Do people hated Styx in the 70s?

nick_h_nz wrote: ^ I had never even heard of Styx, until that South Park episode. I’m not sure their music ever made it to NZ, and if it did, it definitely did not feature on the radio stations down my way. 🤷🏻‍♂️

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Styx definitely had Pop sensibilities which I noticed as a teenager when Styx II was released. Their melodies and harmony vocals sometimes felt comparable to bands like Queen and 10CC.

Around this time and onward I had the impression that national American bands with recording contracts began imitating British Progressive Rock bands note for note and it was a real turn off for me.

I had the first 4 Kansas albums and I liked the vocals and the musicianship, but other times it just felt like they were copying ELP. ..literally copying and surely not just being influenced to recreate its essence like the second wave of Prog bands did in the late 70s. Happy The Man were influenced by Gentle Giant, Yes, Genesis, and Mahavishnu Orchestra, but they had beautiful originality and they were quirky, odd, and put that stamp on their sound.

Styx seemed to fall into that category not unlike Kansas and Starcastle. I'm sure they've all recorded amazing pieces that I am unaware of. During that time period I felt these bands were contrived. Probably because I was exposed to many British Progressive Rock bands and the revelation was that they appeared first in my life. Many of them fused Classical with Rock which was new to teenagers because to us..that hadn't been invented before. Keith Emerson and Jon Lord were responsible for 2 nationally known outlets for the American musicians. Jon Lord and Ritchie Blackmore gave people ideas to cement that Classical sound in Hard Rock. Keith Emerson influenced just about every keyboard player I've met. As a teenager I remember music teachers and students acting overwhelmed by the aforementioned talents and American teenagers began imitating everything they played.

By the time Styx began circulation on the national circuit I had the impression that they were merely copying the British bands. Maybe I was being snobby..A good portion of the Classical community reacted to Keith Emerson as if he was disgraceful to Classical music because he used a synthesizer and he made noise when he tinkered with it..and to them it was disgraceful or it sounded like a herd of elephants interrupting Mozart. And so the shoe did not fit. Well that won't do. It's a Rock band

not me
I was not a big fan but Istill listen to some of their works : Grand Illusion or Peaces of eight for example
They were rather 'mainstream'
Today, I would be happy if the radio-stations offer me this kind of music instead of their formatted and boring "turnips"

Honestly I don't see how Kansas sounds like ELP whatsoever, out of the main 70s prog bands I would say that's the one that's probably least present in their sound. Kansas was always closer in my head to a band like Gentle Giant but even then, they're kinda their own thing.

From what I remember in the UK in the 70's they were just another American AOR band even smaller than  Foreigner, or REO Speedwagon.

Edited by Nogbad_The_Bad - January 19 2023 at 05:58

Nogbad_The_Bad wrote: From what I remember in the UK in the 70's they were just another American AOR band even smaller than  Foreigner, or REO Speedwagon. ...

Edited by moshkito - January 20 2023 at 20:39

In 1974 right around the time that Robin Trower released Bridge Of Sighs ...Rock Music (generally speaking) began to change. It changed in direction of how it could of been described in 1972. Rock radio began promoting Stadium Rock exclusively and it changed the content in Rock ...good points and bad points.

In the late 60s and very early 70s Rock bands like Savoy Brown, Spooky Tooth, Juicy Lucy, were eclectic by adding horns and jazzing it up a bit. Stadium Rock seemed to blast that idea to Kingdom Come. Foghat had ex members of Savoy Brown. They were the son of Savoy Brown..but they weren't eclectic. Bad Company were the son of the band Free. Bad Company were definitely more commercial sounding than Free.

Styx combined the Classical influences with Rock and they were seasoned musicians and very creative at combining the two. This time period revolved around putting pressure on Progressive Rock bands to sell out. At first it was subtle..then after ELP toured with an orchestra the heat was on to sell out. Certain Progressive Rock bands had power to refuse this or it was a matter of being a pet band of the record company. Styx were actually impressive in combining Pop with Progressive. They were one of the better bands

Edited by Jacob Schoolcraft - January 21 2023 at 11:50

dougmcauliffe wrote: Honestly I don't see how Kansas sounds like ELP whatsoever, out of the main 70s prog bands I would say that's the one that's probably least present in their sound. Kansas was always closer in my head to a band like Gentle Giant but even then, they're kinda their own thing.

A good example would be the center section of "Songs For America " which is a bit too emulation of the center section of "Take A Pebble ". Kansas are outstanding writers and impeccable musicians. Steve Walsh has an outstanding voice. There are always times when musicians slip up and it comes across like they are copying somebody else. It's nature's way of saying bite the big one. Brand X sounding like Mahavishnu or Dixie Dregs sounding like Kansas on the WHAT IF album. It's perfectly natural

verslibre wrote: Jacob Schoolcraft wrote: I had the first 4 Kansas albums and I liked the vocals and the musicianship, but other times it just felt like they were copying ELP. ..literally copying and surely not just being influenced to recreate its essence like the second wave of Prog bands did in the late 70s. Happy The Man were influenced by Gentle Giant, Yes, Genesis, and Mahavishnu Orchestra, but they had beautiful originality and they were quirky, odd, and put that stamp on their sound. I've never gotten the notion of "wannabe ELP" from Kansas, especially their debut. The guitar tandem of Kerry Livgren & Rich Williams negated that with ease. Kansas were influenced by a lot of their prog predecessors but have always sounded more decidedly "American" to me. Steve Walsh was a vocal powerhouse in those days, and dare I say a much better singer than Greg Lake. ELP's musicianship had few equals among their peers but Kansas were always better songwriters.