This Day in Music History: Styx/Paradise Theatre (01/19)

Paradise Theatre is the tenth album by the rock band Styx, released on this date in January, 1981. This is probably my most favorite album of all time.

The album consists of four charted singles. "The Best of Times", written by Dennis DeYoung, went to #3 on the Billboard Hot 100. "Too Much Time on My Hands", written by Tommy Shaw, went to #9 on the Billboard Hot 100, Shaw's only top 10 hit for Styx. "Nothing Ever Goes as Planned", written by DeYoung, went to #54 on the US Pop Chart. "Rockin' the Paradise" — written by DeYoung, Shaw and James Young — went to #8 on the Top Rock Track Chart.

Paradise Theatre became Styx's only US #1 album. It was the band's fourth consecutive triple-platinum album, and (as of 2015) the last multi-platinum album by the band.

This Day in Music History (10/19): Styx/Cornerstone

On this day in 1979, Styx released its ninth studio album Cornerstone. This was Styx's follow-up to their second consecutive Top 10 selling Triple Platinum album in a row, 1978's Pieces of Eight.

Like the four previous Styx albums, the band produced the album themselves once again. However, the band started using a new recording studio Pumpkin Studios in Oak Lawn, Illinois. Plus, the album was the first where the band shied away from the art-rock/prog-rock influences that dominated their first eight studio albums and was the band's first move towards a more pop/rock direction (band member Dennis DeYoung stated in a 2009 interview that the change in direction came from reading bad reviews the group got in the rock press while on their first tour of England).

Regardless, the move towards "Barry Manilow's territory" set Tommy and JY on one side with DDY on the other.

This Day in Music History (10/01): Styx/The Serpent is Rising/Crystal Ball

On this day, Styx released not one, but two albums (obviously in different years).

1973: The Serpent is Rising

The Serpent Is Rising is the third album by Styx, released in 1973. The band considers this to be their worst recording. Dennis DeYoung has gone far as saying it was "one of the worst recorded and produced in the history of music." The album peaked at #192 on the Billboard 200, their second-lowest charting album, and as of 2007 has sold less than 100,000 copies worldwide (two of these are owned by me!).

Music Monday: Styx/Cyclorama (Side Two)

The first side of this album can be found here.

As a quick review, the band had spent three years on the road and released a couple of live albums, but this was their first studio album with new keyboardist Lawrence Gowan.

Music Monday: Styx/Brave New World (Side Two)

Brave New World peaked at #175 on the Billboard 200 and notably reached the top 10 on the Top Internet Albums chart (yay?). However, its position on the Billboard charts was the lowest from a Styx album of all new material since 1973's The Serpent Is Rising. Ouch, just ouch.

That being said, there is still a lot of good music on this album, especially side two. Side one wasn't bad either...

Music Monday: Styx/Brave New World (Side One)

Well, that didn't last long...

The Styx "reunion" following the Return to Paradise tour was able to produce their 13th studio album in 1999 called Brave New World, but for Dennis DeYoung it would be his last with the band.

Music Monday: Styx/Greatest Hits

Styx - Classics, Volume 15 is a greatest hits compilation for the band Styx, released in 1987 by A&M Records as part of A&M's classics series of greatest hits albums for artists on its label. Like Best of Styx (one of my favorites that I covered here), this compilation is label-exclusive. Therefore it only contains Styx's hits on the A&M label. This means it excludes Styx's significant hit "Lady", which was recorded for Wooden Nickel Records.

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Music Monday: Styx/Edge of the Century (Side Two)

After covering side one last week, it is now time to look at the flip side. Hopefully I'll get everything 100% right this time so Glen Burtnik won't have to correct me on Facebook. Yeah, that happened (and was epic!).

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Music Monday: Styx/Caught in the Act

In 1984, Styx released a live album titled Caught in the Act. This is not to be confused with the VHS recording of the same name that depicted the band acting out the concept established in their Kilroy was Here album.

Music Monday: Styx/Kilroy Was Here (Side Two)

In the previous post covering side one of Kilroy Was Here I detailed how Dennis DeYoung came up with the story for this concept album. Now it is time to take a look at side two and see how it finishes out.

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Friday and the Random 10 (Snowblind Edition)

Welcome to a new and improved, simplified and stripped down Random 10! 

Here's a picture.

JY is a bad mofo.

Music Monday: Styx/Kilroy Was Here (Side One)

Directly caused by the accusations of backward Satanic messages on "Snowblind" from Paradise Theater, Dennis DeYoung conceived a concept album that was a rock opera telling the story of a future where rock music is outlawed by a fascist government and the "MMM" (the Majority for Musical Morality). The story's protagonist, Kilroy, is a former rock star who has been imprisoned by MMM leader Dr. Righteous. He escapes using a disguise when he becomes aware that a young musician, Jonathan Chance, is on a mission to bring rock music back. The album was called Kilroy Was Here.

Music Monday: Styx/Paradise Theater (Act Two)

Act one told the story of the opening of the theater and the "best of times" it had in its glory days. Act two tells of its decline and eventual demolition.

The back side of the album cover shows the Paradise closed and in disrepair. You can barely make out the banner for Sparky the Flying Dog which states he was appearing until July 7th, 1958. That was the exact date that workmen finished the demolition of the theater.

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Music Monday (Styx/Cornerstone, Side Two)

After covering the first side here, it is time to move onto the flip side of Cornerstone.

The first side contained the band's first (and only) U.S. #1 single in "Babe". However, there was becoming a major rift in the band that wanted to continue its rocking ways as opposed to entering "Barry Manilow's territory". This became evident as the follow up singles to "Babe" were released.

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Music Monday (Styx/Cornerstone, Side One)

And this is where the rifts started. In 1979, Styx released their next album simply called Cornerstone.

Styx had released two consecutive triple platinum albums in The Grand Illusion and Pieces of Eight. So what do they do next? The band shied away from the art-rock/prog-rock influences that dominated their first eight studio albums and was the band's first move towards a more pop/rock direction. Dennis DeYoung (a.k.a. Mr Negative) stated in a 2009 interview that the change in direction came from reading bad reviews the group got in the rock press while on their first tour of England. England?!? Yeah I'm sure "Miss America" and "Suite Madame Blue" were big over there.

Music Monday (Styx/Pieces of Eight, Side One)

As a follow up to the triple platinum selling The Grand Illusion, Styx released Pieces of Eight in 1978. 

Some consider the album to be Styx' second concept album, The Serpent Is Rising arguably being the first. And it does have a darker, "grungier" feel to it at times. The theme of the album, as Dennis DeYoung explained was about "not giving up your dreams just for the pursuit of money and material possessions".

Music Monday (Styx/The Grand Illusion, Side Two)

After covering the magnificent first side of The Grand Illusion here, it is time to take a look at side two.

Music Monday (Styx/Crystal Ball, Side Two)

The first side of Crystal Ball was covered previously here. It had all three singles released from the album, but the flip side has some great music on it as well.

Music Monday (Styx/Equinox, Side One)

So at this point, Styx had just left Wooden Nickel Records and signed with A&M. From here on out is most of the music the casual fan knows, with the four previous albums being completely forgotten. Well with one exception: the single "Lady".

In March of 1975, "Lady" peaked at #6 on the charts. In December of that same year, Styx released their first album on the A&M label, Equinox.

Music Monday (Styx/Man of Miracles, Side Two)

After covering the first side here, it is time to take a look a the flip side of Styx's Man of Miracles. This was the last of the Wooden Nickel albums, so it was also the last to have an alternate cover from a re-issue. The 1980 cover looks like this:

As with the other re-issues, there was a minor name change and this album was shortened down to just Miracles.