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Whenever you joined Styx in 1999, you had a major following in Canada as a solo artist. Was it a troublesome determination to present that up for a globally famend band that had an advanced current historical past?
On the one hand, you’re knocked out and flattered by the respect of becoming a member of a band with a legacy just like the one Styx has. That half was simple. However, sure, again then I had 4 platinum data, three gold data and a gold single. In Canada, there have been lots of people who stated, “Don’t do it,” after I introduced I used to be going to Styx.
However let’s return to 1998. I keep in mind my publicist in England saying, “Right here’s what’s going to occur in your profession. There are such a lot of bands—Genesis, Queen and others—which can be going to wish new folks so as to proceed. It’s the pure evolution of the enterprise.”
At first, I used to be resistant as a result of, in my thoughts, I used to be a solo artist. However she stated, “You’ll be able to nonetheless be that—and likewise be a part of a band.”
So, yearly now I play about 100 Styx exhibits—and I nonetheless play 15 to twenty solo exhibits after I return dwelling to Canada. I can stability between the 2 in a approach that works for me. I really feel lucky that I listened to her.
Was it troublesome so that you can thread the needle between establishing your personal id in Styx and taking over a task {that a} founding member had performed for therefore lengthy?
I actually should credit score that to J.Y. and Tommy. They by no means as soon as requested me to do any type of “impression” [of Dennis DeYoung]. The phrase “change” by no means has been a part of the band’s vocabulary. That period of the band had come to an in depth.
All of the stuff that I do on stage, like my spinning piano, they wished. I believe they wished the spinning piano greater than me, really. [Gowan laughs.] But it surely set me very a lot comfortable to know that this was about extending the spirit of Styx.
I’m searching my lodge window now on the Mirage in Las Vegas, and there’s the signal for “The Beatles Love” Cirque du Soleil present. The spirit of the Beatles continues to be very a lot alive, and it’s past the 4 members of the band.
Once I joined Styx, regardless of the spirit of the band was, it hadn’t been upset [by DeYoung’s departure] to the purpose of being irreparable. It was [just] time for a brand new chapter.
Have you ever ever had a dialog with one other musician who changed an authentic band member of a storied band and in contrast notes?
I’ve noticed bands that needed to undergo transitions with new members. I’ve seen ones that work the perfect and ones that fall flat.
Six years in the past, I noticed The Rolling Stones in live performance. I had nice seats up entrance. They’d a catwalk setup, and Keith Richards walks out first, adopted by Mick Jagger, after which Ronnie Wooden. And I keep in mind considering, Ronnie Wooden is each bit as a lot a Rolling Stone as the primary two guys who walked previous me. He matches into this band so completely. And, but, he’s the third guitarist in that position. He’s not even the second. But it surely simply appears like he’s all the time been there.
That’s what I’ve tried to remember. What must survive intact is regardless of the spirit of that band is. The one factor I can use to help my perception is the truth that I’ve been with Styx for 23 years now—and the band simply celebrated its fiftieth anniversary. For a band to outlive that lengthy, they have to’ve made some good choices alongside the best way.
There are a couple of bands, like Styx and Journey and REO Speedwagon, who’ve toured persistently and efficiently lengthy after the peak of their authentic run. Being so versed on this catalog now, what it’s about Styx that connects so strongly in spite of everything these years?
I’ll begin with a J.Y. Younger quote. He all the time says that there’s a humiliation of riches relating to the songs. He goes by it each evening attempting to place a set listing collectively.
However there’s nonetheless luck concerned. Like, after I joined the band in 1999, Adam Sandler launched the film Large Daddy—which had Styx’s “Babe” as a part of the soundtrack. That very same 12 months, Volkswagen did a business that featured the track “Mr. Roboto.” [Note: A year earlier, the animated TV show South Park did an episode with “Come Sail Away” as a plot point.]
Immediately, there’s a renewed consciousness concerning the band. Previous to that, Styx had gone by an extended lull. So, we [capitalized] on this buzz by touring and getting the title again on the market. That was the mandate after I joined. Let’s go play 100 exhibits a 12 months and get of us speaking about this band once more.
And other people had been curious. They couldn’t see Led Zeppelin anymore. Queen wasn’t touring on the time. Let’s see what occurring with Styx. They usually’d get hooked. As a result of, when you pull the lid off you notice that it’s a deep nicely. And the dwell exhibits dwell as much as that.
Just a few years again, Styx opened for Def Leppard shortly after David Bowie died. You probably did somewhat mid-set tribute. Was Bowie an affect on you?
Very a lot so. He had such a large palette. At a sure level, you possibly can depart behind the pop pursuits. Bowie gave us the lengthy arc. How fascinating for folks uncover completely different eras of the artist. His chameleon-like approach fascinated me; you had been all the time concerned about what he was going to do subsequent. He’d by no means repeat what he did previously. I additionally liked the extra cerebral sort of rock that [Bowie could deliver]. We’ve related pursuits. I really like something that’s conceptually related to house and alien life and strangeness. All this stuff are very fascinating to me.
Styx had a success with The Beatles’ “I Am the Walrus,” which was on an album of canopy songs (Large Bang Concept) in 2005. However there’s extra to that track’s journey with Styx, going again to your early days, appropriate?
Luckily, approach again within the Seventies, the band that I had was very adventurous. We’d put uncommon covers into our membership exhibits. We carried out “Bohemian Rhapsody” by Queen, which no bar band would dare contact. And that opened the door to classical influences and issues that had nothing to do with the punk and disco period of the instances. “I Am the Walrus,” is among the songs that band discovered.
Once I first began with Styx, I’d play “I Am the Walrus” as a part of my warmup. So, flash to 2004. We’re taking part in the Crossroads Pageant [founded by Eric Clapton] in Dallas. The evening earlier than, J.Y. tells me he needs to do “I Am the Walrus” on the competition. All people was going to be taking part in blues songs; he wished us to play one thing that individuals wouldn’t count on from Styx.
The subsequent day throughout soundcheck, we found out tips on how to method it—like with guitars doing the cello elements—we rehearsed the track, and we determined to present it a shot that evening.
Billy Preston occurred to be at that efficiency [the keyboardist who famously contributed to several songs on the Beatles’ Let It Be album]. He additionally was taking part in at Crossroads. He watched the entire track from simply off the stage. Once I got here off, he goes, “That was nice! I liked listening to that once more!”
That competition was broadcast dwell, and after the present the native radio station was getting requests for the dwell model of “Walrus.” That [buzz] led to Styx doing the Large Bang Concept album.
Just a few years later, Billy Preston took the stage with Styx. We performed The Beatles’ “Get Again” and Billy’s No. 1 hit, “Will It Go Spherical in Circles”—and it began from the “Walrus” cowl we did in Texas.
Styx/REO in Live performance
When: June 19
The place: iThink Monetary Amphitheatre, West Palm Seaside
What: Styx co-headlines a night of basic rock that features two different bands from the Seventies and ’80s with multiplatinum-selling albums—REO Speedwagon and Loverboy.
Tickets: livenation.com
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