MR

Edge of The Century II.

Does anyone know about this? It's a follow up album to Edge of the Century.

I just saw this posted again on one of the Dennis' groups.

What happened to these songs? Did they go to other albums or are they sitting somewhere? Did they just trash these songs? Were they actually recorded?

I believe most of them saw the light of day already ...

While There's Still Time
It Takes Love
Lennon's Assassin (aka "Killing The Thing That You Love")

.... and I'm drawing a blank!

I think there might be a list of them at the Burtnik website. If I remember right, there's a link to a page that lists all of Burtnik's songs, including unreleased, but I'm not for sure.

I think Froy said he had heard all the songs once a few years back. He may be able to answer your question.

PsychoSy wrote:I believe most of them saw the light of day already ...

While There's Still Time
It Takes Love
Lennon's Assassin (aka "Killing The Thing That You Love")

.... and I'm drawing a blank!

Love & Love Alone
I *think* Little Suzie was part of that - either that or Glen just wrote it for Styx during that time...which makes less sense than the first choice.
Now I'm drawing a blank! Wasn't "Don't Give Up on Me" or "Don't Give Up on Your Love" one? HellifIknow. There was another one from the JYG album too, I think. Unless I'm hallucinating.

ChicagoSTYX wrote:I think Froy said he had heard all the songs once a few years back. He may be able to answer your question.

Sure did
Ask Keith Marks he will sell you one,

It was recorded and shopped around to labels...There were offers made but Dennis turned them all down. I guess Hunchback was more important to him. Well, I'm pretty sure it was.

This is from Glen's website:

After touring, we were planning a new album. A number of songs were written and quick recordings were made of each. Now that demo seems to have a certain legendary status among Styx fans, but I really didn't think much of it at the time. The songs were “It Takes Love To Make Love”, ”Nothing In Common”, ”Love On My Mind”, ”Watching The World Go By”, ”All For Love”, ”The Devil In Me”, ”Someday We'll Fly”, ”Don't Give Up On Me” and a re-recording of DeYoung's ”Beneath The Moon”. I wrote six of the nine, and Dennis sang 5. Some of these tunes showed up elsewhere eventually, but mostly due to greediness in negotiations with A&M Records, this Styx album was never to be.

Greed from who, I wonder? Both sides, perhaps. BTW, ChicagoStyx, your avatar makes me a bit nervous You're not going postal anytime soon, are ya?????

ek88 wrote:Greed from who, I wonder? Both sides, perhaps. BTW, ChicagoStyx, your avatar makes me a bit nervous You're not going postal anytime soon, are ya?????

Oh, come on now. From what I understand, the A&M deal was bust from the start. Dennis wanted off the label. The 'greed' occured when the demo was sent around and none of the offers were what Dennis wanted. At the same time, Styx wasn't in the greatest bargaining position. EotC was no where close to the success in the 80's. Why would any label want to spend a bunch of money on Styx at that point in time? Besides, Dennis was concentrating on Hunchback and his theater stuff.

Edge 2 never had a chance to be released....that's really the bottom line...and, it was DDY's decision.

From what I recall, A&M put a demo of "While There's Still Time" (or "It Takes Love") on a sampler CD that A&M execs shuffled around at a corporate party either against DDY's wishes or without permission from DDY. When he got wind of it, he had a coniption and put Styx on hiatus to get away from A&M records. The problem was Styx was still under contract for 2 more albums with them. When 1994 or so rolled around with Styx still on hiatus, they had to fullfilll that contract somehow. Enter Greatest Hits 1 & 2. A&M had problems getting a license or rights to put "Lady" on it from RCA. That's when DDY's lawyers discovered a loophole in the contract where they could re-record it and still put it on the A&M GH1 CD. During the "Lady" re-recording sessions, they also recorded "It Takes Love" and snagged "Little Suzy" from Glen Burtnik and agreed to give two new Styx tracks to A&M for GH2. A&M figured that Styx wasn't going to stay re-united but DDY pulled a fast one on them. As soon as the A&M contract was fullfilled, Styx was back, reunited, and looking for a new label.

A&M figured that Styx wasn't going to stay re-united but DDY pulled a fast one on them. As soon as the A&M contract was fullfilled, Styx was back, reunited, and looking for a new label.

And subsequently released a double live album that went gold.

One of the things I heard/read was that Dennis (and likely the others) were very angry at the treatment A & M gave "Edge". It produced a no. 3 single (albeit with the help of some timely radio play during the Gulf War). Nothing was done by the label to follow up this hit and no further promotion was done, although there were several songs which had some potential to be hits.

I may be wrong about this, but if true, I can hardly blame DDY for trying to find a more accomodating label.

Do I believe he played hardball? Yes. And did this cause problems? Also a yes.

Bugsy

And subsequently released a double live album that went gold.

Woo-hoo! Great album, too. Thank goodness they put it out. I wish they would've included Little Suzie, though

Nothing was done by the label to follow up this hit and no further promotion was done, although there were several songs which had some potential to be hits.

A sign of things to come for older bands and classic rock artists.

Jame's songs and the songs that Dennis wrote without Glen Burtnik saw the light of day as the largely unnoticed (Brave New World). This ended up being Dennis's last effort with the band he started,it wasn't a group effort as each of Tommy's,James,and Dennis' songs sound like they were meant for solo albums with little of the co-writing so prevailant on Paradise Theatre!

I thought RTP sucked and I only grabbed it for the new tracks. The live performance was just horrid -- hearing "Rockin' The Paradise" on it started off fine but as soon the riff started, I'm strained my head towards the stereo and said, "What the hell -- is JY out in the damned parking lot with someone holding a traffic cone over his pick?!?!" I don't know what happened but JY is nearly inaudible on it.

There's only a few songs off BNW that sound like Styx. All of them could have sounded like Styx but most of them needed something more. "I Will Be Your Witness" needed more keyboard during the Chorus and something to fill the Tommy/Todd monotony during the verses. "Brave New World" needed that DDY "over-produced" sound during the Choruses, "Number One" sounds like Styx to me as is, same with "While There's Still Time" ....... in fact, I'd like to pick DDY's brain on that album. He does beleive it was an album of missed opportunities and I think it's because most of the songs on there either needed his production, something more in each track, difference sequencing, or a combination of all of them.

He does beleive it was an album of missed opportunities and I think it's because most of the songs on there either needed his production, something more in each track, difference sequencing, or a combination of all of them.

I think you pretty much nailed the problem with this whole album, Sy. Just listened to it the other day and thought a lot of what you say above.

Bugsy

Maybe I'll blow the thick layer of dust off if it and give it another listen...

Man, 6 years of dust is A LOT of dust !! I'm gonna have to start to dust it annually

Off the Brave New World, "Goodbye Roseland" is one of the best STYX songs!!

PsychoSY says:

He does beleive it was an album of missed opportunities and I think it's because most of the songs on there either needed his production, something more in each track, difference sequencing, or a combination of all of them.

I totally agree, just like Bugsy said too You said it perfect.

I enjoy RTP

Classic, you should be playing your STYX cd's more often, ALL of them

I really enjoy RTP, the CD, but LOVE RTP the DVD! Wow! What a great concert!

I guess I just don't get into all the techie sound minutiae, some of you all do.

Yes, Classic, vacuum off the dust from BNW and give us an opinion.

Bugsy