Styx album openers

[GrandIllusionist725]

I always believed that the album opener for any record sets the tone for the rest of the album. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But I was curious, what would be your favorite Styx album opener? Would you put something different in its place? Least favorite opener? We have the following:

Styx - Movement for the Common Man
Styx II - You Need Love
The Serpent is Rising - Witch Wolf
Man of Miracles - Rock & Roll Feeling
Equinox - Light Up
Crystal Ball - Put Me On
The Grand Illusion - The Grand Illusion
Pieces of Eight - Great White Hope
Cornerstone - Lights
Paradise Theatre - A.D 1928/Rockin' the Paradise
Kilroy was Here - Mr.Roboto
Edge of the Century - Love is the Ritual
Brave New World - I Will Be Your Witness
Cyclorama - Do Things My Way
Big Bang Theory - I Am The Walrus

I have always loved each intro, especially the opening notes on You Need Love. Love is the Ritual was interesting for the fact that it introduced us to a whole new Styx sound. My least favorite would probably be Rock & Roll Feeling, where that could be replaced with the titled track, Man of Miracles.

[Baron Von Bielski]

I agree wholeheartedly. Especially in the 70's and 80's. How an album opens, ends, the running order and of course length of songs were just as integral as the composition. I real art to it all. Now it doesn't freakin' matter. Slap 12 songs on a CD in any order and there you have it. How a song's intro sounds following the ending of its predecessor provides a continuity. The end of one side, the beginning of side 2. Not just happenstance. Anyways, back on topic... Album openers. Because of the fact that they're theme albums Grand Illusion and PT have perfect openers. Both Equinox and CB have great openers as well. I actually really like You Need Love as an opener to Styx II. The way it just begins with a single powerful hit, works very well. Even though Lights is a good song it doesn't do much for me as an opener. There's not really a better choice though. Maybe Borrowed Time, but it's perfect as a side 2 opener.

[GrandIllusionist725]

You Need Love just adds that awesome punch at the beginning that really sets a mood like no other. Styx II is one of those albums that I can listen to from start to finish with no fillers in there. I agree that Borrowed Time may have been a good opener, but I like what you said, good opener to Side 2. Crystal Ball and the opener of Put Me On is a bunch of fun and I like when it goes into Mademoiselle. I love the opening notes to Light Up on Equinox too.

I guess I can say it, no bad openers!

[Baron Von Bielski]

You Need Love just adds that awesome punch at the beginning that really sets a mood like no other. Styx II is one of those albums that I can listen to from start to finish with no fillers in there. I agree that Borrowed Time may have been a good opener, but I like what you said, good opener to Side 2. Crystal Ball and the opener of Put Me On is a bunch of fun and I like when it goes into Mademoiselle. I love the opening notes to Light Up on Equinox too.

I guess I can say it, no bad openers!

Whoever made those decisions, hierarchy, individual or committee... whoever it was knew what he/they were doing. They knew how to craft an album, from start to finish. The lull and the journey each song takes you through, done extremely well.

[Toph]

I always believed that the album opener for any record sets the tone for the rest of the album. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But I was curious, what would be your favorite Styx album opener? Would you put something different in its place? Least favorite opener? We have the following:

Styx - Movement for the Common Man
Styx II - You Need Love
The Serpent is Rising - Witch Wolf
Man of Miracles - Rock & Roll Feeling
Equinox - Light Up
Crystal Ball - Put Me On
The Grand Illusion - The Grand Illusion
Pieces of Eight - Great White Hope
Cornerstone - Lights
Paradise Theatre - A.D 1928/Rockin' the Paradise
Kilroy was Here - Mr.Roboto
Edge of the Century - Love is the Ritual
Brave New World - I Will Be Your Witness
Cyclorama - Do Things My Way
Big Bang Theory - I Am The Walrus

I have always loved each intro, especially the opening notes on You Need Love. Love is the Ritual was interesting for the fact that it introduced us to a whole new Styx sound. My least favorite would probably be Rock & Roll Feeling, where that could be replaced with the titled track, Man of Miracles.

Styx did a really good job with openers. They had a bit of a "magical" quality to them.

The best - Light Up, Grand Illusion, the Voice over of "Great White Hope," Lights, AD 1928/Rockin the Paradise, and even Roboto.

The weakest - Love Is the Ritual (just is really dated and head banger-esque) and by far the worst - I Will Be Your Witness. Why would you start out your first album in 9 years with a mid tempo, uninspired tune? Everything is Cool should have kicked that album off.

[Abitaman]

Put Me On stands out to me right now, but all the others (most anyway) are right up there)

[GrandIllusionist725]

I always believed that the album opener for any record sets the tone for the rest of the album. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But I was curious, what would be your favorite Styx album opener? Would you put something different in its place? Least favorite opener? We have the following:

Styx - Movement for the Common Man
Styx II - You Need Love
The Serpent is Rising - Witch Wolf
Man of Miracles - Rock & Roll Feeling
Equinox - Light Up
Crystal Ball - Put Me On
The Grand Illusion - The Grand Illusion
Pieces of Eight - Great White Hope
Cornerstone - Lights
Paradise Theatre - A.D 1928/Rockin' the Paradise
Kilroy was Here - Mr.Roboto
Edge of the Century - Love is the Ritual
Brave New World - I Will Be Your Witness
Cyclorama - Do Things My Way
Big Bang Theory - I Am The Walrus

I have always loved each intro, especially the opening notes on You Need Love. Love is the Ritual was interesting for the fact that it introduced us to a whole new Styx sound. My least favorite would probably be Rock & Roll Feeling, where that could be replaced with the titled track, Man of Miracles.

Styx did a really good job with openers. They had a bit of a "magical" quality to them.

The best - Light Up, Grand Illusion, the Voice over of "Great White Hope," Lights, AD 1928/Rockin the Paradise, and even Roboto.

The weakest - Love Is the Ritual (just is really dated and head banger-esque) and by far the worst - I Will Be Your Witness. Why would you start out your first album in 9 years with a mid tempo, uninspired tune? Everything is Cool should have kicked that album off.

I do agree about I Will Be Your Witness. I mean, I like the song, but that could've been pushed off somewhere else on Brave New World. Everything is Cool would've been perfect, and that's still one of my favorite Styx tunes to this day.

[yogi]

The changes I would have made is on Styx 1 I would have opened up with Best Thing and followed it with What Has Come Between Us. Fanfare would have been the opener on Tails.

I would have opened with Edge of The Century on the Edge album and it would of been my first single. I would just swapped it with Love is the Ritual.

Everything Is Cool would have opened the Brave New World Album with I Will be Your Witness being single #1 and it would have been followed be Goodbye Roseland as single #2.

From Cyclorama Kiss Your Ass Goodbye should have been released as their first single,and CMC should have broken the bank to release Paradise as a single off of The Return to Paradise album. All three of their new songs could have hit the charts if they would of done that.

Finally on Big Bang Styx should have redone a studio version of Gowans A Criminal Mind and had New Door release it as a single,it's a great song and was awesome Styxified.

[Baron Von Bielski]

The changes I would have made is on Styx 1 I would have opened up with Best Thing and followed it with What Has Come Between Us. Fanfare would have been the opener on Tails.

I would have opened with Edge of The Century on the Edge album and it would of been my first single. I would just swapped it with Love is the Ritual.

Everything Is Cool would have opened the Brave New World Album with I Will be Your Witness being single #1 and it would have been followed be Goodbye Roseland as single #2.

From Cyclorama Kiss Your Ass Goodbye should have been released as their first single,and CMC should have broken the bank to release Paradise as a single off of The Return to Paradise album. All three of their new songs could have hit the charts if they would of done that.

Finally on Big Bang Styx should have redone a studio version of Gowans A Criminal Mind and had New Door release it as a single,it's a great song and was awesome Styxified.

I hadn't really even given Styx I much thought, good call on Best Thing. Good opener. I'd of opened BNW with the title song. To me Edge has no clear cut obvious opener except, Ritual is just okay. Title track maybe could've have worked if the song started where the riff does. I'd go with World Tonite. Works for me.

[FormerDJMike]

The changes I would have made is on Styx 1 I would have opened up with Best Thing and followed it with What Has Come Between Us. Fanfare would have been the opener on Tails.

I would have opened with Edge of The Century on the Edge album and it would of been my first single. I would just swapped it with Love is the Ritual.

Everything Is Cool would have opened the Brave New World Album with I Will be Your Witness being single #1 and it would have been followed be Goodbye Roseland as single #2.

From Cyclorama Kiss Your Ass Goodbye should have been released as their first single,and CMC should have broken the bank to release Paradise as a single off of The Return to Paradise album. All three of their new songs could have hit the charts if they would of done that.

Finally on Big Bang Styx should have redone a studio version of Gowans A Criminal Mind and had New Door release it as a single,it's a great song and was awesome Styxified.

Paradise was released as a single. I have the CD single and the radio station I worked for at the time played it. I also have the CD single for On My Way.

[masque]

to me they usually did a great job with openers......the weakest is by far I will be Your Witness as an opener.

However, the run of

Light UP
Put Me ON
The Grand Illusion
Great White Hope
AD 1928/Rockin The Paradise

those are perfection

Lights is bit confusing for me, because it's one of my all time fave styx songs ever, but I do think Borrowed Time may have been better, but I love it opening side 2.

Roboto was fine and I guess when you consider the concept they were after and coupled with the other choices from the album there really was no other choice for them on that one.

I am fine with the WN releases and think they are all fantastic as openers.

Love is the Ritual was the best choice at the time the album was released.

[Baron Von Bielski]

The changes I would have made is on Styx 1 I would have opened up with Best Thing and followed it with What Has Come Between Us. Fanfare would have been the opener on Tails.

I would have opened with Edge of The Century on the Edge album and it would of been my first single. I would just swapped it with Love is the Ritual.

Everything Is Cool would have opened the Brave New World Album with I Will be Your Witness being single #1 and it would have been followed be Goodbye Roseland as single #2.

From Cyclorama Kiss Your Ass Goodbye should have been released as their first single,and CMC should have broken the bank to release Paradise as a single off of The Return to Paradise album. All three of their new songs could have hit the charts if they would of done that.

Finally on Big Bang Styx should have redone a studio version of Gowans A Criminal Mind and had New Door release it as a single,it's a great song and was awesome Styxified.

Paradise was released as a single. I have the CD single and the radio station I worked for at the time played it. I also have the CD single for On My Way.

What radio station did you work at?

[FormerDJMike]

That was a long time ago. Dang, almost 20 years ago and I only worked for that company for 2 years. I took a job at a country station in Cookeville, TN as soon as I graduated from college. Was my first full time job. I didn't like moving to a small town but i knew it would be a stepping stone to something else. About a year into the job they started a new radio station "Soft Rock B-97.3" It was on satellite 95% of the time but it did have a live afternoon drive. I had contacts at CMC International and asked them to send me some promo stuff for our station and they sent the CD singles for Paradise and On My Way. I believe there were two versions of Paradise, one was the album version and track 2 was an "AC Edit" (adult contemporary). One was a bit shorter than the other, I think it cut down or cut out the guitar solo and that is the version we played. I believe the station is now Classic Rock B-Rock or something (WBXE I think were the call letters).

After that I moved to Missouri and worked at a classic rock station when BNW came out and still had my contacts at CMC so I got them to send me the singles from BNW. Everything Is Cool, Witness (billed as XTS, no Styx name anywhere on the disc and they sent it in my name to our Top 40 station), Number One & While There's Still Time. They also sent me the "Edge" promo disc for Y2K that featured the remix of Best New Face with the added guitar solo. For a small label they were good about sending out product when I asked for it. They released 4 singles for BNW. I don't think I have those CD singles anymore, I believe I traded them off to Styxcollector. At the time I had no use for CD singles they just took up space. However, I did keep Paradise, On My Way & the "Edge" singles. I also have the single for "These Are The Times" which has the album version, a radio edit and a live version.

Back on topic, I have to agree with everyone here. I think Witness was the worst track as an album opener. I loved BNW when it came out but it was very disjointed and Everything Is Cool would have been the better choice for an opener. And drop Best New Face and Just Fell In (they aren't bad songs but are the weakest on the album). I love "Ritual" as the opener on Edge but I think the title track would have worked just as well.

[Archetype]

With regard to its role towards overall album cohesiveness and setting the tone, I'd have to say that "Do Things My Way" is one of Styx's best album openers.