Before your write off Styx as just a cheesy, rock band that sings about alien abductions and robots, know that there is a whole lot more to this classic band than meets the eye.
After listening to some song by Styx, not only will you enjoy the lyrics, music, and vocals, but you will also feel, at times, like you’ve just taken part in an enjoyable and engaging theatrical performance. This is the power of Styx.
SOME HISTORY
If you’ve never heard of Styx, we’re glad you stopped by. Famous for their work in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Styx is a prog-rock band that blends heavy hard-rock guitar with strong ballads, musical theater, and opera. Styx is unlike any other band out there.
Twin brothers, Chuck (guitar) and John Panozzo (drums) joined with their neighbor, Dennis DeYoung (vocals and keyboards) under the name, The Tradewinds, in Chicago in 1961.
After a bout on the college circuit the trio added two more members, John Curulewski and James “J.Y” Young, and then they the changed their name to Styx, which is the river in Greek mythology that connects Earth and the Underworld.) Tommy Shaw replaced Curulewski in 1976.
REASON TO BELIEVE
If you have decided to give Styx a listen but don’t know where to start, know that while listening to Styx songs, it’s important to keep an open mind.
“Come Sail Away,” one of their bigger hits, is about being abducted by aliens, and the Kilroy Was Here album is a conceptual piece that recreates a rock opera about a futuristic world where singing and performing rock music has been outlawed due to the efforts of Dr. Evert Righteous, an evangelist.
It may help to know that part of the Kilroy Was Here album was inspired by a California religious group accusing Styx of backmasking satanic messages into one of their songs from the Paradise Theatre album, “Snowblind.”
SPLIT DECISION
If theatrical-themed songs aren’t your cup of tea, don’t worry. There are two sides to Styx.
On one hand, you have the elaborate, conceptual albums Styx became known for, but on the other hand, you’ve got the hard-rock songs that have come to represent classic rock in general.
Songs like “Renegade,” “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” “Blue Collar Man,” and “Too Much Time On My Hands” are all great hard-rock songs that are catchy and easy on the ears, and “Babe” is one of the best power ballads of all time, edging out “Lady,” another awesome ballad from the Styx II album.
GRAND ILLUSIONS
All bands have their demons, and for Styx, they suffered from creative differences. DeYoung wanted the theatrics, but Tommy Shaw wanted to stick to the hard rock.
The band eventually broke up in 1984, with both DeYoung and Shaw launching solo careers. Neither one achieved the same success as Styx.
STYX ROCKS
Whether it’s the theatrics or the hard rock you’re looking for, Styx has a whole lot of both. If you think hard rock is too harsh to sing along to, give Styx a try. You’ll find their music is both catchy and rockin’.
If you just want to rock without the theater, that’s fine, but we’d be willing to gamble that even the most serious rocker won’t mind going to the theater when Styx is playing.
After listening to some song by Styx, not only will you enjoy the lyrics, music, and vocals, but you will also feel, at times, like you’ve just taken part in an enjoyable and engaging theatrical performance. This is the power of Styx.
SOME HISTORY
If you’ve never heard of Styx, we’re glad you stopped by. Famous for their work in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Styx is a prog-rock band that blends heavy hard-rock guitar with strong ballads, musical theater, and opera. Styx is unlike any other band out there.
Twin brothers, Chuck (guitar) and John Panozzo (drums) joined with their neighbor, Dennis DeYoung (vocals and keyboards) under the name, The Tradewinds, in Chicago in 1961.
After a bout on the college circuit the trio added two more members, John Curulewski and James “J.Y” Young, and then they the changed their name to Styx, which is the river in Greek mythology that connects Earth and the Underworld.) Tommy Shaw replaced Curulewski in 1976.
REASON TO BELIEVE
If you have decided to give Styx a listen but don’t know where to start, know that while listening to Styx songs, it’s important to keep an open mind.
“Come Sail Away,” one of their bigger hits, is about being abducted by aliens, and the Kilroy Was Here album is a conceptual piece that recreates a rock opera about a futuristic world where singing and performing rock music has been outlawed due to the efforts of Dr. Evert Righteous, an evangelist.
It may help to know that part of the Kilroy Was Here album was inspired by a California religious group accusing Styx of backmasking satanic messages into one of their songs from the Paradise Theatre album, “Snowblind.”
SPLIT DECISION
If theatrical-themed songs aren’t your cup of tea, don’t worry. There are two sides to Styx.
On one hand, you have the elaborate, conceptual albums Styx became known for, but on the other hand, you’ve got the hard-rock songs that have come to represent classic rock in general.
Songs like “Renegade,” “Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man),” “Blue Collar Man,” and “Too Much Time On My Hands” are all great hard-rock songs that are catchy and easy on the ears, and “Babe” is one of the best power ballads of all time, edging out “Lady,” another awesome ballad from the Styx II album.
GRAND ILLUSIONS
All bands have their demons, and for Styx, they suffered from creative differences. DeYoung wanted the theatrics, but Tommy Shaw wanted to stick to the hard rock.
The band eventually broke up in 1984, with both DeYoung and Shaw launching solo careers. Neither one achieved the same success as Styx.
STYX ROCKS
Whether it’s the theatrics or the hard rock you’re looking for, Styx has a whole lot of both. If you think hard rock is too harsh to sing along to, give Styx a try. You’ll find their music is both catchy and rockin’.
If you just want to rock without the theater, that’s fine, but we’d be willing to gamble that even the most serious rocker won’t mind going to the theater when Styx is playing.
MUST-HAVE STYX
1. "Too Much Time On My Hands" is from the Paradise Theatre album is catchy and has a great beat, and the perfect song to listen to when you're feeling bored.
2. "Blue Collar Man" is from the Pieces of Eight album, and is a classic battle cry for those tired of working. Give it a listen on your morning drive to help give you strength to handle the day.
3. From the Styx II album, "Lady" is a one of the best power ballads ever written. Whimsical piano and synthesizer accompany simple and moving lyrics in this classic love song DeYoung wrote for his wife.
The song was rerecorded for Styx: Greatest Hits under the title "Lady '95", but whichever version of the song you go with, "Lady" is a must-have for your collection.
The song was rerecorded for Styx: Greatest Hits under the title "Lady '95", but whichever version of the song you go with, "Lady" is a must-have for your collection.
4. If you've never heard "Mr. Roboto" from the Kilroy Was Here album, you're missing out on not only an incredible song artistically, but also a fun song that anyone can sing along to no matter how old they are. "Mr. Roboto" is classic Styx and one of the songs that makes this band so awesome.
5. "The Grand Illusion " is a great song to jam to when you're trying to get yourself pumped up for pretty much anything. The music is pleasantly exaggerated, and the lyrics are poetic and creative. Don't be surprised if you find yourself dancing around your living room, jamming on air guitar, air piano, and air drums, while busting out the vocals. The Grand Illusion is theatrical like that. It's okay. We're doing that, too. You know, deep inside, we're all the same.
6. "Renegade" from the Pieces of Eight album is just fun. It uses phrases like "the jig is up." How can you not like it? The song starts slow, but quickly picks up. Passionate and fast-paced, this song is an all-around great jam.
7. "Come Sail Away" from The Grand Illusion is a song about an alien abduction. Written in a bout of depression, "Come Sail Away" is an experience not to be missed. The song starts slow and soft, but by the second half of the song, the guitar is rockin' and you can help but sing along to this whimsical and and fantastic voyage.
Want more?
If you have the taste for Styx or if nothing here fancied your palette, you might want to also check out "Babe," "Fooling Yourself (Angry Young Man)," "Don't Let It End," "Lorelei," "Show Me the Way," "Crystal Ball," or "Suite Madame Blue."
One thing's for sure, there's a lot of Styx to go around and their style is so eclectic there's bound to be something in there for everyone.
One thing's for sure, there's a lot of Styx to go around and their style is so eclectic there's bound to be something in there for everyone.