Styx album by album thread

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by MikeInFla, Jun 14, 2021.

  1. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    Minor correction: neither review had that quote, though PoE was reviewed by legendary ultra-snarky Lester Bangs, and he was certainly dismissive. Illusion didn’t fare much better. Apparently Equinox was the source of that famous put-down.

    Also, in your CB singles, you missed Mademoiselle, which I’d mentioned was hacked like the other two upthread!

    Great background on Grand Illusion though; never heard most of the background stories you mentioned!
    :wave:
     
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  2. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    I'll chip in with fuller comments when I get home from my current trip. Although I know The Grand Illusion as well as I know any record, I like to have the featured album playing while I'm writing my doggerel. :)

    I do swim against the tide a little bit though. I regard it as a real classic with enough great songs to earn a 5/5 overall rating, I find it falls a smidgeon short of the glories of its immediate predecessor and successor. leaving it in third place in my overall Styx rankings. I'll go into more detail, hopefully before we move on to Pieces Of Eight! :righton:
     
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  3. SRC

    SRC That sums up Squatter for me

    Location:
    New York, NY
    The Grand Illusion!

    I'll admit my fondness and high opinion of this record (relative to other Styx albums at least) is heavily colored by the fact it was the first one I ever heard, back when I was literally in kindergarten. I'll exaggerate and say I possibly learned to read from poring over the lyric sheet of my parents' copy, while lying on the living room rug listening to this album many times. That being said, as an adult I remain impressed in how strong it is as an overall album amongst their output.
    To me, while there are very strong contributions from Tommy Shaw, and even a decent one by JY, to me this is DeYoung at his most confident, as with the band overall, in terms of the strength of their ideas. Paradise Theatre tries to come close, in terms of also having a vague overall concept, but that album for me is weakened by having a few too many not-so-classic tracks. The Grand Illusion as an album may only be a "concept album" as much as one could say Sgt. Pepper is, as not every song touches on the concept, but it teems with confidence, and even if one hates Styx, I think right from the get-go the band sounds like they are at the height of the powers, and at least sound like they are more on the same collaborative page than before or after.

    "The Grand Illusion": A powerful and strident opening, super strong opener from start to finish. One of DeYoung's best. I'd go so far as to say that it's hard to believe this song/album came so relatively quickly after Crystal Ball (and Equinox.) Some great stuff on those records here and there but this title track alone is considerably beyond 90% of everything they did before, to my ears. There's just something about the tightness of the arrangement, the lyrics, and weaving in and out of diverse sections.

    "Fooling Yourself": The second half of the opening one-two punch. One of Shaw's best, if not indeed his best ever. It's a perfect fusion of the band's diverse sounds, from the acoustic strumming to DeYoung's synths to that unique harmony vocal sound.

    "Superstars": A little step back in maturity and quality, bound to happen after the first two songs, perhaps. Always thought the harmonies were a bit too shrill on this one, but the verses are great, Shaw sounds great, and DDY's little spoken bit continues to tie the album theme together.

    "Come Sail Away": What do you even say about this one in 2021. It's become a thing. But for me, anyone who can still hear this song without total cynicism is OK in my book. "We had dreams..." The song has every key Styx element in spades and perfectly placed: DDY's piano style, voice, and melodic/poignant sensibility, it's a ballad, then it's a mid-tempo rocker, it glances over at the direction of prog, has great harmonies... Still an inspiring winner in my book. But I'm one of those lucky ones who never feels something good gets "overplayed"; maybe because I haven't really listened to classic rock radio since the 1980's.

    "Miss America": JY's songs always come across as a bit Spinal Tap (OK, far more than a bit), but I still get a kick out of the mock-serious synth intro with Miss America musical quote (which comes back again near the end.) And it's a good riff, even if JY's vocals are characteristically hamming up as always. Better than the likes of "Eddie", "Half Penny Two Penny" and so on, at least.

    "Man In The Wilderness": A criticism could be that the man in question gets a bit lost in the wilderness too long here, as the tune certainly doesn't suffer from a surplus of energy or strong ideas. The guitar solo section is good, even if it feels a bit Styx-by-the-numbers comparatively. Shaw sounds great as usual, so there's that.

    "Castle Walls": I like this one despite it likely coming off as the weak "fake prog" track on the album. I think one either digs DDY's sense of "dramatics" or one doesn't. Count me in as digging it - this track was a cool one to get a bit lost in as a kid, as I sat and wondered who the hell Tiresias was. If you were a kid in the early 80s who nerded out over D&D, "Castle Walls" worked well enough - I give it credit for being "bold" and somehow it goes by faster than one would expect at six minutes - despite it being a bit goofier in its seriousness, the arrangement develops, even ebbs and flows, better than "Man In The Wilderness".

    "The Grand Finale": Great way to tie up the record.

    To sum up, I think this is their strongest album overall. On a Styx-specific scale, where 10 is their best record, this is the 10-pointer, and for me no other Styx album scores even a 9. I'd give the rest of their classic albums with Shaw in the band at best a 7 or 8.
     
  4. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    Bravo, @SRC! Well written!
     
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  5. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    Don't necessarily agree with all of that - Man In The Wilderness is yet another candidate for my favourite Styx song, for example - but it was a fun read! :righton:
     
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  6. SRC

    SRC That sums up Squatter for me

    Location:
    New York, NY
    Admittedly I think I used to like it a lot more, so when I listened to the album today, I was surprised it felt more like a lull in the action than I remembered. But, maybe it will come around. I still dig it.
     
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  7. carlwm

    carlwm Forum Resident

    Location:
    wales
    No worries!

    I actually like the variety of opinions offered here. It's fascinating to read how others see the band. :righton:
     
  8. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Tour poster
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
     
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  9. jmpatrick

    jmpatrick Forum Resident

    Location:
    Detroit, MI
    That can't be vintage.
     
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  10. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    No idea. The Capitol Theatre was a stop for many rock acts in the 70's and 80's. It was demolished in 1991. Styx did play there Oct 8, 1977 Styx Setlist at Capitol Theatre, Passaic
     
  11. Styxguy

    Styxguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    I also owe my CB review, it's coming I promise!! I cleaned one of my original pressings, ripped the vinyl and then got busy :p

    Just going to comment on this box set. I was a lucky recipient of it thanks to 'Red Beard' from In The Studio who had noticed my enthusiasm for Styx via his social media, so he had Universal Music ship me a copy from their offices in California :D

    It's pretty nice overall but not really "The A&M Albums" with Edge missing :p

    Equinox, CB and GI are all reproduced properly, including the GI poster. POE, CS, PT and Kilroy are all gatefolds. Cornerstone comes in a shiny silver cardboard sleeve, not paper ;) Paradise is not etched and Kilroy is not purple (original pressings used KC-600 vinyl, which was a translucent purple when held up to a bright light)

    I've not listened to every LP in the set but the ones I did were good as far as I recall. Quiet vinyl and decent mastering. They have all been released individually as well.
     
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  12. Wil1972

    Wil1972 'Nader Dodgin' Champ

    Location:
    Alabama
    To quote the great Jerry Seinfeld: "Well, now we're gettin' somewhere!" The Grand Illusion deserves every accolade it has gotten. They may have slightly stumbled on their transition from Curulewski to Shaw, but they righted themselves and threw down a solid record. And the conceptual aspect of the album is appealing as well. The title track, "Fooling Yourself", "Miss America", and - of course - "Come Sail Away", are classics. "Man in the Wilderness" is solid, if overlong. And "The Grand Finale", if a bit of a cheat, puts a tidy bow on things. If forced to do so, I'd single out "Superstars" as the weakest link, and the nearest to being filler. But critics be damned. There are no illusions about this one.
    My score: 9 / 10
     
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  13. The Grand Illusion was a Columbia Record Club purchase for me back in 1977. I don't remember whether I bought it intentionally or whether I forgot to mail back the monthly selected choice card in time and they just sent this to me and billed me. I loved it right away! Is there a more perfect album for a 14 year old boy in 1977?

    The Grand Illusion -4/5 a fun point of entry for the album. the guitar tone for the solo is fantastic (Tommy?) and the melody is another winner from Dennis. The lyrics are a bit "of their time" and I still think they work fine -nice pomp with this one!
    Fooling Yourself -5/5 an anthem written and sung well by Tommy with some great keys from Dennis. A prog-lite epic and still a favorite of mine.
    Superstars -3.5/5 a step down perhaps and yet its still a strong cut that has that Styx harmonizing. Prophetic lyrics as this album pushed them into superstar status.
    Come Sail Away -5/5 over plaid to death, but you can't deny the hooks here and it really fits well as the next big Dennis' 'ballad into rocker' song in the mold of Lady, A Song For Suzanne, Suite Madam Blue and Ballerina. JY's synthesizer solo/bridge is outstanding too!
    Miss America -4.5/5 I knock JY's rockers more than most here, but this one is an exception and works well for me -probably my favorite JY tune in their catalog. And count me a fan of the deceptively mellow synthesizer intro. You can definitely here the Locomotive Breath influence too.
    Man In The Wilderness -5/5 Tommy's second masterpiece on the album. I disagree that it overstays it's welcome, I actually prefer the extended version on the Styx Gold compilation (basically just an extended fadeout). The lyrics on this song were/are my favorite on the album.
    Castle Walls -4/5 I didn't care much for this song originally, but it grew on me and has fortunately not been played to death on the radio.
    The Grand Finale -3/5 Just in case it was not clear that this was a concept album of sorts, you get this song to wrap things up neatly. Not a bad way to end it really.

    My Styx album order of preference for those albums reviewed to date:

    1) The Grand Illusion
    2) Equinox
    3) Crystal Ball
    4) Styx II
    5) Serpent Rising / Man of Miracles (tie)
    6) S/T
     
    Last edited: Jul 27, 2021
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  14. Shooz01

    Shooz01 Forum Resident

    Location:
    St Louis area
    I have been missing all these posts and have not had a chance to comment on Crystal Ball or Grand Illusion.... so here’s my quick thoughts since everyone has done such a great job with all the history of these records.

    First..... I’m going to have to change my screen name as soooo many people tanked the song Shooz :biglaugh:

    In probably about 9th grade I bought Equinox and Crystal Ball and played the heck out of those two records. I had already had Grand Illusion on cassette but after seeing these two I knew I had to have them. I see some people are lukewarm on CB, I actually really like it, every song, with of course the title track being my favorite. I’d easily give it a solid 7!
    I already had GI, but it represents to me the pinnacle of their recording career, what a great release, obviously worthy of a 10 in my book.
    Thanks all for the great informative posts and your personal thoughts on these great albums!
    Now..... time to change my screen name..... LOL!
     
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  15. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    From A&M a "Maxi" single:

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]

    Notice the time on CSA. If this is to be believed, it is 3:20.

    The single version is a full minute shorter than this version:


    But wait, it gets even shorter here, down another ten seconds

    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    If the full length version were on the A side this would make an excellent 45!
     
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  16. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
  17. Ken.e.

    Ken.e. Spinning music since...

    I know the core of the song is in the single mix, but it removed what makes the song great. I heard it years ago when a friend owned it, I had to hear it. He said he had not noticed the length when he bought it and was disappointed when he listened to it.
     
  18. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    On looking over their singles I found it kind of odd that they only released 2 singles from this album. The second single was Fooling Yourself.

    This is not the original single (and it is the only photo on Discogs).
    [​IMG]
    [​IMG]
    I used to have some of these "Memories" 45's. If you will notice the logo, it is not the classic Styx logo but the Paradise Theatre logo. So this had to have been issued around 1981 or so. CSA again is the radio edit. Fooling Yourself is the album version.

    Here is one from the Netherlands. Was this released in the US with a picture sleeve?
    [​IMG]
    This version got really butchered! And the flip side is Grand Finale.
    [​IMG]
     
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  19. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    From Germany, same edit as above with Grand Finale on the B side.
    [​IMG]
    And I found a a US version which doesn't seem to be on Discogs. This one has the full song with Grand Finale as the B side. Styx - Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)
     
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  20. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    @mrjinks you may be interested to take a look around here (and others might as well who are interested in singles). They have a ton here, some may not be on Discogs. Styx Discography - USA - 45cat

    Unfortunately, this only has 45's and doesn't list CD singles which is what they would release from 1990 on (including a few cassette singles).

    Edit: And I find it strange (listed on the site above) that Wooden Nickel was still trying to push Best Thing as there was a 45 released in 1978!
     
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  21. mrjinks

    mrjinks Optimistically Challenged

    Location:
    Boise, ID.
    I’ve actually been using that site from day one! :)
    I think there might be a different area of that site that lists cd singles; kind of confusing it’s not all in one place.
    Here’s something fun, though:
    [​IMG]
     
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  22. Styxguy

    Styxguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Canada
    Alright... sorry I got behind! - Here's a double shot review of Crystal Ball and Grand Illusion :)


    Crystal Ball

    My collection for this album includes;

    Crystal Ball 7” Single (Mono/Stereo)
    Canadian pressing
    Canadian Reissue
    2009 BGO Records Equinox/Crsytal Ball digital remaster

    Put Me On
    Love the keyboards and 'wailing' guitars at the opening part, it's a nice 'setup' piece :)

    JY's vocals are great here, that mad man screaming in my living room, woo!

    I like the crescendo that leads into the guitar solo (is that a cow bell John is hammering away on?!)

    Dennis' mellow vocals section with the harmonies is great and I really like how last 40 seconds come full circle, leading to the 'note climb' before it gets to the 'fast forwarding' piece with the "tape" going out of control!


    Mademoiselle

    BOOM just like that here's the next song! I found PMO kind of acted almost like Grand Illusion where it's welcoming you into the album, so Mademoiselle is almost setup like the 'first track'.

    I like the lyrics, the guitars, the harmonies - It's got a 'classic Styx sound' to me.

    I don't know if Montreal is purposely mentioned due to their Canadian popularity or if they just needed another city with a French name :p


    Jennifer

    I REALLY enjoy the music on this one... once again it's kind of a 'classic Styx sound' to me. Harmonies, electric/acoustic guitar and keyboards. One I could see fitting on previous albums.


    Crystal Ball

    Well Tommy, I too have wondered what tomorrow has in mind for me.

    I think the lyrics Tommy wrote here of his own personal reflections are resonant to plenty of people and that's what makes it such a powerful song.

    The acoustic guitar intro leading into electric is great, the harmonies flow wonderfully and Dennis' keyboard solo is really enjoyable and the guitar solo lead-out is superb.

    Young or old, I'm sure we've all wondered how things would be if we'd had our own Crystal Ball at one time or another...

    Here's my vinyl rip of Styx performing the song live in San Fransisco in 1976 (no extra verse) from the Japanese Styx compilation 'Reppoo'


    Shooz

    Ooooooooo!!!! I mean the lyrics don't hit me at all and feels heavier musically than the rest of the album.... However, it still rocks and I like it :D

    Where's Dennis on this one? I don't hear any keyboards/piano or even his vocals in the harmonies it seems.


    This Old Man

    Back to more of a 'Styx sound' song with the guitar intro with the acoustic guitar hit some similar notes to Crystal Ball ;)

    Musically wonderful, lyrically a bit weak to me.


    Clair de Lune

    A favorite of Dennis' father which he had heard while stationed in Holland during WWII ( the host family's son was a concert pianist and played this song on a regular basis). Nice piece.


    Ballernia
    Another one that doesn't necessarily hook me with the lyrics/story (not really 'bad' lyrics though) but I do enjoy most of the musical aspects.

    I found the album very enjoyable overall.



    The Grand Illusion

    Here’s where my collection gets a bit larger

    Come Sail Away / Put Me On 7” single
    The Grand Illusion 12” promo
    US (Monarch) Pressing
    Canadian Pressing
    2011 Friday Music vinyl remaster
    2017 40th Anniversary translucent green vinyl
    2019 – BGO Records digital remaster - The Grand Illusion/Edge Of The Century


    The Grand Illusion

    OH MY GOD! That driving intro, the pick scrape on the guitars… the lyrics!

    This intro drags you in, hits you over the head and gets you hooked. It’s a grand illusion, we’re all the same!

    The guitar solos are great!

    I don’t know what it is, but this song does the trick musically and lyrically.


    Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man)

    Again, the music… the 'dancing' keyboards intro, the acoustic guitar, the bass line.

    Add in Tommy's lyrics - a little bit talking to himself himself and especially Dennis (apparently).. you’ve worked hard, it’s paying off and yet you’re being so cynical and you think you’re worthless? You’re not… get up man, you can’t be beat!

    “Come on Doctor!” (The band and crews nickname for Dennis because he used to carry so many vitamins and medicines with him?) lovely keyboard break there and in the outro is stellar.


    Superstars

    I don't feel it's musically as strong but it's still wonderful, especially those double tracked guitars and the 'classic Styx harmonies'! I also like Dennis’ talking part with the kind of ‘maniacal’ voice he’s got going.

    Overall still a good song lyrically and musically.


    Come Sail Away

    Another perfect marriage of lyrics and music... home run!

    A song of yearning/discovery, a song of hope and positivity but also lost opportunities, we’ll try our best to carry on...

    The piano, the synths and those blazing guitars … WE’RE HEADED FOR THE SKIIIES!!!! WOO!

    Come Sail Away, indeed!


    Miss America
    Love the somberness to the intro and how it kicks into that memorable guitar riff that makes the song!

    I honestly have a hard time trying to compare one song to another on this album.. The lyrics here are great, the music is great… Love the keyboards on this one and the rhythm section has a great driving beat (John is a freaking powerhouse on this one)


    Man In The Wilderness

    Another song I think is really strong lyrically, as similar to Crystal Ball it's the lyricist opening up to us with feelings that many listeners can find relation to... that connection is powerful in songwriting.

    I’m sure many of us have felt like we were lost in the wilderness at one point or another

    Tommy’s voice is on point here – The guitar solo is wicked – Another solid song on this album


    Castle Walls

    I’m not necessarily huge on medieval/mythological themes (give me Star Wars over LOTR :p) but it’s a song that works well between the lyrics and music both setting up a landscape where you can almost play out the scene in your imagination.

    Absolutely LOVE the harmonies and synths on this track, especially when you’re blasted in the face with them at 3m25s


    The Grad Finale

    I like the concept of the ‘outro’ song, it really helps wrap this album up – Reminding us once again… it’s all a Grand Illusion!

    Styx would surely be on their way to the stars after the release of this album ;)
     
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  23. fredhammersmith

    fredhammersmith Forum Resident

    Location:
    Montreal, Quebec
    A
    At that point in their career; Quebec was really big for them. IIRC it was the first place where they headlined big arenas. Suite Madame Blue was (and still is) in regular rotation at CHOM-FM in Montreal. I remembered them in interviews saying that the Moneal reference was a thank you to the city.
     
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  24. Melllvar

    Melllvar No Matter Where You Go, There You Are!

    Location:
    Anchorage, Alaska
    The Grand Illusion:

    This would be the third Styx album I would add to my collection. At this point, I was starting to get into the band and had recorded the Classics comp from a late night broadcast. I indeed love the tracks that were featured on it and as luck would have it, my younger brother got me the cassette for Christmas. Boy was I thankful and got a good laugh when he told me that he randomly selected it from the bin. With that, it became one of my favorites right to this very day.

    The Grand Illusion:
    A strong opener and Dennis delivering the insightful lyrics in a showman-esque manner, set the stage for the theme/concept for the album. The band are great here with the stellar guitar work and rhythm section.

    Fooling Yourself (The Angry Young Man): This was a radio staple on the local rock station. Always loved this one due to me connecting to the lyrics. Being 14 at the time, I could relate and the song would be a great motivator for me. Musically, everything works here with the memorable guitars, keyboards and drum work. A definitive classic.

    Superstars:
    Kinda like this one. It took some time to get into due to the iffy chorus. However, time has been kind and I enjoy it. If anything, Tommy's great here and I really dig Dennis's carnival barker bit.

    Come Sail Away: Iconic. Another signature tune from the band and with good reason. Just love how it begins with a peaceful ballad that gives way into this powerful, boisterous rocker that will have you singing along. The keys and guitars are seriously good here and to me, is what Styx is all about.

    Miss America:
    Really love this solid JY rocker that opens up side two. JY's vocals sell the lyrics along with the crunchy guitars, the soaring synths, and hey, can't forget that keyboard intro are the highlights here.

    Man in the Wilderness: A deep track from Tommy and a personal favorite of mine. Just love the music here. I get caught up with the arrangement (the instrumental break is FANTASTIC!) and the lyrics I can relate in the same manner of Fooling Yourself.

    Castle Walls: Here it is, the song that opened the door to the progressive rock genre. Musically, this song is great. The combo of classical and a smidge of Mike Oldfield influenced keys, thumping bass line, the smooth guitar work and drumming all give the song atmosphere. It's a personal favorite and a great late night headphones song.

    The Grand Finale: It's a great song and wraps up the album's theme/concept. Love the return of Dennis's barker voice that delivers the message to the listener in a powerful manner.
     
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  25. MikeInFla

    MikeInFla Glad to be out of Florida Thread Starter

    Location:
    Kalamazoo, MI
    Pieces Of Eight - Sept 1, 1978
    [​IMG]

    1. Great White Hope (4:23)
    2. I’m O.K. (5:42)
    3. Sing For The Day (4:56)
    4. The Message (1:08)
    5. Lords Of The Ring (4:31)
    6. Blue Collar Man (Long Nights) 4:03
    7. Queen Of Spades (5:38)
    8. Renegade (4:13)
    9. Pieces Of Eight (4:45)
    10. Aku-Aku (3:00)


    Great White Hope: A lead off JY track. A song about Styx being at the top and having to fight off other bands. Great album opener and I enjoy when they bring this one back out on tour but JY does struggle a bit on this one these days.

    I’m O.K.: Great track from Dennis with pipe organ. The organ was recorded at the St. James Cathedral, which is located at the corner of Huron and Wabash Streets in Chicago. It is the oldest Episcopal Church in the United States, having been founded in 1834 and completed in 1857.

    Sing For The Day: Almost a companion piece to Fooling Yourself. When I was younger I didn’t really like this song but enjoy it now. The “Hannah” whom Shaw namechecks throughout the song is meant to be the representative embodiment of the mutual respect between the band and their substantive female following.

    The Message: A cool synthesizer intro from Dennis that leads into…

    Lords Of The Ring: A commentary on the nature of success. Sung by JY. In the final verse the “hero” realizes the legend of the magic was just a fantasy.

    Blue Collar Man: Tommy’s song for the working class in the unemployment lines. Inspired by a friend who worked in an auto factory in Detroit.

    Queen Of Spades: Written by JY and Dennis, a song about gambling addiction. JY wrote the song in C# minor as a tribute to Hendrix.

    Renegade: Started off as an acoustic ballad. JY did not care for the demo but Dennis suggested the song open acapella, then jump into double time for the main verses with heavy guitars instead of acoustic. Tommy: “I wrote that song in my living room on my piano back when I lived in Michigan. Nobody else was around". JY: “As far as the guitar solo goes, it took me all day to do it. I used my old ’65 Stratocaster, which had not really been modified in any way at that point in time, played through the Yoshinarator into a Marshall stack, as recorded by Barry Mraz.”

    Pieces Of Eight: Another song about the pursuit of money and success.

    Aku-Aku: The album closer, an instrumental piece.

    Despite the critics, Pieces Of Eight was a success reaching #6 on the charts and selling over 3 million copies. Blue Collar Man reached #21, Renegade peaked at #16.

    Dennis: “When I look at Pieces Of Eight, I think personally it is my weakest A&M record. I was trying to live up to the expectations created by The Grand Illusion. I was very unhappy after that album (PO8). Not in the record itself because I think Tommy’s contribution is very strong. But my own personal contribution, when I look back at it, I’m not crazy about what I wrote. There’s one song I don’t like at all. The thing I like best on this record is my collaboration with JY, Queen Of Spades”.

    The album art was by Storm Thorgeson & Aubrey Powell. Dennis: “The cover is highly intellectual. It’s 3 old broads on Easter Island. Here’s the deal – When Hypnosis showed me this album cover I hated it. I asked ‘Why do you have these old women on here?’. Now that I’ve gotten older these women are starting to look pretty good to me. Since Pieces Of Eight is about not giving up your dreams, this album cover symbolizes these women who are affluent by their demeanor & the way they are dressed & they all have these earrings on which are of the Easter Island statues. What that supposedly symbolizes is that these women where the status symbol is to have these earrings as a symbol of their achievements in life. A symbol of their monetary success & materialism. Yet the statues as we know symbolize a lost civilization. So I suppose the moral of the story is when you just pursue this monetary gratification that perhaps the ultimate goal would be extinction. So there is a lot of emotional changed that occurred to us between 77 and 78. And this record, in a lot of ways, reflects those feelings. Pieces Of Eight was my way of saying that all this good fortune had come to me but the most important thing was to be making music, not making cash”.

    Toto guitarist/vocalist Steve Lukather cites “Blue Collar Man” as his favorite Styx song: “They write really well-crafted songs. They’re a solid band, you know? They’re really good live — and that’s how you know it’s the real thing.”
     
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