Seriously, I AM looking forward to Caught In The Act on DVD
COME SAIL AWAY: THE STYX ANTHOLOGY Spans 30+ Years for Popular Rockers; From "Lady" and "Come Sail Away" to "Blue Collar Man," "Renegade," "Babe," "Mr. Roboto," "Too Much Time On My Hands" " and "Show Me The Way"
LOS ANGELES, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- From Isaac Hayes singing "Come Sail
Away" on TV's "South Park" to a car commercial featuring "Mr. Roboto," the
songs of Styx have become part of rock culture. Now one of the most popular
bands of its time is celebrated with COME SAIL AWAY: THE STYX ANTHOLOGY
(A&M/UTV/UMe), released May 4, 2004, the group's first U.S.-released two-CD
retrospective and first compilation anywhere to span its 30-plus years to
date.
COME SAIL AWAY: THE STYX ANTHOLOGY, produced in association with Styx,
includes 35 recordings, each newly digitally remastered. Spanning 1972-2003,
the set boasts tracks from 13 of its 14 studio albums -- four Wooden Nickel,
eight A&M and two Sanctuary (also heard is a studio track from a largely live
album). Heard are 12 of the band's 16 pop Top 40s.
Chicagoans Dennis DeYoung (keyboards), brothers John and Chuck Panozzo
(drums and bass, respectively) and guitarists John Curulewski and James "JY"
Young debuted with a self-titled 1972 album which included "Best Thing" and
mixed a rock sensibility with synthesizer-driven prog-rock -- a balance that
was a Styx hallmark. 1973's STYX II showcased the band's first Top 10, the
epic ballad "Lady," which would belatedly earn STYX II gold. THE SERPENT IS
RISING (1973) featured "Winner Take All" and MAN OF MIRACLES (1974) "Rock &
Roll Feeling."
On A&M, the gold EQUINOX (1975) yielded the Top 40 "Lorelei" plus "Light
Up," "Prelude 12" and "Suite Madame Blue." Tommy Shaw replaced Curulewski and
the gold CRYSTAL BALL (1976) had a Top 40 with "Mademoiselle" as well as
"Shooz" and the title track. 1977's THE GRAND ILLUSION turned Styx into an
arena rock superstar. The triple platinum disc spun off the Top 10 "Come Sail
Away," Top 40 "Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)," "Miss America" and
"Man In The Wilderness" (here in its previously unreleased full-length
version).
The triple platinum PIECES OF EIGHT (1978) followed with its Top 40s "Blue
Collar Man (Long Nights)" and "Renegade" plus "Sing For The Day" and the title
track. 1979's CORNERSTONE went triple platinum featuring the gold #1 "Babe,"
"Boat On The River," "Lights" and "Borrowed Time." When the concept album
masterpiece PARADISE THEATRE (1981) arrived with the Top 10s "Too Much Time On
My Hands" and "The Best Of Times" (also "A.D. 1928," "Rockin' The Paradise"
and "Snowblind"), Styx became the first rock act with four consecutive triple
platinums. But 1983's futuristic opera KILROY WAS HERE was critically
skewered, despite going platinum and boasting the #3 gold "Mr. Roboto," and
Styx went on hiatus.
In 1990, a reunion (without Shaw) was led by the gold EDGE OF THE CENTURY,
and "Show Me The Way," a Gulf War anthem, rose to #3. Another Styx reunion,
with Shaw, led to a 1996 tour (though John Panozzo would pass away in July).
The tour produced the double live gold RETURN TO PARADISE (1997) and the
studio track "Dear John." After 1999's BRAVE NEW WORLD (the only studio album
not represented on COME SAIL AWAY: THE STYX ANTHOLOGY), more personnel changes
ensued. A new-look Styx made its studio debut with 2003's CYCLORAMA and "One
With Everything."
Three Styx "best of" albums are at least gold. More than a decade after
its previous platinum, 1995's GREATEST HITS reached that mark -- testimony to
the band's enduring appeal. Nearly 10 years further on, COME SAIL AWAY: THE
STYX ANTHOLOGY continues the story of Styx.
