Styx - The Best Of Times: The Best Of Styx
Biography
Styx is an American rock band from Chicago that formed in 1972 and became famous for its albums released in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known for melding hard rock guitar balanced with acoustic guitar, synthesizers mixed with acoustic piano, upbeat tracks with power ballads, and incorporating elements of international musical theatre. The band established itself with a progressive rock sound in the 1970s, and began to incorporate pop rock and soft rock elements in the 1980s.
Styx is an American rock band from Chicago that formed in 1972 and became famous for its albums released in the late 1970s and early 1980s. They are best known for melding hard rock guitar balanced with acoustic guitar, synthesizers mixed with acoustic piano, upbeat tracks with power ballads, and incorporating elements of international musical theatre. The band established itself with a progressive rock sound in the 1970s, and began to incorporate pop rock and soft rock elements in the 1980s.
Styx is best known for the hit songs
“Lady”, “Come Sail Away”, “Babe”, “Boat on the River”, “The Best of
Times”, “Too Much Time on My Hands”, “Renegade” and “Mr. Roboto”. Other
major hits include “Show Me the Way” and “Don’t Let It End”. Styx has
had 4 consecutive albums certified multi-platinum by the RIAA as well as
16 top 40 singles in the US, 8 of which hit the top 10.
They had tremendous success in America, but never caught on in the UK, where only one song reached the Top 40: "Babe", which reached #6.
Dennis DeYoung was ousted from the band in 1999 and has never been invited to return.
“Words from Robert Orin Charles Kilroy
(Dennis DeYoung’s alter-ego Kilroy in his original script/scenario for
the album/stage presentation KILROY WAS HERE, June, 1982):
“Although my memory is not clear, my
parents have told me numerous times of my reaction to Elvis
Presley’s first appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show: how I became
mesmerized by his performance and how for weeks afterward I would
imitate him for friends and relatives. I suppose that night was
responsible for me learning to play guitar, even though years later
another Sunday night would truly convince me to become a rock and roll
musician. Strange that the Sullivan show should play such an important
part in my life. For if Elvis moved my body, the appearance of the
Beatles in 1964 captured my heart, my mind and my imagination. Just
three weeks after the Beatles came into my life, my friends Paul
Johanson, Billy Roland, Tony and Sal-Fontana and myself formed a group
that would someday become one of the most successful American rock and
roll bands. We chose the name Kilroy for the group because of the
immediate recognition attached to the popular graffiti ”Kilroy Was
Here”… We got our first break, in 1974…a record contract with A&M
Records, and the release of our first album. We were sure that it was
only a matter of time before the whole country would fall at our feet.
And we were absolutely right, it was a matter of time. Three years later
upon the release of our fourth album, the national recognition finally
came. It took longer than planned, but once we had our hand on the
golden ring, we never let go. We delivered an unprecedented string of
hit albums that spanned the next decade. And by 1986 we were still one
of the world’s most popular groups.”
And of course Kilroy is Styx, and
those early members are fictional, but based-on-fact composites of
original members DeYoung, James Young, John and Chuck Panozzo, John
Curulewski, and later guitarists Tommy Shaw, and Glen Burtnik. And how
right to be releasing The Best Of Times: The Best Of Styx package
nearing the 25th anniversary of the band’s first release on
A&M-Equinox. And how prophetic of DeYoung to predict in that script
that Styx would still be going strong in 1986. He was off by four years
for the band would still be a major rock arena contender in 1990 with
the release of their twelfth album Edge of the Century with DeYoung,
Young, the Panozzo Brothers, and new guitarist Burtnik heading cross
country once again for virtual sell-out auditorium/arena dates. Since
that last tour Styx has been on hiatus with DeYoung, Shaw, Young, and
Burtnik pursuing solo/group careers with varying degrees of success. But
is the door on Styx finally closed in 1997? To quote a Styx member in
May, 1984 after the release of the live double album Caught in the
Act,”… the door had indeed not closed on the Styx saga we’re leaving it a
bit ajar.”
Never say never.”
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
The British collection The Best of Times: The Best of Styx is a flawed but adequate overview of Styx’s biggest hits. Most of the group’s best-known songs are here, but they’re sequenced out of order, and a few new songs, plus a re-recording of “Lady,” are tacked onto the end of the disc. It’s fine for what it is, but it’s hardly definitive, and the two-part American Greatest Hits discs are better collections.
The British collection The Best of Times: The Best of Styx is a flawed but adequate overview of Styx’s biggest hits. Most of the group’s best-known songs are here, but they’re sequenced out of order, and a few new songs, plus a re-recording of “Lady,” are tacked onto the end of the disc. It’s fine for what it is, but it’s hardly definitive, and the two-part American Greatest Hits discs are better collections.
| EC1009 | Styx – Best Of Times: The Best Of Styx |
| Label: | A&M Records |
| Catalog#: | 540 465-2 |
| Format: | CD [Compilation, Remastered] |
| Country: | EU |
| Released: | 1997 |
| Barcode: | 7 31454 04652 7 |
| Style: | Pop/Rock, Classic Rock |
============================================================================ Styx – The Best Of Times: The Best Of Styx (Remastered)
============================================================================
01. The Best Of Times
02. Babe
03. Boat On The River
04. Mr. Roboto
05. Show Me The Way
06. Renegade
07. Borrowed Time
08. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights)
09. A.D. 1928
10. Rockin’ The Paradise
11. Sing For The Way
12. Too Much Time On My Hands
13. Don’t Let It End
14. Lady ’95
15. Little Suzie
16. It Takes Love
Total Time: 01:06:00
Line-up / Musicians▼
– Dennis DeYoung / keyboards & vocals
– Tommy Shaw / guitars & vocals
– James “JY” Young / guitars & vocals
– Chuck Panozzo / bass
– Todd Sucherman / drums & percussion
Companies, etc.▼
Phonographic Copyright (p) – A&M Records, Inc.
Copyright (c) – A&M Records, Inc.
Remastered At – Gateway Mastering
Distributed By – Polydor
Distributed By – PolyGram
Credits▼
Art Direction – Chuck Beeson
Design – F Ron Miller
Photography By – Aaron Rapoport, John Welzenbach, Marc Hauser, Paul Natkin, Waring Abbott
Producer – Dennis DeYoung, Styx
Remastered By – Bob Ludwig
Audio Remixer By – Frank Pappalardo
Liner Note Author By – Bob Garcia
Art Direction – Chuck Beeson
Design – F Ron Miller
Photography By – Aaron Rapoport, John Welzenbach, Marc Hauser, Paul Natkin, Waring Abbott
Producer – Dennis DeYoung, Styx
Remastered By – Bob Ludwig
Audio Remixer By – Frank Pappalardo
Liner Note Author By – Bob Garcia
Notes▼
This compilation Ⓟ 1997 A&M Records, Inc., Ⓒ 1997 A&M Records, Inc.
Recording information: Pumpkin Studios, Chicago, IL (06/1995); The White Room, Chicago, IL (06/1995).
This compilation Ⓟ 1997 A&M Records, Inc., Ⓒ 1997 A&M Records, Inc.
Recording information: Pumpkin Studios, Chicago, IL (06/1995); The White Room, Chicago, IL (06/1995).
Barcode (Text): 7 31454 04652 7
Barcode (Scanned): 731454046527
Rights Society: BIEM/MCPS
Label Code: LC/0485
Price Code: PY/900
Mastering SID Code: IFPI LV26
Mould SID Code: IFPI 0113
Matrix / Runout: [Universal logo 4x] 07314 540 465-2 06 * 50992215
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