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/The Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings

After allowing some of the early Styx songs to be on the Come Sail Away anthology, Wooden Nickel then remastered all of the old albums and released them as a set together in 2005. This was The Complete Wooden Nickel Recordings.

Music Monday: Styx/Come Sail Away Anthology

In 2004, Styx released yet another "greatest hits" album. This one was called Come Sail Away - The Styx Anthology. Now the main difference between this and the 1995 Greatest Hits is that it actually contains songs from the Wooden Nickel albums.

You get "Best Thing" (their first released single) from Styx I, "You Need Love" and "Lady" (the original, not the Lady '95 version) from Styx II, "Winner Take All" from The Serpent is Rising, and "Rock and Roll Feeling" from Man of Miracles.

It contains most of the hits in between and songs as recent as "One with Everything" off Cyclorama. The most interesting nugget in the whole thing though is a never before released extended version of "Man in the Wilderness" from The Grand Illusion.

I could not find a version of this one YouTube, so like before I just made one. Enjoy.

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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 (The Best of Styx)

Now this may seem out of place, but the next Styx album I am going to cover is not the next one in their discography. It is a compilation album from the Wooden Nickle years called Best of Styx.

Music Monday (Styx/The Serpent is Rising, Side 2)

After covering side one of The Serpent is Rising here, it is now time to critique the flip side and hope things get better. Here's a hint: they don't. Before that though, let's take a look at what the 1980 re-issue cover looks like:

As the previous albums before, it also gets a new name. The title gets shortened down to simply Serpent. In this case I think I actually prefer the original though.

Music Monday (Styx/The Serpent is Rising, Side 1)

Now here is an album I cant make heads or tails out of. After Styx II you figured they would be on their way, but no - they release this klunker. The back cover blames thanks Chuck Lofrano for the "Serpent" concept. It would have been nice to know what the hell the concept actually was. To make a horrible album? It does comes off as medieval or something out of the dark ages so maybe thats the idea? I mean we get songs about werewolves, pirates, wenches, a rising serpent (ahem) and well, basically....errrr, well....a vagina. And don't even get me started on the plexiglas toilet thing...

Deep Cuts and Hidden Gems: Styx/As Bad as This

Sometimes, there are some songs that get lost on albums that are truly great. Most of the time it isn't even recognized until years later. So this is a spot where I would like to put those songs in the spotlight for everyone to hear, and hopefully appreciate like I do.

One of these is a song by Styx, from their album The Serpent is Rising, which is...horrible. And probably the reason you have never heard this song before. It's definitely a gem though.

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