Tommy Note 11-11-05
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2005 5:23 amHere's the new note from Tommy, just like Yogi said. I think this is the first letter that he hasn't mentioned that he was tired - LOL
Hello Friends,
We're in Verona, New York this morning, getting ready to head for New Jersey after breakfast. We played at Turning Stone last night to one enthusiastic STYX crowd. Chris and the rest of our sound crew tweaked the room really well, realizing the potential for an over the top aural experience for us and the crowd. Our crew had mentioned how exceptionally good the system sounded in this venue and it did sound really nice during the sound check where we pulled "One Way Out" out of the Biz Bag and dusted it off. We'd planned to play it in Chicago where it has become a radio favorite on the LOOP, but because it felt so good, we decided to add it to the set last night. It was only when we stepped out on stage in front of the crowd that we realized what the crew was talking about. Most venues have certain resonances that become part of the overall sound of the show--reverberation, echo, bass traps, standing square waves, etc. But this sounded like we were doing a live show in the recording studio.
Because we're closing in on our first real break since we embarked on our 1999 tour, we are a mixed bag of emotions. Everyone really needs some time to get their personal lives caught up. But we're all coming to the realization that we won't have the gig at the end of the day for a while. That booster shot of ga-ga-feel-good that's the realization of every musician's dream will have to wait until the end of February and that's going to be an adjustment!
Tonight we're having a celebration dinner. Our manager Charlie came into STYXworld 10 years ago when he was my manager for SHAW BLADES and he mentioned to me that if STYX got together to support our Greatest Hits CD, that people would show up. After 13 years since we'd all performed together, it was something I thought was worthy of a call to the other band members. Moments later we were all connected via conference call and Charlie told everyone what he'd just told me. The following summer we toured with the "Return to Paradise Tour 1996" and the STYX juggernaut was reawakened.
It was 1995 when Todd Sucherman came into our world. He was a session drummer in Chicago with a shining reputation as the young dude who was the go to guy to get it done fast and fine. He could sight read and was fearless when it came to killing it on the first take. Keith Marks, our production manager, was doing his cartage at the time and brought Todd in when John Panozzo was too sick to play.
December 17, 1975, I got the call to come audition for the STYX. I was performing in my home town with buddies I'd known from the Montgomery, Alabama area but I'd left my number listed when I moved back from Chicago earlier that year.
And let's not forget Lawrence's birthday which is coming up on November 22. On the day that President Kennedy was assassinated, Lawrence's school principal spoke on the school intercom system, "Children, I have a special announcement..." Lawrence's ears perked up. "The president of the United States has been shot..." Lawrence thought to himself, "Yes, aaaaaaand...," sure that the principal would then be saying, "and of course it's Lawrence Gowan's birthday today!"
We have much to celebrate tonight!
See you Saturday night...
TS
Hello Friends,
We're in Verona, New York this morning, getting ready to head for New Jersey after breakfast. We played at Turning Stone last night to one enthusiastic STYX crowd. Chris and the rest of our sound crew tweaked the room really well, realizing the potential for an over the top aural experience for us and the crowd. Our crew had mentioned how exceptionally good the system sounded in this venue and it did sound really nice during the sound check where we pulled "One Way Out" out of the Biz Bag and dusted it off. We'd planned to play it in Chicago where it has become a radio favorite on the LOOP, but because it felt so good, we decided to add it to the set last night. It was only when we stepped out on stage in front of the crowd that we realized what the crew was talking about. Most venues have certain resonances that become part of the overall sound of the show--reverberation, echo, bass traps, standing square waves, etc. But this sounded like we were doing a live show in the recording studio.
Because we're closing in on our first real break since we embarked on our 1999 tour, we are a mixed bag of emotions. Everyone really needs some time to get their personal lives caught up. But we're all coming to the realization that we won't have the gig at the end of the day for a while. That booster shot of ga-ga-feel-good that's the realization of every musician's dream will have to wait until the end of February and that's going to be an adjustment!
Tonight we're having a celebration dinner. Our manager Charlie came into STYXworld 10 years ago when he was my manager for SHAW BLADES and he mentioned to me that if STYX got together to support our Greatest Hits CD, that people would show up. After 13 years since we'd all performed together, it was something I thought was worthy of a call to the other band members. Moments later we were all connected via conference call and Charlie told everyone what he'd just told me. The following summer we toured with the "Return to Paradise Tour 1996" and the STYX juggernaut was reawakened.
It was 1995 when Todd Sucherman came into our world. He was a session drummer in Chicago with a shining reputation as the young dude who was the go to guy to get it done fast and fine. He could sight read and was fearless when it came to killing it on the first take. Keith Marks, our production manager, was doing his cartage at the time and brought Todd in when John Panozzo was too sick to play.
December 17, 1975, I got the call to come audition for the STYX. I was performing in my home town with buddies I'd known from the Montgomery, Alabama area but I'd left my number listed when I moved back from Chicago earlier that year.
And let's not forget Lawrence's birthday which is coming up on November 22. On the day that President Kennedy was assassinated, Lawrence's school principal spoke on the school intercom system, "Children, I have a special announcement..." Lawrence's ears perked up. "The president of the United States has been shot..." Lawrence thought to himself, "Yes, aaaaaaand...," sure that the principal would then be saying, "and of course it's Lawrence Gowan's birthday today!"
We have much to celebrate tonight!
See you Saturday night...
TS
