UCR Rates Styx albums worst to best

[ztyxlynne]

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/styx-alb ... t-articles

Who agrees with this list?

[pinkfloyd1973]

"Lords of the Rising?'' I don't think I've heard that one...

[ztyxlynne]

I am surprised where they rated Brave New World on the list.

[Baron Von Bielski]

Jeez, Big Bang Theory isn't that bad. Nor is Cyclorama. Kilroy rated way too high IMO.

[masque]

the list isn't horrible.....but like all lists, there are a few I would have different. mine would go something like this;

1 grand illusion
2 pieces of eight
3 paradise theatre
4 crystal ball
5 equinox
6 cornerstone
7 kilroy
8 styx 2
9 serpent is rising
10 man of miracles
11 cyclorama
12 styx 1
13 brave new world
14 edge of the century


and let me say this about my rankings......whether it's #1 or #14, I dig all of their albums. I can enjoy any of them and have listened to everyone of them alot during my life........so even though edge is at #14, I like the album, has some real good songs on it.....i just dont like it as much as the others.....their catalog is one of a handful of bands that I can enjoy pretty much everything they have done with few exceptions.

[Toph]

http://ultimateclassicrock.com/styx-albums-ranked/?trackback=blogroll_widget-latest-articles

Who agrees with this list?

I agree in that the bottom 2 are the albums with Gowan. Enough said.

[Baron Von Bielski]

Sometimes I feel like I'm one the the few who actually like Styx I.

[Boomchild]

Dennis has been talking about this on his FB page and has weighed in. Here is what he had to say.

Here's my list. No comments on the ones I did not participate in, although the ratings by the reviewer did not go unnoticed.

GRAND ILLUSION of course

PARADISE THEATER AND PIECES OF EIGHT it's a tie although they are very different, Jimmy Fallon loved the bands variety and said so. ME TOO

EQUINOX the first real Styx album, how did A&M USA miss SUITE MADAME BLUE, A&M Canada didn't

CORNERSTONE. Babe and Boat gave us our most successful worldwide audience to this very day FIRST TIME would have been the 3rd hit. Waahhhhhh

KILROY. Roboto Don't Let It End Haven't We Been Here Before "Damn it Kilroy" where's the rock. I noticed many of you like this record.

CRYSTAL BALL Hello Tommy Shaw

These next two are about the same to me, give the edge to Edge
EDGE very good considering it's a reinvention. SHOW ME THE WAY beats the odds becomes a hit. A&M sabotages Love At First Sight

BRAVE could have been great but ya gotta collaborate GOOD BYE ROSELAND I'll say

STYX ll. a glimpse at the future Styx Add Best Thing to this album and you have what should have been our first record. Perhaps this should be higher.

MAN OF MIRACLES
STYX
SERPENT

[masque]

i find it amusing that he dislikes the wooden nickel days so badly......i love those albums and it's obvious he hates serpent, but i think it's great!

[gr8dane]

Sometimes I feel like I'm one the the few who actually like Styx I.

Well,I am with you.

[gr8dane]

i find it amusing that he dislikes the wooden nickel days so badly......i love those albums and it's obvious he hates serpent, but i think it's great!

Love the WN albums.
Would take them over Kilroy,Edge,Cornerstone and GI.

[Baron Von Bielski]

I love both Styx 1 and 2. Great albums.

[tj]

Grand Illusion
Pieces of Eight
Paradise Theatre
Cornerstone
The rest in any order.

My top 4 I was all introduced to by my older sister. She had a hi-fi stereo in her bedroom and I would listen through the wall (as a little brother, I was not allowed into the teenager's sanctuary). My first introduction to any music beyond Country and Western (my dad was a C&W dj) and it just mesmerized me. Still love all 4 of those albums to this day.

[Boomchild]

i find it amusing that he dislikes the wooden nickel days so badly......i love those albums and it's obvious he hates serpent, but i think it's great!

I think DDY's feelings and opinions on the WN albums stem from a host of issues he has about that period. From the lack of promotional support from the label and their insistence of doing cover songs instead of original compositions on Styx I. Then you have his position that the production on those albums was bad. I don't think he totally dislikes them and thinks there is merit to some of the material on them. It's just that the other things that he feels are issues with these albums overshadows said material. DDY is not alone in his feelings and opinions on their early material. Lots of artists are not so fond of their early works.

Personally, I like quite a bit from those albums and that includes Styx I. For me they have a aura of raw energy showing that the band was hungry for success. In the end they were lucky to get the deal and if it wasn't for it, we most likely would not be discussing them now.

[masque]

i find it amusing that he dislikes the wooden nickel days so badly......i love those albums and it's obvious he hates serpent, but i think it's great!

I think DDY's feelings and opinions on the WN albums stem from a host of issues he has about that period. From the lack of promotional support from the label and their insistence of doing cover songs instead of original compositions on Styx I. Then you have his position that the production on those albums was bad. I don't think he totally dislikes them and thinks there is merit to some of the material on them. It's just that the other things that he feels are issues with these albums overshadows said material. DDY is not alone in his feelings and opinions on their early material. Lots of artists are not so fond of their early works.

Personally, I like quite a bit from those albums and that includes Styx I. For me they have a aura of raw energy showing that the band was hungry for success. In the end they were lucky to get the deal and if it wasn't for it, we most likely would not be discussing them now.

i agree with alot of that but I think you are leaving out a very important part that DDY has always claimed about those albums/days........he felt that his writing outside of things like lady was "forced" and he was trying to write songs that were not natural to him. based on what i have read from him, I think he genuinely dislikes those albums because he really thinks his writing was poor for the most part other than a few tracks.


and while I also agree that many artists look back at their early days and cringe much the way DDY does, I think you can also name a host of bands that can look at their first three or four albums and think greatness;

kansas-leftoverture
foreiger-foreigner 4
boston-third stage
led 1- led 4
queen- a night at the opera
outlandos d' amour-ghost in the machine
van halen- fair warning


those are some super strong runs for albums 1 through 3 or 4.

[Toph]

i find it amusing that he dislikes the wooden nickel days so badly......i love those albums and it's obvious he hates serpent, but i think it's great!

Love the WN albums.
Would take them over Kilroy,Edge,Cornerstone and GI.

Wow..that says a lot...

[Toph]

i find it amusing that he dislikes the wooden nickel days so badly......i love those albums and it's obvious he hates serpent, but i think it's great!

I think DDY's feelings and opinions on the WN albums stem from a host of issues he has about that period. From the lack of promotional support from the label and their insistence of doing cover songs instead of original compositions on Styx I. Then you have his position that the production on those albums was bad. I don't think he totally dislikes them and thinks there is merit to some of the material on them. It's just that the other things that he feels are issues with these albums overshadows said material. DDY is not alone in his feelings and opinions on their early material. Lots of artists are not so fond of their early works.

There you go again, trying to act like you know how Dennis thinks/feels. He doesn't like those albums much because, with the exception of Styx II, the material doesn't stand up to their later work.

[Boomchild]

i agree with alot of that but I think you are leaving out a very important part that DDY has always claimed about those albums/days........he felt that his writing outside of things like lady was "forced" and he was trying to write songs that were not natural to him. based on what i have read from him, I think he genuinely dislikes those albums because he really thinks his writing was poor for the most part other than a few tracks.

That certainly is part of it as well. It actually makes his reasons for not being fond of those albums make sense. I don't think that it's because he felt the writing and performances were poor. It was the fact that he was trying to write and sing like someone else because he thought people didn't like his writing and performance style. Which is what he has specifically said about his WN material.

and while I also agree that many artists look back at their early days and cringe much the way DDY does, I think you can also name a host of bands that can look at their first three or four albums and think greatness;

My comment was in way asserting that all artists feel that way. There certainly are plenty of examples of both viewpoints.

[Boomchild]

There you go again, trying to act like you know how Dennis thinks/feels. He doesn't like those albums much because, with the exception of Styx II, the material doesn't stand up to their later work.

Wrong again fuck twit. My comments are based on things Dennis has actually talked about. Such as, that WN did a poor job of promoting them. Due to lack of money to do promotion and dropping the ball when they could have. Hence the reason the band decided to shop for another label. He also has commented on the poor production of those albums. In fact, he has specifically said that he wished he had the opportunity to remaster them because he felt he could make them sound better. He also has commented on how he didn't like that the label pushed them to do covers for Styx I instead original compositions. He went on to say that if they would have let the band put Lady and some other original songs on it, Styx I would have been a better first album form them.

[Cassie May]

There you go again, trying to act like you know how Dennis thinks/feels. He doesn't like those albums much because, with the exception of Styx II, the material doesn't stand up to their later work.

Wrong again fuck twit. My comments are based on things Dennis has actually talked about. Such as, that WN did a poor job of promoting them. Due to lack of money to do promotion and dropping the ball when they could have. Hence the reason the band decided to shop for another label. He also has commented on the poor production of those albums. In fact, he has specifically said that he wished he had the opportunity to remaster them because he felt he could make them sound better. He also has commented on how he didn't like that the label pushed them to do covers for Styx I instead original compositions. He went on to say that if they would have let the band put Lady and some other original songs on it, Styx I would have been a better first album form them.

I have read a lot of those comments also, in various interviews. Plus, it was covered in Sterling's book.

[yogi]

15. Big Bang Theory
14. Man Of Miracles
13. Styx 1
12. The Serpent Is Rising
11. Brave New World
10. Styx ll
9. Crystal Ball
8. Kilroy Was Here
7. Cyclorama
6. Edge Of The Century
5. Cornerstone
4. Paradise Theater
3. Pieces Of Eight
2. The Grand Illusion
1. EQUINOX

[Baron Von Bielski]

15. Big Bang Theory
14. Man Of Miracles
13. Styx 1
12. The Serpent Is Rising
11. Brave New World
10. Styx ll
9. Crystal Ball
8. Kilroy Was Here
7. Cyclorama
6. Edge Of The Century
5. Cornerstone
4. Paradise Theater
3. Pieces Of Eight
2. The Grand Illusion
1. EQUINOX

Pretty decent list. Though I think CB should be higher along with Styx 1 and 2.
Edge and Kilroy probably wouldn't make my top ten. I agree that both Man of Miracles and Serpent belong at or near the bottom. Grand Ilusion is and will always be my number 1, followed closely by Pieces of Eight.

[Toph]

There you go again, trying to act like you know how Dennis thinks/feels. He doesn't like those albums much because, with the exception of Styx II, the material doesn't stand up to their later work.

Wrong again fuck twit. My comments are based on things Dennis has actually talked about. Such as, that WN did a poor job of promoting them. Due to lack of money to do promotion and dropping the ball when they could have. Hence the reason the band decided to shop for another label. He also has commented on the poor production of those albums. In fact, he has specifically said that he wished he had the opportunity to remaster them because he felt he could make them sound better. He also has commented on how he didn't like that the label pushed them to do covers for Styx I instead original compositions. He went on to say that if they would have let the band put Lady and some other original songs on it, Styx I would have been a better first album form them.

Wrong again! He considers Styx II the original first Styx album and then he would like them to go straight into the A&M albums. he doesn't like much, if any of the WN material beyond Styx II a few random songs. Again, don't try to talk out of your ass. It doesn't work.

[Boomchild]

Wrong again! He considers Styx II the original first Styx album and then he would like them to go straight into the A&M albums. he doesn't like much, if any of the WN material beyond Styx II a few random songs. Again, don't try to talk out of your ass. It doesn't work.

All of the information contained in my last reply is culled from statements made directly by DDY. Guess you missed that someone else here has confirmed they read\heard the very same things. Here it is again.

I have read a lot of those comments also, in various interviews. Plus, it was covered in Sterling's book.

[Toph]

Wrong again! He considers Styx II the original first Styx album and then he would like them to go straight into the A&M albums. he doesn't like much, if any of the WN material beyond Styx II a few random songs. Again, don't try to talk out of your ass. It doesn't work.

All of the information contained in my last reply is culled from statements made directly by DDY. Guess you missed that someone else here has confirmed they read\heard the very same things. Here it is again.

I have read a lot of those comments also, in various interviews. Plus, it was covered in Sterling's book.

Nope. Wrong.

[Boomchild]

Wrong again! He considers Styx II the original first Styx album and then he would like them to go straight into the A&M albums. he doesn't like much, if any of the WN material beyond Styx II a few random songs. Again, don't try to talk out of your ass. It doesn't work.

All of the information contained in my last reply is culled from statements made directly by DDY. Guess you missed that someone else here has confirmed they read\heard the very same things. Here it is again.

I have read a lot of those comments also, in various interviews. Plus, it was covered in Sterling's book.

Nope. Wrong.

Such a weak rebuttal. Polly, wanna cracker?

[Monker]

Wrong again! He considers Styx II the original first Styx album and then he would like them to go straight into the A&M albums. he doesn't like much, if any of the WN material beyond Styx II a few random songs. Again, don't try to talk out of your ass. It doesn't work.

All of the information contained in my last reply is culled from statements made directly by DDY. Guess you missed that someone else here has confirmed they read\heard the very same things. Here it is again.

I have read a lot of those comments also, in various interviews. Plus, it was covered in Sterling's book.

Nope. Wrong.

So, you are saying that DDY is lying to the public in multiple interviews and you know the truth that DDY doesn't want to tell.

That makes perfect sense.

To Cassie and Boom....why perpetuate this? He's obviously not worth the time.

[yogi]

If you have read Sterlings book it is well know that DDY has a dual personality ( p 238). A dual and a split personality are two completely different things http://www.dualVsplitpersonalities@healthnet.org With DDY having a dual personality he projects his true feelings to one or two other people ( sometimes even more Froy). These people would know instinctively what Dennis is truly feeling and how he truly wants to express himself.

If I'm guessing one of these people is probably his loving wife of many years and I'm sure another on is probably Toph.

All of you doubters and haters are 100% wrong Toph knows exactly what DDY feels thinks and wants to say whether he says it or not. Do a little scientific research and you will know this is true.

[Monker]

I'll fix this for you:

If you have read Sterlings book it is well know that DDY has a dual personality ( p 238). A dual and a split personality are two completely different things http://www.dualVsplitpersonalities@healthnet.org With DDY having a dual personality he projects his true feelings to one or two other people. These people instinctively know what Dennis is truly feeling.

I'm sure one of these people is probably his loving wife. The other is probably Suzanne.

No wonder Toph knows so much.

[yogi]

Monk,

Now that's funny!!!