Styx (album)
Styx | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | August 1972 | |||
Recorded | 1971 at Paragon Recording Studios, Chicago | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 32:36 | |||
Label | Wooden Nickel | |||
Producer | John Ryan, Bill Traut | |||
Styx chronology | ||||
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Singles from Styx | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Styx is the self-titled debut album by American rock band Styx. It was released in 1972.
Background[]
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).
Track listing[]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
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1. | "Movement for the Common Man"
| James Young (section a), John Ryan (section b), Aaron Copland (section c), Dennis DeYoung (section d with Young) | a. Young, b. spoken word, c. Young, d. DeYoung | 13:11 |
2. | "Right Away" | Paul Frank | Young | 3:40 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
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3. | "What Has Come Between Us" | Mark Gaddis | DeYoung | 4:53 |
4. | "Best Thing" | Young, DeYoung | DeYoung, Young | 3:13 |
5. | "Quick Is the Beat of My Heart" | Lewis Mark | Young | 3:49 |
6. | "After You Leave Me" | George S. Clinton | Young | 4:00 |
Personnel[]
Styx[]
- Dennis DeYoung – vocals, keyboards
- James "JY" Young – vocals, electric guitars
- John Curulewski – vocals, electric and acoustic guitars
- Chuck Panozzo – bass guitar
- John Panozzo – drums, percussion
Production[]
- Producers - John Ryan, Bill Traut
- Engineers - Marty Feldman, Barry Mraz
- Mixing - Barry Mraz, John Ryan
Charts[]
Singles - Billboard (United States)
Year | Single | Chart | Position |
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1972 | "Best Thing" | Pop Singles | 82 |
References[]
- ^ "Styx singles".
- ^ Planer, Lindsay. Styx: Styx at AllMusic. Retrieved April 29, 2020.
- ^ Brackett, Nathan; Christian Hoard (2004). The Rolling Stone Album Guide. New York City, New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 789. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
rolling stone styx album guide.
External links[]
- Styx - Styx (1972) album review by Lindsay Planer, credits & releases at AllMusic.com
- Styx - Styx (1972) album releases & credits at Discogs.com
- Styx - Styx (1972) album credits & user reviews at ProgArchives.com
- Styx - Styx (1972) album to be listened as stream at Spotify.com
- 1972 debut albums
- Styx (band) albums