U2 versus Styx

[Everett]

U2 is as overated as kiss. Seriously what's so great about 5 guys in black & white make up?

[Abitaman]

I have only one U2 cd (hits) and only a few songs off of that I care for. Can not stand to watch Bono sing.
Never been a big Kiss fan either.

[Jana]

Critically and Monetarily, U2 blows Styx away. They are media darlings, Bono the crusader for all Oprah worthy projects, and still touring as a Headliner with their major players still on board with no interruption. For me, their music sounds dated in the 80's and doesn't seem to make the jump to "Classic" rock. They are in kind of a no-man's land. Too hip to be "Classic", not relevant enough for Top 40.

U2 not relevant? You've got to be joking.

U2 continues to succeed because they are willing to stretch things out from their classic formula while still sounding like U2. The lyrics and melodies are great and the guitarwork original. There's a lot to love about U2.

Amen. Unless you truly follow U2 and own most of their music, you can't appreciate many of their deeper cuts, that aren't the hits, that show their great talent.

[masque]

yes I am totally aware of that.....my point is that why are folks surprised that a band entering into it's 4th decade of existnece isnt as popular as it was in it's heyday? styx played high schools, clubs and small halls for years until they got "popular"....rode that wave for many many years.....now they arent quite as popular as their glory days....what is surprising about that? and why do some folks think that is embarasing or a reason to hang it up? that's just silly in my opinion.

I never even remotely came close to saying that Styx should hang it up. I simply pointed out that it's ridiculous to think that the Rolling Stones, The Who or U2 aren't any more relevant than Styx. They certainly are more relevant - and you can tell by the amount of people buying up their tickets.

It's not embarrassing for Styx, it's not reason to hang it up - but there are bands from the same era that are way more relevant today than Styx is.

i didnt indicate that "you" personally indicated they should hang it up...I was speaking in general terms about styx and most "older" bands.....I'm a huge rush fan and they still draw anywhere from 6500-15000 on their own and some folks think they shoudl hang it up because they cant sell out madison square garden for two consecutive nights anymore.

and as for your comment about other bands from the older eras being more relevant than styx today....congratulations, you have latched onto the obvious but what is the point?

[Higgy]

U2 is as overated as kiss. Seriously what's so great about 5 guys in black & white make up?

There are 4 members of Kiss and they use color make-up. Oh, and they way more overrated than U2.

[fightingilliniJRNY]

and as for your comment about other bands from the older eras being more relevant than styx today....congratulations, you have latched onto the obvious but what is the point?

I was refuting the point that someone else made that the Stones and U2 are no more relevant than Styx. Not sure where you jumped in and decided to make it your life's work to personally rebuke my posts that aren't about anything you wrote, but okay.

If you, the mighty 'masque,' are going to force me to make a point (:roll:) - it would be this. In terms of today's relevance, Styx should be compared with the likes of REO, Foreigner and Journey, not U2 and the Stones. Styx is about as relevant as REO, less relevant than Foreigner and way less relevant than Journey. But at least they are more relevant than Survivor and Boston.

[masque]

and as for your comment about other bands from the older eras being more relevant than styx today....congratulations, you have latched onto the obvious but what is the point?

I was refuting the point that someone else made that the Stones and U2 are no more relevant than Styx. Not sure where you jumped in and decided to make it your life's work to personally rebuke my posts that aren't about anything you wrote, but okay.

If you, the mighty 'masque,' are going to force me to make a point (:roll:) - it would be this. In terms of today's relevance, Styx should be compared with the likes of REO, Foreigner and Journey, not U2 and the Stones. Styx is about as relevant as REO, less relevant than Foreigner and way less relevant than Journey. But at least they are more relevant than Survivor and Boston.

well i wouldnt really consider it my "life's work"......and i dont know how anybody would disagree about the relevance of the stones and u2 vs. styx. the stone and u2 are on a platform that only a handful of artists in the history of music have reached.

i think styx is still as relavant as foreigner and the others you mentioned with the exception of journey who are riding quite high indeed.

the mighty masque was simply chiming in on the conversation.....sorry if my posts seem like an attack on you.

[chowhall]

Can I make a slight correction. U2 not only sells out every stadium in this country, they sell out any stadium anywhere in the world.

Relevance and popularity are two different things. Green Day is far more relevant to today's artist than U2 is. Beyonce is more relevant than U2 today. Neither is more popular. Hell Yanni is more popular than Styx. Maybe even John Tesh. That doesn't make either relevant. I've never heard one song that Styx has written in the last 10 years that sounds like U2. They've written quite a few that have modern day influences.

Not really bashing U2, but this is a Styx board. This is the place where Styx gets defended against all criticisms, whining, and comparisons to other bands. Short of the Beatles, one can at least make a case for Styx. They won't win all comparisons, they certainly are not the most popular or critically acclaimed band, but after almost 40 years, we're still talking about them. So one final defense, U2 just bores me. I don't dislike them, but they don't move me either. I'll take those long nights and impossible odds over beautiful days.

[Higgy]

Can I make a slight correction. U2 not only sells out every stadium in this country, they sell out any stadium anywhere in the world.

Relevance and popularity are two different things. Green Day is far more relevant to today's artist than U2 is. Beyonce is more relevant than U2 today. Neither is more popular. Hell Yanni is more popular than Styx. Maybe even John Tesh. That doesn't make either relevant. I've never heard one song that Styx has written in the last 10 years that sounds like U2. They've written quite a few that have modern day influences.

Not really bashing U2, but this is a Styx board. This is the place where Styx gets defended against all criticisms, whining, and comparisons to other bands. Short of the Beatles, one can at least make a case for Styx. They won't win all comparisons, they certainly are not the most popular or critically acclaimed band, but after almost 40 years, we're still talking about them. So one final defense, U2 just bores me. I don't dislike them, but they don't move me either. I'll take those long nights and impossible odds over beautiful days.

Chow,
I don't really understand your definition of "relevance". If U2 sells out everywhere they play to ages ranging from 14 year olds to baby boomers, how are they not relevant? Because they don't have top 40 hits like Beyonce? So only top 40 bands are relevant? Green Day? Maybe relevant like 10 years ago - but I guess you're a big Styx fan so 1999 and 2009 are like the same thing.

[Toph]

Can I make a slight correction. U2 not only sells out every stadium in this country, they sell out any stadium anywhere in the world.

Relevance and popularity are two different things. Green Day is far more relevant to today's artist than U2 is. Beyonce is more relevant than U2 today. Neither is more popular. Hell Yanni is more popular than Styx. Maybe even John Tesh. That doesn't make either relevant. I've never heard one song that Styx has written in the last 10 years that sounds like U2. They've written quite a few that have modern day influences.

Not really bashing U2, but this is a Styx board. This is the place where Styx gets defended against all criticisms, whining, and comparisons to other bands. Short of the Beatles, one can at least make a case for Styx. They won't win all comparisons, they certainly are not the most popular or critically acclaimed band, but after almost 40 years, we're still talking about them. So one final defense, U2 just bores me. I don't dislike them, but they don't move me either. I'll take those long nights and impossible odds over beautiful days.

I'll take anything over Long Nights and Impossible Odds...never have to hear that song again the rest of my life... it was average when it was released, and is way below average today since the band continues to try to push it as one of their 'classic" songs - nowhere close...

[Abitaman]

Relevance and popularity, who cares. I don't!!! If I like it I like it! If I don't I don't, doesn't matter who else does or doesn't!

[yogi]

Gotta disagree some with you some. It does matter some if others like a band

In the early to mid 80's I was a huge fan of the Minnesota based band Limited Warranty. They won some type of Gong Show/ American Idol contest and received a recording contract as the winning prize. Their self titled album was AWESOME.

Their songs Victory Line, This Is Serious, Hit You From Behind, and Never Enough were all minor local hits. Victory Line got a little national exposure. The entire album was EXCELLENT.

Too bad the masses didnt see it that way. Jobs at K Mart, Foot Locker, The Hair Club for Men, and writing nursery rhyme jingles is what became of them.


So the masses liking the music you like does matter.


P.S. Their one & only self titled CD is now available at amazon.com. It sounds a littled dated but still gets regular play in my Tundra.

[masque]

Can I make a slight correction. U2 not only sells out every stadium in this country, they sell out any stadium anywhere in the world.

Relevance and popularity are two different things. Green Day is far more relevant to today's artist than U2 is. Beyonce is more relevant than U2 today. Neither is more popular. Hell Yanni is more popular than Styx. Maybe even John Tesh. That doesn't make either relevant. I've never heard one song that Styx has written in the last 10 years that sounds like U2. They've written quite a few that have modern day influences.

Not really bashing U2, but this is a Styx board. This is the place where Styx gets defended against all criticisms, whining, and comparisons to other bands. Short of the Beatles, one can at least make a case for Styx. They won't win all comparisons, they certainly are not the most popular or critically acclaimed band, but after almost 40 years, we're still talking about them. So one final defense, U2 just bores me. I don't dislike them, but they don't move me either. I'll take those long nights and impossible odds over beautiful days.

I'll take anything over Long Nights and Impossible Odds...never have to hear that song again the rest of my life... it was average when it was released, and is way below average today since the band continues to try to push it as one of their 'classic" songs - nowhere close...

i'm not with yo uon this.....i understand that you may be tired of the tune but i think it has always been considered one of their "classic" songs by the majority of their fanbase.

[Abitaman]

Gotta disagree some with you some. It does matter some if others like a band

In the early to mid 80's I was a huge fan of the Minnesota based band Limited Warranty. They won some type of Gong Show/ American Idol contest and received a recording contract as the winning prize. Their self titled album was AWESOME.

Their songs Victory Line, This Is Serious, Hit You From Behind, and Never Enough were all minor local hits. Victory Line got a little national exposure. The entire album was EXCELLENT.

Too bad the masses didnt see it that way. Jobs at K Mart, Foot Locker, The Hair Club for Men, and writing nursery rhyme jingles is what became of them.


So the masses liking the music you like does matter.


P.S. Their one & only self titled CD is now available at amazon.com. It sounds a littled dated but still gets regular play in my Tundra.

I undersatnd what your saying Yogi, and I do not disagree about the mass missing out on good music you like. But what I talking about, is at the end of the day, I don't care who likes what as long as I like it. 1,000 million people may like ever cd by Bob Dylan, but I am not going to buy a cd by him, cause i can not stand him. Will people like the new DDY or Styx cd? From the looks of it no, but I do, and I don't care if they like. Would be nice if they did, so they would keep making new music more often.
If everybody paid attention to Rolling Stones or other so called music crtitcs, Journey never would have made it. They hated Joureny more than they hated Styx. And both groups were big. Why because people liked them and didn't listen to music crtics. It came down to what they liked, plus the backing of a record company, and they being a good live band, and a little luck. But I don't care if everyboady likes something, i will not buy unless I do, of if I buy it, I will get rid of it if I do not like it.

So from what you said about keeping them around a lot of people need to like what I do, i agree

[yogi]

I agree with you 100%!!!!