The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Styx is on ‘Mission’ to keep fans rocking
One of the more common sights of summer is the classic rock band of the ’70s touching down in dozens of amphitheaters across the country and trotting out a reliable set list of hits.
Styx has proved itself among the most durable of the breed, partially because the band knows what its fans want to hear — “Too Much Time on My Hands,” “Come Sail Away,” “Renegade” and the just turned-40 “Grand Illusion” — but mostly because its layered anthems still are, simply, solid rock songs with a theatrical flair.
Last summer, the band (guitarist/singer Tommy Shaw, guitarist/singer James “J.Y.” Young, keyboardist/singer Lawrence Gowan, drummer Todd Sucherman and bassist Ricky Phillips with sometimes-guest original bassist Chuck Panozzo) visited with 38 Special and Don Felder. Styx will return Sunday to Verizon Amphitheatre in Alpharetta for a stop on its “United We Rock” trek with Felder and REO Speedwagon.
There is also a heightened awareness to this tour because in mid-June Styx surprised fans with its first studio album since 2005, the gloriously lush concept album “The Mission.” It was recorded over two years in Nashville, where Shaw lives with his wife, Jeanne.
The gregarious Shaw called recently from the Oregon coast, where he and his wife were taking a brief break from the tour, to discuss the live show, the new album and plans for the fall.
You’re back with REO Speed-
wagon this summer, which I assume is a comfortable place to be.
Kevin (Cronin) and I, we met when he was coming to Chicago to rejoin REO and I was going home after my audition with Styx. We both met at O’Hare (airport) and we’ve been good friends ever since. When 9/11 happened, we put together a benefit concert for the Port Authority police because they weren’t getting as much attention. Our manager said, call Kevin Cronin. So I did and said, “Do you want to put something together?” and he said, “I’m in,” and that’s how we got to our Rock to the Rescue (charity). Kevin has always been there whenever I’ve asked him to do stuff. And (Don) Felder, that’s always fun. I come out on stage with him and I’m getting to play banjo with Felder! I don’t think anyone ever expected to see me doing that on “Take it Easy,” but it’s fun and I’m in Felder’s band for a little while. Those (Eagles) songs are part of the American songbook.
It’s pretty amazing that there are a handful of bands like you, Journey, Def Leppard, who are still bringing in these crowds of 10,000 or more.
Especially when you know so many (fans who) weren’t alive when this music came out; they learned it through their parents. This music has just endured. You still have people playing it at a pretty high level and it resonates. The main thing is, do these songs do anything for you? And so much of classic rock still rings true.
Is the tour name a nod to the current fragmentation in the country and the general feeling of being un-united?
You know, I never really thought of it like that, but I guess it could apply. It was more a matter of, we’re all friends and get along. We’ve never been political. It’s like in outer space, people get along because there is a common purpose — it’s about, are we having a good time? At our shows, it’s just about music.
Speaking of outer space and your new album that you guys sprang on us, it’s a pretty elaborate concept. How long has it been brewing? Probably three years. It took so long because of the way the music business changed over the past decade. It’s been more about going out and touring, that’s how we reach our fans. While we were making the album we probably played 300 shows. We never had three months off to go in the studio and work on it, but it gave us time to develop the songs and get the arrangements right and how we wanted it to sound. We were able to put a lot of thought into it on the road.
I love that you’ve been playing “Overture” the past couple of tours but fans didn’t realize it was a new song.
It’s typical for us to have walk-on music, and there’s stuff we’ve modified and added to the instrumental. We were doing my demo (of the song) as the walkon music, and then the people who were really paying attention noticed it had changed. Lawrence (Gowan) had been playing pieces of (“Mission” track) “Khedive” and would get standing ovations, even though no one knew what it was.
It must be tough to do a summer tour when fans want to hear the hits but you have this new music you’re excited about. Might you do something in the fall that concentrates on “The Mission”?
We’re talking about it. The album is 42 minutes and eight seconds. We could do the album and come back after intermission and then play the songs everybody grew up with. The songs are all right in our wheelhouse. We do play “Radio Silence” (on this tour). It’s kind of a cliché when you hear a band say, “Here’s a song from our new album!” and people head for the beer stands, but we said, “Let’s just see what happens.” Not only did they not get up and go to the bathroom, but a lot of people were singing along with it and we got this huge response at the end of it. I guess it sounds really good. (Laughs)