Big Bang Theory

Which is a quick, thrown-together album the record company wanted when they didn't have enough new material ready. As "I Am the Walrus" was hitting airwaves in the midwest, they decided to put this package together to ride the momentum. And consider that portions of this album sale go to charity (WD's Blue Heaven Foundation) you can understand why the guys wanted to have a little fun.

So how does a Styx cover album work? For one thing, it's full of riff-laden big arena-rock guitar hooks last heard on "The Grand Illusion". It's like listening to a closet classics show on the radio. Sure, there are some misses (Summer in the City rocks hard, but Tommy sings it and his vocals are just too pretty for it, and Manic Depression never quite cuts it for me), but the hits are great:

- I Am the Walrus is a great rendition, I Can See For Miles almost thrashes, Can't Find My Way Home features great acoustic guitar work over a passable Tommy Shaw vocal, I Don't Need No Doctor gets the heads banging, One Way Out channels the Allmans in this take of Willie Dixon (with great slide guitar work) and A Salty Dog is a great rendition with stunning Lawrence Gowan vocals. The best cover, though? An almost-acoustic, stripped-down, slowed-down version of Blue Collar Man. A great reinterpretation.

So it's a pleasant listen biding the time between the great Cyclorama and whatever comes next. Oh, by the way, I liked Dennis DeYoung too, up through Kilroy, and felt the conflict between him and the band as far as styles led to some great work. But on Brave New World his work was definitely the low point, and I think Mr. Gowan has creatively fired up these guys. Just my $0.02.

First off, as a long time Styx fan, I want to say how much I enjoyed Cyclorama. I couldn't wait until the next CD came out with new material. Cyclorama had quite a few good songs I enjoyed on it. One problem I had then was trying to get Rock/ Classic Rock radio stations to play their new music. A couple of station program directors told me, while they play older Styx music, they liked Styx's new music but the corporate bosses didn't want the new stuff played. It was frustrating but the band has been out of the mainstream for awhile.

With that being said, I can almost understand why this CD of cover songs came out. The band had messed around with playing the Beatles tune "I am the Walrus" live. A program director asked the band to record the cover. Styx's version of "I am the Walrus" was a hit and getting decent airplay on classic rock radio. If they won't play your new music, create a CD full of cover songs that could get some airplay, get your name back out there, and help build momentum for your next new CD. It makes good sense if that was their intention.

While I feel doing a whole CD full of covers is going overboard, the strategy seems to being paying off. Last week, 10 of the 14 songs on this CD debuted on Mediabase's Top 75 Classic Rock Airplay Chart with "I Don't Need No Doctor" debuting at #4. Meanwhile, the "Big Bang Theory" CD debuts this week at #46 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart. I'm not a big fan of cover songs but I can't argue with that. With some success, I hope this CD can help to re-establish Styx as a true rock band and that it inspires some great new music in the near future.

When I heard Styx was doing a CD full of cover songs I wasn't exactly thrilled. Especially since I liked the direction the band was headed with Cyclorama. I waited a week to buy "Big Bang Theory" and gave it a good listen before I made any judgments about it. I'm finding that I like this CD. The songs are done very well and some songs have that distinct Styx harmonies flavor. Having seen them in concert many times, I would expect no less from this band. There is a nice collection of older classic rock songs for a new generation to hear. I had never heard "A Salty Dog" before myself but it is one of my favorites on this CD. What a great song! My other favorite song from this CD is "Can't Find My Way Home". The original Blind Faith version is awesome and I wasn't sure if Styx was going to be able to pull it off. Tommy Shaw does a great job with the vocals on this one. Nice acoustical guitar work too. The other songs I consider good listening are "I am the Walrus", "I Can See for Miles", "I Don't Need No Doctor", "One Way Out", "Manic Depression", "Talkin' About the Good Times", "Locomotive Breath", & "Wishing Well". The slower bluesy "Blue Collar Man @2120" is ok but it will never replace the original for this long-time Styx fan.

I'm glad I waited to listen to the CD a few times before I made a judgment. In haste, I would have given this album 1 star for being full of cover songs. After listening to "Big Bang Theory" I've learned to enjoy it for what it is and give it 3  stars.

Just saw STYX in concert at the Rosemont Theatre, (just outside of Chicago, IL) last night.

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They featured a hand full of songs from this new CD. The release features covers of classic rock songs. Like many of you, I had gotten off the STYX wagon 20 years ago today. On this night STYX first brought the house down with their rendition of "I AM THE WALRUS", coo-coo-ca-cho. TOMMY SHAW followed up next by leading an acoustic guitar driven medley of CSN's "FIND THE COST OF FREEDOM" / "CAN'T FIND MY WAY HOME" (Blind Faith), which garnered a second standing ovation from the pro-Chicago home crowd. Less successful was "SUMMER IN THE CITY", which did not quite transcend on stage, for me at least. For the encore, which led off with blues legend Koko Taylor, the band paid homage to their Chi-Town roots. Once Koko bid good night to Sweet Home Chicago, the band railed full force into Humble Pie's "I DON"T NEED NO DOCTOR", as if they were Rockin' the Fillmore. Keyboardist / vocalist LAWRENCE GOWEN, who supplanted Dennis DeYoung in the late '90s, handled Steve Marriott vocal chores effortlessly and bounced about the stage with much vim and vigor.

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The BIG BANG THEORY compact disc has gone Top 50 -something that hasn't happened to STYX in two decades- and covers such as "I AM THE WALRUS" have gotten air play on some 200 rock stations across the country.

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The show surprised me, I was expecting Spinal Tap, and I got a new STYX. Yeah, it is always hard to see a band past their glory days, and with new members unknown to us, but this reincarnation of STYX seemed sparked with fresh energy and ideas by the current players. TODD SUCHERMAN ripped the drums up all night long with boundless energy. Former Babies and Bad English (John Waite) bassist RICKY PHILLIPS was steady and fit in with the band, as the newest member. The Canadian GOWEN was very theatrical and his showmanship helped ease the absence of Dennis. GOWEN spun his keyboard on a revolving pedestal, he pranced around the stage with the confidence that his voice projected. All of the parts added to the whole and it worked. They rocked harder and left the syrup in the cupboard as we feasted on uptempo favorites and left tired ballads like "Babe" in the rear view mirror. We went out and ordered this CD immediately today. Change is good and the band seemed more vital and vitalized than I'd ever remembered them before. TOMMY, J.Y. & GOWEN shared vocal chores and instrumental solos and most everything worked. Recovering STYX co-founder and bandmate CHUCK PANOZZO joined the band on stage for the end of the regular set and part of the encore and was welcomed on stage by the raucous crowd. I thought STYX were for kids, but as a 45 years old, I found this show and new album a fun record to want to own. Sure we are Chicago and we root, root, root for the home team.

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This was not an oldies act sailing away into rock and roll Babylon. It looked more like a revitalized band that appeared ready to take on the world stage again.

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