommy is 68 now), rather than taking the money for a reunion tour where members of the band are pulling a Yes (at the Rock and Roll HOF) and ignoring each other on stage.
Do I think they probably did DDY dirty with the way they ousted him? Yeah, I do. But am I happy how things have played out? Absolutely. I am guessing there is no way we get The Mission and Crash of the Crown as is if DDY was still in the band and being the boss.
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When I saw DDY, I thought the Tommy guy in his band was awesome.
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Yeah, he was good. Dennis didn't play the Tommy and JY Styx songs for a long time, but eventually said to heck with it, if they are going to play mine, I am going to play theirs. :lol :lol
I get why Styx has never played Babe without DDY, but I find it puzzling that they never do The Best of Times. Yeah, that's a big time Dennis song, but so are Lady, Come Sail Away and The Grand Illusion. A Styx concert without The Best of Times does seem a little odd.
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And they're still playing Mr. Roboto and Lady. LMAO.
What do you mean "still"? They didn't play Mr. Roboto after firing DDY for like 20 years, and only brought it back the last few years because they fans supposedly kept asking them to play it.
Still/Again, either way. Hypocrite Tommy threw his original fit because he couldn't do songs about robots. Now he's doing the robot song live and doing albums about missions to Mars.
I get it, we all have to make a living. I won't put a dollar into this fake Styx whose albums aren't that good. The last really good Styx album, ironically, was Kilroy.
If they don't want Dennis in the band they should call it something else. And if they talk about the history of the band - and this is fact, not opinion - they are making a mockery of themselves if they don't mention Dennis.
The Shaw-Evankovich project is fine but it's not Styx.
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And they're still playing Mr. Roboto and Lady. LMAO.
What do you mean "still"? They didn't play Mr. Roboto after firing DDY for like 20 years, and only brought it back the last few years because they fans supposedly kept asking them to play it.
Still/Again, either way. Hypocrite Tommy threw his original fit because he couldn't do songs about robots. Now he's doing the robot song live and doing albums about missions to Mars.
I get it, we all have to make a living. I won't put a dollar into this fake Styx whose albums aren't that good. The last really good Styx album, ironically, was Kilroy.
If they don't want Dennis in the band they should call it something else. And if they talk about the history of the band - and this is fact, not opinion - they are making a mockery of themselves if they don't mention Dennis.
The Shaw-Evankovich project is fine but it's not Styx.
Yes, and you clearly have an open mind when determining when the last good Styx album was.
Also, it is arrogant for you or any fun to decide what it and what isn't Styx. You do not get to decide that. The members currently in the band are what now comprises the band Styx. You can call it fake Styx all you want, but that is your issue, not anyone else's. I was there Friday night with 15,000 other fans who were rocking the paradise courtesy of Styx. :metal :metal
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Seeing them tomorrow. Will be my second Styx show, and I'm stoked.
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And they're still playing Mr. Roboto and Lady. LMAO.
What do you mean "still"? They didn't play Mr. Roboto after firing DDY for like 20 years, and only brought it back the last few years because they fans supposedly kept asking them to play it.
Still/Again, either way. Hypocrite Tommy threw his original fit because he couldn't do songs about robots. Now he's doing the robot song live and doing albums about missions to Mars.
I get it, we all have to make a living. I won't put a dollar into this fake Styx whose albums aren't that good. The last really good Styx album, ironically, was Kilroy.
If they don't want Dennis in the band they should call it something else. And if they talk about the history of the band - and this is fact, not opinion - they are making a mockery of themselves if they don't mention Dennis.
The Shaw-Evankovich project is fine but it's not Styx.
Yes, and you clearly have an open mind when determining when the last good Styx album was.
Also, it is arrogant for you or any fun to decide what it and what isn't Styx. You do not get to decide that. The members currently in the band are what now comprises the band Styx. You can call it fake Styx all you want, but that is your issue, not anyone else's. I was there Friday night with 15,000 other fans who were rocking the paradise courtesy of Styx. :metal :metal
Cool, you can do that to cover bands. That's what "Styx" is other than two members.
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This reminds me that I filled out my Styx catalog not too long ago. That means the debut to Roboto. What I was really surprised by is how much I enjoyed the Wooden Nickel albums. I got a set that has all the Wooden Nickel stuff, which is their earliest albums, and then another box that gave me a good chunk of the rest. Those early albums were just completest pickups for me since the Wooden Nickel set was so cheap but it turns out that I really like them so it worked out well.
Don't sleep on the two newest albums, The Mission and Crash of the Crown. Assuming you are a big fan of the Tommy Shaw-led songs, those two albums should be right up the alley of any Styx fan who isn't still throwing hissy fits that Dennis isn't in the band anymore. ;)
I will sleep on them. If you look up a bit in the thread you will remember that TAC and I were a united front on the side of Dennis. I only own the original run of albums up to Roboto. I actually just noticed the 2 albums Dennis put out a year or so ago and checked some stuff out from them. Highly considering picking them up as well as the live album of Styx material he did with the band that I essentially saw him with in 2017.
26 East volume 1 & 2 are both really solid. They aren't as good as they would have been if they were part of Styx albums with Tommy and JY but they're still good. I much prefer them to the two most recent "Styx" albums.
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Yeah, it was much more than one song that lead to Tommy leaving and Dennis being canned again in the late 90's.
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I'm happy to move on - I don't like what Styx is now but their acting like Dennis wasn't even in the band is horrifying.
Anyway, enjoy "Styx.
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I would say that goes to show they've had enough of him. Instead of reaching out privately, he's gone publicly about one last tour. I think they just had enough of him and are content where they are. Their last 2 albums are fantastic and they sound great live and I'm happy with that. I already saw a reunion one. It's enough for me.
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I would say that goes to show they've had enough of him. Instead of reaching out privately, he's gone publicly about one last tour. I think they just had enough of him and are content where they are. Their last 2 albums are fantastic and they sound great live and I'm happy with that. I already saw a reunion one. It's enough for me.
That's where I differ from most, I don't like the two albums. To me, with a few exceptions, they are boring and not very interesting. I get that I am in the minority with that opinion.
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I would say that goes to show they've had enough of him. Instead of reaching out privately, he's gone publicly about one last tour. I think they just had enough of him and are content where they are. Their last 2 albums are fantastic and they sound great live and I'm happy with that. I already saw a reunion one. It's enough for me.
That's where I differ from most, I don't like the two albums. To me, with a few exceptions, they are boring and not very interesting. I get that I am in the minority with that opinion.
Got it. Hey, to each his or her own.
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Seeing them tomorrow. Will be my second Styx show, and I'm stoked.
Awesome! Be sure to post a review, short or long! :tup :tup
I would say that goes to show they've had enough of him. Instead of reaching out privately, he's gone publicly about one last tour. I think they just had enough of him and are content where they are. Their last 2 albums are fantastic and they sound great live and I'm happy with that. I already saw a reunion one. It's enough for me.
Yep, the 1996 reunion tour was great. That was a magical case of everything coming together and the band managing to get along well enough for a tour to make it happen. The 1997 tour, the last with DDY IIRC, was good, too, but at the show we saw, you could just kinda tell that the band wasn't having a lot of fun.
As for his recent public talk about wanting a reunion, I thought I had read that they were talks behind the scenes, but that the two sides couldn't come to an agreement. I suspect the band wasn't about to let Dennis walk back in and call the shots, and I think Dennis has too much ego and pride to agree to come back and let the others dictate the terms.
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Doug Helvering did a video for Renegade. This is his first -- and clearly won't be his last -- Styx video. It's one of Doug's more enjoyable recent videos.
https://youtu.be/paag4PPdCeA
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I just can't get into reaction videos anymore, especially since I don't believe most of them are legit reactions in real time.
But any reason to bump the Styx thread is a good one. :biggrin: :biggrin:
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Fair enough. I've only ever watched three people do reaction videos. The first one I watched was a guy calling himself "Weaboo." I don't remember what his hook was, but he was a young, black guy who GUSHED hard over a few Rush and DT videos (he had a lot more videos that I didn't watch). I got into Doug Helvering because of his music theory analysis. I think he's genuine because he'll often say, "of course I've heard this song before, but I've never really sat and LISTENED to it." He also freely admits to doing research about the song. Also, when he really brings the theory, I don't so much care whether it's truly a first listen. Unfortunately, he has gotten away from the theory a bit and will sometimes focus almost exclusively on lyrics. The other one I like sometimes is Elizabeth Zharoff ("the Charismatic Voice"). She's a classically trained singer, and I have no doubt she's unfamiliar with the prog and metal songs. She's hard not to like.
One thing that Doug discussed was that Renegade didn't start as a "rock" song, which I already knew. However, he apparently found an interview with DDY in which DDY compared the original version of the song to a CSN song called "Helplessly Hoping," so I gave that song a listen and now really wish that the original Renegade had been recorded at some point.
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I think folk music was Tommy's great love early on, as the demo version of Crystal Ball sounds like it could have been by America (good 70s folk rock band). I do remember DDY saying at one point that he helped rock Renegade up, which is kind of funny to think of how things played out, with Tommy and JY wanting to rock and DDY going the other way a bit.
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I got DDY's 2 26 East albums a few weeks ago. Enjoyed both of them. Definitely some stuff on there that would be right at home on a Styx record. I also picked up the live album where he and his band did the music of Styx.
Thing that still stands out to me is just how good his voice still is. It's just so good.
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Fair enough. I've only ever watched three people do reaction videos. The first one I watched was a guy calling himself "Weaboo." I don't remember what his hook was, but he was a young, black guy who GUSHED hard over a few Rush and DT videos (he had a lot more videos that I didn't watch). I got into Doug Helvering because of his music theory analysis. I think he's genuine because he'll often say, "of course I've heard this song before, but I've never really sat and LISTENED to it." He also freely admits to doing research about the song. Also, when he really brings the theory, I don't so much care whether it's truly a first listen. Unfortunately, he has gotten away from the theory a bit and will sometimes focus almost exclusively on lyrics. The other one I like sometimes is Elizabeth Zharoff ("the Charismatic Voice"). She's a classically trained singer, and I have no doubt she's unfamiliar with the prog and metal songs. She's hard not to like.
One thing that Doug discussed was that Renegade didn't start as a "rock" song, which I already knew. However, he apparently found an interview with DDY in which DDY compared the original version of the song to a CSN song called "Helplessly Hoping," so I gave that song a listen and now really wish that the original Renegade had been recorded at some point.
There's a really good record Tommy did with Jack Blades called "Influence" which really shows this side of him. Those f-----s can SING.
1. "Summer Breeze" Seals and Crofts (1972) 3:33
2. "Time of the Season" The Zombies (1968) 3:49
3. "Your Move" Yes (1971) 3:42
4. "I Am a Rock" Simon & Garfunkel (1966) 3:48
5. "Lucky Man" Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970) 4:36
6. "The Sound of Silence" Simon & Garfunkel (1964) 3:12
7. "California Dreamin'" The Mamas & The Papas (1963) 2:40
8. "On a Carousel" The Hollies (1965) 3:25
9. "Dirty Work" Steely Dan (1972) 3:13
10. "For What It's Worth" Buffalo Springfield (1967) 3:06
11. "Dance With Me" Orleans (1975) 3:27
12. "No Matter What" (Japanese Bonus Track) Badfinger (1970)
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There's a really good record Tommy did with Jack Blades called "Influence" which really shows this side of him. Those f-----s can SING.
3. "Your Move" Yes (1971) 3:42
Good stuff!
I think folk music was Tommy's great love early on, as the demo version of Crystal Ball sounds like it could have been by America (good 70s folk rock band).
Yeah...I heard that for the fist time within the last year or so. Quite a difference, and it really illustrates how the mixing of styles in a band context can greatly improve an already good song.
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Any of you remember the music video for Music Time? Tommy was out but I didn't get it. They wave to him in the video and he's only in it for a quick second.
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I tried to forget that Music Time existed at all. I'm sure I saw the video back in the day, but now I'm going to have to check it out. Damn you!
EDIT...that was fucking awful!
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Yup. Tommy's in ot for 3 seconds. Lol. There's a story Tommy tells that he was childish by not filming the video with them. He did his scene in NY while recording his solo album.
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I LIKE **BIG** THINGS!!!!
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There's a really good record Tommy did with Jack Blades called "Influence" which really shows this side of him. Those f-----s can SING.
1. "Summer Breeze" Seals and Crofts (1972) 3:33
2. "Time of the Season" The Zombies (1968) 3:49
3. "Your Move" Yes (1971) 3:42
4. "I Am a Rock" Simon & Garfunkel (1966) 3:48
5. "Lucky Man" Emerson, Lake & Palmer (1970) 4:36
6. "The Sound of Silence" Simon & Garfunkel (1964) 3:12
7. "California Dreamin'" The Mamas & The Papas (1963) 2:40
8. "On a Carousel" The Hollies (1965) 3:25
9. "Dirty Work" Steely Dan (1972) 3:13
10. "For What It's Worth" Buffalo Springfield (1967) 3:06
11. "Dance With Me" Orleans (1975) 3:27
12. "No Matter What" (Japanese Bonus Track) Badfinger (1970)
Hell yeah! I didn't get this to a couple years ago, but really dug it. I got it around the same time I got Tommy's 80s solo albums (two of which I will stand behind as being terrific). In particular, I love their covers of Summer Breeze, I Am a Rock and On a Carousel.
I think folk music was Tommy's great love early on, as the demo version of Crystal Ball sounds like it could have been by America (good 70s folk rock band).
Yeah...I heard that for the fist time within the last year or so. Quite a difference, and it really illustrates how the mixing of styles in a band context can greatly improve an already good song.
Without a doubt. :tup :tup
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Yup. Tommy's in ot for 3 seconds. Lol. There's a story Tommy tells that he was childish by not filming the video with them. He did his scene in NY while recording his solo album.
He should have refused to record the song...as should James, Chuck and John.
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Yup. Tommy's in ot for 3 seconds. Lol. There's a story Tommy tells that he was childish by not filming the video with them. He did his scene in NY while recording his solo album.
He should have refused to record the song...as should James, Chuck and John.
I am $ure they all had their rea$on$.
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They had to to complete their contract with their record company.
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Never got the hate for Music Time. At least there’s a rockin guitar in it. That makes it better than half of Kilroy.
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I tried to forget that Music Time existed at all. I'm sure I saw the video back in the day, but now I'm going to have to check it out. Damn you!
EDIT...that was fucking awful!
A studio song to start a double live album? Yup, that was a big WTF! But, being someone who liked to mess around and try to 'fix' some albums, I replaced 'Mr. Roboto' with it on 'Kilroy', and it actually worked for me then (still does).
Had never seen the video until yesterday. :( ??? Loved that band to death from 'Equinox' onwards, and then.... oh, my......
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A studio song to start a double live album? Yup, that was a big WTF!
Hey now, they did that with Return to Paradise as well, which worked nicely, as we got the kickass On My Way (and then DDY's shmaltzy Paradise). And then we got the magnificent Dear John on the back end. I would have hated not ever getting those two songs, and that was before bands could drop singles just like that on streaming services, so I think it was the way to go.
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Well, I guess 'On My Own' would have been a nice addition to 'Cyclorama'. Listened to it yesterday for the first time since I bought the DVD eons ago. DDY's two just didn't do anything for me. Frankly, I'd totally forgot about them.
but, 'hey, it's music time......' ;D
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Well, I guess 'On My Own' would have been a nice addition to 'Cyclorama'. Listened to it yesterday for the first time since I bought the DVD eons ago. DDY's two just didn't do anything for me. Frankly, I'd totally forgot about them.
but, 'hey, it's music time......' ;D
Assuming you mean On My Way (not On My Own), Cylorama wasn't till six years later, so that really doesn't line up, I guess in theory they could have saved it for Brave New World, which came out two years later, but I doubt they knew they'd be making another new album that soon. But what two by DDY are you talking about? He he had just one new one on Return to Paradise (the song Paradise), not two.
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Susan Young, JY's wife of 50 years, passed away yesterday.
R.I.P.
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:(
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Well, I guess 'On My Own' would have been a nice addition to 'Cyclorama'. Listened to it yesterday for the first time since I bought the DVD eons ago. DDY's two just didn't do anything for me. Frankly, I'd totally forgot about them.
but, 'hey, it's music time......' ;D
Assuming you mean On My Way (not On My Own), Cylorama wasn't till six years later, so that really doesn't line up, I guess in theory they could have saved it for Brave New World, which came out two years later, but I doubt they knew they'd be making another new album that soon. But what two by DDY are you talking about? He he had just one new one on Return to Paradise (the song Paradise), not two.
My wife and I had just listened to my edited 'Return To Paradise' cdr when this topic was current. I have fired yet another proofreader because of my post. ;)
Susan Young, JY's wife of 50 years, passed away yesterday.
R.I.P.
It never ceases to amaze me when I read of rock musician marriages lasting over ten years. Fifty! And then I read that DDY's been married 52 years. That's quite incredible.
Not just James, but that whole camp must be pretty devastated right now. :sad:
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I know he had missed a few shows this past summer, and there were rumors for a while about his wife being unwell, so I can't say this was a surprise, but still a bummer for the Styx family for sure.
Also, Dennis put up a really nice posting on Facebook, expressing his sadness and offering condolences from his entire family. Very classy move.
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https://styxworld.com/blogs/news/51-years-ago-today-styx-sign-their-first-recording-contract
Excerpt:
The second of our three 2.22 milestones occurred 40 years ago today on February 22, 1983, when Styx released Kilroy Was Here, their 11th studio album, on A&M Records, which also became the last studio album they’d release before taking an extended, decade-plus hiatus until they reunited in 1995 to first record an updated version of their very first hit from the Wooden Nickel era — duly redubbed as “Lady ’95” for their Greatest Hits compilation that was released that August — and then for the ensuing Return to Paradise Tour in 1996.
How strange. I could have swore my 3rd concert ever was Styx in 1990, but that was apparently all part of my imagination. :rollin :rollin :rollin
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It does seem weird to not even acknowledge the EOTC lineup. ::)
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It's really not acknowledging 1 band member. :lol
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Right, they seem to think their fans are stupid and forgot who Dennis DeYoung is, yet they still have no problem playing a lot of his biggest hits in their set list at every show.
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Who? I kid! He just turned 76. Crazy!
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Indeed.
I saw a few clips from their recent shows, and it's staggering how useless James Young is now. There were songs where four guys were singing harmonies (Tommy, Gowan, the bass player and the new guy whose name I cannot recall) and Young wasn't even trying to get to the mic to sing along and was barely even playing anything on the guitar. Considering he is in the frontman spot on stage (dead center in front), it's a weird look. I get it, he is the only guy left in the band from the original lineup and one of only two from the classic lineup (not counting Chuck showing up to a few shows a year), so it gives the Styx brand name more credibility for him to be there, but he's basically a non-factor now.
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He does a lot of the solos live. I also wonder if his wife's death is affecting him of late.
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I suspect being on the road and around his friends is helping him deal with it, but it cannot be easy. I just think he doesn't have much of a singing voice left. As we noted before, he had limited lead vocal moments on both The Mission and Crash of the Crown, and a few live clips where he was singing looked like it took everything he had to get out a lead vocal that wasn't exactly challenging, but, I get it, the guy is over 70 now.
I think it's clear that the addition of Will Evankovich has been huge for them, as he helped co-write most of the songs on those last two albums.
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Who? I kid! He just turned 76. Crazy!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA, I was going to write the same exact thing! :) We're funny!
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Lol. Might see Styx this summer.
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I got a ticket for a show in July. It'll be only my second time seeing them. The other was in 1991 (almost 32 years to the day). And I haven't been to this venue (Pacific Amphitheatre on the Orange County Fairgrounds) since 1993. I swore for a while that I wouldn't see them without DDY, but what the hell.
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I got a ticket for a show in July. It'll be only my second time seeing them. The other was in 1991 (almost 32 years to the day). And I haven't been to this venue (Pacific Amphitheatre on the Orange County Fairgrounds) since 1993. I swore for a while that I wouldn't see them without DDY, but what the hell.
No, no, according to the band themselves, they were on hiatus after Kilroy Was Here until 1995, so much like I must have imagined seeing them in 1990, you had to have done the same in 1991.
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:lol :lol
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As much as I bag on Gowan at times :P, this is a nice interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0cv0-QNsSo
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As much as I bag on Gowan at times :P, this is a nice interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0cv0-QNsSo
I'll definitely check this out tonight.
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I thought his point about how they seamlessly meld the new songs into the set list was a great one. I remember last year, thinking the The Fight of Our Lives kickoff going right into Blue Collar Man felt so natural. I am sure they know that most fans who still come to their shows want to hear the hits, so they do a great job of having hits all over the set, while sneaking in quite a few new songs here and there rather than just throwing in one or two token new songs just for the hell of it.
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As much as I bag on Gowan at times :P, this is a nice interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0cv0-QNsSo
That was a great interview. While watching it, I couldn't help but notice this old clip from the Regis & Kathy Lee show - pure gold!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzkEm9C-axE
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As much as I bag on Gowan at times :P, this is a nice interview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o0cv0-QNsSo
That was a great interview. While watching it, I couldn't help but notice this old clip from the Regis & Kathy Lee show - pure gold!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzkEm9C-axE
Very nice! That is from 1995, so right after they had gotten back together to do the new Lady for the greatest hits and before the comeback tour. You don't see a lot of footage of those three having a good time together, so is nice to see.
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So...my concert is approaching (3 weeks from tomorrow), so I took a peek at the setlist and made a Spotify playlist based on what they played in Nashville on June 18. I haven't heard Crash of the Crown (the album), and I've only heard The Mission once. Holy crap is "Our Wonderful Lives" a fantastic song! But other than that, it looks like we get only two other "real" songs from Crash and nothing from Mission other than a 2-minute piano solo/interlude. Is that right?
Also...the band is Shaw, Young, Sucherman, Gowan and Phillips...and sometimes Chuck Panozzo...and ANOTHER guitarist? Who is this other guy? Is he there because James isn't "really" there? Or are they doing a legit three guitar thing like Helloween?
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The other guy is Will Evankovich who produced and co wrote some of the songs with Tommy Shaw the last 2 albums. Crash Of the Crown is a fantastic album. Check it out!
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Evankovich has been working with Tommy for a while, as he played on and co-produced Tommy's solo album in 2011, and I know they played together when Tommy did that show with the orchestra in Cleveland a year or two before The Mission came out.
But yeah, Crash of the Crown is great. Every song is crazy catchy.
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I will check it out, but the question still remains whether he's there to pick up James's slack or if it's a true 3-guitar thing.
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Honestly, I noticed his harmonies more live. He just filled the sound out.
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Either way, I'm looking forward to the show!
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I am still a little bummed they aren't hitting St Louis this year. They always seem to come here, yet they aren't this year.
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I just realized I forgot to post about this at the time.
I saw Styx on July 27 at the Pacific Amphitheatre on the Orange County Fairgrounds. It was an AWESOME show!
I had bought the ticket solo, but a handful of friends decided at the last minute to go, so we left work early and got dinner and a few drinks at the fair. Unbeknownst to me, the concert ticket also got us into the fair. I haven't been to the OC fair in a good 25 years, and the food at this place was just incredible. I'll definitely be going to a few shows next year once they announce the concert schedule.
My seat was probably around the 25th row, only a few seats from the right edge (Tommy's side), but it was a really good view. I had made it a point to listen to the Mission and Crash songs on the set list beforehand (although I think they played one I wasn't expecting). Holy cray...Our Wonderful Lives is an AMAZING song! No Chuck, unfortunately, but I did think it was pretty cool that they had James Labrie playing bass!
The show was absolutely great. They were on fire. I've read things about James not doing too well, but he seemed in tip-top shape. The seats between me and the right aisle were filled in by a group of 40-50 year old women, some of whom seemed only marginally interested in the show. At one point, all but the one closest to me left to get a beverage, and this is when one of the roadies was cruising around handing out Chuck Panozzo picks, so that was a pretty cool souvenir! The only down side was that around 5-7 songs in (Light Up, Crash of the Crown and Lorelei), most of the crowd had sat down, and I had a bunch of people behind me start to yell for me to sit down. I eventually gave in when they went into Crystal Ball. When Rockin' the Paradise started next, however, pretty much everyone stood back up. I get that the Styx crowd probably has an average age in the mid-50s, but FFS...pissed me off.
Anyhoo...if anyone is thinking about it, I absolutely recommend it. Despite the lack of Dennis, you won't be disappointed.
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they had James Labrie playing bass!
Wait, what?!
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they had James Labrie playing bass!
Wait, what?!
Haha. It's Ricky Phillips. He has similar hair to James. LOL
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I thought maybe he was moonlighting or something, in case that lead singer gig doesn't work out.
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It really struck me at the show how much Phillips looked like JLB, and I then saw the still for this on Facebook earlier today, and thought they could legit trade places.
https://www.facebook.com/reel/701918754614543
P.S. Happy belated 75th birthday (last Wednesday) to the Chuckster!
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The only down side was that around 5-7 songs in (Light Up, Crash of the Crown and Lorelei), most of the crowd had sat down, and I had a bunch of people behind me start to yell for me to sit down. I eventually gave in when they went into Crystal Ball. When Rockin' the Paradise started next, however, pretty much everyone stood back up. I get that the Styx crowd probably has an average age in the mid-50s, but FFS...pissed me off.
I saw the Arch Allies tour in 2000 (?) when they toured with REO Speedwagon and then both bands would come out and jam during the encore. We had the same experience when it came to standing or sitting. I was 20 at the time, and the people behind me were probably in their 40's or 50's. They wanted us to sit, and we said "no, sorry, it's a rock concert" and stood for the entire show.
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Whoa he does look like James.
Styx/Bad Company/Billy Squire around 2000 (I really do not recall the year) was my first real rock concert. I won tickets at my favorite club one night I was there by being the first person to get to the DJ when they played a Billy Squire song. All artists were great, and I though Styx was especially so.
Coincidentally, I happen to be going through their albums now. I never really got in to the first 5 but I am appreciating some of the stuff on Serpent is Rising/Man of Miracles/Equinox more than I ever have. It's not stuff I am going to revisit, but I am glad I gave them a listen.
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Coincidentally, I happen to be going through their albums now. I never really got in to the first 5 but I am appreciating some of the stuff on Serpent is Rising/Man of Miracles/Equinox more than I ever have. It's not stuff I am going to revisit, but I am glad I gave them a listen.
A couple years ago, in this thread, I did reviews of Equinox through Kilroy. I intended to go back and do the first four and then do Edge of the Century through the present, but I never did. I need to get back on that.
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We need a proper Styx discography.
I suspect that it would be pretty rough, as those early albums are kinda rare and sometimes tough to get through, and the later albums... well, IMO they're pretty tough to get through, also. There are bright spots at each end, for sure, but sometimes you have to sit through some not-so-bright to get to them. I suppose that's true of most bands that have been around for a long time.
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I'm of the opinion that there's good/great stuff on every album of theirs, but also a LOT of mediocre, or worse, stuff on pretty much every album too. The big exceptions for me are The Grand Illusion and The Mission, which are mostly great straight through.
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Yep. I know I'm not the only one, especially in a place like this, but I think I have at least digital copies of every album. I don't have time to do a discography now, but things tend to get quieter in the winter, which isn't too far off.
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Hmmm... I just listened to the first four albums again. The first time through, many years ago, I thought most of it was pretty bad, but there were moments that forshadowed the greatness to come. The next time through, I was able to appreciate things more. But every time since then, I think I've enjoyed them less and less. Some interesting ideas, and interesting musical moments, and a lot of mediocre or worse, as others have said. Between that and pg1067's writeups in this thread, I'm having serious second thoughts about doing a Styx discography thread.
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The debut album is weird, and it's an album that probably never should have been made. Movement for the Common Man is pretty cool, but it probably should have been broken into two songs: Children of the Land and Mother Nature's Matinee/Fanfare for the Common Man (with the "Street Collage" part thrown in the trash). Best Thing is also solid, but that's the extent of the Styx material on the album. The rest of the album is a bunch of cover songs that were suggested by the label and with which the band was unfamiliar. If you took the actual Styx material on the debut and put it together with the best of the DDY material on II, you'd have a pretty solid album. They also botched the order of the songs on II. I'm Gonna Make You Feel It should not have been the closing track and should have been a single (IMO, it's much better than You Need Love as an album opener, although YNL is still really solid).
I'm pretty fuzzy on Serpent, but Miracles was also solid.
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I got a ticket for Styx's "residency" at the Venetian in Vegas - the Saturday of the week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. 14th row from the stage. And I got a really good price on a flight/hotel combo.
It'll be my first visit to Vegas since the last of the LA Kings Frozen Fury games (the year before the Golden Knights came into the NHL).
Looking forward to it.
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I got a ticket for Styx's "residency" at the Venetian in Vegas - the Saturday of the week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. 14th row from the stage. And I got a really good price on a flight/hotel combo.
It'll be my first visit to Vegas since the last of the LA Kings Frozen Fury games (the year before the Golden Knights came into the NHL).
Looking forward to it.
Sounds fun!
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I got a ticket for Styx's "residency" at the Venetian in Vegas - the Saturday of the week between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl. 14th row from the stage. And I got a really good price on a flight/hotel combo.
It'll be my first visit to Vegas since the last of the LA Kings Frozen Fury games (the year before the Golden Knights came into the NHL).
Looking forward to it.
Sounds fun!
It was!
I posted about some of the travel aspects in the "I'm Traveling Somewhere" thread, but the concert was an absolute blast! Tommy Shaw, James Young and Ricky Phillips are all in their 70s (and Lawrence Gowan is only a few years behind), but they play like they're half that age. As my friend noted, Tommy is ageless. If any of them sang an off-key note, I sure didn't hear it. The set was pretty similar to what they played last summer, but that was cool with me. I continue to be impressed by the Mission and Crash of Crowns songs. But the highlight for me was Queen of Spades, which is probably my all time favorite Styx song. I have been seeing people online dissing JY, but, while Miss America isn't my favorite song, he absolutely nailed it. Lawrence Gowan did a little shpeel about Liberace and played Come Sail Away on one of Liberace's pianos: https://www.reviewjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/18786920_web1_Gowan-Liberace-1.jpeg?crop=1 There was actually a moment when he was talking about the piano as a "special guest" that I thought we might be getting something completely unexpected, but alas....
The other highlight was Chuck Panozzo. He initially came out for Lady, the third song in the set. He didn't look comfortable and exited the stage as soon as the song was done. I can't remember when he came back, but it was several songs later, and he was wearing different clothes, which I thought was a little odd. He played most (or all?) of the second half of the set. His movement is limited, and I'm not entirely sure the extent to which his bass is actually plugged in, but it was great to see him on stage with the guys.
I do hope they resurrect One with Everything at some point.
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They really are firing on all cylinders right. Great shows. Fantastic last 2 albums. I hope they stay creative and release another album.
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(https://scontent-atl3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/434103523_942139330604107_1794775567001637323_n.jpg?_nc_cat=106&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=5f2048&_nc_ohc=WgqLeD59KnYAX_KlImV&_nc_ht=scontent-atl3-1.xx&oh=00_AfChvC_G3-ZXyDb6euDwYlbHnCcx0DP3JR_hYHsouyWuAg&oe=65FF973C)
Styx shared this on Facebook with the following comment: "It was a joy to spend two decades with Ricky Phillips in Styx and we wish him all the best in his next adventure. He’ll always be a part of the Styx family and we’ll miss his presence on our stage and in our touring lives.
With all our love,
The Styx Family."
They've got a show in CT on Friday, so I wondering who will be covering the bass duties (I assume Chuck isn't going to do a full show).
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Wow. If someone had asked me who the current Styx bassist was, I would not have been able to tell them other than "I don't think it's Chuck anymore". But I just looked up the guy's resume on Wikipedia, and he's certainly been around the block a few times. Good for him deciding to take a break and do some other stuff that's important, which includes just chilling at home for a while with Melissa and the critters.