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Tom Ozric 
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
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 Posted: August 17 2014 at 01:47 |
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'A Day' - possibly the most genuine Prog track they've done. The passage in 5/4 with DeYoung's super Hammond solo is up there with the best. The entire band is just groovin' in this track.
Love the song Jonas Psalter as well (from Serpent...)
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dr wu23
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Joined: August 22 2010
Location: Indiana
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Posted: August 17 2014 at 19:37 |
I have always thought Styx was kind of a Kansas lite....and many people think Kansas is prog lite ....but there are a few songs here and there that I like mostly from the Grand Illusion lp.
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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
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Points: 15926
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 01:45 |
Regarding Kansas : there's a piece called 'The Spider' (from Point of Know Return) and if this is considered 'Prog-Lite' ..... 
.......though Styx were more in the Mainstream than Prog. Despite their hits, DeYoung's A.O.R. voice, and their penchant for catchy-as-all-hell tunes, they should be quite respected amongst many Proggers.
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The Dark Elf
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Location: Michigan
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 11:53 |
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The problem I have is, if you are going to name a band "Styx" shouldn't you at least sound like a band that should be named Styx? It's rather like a band that sounds like the Bay City Rollers naming themselves Black Sabbath.
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...a vigorous circular motion hitherto unknown to the people of this area, but destined
to take the place of the mud shark in your mythology...
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Guldbamsen
Special Collaborator
Retired Admin
Joined: January 22 2009
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Points: 23104
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 12:00 |
 The Dark Elf wrote:
The problem I have is, if you are going to name a band "Styx" shouldn't you at least sound like a band that should be named Styx? It's rather like a band that sounds like the Bay City Rollers naming themselves Black Sabbath. |
Those were the exact same thoughts I had when I first came across the band.
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“The Guide says there is an art to flying or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”
- Douglas Adams
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
Status: Offline
Points: 15926
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 13:18 |
^ Not to mention the cover of their debut album 
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dr wu23
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 22 2010
Location: Indiana
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Points: 20631
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 15:31 |
Tom Ozric wrote:
Regarding Kansas : there's a piece called 'The Spider' (from Point of Know Return) and if this is considered 'Prog-Lite' .....
.......though Styx were more in the Mainstream than Prog. Despite their hits, DeYoung's A.O.R. voice, and their penchant for catchy-as-all-hell tunes, they should be quite respected amongst many Proggers. |
I like Kansas and don't consider them prog lite but I know some proggers do.
Again Styx has some nice tracks but the albums don't hold up well for me over time.
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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin
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The Doctor
Special Collaborator
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Joined: June 23 2005
Location: The Tardis
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 16:51 |
Guldbamsen wrote:
The Dark Elf wrote:
The problem I have is, if you are going to name a band "Styx" shouldn't you at least sound like a band that should be named Styx? It's rather like a band that sounds like the Bay City Rollers naming themselves Black Sabbath. |
Those were the exact same thoughts I had when I first came across the band. |
I always wanted to have a band, name it Gruesome Decapitation and play soft rock/love ballads in the Air Supply style. 
I like Styx myself quite a bit. My favorite albums of theirs are Serpent is Rising, Paradise Theater and Grand Illusion. But pretty much everything up through Kilroy Was Here I quite enjoy (and while I'm not quite as fond of Edge of the Century, I also liked their later comeback album Brave New World a lot). After Brave New World though, I kind of lost interest in them. Their next album just didn't really do anything for me and I think they next released an album of cover tunes (something I usually avoid).
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I can understand your anger at me, but what did the horse I rode in on ever do to you?
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verslibre
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Joined: July 01 2004
Location: CA
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 17:46 |
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"The Grand Illusion" and "Crystal Ball" are great songs. DeYoung played some really nice analog synth solos (which he seemed to abandon as they moved into the 1980s).
The difference between Styx and Kansas: I definitely rate the latter a "prog band." Many of their songs possess all the attributes that listeners usually associate with symphonic prog rock or AOR-prog. Styx influenced Saga, who started life as a bona fide prog band and moved into a sound more in line with Styx's latter commercial period. Saga fortunately re-embraced their prog roots.
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Finnforest
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 18:45 |
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Exactly. Styx is not a prog band, they're a rock band who occasionally dabbled a bit with the prog-rock veneer. Drives me a little nuts when people down-rate them because they are grading on a prog curve. They're a rock band and a pretty good one if you like the melodic ballad-anthem type rock.
And while I realize sales do not equate to quality, this is still a pretty impressive fact for any band:
Styx was the only band to ever record four consecutive triple platinum albums
Not sure if that remains true to this day but it was an impressive feat in the late 70s considering the competition from many arena/stadium bands.
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zachfive
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Joined: November 13 2005
Location: Kitsap WA
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Points: 770
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 20:37 |
I said this before a couple years ago in the Live Performance Review section when Yes and Styx toured North America.
The reason I bought tickets was to see Yes, having Styx was just a bonus, I liked them well enough but just through the radio play and a best of album I had. I was severely disappointed by the performance of Yes, the only member who actually showed up to play was Steve Howe. But I left that night a Styx fan, and the next year I went and saw just them and let me tell you, Tommy freakin' Shaw is one hell of a showman. The man has seemingly not aged physically or in the vocal department. And after a year to acquire their albums and get to know the catalogue, I firmly believe that Lawrence Gowan is a better addition to the band that DeYoung. Bold statement I know but he is a good showman but knows how to let the others shine when needed. I was living in Aberdeen Washington at the time of the second show and they played at the local DnR theater. It was one of the most memorable concerts of my life.
This has given me an idea for that thread I created about bands covering other bands entire albums. I'd love to hear a Styx version of CTTE. There is probably a more appropriate album like Drama or something but I'd say Styx has the chops to take on the beast.
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Nick Dilley
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 21:24 |
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Love Styx. For their prog and their pop.They're prog-pop.
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Progging the Rock, Rocking the Prog.
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Twitter: @WithinaReverie
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Finnforest
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Joined: February 03 2007
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 21:26 |
 Great post Zach.....while I can't quite go so far as to say I prefer Gowan over Dennis, he is a great replacement for a guy who will never return. I believe the Shaw/Deyoung rift is as poisonous as the Waters/Gilmour one was years ago. Who knows though, stranger things have happened. I do have Brave New World and 100 Years from Now, both interesting albums in their own right even if falling short of the glory days.
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dr wu23
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Joined: August 22 2010
Location: Indiana
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Points: 20631
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Posted: August 18 2014 at 23:29 |
Nick Dilley wrote:
Love Styx. For their prog and their pop.They're prog-pop. |
No...no..no....they are pop-prog.
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One does nothing yet nothing is left undone.
Haquin
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Tom Ozric
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 03 2005
Location: Olympus Mons
Status: Offline
Points: 15926
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Posted: August 19 2014 at 00:10 |
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Kilroy Was Here has some really good stuff on it. 'Dont Let It End' is an awesome power-ballad, 'Mr Roboto' is pretty cool synth-pop, and 'Just Get Through This Night' has a attractive, Proggy intro, decent tune overall. Only track I don't really go for is 'High Time'.
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Styx Appreciation
