Styx is the debut studio album by the American rock band Styx. It was released in 1972.
Background
The band started as a cover band that played weddings and birthday parties. They called themselves The Tradewinds in 1961, when the band was composed of 12-year-old fraternal twins 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.
Their debut album showcases them as a progressive-art rock/'60s garage rock act. The album's centerpiece is the 13-minute opus "Movement for the Common Man," a four-part suite. It opens with "Children of the Land," a J.Y.-led rocker featuring a potent percussion solo by John Panozzo, which flows seamlessly into "Street Collage"— a section built from ambient urban soundscapes of Chicago. From there, the band delivers a symphonic rock interpretation of Aaron Copland's composition "Fanfare for the Common Man," before concluding with "Mother Nature's Matinee," a prog-folk track co-written by James Young and Dennis DeYoung. The upbeat pop rocker "Best Thing" also co-written by Young and DeYoung, was released as a single in late '72, and peaked at No. 82 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts for that year.
The remaining songs on the album were cover versions that the record label suggested. The band members, including DeYoung, said that they had never heard of them before, but their version of George S. Clinton's "After You Leave Me" is described as a "suitably open-throttled ending to Styx' commendable introductory affair".Styx - Styx (1972) album review by Lindsay Planer, credits & releases at AllMusic.com
The album was reissued in 1979 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
Personnel Styx Dennis DeYoung – vocals, keyboards James "J.Y." 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) YearSingleChartPosition1972"Best Thing"Pop Singles82
References
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