Yep, I'm still listening to them at 63 as well. In fact I just saw Styx in concert at the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis a month ago. They still put on a great show.
Tommy Shaw did a solo show with a high school orchestra and chior as backup that's absolutely brilliant. Especially my favorite version of their music.
In March 1983, I sat with Kenny & Sherri on the front row, balcony level at the Fox Theater in downtown San Diego. Man what a fantastic evening, still have my Styx concert shirt. It’s hard to believe that was almost 40 years ago…praise the Lord, I’m still rocking.
I saw Styx for the first time in Bradley , IL high school gym. I got 3rd row center stage tickets for Paradise Theater. In all, I saw them 3 times, later saw Dennis DeYoung at Governors State College, another front row seat. I miss the Dennis, Tommy, James, John lineup.
Just saw them a couple nights ago they were incredible Lawrence McGowan is amazing singer performer and musician, Todd Sucherman is a god in drummer circles,They as a band have never been better
No brainer. The group was filled with people, and they butted heads, like all people do. No music required. Totally respect where this went. Happy? No. Understand, and get it? Yes. Relationships end, turn sour, and/or worse. Very grateful for the time they were together and the classic tunes. WOW! Do I need them to get back together? No. It's over, like many relationships, there is no return. Respect. FYI, the "new" line up is pretty dang good, and they are still rocking it. FYI - jamming to Cornerstone as we speak. Soooo awesome. 🤗
I found the Gowan Styx by accident in 2000 while in Las Vegas for work training, It was also the first time I knew about Gary Richrath being out of REO Speedwagon, but both bands put on a great show. Tommy, JY, and Chuckie decided Dennis needed to go, they had to live with and deal with the guy on a daily basis, they've seen more because they were there. No different than a divorce, sometimes you just never want to be in the same room again with the person you finally got free from, and life becomes a happy wonderful place again. Love the last 2 new albums, can't say I've heard anything from Dennis in the last 23 years I want to listen to or play again.
What happened? They're performing as much, and as good, as they ever have. They regularly put out new music that is fantastic. The current lineup has existed for 20 years, when Ricky Phillips joined to play bass in 2003. They've had a residency in Vegas, as well.
I saw them back in 2005, add Addison Circle Park in Addison Texas. they put on an awesome show and I actually got to hang out with the Sound Engineer, it was small venue but they still had the 3D surround sound Tower speakers, an awesome people backing them up. it was a truly special night
@@TheFergyme They'll never be as good without Dennis. Dennis' shoes are extremely hard to fill. I have nothing against LG. It took some balls to step in and try to fill that huge gap. I've seen them a couple of times with LG and they still put on a good show. Maybe someday they will be able to work out their differences and do one last tour for the fans. The clock of life is ticking away. Even if they just do like 8 or 10 cities with maybe two shows each.
Styx is still very popular- I saw them at the fair a few years ago and it was packed. A good future band for you to do one of these on is Firefall, they had a great run in the 70's.
I just saw Styx at the Buffalo Chip in Sturgis a month ago. This was the 3rd time I've seen them in concert now. They still put on a great show. They closed their set with Mr Roboto which was the first time I've seen them play that song. The Buffalo Chip was the perfect venue complete with motorcycle reving from the Harleys in the audience.
Mr Roboto was the final nail in the coffin for Styx. DDY wanted them to be a theatrical band and Shaw wanted none of that crap. I agree with him. Tragic. Always have been a big fan of Dennis and Tommy and it's too bad they couldn't keep it going.
The MAGIC of STYX has always been in its mix of people. Their relationship conflicts became surrogates for our own struggles. Regardless of who toured when and with whom, I am grateful they all participated for as long as they did. The embedded philosophy, psychology, permission to love, be loved, and BE GREAT in one's life -- represent both overt and covert undertones in the lyrics and melodies they have created. Everything in one way, shape or form is based on frequency. In a world of constant negativity, Styx has left the world a much better place to live with its timeless messages disguised as songs.
Gowan saved Styx when Dennis left. I’m from Canada where Gowan is from and a fan of his solo work. Gowan is a solid replacement for Dennis. Long live Styx.
I don't buy this "Dennis is the hero" Storyline. I'm a musician I only play with people I like. Life is too short to deal with people who don't fit in a band. Dennis is not wanted. He should go away and leave these guys alone.Gowan is just fine.
Tommy's stuff is definitely cool and more radio friendly. Having said that, they put out a lot of great stuff even before Tommy joined the band. Tommy didn't join until their 6th album (Crystal Ball}. A lot of people have no idea about the first 4 Wooden Nickel albums which are great. Then came the incredible Equinox album right before TS joined. FYI...The Wooden Nickel albums have been remastered onto a CD box set and it's awesome.
John "J.C." Curulewski played a mean guitar. Curulewski left Styx to spend more time with his family, and was replaced by Tommy Shaw. Sadly, J.C. died suddenly of a brain aneurysm.
Shame. They’re all getting on in years. I wonder if Eddie Van Halen knew he was going to die at 65 if he wouldn’t have tried gotten the band back together once more while he could. Dennis sang and wrote many of their biggest hits. He can’t be replaced.
The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight were also concept albums. My favorite concert I ever saw was their 1996 "Return To Paradise" reunion tour in Concord, CA. A dream come true to see my favorite band back together again. Without Dennis, it's just not real Styx anymore.
I am going to see the tomorrow at Allentown PA. I first listen their music in 1981 when I was in China and the cassette was brought back by my Father when he visited the USA as a visiting scholar. I am so happy that I can see them in person after 42 years and now I am American citizen.
My favorite Styx Songs in order with lead singer in parentheses: 1. Man of Miracles (James Young) 2. Sing For the Day (Tommy Shaw) 3. Mother Dear (John Curulewski, Dennis DeYoung) 4. Castle Walls (Dennis DeYoung) 5. Snowblind (James Young, Tommy Shaw) 6. Half-Penny Two-Penny (James Young) 7. Boat On the River (Tommy Shaw) 8. Lonely People (Dennis DeYoung) 9. Queen of Spades (Dennis DeYoung) 10 The Best of Times (Dennis DeYoung) Best album: 4 way tie among Equinox (1975) Grand Illusion (1977) Pieces of Eight (1978) and Paradise Theater (1981). Kilroy Was Here was an absolute embarrassment. I was CRUSHED when Shaw left Styx. I knew that TRULY was the end of the band at its peak. But man, what a run between 1975 - 1981.
@@zachwalentiny The Mission, yes. Not Crash of the Crown. As a former avid Styx fan my view is that their window closed after 1981's Paradise Theater. Nothing Young, DeYoung, or Shaw did was noteworthy to me. I am including Shaw being with Damn Yankees and his work with Blades as well as going back to Styx and valiantly putting out new material. At the risk of sounding impolite, the fans didn't care for the new music either as the music simply did not sell. And yes, I'm aware people don't buy albums or cd's any longer. It doesn't mean the music is bad or anything. It's just not 1975-1981 and whether that's unfair or not doesn't change things. Same thing with anything before Equinox. Lady and (for me) Man of Miracles notwithstanding, it just doesn't rate with 1975-1981. It is what it is.
In 1981ish I was working concessions at the Summit in Houston TX. We set up our stand, so I went out and took a break in the seating. I was about half way back, and the singer was doing a sound check. So I was watching him a bit, but not bothering him, and he gets mad and yells at me, "Can you get the F@#% out of here?!?" That was my experience with the band.
I'll tell you what happened to them, they are still performing in 2024 as good as ever. And they have one of the great drummers in the world right now, Todd Sucherman.
The Kilroy was Here fiasco could have been handled with a bit more grace. Yes, DeYoung got a little carried away with that concept album and in truth, he should have made that a side project or solo album and not drug Styx into it. That album didn't even SOUND like Styx. The band was wrong to give into resentment about the love songs, though. Babe is a really great song and Dennis DeYoung's voice is liquid gold. The greatest hits album was SO incredible, just banger and after banger.
Plus i remember reading in comments that the band pressured Dennis to fire Tommy during his drug induced state and Dennis refused to do that knowing Shaw is an important member. Then in the late 90's, Dennis requests some time off because of some current at the time light sensitivity issues and then he's fired from thd band because they're impatient
Styx is still doing it, while maintaining a solid fan base. They're just doing it without their co-founder, co-lead singer, and major songwriter, Dennis DeYoung, who was replaced by Lawrence Gowen. However, they still sound good and can rock the classic stuff.
they are missing Dennis, but Tommy Shaw is just as great a song writer, but different. He's written so much great music, from his solo run, so Shaw Blades, Damn Yankees, and most of the new albums, it's amazing.
Not here to nit-pick your post. Just for the purpose of accuracy, the "official" Kilroy Was Here tour had to have been 1983. The Kilroy album was released in February 1983. Having said that, It is entirely possible the band had some of the songs for the Kilroy album already worked up and we're doing a couple of them live in 1982. I saw Aerosmith (w/Nazareth opening) in July of 1977 and they were already doing a couple of songs from the upcoming Draw The Line album which wasn't released until December of '77.
I remember in 1977 I was out of High School for a year after having major life saving surgery and was home recovering my oldest Brother had a bunch of Great Albums and that was what I would do everyday listening and discovering Classic Rock Music and “Styx” Equinox and Crystal Ball were a couple of my Favorites and and when I recovered the very first thing I did my Brother took me to a concert and that was it Bringing Tommy Shaw who is Awesome in Styx was Perfect and Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight I started going to see them and was a Fan then Dennis led them to a softer Rock and by the time Mr Roboto it was not going well in 1983 I went to the Texxas Jam these big Stadium all day Rock Festivals that ran from 1978 to 1988 and I went to 9 of them 83 Sammy Hagar and Styx were Coheadlining Triumph played in afternoon and were nearly Perfect Ted Nugent kept over 70 thousand Rock Fans going then Sammy Hagar just Rocked the crowd for encore he brought out Rik Emmett of Triumph and Ted Nugent and they played Led Zeppelin song and I had never seen the crowd that loud then the wait for Styx and it started with a film about Kilroy and then they were acting a little in the theme of Paradise Theater before they Played a Song I had never seen that many people leaving at once and booing we stayed could switch anywhere and I felt So Bad for Tommy Shaw and JY and Brothers Dennis wanted Broadway Tommy left Band after that and had a Solo career for a little bit then Damn Yankees were Awesome got to see a couple times and then Styx did that re-recording of Lady and they started Touring again and it was Great went to see Hated John died since Tod Suckerman is a Amazing Drummer when Dennis was going back and forth between his Broadway thing he became Light siccative and He left Rest of Band hanging and The Best thing that has happened was for Styx to continue on and finding Lawrence Great replacement also adding
Ricky Phillips I have gotten to see them several times with this lineup and this Band is Tighter than ever They are Awesome I have seen Dennis put together a musical called the Music of Styx and the Band he had all resembled the original Styx guy’s I have seen where shows were canceled really due to poor attendance and he has been whining about Styx in nearly every interview he seems So Jealous I have also seen Tommy and JY interviewed and they were right on the money and JY saying he has reached a point in his life where he doesn’t want to have to go through the drama and doesn’t want to work under really would be same stress There is no doubt Dennis DeYoung was a Huge part of early success and he has Incredible Songs from back in the time Styx was So Big and getting to see him was Great but I don’t think he would be a Good fit anymore He does Deserve like entire Members of Styx to be in RRHOF but untill they build a Real Legitimate RRHOF Thank You for posting about this Band they should be Discussed and their Legacy is Incredible I apologize for such a long message but I did enjoy Your post Thank You
John Curlewski was an average guitar player and not much of a songwriter. That was verified on the "Edge Of The Century" record where Glen Burtnik took over from Tommy. Styx is ten times the band with Tommy.
@mben-david2064 Ironically, Equinox actually did better than Crystal Ball 🔮. Also, I never mentioned this before, but if you listen to PRELUDE 12 the acoustic guitar solo by Curelewski, that's right before Suite Madame Blue (on EQINOX)? That instrumental couldve been attached to Tommy's song Crystal Ball, and it would've clicked beautifully. Shaw didn't really do anything song key- wise any different than Curelewski. Even Mother Dear the verses by Curelewski are sung in D and Fooling yourself by Shaw also sung in D . Tommy had more soul and spirit in his voice and songwriting than Curelewski or Burtnik . Tommy even met Curelewski after joining the band, and they hit it off great. Glen Burtnik, I'm sure you know came back as a bass player for Styx while Deyoung and yep Gowan were in the band. Burtnik lol 😆 admitted he was nowhere as good a singer on Tommy's songs 🎵 as Tommy was himself. Tommy got along with both guys and never tried to outdo either one. That's why Tommy is a perfect fit for Styx. He's very group oriented. Can't say that about to many musicians.
@jerrywoods4066 You are correct, but it was the GRAND ILLUSION album and the single COME SAIL AWAY that broke STYX out of being stuck for years as the warm-up band and made them official HEADLINERS. I got a magazine called AOR Album Oriented Rock released in 2014 .I bought it at BARNES &NOBLES there's an interview with Dennis Deyoung in it explaining exactly this. Deyoung was the only reason I bought the magazine, to be honest. Lol 😆
A lot can happen to a band over 50 years. Members come and go for various reasons. They began as America's first great Prog band but everyone knows that Hits = Money.
Saw them in concert for the Cornerstone and Paradise Theater tours at the Forum in Inglewood, CA. Best concerts I ever been to. As far as reuniting, not holding my breath. DeYoung is too much a control freak.
Given that over 80% of their hits were Dennis's songs and that he sang lead on over half the material - he had every right to be a "control freak" like it or not it's HIS baby.
Equinox and Styx II are my favorite Styx albums. They got the Styx brand in the spotlight. Styx was a well honed combo and just to a major record label before tomy shaw got involved
The Trio, the trio minus Chuck plus Tom N. Tradewinds, TW4, TW5, or Styx( Curulewski era) Good, but still too static on stage, until Tommy brought. Showmanship to the group.l
@@dalenaadams7920 lol . Nice try . They are just pop and boring. Maybe if James actually wrote something they would pick it up. But it's too late now. I've seen a lot of bands over the years. Deep purple, rainbow UFO triumph acdc ,Dio ,styx srv , satrianni Jeff Beck, Skynyrd van halen, Hagar , foghat , boc, kiss, mountain, Judas priest, thin Lizzy, Uriah heep, journey , buddy guy , etc.. so yeah I know good music. Still those last two albums were a drag.
The Band broke out with Equinox and did some decent stuff afterward too. DeYoung wanted to take them down a different genre, while the rest of the guys were rockers. Better off with Gowan, who brought his own song library along too.
I’m sorry one of my favorite things is that Tommy Shaw wanted to move away from power ballads and the first and only real hit he had with Damn Yankees Kees was a power ballad.
One of my favorite things is that the last two Styx albums are two of the best albums the band ever put out and Tommy Shaw did most of the writing on those albums.
I was styx twice Tommy play Renegade amazing but second time he was wearing a Roboto outfit and he looked like he hated every second of it and now it all makes sense. Making music is more than money and they were a rock band. They were so big their next LP could be happy birthday to you and it would have sold. OK sing Roboto but don't act it out on stage that was sickness to Tommy and they should have taken steps to help all members. To many great became big than the group.
I have (had) been a fan since 1971. They will never be the same without DeYoung's angelic voice. Sucherman's drums are just just too flashy and overdone for my taste. I thnk John P.'s style fit them perfectly. Tommy Shaw really completed the sound and took them off into a harder sound along with J'Y.'s brilliant guitar (although his voice alwas sucked terribly unless as part of the brilliant harmonies ). Nice to see Chuck P. with them occasionally. I dislike the current iteration intensly, but at lease Shaw and Young are still there. There it is - my expert and opinionated look at the late, great STYX.
Unfortunately Tommy Shaw and JY made a terrible decision to drop the main character and founder, Dennis DeYoung which lead the doom for STYX because without Dennis DeYoung, there was no STYX
I know I noticed several mistakes were made especially on some release dates on albums and Equinox was their 5th album not 6th. Also John Curulewski didn't pass away until many years later in 1988 and not 1978.
No, that is incorrect. Dennis DeYoung, and twins John and Chuck Panozzo formed a band called the Trade Winds in 1962. After another band with the same name had a major hit, they were forced to change the band's name and became TW4 (There Were 4). JY joined TW4 in 1970 and shortly thereafter they got their record deal with Wooden Nickel. Since there were now 5 band members with the addition of JY, Wooden Nickel wanted them to change their name and they became Styx.
As for front line members: JY is the lowest talent and the instigator who poisoned Tommy & STYX against Dennis. Thankfully - and nothing against Lawrence here, who entered an impossible situation, but Dennis new band kicks butt over current iteration of STYX. Dennis is still crafting great music, while JY can't write his way out of a paper bag.
Can we finally dispell the mythology that Dennis ruined Styx due to his balladeering? Why does Tommy Shaw never get flak for writing sappy love tunes like "Sing for the Day" and "She Cares"? Well guess what, Styx fans have ALWAYS had room in their hearts for the love songs and the rockers. Secondly, great artists change, explore, and evolve. Whenever an artistic tangent doesn't work out, they can always go back to their roots. What's insane is, "Mr. Roboto" was wildly successful! People to this day absolutely love that song. Dennis married the styles of Styx and the new wave direction music was going in 1983 and made timeless magic! And his words couldn't be more prophetic. One can only dream how much great music we missed out on had Tommy and JY been more supportive of Dennis and the classic Styx lineup continued beyond 1983.
I hated Mr roboto and so did a lot of old school styx fans. But I wish Dennis and James young would of fixed their problems. And wrote more material like on the grand illusion and equinox. They just went to poppy with either Dennis leading or Tommy shaw leading it.
@@jerrywoods4066 That song was a huge part of American 80s pop culture. It has been referenced in numerous tv commercials and television shows, from the Simpsons to Arrested Development. I’d rather be known for that song than not known at all.
I saw Styx live with REO Speedwagon and Molly Hatchet at Hollywood Florida's Yound Circle in their original ampitheater. My brothers 5th wife Debbie hot me a guitar pick from REO's Bass player with his name on it becashe knew I was big on Bass. Easily one of my favorite concerts. Drinks in plastic cups were allowed so we took our own in those litter airline bottles hidden in out boots and elsewhere and just bought fruit juice from vendors.
Go wan? Pronounced Gaa wan, he I had a successful music career in his native Canada, and plays some of the songs on the Styx tour that the fans have come to love like Criminal mind. Too back Dennis was a dik later in life with the band, his solo stuff was good.
What Happened To Them the songs show me the way and babe are not power ballads. Those songs are straight ballets, a power ballad is the combination of a classical piano or classical music put together with hard Rock. So if you listen to Lady for instance, lady is a complete power ballot. Also if you listen to the song don't let it end from the Kilroy was here album, that song is also a power ballad. Because the song starts out beautiful at first, and then later on it turns into a hard rocker sound in the middle of the song don't let it end. Of course that song is one of my favorite Styx songs, and definitely one of styx's greatest hits. Remember keep in mind the differences between a power ballad and a straight ballot from classical rock music 👍😉
I can answer that without even watching the video - creative differences with most of the group wanting to be a rock band like their earlier stuff and one guy trying to move them to ballads and theatrical stuff where they just stand around and wish they were playing Blue Collar Man
Babe was a big hit but I think for the sake of the band, Dennis should have used it on a solo project instead. I think he wanted to write more top 40 music while JY and Tommy wanted to be more rock and roll or progressive. And the narrator called Babe a power ballad LOL. Babe was a ballad. Lady was a power ballad.
@@66limelight Dennis wrote Babe as a birthday present for his wife Suzzane and never intended to release it as a record. Tommy and JY listened to the demo and insisted that it be included on their new album (Cornerstone) and released as the 1st single. FACT.
@@davidrose8842 I've read that it was Dennis who insisted to put Babe on the album. And I've also read that Tommy and JY wanted it included. But I've seen a video or two in which Tommy voiced that he was not fond of the song at all. He also didn't like "First Time" and in his words "We didn't need to go into Barry Manilow's territory" (paraphrasing). Crystal Ball to Paradise Theatre is my favorite era of Styx. And yes, Babe is in there.
❤❤ The Bible says For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son whosoever believe in him should not perish The Bible says unpradable sin is rejecting Jesus Christ for your Lord and personal Savior The Bible says The wicked man is condem already He does not have the son of God Jesus said the wicked man will not see his life Until he comes to except and repentance And except Jesus Christ for his Lord and Savior 💖
2 minutes in and you have things incorrect. Equinox was their 5th album and John K. died in 1988. Also, you should rehearse what you are saying because it sounds like you are reading it.
What a bunch of liars Tommy Shaw and JY are. If they had such a problem with "Mr. Roboto", why wasn't it struck down during the creative process? Don't participate in the writing, practicing, recording, stage show, and short film of it and then pretend 14 years later, you hated it and that it somehow 'broke' the band. Tommy wanted control of the band, plain and simple. And what better way to take the focus off of that than point the finger at someone else, calling them the dictator?
He should have had control of the band. He would have kept it out of the sappy ballad category. He was regretting Mr. Roboto publicly a couple of years after the tour. It did suck.
@@SpicyTexan64 Mr. Roboto sucked, huh? You may not like it but you do realize that it went all the way to #3 and sold OVER 1 Million copies? And they now play it in concert due to FAN DEMAND.
What happened is they released their two best albums of the last 40 years with The Mission and Crash of the Crown. Wouldn’t have gotten those two masterpieces if DDY was still there.
@@waltersimmons946 Really? A true Styx fan doesn’t care about what was a hit and what wasn’t. Some of my favorite Styx songs were written by Tommy such as Crystal Ball, Man in the Wilderness, Renegade and Blue Collar Man. Don’t get me wrong, I love most of DDY’s songs too (with the exception of Babe and Mr. Roboto), but I don’t see why it matters who wrote the most hits. The point is the last two Styx albums were fantastic prog rock masterpieces and guess what? No DDY.
@mkwrockers0099 This is what you missed. Styx started out as a Prog band but they weren't getting hits and their albums weren't catching on. Dennis was a school teacher , Chuck was an art teacher and J.Y was a cab driver. They also talked about breaking up and this was before Tommy joined. Fortunately Lady opened a door for Styx but it wasn't till THE GRAND ILLUSION came out they caught on and went to headliners. So don't disregard the hits. They do matter. That's why Styx still has a career thanks DDY and the Styx lineup till 1983
@@waltersimmons946 I don’t disregard the hits at all. I love the hits. All I’m saying is that most of my favorite Styx material is the stuff that wasn’t hits and that Tommy and JY are more than capable of making great albums without DDY. Hence the Mission and Crash of the Crown.
@mkwrockers0099 The Mission and Crash of the crown would never get full airplay on mainstream radio like Styx albums up to Kilroy was here. After Edge of the century came out in 1990. The radio establishment meaning Corporate suits by then had taken power away from the DJs so they were under orders to play only new artists which were Grunge and Gangsta rap. Bands like Styx, Foreigner, Boston, Journey, Chicago etc were reduced to classic rock status, so from then to this very day radio is gonna play the classic hits but NOT the album cuts or fillers. In other words The mission and Crash of the crown will really do no business for Styx like GRAND ILLUSION or PARADISE THEATER back in the day. It sucks but that's reality. Tommy even complained about this on a podcast interview a few years ago. Lou Gramm also talked about how those changes hurt Mr.Moonlight getting no push and bombed yep, his last Foreigner album in 1994-95 . It's also in his book Lou GRAMM JUKEBOX HERO >My 5 Decades in Rock n Roll. I make up none of what I've posted to you at all.
