Styx appreciation

[DebraKadabra]

Was that the movie with Roddy Piper?

The very same.

[KevShmev]

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.

[jammindude]

Great story, Jaq! 

[DebraKadabra]

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.

[TheAtliator]

The Atliator just found the Styx thread.... 

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 

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

[ich bin besser]

59 already, wow...!
Wish Styx would come to Germany again...

[TheAtliator]

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.

[pogoowner]

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.

[KevShmev]

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.

[TheAtliator]

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  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 

[Orbert]

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.

[TheAtliator]

No, they ARE on the DVD!!!! Just weren't played on tv!

[Orbert]

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.

[KevShmev]

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. 

[King Postwhore]

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.

[KevShmev]

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.

[King Postwhore]

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!

[KevShmev]

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.

[theseoafs]

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.

[ColdFireYYZ]

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.

[KevShmev]

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.

[Orbert]

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.

[kirksnosehair]

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.

[JayOctavarium]

Woohoo Styx thread!



I'm hoping to catch them next month. They are going to be playing the county fair here

[Orbert]

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.

[TheAtliator]

Styx fans also go to DDY concerts. I just went to one this year and he and his band ROCK.

[Orbert]

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?

[KevShmev]

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+). 

[kirksnosehair]

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     

[Orbert]

[hefdaddy42]

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?

[King Postwhore]

Dicklashed Hef, dicklashed.

[jammindude]

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.

[Orbert]

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.

[sueño]

Dicklashed Hef, dicklashed.