I love STYX.

I know that simple confession will rain incredulous derision and ridicule down upon my head, but I make it nonetheless.  

I grew up listening to gospel and country and not much else through my younger years.  The only "rock music" I was exposed to was my Dad's music from the '50s (i.e., "oldies" - which I still love).

Thanks to the (questionable) influence of my older cousins, I discovered both Southern Rock and Heavy Metal as I became a teenager.  Indeed, I was listening to AC/DC, Black Sabbath, et. al. before I knew anything of Boston, Journey, or any of the "superbands" of the late '70s/early '80s.  It wasn't until I started high school that I had any real knowledge of or interest in Top 40 "pop" music.  In college, classical also caught my interest.  I love music and, over the years, developed a taste for almost every genre (opera and rap being the glaring exceptions).  Through it all, I have loved and still love the music of Styx - as well as the individual efforts of both Shaw (alone or with others) and DeYoung.  They are one of my very favorite groups of any genre, quite possibly second only to my beloved Blue Oyster Cult (different story for another time).

They were already in their heyday when I discovered them during high school.  They had already had several big earlier hits, but the release of Paradise Theater placed them solidly among my (and many others') favorites.  It remains one of my very favorite albums to listen to all the way through as a whole - the first "concept album" I fully appreciated.  It is is perpetually in my CD changer and one of the first CDs I transferred onto my iPod.  As I sought out and bought all of their older stuff I grew to love them more.  Later, while the Kilroy theatrics turned off many former fans (and divided the group - just one of the many times ), I even enjoyed their music then and appreciated what DeYoung was trying to accomplish (even if most didn't).  Even their post-heyday albums have had a few gems in them, as have their individual efforts (Dennis DeYoung's Desert Moon album spent plenty of time in my CD player, the demented "re-imagining" of Hendrix's Fire notwithstanding ).

And they are a great show-band.  I have seen them live many times over the years & enjoyed each show.  My wife and I attended one of the last shows with both Shaw and DeYoung before the proverbial "final straw" was broken a few weeks later...

I know they were cheesy in the extreme and are very easy to make fun of these days in retrospect but I don't care.  I love their music and likely always will... and am man enough to admit it here openly.

So come sail away with me... or flame away, your choice.  

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'M Sayyyyyyyyyyyyyling Awayyyyyyyyyyyyyy.....

Stynx.

What... Too much time on your hands?

Say "Hi" to Cerberus when you get across.

Their individual members are better than the group.

Having said that, I have seen them in concert 3 times.

Quoted: Say "Hi" to Cerberus when you get across.

Don't forget to put gold coins on your eyes to pay the ferryman.

Here's a bit of trivia.

My mom went to high school in Chicago.  Styx is, as some of you may or not know, from Chicago.  They used to be known as TW-4.  TW-4 played my mom's high school prom.  

Domo Arigato!

Quoted: ... Styx is, as some of you may or not know, from Chicago...

... except for Tommy Shaw, who joined later - he's from 'Bama.

They played the Oregon State Fair four or five years ago and were shut down due to noise complaint.

Oh how the Mighty have Fallen!




PS I voted "Blech!"

Quoted: What... Too much time on your hands?

DAMNIT!!  That was the first song to come to mind - you beat me to it.

Quoted: Quoted: ... Styx is, as some of you may or not know, from Chicago...   ... except for Tommy Shaw, who joined later - he's from 'Bama.

Did not know that.

Nice..  I have everything up to Kilroy on vynal

Styx - good album
Styx II -- so-so album
Pieces of 8 - Fantastic   *coin toss for best
Grand Illusion - Fantastic *cointoss for best
Paradise Theatre very good album
COrnerstone good album
Equinox - good album
Kilroy - good album

Thangs for joggin my memory man!!!  

They just headlined Houston's classic rock radio station's Arrowfest 2005 last Sat.

Kansas, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Foghat, Little River Band, Atlanta Rhythym Section, Foreignor and Styx.  

We had a good time.  

I have their greatest hits CD. It's got some heavy usage.

Quoted: They just headlined Houston's classic rock radio station's Arrowfest 2005 last Sat. Kansas, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Foghat, Little River Band, Atlanta Rhythym Section, Foreignor and Styx.   We had a good time.

I was at a show like that about 10 years ago or so..  Styx, Pat Benetar, and I think REO Speedwagon  It was a great show

Quoted: Poll and explanation coming...

That will need some explaining...

They were ok till they started reciting Shakespeare in the middle of their shows...

they lost me after that...

Tommy Shaw is much better with the Nuge... I wish the Damn Yankees would tour some more...

my .02

Rock on!

Yes, the Damn Yankees were loaded with talent...but they only had TWO good songs.

Shit, a bunch of chimps with a guitar and microphone can come up with that.

Finally got the explanation typed above (hunt & peck, hunt & peck,... ).

Quoted: Quoted: They just headlined Houston's classic rock radio station's Arrowfest 2005 last Sat. Kansas, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Foghat, Little River Band, Atlanta Rhythym Section, Foreignor and Styx.   We had a good time.   I was at a show like that about 10 years ago or so..  Styx, Pat Benetar, and I think REO Speedwagon  It was a great show

I used to love big all-day shows like that.  I went to a show like that with REO Speedwagon, Kansas, Survivor, Joan Jett, and a few others at Liberty Bowl Stadium back in the early 80's.  

Garage sale finds:  

The Grand Illusion LP:  $20
The Grand Illusion LP signed by DeNnis DeYoung  $5

You decide.

Quoted: Nice..  I have everything up to Kilroy on vynal Styx - good album Styx II -- so-so album Pieces of 8 - Fantastic   *coin toss for best Grand Illusion - Fantastic *cointoss for best Paradise Theatre very good album COrnerstone good album Equinox - good album Kilroy - good album Thangs for joggin my memory man!!!

Dang!!! Somebody else remembers their early albums too! Sequence is a little off though.

"Lorelei" was the song that hooked me, waaaay baaack when. I would call "Equinox" as a very good album.

Oh....you forgot "Man of Miracles". It, too was a "so-so" album.

I have up to Kilroy on vinyl too.

I have a copy of their greatest hits, and I listen frequently.  Blue Collar Man rocks.

Quoted: Nice..  I have everything up to Kilroy on vynal Styx - good album Styx II -- so-so album Pieces of 8 - Fantastic   *coin toss for best Grand Illusion - Fantastic *cointoss for best Paradise Theatre very good album COrnerstone good album Equinox - good album Kilroy - good album Thangs for joggin my memory man!!!

Vynal? Never heard of that format, only vinyl, 8-track, cassette, DAT, mini-disc, CD and DVD audio.

Quoted: Yes, the Damn Yankees were loaded with talent...but they only had TWO good songs. Shit, a bunch of chimps with a guitar and microphone can come up with that.

yeah... kind of like Styx...

<--likes STYX.


<--reluctantly admits that a CD in his vehicle has 'Desert Moon' on it.

Quoted: Yes, the Damn Yankees were loaded with talent...but they only had TWO good songs. Shit, a bunch of chimps with a guitar and microphone can come up with that.

I like them, too.

Quoted: So who has the Paradise Theater vinyl with the PT logo etched across it?

Me.

Quoted: Styx:  Some terrific songs and some sappy-crappy garbage that mainly Dennis DeYoung wrote.

Pretty good summation.  

I've been hitting the metal (Mastodon, Strapping Young Lad) lately, but I suppose I'll have to pull out some Styx.

Isn't Styx a river in hell?

One last "Don't Let It End" bump...

Quoted: One last "Don't Let It End" bump...

Good song, btw.

Quoted: the early albums were good. They died a horrible death when that mr roboto crap came out. i burned my styx collection at that point.

I think it's all pretty good stuff.

Quoted: Quoted: Nice..  I have everything up to Kilroy on vynal Styx - good album Styx II -- so-so album Pieces of 8 - Fantastic   *coin toss for best Grand Illusion - Fantastic *cointoss for best Paradise Theatre very good album COrnerstone good album Equinox - good album Kilroy - good album Thangs for joggin my memory man!!!   Vynal? Never heard of that format, only vinyl, 8-track, cassette, DAT, mini-disc, CD and DVD audio.

Uhhh.. yea that     Damn.. How did I mess that spelling up that bad..  WTH was I on that day

Maybe I'm snowblind and just fooling myself (I don't believe it), but I think this renegade thread of mine reminds some of us Styx fans of the best of times and I can't let it sail away into the archives just yet.  I didn't plan to BTT this again, but like I was saying to my friend Lorelei (such a lady, BTW) just the other day, "Babe, nothing ever goes as planned."  

Not a fan. You guys go ahead without me.  

LOL @ "Stynx"!

Quoted: So who has the Paradise Theater vinyl with the PT logo etched across it? -Troy

Not sure I should acknowledge the artsy styx vinyl. I might lose my street cred.

Where's the "I Like Pie" Button?

Styx puts on one hell of a live show thats for damn sure.

Suite madam blue, Snowblind, Miss America,

I've seen them three times.  1981 in Berlin, 1996 in Fargo and 2003 in Grand Forks.  The best show of the three was actually the 1996 show.  The 1981 show seemed very rehearsed, even stiff, and the 2003 show wasn't terribly good.  But in the 1996 show, they really seemed to be trying to connect with the audience.  I still listen to Man in the Wilderness every year on my birthday.

Mega cheese, mega band.  A+ for Styx!

Kilroy!

Cheesy HardShell, cheesy.

Quoted: So who has the Paradise Theater vinyl with the PT logo etched across it? -Troy

Guilty as charged  

Quoted: <--likes STYX. <--reluctantly admits that a CD in his vehicle has 'Desert Moon' on it.

Desert Moon?  Dude turn in your mancard.  Dennis DeYoung went off the deep end long ago.   He kept thinking he was Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Quoted: Cheesy HardShell, cheesy. Quoted: So who has the Paradise Theater vinyl with the PT logo etched across it? -Troy Guilty as charged

Same here.