The band started as a cover band who played events such as weddings and birthday parties. They called themselves "The Tradewinds" in 1961, when the band was composed of, at 12 years of age, Chuck and John Panozzo, who played bass guitar and drums, respectively, and their neighbor, 14-year-old Dennis DeYoung on keyboards, accordion and vocals. They later named themselves "TW4," after adding their college friend John Curulewski in 1968, and the south side hard rocker James "J.Y." Young in 1970, as guitarists, songwriters and singers for the band.
The album showcased the band as a progressive-art rock/60's garage rock act. It contained the 13-minute opus "Movement for the Common Man," and J.Y. rocker "Children of the Land." It also features John Panozzo's percussion solo, the street interviews from Chicago "Street Collage," their symphonic rocker rendition of Fanfare for the Common Man and the prog-folk piece, sung by DeYoung and co-written by Young & DeYoung, "Mother Nature's Matinee."
The upbeat pop rocker Best Thing was co-written by DeYoung and Young, released as a single in late '72, and peaked at No. 82 on the charts.
The rest of the material on the album included cover versions that the record label suggested the group record. The band members, including DeYoung, said that they had never heard of them before.
The album was reissued in 1980 under the title Styx I with new artwork. In late 2012, it was re-released for CD and digital download, along with Styx II (1973), The Serpent Is Rising (1973), and Man of Miracles (1974).
^Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 789. ISBN0-7432-0169-8. rolling stone styx album guide.
