Styx visits SLC fans, Tommy Shaw talks
Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2007 11:28 amhttp://media.www.slccglobelink.com/medi ... 1331.shtml
Styx visits SLC fans, Tommy Shaw talks
Ben Hansen
Posted: 2/26/07
The Depot opened its stage to legendary rock band, Styx. Before the group took the stage, The Globe was able to talk with lead singer, Tommy Shaw.
The Globe: What has been your favorite song to perform nightly on this tour?
Tommy Shaw: Really, each song you hear us perform is a favorite. There are so many to choose from, we try and pick those which will have as much impact as possible and those which have been the most resilient over the years. The opening song is always a thrill because that's when your adrenaline gets going. Then the final song - when you leave everything you have on the stage - that's another big song for us.
G: What about your favorite all-time song to perform?
TS: There's a song on our most recent studio album, "Cyclorama," called "One with Everything" that is always an absolute joy to play. Lots of twists and turns, and it's a homage to our prog days. Perhaps my favorite all-time song might be "Crystal Ball" because it starts out acoustically - about as quiet as we ever get - then ends bombastically with lots of harmonies and solos.
G: Was it fun recording the "One with Everything" album?
TS: The process of getting to the point where we recorded this live CD/DVD was a whole new experience for us because the orchestra - the Contemporary Youth Orchestra - was made up entirely of teenagers. The chorus had members as young as five years of age. It took months of preparation, most of it long distance, working with a team of arrangers creating 20 separate charts for them to learn. They did this while going to school every day. The concert itself was one of the most enjoyable experiences we've ever had, and you can really see and hear that.
G: Tell us about the new Shaw/Blades "Influence" covers album.
TS: Jack Blades and I started this album a couple of years ago with a couple of demos to see how we felt. We recorded "For What It's Worth" and "I Am a Rock" and they both turned out so much to our liking, we just kept going. This era turned out so many great songs we could have done a boxed set. So far we've heard back from Jon Anderson, Graham Nash, Michelle Phillips and Greg Lake and they've all given us high marks for our versions of their songs - which to us trumps even the great reviews we've been getting.
G: I know that the new album is available as a pre-release download on iTunes. Are there any particular tracks that you feel turned out particularly well that you'd recommend for the fans?
TS: VH1's Classic Records is going to radio with "Your Move" which is already at No. 12 on the classic rock charts. "Lucky Man," "California Dreaming," "Summer Breeze," you know, they were all hit records and we did our best to honor them all, so I'd suggest pushing play and letting it run to the end.
G: Speaking of Jack Blades, are there any plans for a Damn Yankees reunion tour? Do you still keep in touch with Nugent and Cartellone?
TS: We never actually broke up, so it would really be our "next" tour, since we would not really be reuniting. It's something we talk about on a regular basis and we just need to figure out when.
G: I've always had a lot of admiration for your vocal octave range. Do you have to do a lot of conditioning to maintain this? Are there any songs in the current Styx set that are more challenging for you to sing?
TS: My vocal range has actually gone up since my early days in Styx. Back then I was inclined to join in the celebration on a regular basis, smoking, drinking, dabbling in recreational stupidity and debauchery, and loved every minute of it. But my voice tended to be a little lower as a result, and songs like "Blue Collar Man" were at the top of my range. With the song "High Enough" I really had to choose between living the high life and hitting the high notes and I chose the latter.
G: I remember a while back that you guys played a cruise ship show with Journey and REO Speedwagon. What were some of the highlights of that for you?
TS: It was an experiment by a promoter, who believed that it was something our fans would enjoy. When we did our press conference on board the ship in Cozumel, and saw just how happy they were, we knew it had been a success. It was a great concert, and the venue was enormous. I know our crew certainly enjoyed themselves, especially the European sundeck.
G: Do you have a favorite guitar?
TS: My very first guitar, a "Marco Polo" entry-level nylon string guitar which was given to me by my parents on my tenth birthday had been out of my possession for the past 14 years after a divorce. I had pretty much accepted that I might never see it again; but a couple of months ago, my daughter delivered it to me on the road and it's still in my wardrobe case while I wait for our gear to come to Los Angeles so I can bring it home. I'll have to take a photo and post it on our Web site. It's nice to have it back.
G: I know that you've toured in four different decades, and have probably seen just about everything, being on the road that long. Tell us about one of the craziest road experiences that you've had.
TS: Chuck Panozzo has written his memoirs and I've just finished reading an advance copy. I'm really proud of how well he told his story. It made me start thinking again about doing the same thing. You live this life every day for so long, you start thinking that it's normal, but when someone asks you to recall crazy stuff, you realize there is an awful lot to choose from. My friend Angie Dickenson has had perhaps the most exciting life of anyone in the history of show business and she just won't tell. There is a lot of mine I probably won't either.
G: Do you have any final messages for the Styx fans in Salt Lake City?
TS: I began hearing about Utah fans the day that I joined Styx in December of 1975. This state was the first to embrace Styx as a national recording and touring band and we've had a special place in our hearts for Utah ever since. We look forward to seeing you all again.
Styx visits SLC fans, Tommy Shaw talks
Ben Hansen
Posted: 2/26/07
The Depot opened its stage to legendary rock band, Styx. Before the group took the stage, The Globe was able to talk with lead singer, Tommy Shaw.
The Globe: What has been your favorite song to perform nightly on this tour?
Tommy Shaw: Really, each song you hear us perform is a favorite. There are so many to choose from, we try and pick those which will have as much impact as possible and those which have been the most resilient over the years. The opening song is always a thrill because that's when your adrenaline gets going. Then the final song - when you leave everything you have on the stage - that's another big song for us.
G: What about your favorite all-time song to perform?
TS: There's a song on our most recent studio album, "Cyclorama," called "One with Everything" that is always an absolute joy to play. Lots of twists and turns, and it's a homage to our prog days. Perhaps my favorite all-time song might be "Crystal Ball" because it starts out acoustically - about as quiet as we ever get - then ends bombastically with lots of harmonies and solos.
G: Was it fun recording the "One with Everything" album?
TS: The process of getting to the point where we recorded this live CD/DVD was a whole new experience for us because the orchestra - the Contemporary Youth Orchestra - was made up entirely of teenagers. The chorus had members as young as five years of age. It took months of preparation, most of it long distance, working with a team of arrangers creating 20 separate charts for them to learn. They did this while going to school every day. The concert itself was one of the most enjoyable experiences we've ever had, and you can really see and hear that.
G: Tell us about the new Shaw/Blades "Influence" covers album.
TS: Jack Blades and I started this album a couple of years ago with a couple of demos to see how we felt. We recorded "For What It's Worth" and "I Am a Rock" and they both turned out so much to our liking, we just kept going. This era turned out so many great songs we could have done a boxed set. So far we've heard back from Jon Anderson, Graham Nash, Michelle Phillips and Greg Lake and they've all given us high marks for our versions of their songs - which to us trumps even the great reviews we've been getting.
G: I know that the new album is available as a pre-release download on iTunes. Are there any particular tracks that you feel turned out particularly well that you'd recommend for the fans?
TS: VH1's Classic Records is going to radio with "Your Move" which is already at No. 12 on the classic rock charts. "Lucky Man," "California Dreaming," "Summer Breeze," you know, they were all hit records and we did our best to honor them all, so I'd suggest pushing play and letting it run to the end.
G: Speaking of Jack Blades, are there any plans for a Damn Yankees reunion tour? Do you still keep in touch with Nugent and Cartellone?
TS: We never actually broke up, so it would really be our "next" tour, since we would not really be reuniting. It's something we talk about on a regular basis and we just need to figure out when.
G: I've always had a lot of admiration for your vocal octave range. Do you have to do a lot of conditioning to maintain this? Are there any songs in the current Styx set that are more challenging for you to sing?
TS: My vocal range has actually gone up since my early days in Styx. Back then I was inclined to join in the celebration on a regular basis, smoking, drinking, dabbling in recreational stupidity and debauchery, and loved every minute of it. But my voice tended to be a little lower as a result, and songs like "Blue Collar Man" were at the top of my range. With the song "High Enough" I really had to choose between living the high life and hitting the high notes and I chose the latter.
G: I remember a while back that you guys played a cruise ship show with Journey and REO Speedwagon. What were some of the highlights of that for you?
TS: It was an experiment by a promoter, who believed that it was something our fans would enjoy. When we did our press conference on board the ship in Cozumel, and saw just how happy they were, we knew it had been a success. It was a great concert, and the venue was enormous. I know our crew certainly enjoyed themselves, especially the European sundeck.
G: Do you have a favorite guitar?
TS: My very first guitar, a "Marco Polo" entry-level nylon string guitar which was given to me by my parents on my tenth birthday had been out of my possession for the past 14 years after a divorce. I had pretty much accepted that I might never see it again; but a couple of months ago, my daughter delivered it to me on the road and it's still in my wardrobe case while I wait for our gear to come to Los Angeles so I can bring it home. I'll have to take a photo and post it on our Web site. It's nice to have it back.
G: I know that you've toured in four different decades, and have probably seen just about everything, being on the road that long. Tell us about one of the craziest road experiences that you've had.
TS: Chuck Panozzo has written his memoirs and I've just finished reading an advance copy. I'm really proud of how well he told his story. It made me start thinking again about doing the same thing. You live this life every day for so long, you start thinking that it's normal, but when someone asks you to recall crazy stuff, you realize there is an awful lot to choose from. My friend Angie Dickenson has had perhaps the most exciting life of anyone in the history of show business and she just won't tell. There is a lot of mine I probably won't either.
G: Do you have any final messages for the Styx fans in Salt Lake City?
TS: I began hearing about Utah fans the day that I joined Styx in December of 1975. This state was the first to embrace Styx as a national recording and touring band and we've had a special place in our hearts for Utah ever since. We look forward to seeing you all again.
