STYX

James “JY” Young  Lead vocals, guitars
Tommy Shaw  Lead vocals, guitars
Chuck Panozzo  Bass, vocals
Todd Sucherman  Drums, percussion
Lawrence Gowan  Lead vocals, keyboards
Ricky Phillips  Bass, guitar, vocals

Harmony. Chemistry. Balance. Grit. Dexterity. Determination. Solidarity. Terms that describe a Super Bowl champion? Well, almost. These are words that define the core essence of STYX, the multimegamillion-selling rock band that has forged an indelible legacy both on record and onstage. Never known for resting on their laurels, STYX have now added a triumphant new chapter to their never-ending story of success: namely, The Mission, the band’s sonically sweet 16th studio album and most ambitious, most challenging, and most rewarding release to date.

“The planets truly aligned for The Mission, and I couldn’t be prouder,” says STYX vocalist/guitarist Tommy Shaw, who co-wrote the album’s storyline with longtime collaborator Will Evankovich (Shaw Blades, The Guess Who). Continues Shaw, “It’s our boldest, most emblematic album since Pieces of Eight.” Adds STYX co-founding guitarist/vocalist James “JY” Young, “This album is an incredible artistic expression that resonates with the best parts of our past, but is intended for modern-day consumption. I’m very excited about it.”

“And this is as good a live band as there is,” continues JY, who’s also known far and wide as The Godfather of STYX. “Someone once told me, ‘I’ve seen Paul McCartney, I’ve seen the Rolling Stones, I’ve seen U2, I’ve seen the Police. But my favorite show last year was STYX.’ I like to say we’re the best-kept secret — but perhaps we’re not anymore.” Adds the perennial wunderkind Tommy Shaw, “There are so many portals to reach your musical soul, and our live show is like a religious experience where people come to commune and testify. We have a pretty sophisticated audience, and we really respect that. We didn’t used to have people who would come see every show, but now they’re coming back again and again for more. And we owe it to our fans to continually rehearse, prepare, and improve.”

Gowan looks forward to how the band will develop The Mission in the live arena. “Something feels fresh with these guys every time I walk out onstage with them,” he admits. “It’s not lost on anyone that we’re pretty fortunate to be doing this. I look across the stage and I’m as entertained as much as the audience is as to how strong the band is. There’s not the slightest sliver of doubt that we’re all going to leave everything we can onstage every night.”

Agrees drummer and percussive dynamo Todd Sucherman, “This is a band that never has a bad show. I think our level of professionalism, musicianship, and spirit carries that across every night. The fact that we have so much fun when we’re playing — that’s very contagious. That’s a miraculous feat in and of itself. We never walk off the stage thinking, ‘What happened?’”

In order to achieve a collectively mutual goal of live excellence, a band must have a time-tested arsenal of aurally rigorous and rewarding material to get it there, and STYX draws from over four decades of barnburning chart hits, joyous singalongs, and hard-driving deep cuts to do so. Like a symphony that builds to a satisfying crescendo, a STYX set covers a wide range of stylistic cornerstones. From the progressively sweeping splendor that is “The Grand Illusion” to the hunker-down fortitude of all that is the “Blue Collar Man,” from the majestic spiritual love for a special “Lady” to the poignant rumination on the fleeting nature of fame in “Miss America,” from an individual yearning for true connection as a “Man in the Wilderness” to a soul-deep quest to achieve what’s at the heart of one’s personal vision in “Crystal Ball,” from the regal reach-for-the-stars bravado of “Come Sail Away” to the grainy all-in gallop of that rugged “Renegade” who had it made, the band draws on an unlimited cache of ways to immerse one’s mind and body in their signature sound.

Approaching a decade-and-a-half together on the road, this incarnation of STYX is looking forward to performing as many shows as it can as long as it can. “It all comes back to the chemistry,” says Ricky. “It comes back to all of those words having to do with teamwork and how this band is different from most other bands — which not only makes it interesting, but captivating, dangerous, exciting, and even humorous at times. These guys were able to come up with a group of songs that have definitely stood the test of time. And, from their inception, finding a way to do it with three lead singers, and then taking it to another level by having the respect and reverence to the original by putting in the time to understand and dissect what was there before you, and then adding something new so that the flower opens up and keeps blooming and going to other places. Everyone in the band is doing that.”

That commitment to growth translates to the way an audience feels after sharing in a rousing live experience. “The legacy of this band will be that it brought joy to millions of people,” notes Todd. “Anyone who has come out to see the band will hopefully have fond memories of that evening, and anything above and beyond that is icing on the cake. That’s all you really want to do, is to make people happy through music. That joy is contagious, and the fun and love and camaraderie we have onstage is contagious, and the fans will take that into their lives and their households. I’ve been fortunate to have been playing music with these great musicians for 18 years, and hopefully for many more to come.”