Lawrence as a singer and songwriter

[Archetype]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

[Cassie May]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

I saw "classic" Styx in '79, '81, and '83 in Cleveland. I was a teenager then, and probably my most vivid memory is of the Paradise Theater tour. Dennis sang "Lady" to a Miss Piggy muppet. I was with my two best friends, and I remember all three of us looking at each other like, "What the hell is that about??" Of the three shows I saw back then, I'd have to say '79 was my favorite, and '83 my least. What stands out about the Kilroy tour (despite the awkward cheesiness of it all) is that I was one of those who had the show rescheduled because of Tommy's injury, from July '83 to 9/11/83. What's really funny is that I remember the press release that came out about the rescheduling--the press reported that Tommy had locked himself out of his house and broke a window trying to get in. Ironic now, knowing the truth, but that was what was put out, and of course, there was no Internet then!

I saw current Styx twice last year, both times for the GI/Po8 tour. Gowan did fine, but his presence doesn't bother me much as I was never much of a Dennis fan anyway. And yes, he doesn't sound the same, but it doesn't bother me that much (the spinning keyboard does. I have no interest in watching his ass.). For me, personally, the major difference in Styx then vs. Styx now is the venue. I know they get a lot of flak for not playing arenas, but I much prefer smaller venues. It is so much easier to judge quality of performance, to see chemistry, and just to enjoy myself if I can actually see what is going on, rather than being in a nose-bleed second-tier seat in a huge arena, trying to see figures that appear only an inch high. Of course, maybe it's just because I'm older and not as much into the whole concert experience like when I was younger, but I do like being able to see what I'm shelling out money for.

[froy]

"Archetype". The guy has talent,

No he really doesn't Whiny voice yuk

[Babyblue]

I love his music & have all of his cd's but 2 of them.I will get them one day just keep looking & i will find them.Love the keyboard spining myself & not a bad ass to look it if i must say. I have on my cell phone a picture of that fine ass.lolol

[pinkfloyd1973]

I love his music & have all of his cd's but 2 of them.I will get them one day just keep looking & i will find them.Love the keyboard spining myself & not a bad ass to look it if i must say. I have on my cell phone a picture of that fine ass.lolol

GAG

[Archetype]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

You are correct. My first Styx concert was in 2003 and my first Dennis DeYoung concert was in 2010. Enjoyed both, but was just awestruck by Dennis's voice. A beautiful thing in going to waste since both Shaw's and DeYoung's voices are arguably at their best right now. They belong together.

[Babyblue]

I love his music & have all of his cd's but 2 of them.I will get them one day just keep looking & i will find them.Love the keyboard spining myself & not a bad ass to look it if i must say. I have on my cell phone a picture of that fine ass.lolol

GAG

[Archetype]

I love his music & have all of his cd's but 2 of them.I will get them one day just keep looking & i will find them.Love the keyboard spining myself & not a bad ass to look it if i must say. I have on my cell phone a picture of that fine ass.lolol

GAG

Gag here too.

[Monker]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

You are correct. My first Styx concert was in 2003 and my first Dennis DeYoung concert was in 2010. Enjoyed both, but was just awestruck by Dennis's voice. A beautiful thing in going to waste since both Shaw's and DeYoung's voices are arguably at their best right now. They belong together.

So, why did you start a thread about Gowan's singing and songwriting when you really want to talk about Dennis and Tommy? Makes no sense.

[Boomchild]

I love his music & have all of his cd's but 2 of them.I will get them one day just keep looking & i will find them.Love the keyboard spining myself & not a bad ass to look it if i must say. I have on my cell phone a picture of that fine ass.lolol

GAG

+1

[Baron Von Bielski]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

You are correct. My first Styx concert was in 2003 and my first Dennis DeYoung concert was in 2010. Enjoyed both, but was just awestruck by Dennis's voice. A beautiful thing in going to waste since both Shaw's and DeYoung's voices are arguably at their best right now. They belong together.

So, why did you start a thread about Gowan's singing and songwriting when you really want to talk about Dennis and Tommy? Makes no sense.

What do you care?

Archetype... as far as Gowan's singing voice goes... it doesn't suck when he sings something that fits his voice. The song you posted is not bad at all, bordering good... but his voice is not better than 1999 when it comes to Styx songs. Give Come Sail Away a listen from Regeneration Vol. 1... his singing is out of key and simply in the wrong key for that song. His keyboard playing is phenominal and his voice works great on all the ones he does on Big Bang Theory. I really like both I Don't Need No Doctor and A Salty Dog. Problem is Styx brought him as a replacement to an individual rather than to fill a vacancy at keyboard. They should utilize his strengths and give him more of an identity. Singing DDY songs just doesn't work.

[Archetype]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

You are correct. My first Styx concert was in 2003 and my first Dennis DeYoung concert was in 2010. Enjoyed both, but was just awestruck by Dennis's voice. A beautiful thing in going to waste since both Shaw's and DeYoung's voices are arguably at their best right now. They belong together.

So, why did you start a thread about Gowan's singing and songwriting when you really want to talk about Dennis and Tommy? Makes no sense.

What do you care?

Archetype... as far as Gowan's singing voice goes... it doesn't suck when he sings something that fits his voice. The song you posted is not bad at all, bordering good... but his voice is not better than 1999 when it comes to Styx songs. Give Come Sail Away a listen from Regeneration Vol. 1... his singing is out of key and simply in the wrong key for that song. His keyboard playing is phenominal and his voice works great on all the ones he does on Big Bang Theory. I really like both I Don't Need No Doctor and A Salty Dog. Problem is Styx brought him as a replacement to an individual rather than to fill a vacancy at keyboard. They should utilize his strengths and give him more of an identity. Singing DDY songs just doesn't work.

Come Sail Away 1999

Come Sail Away 2011

His voice has definitely improved, but I agree with you that it is still pretty off-key for Dennis songs. My point in this thread is that I don't hate Lawrence. I just really wish that I could see Tommy, JY, and Dennis on stage together. Dennis is in a league of his own; as is Tommy. Lawrence isn't bad, but he isn't in a league of his own the way Dennis and Tommy are in theirs.

Where Lawrence is in a league of his own is his songwriting and singing skills when he sings songs that were written by him, for him. Then his talent shines very brightly.

[Monker]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

You are correct. My first Styx concert was in 2003 and my first Dennis DeYoung concert was in 2010. Enjoyed both, but was just awestruck by Dennis's voice. A beautiful thing in going to waste since both Shaw's and DeYoung's voices are arguably at their best right now. They belong together.

So, why did you start a thread about Gowan's singing and songwriting when you really want to talk about Dennis and Tommy? Makes no sense.

What do you care?

Because it is fucking stupid to title your thread one thing and then drone on and on about something completely different.

It's like titling a post "Baron Von Bielsk" and going on and on about Baron Munchhausen instead. But, then again, that could end up being the same discussion anyway.

[Babyblue]

I love his music & have all of his cd's but 2 of them.I will get them one day just keep looking & i will find them.Love the keyboard spining myself & not a bad ass to look it if i must say. I have on my cell phone a picture of that fine ass.lolol

GAG

Gag here too.

That was just for your enjoyment But i do have all of his cd's well i need 2 then i will have them all.

[Rockwriter]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

You are correct. My first Styx concert was in 2003 and my first Dennis DeYoung concert was in 2010. Enjoyed both, but was just awestruck by Dennis's voice. A beautiful thing in going to waste since both Shaw's and DeYoung's voices are arguably at their best right now. They belong together.

So, why did you start a thread about Gowan's singing and songwriting when you really want to talk about Dennis and Tommy? Makes no sense.

What do you care?

Archetype... as far as Gowan's singing voice goes... it doesn't suck when he sings something that fits his voice. The song you posted is not bad at all, bordering good... but his voice is not better than 1999 when it comes to Styx songs. Give Come Sail Away a listen from Regeneration Vol. 1... his singing is out of key and simply in the wrong key for that song. His keyboard playing is phenominal and his voice works great on all the ones he does on Big Bang Theory. I really like both I Don't Need No Doctor and A Salty Dog. Problem is Styx brought him as a replacement to an individual rather than to fill a vacancy at keyboard. They should utilize his strengths and give him more of an identity. Singing DDY songs just doesn't work.

Well, just to make a musical point here . . . Gowan sings CSA in the same key as the original as far as I can tell. He's not out of key, and he's not out of tune. He just doesn't have the same kind of projection that Dennis employed in his original performance, and that's part of what makes the verses sound kind of thin and empty in his new recording. But he's NOT technically "out of key" or "in the wrong key." He's just a weaker overall singer in that style and doesn't project the long sustained notes nearly as well. That's really his struggle with many of Dennis' songs, because Dennis wrote those songs for his own voice, and Dennis is unusually good at holding long sustained notes, especially for a guy in a rock band. It makes all the difference when you hear Gowan struggle with songs like "Babe" and "The Best of Times," or even "Rockin' The Paradise." All of those require long sustained notes or sustained phrases that don't offer much of a chance to breathe. That's really Dennis' wheelhouse.


Sterling

[Adikeo]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

I saw "classic" Styx in '79, '81, and '83 in Cleveland. I was a teenager then, and probably my most vivid memory is of the Paradise Theater tour. Dennis sang "Lady" to a Miss Piggy muppet. I was with my two best friends, and I remember all three of us looking at each other like, "What the hell is that about??" Of the three shows I saw back then, I'd have to say '79 was my favorite, and '83 my least. What stands out about the Kilroy tour (despite the awkward cheesiness of it all) is that I was one of those who had the show rescheduled because of Tommy's injury, from July '83 to 9/11/83. What's really funny is that I remember the press release that came out about the rescheduling--the press reported that Tommy had locked himself out of his house and broke a window trying to get in. Ironic now, knowing the truth, but that was what was put out, and of course, there was no Internet then!

I saw current Styx twice last year, both times for the GI/Po8 tour. Gowan did fine, but his presence doesn't bother me much as I was never much of a Dennis fan anyway. And yes, he doesn't sound the same, but it doesn't bother me that much (the spinning keyboard does. I have no interest in watching his ass.). For me, personally, the major difference in Styx then vs. Styx now is the venue. I know they get a lot of flak for not playing arenas, but I much prefer smaller venues. It is so much easier to judge quality of performance, to see chemistry, and just to enjoy myself if I can actually see what is going on, rather than being in a nose-bleed second-tier seat in a huge arena, trying to see figures that appear only an inch high. Of course, maybe it's just because I'm older and not as much into the whole concert experience like when I was younger, but I do like being able to see what I'm shelling out money for.

What happened to Tommy Shaw in 1983?

[Cassie May]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

I saw "classic" Styx in '79, '81, and '83 in Cleveland. I was a teenager then, and probably my most vivid memory is of the Paradise Theater tour. Dennis sang "Lady" to a Miss Piggy muppet. I was with my two best friends, and I remember all three of us looking at each other like, "What the hell is that about??" Of the three shows I saw back then, I'd have to say '79 was my favorite, and '83 my least. What stands out about the Kilroy tour (despite the awkward cheesiness of it all) is that I was one of those who had the show rescheduled because of Tommy's injury, from July '83 to 9/11/83. What's really funny is that I remember the press release that came out about the rescheduling--the press reported that Tommy had locked himself out of his house and broke a window trying to get in. Ironic now, knowing the truth, but that was what was put out, and of course, there was no Internet then!

I saw current Styx twice last year, both times for the GI/Po8 tour. Gowan did fine, but his presence doesn't bother me much as I was never much of a Dennis fan anyway. And yes, he doesn't sound the same, but it doesn't bother me that much (the spinning keyboard does. I have no interest in watching his ass.). For me, personally, the major difference in Styx then vs. Styx now is the venue. I know they get a lot of flak for not playing arenas, but I much prefer smaller venues. It is so much easier to judge quality of performance, to see chemistry, and just to enjoy myself if I can actually see what is going on, rather than being in a nose-bleed second-tier seat in a huge arena, trying to see figures that appear only an inch high. Of course, maybe it's just because I'm older and not as much into the whole concert experience like when I was younger, but I do like being able to see what I'm shelling out money for.

What happened to Tommy Shaw in 1983?

Not sure of the exact date, but May or June of 83 Tommy smashed a window and injured his hand. He sliced 5 tendons and needed surgery and time to recuperate, so the Kilroy tour was put on hold for several months. The band suspected that Tommy had been under the influence when it happened; I always felt that it was Tommy trying to escape a situation he desperately hated. (Just MHO, of course). At any rate, sober or not, locked out or not, Tommy smashed a window and needed surgery.

[Boomchild]

Innocent is such a great song. The guy has talent, and his Styx voice has improved greatly since 1999. He's not horrible IMO, but it's a shame that Tommy can't even keep his story straight about why Dennis isn't in the band. I really want to experience the magic of a Dennis/Tommy/JY Styx show.

Just out of curiosity, based upon the way you wrote this, have you never seen the "classic" lineup?

I saw "classic" Styx in '79, '81, and '83 in Cleveland. I was a teenager then, and probably my most vivid memory is of the Paradise Theater tour. Dennis sang "Lady" to a Miss Piggy muppet. I was with my two best friends, and I remember all three of us looking at each other like, "What the hell is that about??" Of the three shows I saw back then, I'd have to say '79 was my favorite, and '83 my least. What stands out about the Kilroy tour (despite the awkward cheesiness of it all) is that I was one of those who had the show rescheduled because of Tommy's injury, from July '83 to 9/11/83. What's really funny is that I remember the press release that came out about the rescheduling--the press reported that Tommy had locked himself out of his house and broke a window trying to get in. Ironic now, knowing the truth, but that was what was put out, and of course, there was no Internet then!

I saw current Styx twice last year, both times for the GI/Po8 tour. Gowan did fine, but his presence doesn't bother me much as I was never much of a Dennis fan anyway. And yes, he doesn't sound the same, but it doesn't bother me that much (the spinning keyboard does. I have no interest in watching his ass.). For me, personally, the major difference in Styx then vs. Styx now is the venue. I know they get a lot of flak for not playing arenas, but I much prefer smaller venues. It is so much easier to judge quality of performance, to see chemistry, and just to enjoy myself if I can actually see what is going on, rather than being in a nose-bleed second-tier seat in a huge arena, trying to see figures that appear only an inch high. Of course, maybe it's just because I'm older and not as much into the whole concert experience like when I was younger, but I do like being able to see what I'm shelling out money for.

What happened to Tommy Shaw in 1983?

Not sure of the exact date, but May or June of 83 Tommy smashed a window and injured his hand. He sliced 5 tendons and needed surgery and time to recuperate, so the Kilroy tour was put on hold for several months. The band suspected that Tommy had been under the influence when it happened; I always felt that it was Tommy trying to escape a situation he desperately hated. (Just MHO, of course). At any rate, sober or not, locked out or not, Tommy smashed a window and needed surgery.

During the 80's when was Tommy not "under the influence"?