Posts

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Styx- Grand Illusion 45th- Tommy Shaw, James “JY” Young, Dennis DeYoung, Lawrence Gowan

Styx co-founder Dennis DeYoung, lifer James "JY" Young, and then recently recruited Alabama boy Tommy Shaw all join me here with current Styx keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan In the Studio for the early days of being the perennial opening act, saddled with the curse "big in the Flyover States", all the while writing and recording "Fooling Yourself","Come Sail Away","Miss America", "Man in the Wilderness", and "Grand Illusion" on the forty-fifth anniversary of "The Grand Illusion" release.
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Styx- Paradise Theatre- Tommy Shaw, James Young

If I told you that over forty years ago  one of America's top music acts released a concept album that  identified growing cracks in the foundation of our society and presciently predicted everything we find today, who would you guess it was? Bob Dylan? Neil Young? Crosby Stills and Nash? I doubt that Styx would come to mind to many, but that is precisely what "Paradise Theater"  was, part lament, part warning. Current members Tommy Shaw, JY, & Lawrence Gowan all weigh in as does ex-member Dennis DeYoung on "Paradise Theater" 's fortieth anniversary.
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Styx- Equinox- James Young, Tommy Shaw

there was high drama and great music before with the third-time's-the-charm "Lady", then 1975's strong Equinox  album containing "Light Up", "Lorelei", and the timeless "Suite: Madame Blue". Band leaders even today James "JY" Young and Tommy Shaw look back on the Equinox  along with the original former co-founding member who wrote and sang all of those songs, Dennis DeYoung
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Rock Hall Snubs: Styx

Eligible for Hall of Fame induction for twenty-two years, Styx has continued to be one of the top touring ticket sellers year after year to this day, continued to record and release spectacular high-concept high-tech rock such as 2017's The Mission , yet surprisingly been unable to conjure up even a single nomination for Rock Hall of Fame consideration.
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Styx- Pieces of Eight- Tommy Shaw, James”JY” Young

Back when deejays on FM rock stations still chose the songs that you heard on the radio, before pre-scheduled computerized playlists, it wass not possible to accurately quantify exactly how many times a particular song or album was getting airplay…