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Toph wrote: My girlfriend was like, "What is wrong with you?" and I am like "I've been waiting 7 years and I get a hair band wannabe song? Seriously?!" I have to be honest with you. I hated Ritual. I was never a huge hair band fan and was crushed that Styx went through with what I thought was a pretty significant image change.
And that is exactly what it was - an image change. Someone in the Styx marketing department must have thought the band needed a new look for the 90s and everything about the band, from the sound of the first single, to the look of the new video, to even the band's look screamed "We're a hair band now." From a marketing perspective, I understand it. However, I think is was such a massive change, that they should have gradually gone there vs. releasing the most hair band sounding song as the first single. I would argue that hearing Love Is The Ritual was as much or more drastic of a sound change than Mr. Roboto
Boomchild wrote:Toph wrote: My girlfriend was like, "What is wrong with you?" and I am like "I've been waiting 7 years and I get a hair band wannabe song? Seriously?!" I have to be honest with you. I hated Ritual. I was never a huge hair band fan and was crushed that Styx went through with what I thought was a pretty significant image change.
And that is exactly what it was - an image change. Someone in the Styx marketing department must have thought the band needed a new look for the 90s and everything about the band, from the sound of the first single, to the look of the new video, to even the band's look screamed "We're a hair band now." From a marketing perspective, I understand it. However, I think is was such a massive change, that they should have gradually gone there vs. releasing the most hair band sounding song as the first single. I would argue that hearing Love Is The Ritual was as much or more drastic of a sound change than Mr. Roboto
After reading this it made me think this is what some felt with Cornerstone and KWH. I am not saying it's right or wrong. If we are to believe what JY said about DDY demanding the ultimate final decision on what the band was going to do, then he is responsible for what you are discussing here. This was the first Styx album where DDY is listed as the sole producer.
My thoughts on the album are this. I remember hearing Ritual by accident while listing to the radio. I was not aware that they were even back together and putting out an album. My first thoughts were who is this guy singing this Styx tune? It's not DDY, it's not JY and not TS. Who the fuck is this guy? I liked the song but was both puzzled and psyched that a new album was coming. I bought the album the day of release and that is when I found out who this guy signing Ritual was. At that point in time I had never heard of Glen. Overall, I enjoyed the album. It didn't feel completely like a Styx album to me but I realized just like with Cornerstone and KWH the band had updated their sound. I don't really play this album as much as other Styx albums but I think it was good album all around. I felt DDY was doing the same thing he did with TS on CB, pushing the new guy to the front to expose Styx's new member. Even though Glen isn't Tommy and their writing styles are different, I felt he was a good fit.
Toph wrote:Now, here's a question....if there had been a Son Of Edge would Styx have tried to hop on the trend and go "grunge?!?" (Only half joking here...)
Boomchild wrote:Toph wrote:Now, here's a question....if there had been a Son Of Edge would Styx have tried to hop on the trend and go "grunge?!?" (Only half joking here...)
Personally, I think they would have stayed with the same type or similar sound that EOTC had. My question is how would it have sold? I think the "desert storm mix" of SMTW was the saving grace for the EOTC album. Had that not happened the album would not have done very well. Styx had been off the map for long time and the music scene changed a lot during that time. I don't think they would have been able to repeat that with "Son Of Edge". I think this is what A&M was thinking. Hence their cold shoulder to the band and dropping them like a hot rock.
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