Styx Bringing Prog Rock Classics To Honeywell March 23
March 8, 2017 at 8:14 p.m.
Styx Bringing Prog Rock Classics To Honeywell March 23
By David [email protected]
“I was born in Scotland and raised in Toronto,” the Styx lead singer and keyboardist said in a telephone interview from Montgomery, Ala.
Styx formed in Chicago in 1972. Gowan was born in 1956 and joined the band in 1999, replacing Dennis DeYoung. Styx became famous for its albums released in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Styx performs at 7:30 p.m. March 23 at the Honeywell Center, Wabash. Tickets are $49, $75 and $125 and can be purchased at the box office or online at honeywellcenter.org.
Growing up, Gowan recalled, “Any band with the progressive rock label came in under the radar in Canada earlier than in the U.S. Quebec had an affinity for progressive rock, as did I.”
Styx released its album “Equinox” in 1975, and had a minor hit with the song “Lorelei.” It was also the first song Gowan heard from Styx. Shortly after that, the rock anthem "Suite Madame Blue” was a hit in Quebec.
“I liked the fact they had progressive leanings,” Gowan recalled.
He said the first band he was a member of in the late 1970s tried to emulate the path and success Styx had already blazed. Before Styx, all the progressive bands were from England, but Styx broke through.
From 1981 to 1999, Gowan had his own successful solo career, with four platinum albums and gold singles.
“During that time period, I had a full career as a solo artist. I opened two shows up for Styx ... It was just my piano and myself,” Gowan said.
Styx members, especially Tommy Shaw, took note of that and the crowds’ favorable reaction to him. That was in 1997.
In 1999, Gowan got a call from Styx. His assumption was that they wanted him to open up for the band again. Since he never had his records released in the U.S., he thought opening up for Styx might get his music out to the U.S. audiences. He soon realized that was not the band’s intention, and Gowan agreed to be their keyboardist and lead singer.
When they first met up, Gowan played them his song “Criminal Mind,” which had hit No. 1 in Canada. Shaw joined in on the song and told Gowan they would make that into a Styx song. Gowan said he felt embraced by the legendary band from the get-go, and that’s what they were asking him to join – a legendary band with its own famous back catalog.
Since he’s joined, they’ve released live DVDs and CDs. They released an album of cover songs. And every year, Gowan said they have never played less than 100 shows a year.
“As the music industry was pivoting at the beginning of the millenium, this band was ready to do that,” he said. “There aren’t enough days in a year for Styx to play out on all the offers we get. We play over 100 shows a year.”
Styx prefers to tour because a live performance “can’t be downloaded,” he said.
When Gowan first joined Styx, Smartphones did not yet exist. As video cameras became smaller and smaller, and phones became capable of capturing video, it became evident that concert venues could no longer effectively prohibit people from recording live performances.
Ultimately, he said, the band realized those amateur videos are a great advertisement.
But no matter how great a video is, Gowan said, it just doesn’t match the visceral reaction of a live show.
For the March 23 show, Gowan said the band will reach way back into its catalog. Most of the material will come from its four consecutive multi-platinum records, “The Grand Illusion” (1977), “Pieces of Eight” (1978), “Cornerstone” (1979) and “Paradise Theatre” (1981). The band also might do some of their other songs from other albums, but he said no audience ever leaves without hearing Styx songs like “Renegade” and “Come Sail Away.”
“We’re looking forward to bringing the big Styx adventure to the people at the Honeywell Center,” Gowan concluded.
“I was born in Scotland and raised in Toronto,” the Styx lead singer and keyboardist said in a telephone interview from Montgomery, Ala.
Styx formed in Chicago in 1972. Gowan was born in 1956 and joined the band in 1999, replacing Dennis DeYoung. Styx became famous for its albums released in the late 1970s and 1980s.
Styx performs at 7:30 p.m. March 23 at the Honeywell Center, Wabash. Tickets are $49, $75 and $125 and can be purchased at the box office or online at honeywellcenter.org.
Growing up, Gowan recalled, “Any band with the progressive rock label came in under the radar in Canada earlier than in the U.S. Quebec had an affinity for progressive rock, as did I.”
Styx released its album “Equinox” in 1975, and had a minor hit with the song “Lorelei.” It was also the first song Gowan heard from Styx. Shortly after that, the rock anthem "Suite Madame Blue” was a hit in Quebec.
“I liked the fact they had progressive leanings,” Gowan recalled.
He said the first band he was a member of in the late 1970s tried to emulate the path and success Styx had already blazed. Before Styx, all the progressive bands were from England, but Styx broke through.
From 1981 to 1999, Gowan had his own successful solo career, with four platinum albums and gold singles.
“During that time period, I had a full career as a solo artist. I opened two shows up for Styx ... It was just my piano and myself,” Gowan said.
Styx members, especially Tommy Shaw, took note of that and the crowds’ favorable reaction to him. That was in 1997.
In 1999, Gowan got a call from Styx. His assumption was that they wanted him to open up for the band again. Since he never had his records released in the U.S., he thought opening up for Styx might get his music out to the U.S. audiences. He soon realized that was not the band’s intention, and Gowan agreed to be their keyboardist and lead singer.
When they first met up, Gowan played them his song “Criminal Mind,” which had hit No. 1 in Canada. Shaw joined in on the song and told Gowan they would make that into a Styx song. Gowan said he felt embraced by the legendary band from the get-go, and that’s what they were asking him to join – a legendary band with its own famous back catalog.
Since he’s joined, they’ve released live DVDs and CDs. They released an album of cover songs. And every year, Gowan said they have never played less than 100 shows a year.
“As the music industry was pivoting at the beginning of the millenium, this band was ready to do that,” he said. “There aren’t enough days in a year for Styx to play out on all the offers we get. We play over 100 shows a year.”
Styx prefers to tour because a live performance “can’t be downloaded,” he said.
When Gowan first joined Styx, Smartphones did not yet exist. As video cameras became smaller and smaller, and phones became capable of capturing video, it became evident that concert venues could no longer effectively prohibit people from recording live performances.
Ultimately, he said, the band realized those amateur videos are a great advertisement.
But no matter how great a video is, Gowan said, it just doesn’t match the visceral reaction of a live show.
For the March 23 show, Gowan said the band will reach way back into its catalog. Most of the material will come from its four consecutive multi-platinum records, “The Grand Illusion” (1977), “Pieces of Eight” (1978), “Cornerstone” (1979) and “Paradise Theatre” (1981). The band also might do some of their other songs from other albums, but he said no audience ever leaves without hearing Styx songs like “Renegade” and “Come Sail Away.”
“We’re looking forward to bringing the big Styx adventure to the people at the Honeywell Center,” Gowan concluded.
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