The music of Styx

[Here's Looking At You, Kid]

Old man here.  I grew up in the seventies-eighties when many of my friends were listening to Styx.  From records and cassettes, mind you.  I was more into country at the time.  I started watching those reaction videos on youtube where young folk listen to oldies and give their reaction.  I saw a half-dozen reaction to Styx songs.  Mr. Roboto, Come Sail Away, Babe, The Best of Times, and so on.  Dennis DeYoung has too high a voice for my taste but I started to appreciate their music.  "Don't Let it End this Way" is a love song about an impending break up.  Yet there is a grandeur about a song on a mundane subject. 

The wish of young boys back then is a Marantz stereo receiver with JBL speakers. 

Any fans of Styx here?

[Larry of the Lawn]

When I visit my hometown for Easter weekend I'm planning on stealing an old muscle car for a few hours and pulling up in front of my old highschool like Billy Madison while blasting "Renegade" from the shitty speakers.

[Wilbur]

The thing about Styx is that you can enjoy their music if you listen to it in a vacuum, on your own.

However, the high voice you mentioned, the extremely earnest lyrics, and the not-very-hard rock sound make it very hard to listen to in company without grinning.  It still makes me wonder that the Steelers use "Renegade" to pump up the defense and the crowd late in games when they need a defensive stop.

One top benefit, however, is that for lip-synch purposes, especially jokey ones with costumes and so on, songs like Mr. Roboto are very appropriate.  For years my wife's Senior Speech classes had a big Lip Synch show near the end of the school year, complete with lasers and smoke machines, etc.  Styx songs were very likely to be in the top three in any year they were used, since they were easy to parody with funny costumes and the lyrics are easy to understand.

[Spaßvogel]

I'm a pretty big Styx fan.  Lately I've been listening to the Wooden Nickel recordings (their first 4 albums, Styx, Styx II, Serpent is Rising, and Man of Miracles) but they're one of the handful of bands who I own the whole discography.  (Up through Brave New World, no TommyStyx for me thanks). 

Dennis DeYoung's last couple solo albums have songs that sound 100% like they could be classic Styx tunes. 

I honestly wish Tommy/Dennis could reconcile, they made some beautiful music together.  (Even though Roboto was my gateway drug to Styx, I find myself listening to "Haven't We Been Here Before" from that album the most.  Tommy and Dennis always sounded great when they harmonized. 

Anyway, I could nerd out on Styx a lot.  I think they're underrated.  They're one of those bands that were on Jann Wenner's ****list so they'll never get into the rock HOF.  (Toto and Kansas are two others that spring to mind).

[Durckad]

Styx was the first band I saw live (that I actively wanted to see and wasn't dragged long to) with my friends back in the late 90's. For whatever reason, we all loved Styx back in the day and, even though I don't listen to them much anymore, they still hold a special spot in my withered, cynical heart.

[Here's Looking At You, Kid]

On 3/29/2023 at 7:48 PM, Larry of the Lake said:

When I visit my hometown for Easter weekend I'm planning on stealing an old muscle car for a few hours and pulling up in front of my old highschool like Billy Madison while blasting "Renegade" from the shitty speakers.

1979 Pontiac Trans-Am, with aftermarket Alpine stereo.  That was the dream car back then.  Reality was a first car with a factory 8-track player. 

On 3/31/2023 at 10:39 AM, Durckad said:

Styx was the first band I saw live (that I actively wanted to see and wasn't dragged long to) with my friends back in the late 90's. For whatever reason, we all loved Styx back in the day and, even though I don't listen to them much anymore, they still hold a special spot in my withered, cynical heart.

My dad was cynical back then.  Always nagging me about spending money on records and tapes.