Creating and recording new music is often considered the lifeblood of any band — an ethos AOR torchbearers STYX continue to embody with the highly anticipated release of CIRCLING FROM ABOVE, the 18th studio album in their formidable catalog via the band’s label, Alpha Dog 2T/UMe. Spanning 13 tracks, the album navigates the complexities of the human experience through the intersecting lenses of technology and nature.
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Legendary group STYX begins its tour in the Maritimes and Quebec this evening and will play shows in Moncton (5/17), Summerside (5/18), Halifax (5/19), Laval (5/21), Trois-Rivières Rivières (5/22), Alma (5/24) and Quebec City (5/25). Tickets are available HERE. Juno Award winner and bilingual artist from Fredericton David Myles, heir to Johnny Cash, JJ Cale and Buddy Holly will open for all shows.
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Ten years is a long enough wait for two powerhouse and legendary classic rockers to hit the road together again! STYX and FOREIGNER (who continue with the next leg of their two-year Farewell Tour) team up this summer for the “Renegades & Juke Box Heroes” co-headlining trek, produced by Live Nation. Legendary British rocker, John Waite, will bring his #1 songs, “Missing You” and “When I See You Smile” to the party, rounding out a great night of hits.
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Photo by Rick Diamond
Ricky Phillips is one of the most talented musicians around. For the past 15 years, he’s been the bass player for STYX. He’s also been a member of Bad English and The Babys. All three of these bands have topped the charts numerous times and sold millions of albums. In between these three legendary gigs, Ricky has played with additional legends, including Sammy Hagar, Ronnie Montrose, and Eric Singer. 2017 saw the release of two new albums featuring Ricky’s masterful musicianship: STYX’s new studio album The Mission and Ronnie Montrose’s posthumous 10X10. STYX is on tour this summer with Joan Jett and Tesla, and Ricky was kind enough to speak with me about his impressive career and passion for music.
Our discussion lasted for more than an hour and we covered a myriad of topics, including Barry Manilow, Journey, what DeYoung misses most about being in STYX, the state of the music industry, politicians using music without the permission of the artists, and much more. DeYoung was funny, charming, smart, and easily one of the most enjoyable interviews I’ve ever conducted.
Make sure to visit DeYoung’s website for the latest tour dates. He has two performances in the Philadelphia/New Jersey/New York area coming up in October. I’m attending his show on October 8 at The Keswick Theatre in Glenside, Pa. For those of you closer to New York, DeYoung has an October 21 performance scheduled at the St. George Theatre in Staten Island, with special guest Steve Augeri, former lead vocalist of Journey.
My biggest KISS highlight of this year so far? Interviewing KISS’ current – and best – drummer: Eric Singer. As you can see from the interview below, we covered a lot of ground. Having the opportunity to speak with my favorite drummer for an extended period of time was an absolute joy, and I hope you enjoy the conversation as much as I did.
Meeting Foreigner backstage before their concert.
Foreigner, Styx and Don Felder have been traveling across the country on the Soundtrack of Summer tour and I was in attendance for their July 3rd concert in Camden, NJ. The evening consisted of four hours of 31 classic songs, and the crowd loved every minute of it. People were swaying, singing and dancing in the aisles. It was a fitting way to kick off the celebratory July 4th weekend.
