RANKING THE MEMBERS

[sadie65]

I think this is a nearly impossible task. Each member of the band/crew/families plays an integral part. Kinda like a jigsaw puzzle.

I think everyone's comments have a lot of validity. And even though I consider myself a "DeYoungian", I don't think I could rank any one higher than the other.

Peace

[bugsymalone]

I think this has been very interesting. Everyone has a different take, but pretty much agree about the top tier.

Here are mine --- My opinion here.



#1 Dennis

#’s 2 through ?? – Everyone else…..



Oh ok, OK! -------I will get down to my list. Ranked first through last.


#1 Dennis – The Styx “sound” is his, I do firmly believe. Everything this group ever did always comes back to Dennis. He was the central player in Styx.

#2 Tommy – Brought a pop sensibility to the band and some great songwriting, musicianship and harmony. An excellent counter to the progressive rock side of Dennis and, later, a nice compliment to Dennis’ softer rock side. I preferred Styx with Tommy to Styx with Glen.

#3 John C. – A good songwriter, weaker singer/musician. Had some nice contributions to early Styx. No question. Proved himself replaceable however.

#4 JY – The harder edges that Styx needed. That said, there are probably a lot of great guitarists/singers who, had JY not filled this slot, could have done so easily. So I consider him a replaceable part as well.

#4 Panozzo Twins and Todd - Solid rhythm back-up for this band. These guys could all be replaced, but I feel both John P and Chuck P added a personality to the band, even though they were background. I think the Panozzos put their stamp on the group sound and Todd filled in nicely, when John was lost.

#5 Glen - I just don’t have a strong take on Glen because I do not feel he was with Styx in either configuration long enough to establish himself as an integral member of this band. I think his work on Edge was excellent, but I never saw him as a comfortable fit into the group.

#6 & #7 or 7 & 6– Hired hands – Gowan and Phillips and whoever else follows them. I have no clue about Phillips, good, bad, or indifferent. Gowan…..most certainly could be replaced with a better voice. His stage presence annoys me, but I know many feel he is becoming, or has become, an essential, irreplaceable part of Current Styx. I will let others make that judgment. Since I do not consider this band Styx, he could be the best member or the worst member in the eyes of the fans of this current lineup and it makes no difference to me.

The above is the opinion of this writer only.

Let me add that I feel the Classic Styx sound was, as Dennis has said many times, the sum of its parts. But he, I feel, was the one who put those parts together and made them work.

Bugsy

[Zan]

I think this is a nearly impossible task.

You're telling me! Mine took me nearly an hour! LOL

[Zan]

I forgot to mention that JY was the glue that held Styx together for many, many years. Without him, they would have disbanded, very likely, after Grand Illusion or Pieces of Eight.

[classicstyxfan]

Does that Mean Kilroy was Here is actually JY's fault ???

[Zan]

Does that Mean Kilroy was Here is actually JY's fault ???

Well, I'm sure he smacks himself regularly, anyway. lol

[SuiteMadameBlue]

It took me a long time to make a list too. LOL

Everyone has great lists and comments.

Zan, you know that "Babe" wasn't suppose to be re-recorded and added on the Cornerstone album. You know the whole story, right? I know you probably know. I'm glad it was added to Cornerstone. It became their #1 hit song. JY wasn't part of the recording at all. JY and Tommy didn't even show up at the People's Choice Awards.

[Zan]

It took me a long time to make a list too. LOL

Everyone has great lists and comments.

Zan, you know that "Babe" wasn't suppose to be re-recorded and added on the Cornerstone album. You know the whole story, right? I know you probably know. I'm glad it was added to Cornerstone. It became their #1 hit song. JY wasn't part of the recording at all. JY and Tommy didn't even show up at the People's Choice Awards.

Didn't know any of that, actually. Doesn't surprise me, though. Honestly, I just cannot stand the song, so any information I have about its history sorta goes in one ear and out the other.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

Oooooooh, I love reading history of the band, especially from the band

I like the song "Babe", because it brings me back to my school dances. What great times. I even got to dance with the guy I had a crush on in high school

Here's a little history, it's from one of the articles.

Loizzo tells a story that illustrates the down-to-earth Styx approach. "Dennis (De Young) wanted to record 'Babe' as a birthday present for his wife, and I told him to come on in the studio and we would do it as a freebie.

"Chuck (Panozzo) came in to play bass, John (Panozzo) played drums, I sang background and we put down the tracks in one day. It was such a pleasant session because it came so much from the heart," Loizzo says.

De Young gave the recording to his wife and the session was forgotten — until Styx came up a song short for the album "Cornerstone." De Young had played "Babe" for the band, and the group liked the song so much they decided to include it on the album.

"When it came time to record, Dennis just couldn't sing the same or do the piano part the same. He just didn't have his heart in it again," Loizzo says. "So, we took the original demo, resang the backgrounds, added a solo and put it on the album." And "Babe" turned out to be a hit single for Styx.

[styxfanNH]

That doesn't say JY wasn't on the Styx recording, only that he wasn't on the original recording Dennis gave Suzanne.

[bugsymalone]

"So, we took the original demo, resang the backgrounds, added a solo and put it on the album." And "Babe" turned out to be a hit single for Styx.

I had never seen that version of the story before. I agree, NH. In this version, it sounds like the whole band participated in the vocals.

Bugsy

[SuiteMadameBlue]

UGH!! I'll have to dig and find the article!! I think it was an early interview with JY and he explains it. I'm not going to be able to sleep tonight until I find this - LOL

I'm "almost" positive that JY wasn't in the final recording/version of the song. Tommy's guitar was added in the final version.

I'll have to dig and dig - LOL

[ek88]

UGH!! I'll have to dig and find the article!!

I'm just curious. Do you have old magazines or just articles clipped out or what?

[SuiteMadameBlue]

I have old magazine still intact. I just saved the ones that featured Styx. I also have a HUGE binder that some fan must've put together since the 1970's of articles, these are copies. The binder has articles of Styx and also each individual member.

I have 3 rubbermaid bins of just Styx related stuff. I just haven't found the time to go through what I have and what I'm missing. I'm currently working on putting list together of videos & DVD's.

I have another video clip that I'm looking for: Dennis in a Muppet video. Yes, a muppet video called "She Drives Me Crazy". I guess it's just a little clip of Dennis. I learn something new every day

[ek88]

I have old magazine still intact. I just saved the ones that featured Styx. I also have a HUGE binder that some fan must've put together since the 1970's of articles, these are copies. The binder has articles of Styx and also each individual member.

I have 3 rubbermaid bins of just Styx related stuff.

Curiosity fulfilled! Sounds pretty cool, too, by the way!

[classicstyxfan]

Let's all be greatful Suite wasn't born 10 years earlier.......or we'd be getting our fill of Donny Osmond and David Cassidy articles about now !

[sadie65]

Let's all be greatful Suite wasn't born 10 years earlier.......or we'd be getting our fill of Donny Osmond and David Cassidy articles about now !

I'm here to tell you, she's my age, and those guys were very popular in the same mags "dreamy Dennis" and "terrific Tommy" were in. So be careful, or she may have to post those articles as well

[styxfanNH]

you know, guys just don't hang onto that typpe of stuff.

[Zan]

you know, guys just don't hang onto that typpe of stuff.

Of course not! They're too busy clutching the tv remote!

[swwskj]

What guy can honestly say that lurking somewhere in their attic (or out in plain sight on display perhaps in some cases) there does not exist a box. Inside that box rests at least one of the following three items: Baseball Cards, Comic Books & Star Wars action figures. Sure the ladies may keep their Donnie Osmand poster, but we got our skeletons too.

It was like in the movie 'City Slickers' when they were talking about baseball and the attractive lady said "there you guys go with your baseball". She claimed that what women talked about was more 'real' you know relationships, feelings and the like. Bruno Kirby replies, "we got that beat, 'cause if what you ladies liked was so important they'd make cards out of it and sell it with bubble gum."

Scott

[classicstyxfan]

I had the baseball cards....then, at age 17, I sold them all to a kid down the street for $25 bucks, so I could go on a date that Friday Night.

I have no doubt that the kid eventually made HUNDREDS selling those cards to a shop somewhere, I had some reallly good ones.

She was worth it though ( I had it pretty bad for her as I still recall fondly ! ) On the other hand, she eventually dumped me, so I kinda wish I had my cards back !!!!