John Panozzo Memories

by **Grotelul** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 3:08 pm

I can't believe as of yesterday it's been 11 years since John has passed away. What are everyone's favorite memories of John? It could have been a concert, a personal meeting or just a moment from a record.

I never got to meet John and only saw him in concert once so I guess the thing on my mind now is when I first listened to his unique drumming on The Grand Illusion album during Christmas of '77. I was hooked from then on.

http://home.carolina.rr.com/grandillusion/john.html

by **bugsymalone** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:39 pm

He was always a strong backing presence in the music of Classic Styx, but, honestly, I loved him in the Styx videos. In the sailor suit, showing the old lady the newspaper with Styx in it in TMTOMH, throwing the chicken leg in the Kilroy movie, the bartender in the HWBHB video.... He had an adorable, little boy look about him.

And who can forget the John Panozzo white boy 'fro??

It was in a whole other zip code on his head!

Bugsy

by **Ash** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 10:55 pm

HEY ROBOTO! Your mother was a TOYOTA

by **Zan** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:32 pm

His smile.

by **styxfansite** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 11:35 pm

A while back while I was playing around with Adobe premier I decided I would have fun and make a video or two for John. Although the video's are "not" pro quality, I had fun doing it and learning adobe.

These are for John.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfImB2eIoyQ "Show me the way" video from RTP tour dvd with some added pictures and video clips mixed in through the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b08vM7F96a0 "Dear John" Actually about 30 seconds worth of "Dear John" with pictures and ending video.

by **bugsymalone** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 12:01 am

styxfansite wrote:A while back while I was playing around with Adobe premier I decided I would have fun and make a video or two for John. Although the video's are "not" pro quality, I had fun doing it and learning adobe.

These are for John.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfImB2eIoyQ "Show me the way" video from RTP tour dvd with some added pictures and video clips mixed in through the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b08vM7F96a0 "Dear John" Actually about 30 seconds worth of "Dear John" with pictures and ending video.

You did a lovely job! Quite nice. Thanks for sharing.

Bugsy

by **styxfansite** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 5:19 am

Chuck talks about the memories with his brother over at his blog.

I've past the last few days in this most beautiful of cities.
My first visit was with my family .....So today I mark the passing of
my twin bro
John, here. John loved Hockey and was the goalie on our college hockey
team.
He brought as much passion to the game as he did playing drums on
stage.

There is one statement that I do need to clear. Sterling in his book
mentioned
that John had to work hard to be a good drummer. I have to disagree.
John was
a natural athlete. He brought that strength and coordination to the
"Tradewinds" days that would help to define some of the "Best" artistic &
Rock drumming of
his generation. His legacy in Styx lives on.

http://www.chuckpanozzosblog.com

by **cittadeeno23** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 6:13 am

I may have mentioned this before, but it is worth repeating as we are remembering John.
I met him in 1991. I was at probably my 5th or 6th show on the EDGE tour! I got to the Concord show really early.
There were only a few people in the crowd. My seats were about in the 7th row.
John just comes out from the back, walks up into the seats and sits down in the 2nd or 3rd row.
I never go up to people and ask for autographs. I hate bugging people. But I had the chance to talk to my favorite drummer and I had to go meet him. And my girlfriend at the time encouraged me to go and talk to him. So I walked up and he started talking to me instantly! What a great guy. We talked for while. I asked him if the band had future plans, and he lit up smiling and said "yeah, we are already working on a new album". He seemed very happy about it. He told me he had spent the time Styx was not working flying an airplane.
He also said he just got married. After just reading Chuck's book, I now know that he had gotten married earlier on that tour on stage in front of the crowd.
Anyway, he asked me if I had anything for him to sign and I handed him my concert ticket. I still have that to this day.
Eventually people started to notice us and then a crowd emerged. So we shook hands and I went back to my seat.
John sat there and signed every single autograph. And I came away from that experience feeling that he was a warm, Genuine, Down-to-Earth nice guy with a smile that made you feel at ease.

I love you, John! And your drumming lives on for me every time I put on a Styx album!!

Jimmy

by **pinkfloyd1973** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 7:53 am

I was there and that's the memory I have of John, Tinley Park IL on June 21st, 1991. Getting married onstage at the (then RIP) World Music Theatre

Robin

by **Skates** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 11:03 am

John was the first member of Styx that I ever met, and it was from the balcony at the USF sundome when I yelled down to him two very simple words....

Thank you.

He wandered over and we spoke. He was so kind, generous and downright nice. It was the first show of the edge tour, and I will always remember his kind smile and what he said back to me.

You're welcome.

I remembered when he died. It was a horrible day at work, and it was just sad, all the way around. Strangely enough, eleven years later, I felt the same way.

He's missed. A whole lot.

by **Rockwriter** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:07 pm

styxfansite wrote:Chuck talks about the memories with his brother over at his blog.

I've past the last few days in this most beautiful of cities.
My first visit was with my family .....So today I mark the passing of
my twin bro
John, here. John loved Hockey and was the goalie on our college hockey
team.
He brought as much passion to the game as he did playing drums on
stage.

There is one statement that I do need to clear. Sterling in his book
mentioned
that John had to work hard to be a good drummer. I have to disagree.
John was
a natural athlete. He brought that strength and coordination to the
"Tradewinds" days that would help to define some of the "Best" artistic &
Rock drumming of
his generation. His legacy in Styx lives on.

Actually, from my end, let me clear this up: although that quote is in my book, it wasn't what I personally mentioned. I was quoting Derek Sutton verbatim. It is Derek's position that at some point, it came up that John's drumming was not keeping up to snuff and then he undertook some additional work to sharpen those skills. Not MY position, but Derek's. So let's get that straight, please. A small, but important distinction.

Actually I thought the best drumming John ever did on record was on the early albums. As time went on I thought the music was more commerical, more straightforward, with less room for the kind of "busy" drumming that John did best. I like the Wooden Nickel era up through 'Pieces of Eight' best when it comes to the drums. (In fact my favorite performance of John's is on "You Better Ask"). After that there was less room for it, and starting with EOTC his skils were clearly diminished in later years. As far as LIVE drumming goes, I thought the Paradise Theatre tour was the best John ever played with Styx.

I always thought John - as with most of the members of Styx - was underrated on his instrument because he was in Styx.

Sterling

MR