Editor’s Note: On June 18th, the legendary arena rock band Styx released yet another landmark album entitled “Crash of the Crown.” The band wanted total creative freedom in this album and they got it. There is a sense of liberation and freedom in this record, and the classic harmonies, musicianship and passion that Styx exudes. They have once again rose to the occasion with “Crash of the Crown.” Songs such as “Common Ground” inspires a call for unity while “Reveries” show some of their best musicianship since Lawrence Gowan joined Styx. In this mental health conversation on the Madness To Creation Podcast, Lawrence Gowan of Styx talks about his jukebox, “Crash of the Crown”, how Canada is handling the Covid pandemic and the soundtrack to his life. Fans can find Styx on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and their official website.
3:59: Lawrence Gowan talking about whether or not he can expect a songbook based on classic Motown songs
6:41: Talking about “Crash of the Crown” and the writing process of the song between JY, Lawrence and Tommy Shaw “it’s about renewal from a cataclysmic event”
9:53- How has Lawrence Gowan grown as a musician from “The Mission” to “Crash of the Crown”
12:22- Lawrence Gowan talking about the Covid lockdown in Canada
14:15- The last concert that Lawrence Gowan saw before the pandemic
15:48- Lawrence Gowan talking about performing live and how he marvels at his own band
17:19- How Lawrence feels concerts are going to go post Covid
19:18- Songs that Lawrence Gowan is chomping at the bit to play live off of “Crash of the Crown”
20:25- The song that Lawrence never gets tired of playing in the Styx catalog
22:23- What has Lawrence learned about himself through quarantine/Covid
24:50- Lawrence’s “soundtrack to his life”, the music that helps him get through when times get difficult
27:13- How music connects people according to Lawrence
Photo Credit: Rick Diamond
Styx is on tour with Collective Soul. Check out the tour dates below:
Friday, June 25th- Providence Medical Center Amphitheatre in Bonner Springs, Kansas
Saturday, June 26th- Ozarks Amphitheater in Camdenton, Missouri
Sunday, June 27th- The Zoo Amphitheater in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Styx headlining run:
Saturday, July 3rd- Five Flags Center in Dubuque, Iowa
Sunday, July 4th- Heritage and Freedom Fest in O’Fallon, Missouri
Friday, July 9th- Lakefront Music Fest in Prior Lake, Minnesota
Saturday, July 10th- Catfish Festival in Greenville, Wisconsin
Sunday, July 11th- Red River Valley Fair in West Fargo, North Dakota
Thursday, July 22nd- Performance Pavilion at Sweetwater in Fort Wayne, Indiana
Friday, July 23rd- Fraze Pavilion in Kettering, Ohio
Saturday, July 24th- York Fair Grandstand in York, Pennsylvania
Sunday, July 25th- New Jersey Lottery Festival of Ballooning in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey
Wednesday, July 28th- Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater in Hartford, Connecticut
Thursday, July 29th- Youngstown Foundation Amphitheater in Youngstown, Ohio
Friday, July 30th- Barnyard Entertainment Venue in Sharpsburg, Kentucky
Saturday, July 31st- Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Thursday, August 5th- Ruth Eckard Hall in Clearwater, Florida
Friday, August 6th- Bell Auditorium in Augusta, Georgia
Saturday, August 7th- North Charleston Coliseum in North Charleston, South Carolina
Sunday, August 8th- Sweetland Amphitheater in Lagrange, Georgia
Tuesday, August 10th- Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia
Wednesday, August 11th- Durham Performing Arts Center in Durham, North Carolina
Friday, August 13th- Centennial Terrace & Quarry in Sylvania, Ohio
Sunday, August 15th- State Fair of West Virginia in Lewisburg, West Virginia
Wednesday, August 18th- Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Iowa
Thursday, August 19th- Old National Events Plaza in Evansville, Indiana
Saturday, August 21st- McHenry County Fairgrounds in Woodstock, Illinois
Saturday, September 4th- Summerfest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Wednesday, September 8th- Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona
Thursday, September 9th- Celebrity Theatre in Phoenix, Arizona
Saturday, September 11th- Adams County Fairgrounds in Brighton, Colorado
Tuesday, September 14th- Utah State Fairpark in Salt Lake City, Utah
Friday, September 17th- Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys, California
Saturday, September 18th- Agua Caliente Casino Resort & Spa in Rancho Mirage, California
Wednesday, September 22nd- Washington State Fair in Puyallup, Washington
Friday, September 24th through Sunday, September 26th- The Venetian in Las Vegas, Nevada
Friday, October 1st- Tropicana Showroom in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Saturday, October 2nd- del Lago Resort & Casino in Waterloo, New York
Wednesday, October 6th- Hampton Beach Casino & Ballroom in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire
Saturday, October 9th- Parx Casino in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania
Friday, October 15th- Golden Nugget Lake Charles Hotel & Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana
Saturday, October 16th- Levett Pavilion in Arlington, Texas
Thursday, October 21st- Amarillo Civic Center Complex in Amarillo, Texas
Saturday, October 23rd- Nutty Brown Amphitheater in Austin, Texas
Sunday, October 24th- John T. Floore Country Store in Helotes, Texas
Friday, November 12th- Choctaw Grand Theater in Durant, Oklahoma
Thursday, November 18th- Ralston Arena in Ralston, Nebraska
Friday, November 19th- Stiefel Theater for the Performing Arts in Salina, Kansas
Saturday, November 20th- UIS Performing Arts Center in Springfield, Illinois
Thursday, January 6th- Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee
Monday, February 14th- Rock Legends Cruise in Orlando, Florida
For tickets and further information on any of the shows listed above, go to their official website here.
Mental Health Moments/Music Musings on “Crash of the Crown” by Styx:
“Crash of the Crown” is a tale that will be told for years to come. It’s an able that seems to be perfect for a post-pandemic world. There are several mental health moments that could provide the soundtrack to your life as Styx has certainly been a band that has helped so many people get through difficult times. Here are my five “mental health moments”:
- “Hold Back The Darkness”- First of all, the guitar solo is ridiculous. “You hold back the darkness, we’ll all see the sunrise again”- that lyric touches the soul. It is a cry for a better day and a new hope.
- “Save Us From Ourselves”- The song talks about not letting anything hold you back. If you want to accomplish something, go out and do it!
- “Common Ground”- the song is a cry for unity and a call to arms for peace. Absolutely LOVE this song!
Is there any band that sounds like they did 40 or 50 years ago? Nope, just Styx. The harmonies and musicianship are out of this world, per the norm. Styx is timeless and they are one of the greatest rock bands in history. This could be on Madness To Creation’s shortlist for record of the year.
Check out the lyric video to “Crash of the Crown” below:
Fans can check out this episode featuring Lawrence Gowan of Styx via SoundCloud below:
https://soundcloud.com/madnesstocreation/season-2-ep-8-lawrence-gowan
