yogi wrote:I think its a GREAT ode to cover.
Its ode to Styx, which DDY founded and help put on the map. Its ode to John & Chuck P who also founded the band and brought it to millions of fans across the globe.
TW4 the Tradewinds whatever they are part of the GREAT Styx name & past.
FANTASTIC idea and cover. I hope the music is also GREAT
I understand what you are saying. But, DDY's conduct over the past 30yrs or so is explicitly saying not that he HELPED put them on the map but that HE put them on the map. That HE was solely responsible for their sound. That HE produced all of the albums. That HE made all the difficult decisions. Implying that HE is responsible for everything that Styx was, and is.
So, IMO, this is a Styx album cover essentially saying that HE is Styx. That may not have been his intention, but it how it looks to me.
Somebody above mentioned Perry's album cover. I have been very critical of BOTH DDY and Perry for how they controlled their bands, etc. However, Steve Perry has never came out said that when he joined the band that he reinvented their sound, that he wrote all of their hits, that he was responsible for their success. His fans have done that, but he has never made that argument - not to the extent that DDY has. His album cover has references to Journey; scarabs, infinity signs, references to various album cover, etc. But, he also includes other references to his own life and past. It much more of a dedication to his history to music in general, and life in general, which of course includes Journey.
DDY would have been better off, IMO, by doing this "ode" in a more settle way and not continuing his narartive of "I started Styx - that was my band..." To me, it's offensive, because he is not Styx. He a part of a whole. I can listen to 100yrs and hear that part of Styx influence his solo sound. But, if this album does the same it will seem to me to be DDY trying to be Styx without the rest of the band. That is the atmosphere that this cover has set up for me.