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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 15, 1977)
thursday, december 15, 1977 page 2 ad lib Seventh time around Styx, finds Alysian Fields By Casey McCabe If it were just another in a long line of surfacing rock bands, Styx could easily be deposited in. the already over flowing, "new breed," or "up and coming" categories in rock music. However, the five-piece Chicago-based band has paid a lot of dues before reaching its semi-breakthrough. Styx's first four albums, recorded between 1970 and 1974, were peddled imperceptibly by its local Wooden Nickel label. It was the late blooming hit "Lady" from its second alburn that kept the band from growing stagnant in the unencouraging atmosphere, 'The record company was. not capable of promoting the concert rock-type groups, they never really broke any body," according to guitarist Tommy Shaw. "WIS (Chicago's most powerful radio station) started getting flooded with requests for "Lady," and the whole thing snowballed from there. 'The record companies became more dominant when the song surfaced as a hit. I mean the group had already recorded four albums without any recognition. It wasn't the standard way to gain success." Three albums Now happily signed with A&M records, Styx has pro duced three albums for the label, with Equinox and its newest, The Grand Illusion going gold. But the band still is hanging on the verge of a more tangible commercial success. Much of its hopes are pinned on The Grand Illusion and the ensuing" tour. "Come Sail Away," the single re lease from the album, seems to embody the low-lying theme of the L.P., that of a wonderous disillusionment with life. The single has already proved to be a fast chart climber and could be an important factor in establishing Styx in the ever important world of popular music. According to Shaw, the band was looking for a semi-hit single off the album, but wanted The Grand Illusion to be more FM oriented. The group lets it be known that it thinks "Illusion" is its finest work, the epitome of what Styx has been about so far, and that if anything, the album will be the needed breakthrough in establishing the band. t V5 . . - ) ... J t it , i "f i '' - - iV r 5 v ' . v.- '- X .1 e MORNINQ ((daytime)) tOO f) NOT KM WOMEN ONLY tiramcxiRAM unocLua O VAflWUS PROORAMMNQ ti ANSWER LOVE (WEa) C0C8SNEWB tD BOZO t;OB f I FARM AND RANCH REPORT HO fl NEWS kit fj UNO SCENE (WED.) t JO SUNKV8 FUN OJUI uuxvshow Entertainment Editor: Carta Engstrom. Ad lib Layout, Editor; LUr Beard and Kitty Policky. Ad lib is an entertainment supplement published by the Daily Nebrask an. Editor in Chief; Rex Seline, Advertising Manager Gregg Wurdeman, Production Manager: Kitty Policky Business Manager Jerri Haussler, Unless covered by another copyright, material may l?e reprinted with out permission if attributed to Ad lib, entertainment supplement to the Dally Nebraska. ' Ad lib is distributed Thursdays with the Daily Nebraskan. cw Photos by Ted Kirk i O SUNReC SEMESTER I J VARKXJ8 PHOQRAMMNQ O ROMPER ROOM MO fl CD ARCHIES 1 1 !J TODAY OC8S NEWS J QOOO MORNING AMERJCA CO) MORMNQ SHOW CI SESAME STREET r-JO fl MCHALTS NAVY fDPUNTSTONES kOO f lPUNTSTONES CI OOCO MORNING AMERCA fl CD CAPTAIN KANQAROO m MCHOOt. PROQRAMVINa (UNTIL S:30 Nova (F ) fDPOPEYC JO CARTOONS 10 BULL WINKLE StOO I IIOREAMOPJEANME III SANPORDANOSON CIAU.MYCHHJDREN llfTDPWCEISrtQHT 1 1 PHH. DONAHUE SHOW U nocxua f ItEWITCMEO 1 1 0 HOU.VWOCO SQUARES SftOB 1 1 LOVE AMtrtCAN STYLE . II O WHEEL OPPOmUNS f HAPPY DAYS U MATCH OAMC U HAPPY DAYS (EXCFn.) Mf1h KflctMtn (Fl 1 ) CB ROMPER ROOM C ELECTRC COMPANY ttJO f NOT POR WOMEN ONLY firiKNOCKOUT Clfi FAMK.YFEUO CIOLOVEOPUFE SCHOOL PRCQRAMMH1 (UNTILtSOl 13 RELWOU8 PROQRAMMINa flONEDINLJNC 1 1 0 TO SAY TH LEAST OUTHEBCTTER8EX "We're definitely aspiring to go higher than we are now," Shaw said. "In just this past year, we've gone from supporting not that great of groups, to headlining every where except for the Northeast. The concerts have been virtual sellouts and we're scheduled to do a tour of Europe. Things are starting to come together, but then it's been a long road." Grandiose style Styx has developed a grandiose style in its music, wjth sensitive lyrics and well thought melodic patterns. Often the band's songs open with mellow keyboards and vocals, quickly changing to a hard rocking guitar blitz, creating an interesting balance between its classical influences, and fundamental rock base. But in the line of achieving both critical and popular proficiency, the group had to make some artistic sacrifices. One of these was opening for Kiss four nights during a Texas stint. ' "Yeah, we were definitely making a play for Kiss' audi ence," Shaw said. "It's sort of hard when the audience is coming just to see Kiss and the stage show. We depend more on our music, so it was an uphill battle, but it's nice to have a chance to convert a bunch of kids. We get 18,000 people a night who wouldn't necessarily come to see Styx in concert." Oh stage, much of the sensitivity of Styx's music dis appears in a clash of heavy metal, with guitarists Shaw and James Young cavorting on stage exchanging licks, spot lights, and occasionally jumping on an elevated platform where a nearby fan blows their hair, providing a classical rock star stance. Lead singercomposerkeyboardist Dennis DeYoung is the self-styled leader of the group, his vocals having set the Styx trademark. But on stage it is the dirninutive Tommy Shaw who provides the show's focal point. The boyish 24-year-old is never still while playing, his feverish guitar work, evoking delighted screams from the young females in the audience. Shaw was a latecomer to the group, joining in 1975 when John Curuleski left the band after Equinox had been recorded. He was soon to make his presence felt by collaborating on four tracks on Crystal Ball singing the title song, plus the mild hit "Mademoiselle' On The Grand Illusion he can be heard in the lead vocals on "Fooling Yourself," slated fop release as a possible single. But he does not plan on tampering with Styx's current formula. Definite style "We're lucky in that we have a vocalist that sets us apart from other groups," Shaw said. 'There is a definite attachment between Dennis' style and us. Our songs are easy to recognize. I think that's our main identity right there." : But Styx has been earning a reputation in its own right for being a classical rocker, for throwing a certain amount of grandeur into its music. Reviews have called Styx's work "layers of musical brilliance," and Billboard Magazine said of The Grand Illusion: "its most mature creation, an existentialist commentary on the human con dition." Illusion proves to be the band's first bonafide concept album, though critics have likened to label Styx a concept group from their beginning. "I don't believe in categorizing. I leave that up to the critics." Shaw said. "One thing that we like to do is have one idea run all the way through an album, a lyrical or musical theme. The Grand Illusion kind of ended up like that. After the first song was written, it struck a nerve with the rest of us, and from there on, the album just flowed. But it wasn't intended to be a concept album. It simply deals with what the name implies, the illusions and fan tasies of life." The title song was the first to be written" for. the album. It was a DeYoung composition, and it seemed to say something the whole group felt strongly about: "... .Don't be fooled by the radio the TV or the' magazines They'll show you photographs of how your life should be But they're just somebody else's fantasy . . Just remember thaV it's all a Grand Illusion And deep inside we're all the same." Finally, with its goals in sight, Styx may well have the chance to turn its "Grand Illusion" into reality. CI O YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS O NOT PDR WOMEN ONLY tlJQ 11 CONVERSATIONS CI O RYAN'S HOPE IIOONQSHOW II O SEARCH POR TOMORROW laOOMERPYLC AFTERNOON 109 fl FATHER KNOWS BEST i mn no news CI NOON SHOW tJALLMYCHRDREN CS SESAME STREET - faOONQSHOW 111 C I FARM ACTION UJ0 II IMYBERRY R.F.D. tlOAYSOURUVES tjcaosswrrs U DAYS OF OUR LIVES O AS THE WORLD TURNS (D DJCK VAN DYKE SHOW 10 O MOVW Th Sliip (THUR ). 1l CI Th DMd- JFRLL XTwrlif g Romance (MON ). Dtnc. Fool., hoc' frUE I. "A Family AHak(WCD.) CI O SX.OQO PYAMO U SSCHOOL PROORAMMW4Q (UNT-LISS) LUCY SHOW i tmoocTons CI 1 1 ONE LIFE TO UVI cscaauttaNauoKT I J fctVERLV MMA-mjjES OB fin ANOTHER WORLD taUAROUSWELBY O CI QENtRAL HOSPITAL &M f DENVER NOW fj CD ALL IN THE FAMJLY tOO O FUNT8TONES) 11 fl FO FSCHER. FOR POORER CIOEOQCOPMQHT (JOTATTLETALES in tBOOOL PROQRAMMINa (UNTIL t: JO) KJ MICKEY MOUSE CLUB . 130 1 1 QtLUOAN'S ISLAND CI FUNT8TONES U MATCH OAME ' It PHL DONAHUE SHOW (1 1 LOVE LUCY II THREE STOOGES CB KALAMrrV KATE'S CAR TOONS t d ELECTRC COMPANY CB TOM ANO JERRY 400 fl SUPERMAN II CD OSLUQANS ISLAND CI I DREAM Of JEANNIS . IJONAH fJSRAOY BUNCH C10 MIKE DOUGLAS 13 MUTER ROGE RS 4JS OFAMK.V AFFAIR , 1 1 MY THREE SONS C I SHADY BUNCH 11 BONANZA f J ADAM 12 Ci SESAME STREET 11 EMERGENCY CMC COO IIILOVELUCY llBEWrrCHEO CIOABCNEWB M0 II ANDY QnrFTTM SHOW (EX- C WCO ) Hockwy (WEO ) flCINftCNrwS tiSiwrrcwED ClOCBSNEWS IJWWS ODVCREASV QROOKCS