By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times
Styx
If Styx and the Energizer Bunny had an endurance challenge, the nameless pink bunny eventually would stop beating his drum while Styx would still be rocking hard.
Styx formed in Chicago in 1972 and released their debut album, “Styx,” in August that year.
Now, 52 years and 42 albums later, Styx are still going strong – and touring like they’re a bunch of 23-year-old rockers.
This summer, they are out on the massive co-headlining “Renegades & Juke Box Heroes” tour with newly announced Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees Foreigner and special guest John Waite.
The tour will touch down locally on July 28 at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion (1 Harbour Boulevard, Camden, N.J., www.waterfrontamphitheater.com).
“The tour with this line-up has been extended into September,” said Styx keyboardist Lawrence Gowan, during a phone interview last week from as tour stop in Tampa, Florida.
“It’s been going extremely well and has exceeded expectations. We started in June playing five nights a week – two days on, one day off.”
Three months straight being on the road can be taxing – even for a 23-year-old. Gowan perseveres – even though he will turn 68 on November 22.
“The tour is not that difficult,” said Gowan. “There is an adrenaline rush every night. Also, I sleep very well on the tour bus. You just need to get any rest when you can, eat well and exercise.”
Legendary and multi-Platinum rockers Styx — Tommy Shaw (vocals, guitars), James “JY” Young (vocals, guitars), Lawrence Gowan (vocals, keyboards), Todd Sucherman (drums) and new member Terry Gowan (bass), along with the occasional surprise appearance by original bassist Chuck Panozzo– are rested, healthy, and back on the road.
Shaw, Panozzo and Young have been with the band since their early days in Chicago at the start of the 1970s while Gowan and Sucherman joined the group prior to the turn of the century.
Prior to the arrival of a second Gowan, Ricky Phillips was the “new” member having joined 21 years ago in 2003.
“Todd and Terry had played shows together before this – including with my band,” said Gowan.
Styx is definitely a trans-generation band. Fans who attended shows in the early 70s now can enjoy Styx live with their children and grandchildren.
If you’re a classic rock fan and you have a preference for bands that rock hard and put out a 100 per cent effort every time they step onstage, then you need to check out Sunday’s concert.
Styx’s long list of hit singles includes “Lady,” “Come Sail Away,” “Babe,” “The Best of Times,” “Too Much Time on My Hands,” “Show Me the Way,” “Renegade,” “Boat on the River” and, of course, “Mr. Roboto.” “Babe” reached Number 1 in the charts while “Show Me the Way,” “Mr. Roboto” and “The Best of Times” topped out at Number 3.
“Every musician dreams of having a recording contract,” said Young, during a prior phone interview. “We got together in Chicago at the start of the 70s. There were quite a few good bands in Chicago –The Shadows of Knight, the Cryin’ Shames, the Buckinghams.
“Bill Traut signed us to Wooden Nickel Records for a four-album deal. Then, we went to A&M. Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss (A&M owners) loved the band and really got behind us.
The band’s first album for A&M was “Equinox” in 1975. The group went on to record seven more albums for the Los Angeles based label ending with “Edge of the Century” in 1990.
Styx followed with “Brave New World” in 1999 on CMC International, “Cyclorama” in 2023 on Sanctuary Records, and “Big Bang Theory” in 2005 on New Door Records. 2017’s “The Mission” and “Crash of the Crown” were both released via Universal Music Enterprises.
Their sophomore album “Styx II” (1973) broke through with their first radio hit, the power ballad “Lady.”
The song began to earn some radio time, first on WLS in Chicago in 1974 and then nationwide. In the spring of 1975, nearly two years after the album had been released, “Lady” broke into the Top10 in the U.S., and “Styx II’ went gold soon after. “Lady” is considered by many classic rock critics as being the first power ballad.
“‘Lady’ was our first hit single,” said Young. “It was poorly promoted in 1973 when we put it out. Later, it was Top 10 in every major city in the states.
“Then, ‘The Grand Illusion’ album sold seven million copies in 1977. A few years later, our ‘Paradise Theatre’ album went to Number 1 in the states.”
Both albums went triple-platinum – as did “Pieces of Eight” in 1978 and “Cornerstone” in 1979.”
Like the Energizer Bunny, Styx just keeps going.
“The fact that we’re still relevant is a surprise to me,” said Young. “The pedigree of the band has always been there. We kept climbing the ladder of success.”
The climb continues.
“The band started in 1971 – almost half a century ago,” said Gowan.
“I’m now in my 26th year with the band. To be still touring the way we do – it’s quite remarkable. We’ve never played less than 100 shows a year.”
Gowan is a Scottish-born Canadian musician who had a long and successful music career in Canada prior to hooking up with Styx — both with his band Gowan and as a solo artist.
At the age of 19, he earned an ARCT (Associate of The Royal Conservatory) in classical piano performance from The Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. He has won two Juno Awards (Canadian equivalent of the Grammy Awards) and has 10 other Juno nominations.
In 1997 during Styx’s tour, Gowan performed as a supporting act for the band at Montreal’s Molson Centre and Quebec City’s Colisée.
“I opened for Styx as a solo act,” said Gowan. “That’s where we first crossed paths.”
Gowan, who was born in Glasgow, Scotland, is a native and still resident of Toronto.
“I was a little kid when we moved from Glasgow to Toronto,” said Gowan. “My dad felt at home in Toronto.”
Dating back to 1982, Gowan has released a number of albums on his own in Canada and has had several hit singles.
“In Canada, I play some of the same venues Styx pays,” said Gowan. “The biggest hit I had was the ‘Strange Animals’ album which was triple platinum.
“I had several members of Peter Gabriel’s band at the time playing on it – including Tony Levin and Jerry Marotta. Most of my solo stuff is very keyboard-driven.”
All along, Gowan has retained Styx as his primary focus. It would be hard not when considering how much the band tours.
“There is a reason we have such a heavy schedule,” said Gowan. “There’s an insatiable demand to see the band. There really aren’t enough days. Classic rock is a gigantic stage and you’ve got legions of people who want to see it live.
With Styx, the crowds that fill arenas at their shows are not just old cats who grew up with Styx’ hits and have been loyal followers ever since.
“Half of the audience at our shows is under 40,” said Gowan. “They were not even born when the band started. That speaks to the fact that classic rock is a big musical statement.”
Many of STYX’ band contemporaries that are still around go on stage with set lists based almost exclusively on their classic hits. Few even attempt to stay contemporary. Even fewer attempt to make new music.
Obviously, Styx is different. Just listen to “Crash of the Crown” and you’ll understand.
“Crash of the Crown” is the 17th studio album by Styx. The album was released on June 18, 2021, by Universal Music Enterprises on the band’s label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. The album reached the top 30 in six international charts.
“Our last tour was our 50th anniversary tour and a tour supporting the ‘Crash of the Crown’ album,” said Gowan. “On this tour, we’re playing the title track but mainly focusing on the hits.”
At each tour stop, as they have been in the past years, Rock to the Rescue—spearheaded by Tommy Shaw’s daughter, Hannah and is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization founded by the band, whose mission is to build strong, healthy communities through the support of grassroots organizations across the country—will continue to research local nonprofit organizations and pick one to see if they are interested in volunteering to help the band sell $10 tickets for a drawing to win a signed Styx guitar at the shows. They give these organizations a percentage of the sales as their way of supporting their cause and thanking them for supporting the band’s cause.
Rock to the Rescue originally started in 2001 as a result of the 9/11 terrorist attacks and is the brainchild of Styx singer/guitarist Tommy Shaw and REO Speedwagon singer/keyboardist/guitarist Kevin Cronin. The two musicians brought together bands and artists such as Bad Company, Journey, Survivor, Kansas, Lynyrd Skynyrd and many others to be part of “Volunteers For America” concert events in Dallas and Atlanta that ultimately raised over $775,000 for victims of 9/11, as well as the Port Authority police department in New York City.
In 2014, Rock To The Rescue raised $10,000 for the Philadelphia Fire Department Local #22 Widows Fund at the “Soundtrack of Summer” show (with Foreigner and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder) in Camden, NJ on July 3, as a thank you to the local fire department for cooling down STYX’s burning crew bus the day before.
Video link for Styx – https://youtu.be/UcO0sjNWWl4.
The show at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion on July 28 will start at 6:45 p.m.
Ticket prices start at $23.
The weather is great right now for music at outdoor venues.
On July 27, there will be a Blues Festival at Brothers On The Brandywine- Beer Garden (2100 Strasburg Road, Coatesville, www.brotherskershner.com).
This is not just a typical “Beer Garden Day,” it is an all-day concert from noon-9 p.m. featuring three bands performing on a concert-quality sound system by Sanco.
The following is the concert schedule: noon 2-2:30 p.m., Mark Margolies Band; 3-5:30 p.m., SlideWinder Blues Band; and 6-9 p.m., Mikey Junior Band.
Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 at the gate, Children under 1`5 are admitted free.
There will be Beer, Wine, Cider, Seltzer by Brothers Kershner Brewing Co and Brothers Kershner Cellars and the Food Truck will be Shimpy’s BBQ.
No Pets or outside alcohol are permitted on premises.
The Eagleview Summer Concerts on the Square at Eagleview Town Center (Wharton Boulevard, Exton, www.ineagleview.com) will present Handsome Jack and Scott Tournet on July 30, Fantastic Cat on August 13, and Zach Russell on August 27.
The Bryn Mawr Twilight Concerts (9 South Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, brynmawrtwilightconcerts.com) will present John Gorka on July 27, Steve Forbert on August 2, Lucy Kaplansky on August 10, Stephen Kellogg and Liz Longley on August 16, David Wilcox on August 17, Susan Werner on August 24 and Tophouse on August 30.
The Rose Tree Summer Festival (Rose Tree Park, Route 252, Media, www.delcopa.gov/departments/parks) returns with a summer-long series of free outdoor shows at the scenic park just north of Media.
The schedule of upcoming shows in July features 70s Midnight Rock Show on July 27, 22 Park Avenue on July 28 and Angry Young Band on July 30.
