By Randy Patterson, Boomerocity.com
Classic rock icons Styx are proving the power of timeless music as they roll across North America on their latest tour. With more than 50 years of hits behind them augmented with a new, recently released album, Circling from Above, the band is showing no signs of slowing down. And Knoxville fans will get to experience it all when Styx headlines the Tennessee Valley Fair next month.
Lawrence Gowan, the band’s charismatic frontman and keyboardist since 1999, spoke with Boomerocity during a stop near Seattle. Despite the demanding schedule – 8 shows in 10 days – Gowan was as lively, funny, and sharp as ever.
“If this rock and roll thing doesn’t work out in the next 25 years,” he quipped, “we’re thinking of packing it in.”
It’s clear the music is still working – and connecting – with multiple generations. “The response has been overwhelming,” he said. “Some fans have had this music in their lives for over half a century, and then there are the people – the newer faithful who are like under 40 – and they have gravitated toward classic rock with all of the fervor and enthusiasm that we did growing up with it. We see that on a nightly basis, and there’s something definitely to be extremely grateful for every day that we see that.”
Gowan believes the longevity of Styx – and classic rock overall – comes down to one thing: melody. “What I think has made it last so much is, first of all, I still think that once melodies are released onto the planet, once a memorable melody is out there, it’s not going to go away. Once they’re ingrained in your mind and in your spirit, they’re there for good. Now, if you couple that with lyrics where you can actually put yourself into the narrative of a piece of music, I think that doubles down on the effect, and I think that’s probably the main reason.”
That emotional bond spans generations. “I’d say 55% are people that have been with it right from the beginning and about 45% on average. Just as I’m looking out at the crowd, just either that or, you know, I do make the point, it’s either that or they’ve had some amazing work done. Could be a little bit of that.”
Helping bridge that generational gap are moments like the now-iconic South Park parody of “Come Sail Away.” Gowan embraces the humor. “I’m happy to admit that I’d say it’s 1% our effort and 99% South Park influence. Hey, whatever gets them through the door, right?” he laughed.
The band has recently released a new album titled Circling from Above, and Gowan says it’s already generating buzz. “We’ll be rehearsing a couple more songs from it this afternoon in our soundcheck. If I can judge by our crew’s reaction to it, and the people that listened to it in the last few days, I’d say that there’s a good percentage of people out there that are going to enjoy it. There, I’ve said it.”
Knoxville fans can expect something extra special when the band hits town. “We’re performing The Grand Illusion album in its entirety,” Gowan revealed. “We did it earlier this year in Vegas and it went over fantastically. We’ll do a good series of hits…”
When asked about solo projects, Gowan shared that he has a completed solo album ready to go but isn’t rushing to release it, indicating that he would need six months to a year to properly promote it. He concluded, “I feel far more inclined to put out a new Styx record and be part of that than to put out another solo work at this time.”
The conversation also touched on the future of music – particularly the role of AI in content creation and catalog management. “There are going to be some great applications,” Gowan admitted, “but it doesn’t have the soul. You can mimic tone and phrasing, but it still lacks that human connection.”
He’s more optimistic about AI’s role in tracking music usage and ensuring artists are paid fairly. “That would be wonderful,” he said.
As for the growing trend of legacy artists selling their catalogs, Gowan understands the business side but has mixed feelings. “Songs can then be misrepresented or find themselves used in inappropriate places,” he cautioned. “The melodies themselves, I hope, would transcend any misapplication in the short term.”
When Styx takes the stage in Knoxville next month, fans can expect not just a concert, but a celebration of music, memories, and a band that continues to sail ahead with style and purpose.
Watch the interview in its entirety at Boomerocity.com or its YouTube channel or listen on your favorite podcast platform.