Happy B-day Pieces Of Eight

[Everett]

Yeah i know i'm a day late but hey stuff happens

35 years ago pieces of eight was released. IMO their best album. Yeah i like grand illusion
as well but po8 just kicks so much more ass then GI does. Minus the filler of the message/
lords of the rings of course

[Toph]

The most overrated Styx album.

[Boomchild]

The most overrated Styx album.

And Just why do you think it is the most overrated?

[masque]

The most overrated Styx album.

And Just why do you think it is the most overrated?

because Dennis has been quoted as it being one of his least favorite styx albums (post wooden nickel) and he feels his contributions were limited and "weak". that's why toph doesnt like it....he will likely give another reason but rest assured that what I said is the primary reason based on his post history.

now with that said, I like you think the album is a masterpiece......i waffle between it and grand illusion as my faves.

[yogi]

EVERY album they ever did was UNDERRATED

[Everett]

The most overrated Styx album.

And Just why do you think it is the most overrated?

because Dennis has been quoted as it being one of his least favorite styx albums (post wooden nickel) and he feels his contributions were limited and "weak". that's why toph doesnt like it....he will likely give another reason but rest assured that what I said is the primary reason based on his post history.

Just took the words right out my mouth. If DDY don't like it it must suck

[Boomchild]

The most overrated Styx album.

And Just why do you think it is the most overrated?

because Dennis has been quoted as it being one of his least favorite styx albums (post wooden nickel) and he feels his contributions were limited and "weak". that's why toph doesnt like it....he will likely give another reason but rest assured that what I said is the primary reason based on his post history.

now with that said, I like you think the album is a masterpiece......i waffle between it and grand illusion as my faves.

I heard him comment about it. But, we all know how Dennis is about being a perfectionist and if it was so overrated, I doubt Dennis would have let it be released. I think it was a strong follow up to GI and I think DDY's contributions were fine. Not as strong as what he did on GI but not bad or disappointing for me.

[Toph]

Uh wrong again Masque and Everett!!! Has nothing to do w DDY's comments.

Boom - the reason that I believe it is overrated is as follows:
- It offered no new musical territory beyond what TGI had covered.
- If anything, it was a step back from TGI - nothing on the order of the title track, FY, CSA, or MIW
- It is not close on a thematic, lyrical, or musical basis to Paradise Theater - yet many current band members, and therefore their mouthpieces on these boards, also play this up vs. Paradise Theatre
- Unlike TGI, there are some definitive weak songs on the album, including DDY penned LOTR and SFTD.

[Boomchild]

Uh wrong again Masque and Everett!!! Has nothing to do w DDY's comments.

Boom - the reason that I believe it is overrated is as follows:
- It offered no new musical territory beyond what TGI had covered.
- If anything, it was a step back from TGI - nothing on the order of the title track, FY, CSA, or MIW
- It is not close on a thematic, lyrical, or musical basis to Paradise Theater - yet many current band members, and therefore their mouthpieces on these boards, also play this up vs. Paradise Theatre
- Unlike TGI, there are some definitive weak songs on the album, including DDY penned LOTR and SFTD.

No it's wasn't breaking into new territory and based on how things go it makes sense. Bands\Labels coming off a very successful release tend try to play it safe by sticking with what seems to have worked. I think its better to say the album had songs that were "fillers" in comparison to GI. I don't see the comparison to PT by ppl in this forum. I could see it coming from band members though since it fits their perception of what they felt Styx should have been doing.

[yogi]

Sing For The Day and I'm OK are REALLY REALLY good songs!

Pieces Of Eight & Queen of Spades are GREAT songs!!


Blue Collar Man and Renegade are EPIC songs!!!

The Godfother & Godfather #2 = The Grand Illusion & Pieces of Eight.


Overrated??? BS, EVERY album they did starting with Equinox was UNDERRATED. Most of them VASTLY underrated.

Personally I believe that its their second best album,with Equinox being #1. It comes in slightly ahead of The Grand Illusion.

Equinox was Goodfellas #1 on my mob movie list.

[masque]

Uh wrong again Masque and Everett!!! Has nothing to do w DDY's comments.

Boom - the reason that I believe it is overrated is as follows:
- It offered no new musical territory beyond what TGI had covered.
- If anything, it was a step back from TGI - nothing on the order of the title track, FY, CSA, or MIW
- It is not close on a thematic, lyrical, or musical basis to Paradise Theater - yet many current band members, and therefore their mouthpieces on these boards, also play this up vs. Paradise Theatre
- Unlike TGI, there are some definitive weak songs on the album, including DDY penned LOTR and SFTD.

toph, i wont argue your opinion.....but your opinion and tastes are obviously very much in line with DDY's....because most of what you mention above is what DDY said about the album.....just phrased in a different way......which, by the way, is fine......that makes sense.....if you like DDY the way you do then it makes sense that things he may not like as well would be things you dont find all that exciting either.

however, in the grand scheme of all things styx.....POE is epic and i dont understand why some folks use the phrase "it didnt break any new ground" as a basis for any album not being great. artists hit their strides as writers and for a while they write batches of songs that are usually similar in style.....considering how close together those albums were released then I would say it makes perfect sense as to why POE didnt break any new ground.

the same way VH 2 didnt break any new ground from VH 1 or that double vision did from foreigner's debut or that point of know return did from leftoverture or that moving pictures did from permanent waves. but those follow-up's were all great.....just as POE was and still is.

[Everett]

- Unlike TGI, there are some definitive weak songs on the album, including DDY penned LOTR and SFTD.

Uh tommy wrote sing for the day dude.

[scarab]

isnt the one with Babe the most overrared?

[cittadeeno23]

Styx didn't have an "overrated" album. I agree with Yogi 100%. All the classic Styx albums were vastly "underrated." Pieces of Eight was one of the greatest albums of all time. Who cares if they broke new ground or not with that album??? It's Rock and Roll, not poetry or literature! I'm so sick of those Rolling Stone-type critics who ripped on Styx all the time. Styx was one of the greatest SOUNDING bands of all time. Isn't music about SOUND? The mainstream critics always loved political bands and they really loved the Grunge bands because they "broke new ground" (if you consider not washing your hair, staring at the ground when you sing and writing depressing lyrics about suicide and "my daddy doesn't love me" breaking new ground!) What the critics failed to mention about those bands was that they SOUNDED like SHIT!!! And by the way, for the record Styx DID set some trends and they did write some epic songs. Styx was the first band I remember hearing in the very early 70's that had incredible harmonies with hard rock chords (yes, BEFORE Queen). And if my memory serves me correctly, after they released BABE several of the similar bands at the time jumped on the bandwagon and started recording ballads, including Journey and Foreigner.
Also, just because Dennis didn't have any "hits" on PO8 doesn't mean that he should be ashamed of it. The title track, Queen of Spades and I'm OK are FANTASTIC songs. A song doesn't have to be a hit to be a good song. Most hit songs are short and repetitive so that the dumbed-down public will remember them. It takes much more effort to write a long, progressive GREAT SOUNDING song in my opinion. I have nothing against the hit songs. I think Best of Times is the greatest ballad ever recorded, but I would much rather listen to PO8, I'm OK and Queen of Spades any day.

[Everett]

Great post deeno

[pinkfloyd1973]

isnt the one with Babe the most overrared?

Was it overcooked?

[Boomchild]

Blue Collar Man and Renegade are EPIC songs!!!

Sorry, but I just don't see BCM being an "EPIC" song. Renegade is far better.

[Boomchild]

Also, just because Dennis didn't have any "hits" on PO8 doesn't mean that he should be ashamed of it.

I think this statement takes Dennis' thoughts on PO8 out of context. I don't think Dennis' opinion comes from him not having a "hit" song on it. If I remember correctly, Dennis said he had a "writers block" at the time and didn't feel the songs he contributed were up to the standards he felt he normally does. I don't think that Dennis uses a song being a "hit" as a marker for a "good song". He has commented a good song is a good song. No mater what style it is in. I never heard Dennis say that he was "ashamed" of PO8. Just not as happy with it as some others. Dennis seems to be the only member that was not ashamed of anything they did. Which I can't say the same about other members of the band based on their comments.

[yogi]

I too have grown weary of the endless rerecordings of Blue Collar Man, BUT..... when it was first released back in 1978 it got MAJOR MAJOR airplay. The song TOTALLY rocks and the music clubs BMG/RCA and Columbia praised the album and the hard rock 'anthem' Blue Collar Man. At the time those music clubs were like the internet with their magazines their reviews and their features of the month that was automatically sent to your door. Pieces of Eight was the selection of the month for both clubs. They both loved that album and especially the 'guitar charged vocally driven power anthem created by Styx' that was Blue Collar Man.

GREAT song from an even GREATER album.

They were sooooooooo damn good back then!!!

[Toph]

- Unlike TGI, there are some definitive weak songs on the album, including DDY penned LOTR and SFTD.

Uh tommy wrote sing for the day dude.

Didnt say he didnt. Said DDY penned LOTR

[Toph]

Styx didn't have an "overrated" album. I agree with Yogi 100%. All the classic Styx albums were vastly "underrated." Pieces of Eight was one of the greatest albums of all time. Who cares if they broke new ground or not with that album??? It's Rock and Roll, not poetry or literature! I'm so sick of those Rolling Stone-type critics who ripped on Styx all the time. Styx was one of the greatest SOUNDING bands of all time. Isn't music about SOUND? The mainstream critics always loved political bands and they really loved the Grunge bands because they "broke new ground" (if you consider not washing your hair, staring at the ground when you sing and writing depressing lyrics about suicide and "my daddy doesn't love me" breaking new ground!) What the critics failed to mention about those bands was that they SOUNDED like SHIT!!! And by the way, for the record Styx DID set some trends and they did write some epic songs. Styx was the first band I remember hearing in the very early 70's that had incredible harmonies with hard rock chords (yes, BEFORE Queen). And if my memory serves me correctly, after they released BABE several of the similar bands at the time jumped on the bandwagon and started recording ballads, including Journey and Foreigner.
Also, just because Dennis didn't have any "hits" on PO8 doesn't mean that he should be ashamed of it. The title track, Queen of Spades and I'm OK are FANTASTIC songs. A song doesn't have to be a hit to be a good song. Most hit songs are short and repetitive so that the dumbed-down public will remember them. It takes much more effort to write a long, progressive GREAT SOUNDING song in my opinion. I have nothing against the hit songs. I think Best of Times is the greatest ballad ever recorded, but I would much rather listen to PO8, I'm OK and Queen of Spades any day.

I would consider the title track Po8 a ballad.

[Toph]

Blue Collar Man and Renegade are EPIC songs!!!

Sorry, but I just don't see BCM being an "EPIC" song. Renegade is far better.

BCM isn't an epic Styx song. Even the NAND admitted that by where they stuck it in their setlist. Epic songs are saved for the end.

[Toph]

Also, just because Dennis didn't have any "hits" on PO8 doesn't mean that he should be ashamed of it.

I think this statement takes Dennis' thoughts on PO8 out of context. I don't think Dennis' opinion comes from him not having a "hit" song on it. If I remember correctly, Dennis said he had a "writers block" at the time and didn't feel the songs he contributed were up to the standards he felt he normally does. I don't think that Dennis uses a song being a "hit" as a marker for a "good song". He has commented a good song is a good song. No mater what style it is in. I never heard Dennis say that he was "ashamed" of PO8. Just not as happy with it as some others. Dennis seems to be the only member that was not ashamed of anything they did. Which I can't say the same about other members of the band based on their comments.

I think Po8 the song was hit worthy. Kind of follows a similar progression as CSA. Not sure why it wasn't released. Would have released it after Renegade.

[Everett]

- Unlike TGI, there are some definitive weak songs on the album, including DDY penned LOTR and SFTD.

Uh tommy wrote sing for the day dude.

Didnt say he didnt. Said DDY penned LOTR

So what is SFTD supposed to stand for?????

[masque]

- Unlike TGI, there are some definitive weak songs on the album, including DDY penned LOTR and SFTD.[/quote]





So what is SFTD supposed to stand for????? [/quote][/quote]

you're reading it wrong dude, but i understand because of how it was stated.....toph says the DDY penned LOTR and SFTD......i understand your confusion but toph was merely pointing out that those two songs are weak in his opinion and reminding everyone that DDY wrote LOTR even though JY sung it. he wasnt implying that DDY wrote SFTD.

[brywool]

Dennis also didn't like the Crystal Ball album- which is brilliant.

[Boomchild]

Dennis also didn't like the Crystal Ball album- which is brilliant.

Again, I think that Dennis' comments are being taken out of context. It's not that Dennis "didn't like" CB or PO8. He just doesn't think that these albums are as strong as some others when looking at their whole body of work. When it comes to Dennis not liking albums the only ones I can think of are the Wooden Nickel releases with the exception of Styx II. Also, I think the terms brilliant and epic used on the topics in this thread are being over used.

[Boomchild]

I think Po8 the song was hit worthy. Kind of follows a similar progression as CSA. Not sure why it wasn't released. Would have released it after Renegade.

I would say the reason was that Dennis didn't think it was good enough for a single. Again, he clearly seems to feel his writing was weak during this period.

[Boomchild]

I too have grown weary of the endless rerecordings of Blue Collar Man, BUT..... when it was first released back in 1978 it got MAJOR MAJOR airplay. The song TOTALLY rocks and the music clubs BMG/RCA and Columbia praised the album and the hard rock 'anthem' Blue Collar Man. At the time those music clubs were like the internet with their magazines their reviews and their features of the month that was automatically sent to your door. Pieces of Eight was the selection of the month for both clubs. They both loved that album and especially the 'guitar charged vocally driven power anthem created by Styx' that was Blue Collar Man.

GREAT song from an even GREATER album.

They were sooooooooo damn good back then!!!

Don't get me wrong, BCM is a good song and I like it. But in terms of Tommy's body of work in Styx I don't feel it is noteworthy as others. As far as the record clubs, they were influenced and bribed to push certain artists and titles just like radio stations were. So, that doesn't carry a lot of weight in my mind.

[Toph]

If that is true (that DDY didn't want Po8 released as a single), I am amazed at the amount of control these guys had in determining the singles or not releasing singles (think also First Time and HWbHB). If I am the record company I tell them to go to hell and we'll release what we want to thank you