MR

There are many discussions going on over at the Styx facebook page. This particular one got the "WHAT DID THEY SAY" look from me.

http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=8 ... opic=16101

Here is the post I am referring to.

Who's your favorite member of Styx, and why ?

James Young ( JY ) is my favorite member of Styx. He's just an awesome guitarist. He just has a good singer. JY is the hard rock of Styx. I think that they should have more of JY songs on each album.

Can this poster hear? I will give him credit on guitarist, but singer......?? sheesh!

That poster must be tone-deaf. Since I first began listening to Styx in the mid-70s, I have always hated JY's voice. I know a lot of people give him credit for holding the 3-part harmonies together, but he should never have been allowed to be a lead singer. Just my 2 cents.

As for guitar playing, yeah, he's good, but he is so one-dimensional. I much prefer Tommy's versatility and sense of melody.

Maybe he prefers Metallica and Opeth over Neil Sedaka and Barry Manilove.

I've always liked JY's guitar playing, but it is a bit over-rated. If you take away his effects, you don't have much there. that's from a lead guitar standpoint.

JY is a very good lead player.....he hasnt reinvented the wheel or anything but solos like the "renegade" solo are great guitar work plain and simple.

as a vocalist in his prime he did a very good job.....he didnt really have a radio voice and wasnt going to be a "hit maker" with his voice but when you listen to performances like "great white hope" I really enjoy the way he sounds on songs like that and it was a super nice contrast to what dennis and tommy were doing.

gr8dane wrote:Maybe he prefers Metallica and Opeth over Neil Sedaka and Barry Manilove.

I see you mean professional screamers and shouters as opposed to vocalists whose voices can stand on their own. Take away the musical talents of the bands you mentioned and there's not much left.

masque wrote:JY is a very good lead player.....he hasnt reinvented the wheel or anything but solos like the "renegade" solo are great guitar work plain and simple.

Remove the "very" before good and we're in business although I think everyone goes to Renegade when recalling his exceptional guitar work. Can you name another without going through and listening to their catalogue cause I sure can't.

I've never really had a problem with his vocals, though they were at best early on and they fit the norm for a seventies rock band. They really degraded with time and he can't hit those highs without sounding like he can't hit the highs. But he is older now... much older, but Tommy's voice still sounds as fresh as 1976 and he is a much better guitarist all around.

Boomchild wrote:

gr8dane wrote:Maybe he prefers Metallica and Opeth over Neil Sedaka and Barry Manilove.

I see you mean professional screamers and shouters as opposed to vocalists whose voices can stand on their own. Take away the musical talents of the bands you mentioned and there's not much left.

The fella likes JY's gruff voice and the heavy songs he brought to the table ,so he would probably prefer the heavier bands around.Big deal.

I'm surprised froy hasn't commented a million times on the fb page yet

gr8dane wrote:

Boomchild wrote:

gr8dane wrote:Maybe he prefers Metallica and Opeth over Neil Sedaka and Barry Manilove.

I see you mean professional screamers and shouters as opposed to vocalists whose voices can stand on their own. Take away the musical talents of the bands you mentioned and there's not much left.

The fella likes JY's gruff voice and the heavy songs he brought to the table ,so he would probably prefer the heavier bands around.Big deal.

Heavy songs? Name one "heavy" song he brought to the table.

Baron Von Bielski wrote:

gr8dane wrote:

Boomchild wrote:

gr8dane wrote:Maybe he prefers Metallica and Opeth over Neil Sedaka and Barry Manilove.

I see you mean professional screamers and shouters as opposed to vocalists whose voices can stand on their own. Take away the musical talents of the bands you mentioned and there's not much left.

The fella likes JY's gruff voice and the heavy songs he brought to the table ,so he would probably prefer the heavier bands around.Big deal.

Heavy songs? Name one "heavy" song he brought to the table.

Heavy Water

Baron Von Bielski wrote:

gr8dane wrote:

Boomchild wrote:

gr8dane wrote:Maybe he prefers Metallica and Opeth over Neil Sedaka and Barry Manilove.

I see you mean professional screamers and shouters as opposed to vocalists whose voices can stand on their own. Take away the musical talents of the bands you mentioned and there's not much left.

The fella likes JY's gruff voice and the heavy songs he brought to the table ,so he would probably prefer the heavier bands around.Big deal.

Heavy songs? Name one "heavy" song he brought to the table.

Man of Miracles, Witch Wolf, Young Man

Young Man has a killer keyboard in it too!

Over the years I have had no problems with JY's singing. In fact, Miss America is the song that had me hooked when I put on side 2 of The Grand Illusion (vinyl!). I loved the heaviness of the song and the creepiness of his deep voice. I would always play side one and never flip to the other side. When I finally did I heard what I had been missing. When I started buying the back catalog of RCA/Wooden Nickel albums (all with the cartoon covers) I learned to appreciate his vocals even more on songs like "You Need Love". At one time he was a decent singer, both high and low. But now? Just listen to the re-tread of Miss America. AWFUL

I'll even go back to just a few years back, say 1993 or so when Raised By Wolves was just formed but the album wasn't yet released. JYG put on a FINE show and his voice was still like it was on the older albums. In fact, the set list was very diverse and I would rather see JYG live than the current version of Styx. Songs like "Best Thing" and even "Dr. On Call" were hot songs live and the harmonies were there.

But as for my favorite member or singer I'd have to go with Dennis. Each member had their strengths. Togther they made some of the best classic rock albums of all time.

FormerDJMike wrote: Each member had their strengths. Togther they made some of the best classic rock albums of all time.

Well said. Styx is a group and not a person. We all have our favorite member, for whatever reason. But none of them have come close to Styx sales, Styx output, and Styx run of great cds.

Baron Von Bielski wrote:

masque wrote:JY is a very good lead player.....he hasnt reinvented the wheel or anything but solos like the "renegade" solo are great guitar work plain and simple.

Remove the "very" before good and we're in business although I think everyone goes to Renegade when recalling his exceptional guitar work. Can you name another without going through and listening to their catalogue cause I sure can't.

I've never really had a problem with his vocals, though they were at best early on and they fit the norm for a seventies rock band. They really degraded with time and he can't hit those highs without sounding like he can't hit the highs. But he is older now... much older, but Tommy's voice still sounds as fresh as 1976 and he is a much better guitarist all around.

JY played a handful of what I consider some of the great unsung guitar solos of the 1970s and 1980s; among them, "Renegade" (of course), "Suite Madame Blue," "Snowblind," "Castle Walls" and I would also say that his solo later on "Show Me The Way" was a nice, unexpected departure for him.

It's not that he can't play. It's that he tends to repeat himself instead of stretch. When he does stretch, he's capable of surprising you.

Sterling

Abitaman wrote:

Baron Von Bielski wrote:

gr8dane wrote:

Boomchild wrote:

gr8dane wrote:Maybe he prefers Metallica and Opeth over Neil Sedaka and Barry Manilove.

I see you mean professional screamers and shouters as opposed to vocalists whose voices can stand on their own. Take away the musical talents of the bands you mentioned and there's not much left.

The fella likes JY's gruff voice and the heavy songs he brought to the table ,so he would probably prefer the heavier bands around.Big deal.

Heavy songs? Name one "heavy" song he brought to the table.

Man of Miracles, Witch Wolf, Young Man

Those aren't "heavy", they're just straight ahead rock. Yes, he brought a straight forward 70's rock sound to the band.

Abitaman wrote:

FormerDJMike wrote: Each member had their strengths. Togther they made some of the best classic rock albums of all time.

Well said. Styx is a group and not a person. We all have our favorite member, for whatever reason. But none of them have come close to Styx sales, Styx output, and Styx run of great cds.

I would agree with you . That is why the current Styx does not interest me. To me "the group" was TS, JY and DDY and anything short of that is an imitation. Even when Glen replaced Tommy for Edge I still didn't get the same vibe from it. That is nothing against Glen either.

FormerDJMike wrote:Over the years I have had no problems with JY's singing. In fact, Miss America is the song that had me hooked when I put on side 2 of The Grand Illusion (vinyl!). I loved the heaviness of the song and the creepiness of his deep voice. I would always play side one and never flip to the other side. When I finally did I heard what I had been missing. When I started buying the back catalog of RCA/Wooden Nickel albums (all with the cartoon covers) I learned to appreciate his vocals even more on songs like "You Need Love". At one time he was a decent singer, both high and low. But now? Just listen to the re-tread of Miss America. AWFUL

I'll even go back to just a few years back, say 1993 or so when Raised By Wolves was just formed but the album wasn't yet released. JYG put on a FINE show and his voice was still like it was on the older albums. In fact, the set list was very diverse and I would rather see JYG live than the current version of Styx. Songs like "Best Thing" and even "Dr. On Call" were hot songs live and the harmonies were there.

But as for my favorite member or singer I'd have to go with Dennis. Each member had their strengths. Togther they made some of the best classic rock albums of all time.

Out of all JY's vocal performances, I prefer his work on the WN recordings. As the band gained momentum I kept felling JY was over doing his vocals when singing lead.

Still no love for the panozzo's eh? The one's that actually started the band.

Everett wrote:Still no love for the panozzo's eh? The one's that actually started the band.

I have nothing against John or Chuck being in the band. But I think that it is fairly obvious that the driving musical and creative force of the band was DDY, JY and Tommy. After all they were the principle writers and creative people in Styx. For me that is what was important about the band. In my opinion, Chuck and John took more a back seat to the inner workings of the group and in no way do I mean that as a put down to either of them. Also, I don't see that as taking anything away from either of them when discussing the actual founding members of the band.

Dennis was/is my favorite member of Styx.
However, John was the only one I met personally and I thought he was the coolest, nicest guy. Really down to earth and enjoyable to talk with.

cittadeeno23 wrote:Dennis was/is my favorite member of Styx.
However, John was the only one I met personally and I thought he was the coolest, nicest guy. Really down to earth and enjoyable to talk with.

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to have met everyone that has been in Styx sans JC, and John P is still one of the major highlights for me. He was adorable and sweet - very down to earth. I'm very grateful to have had the experience.

Zan wrote:

cittadeeno23 wrote:Dennis was/is my favorite member of Styx.
However, John was the only one I met personally and I thought he was the coolest, nicest guy. Really down to earth and enjoyable to talk with.

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to have met everyone that has been in Styx sans JC, and John P is still one of the major highlights for me. He was adorable and sweet - very down to earth. I'm very grateful to have had the experience.

I met him in Milwaukee have his autograph Nice guy

Boomchild wrote:

FormerDJMike wrote:Over the years I have had no problems with JY's singing. In fact, Miss America is the song that had me hooked when I put on side 2 of The Grand Illusion (vinyl!). I loved the heaviness of the song and the creepiness of his deep voice. I would always play side one and never flip to the other side. When I finally did I heard what I had been missing. When I started buying the back catalog of RCA/Wooden Nickel albums (all with the cartoon covers) I learned to appreciate his vocals even more on songs like "You Need Love". At one time he was a decent singer, both high and low. But now? Just listen to the re-tread of Miss America. AWFUL

I'll even go back to just a few years back, say 1993 or so when Raised By Wolves was just formed but the album wasn't yet released. JYG put on a FINE show and his voice was still like it was on the older albums. In fact, the set list was very diverse and I would rather see JYG live than the current version of Styx. Songs like "Best Thing" and even "Dr. On Call" were hot songs live and the harmonies were there.

But as for my favorite member or singer I'd have to go with Dennis. Each member had their strengths. Togther they made some of the best classic rock albums of all time.

Out of all JY's vocal performances, I prefer his work on the WN recordings. As the band gained momentum I kept felling JY was over doing his vocals when singing lead.

I totally agree. I thought he was great during the WN era.