On a chilly March evening in 2007, the former Tralf Music Hall in Buffalo played host to an intimate acoustic performance from Shaw-Blades. The duo featured Tommy Shaw (Styx) and Jack Blades (Night Ranger.) They were on the road promoting “Influence,” an album filled with classic cover tunes.
With nothing but a couple of stools, guitars, and stories to share, the duo rifled through a rich songbook: from Damn Yankees staples to deep cuts from their legendary catalogs. Adding harmonies and texture from behind them was a lesser-known name at the time: guitarist and producer Will Evankovich, who would soon find himself stepping into the spotlight.
Almost two decades later, Evankovich is an official member of Styx and has played a prominent role in the band’s return to the recording studio, having produced “The Mission” in 2017 and “Crash of the Crown” in 2021.
The band’s newest record, “Circling from Above,” which Styx officially releases on July 18, is the first with Evankovich as a member and producer, something he never envisioned as he sat behind Shaw nearly two decades ago.
“When the phone call came up, I didn’t expect it, but I was pleasantly surprised. It just felt like coming home to me, “Evankovich noted during a recent Zoom interview.
“Circling from Above” marks the first time in the band’s storied history that they recorded with seven official members, and it included the debut of Evankovich handling lead vocal duties on a Styx record.
Seven is a number that has figured prominently in the Styx; their seventh album, “Grand Illusion,” is considered the band’s breakthrough. Styx released it on 7/7/77 and is performing the record in its entirety on their current tour. Evanovich is now the seventh person to sing lead vocals on a Styx record.
Numerology aside, it is the band’s strongest record in decades, filled with numerous influences.
“The Beatles, The Who, Queen, Pink Floyd, they’re all part of our collective DNA. It still sounds like Styx, but it also sounds like who we are as a band now,” Evanovich noted.
The record’s lead single, “Build and Destroy,” dropped last month, and the band has added it to their current setlist. It features Lawrence Gowan on lead vocals. One of the other notable tracks is a fantastic ballad with Tommy Shaw on vocals, entitled “Forgive.”
“Forgive is special, and when I first heard Tommy sing it, that’s when I knew the song was a standout track.”
The record also features Styx founding member James “J.Y.” Young handling lead vocals on one track and is the first to feature bassist Terry Gowan, along with an appearance from Chuck Panozzo. Terry’s presence marks the first time since 1990 that a pair of brothers is on a Styx album. Chuck and his twin brother John appeared on the first 12 Styx albums. John passed away in 1996.
“Circling from Above” features an incredible drum performance from Todd Sucherman,” who Will noted recorded all his parts in a “seven-hour session.”
The record is a testament to the band’s continued commitment to making records. Will noted that working with Styx is a “democratic process, much like it was in 1982.” So, while Styx may not dominate FM radio anymore, they continue to make great music.
While there are no Western New York dates on the current tour, you can catch Styx along with the Kevin Cronin Band and Don Felder in Syracuse on July 14.