Styx (album)

Styx is the debut album by American rock band Styx. It was released in 1972.

Styx
Studio album by Styx
Released	August 31, 1972 (1972-08-31)[1]
Recorded	1972
Studio	Paragon, Chicago
Genre	Progressive rock hard rock
Length	32:36
Label	Wooden Nickel
Producer	John Ryan, Bill Traut
Styx chronology
Styx (1972) Styx II (1973)
Singles from Styx
"Best Thing" Released: July 1972[2]

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[4]

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 showcased them as a progressive-art rock/'60s 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 "Mother Nature's Matinee," sung by DeYoung and co-written by Young & DeYoung. 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 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.

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

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals/Lead guitar	Length
1.	"Movement for the Common Man" a. "Children of the Land" (writer and vocals: James Young) (5:16) b. "Street Collage" (writer: John Ryan) (1:55) c. "Fanfare for the Common Man" (writer: Aaron Copland, vocals: Young) (2:58) d. "Mother Nature's Matinee" (writer and vocals: Dennis DeYoung) (3:02)			13:11
2.	"Right Away"	Paul Frank	Young	3:40

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Lead vocals/Lead guitar	Length
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 "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)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1972	"Best Thing"	Pop Singles	82