Welcome to Hollywood

[brywool]

Damn...
I FINALLY got this album from ITunes. Waited a few years...

It's really cool and pretty hip even after a few years. I had Palookaville for a long time, but this is one's much cooler.
Dang, Styx wasn't very smart to not keep Glen happy. Dang. Great songwriter.

[BlackWall]

Well, he'd prolly be pretty bored as a songwriter in Styx anyway.. , but I agree. I'm just going by his contributions to "Cyclorama"; I still need to check out "Welcome To Hollywood".

[brywool]

but they all contributed to the songs on Cyclo and I would bet that his contributions were really good ones. Not just HIS songs, but they apparently worked together on all of them. That may be an over statement based on their album credits, but maybe not. I thought that Cyclo was a way up to date sounding record, much more so than Brave New World was. I would think that Glenn had a hand in that, judging by his Hollywood album.

[styxfanNH]

Damn...
I FINALLY got this album from ITunes. Waited a few years...

It's really cool and pretty hip even after a few years. I had Palookaville for a long time, but this is one's much cooler.
Dang, Styx wasn't very smart to not keep Glen happy. Dang. Great songwriter.

2 things went into Glen leaving, well lots of things, but 2 major ones...

1) Glen's marriage was in trouble

2) Glen wanted more lead singing time and Styx wouldn't give it to him.

[Zan]

Damn...
I FINALLY got this album from ITunes. Waited a few years...

It's really cool and pretty hip even after a few years. I had Palookaville for a long time, but this is one's much cooler.
Dang, Styx wasn't very smart to not keep Glen happy. Dang. Great songwriter.

2 things went into Glen leaving, well lots of things, but 2 major ones...

1) Glen's marriage was in trouble

2) Glen wanted more lead singing time and Styx wouldn't give it to him.

You are half right. Glen's lead singing time had NOTHING to do with him leaving. He would have left if they were letting him sing every song. His reasons for leaving were completely personal.

[yogi]

AWESOME CD!!!!! One of the BEST EVER!!!!!!!

Anyone have any inside info if Glen plans on another CD???

[SuiteMadameBlue]

AWESOME CD!!!!! One of the BEST EVER!!!!!!!

Anyone have any inside info if Glen plans on another CD???

I think he's giving up on music and has taken up painting jeeps

[pinkfloyd1973]

AWESOME CD!!!!! One of the BEST EVER!!!!!!!

Anyone have any inside info if Glen plans on another CD???

I think he's giving up on music and has taken up painting jeeps

[GrandIllusionist725]

I loved Welcome to Hollywood. A lot of great tracks.

2nd favorite behind Heroes and Zeroes

[brywool]

I loved Welcome to Hollywood. A lot of great tracks.

2nd favorite behind Heroes and Zeroes

H&Z has some good tracks on it, but as a whole, it's a pretty dated deal to me. Palookaville, on the other hand, is a pretty great record.
W2H I haven't gotten through yet because of time, but so far, it's also great.

Yeah apparently nobody's going to make new music anymore... lame. A damned shame.

You'd think that with Itunes and the web that there'd be enough INSTANT sales from hardcore fans of artists to make it worth their while. Afterall, with Itunes, the record company's cut goes down significantly and the artist gets more (don't they?). I remember when W2H came out and you couldn't get the album except for sending away for it. I hate that... I know mp3s don't sound as good as a CD or vinyl, but still, that's how people are listening, and more importantly, buying their music these days.

[Rockwriter]

Damn...
I FINALLY got this album from ITunes. Waited a few years...

It's really cool and pretty hip even after a few years. I had Palookaville for a long time, but this is one's much cooler.
Dang, Styx wasn't very smart to not keep Glen happy. Dang. Great songwriter.

2 things went into Glen leaving, well lots of things, but 2 major ones...

1) Glen's marriage was in trouble

2) Glen wanted more lead singing time and Styx wouldn't give it to him.

More of the first than the second, I would say. He was trying to make things work with his wife.

Having said that, I really don't think Glen likes the music of Styx, and he'd have ended up leaving anyway. His frustrations with Styx are complicated.

For whatever it's worth, I've always, always thought that Glen was wrong for Styx and Styx was wrong for him. He's way into trying to be trendy and cool and bending with the times, and Styx by its very nature is stuck with a past that has nothing to do with Glen. There was never any way he was going to overcome that. He used to say he wanted to try to make Styx hipper and cooler, and I used to think, 'It wouldn't be Styx then.' LOL.

Sterling

[Toph]

Damn...
I FINALLY got this album from ITunes. Waited a few years...

It's really cool and pretty hip even after a few years. I had Palookaville for a long time, but this is one's much cooler.
Dang, Styx wasn't very smart to not keep Glen happy. Dang. Great songwriter.

2 things went into Glen leaving, well lots of things, but 2 major ones...

1) Glen's marriage was in trouble

2) Glen wanted more lead singing time and Styx wouldn't give it to him.

You are half right. Glen's lead singing time had NOTHING to do with him leaving. He would have left if they were letting him sing every song. His reasons for leaving were completely personal.

Wrong Again Zan!!

There were interband issues that also contributed to Glen leaving (despite your and Tommy Shaw's sugar coating of everything current lineup....)

[Zan]

Damn...
I FINALLY got this album from ITunes. Waited a few years...

It's really cool and pretty hip even after a few years. I had Palookaville for a long time, but this is one's much cooler.
Dang, Styx wasn't very smart to not keep Glen happy. Dang. Great songwriter.

2 things went into Glen leaving, well lots of things, but 2 major ones...

1) Glen's marriage was in trouble

2) Glen wanted more lead singing time and Styx wouldn't give it to him.

You are half right. Glen's lead singing time had NOTHING to do with him leaving. He would have left if they were letting him sing every song. His reasons for leaving were completely personal.

Wrong Again Zan!!

There were interband issues that also contributed to Glen leaving (despite your and Tommy Shaw's sugar coating of everything current lineup....)

I didn't say there weren't interband issues, you dingleberry. I said they weren't contributing factors in him leaving.

[brywool]

Wrong Again Zan!!

There were interband issues that also contributed to Glen leaving (despite your and Tommy Shaw's sugar coating of everything current lineup....)

A band airing it's dirty laundry to fans is ridiculous and unprofessional. Why would Shaw paint it any other way?

I read that Glen did have issues with the policies of Styx citing how some band wives got to come along and others didn't among other things. Sterling- I would think that "hipness" would be something THIS version of Styx would like to have in their pocket. However, the fact that "Kiss Your A$$ Goodbye" wasn't a single from Cyclo does kind of indicate otherwise. They're dumb not to use his talents as he can come up with some really good stuff. His tracks on Cyclo were great as were his tracks on Edge. His Edge tracks were the best thing about the album.

I thought Glen was great in Styx.

[Abitaman]

Did everthing ever work out in his marriage?

[StyxCollector]

I would think most of you wouldn't even question Zan on the Glen stuff. I know I wouldn't.

[brywool]

I would think most of you wouldn't even question Zan on the Glen stuff. I know I wouldn't.

I don't think "MOST of you" are. I certainly am not. I think just one person with an agenda is...

[Rockwriter]

Wrong Again Zan!!

There were interband issues that also contributed to Glen leaving (despite your and Tommy Shaw's sugar coating of everything current lineup....)

A band airing it's dirty laundry to fans is ridiculous and unprofessional. Why would Shaw paint it any other way?

I read that Glen did have issues with the policies of Styx citing how some band wives got to come along and others didn't among other things. Sterling- I would think that "hipness" would be something THIS version of Styx would like to have in their pocket. However, the fact that "Kiss Your A$$ Goodbye" wasn't a single from Cyclo does kind of indicate otherwise. They're dumb not to use his talents as he can come up with some really good stuff. His tracks on Cyclo were great as were his tracks on Edge. His Edge tracks were the best thing about the album.

I thought Glen was great in Styx.

I didn't say he wasn't good. Obviously he's talented. That doesn't make Styx a good fit for him. My point is, trying to re-invent Styx in a "hipper" (according to one person's taste) version is a rather pointless goal, since the success of the band is driven by the overwhelming power of geekdom. There are more so-called "uncool" people in the world than any other kind, that's why bands that "cool" critics put down are so successful. So to attempt to change that is, in itself, a flawed goal in my opinion and bound to fail. And Glen is the first to admit that he failed at that. That was a big part of his frustration with the band, was how "uncool" he thought it was. Here's irony for you: Glen's only real hit as a writer in Styx was "Love at First Sight," which is about as straight a ballad as you could ever write. Pure adult contemporary. Nothing edgy about it. Kinda funny, really.


Sterling

[Ehwmatt]

Damn...
I FINALLY got this album from ITunes. Waited a few years...

It's really cool and pretty hip even after a few years. I had Palookaville for a long time, but this is one's much cooler.
Dang, Styx wasn't very smart to not keep Glen happy. Dang. Great songwriter.

2 things went into Glen leaving, well lots of things, but 2 major ones...

1) Glen's marriage was in trouble

2) Glen wanted more lead singing time and Styx wouldn't give it to him.

More of the first than the second, I would say. He was trying to make things work with his wife.

Having said that, I really don't think Glen likes the music of Styx, and he'd have ended up leaving anyway. His frustrations with Styx are complicated.

For whatever it's worth, I've always, always thought that Glen was wrong for Styx and Styx was wrong for him. He's way into trying to be trendy and cool and bending with the times, and Styx by its very nature is stuck with a past that has nothing to do with Glen. There was never any way he was going to overcome that. He used to say he wanted to try to make Styx hipper and cooler, and I used to think, 'It wouldn't be Styx then.' LOL.

Sterling

I saw Glen with the band on Journey/Styx/REO tour and it was painfully obvious he just didn't fit in - his image, stage persona etc etc. It was just not the right fit. He played well, performed well, and all that, but yeah, I agree with this. People in attendance with me agreed.

[cittadeeno23]

I agree that Glen's personality did not completely fit in with Styx. But I thought Glen's voice worked well with Styx. His backing vocals MADE Cyclorama.
And although it is NEVER going to happen, I would love to hear a new Styx Album with Dennis, Tommy, JY and Glen all singing together.

And I LOVE Welcome to Hollywood. It's one of my favorite albums of all time. The Song "Bam" alone is worth the price of the album.

[Zan]

Did thing ever work out in his marriage?

Well, they're both happy now.

[Rockwriter]

Did everthing ever work out in his marriage?

They've been divorced for quite a while now, I think. He's talked about it in an interview, so it's no big deal to post it here.


Sterling

[Rockwriter]

I agree that Glen's personality did not completely fit in with Styx. But I thought Glen's voice worked well with Styx. His backing vocals MADE Cyclorama.
And although it is NEVER going to happen, I would love to hear a new Styx Album with Dennis, Tommy, JY and Glen all singing together.

And I LOVE Welcome to Hollywood. It's one of my favorite albums of all time. The Song "Bam" alone is worth the price of the album.

'Welcome To Hollywood' really is great, I agree. One of the better solo albums ever recorded by any past Styx member.


Sterling

[brywool]

On the other hand, "Talking in Code" is WAY dated... Just listened to that (forgot I had it).

Maybe that's the problem with always trying to be hip instead of timeless. The "hipness" can become passe really quick. "Mr. Roboto" falls into that argument as well. "Talking in Code" sounds like the "Top Gun" soundtrack....
"What If" also falls into the dated bin. Tommy- why why why did you use those crappy electronic drums on that album? I could listen to it if it wasn' t for that. ugh.

[SuiteMadameBlue]

On the other hand, "Talking in Code" is WAY dated... Just listened to that (forgot I had it).

Maybe that's the problem with always trying to be hip instead of timeless. The "hipness" can become passe really quick. "Mr. Roboto" falls into that argument as well. "Talking in Code" sounds like the "Top Gun" soundtrack....
"What If" also falls into the dated bin. Tommy- why why why did you use those crappy electronic drums on that album? I could listen to it if it wasn' t for that. ugh.

How do you think "What If" would sound if Tommy re-recorded it a little different, no electronic drums?

[StyxCollector]

On the other hand, "Talking in Code" is WAY dated... Just listened to that (forgot I had it).

Maybe that's the problem with always trying to be hip instead of timeless. The "hipness" can become passe really quick. "Mr. Roboto" falls into that argument as well. "Talking in Code" sounds like the "Top Gun" soundtrack....
"What If" also falls into the dated bin. Tommy- why why why did you use those crappy electronic drums on that album? I could listen to it if it wasn' t for that. ugh.

How do you think "What If" would sound if Tommy re-recorded it a little different, no electronic drums?

While WI certainly has production issues and dated sound (a la the drums), the real problem is the songwriting. It's not Tommy at his best. While people may not like GWG because it may be too produced, it's a much better album.

[brywool]

How do you think "What If" would sound if Tommy re-recorded it a little different, no electronic drums?

Actually, I think if he re-recorded it, it could be much better. I've always thought so. It's his worst solo album, but mostly, for me, it's sonically bad. It needs a remaster in the worst way. There are some really decent songs on that one (and some crap, don't get me wrong).

[brywool]

While WI certainly has production issues and dated sound (a la the drums), the real problem is the songwriting. It's not Tommy at his best. While people may not like GWG because it may be too produced, it's a much better album.

I agree with this. However, there are worse songs in the Styx catalog, or DeYoung's and definitely Young's. I agree, the songwriting wasn't great, especially when held up against "Ambition". BUT- it wasn't all bad. Just like Dennis' "Boomchild" album. There are some horrible songs on it. There are also some magical ones on Boomchild (BC, Harry's Hands, etc.). With WI, there are some songs there that were just recorded very poorly, but there are 3 or 4 great songs on it. "Jealousy" is a great one. "See Me Now" is a great one (though it ripped off "Don't Stop Believin's" bass line), "Nature of the Beast" is a great one.

There are some songs that I'd still listen to if the production weren't so terrible. I could make a better sounding album in my basement.

[StyxCollector]

While WI certainly has production issues and dated sound (a la the drums), the real problem is the songwriting. It's not Tommy at his best. While people may not like GWG because it may be too produced, it's a much better album.

I agree with this. However, there are worse songs in the Styx catalog, or DeYoung's and definitely Young's. I agree, the songwriting wasn't great, especially when held up against "Ambition". BUT- it wasn't all bad. Just like Dennis' "Boomchild" album. There are some horrible songs on it. There are also some magical ones on Boomchild (BC, Harry's Hands, etc.). With WI, there are some songs there that were just recorded very poorly, but there are 3 or 4 great songs on it. "Jealousy" is a great one. "See Me Now" is a great one (though it ripped off "Don't Stop Believin's" bass line), "Nature of the Beast" is a great one.

There are some songs that I'd still listen to if the production weren't so terrible. I could make a better sounding album in my basement.

None of those solo albums are 100% perfect. In fact, MOST albums rarely are strong front to back. Ambition, while a better effort, also sounds a bit dated by its production as well ...

[Zan]

Ambition is still my favorite.