{"id":300,"date":"2013-04-17T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2013-04-17T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2013\/2013\/04\/17\/styx-reo-speedwagon-coming-to-glens-falls-4-24-ul-talks-to-styx-bassist-ricky-phillips\/"},"modified":"2013-04-17T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2013-04-17T00:00:00","slug":"styx-reo-speedwagon-coming-to-glens-falls-4-24-ul-talks-to-styx-bassist-ricky-phillips","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.nysmusic.com\/2013\/2013\/04\/17\/styx-reo-speedwagon-coming-to-glens-falls-4-24-ul-talks-to-styx-bassist-ricky-phillips\/","title":{"rendered":"An Interview with Styx bassist Ricky Phillips"},"content":{"rendered":"

Styx<\/strong> dominated the airwaves in the 70\u2019s and 80\u2019s with well-known hits such as, \u201cLady\u201d, \u201cCome Sail Away\u201d, \u201cShow Me The Way\u201d and their only number one song, \u201cBabe\u201d.\u00a0 The band did however have four consecutive multi-platinum albums and have a revolutionary sound comprised of a powerful guitars, theatrical performances and pioneering the prog-rock sound.\u00a0 We were fortunate enough to interview Styx bassist and former Bad English<\/strong> founder, Ricky Phillips.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Glens Falls Civic Center<\/a> is going to be host of three amazing acts on April 24th<\/sup>. \u00a0The “Midwest Rock \u2018n Roll Express” tour featuring\u00a0REO Speedwagon<\/strong> and Styx<\/strong> will be coming to the foothills of the Adirondacks to share their progressive rock stylings.<\/p>\n

REO Speedwagon<\/strong> will be sharing the headlining role of the tour with Styx.\u00a0 REO Speedwagon has sold over 40 million records, including number one singles, \u201cKeep On Loving You\u201d and \u201cCan\u2019t Fight This Feeling\u201d. \u00a0Another incestuous connection is REO Speedwagon\u2019s lead guitarist Dave Amato used to play with Nugent before joining the band in time for their 1990 release The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken<\/em>.\u00a0 That album featured the bands last top 100 hit \u201cLock Is a Rock\u201d.\u00a0 Since then they have had success as a live act playing virtually non-stop around the world, the last few years with Styx.<\/p>\n

Ted Nugent<\/strong> has been getting more press for his stance on guns and support of the NRA than he has for his music lately.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget that the Motor City Madman was all rock \u2018n roll before he got political. \u00a0In the 70’s, Nugent provided us with hits like, \u201cStrangehold\u201d, \u201cWango Tango\u201d, \u201cGreat White Buffalo\u201d and of course, \u201cCat Scratch Fever\u201d.\u00a0 How does Nugent fit in with the tour?\u00a0 He played with Styx\u2019s Tommy Shaw in the super group Damn Yankees.<\/p>\n

Did you know Ted Nugent evaded being drafted in the 1970s by covering himself in his own feces and not showering for a few weeks? It’s true – read here from the man himself!<\/a><\/p>\n

When asked what we could expect at the show in Glens Falls, he said we should be prepared to be amazed.\u00a0 Their goal is \u201cto make tonight\u2019s show better than last night\u2019s show.\u00a0 We even put together a brand new set that we are debuting on this leg of the tour.\u00a0 We\u2019ve put thousands and thousands into it and we aren\u2019t even sure if fans will notice it the difference, but the stage performance that we put off is so important to the show.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ricky actually played on Ted\u2019s Little Miss Dangerous<\/i> album, \u201cOne day I came home and Ted had left a message that he needed me to play a song for a movie that ended up on the album. So, I went down and I also set Dave Amato and Ted up together. \u00a0Now Dave is with REO. Most of the guys that are still out there have done some recording or played for everyone else at some point. A lot of the guys who are still the survivors are still carrying the torch and we are all still friends.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Styx line-up hasn\u2019t changed in 10 years, and there is a lot of rumors about grief and animosity with Dennis DeYoung.\u00a0 Ricky played it off saying that \u201cThe band has been focused on growing the band over the past 10 years and getting better and better and not dwelling on the past.\u00a0 Dennis is incredibly talented and if people are a Dennis DeYoung fan, I encourage them to go see him.\u201d\u00a0 Styx has a lot of modern pop culture success as well, including being in Big Daddy<\/em> and South Park<\/em>.\u00a0 \u201cIt is something to see that the fans know all the lyrics to the songs.\u00a0 Styx has a unique sound and if you hear a Styx song on the radio, you can tell it\u2019s a Styx song with the harmonies. I think that in the 70\u2019s and 80\u2019s there was a lot of cookie cutter format, and Styx always had their own sound.\u00a0 It\u2019s very impressive. When I was in The Babies<\/strong> and first came across Styx it was obvious that their sound was really unique.\u201d\u00a0 Three generations of fans will be at the show, and all three will know the lyrics, whether they are a Guitar Hero player, a South Park fan or remember them growing up 30 years ago.<\/p>\n

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has also eluded Styx, as well as many of the progressive rock bands from that era.\u00a0 You have to imagine that Styx will be inducted at some point.\u00a0 Ricky\u2019s perspective is that \u201cWhen the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame started is always had more of a New York connection.\u00a0 The British rock bands that started it all were being overlooked and it killed me.\u00a0 So, I haven\u2019t taken it too seriously.\u00a0 It would obviously be a great honor to be recognized by the fans.\u00a0 But whoever controls or makes that call, it\u2019s up to them.\u00a0 I\u2019ve actually never even have this discussion with the other guys in the band.\u00a0 Our focus is so much on the fans and making our music better and better every night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Progressive rock is back on the rise, just look at any festival line-up and you will see modern prog rockers.\u00a0 Styx was influential in starting that sound.\u00a0 You can hear their influences on newer bands. \u201cIt\u2019s great to hear, there is a new band that sounds like a mix between Styx and Zeppelin and you can tell what albums influenced them.\u00a0 It\u2019s nice to be part of the influencer.\u00a0 I was influenced first of all by the Beatles and the song writing and arrangement.\u00a0 Thank god that was my first initial impact as a kid.\u00a0 There was a strong sense of song structure and melodies.\u00a0 Paul McCartney\u2019s bass solos were a huge part of me picking up bass.\u00a0 I have played guitar to this day, but there is something about bass that has spoke to me.\u00a0 It\u2019s a real challenge to be a good bass player and it\u2019s a challenge that I will always be striving for.\u00a0 Listen to Paul McCartney and you can tell the percussion aspects of bass.\u00a0 It\u2019s seemingly invisible but bass can control the tempo and swing in a song.\u201d<\/p>\n

Be sure to get out to the Glens Falls Civic Center\u00a0 on April 24th<\/sup> and catch these three great bands and celebrate over 30 years of music.<\/p>\n