I love everything STYX has done...that includes Kilroy Was Here...not ashamed to admit it.
Fantastic band. Oh Lord..if you're looking at those early albums?? You can get all 4 first albums on one double CD called "The Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings"
^^I'm glad to hear it MP I will count on you after I do Pieces of Eight next, to finish off the thread. I did own all three albums, Cornerstone, Paradise Theater and Kilroy Was Here, but they are lost in the fire I mentioned earlier, and although they were good, I just felt a compilation gave me the best songs off the three so I only replaced my Favorites.
About the Wooden Nickel 2 CD set, you are right those are all good albums, I have no explanation as to why I didn't pick them up years ago when I was buying vinyl records...
Last edited by Lord Grendel; 12-07-2009 at 11:11 AM.
My voyage is now over, my collection ends with Pieces of Eight. I did own the next three on vinyl but no longer have them, but I know some other fans can carry on from here.
This album and Grand Illusion are my two favorites, I would recommend either one to a fan just getting started with Styx and didn't want the usual compilation. The band is at their peak on this one, scorching rockers, easy ballads, the usual top notch musicianship you can't miss if you add this CD to your collection.
My favorite song.
And with that my last CD I pass the torch from my failing hands to the next Styx fan.
The next Album from Styx was released in 1979, Cornerstone. This is the 6th realease and the 3rd concept album. Dont get too excited, LG, this album has a pop sound, not the typical goodie from Styx. Although the album does have two pretty decent ballads, "Babe" and "First Time". The song "Love in the Midnight" has some great mandolin playing by Tommy Shaw as well as some other instruments such as an acordion and reminds me of the classic Styx sound. Another classic sounding song is "Boat on a River". Overall, the album isn't terrible, but you can see a transition happening.
I don't know what it was, but Styx seemed to lose their intensity at this point, some decent songs, I don't even mind "Babe", but some spark seemed to be missing for me...
Like most everyone here, "Lady" is the song that first caught my ear and they just kept getting better and better with each successive album from 75-78. Also like most everyone here, my favorite album is The Grand Illusion.
Lots of good music from those guys in the second half of the 70's. They fit right into that niche with Foreigner, Kansas and Toto.
Just thought I'd thank Runtfan, it took me a while but I finally have added "Styx II", "The Serpent is Rising" and "Man of Miracles" to my library, the CD's not MP3's, without his excellent commentary about those three albums I wouldn't have picked them up.
Just thought I'd thank Runtfan, it took me a while but I finally have added "Styx II", "The Serpent is Rising" and "Man of Miracles" to my library, the CD's not MP3's, without his excellent commentary about those three albums I wouldn't have picked them up.
You're welcome! That's one of the things that these message boards are for - to turn others on to stuff they might not know ( and might like)...always nice when it works out.
Last night at band practice ( for our Heart tribute band) we were goofing around near the end of practice and started talking about Styx and some cool covers we could do and we jammed for a few minutes on parts of a few tunes...Suite Madame Blue, Crystal Ball, Light Up...anyway, we may end up doing one of those or some other Styx tune - we usually play a couple of non-Heart covers at our gigs, just for ourselves. I've been in some good cover bands but this is probably the first one that could convincingly tackle a Styx tune (vocals and guitars)...I'll let you know if we decide on one
Just thought I'd thank Runtfan, it took me a while but I finally have added "Styx II", "The Serpent is Rising" and "Man of Miracles" to my library, the CD's not MP3's, without his excellent commentary about those three albums I wouldn't have picked them up.
After you've ingested those albums let me know how my earlier commentary holds up in your opinion.
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