You should listen to more of Styx music before you go bashing them.  While they aren't nearly as complex or talented as the greats (Genesis, KC, Yes, etc.) they are a great pop/prog band. Many prog fans start with the lighter poppier stuff and eventually listen to the most complex stuff out there like GG, Crimson, Renaissance.  So Styx is sort of a way to get prog radio attention so that many people (mostly younger) can get into the genre.

Also, Styx had many good prog tunes. Just check out the following:

A Day.....(1973) excellent psychadelic prog workout with Floyd-inspired jams

Father O.S.A......(1973)great guitar riff, vocals, and solos, with lyrics far better than anything Deep Purple ever wrote.

Young Man.....(1973) good anti-war song         &n bsp;  

Man of Miracles.....(1974) Uriah Heep inspired metal/prog  with an awesome intro

Suite Madam Blue.....(1975) one of the greatest art-rock songs ever

Also, the entire Grand Illusion album, not a weak track to be found, including (one of my all-time favorites) the dark 'Castle Walls'

In order to appreciate Styx, you must look past the AOR sh*t they made later, and listen to their earlier stuff, without taking them to seriosly.

It always baffles me,when someone starts a thread ,just to bash.What's the point?

Anyways ,I don't think Styx is progband either,but they did touch prog on occasion.I like the old Styx best myself,but am still listening to them today and got Big bang Theory.Saw them a couple of times over the last 5 years and they put on a good rock show.

Which Styx albums have you actually listened to Mr.Townsend??

I agree with Fearless and gr8dane.  Styx is not a prog band, but give them credit for originality, good song writing, and interesting musicianship.  Saw them live with Kansas once (mid-90's) and Styx stole the show (despite the fact that I am a Kansas-fanatic).  Grand Illusion is my favorite, but I must admit I haven't heard most of the songs that Fearless recommends - so now I have some listening to do...

I guess we are talking about Styx in the non-prog section so we should be OK.Anyways,you started of with the absolute worst Styx songs possible.Greatest hits does not always mean best songs.Babe was their biggest hit,sure,but what does that tell you ,sweet F A.

Now ,I agree they do tend to use their synths a great deal,so what,so does Yes.

When Styx was the biggest ,it was at a time of big hair and pomp.

If you do stumble upon Styx-Equinox or Serpent is rising second hand, give them a shot and you may be surprised,though on second thought,you probably won't since you sound like you only like prog,and pure(?) prog only.

All the best

The greatest hits CD is all wrong- I had that at one point, and it nearly turned me off them. However, I heard 'Equinox' and I have to say it was superb.

'The Grand Illusion' is probably their masterpiece, in my opinion.

Notice and advice to all newbies:

If they are refered as Styx in the Archives database , in the forum , they should be refered as Stynx

The first four albums were sloppy and slightly arrogant as they never had the skill or gift to write ambitious prog.

The next four (from Equinox to Pieces Of eight) are some of the best radio-friendly (i almost wrote radio-fiendly) FM rock ever written.

From Cornerstone to Killroy, they became a major joke......

I have not heard anything from them since I threw up on Killroy.

I agree that with later releases they were a bit over the top.This was my least favorite era.

Early efforts had their crummy moments,i agree,but they certainly also had some great moments.

I like the music best  before and including Equinox.

At least ,Herrn Sean Trane you have heard everything from them ,before making your statements.Fair enough that you do not like them.

Styx are OK.....in a radio-friendly kind of way.
Dennis De Young's vocals make me want to vomit though.He sounds like a cross between Dean Friedman and Marie Osmond.

Grand Illusion,Equinox and Pieces Of Eight all have their moments.

Prefer Cartman's version of Come Sail Away is better though.

I was never a big fan of DDY's personality myself.He came across like a pompous snob,but he has made some great music(and some sh*tty stuff too) ,no doubt about it.

Cartman did make a great version,yes indeed.

gr8dane wrote: I agree that with later releases they were a bit ?!?over the top.This was my least favorite era. Early efforts had their crummy moments,i agree,but they certainly also had some great moments. I like the music best  before and including Equinox. At least ,Herrn Sean Trane you have heard everything from them ,before making your statements.Fair enough that you do not like them.

Says who?!?. Stynx has been a major joke amongst the oldies on this site , and mostly because of their inclusion here. Their first four albums are clumsy and naive "erreur de jeunesse", that they can be forgiven for it.

I did not say I did not like them. Equinox , Crystall, Illusion and Pieces are superb rock albums. Even DDY is correct during those years. All in all , until then, about Styx , the "Trane Reporting & Rating System" (where do I come up with these stupid ideas) had them on an above than average level.

Unfortunately, then came Babe and Cornerstone and a very boring Cornerstone that proved to be a fatal Cornerstone. Paradise Theater was marginally better (still a DDY thing though) and then Killjoy . Never will I be able to think of Stynx any other way than that.

Actually I did hear a few covers from the latest album they released. Pointless but not bad, either.

Had a chance for tickets to Bonn (in Germany and three hours drive from Brussels ) to see them and Kansas on the same bill , but turned it down . Not worth my while

I am glad you oldies have a good laugh every time Styx is mentioned.

I could have sworn that this thread was in the Non-Prog section,and anybody who can string 2 notes together ,can be mentioned here.

In the prog archives Styx is listed as art-rock.Maybe they should not be listed there at all.Fine,i could not care less.Better line up the responsible in front of the firing squad.

For me it was also downhill from Cornerstone.I guess as the albums went by I was hoping them going back to the old style.

When i said over the top,I was visualizing bands like Slipknot and GWAR and Styx do not seem too over the top.

Hammill wrote: who is prog? is that prog? is the other thing prog? i think we loose the meaning of music people...who really cares if something is prog or not....music is the only thing that counts...name me many prog bands that have composed a ballad like boat on the river or even albums such as the grand illusion and Cornerstone. What do you prefer... a band which is progressive or a band that composes good songs????

    Well said, Hammill.

Sean Trane wrote: gr8dane wrote: I agree that with later releases they were a bit ?!?over the top.This was my least favorite era. Early efforts had their crummy moments,i agree,but they certainly also had some great moments. I like the music best  before and including Equinox. At least ,Herrn Sean Trane you have heard everything from them ,before making your statements.Fair enough that you do not like them. Says who?!?. Stynx has been a major joke amongst the oldies on this site , and mostly because of their inclusion here. Their first four albums are clumsy and naive "erreur de jeunesse", that they can be forgiven for it. I did not say I did not like them. Equinox , Crystall, Illusion and Pieces are superb rock albums. Even DDY is correct during those years. All in all , until then, about Styx , the "Trane Reporting & Rating System" (where do I come up with these stupid ideas) had them on an above than average level. Unfortunately, then came Babe and Cornerstone and a very boring Cornerstone that proved to be a fatal Cornerstone. Paradise Theater was marginally better (still a DDY thing though) and then Killjoy . Never will I be able to think of Stynx any other way than that. Actually I did hear a few covers from the latest album they released. Pointless but not bad, either. Had a chance for tickets to Bonn (in Germany and three hours drive from Brussels ) to see them and Kansas on the same bill , but turned it down . Not worth my while

I've always wondered who it was that decided to include Styx, err....sorry, i mean 'Stynx'. Anway, i would like to know what the arguments were FOR Styx, surely there must be a good reason if Styx was included and not Queen (who were probably more progressive).

salmacis wrote: Yes, their second album isn't too bad- it's the proggiest, and ultimately the best, of their early albums.

It's close between their second, and "Serpent..." for proggiest Styx album.  I think Serpent is their second best album behind Grand Illusion, because it doesn't have any real weak points, and includes great rockers (Witch Wolf, 22 years, Jonas Psalter), ballads (Winner Take All, As Bad as This), and the rest is Styx version of prog (Grove of Eglantine, Young Man, title track, Krakatoa/Hallelujah Chorus).  Probably their most ambitious album....a big reason why the early records take so much heat is because they try to go in many different directions, often disturbing the flow of the album as a whole, but they are still very enjoyable if you just listen to the music and not for limitations.

Styx is cool. Not prog. But cool.

Just because something isn't prog doesn't mean it sucks.

It just has a better chance to.