Celebrating the three-year anniversary of the release of Styx’s latest — and most vibrant — studio album, The Mission, with exclusive comments from the seven men who made it happen.
News
Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw recounts the reasoning behind the digital-only release of his stunning acoustic cover version of Led Zeppelin's classic “Going to California.”
Big Bang Theory, Styx’s rousing run through a baker’s dozen of celebrated rock and blues classics — in addition to a stripped-down makeover of one of their own benchmark hits — was released 15 years ago on the New Door/UMe label on May 10, 2005. n a Styxworld exclusive, the entire band tells us the tale of how Big Bang Theory came to be, and they assess the album’s continuing legacy.
Styx drummer Todd Sucherman explains the impetus for cutting his first ever solo album, Last Flight Home, which will be released on May 2, 2020.
Due to the current health concerns, the Styx concerts starting on March 13 through March 28, 2020 are postponed. Dates are currently being rescheduled. Please stay tuned for an update.
We are grateful for your continued support.
3/13 | Bensalem, PA
3/14 | Jim Thorpe, PA
3/15 | New York, NY
3/17 | Washington, DC
3/19 | Niagara Falls, ON
3/20 | Atlantic City, NJ
3/21 | Mashantucket, CT
3/24 | Boston, MA
3/26 | Hampton Beach, NH
3/27 | Monticello, NY
3/28 | Waterloo, NY
In celebration of the ongoing resonance of Cyclorama, Styx’s first full-length studio album of the 2000s that was released on February 18, 2003, guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw recalls the unique location for recording some of the album’s vocal tracks, the initial and wisely discarded title for “One With Everything,” and the evergreen poignancy of “Genki Desu Ka.”
STYX vocalist/guitarist Tommy Shaw recently appeared on "PodKats!", a podcast hosted by John "Kats" Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).
On living in Nashville:
Tommy: "There's a Southern way of life — Southern attitudes. It's a friendly place. It's encouraged — that kind of thing is just in the culture. When people move here, they tend to want to assimilate into that instead of bringing the culture with them from the last place they lived. You get a certain attitude when you're driving in Chicago or New York or Los Angeles, and when you come here, you notice right away that you don't hear anybody blowing their horns... People are polite. It's just a Southern way. We lived in Los Angeles for almost 24 years. It just got so crowded. Parking was hard to do. To go one place and get one thing done would take you two or three hours because of traffic... The other thing is, Nashville is pretty centrally located. If you're a musician that gets on the road a lot, the trip home or the trip out there is a lot shorter."
On getting his big break:
Tommy: "Back when I was still living in my hometown, what you did was you played in clubs. There were lots and lots of clubs where live music was the center thing. That's how I got my break — playing in a club on Rush Street in Chicago. The tour manager for STYX came and saw us play and came back and introduced himself. When they were looking to replace John Curulewski, he remembered me, but he didn't have my phone number. I had forgotten to make it unlisted when I moved back to Alabama, so he got my number from directory assistance — but it was because I was playing in that club."
Read more at Blabbermouth.net
Today’s the day Paradise Theatre first made history when this pivotal, chart-topping Styx album was released 39 years ago on January 19, 1981.
Equinox, Styx’s fifth studio album, was released 44 years ago today on December 1, 1975 on A&M Records. Co-founding members James “JY” Young and Chuck Panozzo, along with Tommy Shaw and Lawrence Gowan, exclusively tell us how this album changed Styx forever.
We've got deals beginning November 29 at 12AM EST through Monday December 2nd!
NEW T-SHIRT!
The Mission Winter Tour T-Shirt 2019 is available now! Straight from the road, be sure to get yours before they're gone!
20% Off The Entire Store!
Get 20% off the entire store Friday through Monday. The discount will apply automatically in your cart. Does not apply to Digital or Deluxe Lounge Memberships.
All six Styx Mission performers gathered together in the green room at NYCB Theatre in Westbury, Long Island, New York during intermission on November 16 to share their thoughts about playing their fourth, and final, full Mission set of 2019.
Styx’s seventh live album, One With Everything: Styx and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, was released by NewDoor/UMe 13 years ago today on November 14, 2006. We exclusively talk with guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, CYO conductor extraordinaire Liza Grossman, and then-CYO members Lavinia Pavlish and David Ellis about this most memorable performance.
Man of Miracles, Styx’s fourth studio album, was released 45 years ago today by Wooden Nickel Records on November 8, 1974. Co-founding bandmembers James “JY” Young and Chuck Panozzo exclusively share their memories of the making of this magical early entry in the band’s storied canon.
Cornerstone, Styx’s ninth studio album, was released 40 years ago today by A&M Records on October 19, 1979. Cornerstone was the band’s third triple-platinum-selling album in a row — cementing Styx as the first band ever to have achieved that vaunted sales feat (with their fourth one to follow just two years later) — and it spawned their first #1 single, “Babe.”
Crystal Ball, Styx’s sixth studio album and the first to feature Tommy Shaw on guitar and vocals, was released 43 years ago today on October 1, 1976. Bandmembers Shaw, co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young, and co-founding bassist Chuck Panozzo all share their remembrances of how this seminal album came to be.
Styx’s mega-triple-platinum smash success Pieces of Eight was released 41 years ago today by A&M Records on September 1, 1978. Styx members Tommy Shaw and James “JY” Young discuss its origins, plus we find out why the album’s most indelible song, “Renegade,” became of primary importance to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It's time for football!
We're at it again with the 2019 Styx NFL Pool.
Sign up starting today: http://bit.ly/STYXNFLPool2019
This year's prizes:
TOP 5 Slots will win prizes.
1st place: 2 tickets to a STYX show of choice in 2020 (with a mutually agreed upon date) AND a signed NFL Football by STYX OR a signed Guitar.
2nd place: Either a signed NFL football or a signed Guitar (whichever one 1st place didn’t choose)
3rd place: A signed The Mission Vinyl and a signed 5.1 The Mission Album
4th & 5th place: will receive a vintage signed Styx Poster
In California, one-half of Damn Yankees, Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades, play their Top 5 single from 1990 together onstage for the first time in years.
By Tommy Shaw
Photo by Jason Powell, taken backstage recently at Sweden Rock Festival, June 8, 2019 — Jimmy Johnson in the black t-shirt in the middle, leaning on the shoulder of Todd Sucherman, with Tommy Shaw aiming his guitar at the camera, James Young in the background, and Ricky Phillips in sunglasses
It is with profound sorrow that I am announcing my dear friend and right-hand man, guitar tech and inventor Jimmy Johnson, passed away in his hotel room in the early hours of the morning here today, July 24, 2019, on the Southern Coast of California. When he failed to show up for lobby call, fellow crewmembers contacted hotel management, broke into his room, and discovered him there.
Our love and deepest sympathy go out to his wife Susan and the rest of his family, who, like us, are just hearing what few details are available at this time.
Anyone who has seen STYX over the last couple of decades and seen my many guitar changes or caught a glimpse of my onstage guitar vaults — this was Jimmy Johnson’s domain. Always from his hand to mine. What you didn’t see were all of the electronics he also managed, from amplifiers, backup amps, effects, wireless transmitters/receivers, and an always-expanding collection of tools he never stopped collecting. He took great pride in being able to produce the proper tool for any situation that might arise, knowing how beneficial it would be for getting things back on track.
In the past few years, we had taken on nicknames for each other. I was Tommy Joe, and he was Jim Bob. On the rare occasions when there was some kind of guitar glitch, I could always count on Jim Bob to immediately hand me another one, recently strung and “Gorgomyted” (look up Gorgomyte — it’s Jimmy’s product, loved and used by the best players on earth).
And above it all, we were friends who always departed with a sincere “Love you!”
I knew he was planning on seeing his old friend and dear friend Neil Peart of Rush here yesterday. I hope he did.
I can’t believe he’s gone. So many miles, gigs, guitars, laughs, tears, inside jokes, and shared experiences. He takes that with him, as I’ll hold onto here. He’ll live in my heart for the rest of my days, and now the extremely talented heavenly band he’s running with will never need worry about anything technical again.
We will find a way to take the stage tonight in your honor, as I know you’d insist.
Rock on Jim Bob!
Love you...
Tommy Joe
Remembering John Panozzo, the always upbeat founding Styx drummer, who passed away 23 years ago today on July 16, 1996.
Venerated keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan officially joined Styx onstage for the first time as a full bandmember on July 8, 1999. Here, Lawrence and guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw share their thoughts on this most momentous occasion, exclusively to Styxworld.
by Mike Mettler, resident Styxologist
Come on in and see what’s happening: Styx’s biggest-selling album, The Grand Illusion, was released 42 years ago today by A&M Records on the cosmically cool stardate of July 7, 1977 — or, as it’s better known on the back of many a Styx t-shirt, 7/7/77.
Demo’ed at S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios and ultimately recorded at Paragon Recording Studios in Chicago in early 1977, The Grand Illusion was engineered by Barry Mraz and Rob Kingsland, but the overall production credit was given to the entire band in the liner notes as simply, “Produced by Styx.”
The Grand Illusion reached as high as No. 6 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart, and it spawned two Top 30 singles — “Come Sail Away” reached #8, and “Fooling Yourself” reached #29. The album has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA for selling over 3 million copies (though GI has likely sold over 6 million copies to date, so we demand a re-certification!). The Grand Illusion was the first entry in the band’s groundbreaking string of releasing four multiplatinum albums in a row — a feat no other band had ever done before, BTW. The album’s iconic cover art by Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse is modeled after Belgian surrealist René Magritte’s 1965 piece titled Le Blanc Seing, a.k.a. The Blank Check.
Styx played The Grand Illusion in its entirety when it was paired with Pieces of Eight on a 2010 tour that’s since been commemorated on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray. Its core songs remain as indelible fixtures in the band’s live set, which can also feature other sweet Illusion gems like “Miss America,” “Man in the Wilderness,” and “Castle Walls” during many a headlining show.
As noted, three of the album’s core songs appear in every show: 1) the title track, “The Grand Illusion,” which is either the first or second song performed just about every night and is sung with much aplomb and panache by keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan; 2) “Fooling Yourself,” which, if he’s in the house that night, will also feature original bassist Chuck Panozzo playing on the entire track and taking its brief but iconic bass break the moment guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw calls out, “Chuckie!”; and 3) “Come Sail Away,” which closes every main set with great cosmic bombast, and, at the song’s conclusion — if you’re lucky, and if the venue allows it — features cannons releasing lots and lots of confetti into and onto the audience from either side of the stage.
As easy as it is to sing along to it, “Fooling Yourself” is actually one of the most complex musical pieces the band has ever composed. Both its intro and outro are performed in 6/8 time, while the vocal sections are in 4/4. The synthesizer solo section is in 7/4 before returning to 4/4 for the final chorus. Two measures of 5/8 follow the brief intro recap with a return to 6/8 and another synthesizer solo before the fadeout. In fact, bassist/vocalist Ricky Phillips cites “Fooling Yourself” as having always been his favorite composition by Styx: “People ask me, ‘What is it that gives Styx their sound?’ The way Tommy and JY play together has been a huge part of that sound, but it’s also the odd time signatures like you get in this song.”
Towards the end of the recording sessions for The Grand Illusion, an Oberheim 4 Voice analog synthesizer arrived in the studio to further enhance the proceedings. “Its rich sounds unleashed another dimension of textures no one had yet taken advantage of,” observes Tommy Shaw. Lawrence Gowan has since made sure to program that vintage Oberheim sound into his current touring rig so that he can call it up for whatever song that needs it.
Eagle-ear listeners will also note that vintage Oberheim sound quite deliberately lends a certain authentic weight to Styx’s most recent studio album, The Mission, which was released on June 16, 2017 on LP, CD, and digital-download formats via Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. Tommy confirms the sound of The Grand Illusion — along with that of 1978’s Pieces of Eight and Side 2 of 1975’s Equinox — was instrumental in that key Mission production/performance gear decision.
And now, in a Styxworld exclusive, all six bandmembers recount the impact The Grand Illusion has had over the years — and continues to have, night in and night out. The stage is set. . .
James “JY” Young (co-founding guitarist/vocalist): Dennis [DeYoung] is the one who gleaned the idea that it was our seventh record. I think the release date had originally been scheduled for 7/8/77, or something like that, and we went, “No, we want it on 7/7/77.” Just trying to stack the deck — not that we’re superstitious, or anything. (chuckles) So they changed the original release date to the 7th — which is fantastic! It has such a beautiful resonance and synergy.
Dennis wrote the lyrics, but as the man behind [the title track to 1974’s] “Man of Miracles” [which features lines like, “He was a man of miracles/Riding golden meteorites/Ruler of distant galaxies/Born of the Northern Lights”], I had suggested “Come Sail Away” become not a song just about a sailing ship, but that it should morph into a song about a starship, which was my idea. “Come Sail Away” was also lifted by the release of Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind in the same year, so ’77 was the year for outer space.
We have the good fortune of The Grand Illusion continuing to be a resonant topic, and The Mission resonates with The Grand Illusion in a variety of ways. The theme of Tommy Shaw’s “Man in the Wilderness” intersects with “Radio Silence” — an individual against the forces of nature, wherever you happen to be. And there’s no greater wilderness than the absolute zero-temperature environment of outer space! (laughs)
Tommy Shaw (guitarist/vocalist): It’s 7/7 again — the date that changed everything! We made a record that sounds really good, and we worked really hard at trying to get it right. It wasn’t always romantic and sometimes we lost sleep over it, but what matters is how it turned out. It’s the creative process.
I run into people almost daily who tell me that “Man in the Wilderness” and “Fooling Yourself” are the songs that helped them get through high school. I like hearing that. And now, to look out in the crowd when we’re playing “Man in the Wilderness” and see people singing along who weren’t even born yet when it came out — that’s very satisfying.
Chuck Panozzo (co-founding bassist): The Grand Illusion was the right album at the right time. Why is it our best-selling album? It has the best songs. And it was a true collaboration.
Lawrence Gowan (keyboardist/vocalist): When we did The Grand Illusion-Pieces of Eight tour in 2010, we discovered what a cohesive composition that album is from beginning to end. Delving into the parts and playing the songs in the actual running order reignited my enthusiasm for that album as an album. I was a fan of it then, and I’m a fan of it now.
I should also mention that the album’s artwork has stood the test of time. It looks so engaging today. I love seeing that equestrian image mixed with the forest and the woman’s eyes whenever it gets projected onscreen behind us. It’s one of the great visual icons of rock history.
Ricky Phillips (bassist/vocalist): “Fooling Yourself” has always been my favorite composition by Styx. But being able to play “Castle Walls” is awesome too, because I come from a heavier place. I appreciate that it’s a great track — and it’s bass-heavy, on top of that.
The first time I heard [the song] “The Grand Illusion” was when I was with The Babys, when we were touring with Styx. It has that very clever, “Welcome back my friends/here we are tonight” vibe — it’s grand and pomp, with that bolero beat. So very cool.
Todd Sucherman (drummer): The Grand Illusion will always have a soft spot in my heart because it’s the first full Styx record I ever heard, or bought. My uncle Dennis happened to put that one on during one of our visits with him, shortly after that record came out.
My brother and I immediately went home and bought it, and we would play that record every day. It was the first record I ever bought from the band, and I continued to buy all of their records in succession after that. To me, that album was the genesis of me liking the band, really.
If this wasn’t enough part two comprised of ten more classic songs, including a crowd singalong of 'State Street Sadie'/'Bohemian Rhapsody'/Don't Look Back In Anger'...
Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, Collective Soul frontman E Roland, and Styx producer Will Evankovich tell the tale of how Tommy came to play a key role on the touching final track on Collective Soul’s stunning new album, Blood.
Hot Topics
Remembering the always upbeat founding Styx drummer John Panozzo, who passed away 25 years ago today on July 16, 1996.
Styx’s biggest-selling album, The Grand Illusion, was released 44 years ago today by A&M Records on the cosmically cool stardate of July 7, 1977. In a Styxworld exclusive, all seven bandmembers recount the impact The Grand Illusion has had over the years — and continues to have, day in and day out.
Styxworld exclusive! Every member of Styx discusses the ins and outs of how Crash of the Crown, the band’s truly transcendent 17th studio album that’s being released today, June 18, 2021, came to be.
Celebrating the four-year anniversary of the release of Styx’s most cosmic and most vibrant studio album, The Mission, which was released on June 16, 2017.
Styxworld Exclusive! Styx discuss the making of The Same Stardust, the band’s first-ever official EP release that comes out exclusively on 12-inch vinyl today in celebration of Record Store Day on June 12, 2021.
Styx’s 17th studio album, Crash of the Crown, is set for release on June 18, 2021. The entire band discusses how it all came to be, in a story you’ll only see right here on Styxworld.
Join us in this celebration of Styx’s magically inspired covers album Big Bang Theory, which was released on May 10, 2005.
Styx’s 17th studio album, Crash of the Crown, is set for release on June 18, 2021. The entire band discusses how it all came to be, in a story you’ll only see right here on Styxworld.
Three key reasons why February 22 is one of the most important dates in Styx history: 1) The band signed their first recording contract 49 years ago today on February 22, 1972; 2) they released Kilroy Was Here 38 years ago today on February 22, 1983; and 3) Tommy Shaw and Damn Yankees released their self-titled debut 31 years ago today on February 22, 1990. In a Styxworld exclusive, guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young, and co-founding bassist Chuck Panozzo give us all the inside details — with special additional commentary from keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan.
Cyclorama, Styx’s first full-length studio album of all-original material of the 2000s, was released 18 years ago today on February 18, 2003. In a Styxworld exclusive, guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw recalls the unique location for recording some of Cyclorama’s vocal tracks, the initial and wisely discarded title for “One With Everything,” and the evergreen poignancy of “Genki Desu Ka.”
40 years ago today, Styx’s tenth studio album, Paradise Theatre, was released by A&M Records on January 19, 1981. In a Styxworld exclusive, bandmembers Tommy Shaw, James “JY” Young, and Chuck Panozzo tell the inside tale of how this fine slice of recorded Paradise came to be.
Remembering our good friend Kevin Greene, the NFL Pro Football Hall of Fame outside linebacker and all-time Pittsburgh Steelers great who was also one of the biggest Styx fans you'd ever meet.
STYX has just released a video for its classic hit "Too Much Time On My Hands", filmed from the band's home studios in support of the Pittsburgh #SteelersNation and their game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Check it out below!
Equinox, Styx’s fifth studio album, was released 45 years ago today on December 1, 1975. Co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY“ Young and co-founding bassist Chuck Panozzo tell Styxworld exclusively how it was made, guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw shares what it was like joining the band mere weeks after the album was released, and keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan notes how it impacted him years before he joined the band.
One With Everything: Styx and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, Styx’s seventh live album, was released by NewDoor/UMe 14 years ago today on November 14, 2006. Guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, then-CYO conductor Liza Grossman, and onetime CYO members Lavinia Pavlish and David Ellis exclusively tell Styxworld how it all came together.
Man of Miracles, Styx’s fourth studio album, was released 46 years ago today by Wooden Nickel Records on November 8, 1974. In a Styxworld exclusive, co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young and co-founding bassist Chuck Panozzo tell us how it all came together.
Celebrating Cornerstone, Styx’s ninth studio album, which was released 41 years ago today by A&M Records on October 19, 1979. Bandmembers Tommy Shaw, Chuck Panozzo, and James “JY” Young, along with their late, great producer/engineer Gary Loizzo, share their memories of recording Cornerstone exclusively with Styxworld.
White Castle®, America's first fast-food hamburger chain, has been an inspiration to artists and bands for decades. The home of The Original Slider® celebrated titans of the music industry by inducting three extraordinary Cravers into its exclusive Cravers Hall of Fame.
STYX singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw, renowned concert promoter Danny Zelisko, and the late singer-songwriter John Prine join fellow legends in the Castle halls of Crave. John Prine very sadly passed away in April 2020 due to complications caused by COVID-19.
Reserved for the most devout fans, White Castle's Cravers Hall of Fame has been inducting legends from main street to the main stage for nearly 20 years. Among the well-known honorees are rock icon Alice Cooper, the late comic pioneer Stan Lee, and the stars of "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," John Cho and Kal Penn.
Crystal Ball, Styx’s sixth studio album and the first to feature Tommy Shaw on guitar and vocals, was released 44 years ago today on October 1, 1976. Shaw, James “JY” Young, and Chuck Panozzo exclusively tell Styxworld all the things we need to know about how Tommy’s first album as a member of Styx came to be.
Styx’s mega-triple-platinum smash success Pieces of Eight was released 42 years ago today by A&M Records on September 1, 1978. Bandmembers Tommy Shaw and James “JY” Young, along with album art designer Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis and Pittsburgh Steelers legends Kevin Greene and Jerome Bettis, all tell the tale of the great Eight, exclusively to Styxworld.
“THESE ARE THE TIMES” CONCEPTUAL VIDEO SET TO THE SONG’S LYRICS ALSO OUT TODAY
August 21, 2020 -- For the first time ever, STYX has released their 14 th album, CYCLORAMA, on all download and streaming platforms starting today via BMG.
Originally released in 2003 on Sanctuary/CMC International, CYCLORAMA, it was the band’s last full-length studio album of all-original material prior to the June 2017 release of THE MISSION. It was produced by ...CLICK TO READ
August 21, 2020 -- For the first time ever, STYX has released their 14 th album, CYCLORAMA, on all download and streaming platforms starting today via BMG.
Originally released in 2003 on Sanctuary/CMC International, CYCLORAMA, it was the band’s last full-length studio album of all-original material prior to the June 2017 release of THE MISSION. It was produced by ...CLICK TO READ
Remembering the always upbeat founding Styx drummer John Panozzo, who passed away 24 years ago today on July 16, 1996.
Tommy Shaw collaborated with 88 kids (ages 12-18) from the Contemporary Youth Orchestra in Cleveland, OH, who gathered together from their homes to record their parts for an extra special performance “Fooling Yourself” with Shaw at his home in Nashville, Music Director Liza Grossman in Cleveland Heights, OH.
Styx’s biggest-selling album, The Grand Illusion, was released 43 years ago today by A&M Records on the cosmically cool stardate of July 7, 1977. In a Styxworld exclusive, all six bandmembers recount the impact The Grand Illusion has had over the years — and continues to have, day in and day out.
Celebrating the three-year anniversary of the release of Styx’s latest — and most vibrant — studio album, The Mission, with exclusive comments from the seven men who made it happen.
Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw recounts the reasoning behind the digital-only release of his stunning acoustic cover version of Led Zeppelin's classic “Going to California.”
Big Bang Theory, Styx’s rousing run through a baker’s dozen of celebrated rock and blues classics — in addition to a stripped-down makeover of one of their own benchmark hits — was released 15 years ago on the New Door/UMe label on May 10, 2005. n a Styxworld exclusive, the entire band tells us the tale of how Big Bang Theory came to be, and they assess the album’s continuing legacy.
Styx drummer Todd Sucherman explains the impetus for cutting his first ever solo album, Last Flight Home, which will be released on May 2, 2020.
Due to the current health concerns, the Styx concerts starting on March 13 through March 28, 2020 are postponed. Dates are currently being rescheduled. Please stay tuned for an update.
We are grateful for your continued support.
3/13 | Bensalem, PA
3/14 | Jim Thorpe, PA
3/15 | New York, NY
3/17 | Washington, DC
3/19 | Niagara Falls, ON
3/20 | Atlantic City, NJ
3/21 | Mashantucket, CT
3/24 | Boston, MA
3/26 | Hampton Beach, NH
3/27 | Monticello, NY
3/28 | Waterloo, NY
In celebration of the ongoing resonance of Cyclorama, Styx’s first full-length studio album of the 2000s that was released on February 18, 2003, guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw recalls the unique location for recording some of the album’s vocal tracks, the initial and wisely discarded title for “One With Everything,” and the evergreen poignancy of “Genki Desu Ka.”
STYX vocalist/guitarist Tommy Shaw recently appeared on "PodKats!", a podcast hosted by John "Kats" Katsilometes of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. A few excerpts follow (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET).
On living in Nashville:
Tommy: "There's a Southern way of life — Southern attitudes. It's a friendly place. It's encouraged — that kind of thing is just in the culture. When people move here, they tend to want to assimilate into that instead of bringing the culture with them from the last place they lived. You get a certain attitude when you're driving in Chicago or New York or Los Angeles, and when you come here, you notice right away that you don't hear anybody blowing their horns... People are polite. It's just a Southern way. We lived in Los Angeles for almost 24 years. It just got so crowded. Parking was hard to do. To go one place and get one thing done would take you two or three hours because of traffic... The other thing is, Nashville is pretty centrally located. If you're a musician that gets on the road a lot, the trip home or the trip out there is a lot shorter."
On getting his big break:
Tommy: "Back when I was still living in my hometown, what you did was you played in clubs. There were lots and lots of clubs where live music was the center thing. That's how I got my break — playing in a club on Rush Street in Chicago. The tour manager for STYX came and saw us play and came back and introduced himself. When they were looking to replace John Curulewski, he remembered me, but he didn't have my phone number. I had forgotten to make it unlisted when I moved back to Alabama, so he got my number from directory assistance — but it was because I was playing in that club."
Read more at Blabbermouth.net
Today’s the day Paradise Theatre first made history when this pivotal, chart-topping Styx album was released 39 years ago on January 19, 1981.
Equinox, Styx’s fifth studio album, was released 44 years ago today on December 1, 1975 on A&M Records. Co-founding members James “JY” Young and Chuck Panozzo, along with Tommy Shaw and Lawrence Gowan, exclusively tell us how this album changed Styx forever.
We've got deals beginning November 29 at 12AM EST through Monday December 2nd!
NEW T-SHIRT!
The Mission Winter Tour T-Shirt 2019 is available now! Straight from the road, be sure to get yours before they're gone!
20% Off The Entire Store!
Get 20% off the entire store Friday through Monday. The discount will apply automatically in your cart. Does not apply to Digital or Deluxe Lounge Memberships.
All six Styx Mission performers gathered together in the green room at NYCB Theatre in Westbury, Long Island, New York during intermission on November 16 to share their thoughts about playing their fourth, and final, full Mission set of 2019.
Styx’s seventh live album, One With Everything: Styx and the Contemporary Youth Orchestra, was released by NewDoor/UMe 13 years ago today on November 14, 2006. We exclusively talk with guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, CYO conductor extraordinaire Liza Grossman, and then-CYO members Lavinia Pavlish and David Ellis about this most memorable performance.
Man of Miracles, Styx’s fourth studio album, was released 45 years ago today by Wooden Nickel Records on November 8, 1974. Co-founding bandmembers James “JY” Young and Chuck Panozzo exclusively share their memories of the making of this magical early entry in the band’s storied canon.
Cornerstone, Styx’s ninth studio album, was released 40 years ago today by A&M Records on October 19, 1979. Cornerstone was the band’s third triple-platinum-selling album in a row — cementing Styx as the first band ever to have achieved that vaunted sales feat (with their fourth one to follow just two years later) — and it spawned their first #1 single, “Babe.”
Crystal Ball, Styx’s sixth studio album and the first to feature Tommy Shaw on guitar and vocals, was released 43 years ago today on October 1, 1976. Bandmembers Shaw, co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young, and co-founding bassist Chuck Panozzo all share their remembrances of how this seminal album came to be.
Styx’s mega-triple-platinum smash success Pieces of Eight was released 41 years ago today by A&M Records on September 1, 1978. Styx members Tommy Shaw and James “JY” Young discuss its origins, plus we find out why the album’s most indelible song, “Renegade,” became of primary importance to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
It's time for football!
We're at it again with the 2019 Styx NFL Pool.
Sign up starting today: http://bit.ly/STYXNFLPool2019
This year's prizes:
TOP 5 Slots will win prizes.
1st place: 2 tickets to a STYX show of choice in 2020 (with a mutually agreed upon date) AND a signed NFL Football by STYX OR a signed Guitar.
2nd place: Either a signed NFL football or a signed Guitar (whichever one 1st place didn’t choose)
3rd place: A signed The Mission Vinyl and a signed 5.1 The Mission Album
4th & 5th place: will receive a vintage signed Styx Poster
In California, one-half of Damn Yankees, Tommy Shaw and Jack Blades, play their Top 5 single from 1990 together onstage for the first time in years.
By Tommy Shaw
Photo by Jason Powell, taken backstage recently at Sweden Rock Festival, June 8, 2019 — Jimmy Johnson in the black t-shirt in the middle, leaning on the shoulder of Todd Sucherman, with Tommy Shaw aiming his guitar at the camera, James Young in the background, and Ricky Phillips in sunglasses
It is with profound sorrow that I am announcing my dear friend and right-hand man, guitar tech and inventor Jimmy Johnson, passed away in his hotel room in the early hours of the morning here today, July 24, 2019, on the Southern Coast of California. When he failed to show up for lobby call, fellow crewmembers contacted hotel management, broke into his room, and discovered him there.
Our love and deepest sympathy go out to his wife Susan and the rest of his family, who, like us, are just hearing what few details are available at this time.
Anyone who has seen STYX over the last couple of decades and seen my many guitar changes or caught a glimpse of my onstage guitar vaults — this was Jimmy Johnson’s domain. Always from his hand to mine. What you didn’t see were all of the electronics he also managed, from amplifiers, backup amps, effects, wireless transmitters/receivers, and an always-expanding collection of tools he never stopped collecting. He took great pride in being able to produce the proper tool for any situation that might arise, knowing how beneficial it would be for getting things back on track.
In the past few years, we had taken on nicknames for each other. I was Tommy Joe, and he was Jim Bob. On the rare occasions when there was some kind of guitar glitch, I could always count on Jim Bob to immediately hand me another one, recently strung and “Gorgomyted” (look up Gorgomyte — it’s Jimmy’s product, loved and used by the best players on earth).
And above it all, we were friends who always departed with a sincere “Love you!”
I knew he was planning on seeing his old friend and dear friend Neil Peart of Rush here yesterday. I hope he did.
I can’t believe he’s gone. So many miles, gigs, guitars, laughs, tears, inside jokes, and shared experiences. He takes that with him, as I’ll hold onto here. He’ll live in my heart for the rest of my days, and now the extremely talented heavenly band he’s running with will never need worry about anything technical again.
We will find a way to take the stage tonight in your honor, as I know you’d insist.
Rock on Jim Bob!
Love you...
Tommy Joe
Remembering John Panozzo, the always upbeat founding Styx drummer, who passed away 23 years ago today on July 16, 1996.
Venerated keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan officially joined Styx onstage for the first time as a full bandmember on July 8, 1999. Here, Lawrence and guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw share their thoughts on this most momentous occasion, exclusively to Styxworld.
by Mike Mettler, resident Styxologist
Come on in and see what’s happening: Styx’s biggest-selling album, The Grand Illusion, was released 42 years ago today by A&M Records on the cosmically cool stardate of July 7, 1977 — or, as it’s better known on the back of many a Styx t-shirt, 7/7/77.
Demo’ed at S.I.R. Rehearsal Studios and ultimately recorded at Paragon Recording Studios in Chicago in early 1977, The Grand Illusion was engineered by Barry Mraz and Rob Kingsland, but the overall production credit was given to the entire band in the liner notes as simply, “Produced by Styx.”
The Grand Illusion reached as high as No. 6 on the Billboard Top 200 albums chart, and it spawned two Top 30 singles — “Come Sail Away” reached #8, and “Fooling Yourself” reached #29. The album has been certified triple platinum by the RIAA for selling over 3 million copies (though GI has likely sold over 6 million copies to date, so we demand a re-certification!). The Grand Illusion was the first entry in the band’s groundbreaking string of releasing four multiplatinum albums in a row — a feat no other band had ever done before, BTW. The album’s iconic cover art by Alton Kelley and Stanley Mouse is modeled after Belgian surrealist René Magritte’s 1965 piece titled Le Blanc Seing, a.k.a. The Blank Check.
Styx played The Grand Illusion in its entirety when it was paired with Pieces of Eight on a 2010 tour that’s since been commemorated on CD, DVD, and Blu-ray. Its core songs remain as indelible fixtures in the band’s live set, which can also feature other sweet Illusion gems like “Miss America,” “Man in the Wilderness,” and “Castle Walls” during many a headlining show.
As noted, three of the album’s core songs appear in every show: 1) the title track, “The Grand Illusion,” which is either the first or second song performed just about every night and is sung with much aplomb and panache by keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan; 2) “Fooling Yourself,” which, if he’s in the house that night, will also feature original bassist Chuck Panozzo playing on the entire track and taking its brief but iconic bass break the moment guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw calls out, “Chuckie!”; and 3) “Come Sail Away,” which closes every main set with great cosmic bombast, and, at the song’s conclusion — if you’re lucky, and if the venue allows it — features cannons releasing lots and lots of confetti into and onto the audience from either side of the stage.
As easy as it is to sing along to it, “Fooling Yourself” is actually one of the most complex musical pieces the band has ever composed. Both its intro and outro are performed in 6/8 time, while the vocal sections are in 4/4. The synthesizer solo section is in 7/4 before returning to 4/4 for the final chorus. Two measures of 5/8 follow the brief intro recap with a return to 6/8 and another synthesizer solo before the fadeout. In fact, bassist/vocalist Ricky Phillips cites “Fooling Yourself” as having always been his favorite composition by Styx: “People ask me, ‘What is it that gives Styx their sound?’ The way Tommy and JY play together has been a huge part of that sound, but it’s also the odd time signatures like you get in this song.”
Towards the end of the recording sessions for The Grand Illusion, an Oberheim 4 Voice analog synthesizer arrived in the studio to further enhance the proceedings. “Its rich sounds unleashed another dimension of textures no one had yet taken advantage of,” observes Tommy Shaw. Lawrence Gowan has since made sure to program that vintage Oberheim sound into his current touring rig so that he can call it up for whatever song that needs it.
Eagle-ear listeners will also note that vintage Oberheim sound quite deliberately lends a certain authentic weight to Styx’s most recent studio album, The Mission, which was released on June 16, 2017 on LP, CD, and digital-download formats via Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. Tommy confirms the sound of The Grand Illusion — along with that of 1978’s Pieces of Eight and Side 2 of 1975’s Equinox — was instrumental in that key Mission production/performance gear decision.
And now, in a Styxworld exclusive, all six bandmembers recount the impact The Grand Illusion has had over the years — and continues to have, night in and night out. The stage is set. . .
James “JY” Young (co-founding guitarist/vocalist): Dennis [DeYoung] is the one who gleaned the idea that it was our seventh record. I think the release date had originally been scheduled for 7/8/77, or something like that, and we went, “No, we want it on 7/7/77.” Just trying to stack the deck — not that we’re superstitious, or anything. (chuckles) So they changed the original release date to the 7th — which is fantastic! It has such a beautiful resonance and synergy.
Dennis wrote the lyrics, but as the man behind [the title track to 1974’s] “Man of Miracles” [which features lines like, “He was a man of miracles/Riding golden meteorites/Ruler of distant galaxies/Born of the Northern Lights”], I had suggested “Come Sail Away” become not a song just about a sailing ship, but that it should morph into a song about a starship, which was my idea. “Come Sail Away” was also lifted by the release of Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind in the same year, so ’77 was the year for outer space.
We have the good fortune of The Grand Illusion continuing to be a resonant topic, and The Mission resonates with The Grand Illusion in a variety of ways. The theme of Tommy Shaw’s “Man in the Wilderness” intersects with “Radio Silence” — an individual against the forces of nature, wherever you happen to be. And there’s no greater wilderness than the absolute zero-temperature environment of outer space! (laughs)
Tommy Shaw (guitarist/vocalist): It’s 7/7 again — the date that changed everything! We made a record that sounds really good, and we worked really hard at trying to get it right. It wasn’t always romantic and sometimes we lost sleep over it, but what matters is how it turned out. It’s the creative process.
I run into people almost daily who tell me that “Man in the Wilderness” and “Fooling Yourself” are the songs that helped them get through high school. I like hearing that. And now, to look out in the crowd when we’re playing “Man in the Wilderness” and see people singing along who weren’t even born yet when it came out — that’s very satisfying.
Chuck Panozzo (co-founding bassist): The Grand Illusion was the right album at the right time. Why is it our best-selling album? It has the best songs. And it was a true collaboration.
Lawrence Gowan (keyboardist/vocalist): When we did The Grand Illusion-Pieces of Eight tour in 2010, we discovered what a cohesive composition that album is from beginning to end. Delving into the parts and playing the songs in the actual running order reignited my enthusiasm for that album as an album. I was a fan of it then, and I’m a fan of it now.
I should also mention that the album’s artwork has stood the test of time. It looks so engaging today. I love seeing that equestrian image mixed with the forest and the woman’s eyes whenever it gets projected onscreen behind us. It’s one of the great visual icons of rock history.
Ricky Phillips (bassist/vocalist): “Fooling Yourself” has always been my favorite composition by Styx. But being able to play “Castle Walls” is awesome too, because I come from a heavier place. I appreciate that it’s a great track — and it’s bass-heavy, on top of that.
The first time I heard [the song] “The Grand Illusion” was when I was with The Babys, when we were touring with Styx. It has that very clever, “Welcome back my friends/here we are tonight” vibe — it’s grand and pomp, with that bolero beat. So very cool.
Todd Sucherman (drummer): The Grand Illusion will always have a soft spot in my heart because it’s the first full Styx record I ever heard, or bought. My uncle Dennis happened to put that one on during one of our visits with him, shortly after that record came out.
My brother and I immediately went home and bought it, and we would play that record every day. It was the first record I ever bought from the band, and I continued to buy all of their records in succession after that. To me, that album was the genesis of me liking the band, really.
If this wasn’t enough part two comprised of ten more classic songs, including a crowd singalong of 'State Street Sadie'/'Bohemian Rhapsody'/Don't Look Back In Anger'...
Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, Collective Soul frontman E Roland, and Styx producer Will Evankovich tell the tale of how Tommy came to play a key role on the touching final track on Collective Soul’s stunning new album, Blood.
Celebrating the two-year anniversary of the release of Styx’s latest, and most vibrant, studio album, The Mission.
ALL CONCERTS MOVED FROM
ATLANTIC UNION BANK PAVILION
Portsmouth To Keep Venue Closed in 2019
PORTSMOUTH, Va. – All announced concerts for the 2019 season in Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion will be held in other locations or cancelled.
The change of venues is a result of structural concerns with the Portsmouth amphitheater’s roof. The City of Portsmouth will keep the venue closed for the entire year while installing a replacement for the roof discovered faulty in 2018.
Styx is rescheduled to Monday, June 24 in Chrysler Hall. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show begins at 8 p.m. All tickets purchased will be honored.