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Check out the interview here:

It's that time of year again and the Styx NFL Pool is back in action!

Sign ups begin TODAY an end on September 6 - so be sure to sign up while you can for the chance to have some fun and win some awesome prizes!

JOIN HERE: http://bit.ly/STYXNFLPOOL

Prizes: 

TOP 10 Slots will win prizes. 

1st place: 2 tickets to a STYX show in 2018 of choice (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 photo of Styx and a signed copy of the The Mission CD

4th - 10th place: a $25 Dollar voucher, good at any STYX Merch Tent (where STYX is playing, not vaild on the webstore) 

Hey, Renegades! Once again, thanks for putting so many great efforts forth in sharing your Styx story. This week was designed to have a little fun with ourselves and our fans to try and come up with a funny / weird / unique Styx-related photo that you don't see very often. We're serious when we say we wanted to give just about all of you the winning chalice! Tommy in his Daisy Dukes (Nancy Clark)... Lawrence doing his best Crane Style Karate (Angie Lambert)... Tiana Schmid pointing to Tommy cross-eyed / gone lunatic... the Tommy pillow case (Valerie Brown Dewitz)... Ricky's rocker tank top (Sheila Zimmerman)... Tyrone Sales' bootleg Grand Illusion insert... all awesome!

The one that was funny, weird, and VERY unique... so much so that we couldn't find anything remotely close anywhere... was by Cindy Simonelli, taken in 2009 in West Palm Beach, of our resident Joker himself, Mr. Larry Gowan. The look on his face, paired with JY looking away (possibly trying to keep some semblance of composure), was priceless! In fact, they both have the *identical* facial expressions... it's like a bizarre mirror image. Too funny.

So, CONGRATULATIONS, Cindy Simonelli, for winning this week's Featured Fan Story!!!

Hundreds of thousands of hearing aid wearers soon will be able to participate in rock-and-roll history when legendary rock band Styx broadcasts the final show of its U.S. summer tour directly to their hearing aids.

This world’s first live broadcast will take place at approximately 9:38 p.m. EDT on Aug. 22 when audio engineers will capture the live concert feed directly from Styx’s soundboard and deliver it via a dedicated website to wearers of Oticon Opn™ hearing aids. Listeners wearing this device will receive in real time the exact same audio feed the live audience will hear at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, N.J.

The live audio broadcast is designed to illustrate the high-tech capabilities of a new generation of Internet-connected hearing aids that are transforming from sound amplification tools into wearable personal productivity and entertainment devices.

More than 48 million Americans report some degree of hearing loss. Ironically, some of that damage could have been sustained by listening to loud rock and roll during their lifetimes. As more rock fans age, hearing aids—and especially Internet-connected ones—will become ubiquitous and an obvious way for consumers to connect and engage with just about any Internet-enabled device. In that respect, they might ultimately become the wearable technology of choice, providing a convenient way to enhance and engage with both physical and virtual worlds.

“It’s estimated that only 20 percent of people who could benefit from hearing aids seek help, with many waiting up to 10 years before they purchase a hearing aid,” said Sheena Oliver, an audiologist and Vice President for Oticon. “By partnering with Styx and their millions of loyal fans, we’re helping to take the stigma out of hearing aids and allowing people with hearing loss to enjoy a quality of sound they may not have experienced since their youth.” 

Oticon’s family of Internet-connected hearing aids can communicate directly with a full range of connected devices. Wearers can listen to TV; connect with doorbells, smoke detectors, and other smart devices; and even get the weather—all through their hearing aids. At the same time, these small, discreet hearing aids deliver a more natural, clear, and open sound, enabling wearers to more easily listen and participate in conversations in crowded, noisy environments such as restaurants, public venues, or even live rock concerts. In fact, Opn hearing aids have been shown to boost speech understanding by 30 percent*, while reducing listening effort by 20 percent* and remembering more of conversations by 20%.*

Oticon Opn hearing aid wearers interested in experiencing this event should contact their local hearing care professional to receive instructions and login credentials for the password-protected audio feed. Opn wearers must have an iPhone® to connect.

For more information on the entire Oticon Opn family, visit www.Oticon.com/Opn.

* Le Goff et al. 2016, Opn Clinical Evidence White Paper, Oticon, Inc.

By: Mark Strickland - Music.AllAccess.com

“The Mission,” is a return to the classic Styx sound that also takes the band and their audience a giant leap in a new direction.  If you like science-fiction and rock music, then this could be the soundtrack to your travels wherever they may take you.   

We’re not sure if NASA’s New Horizons project named a newly discovered fifth moon around Pluto after the mythical river Styx or the band (which was named after the mythical river Styx), but if you’re looking to push the boundaries in science, mythology or music, then space is the perfect place.  So to anyone who scoffs at Styx for doing a concept album, what would you do if you had a frickin’ moon of Pluto as your namesake?  “The Mission” was inevitably their next step.  

There are two types of Styx fans.  First, you have the classic fan who thinks of the songs “Lady” or “Blue Collar Man” when someone mentions Styx.  Then there is the casual fan who might vaguely recall “Babe” or “Mr. Robato.”  So if you’re not familiar with the entire Styx legacy, then we’ll get you caught up in a bit so you can find some great classic songs from this legendary band to add to your rock playlists.  

But back to “The Mission”:  This album starts off with an explosive instrumental introduction called “Overture” that pushes the boundaries of musicianship and technology.  This leads the listener right into the first single “Gone, Gone, Gone” now being played at rock radio.  To the dedicated Styx fan, the reaction to this song would be, “Yeah!  They’re back!  Styx rocks!”  While the casual fan might be thinking, “What was that?  That was Styx?!?!?”  

“Gone Gone Gone” features singer Lawrence Gowan on vocals and keyboards.  Gowan has a slightly different vocal timbre than Tommy or J.Y., but his voice still fits nicely into the classic Styx sound.  Next, Tommy Shaw steps up to the mic on the fist-pumper, “Hundred Million Miles” and J.Y.’s darker side makes a cameo appearance on “Trouble At The Big Show.”  

The album flows nicely between tracks and features some great guitar work (both electric and acoustic) on songs like, “Locomotive” and “Radio Silence.”  These songs also reveal the solitude and loneliness of space, and no sci-fi story would be complete without emphasizing the risks of drifting away from the mothership or being destroyed, and “Radio Silence,” “The Greater Good,” “Ten Thousand Ways” and “Red Storm” all demonstrate this well.  

Styx tours tirelessly and the band is extremely tight.  In addition to having three talented front-men, the Styx rhythm section features musical veterans Todd Sucherman on drums Ricky Phillips on bass.  Their virtuosity translates to the album well.  Lawrence Gowan takes some musical liberties on the /classical/bluesy/ragtime inspired “Khedive” and the band also ventures into deep space with tracks like “Time May Bend” and “The Red Storm” before arriving safely at the “Outpost” at the end of their “Mission To Mars.”  

The first incarnation of Styx formed in the late ‘60s under the names Tradewinds (then TW4) on the south side of Chicago.  The band was then fronted by charismatic singer/keyboard player Dennis DeYoung who had teamed up with Panozzo brothers, John and Chuck on drums and bass respectively.  When guitarists James “J.Y.” Young and John Curulewski joined in the early ‘70s, they officially settled on the name “Styx” after landing their first deal with Wooden Nickel Records.  This is the lineup that broke the band through with their first hit “Lady” which to this day stands as one of the greatest love songs of all time.  

That would be enough of an accomplishment for many bands, but Styx carried on to eventually become one of the biggest stadium acts of the ‘70s and 80s.  Styx was on a roll producing top selling albums like “Equinox,” “Crystal Ball,” “The Grand Illusion,” “Pieces Of Eight,” “Paradise Theater” and “Cornerstone.”  

In contrast to today’s rock acts who scowl and scream in an effort to sound cool or tough, Styx came from an era in rock and roll where alto male singers (in bands like Queen, Yes, Rush, Triumph, Queensryche, etc.) were singing in harmony and pushing for the top of their range.  Styx were unique in that they had three lead singers who created three-part harmonies together.  And of course, the songs usually included a climax with an instrumental or solo section, something that seems absent from today’s music and is the equivalent of sex without … okay, I’m starting to go off on a tangent now but you get the point. 

Some call this genre of music “progressive” which is a term that often sounds pretentious.  I simply prefer to call it “musical.”  This was music for musicians and music lovers.  These were the songs that allowed you to escape from the world by slapping on your headphones and letting the music take you on a journey. 

Now if you’re the casual fan looking to make some additions to your playlist from the early years of Styx be sure to include these gems: “Lady”, “Man Of Miracles,” “Lorelei,’ “Suite Madam Blue,” “Light Up,” “Crystal Ball,” “Sweet Mademoiselle,” “The Grand Illusion,” “Fooling Yourself,” “Miss America,” “Man In The Wilderness,” “Come Sail Away,” “Blue Collar Man,” “Renegade,” “Queen Of Spades,” “Boat On The River,” “Borrowed Time,” “Best Of Times, “Rockin’ The Paradise,” “Too Much Time On My Hands,” “Snow Blind” “Show Me The Way,” “Brave New World,” “The Walrus,” “One With Everything,” and so many more.   You can sample the rest of their material on whatever service you prefer to see what other songs from their catalogue interest you.  

All these great songs gave Styx enough material to transcend generations and still tour the country with more than 100 dates a year giving them a reputation as one of the hardest working bands on the road today. But like rock and roll itself, many rock and heavy metal bands of that day lost their way as they strayed off course in search of an even bigger pop hit than the last one.  Styx was no exception to this fate.  Many of their die-hard rock fans felt disillusioned when Styx went off course in the ‘80s.  This eventually took its toll on the band causing them to break up in 1983.  Dennis, Tommy and J.Y. did a few solo projects and the band re-grouped in 1990 with a new lineup as Tommy Shaw was committed to his new group, Damn Yankees.  

Styx regrouped with Tommy Shaw in 1995 for a greatest hits compilation and the album “Brave New World.”  This got them back on the road again before splitting again in 1999.  After some more personnel changes, they recorded the albums “Cyclorama,” and “Big Bang” which resulted in more great songs like “A Criminal Mind,” a very “musical” extended piece called, “One With Everything” and a great rendition of the Beatles “The Walrus.”

In addition to Tommy Shaw and J.Y., the current Styx lineup also includes Lawrence

Gowan on vocals and keyboards, Todd Sucherman on drums, Ricky Phillips on bass and an occasional appearance by co-founder/bass player Chuck Panozzo. 

“The Mission” is a very musical album from beginning to end.  These songs stick with you after a few listens.  In my interview with James Young a few years back, I asked J.Y. about any new Styx music on the horizon.  While he was open to the idea, he mentioned that creating new Styx music would have to be a game changer.  Well, “The Mission” seems to be accomplished in this area.

Will man colonize Mars or the edge of our solar system in our lifetimes?  Probably not, but if the human race is not looking to the future and taking chances, then we risk our own inevitable extinction.  Styx has not only delivered new music with a positive message about the future for their fans, but they may have succeeded in planting a seed in the back of mankind’s collective consciousness as well.  One thing is for certain, as the human race ventures out to the great unknown, we’ve now got the perfect soundtrack for the journey.

This week's featured fan story goes to... Paula Page Eicher! You know, you guys just keep coming up with some awesome stories and it's really difficult to choose just one. Some are funny, some are naughty and hilarious (shame on you naughty ones!) and some are heartfelt. What's especially cool about Paula's story is an old K-Mart cassette that is still intact and shows the voice of a little rocker chick so proud of her DJ'ing talents. Gotta just love it. So, congratulations, Paula, for this week's win! Be sure to watch the video below...

HERE'S PAULA'S STORY (slightly shortened, but unedited) 

1) "playing" DJ 2) "Babe" 3) my parents probably didn't know or care (The long pause after my "announcing" is me getting the vinyl spinning...Bahahaha) I was an only child and I spent A LOT of time in my room with my own imagination. The house I grew up in was a huge house that was over 100 years old back in the 70's. My room was truly awesome and all my friends back then were jealous of how cool it was...lol  P.S. Notice the tape is from K-Mart- always the best place to look at records while your mom chased the "blue-light specials" AND just an FYI...other groups on this great compilation tape-The Bee Gees, Blondie, Charlie Daniels, The Knack, Kool & the Gang, Sha-Na-Na & Kenny Rogers...lol

by Mike Mettler

Styx appears in Issue 72 of Progression Magazine to discuss the more progressive compositional aspects of the band's current, and quite brilliant, new studio album, The Mission. Says guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, "It's been so long since we made a Styx album like the ones we did before, because so much has changed."

In a story written by yours truly, your faithful Styxologist, Shaw, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, and Mission producer Will Evankovich all delve into the many prog-leaning elements of the new album, such as the innovative block of time-signature changes that occur during the most harrowing instrumental sequence of the song "Red Storm."

You can read a more detailed teaser from the Progression story itself and find out how to order a copy of the issue here (scroll to the bottom of the text block for the ordering info).

As usual, this week’s featured fan stories had a lot of great variations and many brought us back to days loooong gone by.  A few were pretty funny, like Carmen Robertson’s misheard lyrics (“Consuela, hey! Consuela, hey! Consuela, stay with me!”).  However, it was Trevor Kindree’s video of his daughter singing “Too Much Time on My Hands” that had us rolling. Start ‘em young, Trevor!  Although the story’s writing is shorter than what we would typically deem a winner, the video really says everything.  Maybe it’ll go viral!  Congratulations on winning this week’s featured fan story, Trevor!

HERE’S TREVOR’S STORY:

“First time my daughter heard Styx she did this and does it every time she hears it now!”

Here’s the video: 

With this update; we’re exploring The Blues! Perhaps the very bedrock of Rock ’N Roll, no doubt these songs will continue to inspire and influence Rock ’N Roll music for the ages.

You don’t have to have the blues to enjoy these great songs by these legendary artists. 

Read more about this STYX LIST Installment here:

Tommy Shaw on B.B. King: "Listening to B.B. King's "Sweet Little

Angel" reminds me of growing up in Montgomery, Alabama and playing that

song as a teenager. It stirred something in me that I was just beginning

to figure out how to call upon. Later on, "The Thrill Is Gone" would serve

as the last song of the evening in a band called MS Funk, and by then, I

had really gotten a handle on that thing that "Sweet Little Angel" had

awakened." 

"B.B. and I never met, but as a muse, he always reminded me to keep it

simple and straight from the heart. He also showed how important live

performing was for the spirit of those who found that joy in it, and that

there was never an age limit to tapping into that joy. Thank you

B.B. King for the great music, and influence. God Speed."

Tommy talking about the video Styx shot for their cover of

"Can't Find My Way Home": "Styx shot their travelogue video for their cover

of Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home" (found on 2005's Big Bang

Theory) while on tour in Europe. "When you have a location like that - oh,

man!" exclaims Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw. "A lot of it was done

in Nottingham, some of it was in Berlin, and I can't remember if we used

anything from Amsterdam. We also did it on the ferry at Dover. And that's

such a great red rain jacket I've got on there too!"

"Much of the "Home" footage was shot with Styx co-founding

guitarist/vocalist James "JY" Young's compact digital movie camera.

Clarifies Tommy, "We were down by the Thames one afternoon [in London],

just walking around. I had the song on my iPod, and that was our playback.

We saw those ladies sitting there at the bus stop and we asked, 'Do you

mind?' I don't know if they ever really understood what we were doing!"

Tommy Shaw on Son House's "John The Revelator": James Young turned me on to Son House's "John The Revelator" around the time we performed at Eric Clapton's Crossroads Festival in in Dallas in 2004. I loved it so much I went searching and that's when I came across Blind Lemon Jefferson and it all struck that same nerve that gospel music did when I was a child and heard it on TV every Sunday in our house. That was a lot more fun to me than church, where I usually ended up in big trouble when we got home, for being so fidgety during the sermon." 

By Jeff Perlah - Newsweek.com

For the past two years, the members of Styx have had Mars on their minds. Audiences might not have known it, but when the chart-topping rock/prog group changed the “walk-on” music at their concerts, to the instrumental piece “Overture,” they were thinking it would make a good leadoff track for The Mission, their first new studio album in 14 years.

Released last month (and landing at No. 6 on Billboard’s Top Rock Albums chart), the adventurous concept album tells the story of a first manned mission to Mars. A six-person crew makes the trip in 2033, while aboard a nuclear-powered spaceship called Khedive.

“There’s going to be human beings that strap themselves into that rocket and blast off to the unknown and maybe never return,” Styx guitarist and vocalist Tommy Shaw tells Newsweek. “They’re leaving everything and everyone behind. To me, that was the story that Styx could tell.”

The album’s interplanetary theme, especially its human factor, kicks into high gear during the second track, the bluesy hard-rocker “Locomotive.” “I saw it as this is the guy’s dad who’s standing on the shore looking up into the starry sky, and his son has gone on this mission to Mars. They never got back together and got over the rift between them. Now he’s looking up at the stars and going, ‘Are you out there? I’m trying to get a message to you.’”

Also providing inspiration for The Mission was the band’s real-life connection to another planet, Pluto, and its smallest moon, Styx, which was discovered in 2012. Three years after the spotting of Styx by the Hubble Space Telescope, the unmanned space probe New Horizons flew by Pluto and took some eye-popping photos. In July 2015, Shaw, singer/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan and drummer Todd Sucherman viewed those photos when they met members of NASA’s Horizon team in Maryland. The moon wasn’t named after the band, but the name choice certainly had Shaw and his bandmates stoked about the meeting.

“They’ve helped us as a resource, and they helped in refining the [Mission] story and feel comfortable with it,” Shaw says. “Since then, we’ve become friends with other people at NASA, so we’ve realized we’ve got Styx fans that are grown up and in these incredible positions now.”

Read more at Newsweek.com

This week’s featured story is from a young lady named Caitlyn McMorris. This story is particularly special in a few ways. First, Caitlyn made a post to her Facebook page of her beautiful arrangement of “The Greater Good.” Her sweet sounding piano playing, coupled with her angelic voice, got the attention of Will Evankovich, Tommy Shaw and Lawrence Gowan! This also being her first piano cover, we knew her talent was something that needed to be seen. One of our most loyal fans suggested that Caitlyn share her video on our featured story post yesterday. And, man, this second week was difficult because there were some incredibly heartfelt and interesting stories to choose from. However, Caitlyn’s was one we just couldn’t overlook. With that said, Caitlyn… we wish you the absolute best success in your journey through music, which can be both exceptionally challenging and exceptionally rewarding at times. While talent is important, a positive attitude and perseverance are equally as important, and it’s clear you have all 3, girl. Rock on and don’t stop your Mission, Caitlyn McMorris!!!

Here’s Caitlyn’s story:

“I have been a Styx fanatic my whole life and I will see them a 5th time this Saturday. As a singer, a guitarist, and a pianist, the band has impacted my life in so many ways. I look up to them and one day hope to be like them. The other day, I posted a cover of "The Greater Good" from the new Styx album "The Mission." I had immediately fallen in love with the song and knew that I had to do a cover of it! Not long after I posted it, Will Evankovich liked it and commented that it sounded great and to keep up the good work. A little while later, Tommy Shaw also liked my video and said it sounded nice and thanked me for sharing it! And after that,Lawrence Gowan commented, telling me that it was a beautiful rendition that stood well on its own, and congratulated me. Seeing my role models liking my covers and giving me feedback is a dream come true and I will never be able to thank them enough for it.”

Watch Caitlyn's cover of "The Greater Good" HERE.

For the next several Wednesdays, we’ll be inviting you to tell us your best Styx story on our Facebook page. After reading through a lot of funny, moving, and very heartfelt stories, this week’s featured fan story comes from Lori Gardner Child. So many blessings go to Mike and his friend for having made it back safely, and we’re incredibly humbled that “Man in the Wilderness” helped serve that purpose. Our hearts go out to the friends and family of Mike’s friend that didn’t make it. Thanks so much for staying a huge Styx fan… know that we return the fandom, Lori and Mike!

Lori Gardner Child
My husband Mike has always been a huge Styx fan. When he was young, he saved his paper route money to buy a Fender Strat just like JY's. He saw them the first time as a 13 year old on the Grand Illusion tour. (He introduced them to me when we met, and it's his fault that I'm now a HUGE fan!) Here's his story: Several years ago, he was fishing with friends on a large lake here in Utah. It was the end of October and quite cool, but a nice day when they headed out on the water. A storm came in suddenly and they were caught in 10-foot waves. The small fishing boat they were in was no match for the storm. The trolling motor was ripped off and the boat capsized. One man drowned and the other two clung to rivets on the bottom of the aluminum boat in 40 degree water for close to two hours. The waves pummeled them the entire time and Mike was very weak after just spending a week in the hospital. He said he couldn't hang on any longer and was ready to give up. Then he heard "Man In The Wilderness" in his mind, playing over and over. "Sometimes I feel like a man in the wilderness, I'm a lonely sailor lost at sea, drifting with the tide, never quite knowing why, sometimes it makes no sense at all...." And then, "I'm alive!" He knew in that moment that it was his choice to live or die. The song played over and over in his mind until they were washed up on the shore. He will still tell you to this day that Styx and that song saved his life. So grateful for Styx music, for the impact it has had on my life, and for helping to bring my husband home that fateful day.

Leg 2 of the summer’s hottest tour gets underway tonight in Tampa, Florida. We check in with Styx, Don Felder, and REO Speedwagon to see how UWR has been going for them so far, and what fans can expect from the next round of shows.

by Mike Mettler

photo by Jason Powell

After a brief 2-week break, United We Rock returns! Leg 2 of the summer’s hottest tour commences tonight, July 18, at the Mid Florida Credit Union Ampitheatre in Tampa, Florida, when Don Felder and his ace band will hit the stage promptly at 7:00 p.m. for their 50-minute opening set. They’ll then be followed by full 75-minute sets from both Styx and REO Speedwagon (though we won’t spoil things here by saying who goes on before/after whom).

Incidentally, if you haven’t gotten your tickets yet for tonight’s show — or for any of the upcoming UWR dates — immediately head on over to the TOUR section to get ’em in hand. (We’ll wait.)

Your humble Styxologist was honored to be on hand for the very first week of UWR out on the West Coast back in June, and I will again be on hand for the next string of dates starting tomorrow night in West Palm Beach, Florida, so keep your eye on this space (as well as in Styxology, if you’re a LOUNGEmember) for my firsthand reports from behind the scenes.

In the meantime, since I had the opportunity to chat with various members of Styx, REO Speedwagon, and Don Felder’s band at various points during that first UWR tour leg, I’m going to share some of them here now. Read on to find out how Styx feels audiences have been reacting to the new material they’re playing from The Mission, Tommy Shaw’s explanation of the part of the stage that’s known as “The Thrust,” how Don Felder and REO Speedwagon guitarist Dave Amato worked out their parts on “Hotel California,” and more. Can’t stop rocking. . .

“RADIO” RECEPTION

Mike Mettler: How do you feel things have come across to the audiences you’ve had on the United We Rock tour so far? How are people responding to brand-new material from The Mission like “Gone Gone Gone” and “Radio Silence”?

Tommy Shaw (Styx guitarist/vocalist): Well, we were ready to play the new material. And there’s nothing like letting it age a little bit onstage. You know the parts, but there’s nothing quite like actually getting up in front of people and playing it for them.

Anytime a band says, “We’re going to play some songs off of our new album,” you can almost feel the audience as a group do a massive, “Ohh nooo!” kind of a cringe. But we felt strongly enough about The Mission that we were going to take that risk. Of course, we’re looking out of the corner of our eye: “Uhh, is anybody getting up to go to the bathroom?” But people stayed!

The new songs do fit right into the rest of our set, and it’s just so nice to have something new with the energy of a “Gone Gone Gone” along with the proggier side of Styx, with “Radio Silence,” to play for everyone.

James “JY” Young (co-founding Styx guitarist/vocalist): After playing the new music for a number of shows now on this tour, I must say it’s been a delight that people are responding to “Radio Silence” the way they are. I think the advance work we’ve done in promoting the new record has paid off.

In many instances, we’ve played for the Styx faithful who’ve bought it or downloaded it in advance. Because it sounds like classic Styx, it’s being reacted to as reminiscent of a few of our other songs. Ultimately, I’m extremely pleased with the way the band is playing the music and extremely pleased the whole way the set is flowing and going.

Lawrence Gowan (Styx keyboardist/vocalist): Well, I love when life finally conforms to the script. (both laugh) Tommy [Shaw] and I were recently talking about this on the bus. There’s always a little trepidation in playing a new song like “Radio Silence,” especially when you have such a legacy of material you have to put it right up against. It hasn’t taken the audiences too long to absorb and relate to the album, so to see that kind of response right off the top of the tour has been really great. It’s just so gratifying.

Todd Sucherman (Styx drummer): I haven’t been super-comfortable taking the temperature of the audience yet because I’m still concentrating deeply on playing the music the best that I can. But it sounds to me like, at the end of “Radio Silence,” the crowd response to it is like it is to any other song in the set. I hope that trend continues!

Ricky Phillips (Styx bassist/background vocalist): My friends are saying they can hear all the harmonies and they think we’re even better as a band out there, even though they couldn’t imagine us even being any better. I hate that that may sound a bit self-centered (both laugh), but it’s nice to hear your friends tell you that! And “Gone Gone Gone” also seems to be serving its purpose. It's a song that really kicks off the show just right — and then it’s over. It leaves you wanting more.

THE SCOOP ON THE THRUST

Mettler: Tommy, what can you tell me about the new ramp we see you guys are using onstage — or The Thrust, as it’s called in the business? Why did you decide to add that to the stage for this tour?

Shaw: It’s something we’d never done before, but we experienced it on tour with Def Leppard [in 2015], even though we didn’t use it then ourselves. We just decided to give it a shot on this tour, because it’s a nice way to get out amongst the people out in front. All of a sudden, the people in the fifth row are in the front row!

It’s just another nice place for us to go out there. It’s another destination on the stage for a more dramatic effect.

Mettler: After you did the first rehearsal [at Sunlight Supply Ampitheatre in Ridgefield, Washington, on June 19], Jimmy [i.e., guitar tech Jimmy “JJ” Johnson] moved your wah-wah pedal out to the lip of The Thrust for you to use when you take your solo on “The Grand Illusion” before you throw things back over to JY for his solo.

Shaw: Yes! Yes, because it’s usually up on the riser in the back. JY was the one who pointed out the obvious, which he’s very good at. (chuckles) There are so many details and everybody’s heads are all full of stuff, and JY is very good at being in the moment.

Mettler: That’s what those rehearsals are for. And now you’ve got that perfect set bookend with “The Outpost” now playing over the P.A. after “Renegade” finishes your set, followed by “Mission to Mars.”

Shaw: I love it! We’re still adjusting to it, but it’s so nice to be doing different stuff. Time goes by, and you find yourself wanting to do different things like that.

WELCOME TO THE HOTEL CALIFORNIA

Mettler: Don, how do you feel the United We Rock sets have been going so far?

Don Felder (guitarist/vocalist): The sets have just been magical — not only my set, but all three sets. The crowd has just been responding unbelievably well to all three shows. By the end of the night, everybody’s up dancing and rocking, no matter who’s closing the show.

When Tommy [Shaw] comes out and plays with me in my set on [**SPOILER ALERT!**] “Take It Easy” and Dave [Amato, REO Speedwagon guitarist] comes out and joins me on “Hotel California” — it’s just magical. It’s the best time out there, and there’s really an “up” energy to it all. We have a lot of fun.

Mettler: I love seeing the camaraderie you all have onstage. Everybody likes playing with each other, and that comes across to the audience.

Felder: We’re just having too much fun! That’s what it’s all about. If it’s not fun, then I don’t wanna do it. This is just so exciting. Every time Tommy walks out to sit in, I get charged and electrified. He comes out with this almost childish smile on his face (both laugh), and the crowd feels that — and they light up.

Mettler: And then you have Dave come out to join you on “Hotel California.” When did you know you wanted him to come onstage to play that solo with you?

Felder: Well, we did the Rock Legends Cruise together with REO [i.e., the Rock Legends Cruise V, January 19-23, 2017, on Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas]. And Dave also plays in this show in Las Vegas [Raiding the Rock Vault, at the Tropicana] sometimes when he’s not on tour with REO, and he plays my parts on a white double-neck guitar. He was telling me he liked my white double-neck so much, that he went back and bought the one he was playing in that show, which was the Don Felder Signature model.

After he bought it, I said, “Wow, I’m flattered that you like it so much.” And he said, “Will you show me how to play it exactly the way you play it?” After I showed it to him, I said, “Why don’t you come out and sit in, and you can play the harmonies with me?” We worked out all the harmonies back on the Rock Legends Cruise. And when this [UWR] tour came up, I said, “You gotta come out and play this with me. It’ll be fun! We’ll have a great time.” We decided to work it out, and here we are.

Mettler: Dave, tell me how you got involved with Don and “Hotel California.”

Dave Amato (REO Speedwagon guitarist): Long story short — Rock Vault was at the Tropicana last year, and the show had borrowed the guitar from Gibson. They had the white double-neck like Don uses on “Hotel California” — and it happened to be the Don Felder Signature model, #46 of 50. I played it, and it was the best double-neck I’ve ever played.

When I was out touring with REO, Rock Vault wasn’t doing anything with the guitars for a while, so they went back to Gibson, and I tracked it down. I said to them, “I want that guitar really, really bad!” (chuckles) Gibson said they’d sell it to me, because I was a Gibson endorsee, and I’m good for that guitar. And everyone’s now ticked at me, because they all loved that Felder! (laughs)

Mettler: Well, hey, you struck first.

Amato: Yeah, I went after it! Anyway, I saw Don Felder on the Rock Cruise. I approached him there and told him I loved his double-neck, and he invited me to play “Hotel” with him. I said, “Are you kidding me? Really??”

I knew some of it, but the version done with Rock Vault was somewhat twisted, because I knew half of [Joe] Walsh’s solo, and half of Felder’s solo. And Don goes, “Ah, come down to my room, and I’ll teach you the rest of the solo.” And I’m like, “Alright, yeah!!” I went to his room, and he showed me the rest of the part. I guess I played it pretty well on the boat because he said, “Hey, let’s maybe do something this summer” — and here we are.

I was a little nervous at first with it, to be honest. I have total respect for Don. He’s a great person, and a fantastic guitar player. He’s mega, you know? Whatever he wants me to do, I’ll do. If he doesn’t want me out there, I won’t do it, but every night he says, “Come on — let’s go!” So I’m glad to do it.

Mettler: That’s almost exactly how Don described it! Finally, Dave, what’s your overall assessment of the United We Rock tour so far?

Amato: It’s like family, being out there with Styx. We’re all family. I love those guys. Other tours don’t go as smooth as this one does. I’m just happy to be here. It is fantastic. It really is. And I also love being with all the techs, and the road crew — I mean, we’ve done it together for years. And it’s mostly all pretty much the same guys too!

I can only say all good things about the guys in Styx and Don Felder and his band. Family is the best word for it. We used to call it the 11-man band, with Chuck [Panozzo, original Styx bassist] there — it’s five of us, and six of them. They’re all my bros.

SETLIST SHIFTER

Mettler: To wrap things up, Tommy, I also like how [**SPOILER ALERT!**] you’ve flopped “Blue Collar Man” and “Too Much Time on My Hands” in the set. I think “Too Much Time” gets an even louder response where it is now.

Shaw: I think so too! It’s kind of a “relief” song. It’s easy and fun to sing along with, and the audience also knows more’s coming. And I like to see people stand, if they’re not already standing up. Most of the time they are, but if not, I always encourage them to stand up. Just like in church — they have you stand up and sit down, because they don’t want certain parts of your body to fall asleep. (both chuckle)

Mettler: I like to stand whenever I can, that’s for sure. I figure if there are big screens at the venue, then you can see everything on them if you want. Because of those screens, no one is blocking your view anymore, as far as I’m concerned.

Shaw: Yes! You can’t get too relaxed at a rock show. Certainly not at this one!

Stay tuned to Styxworld for more reports from the frontlines and backlines of United We Rock!

Remembering the always upbeat founding Styx drummer, who passed away 21 years ago today on July 16, 1996.

by Mike Mettler

photo courtesy Jim Cahill

Drummer John Panozzo was a force of nature, as anyone who knew him personally or saw him play live can readily attest. He laid the foundation on every Styx album right up through 1990’s Edge of the Century, and he was poised to join the band’s classic lineup for the 1996 Return to Paradise reunion tour until he fell gravely ill and had to bow out. John passed away 21 years ago today on July 16, 1996. He was 47.

The RTP Tour ultimately soldiered on in tribute to John, with Todd Sucherman taking over the drum chair (where he still remains today, as vibrant a force in his own right). Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw wrote the touching “Dear John” in Panozzo’s memory, which was included as a studio track on the mostly live 1997 release, Return to Paradise. (You can also find it on the 2004 double-disc compilation, Come Sail Away: The Styx Anthology.)

In a Styxworld exclusive to honor the anniversary of John’s passing and celebrate his continuing legacy, we asked three of the people closest to the man — his fraternal brother Chuck Panozzo (the twins were born 20 minutes apart on September 20, 1948), the aforementioned Tommy Shaw, and promotion guru Jim Cahill — to share their fondest memories of the always exuberant drummer. Dear John, we’ll see you someday again.

Chuck Panozzo (Styx founding bassist and John’s 20-minutes-older fraternal brother): I remember John’s enthusiasm for life! I’ve also posted some early pre-Styx pics and some from the height of our career to help put a band with a career that spans decades in perspective. I think I’ll quote JY [Styx co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young]: “John was like Jackie Gleason and John Belushi — very physically funny.”

John could care less if you were the promoter or the guy who swept the floors — his only agenda was being the best drummer. That characteristic got him through the highs and lows of the entertainment world. The smile he had was genuine — and his love of Styx was too!

John was such a talented, quick-witted character. He made us laugh — a lot. He made me cry — a lot. He thought the guys who respected him just didn’t want him to be happy, but I now know that’s how the disease works. Tonight, his indomitable spirit will be onstage in all that platinum glory — a living testimony to the once young boy who started a band that became Styx.

I keep getting email from a collector asking for a pair of John’s drum sticks. One pair was buried with him, and the other will be buried with me. It will go full cycle.

Tommy Shaw (Styx guitarist/vocalist): John Panozzo was a force of nature. His unique drumming style was the foundation for all those early Styx records that became classics. Not only that, he was just a lot of fun!

There was a physical presence to John. (chuckles) He would not think twice about having a wrestling match, or him and Chuck getting into brotherly “fights” in the car, or whatever. He was a practical joker, and he always kept everyone’s spirits high, no matter what. You could count on John for some kind of crazy thing to make us all laugh.

We were all saddened by his untimely passing, but his music lives on — and that’s a great thing.

Jim Cahill (Styx promotion guru/coordinator, 1977–83, and a member of The Mission promo team, 2017): I remember first meeting John in Racine, Wisconsin in 1975 on a Rick Carr-promoted show at Racine Memorial Hall [on January 3, 1975]. We met at soundcheck, and I was thunderstruck at the sound John and Chuck were getting in that small venue. A huge arena sound spilled from the stage, and the band was loud as hell. He had this way-cool drum kit with crests and ropes hanging off it. It was quite striking and memorable.

From the moment I heard the lads play, I knew they had what it took to get to the top. Much of it was that “big-as-the-galaxy arena sound” — the big drums backing up all that prog-rock swagger. After that soundcheck, I was immediately taken by John’s sense of humor. He was the one-liner king of the group with a wiseguy, neighborhood, smart-alecky sense of humor.

I remember one thing specifically that still makes me laugh. When we first acquired our own chartered airplane, during takeoff, as the plane was pitched on the steep takeoff angle, John would dramatically leap out of his seat belt and hit the floor, making grand swimming motions on the steep climb — swimming uphill during the climb sequence. The entire plane would erupt in laughter. It just energized the whole touring party with a rowdy spirit. John loved that plane, and eventually spent less time with us in the back and more time in the co-pilot seat. John got a pilot’s license, and landed the tour plane on some stops on the ’81 Paradise Theatre Tour.

I remember another time at a Japanese Promotional Teleconference, John doing the SNL closed caption gag for the hearing impaired — essentially, the gag was yelling the answer he had just given to reporters. Again, not a dry eye in the house — an international laugh-fest on that one. The Japanese loved John.

One more vivid John memory: Cobo Arena, Detroit, 1978. During our historic 3-night record stand in Detroit’s legendary Cobo Arena on the Pieces Of Eight Tour, I remember the drum solo John played like it happened yesterday. Back in that era, the drum solo was a must do for arena acts, but this night in Detroit was something incredibly special. John began injecting his sense of humor into the solo with some personality — the whistle, the cowbell, quiet spots, thunder. I was standing at the soundboard for this gig, and there was just something different about hearing this loud rock & roll band at Cobo. I personally thought it was one of the best-sounding big rooms. I knew at the time I was hearing John take these solos to a whole new level, and that the “special something” that made rock bands into true legends was really happening to us — the “pinch me, I’m dreaming” moments — with John Panozzo leading the way.

Presenting the Styx List! Styx has created a one of a kind playlist on Spotify for fans to enjoy. Take a look into what inspires and influences the band, and what brings their music to life. Their brand new album “The Mission” is out now and available at styxworld.com. You can follow the playlist here:http://bit.ly/StyxList and new songs will be added on a regular basis.

"This is my first Spotify playlist, and I thought that I might do one that lent itself to some of the artists who inspired STYX, whose DNA you might recognize in the music you've heard from us over the years and now in our new album "The Mission."And in the process, I threw in a couple of newer artists who inspire me personally.I hope you enjoy it!"

-Tommy Shaw

STYX

by Mike Mettler

Come on in and see what’s happening: Styx’s biggest-selling album,The Grand Illusion, turns the big 4-0 today, having been released 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, selling over 3 million copies to date. (Any bets on when it’ll surpass 4 million?)

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 Illusion album-track gems like “Miss America,” “Man in the Wilderness,” “Superstars,” 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 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. Bassist/vocalist Ricky Phillips says “Fooling Yourself” has 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 new 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 Missionresonates 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.

Hearing-impaired fans to rock on with Oticon’s Internet-connected Opn hearing aids

In a world’s first, Oticon, Inc. has joined forces with chart- topping rock band Styx for a live concert broadcast exclusively for fans wearing the company’s Oticon OpnTM Internet-connected hearing aids. Scheduled as part of the band’s nationwide summer tour, this will be the first time a live performance will be delivered directly to hearing aid wearers, enabling them to stream the heart-pumping sounds of an in-person concert directly to their hearing aids. The partnership will highlight Styx’s continued commitment to high-quality sound as well as Oticon Opn’s life-enhancing open sound experience.

Opn, Oticon’s family of Internet-connected hearing aids, can communicate directly with a full range of connected devices, so wearers can listen to TV; connect with doorbells, smoke detectors, and other smart devices; and even get the weather—all through their hearing aids. And now, hearing aid wearers can add “listen to the live broadcast of a rock concert” to the list.

The award-winning Opn also performs well at in-person events. The small, discreet hearing aid delivers a more natural, clear, and open sound that allows users to more easily participate in conversations in crowded, noisy environments such as restaurants, public venues or even live rock concerts. Now available as a rechargeable solution, Opn miniRITE hearing aids can be charged overnight to provide wearers with all-day power to last through any big event.

In addition to demonstrating the wireless connectivity of the Opn platform, the live broadcast will highlight Styx’s legendary production quality, which it has replicated on its new album, “The Mission,” released on June 16. Styx produced the album, the band’s first in 14 years, using many of the same analog production and recording technologies that gave the band its distinctive sound on hits such as “Renegade”, “Come Sail Away”, and “Blue Collar Man”.

“We are proud to announce a special alliance with Oticon to present the first live concert to be streamed to fans wearing Oticon Opn hearing aids,” said Tommy Shaw, lead vocalist and guitarist for Styx. “Hearing loss affects fans of all ages and with Oticon’s new technology, we are looking forward to being a part of this historic event!”

Rockin’ through the ages

Many fans that grew up listening to Styx are now at the age where hearing loss becomes more prevalent. In fact, one in six baby boomers experience hearing loss, making it difficult for them to enjoy concerts, theater, and other public events. This new active generation of people with hearing loss wants solutions that allow them to stay engaged in all aspects of their lives, and the advanced technology of Oticon Opn enables them to do just that. From making it easier to follow and participate in conversations with multiple speakers to delivering the unmatched sound of a

live Styx concert, Opn proves that when treated, hearing loss sufferers can live active, social lives.

“This partnership between Oticon and Styx is a match made in sound quality heaven,” said Sheena Oliver, Vice President, Marketing at Oticon. “The Styx live broadcast is an exciting way to reach Opn wearers who are affected by hearing loss, and also helps to remind people of all ages about the importance of hearing health. Through this event, we will demonstrate how Oticon Opn enables those with hearing loss to rock on and actively participate in all of life’s moments and memories.”

For more information on the entire Oticon Opn family, visit www.Oticon.com/Opn.

About Oticon

Oticon is one of the most innovative hearing device manufacturers with more than 110 years of experience putting the needs of people with hearing loss first. Oticon has spearheaded a number of technological breakthroughs which have made a significant difference for people with hearing loss. Oticon’s “brain first” audiological focus recognizes that speech understanding and comprehension are cognitive processes that happen in the brain. Oticon’s innovative BrainHearingTM technology is helping to provide better hearing with less effort by giving the brain the clearest, purest sound signals to decode. Oticon designs and manufactures hearing solutions for adults and specialized pediatric instruments. “People First” is Oticon’s strongest and most valued commitment to empower people to communicate freely, interact naturally and participate actively. For more information visit www.oticon.com.

About Styx

The six men comprising Styx have committed to rocking together with audiences far and wide by entering their fifth decade of touring. Averaging over 100 shows a year, each member of Styx is committed to making the next show better than the last. Styx draws from over four decades of chart-topping hits. Like a symphony that builds to a satisfying crescendo, a Styx set covers a wide range of stylistic cornerstones. From the progressively sweeping splendor that is “The Grand Illusion” to the hunker-down fortitude of all that is the “Blue Collar Man,” from the regal reach-for-the-stars bravado of “Come Sail Away” to the grainy all-in gallop of that rugged “Renegade” who had it made, the band draws on an unlimited cache of ways to immerse one’s mind and body in their signature sound.

Gaze with us through the looking glass as we survey Styx’s most patriotic song, “Suite Madame Blue.”

by Mike Mettler

Happy 4th of July, everyone! Some of you will be at Blue Ash Summit Park in Blue Ash, Ohio tonight to celebrate the birth of our fine country with a rousing set from Styx at 8 p.m. — and we salute you!

And to further salute this special day in American history, we now turn our collective eye to “Suite Madame Blue,” from 1975’s Equinox. It’s one of Styx’s most enduring songs that remains in many a current live set list, and it also speaks to the very heart of the country we love — and, interestingly enough, it also holds special significance to our neighboring country to the north as well. “Styx was an American progressive rock band that got noticed in Canada,” observes keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, an Ontario resident and the man who sings lead on “Suite Madame Blue” night after night. “On Ontario radio, we didn’t have ‘Suite Madame Blue’ first — we had ‘Lorelei.’ But when I finally did hear ‘Suite Madame Blue,’ a song that was really big in Quebec, I realized the band had such incredible depth.”

Now let’s gaze through the looking glass together to see why the watchful message and overall promise of “Suite Madame Blue” continues to hold a special place in many a patriotic Styx fan’s heart.

James “JY” Young (co-founding guitarist/vocalist): I love the majesty of “Suite Madame Blue,” and the evolved arc — the way that song develops when we get to the “America”s [i.e., the four-part harmonizing on the word “America” done by JY, Tommy, Lawrence, and Ricky Phillips in the song’s back half], and the guitar solo into the “America”s, and then the grand conclusion.

“Lorelei” was the first single, but CHUM-FM [104.5 FM] in the province of Quebec, with the blue Fleurdelisé [the flag of Quebec], played “Suite Madame Blue” — they felt it was their song.

I didn’t know this at the time, and none of us did, but I still tell this story: When we opened for Bad Company at The Forum in Montreal [on April 19, 1976], it was the first time we played a big room like that. It was the first time Tommy [Shaw, guitarist/lead vocalist] played in Quebec with us — in fact, it was also the band’s first time in Quebec — and when we hit the opening arpeggiated part on the 12-string that John Curulewski so capably played on the record, there was this great reaction. [Tommy replaced John when he left the band in December 1975.]

I’m thinking, “Oh, did Paul Rodgers [Bad Company’s lead singer] stick his head out from the side, or something?” (both chuckle) And to realize that the reaction was for us… (pauses) We were all taken aback. Ultimately, when it dawned on us — this wasfantastic.

Tommy Shaw (guitarist/vocalist): In order to play “Suite Madame Blue” live, I had to get a 12-string, and I got the double-neck. At first, I was playing it on a 6-string and it didn’t work, so that’s when I got the double-neck, a 6 and a 12. At one point, the 6-string neck got smashed, so I had it replaced with a second 12. So it was actually a 12 and a 12! Whenever I broke a string on the 12, the guitar went drastically out of tune. So I had an onboard spare 12-string. [The original guitar Tommy played "Suite Madame Blue" on live was a Gibson EDS-1275 double-neck guitar. In the modern Styx era, many of you will have seen — or will see! — Tommy playing “Suite Madame Blue” on a 1966 Fender Electric 12-string.]

It was like having a barbell around my neck. And it was very heavy — very top-heavy. If you let go of it, the neck just dropped. But who cares? It was a great guitar, and it sounded good on that song.

Your Styxologist notes: If you want to feel even more patriotic — albeit with that patented Styx twist — feel free to cue up both “Miss America,” JY’s look at “the fleeting nature of fame” from 1977’s The Grand Illusion, as well as Tommy’s “Everything Is Cool” from 1999’s Brave New World, which includes the telling lines: “I say we make it a holiday/Bigger than the 4th of July/Declare a new Independence Day/Yeah, there’s nothing to it/You can do it if you try.”

Enjoy the 4th of July, one and all!

GRAMMY.com

Rejoice! With Fourth of July 2017 upon us, it's the signal that summer really is here.

While toasting our nation's independence is ample cause to celebrate, for music fans there's so much more to look forward to this summer with the plethora of festivals and concerts on the horizon.

Of course, the Fourth also serves as a tacit reminder that the year is halfway over — which means it's time to take stock of the great music that has been released in 2017 (so far).

Whether you're hitting the beach, chilling and grilling with the barbeque, or heading out on a road trip with friends, we've curated a playlist of 15 songs that will fill in the grooves not only on July 4th but all summer long.

Styx, "Gone Gone Gone"

Styx have released a new concept album about a mission to Mars. Is it 1977 or 2017? Heavy subject matter on The Mission aside, this frantic, up-tempo number packs a sizable punch in the form of singer Lawrence Gowan's energetic vocals and swirling synths, the dual guitars of James "JY" Young and Tommy Shaw, and the backbeat of Todd Sucherman. "Light it up and get this show on the road," indeed.

Check out the full playlist HERE

story & photo by Mike Mettler

Styx drummer Todd Sucherman appears on the cover of the August 2017 issue of Modern Drummer, and it's an honor he doesn't take lightly.

"It’s still a thrill," Todd admits exclusively to Styxworld, standing outside of his dressing room just a few hours prior to Styx's performance at the Vina Robles Ampitheatre in Paso Robles, California on June 25, 2017. "The fact remains, I’ve been getting that magazine in my mailbox wherever I’ve lived since I was 10 years old. The first time being on the cover was amazing, but to have it happen again is equally as sweet. It’s a childhood dream come true, again. There are a couple of great drum magazines out in the world, but Modern Drummer was the first, and they’re still gold standard. I’m very grateful to them."

Todd's first appearance on the cover of MD was for their October 2008 issue. He has, of course, been featured in the magazine a number of times over the years, and its readers have voted him Best Prog Drummer and Top Rock Drummer, among other accolades, over his storied career behind the kit (including many for his vaunted Methods & Mechanics instructional video series) — and we have a feeling he'll again be at the top of the list when the MD Readers Poll votes are counted for 2017, considering the numerous impressive, creative grooves he forged for Styx's just-released new studio album, The Mission (Alpha Dog 2T/UMe).

BTW, when Styx guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw (pictured above with Todd backstage in Auburn, Washington on June 21, reacting to the skinsman's MD cover) does the rhythm-section introductions before the band's encore during the current United We Rock tour, he often refers to his favorite drummer as "Mr. Dangerous," while keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan jokes that the magazine's readers should "turn to the centerfold first — you'll thank me later."

Follow the link in the first paragraph above to read the full MD story on Todd, and/or go buy/reserve a copy for yourself off the newsstand, then come out to the next United We Rock show nearest you to see the man MD calls a "masterful player" who knows exactly what to play "when it comes to finding the right flavor for the new material" in action!

STYX’s highly anticipated and critically acclaimed 16th studio album, THE MISSION, has rocketed to the top of various Billboard’s charts thanks to a solid album that has connected with their longtime fans as well as new fans who are discovering them for the first time.

THE MISSION’s chart positions:

#6 Top Rock Albums

#11 Physical Albums

#11 Vinyl Albums

#13 Current Albums

#14 Billboard Top Albums

#16 Retail

#17 Mass Merch/Non-Traditional

#29 Digital Albums

#45 Billboard 200 (includes catalog and streaming)

THE MISSION--which was recorded over a two-year period at Blackbird Studios, The Shop, and 6 Studio Amontillado in Nashville--displays the best aspects of the ongoing in-harmony musical intersection of the six-man STYX team: the guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, original bassist Chuck Panozzo, drummer/percussionist Todd Sucherman, and bassist Ricky Phillips.

The term “masterpiece” has shown up in many rave reviews of THE MISSION right out of the gate:

“The entire band is firing on all cylinders...There is a theme and flow here that is edgy yet comfortable, astral yet grounded...The band gives us so many places to live, and we can call each of them home. It may be too early to call it a masterpiece, but I can safely say that Styx has released one of the best albums in their catalog, and that’s saying a whole lot.”

-- Scott Itter, DrMusic.org, May 18, 2017

“Overall, 14 years is a wait but it is worth the wait. It really showcases that Styx is extremely prudent about their craft, how each part is interwoven like the finest silks to a tapestry in order to present that tapestry to the Emperor of an empire. The harmonies, arrangements, progression, and the story telling is something that Styx longs for in an album. In a world of instant gratification and that “here today, gone tomorrow” mentality of the music industry, Styx has shown why they have been a band for 45 years... masterpiece known as THE MISSION...”

--Matty Douglas, Muenmagazine.net, June 13, 2017

“THE MISSION is quite simply a musical masterpiece. Kudos to Styx for putting out a record this bold and this brilliant after 45 years.”

-- David "Gus" Griesinger, Backstageaxxess.com, June 16, 2017

Meanwhile, STYX, REO SPEEDWAGON and very special guest star DON FELDER—formerly of the Eagles— kicked off the “United We Rock” U.S. summer tour last week to packed houses and rave reviews. Produced by Live Nation, tickets for various cities are on sale now. A video trailer can be seen here.

To order The Mission - Click HERE

To view the video for Gone Gone Gone - Click HERE

Watch the Making The Mission Series HERE

Click below to listen to Styx talk about The Mission on KLOS-FM.

By: Kathy Wagner - http://i95rock.com/

STYX is set to release their first studio album of all new material in 14 years this Friday, June 16th. The Mission is an aurally adventurous 43-minute thrill ride that chronicles the trials, tribulations, and ultimate triumphs of the first manned mission to Mars in the year 2033. From the hopeful drive of “Gone Gone Gone” to the stargazing machinations of “Locomotive” to the rough-riding blaze of glory that permeates the hard-charging “Red Storm” to the melancholy optimism of the closing track “Mission to Mars,” the album succeeds in delivering the greater good from a band that continues to fire on all cylinders, 45 years after signing its first recording contract.

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the release of the biggest selling STYX album of all time, Grand Illusion, released July 7, 1977. “It just seemed truly appropriate to save our new studio album until this year, ” says founding guitarist James “JY” Young. “Needless to say, I’m very excited.”

I recently spoke with guitarist-vocalist Tommy Shaw about the making of The Mission, the band’s visit to NASA (along with NASA’s thoughts on the new album), what fans can expect when STYX hits the stage this summer (they have a stop at Bethel Woods on August 11th), and the talented musicians that make up the STYX family. Here are some of his thoughts, with a link to the full interview below. Enjoy!

Kathy Wagner: Every day you’re getting more and more new fans, and there are also older fans — maybe more casual fans — that perhaps might have fallen out of touch with the band over the years. So I wanted to take a minute to call attention to the tremendous amount of talent that makes up the STYX family today. Each band member is a star in their own right, and together you’re outstanding. Let’s take a minute to talk about each member. Start with Lawrence Gowan; what makes Lawrence an outstanding performer?

Tommy Shaw: Well he was born to be a performer, it’s so natural to him. On top of that, he works at it, constantly… constantly… making sure when he hits the stage his fingers are all loose and he’s ready to go. And he keeps himself in top physical condition, he eats great, he’s constantly challenging his mind and he’s working on music. He’s really one of the most remarkable musicians I’ve ever worked with.

KW: On bass, Ricky Phillips…

TS: Ricky Phillips, whenever we’re in the dressing rooms, he’s got his bass and his rig set up next to his wardrobe case and he’s back there playing stuff that someday there will be songs for, and it’s remarkable.

KW: And your monster drummer, Todd Sucherman…

TS: He is a student of his instrument. Not only that, he’s a great teacher. Todd goes all around the world starring in these drum clinics that are getting more and more popular. He came to Nashville recently, and started out in one venue and before it was over they had changed the venue three times to handle all the people, and they were still standing room only in that venue. He’s just so good, and so…. he’s been playing drums since he was 5 years old. Gigging… playing gigs! And he’s never stopped studying.

Read more at http://i95rock.com/

Ladies and gentlemen, we have liftoff.

STYX’s highly anticipated and critically acclaimed 16th studio album, THE MISSION, has officially launched into the sonic atmosphere around the world on the band’s label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe.

The first single, “Gone Gone Gone,” quickly rocketed up Mediabase’s “Classic Rock” charts. A video can be seen here.

Various interview video clips with singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw and producer Will Evankovich have premiered all week leading up to today’s official release on GuitarPlayer.com, BassPlayer.com, ModernDrummer.com and UltimateClassicRock.com.

THE MISSION--which was recorded over a two-year period at Blackbird Studios, The Shop, and 6 Studio Amontillado in Nashville--displays the best aspects of the ongoing in-harmony musical intersection of the six-man STYX team: the aforementioned guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, original bassist Chuck Panozzo, drummer/percussionist Todd Sucherman, and bassist Ricky Phillips.

The new music was created to reflect the viewpoint of the six-person crew enlisted for the maiden voyage of Khedive, the first entry in a new fleet of nuclear-powered interplanetary spacecraft underwritten by the Global Space Exploration Program (or GSEP, for short). The Khedive team consists of The Pilot, a fully hands-on, seat-of-the-pants born leader; a First Officer who serves as the team’s big-brother figure; an Engineer who is skeptical of every phase of the mission but remains confident in his own abilities to make the best of any technical situation; and a Top-Shelf Trio of science, astrophysics, and survivalist experts.

THE MISSION has been racking up many early rave reviews:

“THE MISSION is right up there with the very best of Styx, a remarkable achievement considering it’s 45 years since they signed their first recording contract. No wonder guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw describes it as the band’s ‘boldest, most emblematic album since [1978’s] PIECES OF EIGHT.’” -- Classic Rock

“The concept album is an adventurous, 43-minute thrill ride chronicling the trials, tribulations and ultimate triumphs of the first manned mission to Mars in 2033. From the hopeful drive and classic STYX sound on tracks like ‘Gone Gone Gone’ and ‘Hundred Million Miles’ to the stargazing machinations of ‘Locomotive’ and the elegiac optimism of the closing track, ’Mission to Mars,’ THE MISSION succeeds in delivering the good from a band that continues to fire on all cylinders more than 45 years after signing their first recording contract.” Guitar World

“The entire band is firing on all cylinders...There is a theme and flow here that is edgy yet comfortable, astral yet grounded...The band gives us so many places to live, and we can call each of them home. It may be too early to call it a masterpiece, but I can safely say that Styx has released one of the best albums in their catalog, and that’s saying a whole lot.” -- DrMusic.org

“WithTHE MISSION, Styx have taken a trip back in time to when they flirted with progressive rock and created some of the most adventurous music on FM radio...what the band have done here is make a quintessential Styx record. From beginning to end, the album runs like a brilliant movie with great epic moments and captivating urgency...Good to see the band back and let’s hope this is just the beginning.”

-- Progreport.com

“...shining brightest among the set – a pair of perfect gems. “Radio Silence” is cut from the same stylistic fabric as their 1976 FM staple, ‘Crystal Ball’ – an engaging, arena-worthy earworm, indeed. But wait,thattrack has anevensexier big sister – seemingly sprinkled with aural cocaine, ‘Locomotive’ proves simply irresistible. Driven by Shaw’s honest and pure vocals and accented by a splash of ‘Have a Cigar’-inspired guitar swagger, ‘Locomotive’ is not only the pick ofthisparticular 14-pup litter, it’s one of the band’s absolute ALL-TIME best....THE MISSIONstill stands tall as a powerful collection of rock solid songs. Hence, when band members tout the record in the press as being their best work sincePIECES OF EIGHT, you can believe the hype.” -- Ink19.com

In touring news, STYX is teaming up with REO SPEEDWAGON and very special guest star DON FELDER—formerly of the Eagles—for the “United We Rock” U.S. summer tour, which kicks off in Ridgefield, WA on June 20. Produced by Live Nation, tickets for various cities are on sale now. A video trailer can be seen here.