An Old Dog learning new Tricks ?

[classicstyxfan]

I recently ( finally ) had the chance to see the video for I am the Walrus, and I am a bit surprised by my own opinion about it.........

I kind of LIKE it !

While I will never be enamored with LG's voice, he shows a great deal of stage presence/ charisma in the video.

If one can put aside & temporarily suspend comparisons to all prevoius incarnations of Styx, this cut ain't half bad....overall it is one of the better Beatles covers I've heard....and it's an example of how Gowan should be used in this version of the band.

I'd also like to make it known that no mind altering substances were ingested in any form prior to the composing of this post.

[styxfanNH]

There ya go Classic. If you don't compare him to Dennis and actually give him a chance, he's not bad.

With Styx he has to sing lead on a couple of DDY's songs, but when allowed to sing on new music, he's great. I Don't Need no Doctor is amazing, just listen to him as larry and not DDY's soundalike as many try to make him out to be.

[Zan]

Falls over dead...

[ek88]

There ya go Classic. If you don't compare him to Dennis and actually give him a chance, he's not bad.

Boy, you said a mouthful there. The guy is talented, but if a person compares him to Dennis, you'll never see that talent because Dennis is special and one of a kind.

[Abitaman]

There ya go Classic. If you don't compare him to Dennis and actually give him a chance, he's not bad.

Boy, you said a mouthful there. The guy is talented, but if a person compares him to Dennis, you'll never see that talent because Dennis is special and one of a kind.

Now if we can another person to give him a fair listen, we can slowly get others to see, it's not Dennis hating, but likeing LArry for bring Larry-ERIC

[sadie65]

There ya go Classic. If you don't compare him to Dennis and actually give him a chance, he's not bad.

Boy, you said a mouthful there. The guy is talented, but if a person compares him to Dennis, you'll never see that talent because Dennis is special and one of a kind.

Now if we can another person to give him a fair listen, we can slowly get others to see, it's not Dennis hating, but likeing LArry for bring Larry-ERIC

I can only speak for myself. I have heard Gowan sing his own material, and for ME, the man's voice does nothing for me. I think that while many do compare him to Dennis, because, unfortunately, that's the spot he had to fill, it's unfair to suggest that people didn't five him a fair listen if they say they don't care for his voice.

I myself, find him a talented musician and song writer. Just not a good singer.

Peace

[bugsymalone]

We talked about the Walrus video on another thread, and I found it sort of hippie, trippy, nineteen-sixties, which was fine for the context.

Like Sadie, I have heard Gowan, and not just on DDY songs, and I am unimpressed with his singing.

I also find him singularly unattractive looking, but that is PURELY subjective on my part. I am well aware of the other opinions regarding that.

All that said, good points are made here about taking him on his own merits and leaving the comparisons out of it. That is as it should be.

Bugsy

[classicstyxfan]

I'm not quite ready to be nominated for the presidency of the Gowan fan club just yet !

His reditions of several songs that were originally sung by Dennis still send
shivers up my spine and make me quickly reach for some pepto bismal !

However, if he stays away from those, ( or the more likely scenario, if I stay away from listening when he does ) I am willing to listen to any new Gowan material with an open mind.

[Abitaman]

Sadie, and the others out there, I wasn't stating that you weren't giving Larry a listen, what I was trying to say was, don't compare him to Dennis, which is what I did at first. Dennis is the Classsic Styx to me and always will be. But Classic Styx is gone and Larry is good in the new Styx, but Vocally he is not Dennis, and I had to over come that, which was hard to do. But to be honest I was throwing a ball at Froy with my comment.

Sadie, did you get my list Sat.? If not let me know-ERIC

[Guest]

The songs he sings on Cyclorama are just bad.

I'm being honest here... the guys voice just does nothing for me... it actually makes me cringe when he sings his own material.

[Guest]

Does anyone find it slightly ironic that while Gowan is replacing a legend in a classic band, his big chance to step up front and sing lead vocal on a single in that band and he's singing a cover song by another legendary band?

[sadie65]

Does anyone find it slightly ironic that while Gowan is replacing a legend in a classic band, his big chance to step up front and sing lead vocal on a single in that band and he's singing a cover song by another legendary band?

From what I understand, Larry used to perform this song when he was a solo artist. I guess the band decided they liked his rendition of it, so they started including it just as they had previously included Criminal Mind.

I confess, it is probably one of my least favorite Beatles tunes, and this rendition did little to change my mind on the song itself.

Peace

[sadie65]

Sadie, and the others out there, I wasn't stating that you weren't giving Larry a listen, what I was trying to say was, don't compare him to Dennis, which is what I did at first. Dennis is the Classsic Styx to me and always will be. But Classic Styx is gone and Larry is good in the new Styx, but Vocally he is not Dennis, and I had to over come that, which was hard to do. But to be honest I was throwing a ball at Froy with my comment.

Sadie, did you get my list Sat.? If not let me know-ERIC

I understand that. I do try to give any artist a fair shake. He isn't Dennis, nor is Dennis anyone else. They are their own people. I can respect that people find Gowan good in this role. I myself, don't. But hey, I am sure there is much I like that others don't.

I just took the tone of the previous comments to mean that if someone voices disliking Gowan's singing skills, it's only because they compare him to Dennis or are somehow blinded by some mythical loyalty. I realize that wasn't necessarily your intent, but it has been made by others from time to time. I apologize if it seemed I was jumping on your comment.

I did get your list. Thanks. I'll respond when things quiet down here at home.

Peace

[Guest]

I confess, it is probably one of my least favorite Beatles tunes, and this rendition did little to change my mind on the song itself.

I agree... I'm a huge Beatles fan but I've never particularly cared for this song...

[styxfanNH]

If the reason you don't like Larry's voice is simply because you don't like his voice then that is understandable. We all have artists or song styles that we don't like.

But all to often on this BB, the reason that is given is simply he is not Dennis. Because in many eyes here they try to compare him to Dennis or say simply he is ruining Dennis' songs. That's not a reason to say he can't sing. Because he simply can. You may not care for his voice or his antics on stage, but he is clearly what Tommy and JY were looking for when they hired him - A more stright ahead rock n roll keyboard player/singer than one who concentrated on ballads.

Larry also had 2 songs on Cyclorama prior to IATW. IATW was just the one that gave the band their most recent break.