by John Johnson, Photo by Chaz Dykes of Chaz D Photography
As I prepped my notes for my interview with Styx member Lawrence Gowan, I knew exactly how I’d break the ice. I was planning on mentioning that, in a full circle moment, my first interview ever was with Styx 45 years ago for my junior high school paper. Somewhere out there is a poorly printed, faux “newspaper” article I wrote after speaking with Dennis DeYoung and Tommy Shaw on the phone in the front office of Buchanan Junior High School in 1979. Gowan, the keyboardist, singer and showman extraordinaire was to call me at 11:30, January 10th, and that’s precisely what occurred. However, to my delight, he’d break the ice in a much more epic fashion.
My phone rang and the voice on the other end, Lawrence Gowan, began “Hello, John Johnson please.” I obviously replied accordingly as he continued. “John, I’ve been dying to get a hold of you. The junior high school paper that you wrote about Styx, 45 years ago, is one of the greatest articles that I’ve NEVER read.” Ice officially broken. And for the next 40 plus minutes, we discussed everything from musical inspirations to hockey, new Styx recordings and weather, to even the traditionally taboo topic of politics. The latter, for obvious reasons, will remain between he and I, except maybe a little wisdom he permitted me to share at the end.
Gowan, who was enjoying a successful solo music career in his home country of Canada, replaced Styx founder DeYoung in 1999. The Scottish born, Toronto resident, brought with him not only his impressive musical talents but also a distinct stage presence that has become synonymous with Styx’s progressive pop bent. After welcoming him back to the uncharacteristically chilly Sunshine State, he concurred that it’s “probably the coldest I’ve ever been in Florida”, I asked about the follow up to 2021’s “Crash of Crowns”. He replied, “We have been working away on a new record and, I won’t say for sure, but there is a good chance it could be released this year. It’s done. It just needs to be mixed and all the artwork etcetera, but we’ve got so many gigs, that it just comes down to whether we, timing wise, can get this ready for perhaps the summer, but we shall see.”
He was a big part of the very successful “Crowns” album, and proudly informed me that it debuted at number one on Billboards rock chart in 2021 and lands in the top ten Styx releases among fans and critics. Having been such an integral part of that album, I asked him if there was a song or a Styx recording that pre-dated him, that he would have loved to have been involved with.
“That’s a great question. Very well put. There are very few that I don’t feel that way about, but here’s the thing.” He expounds further “I think they’re very, very well done, all the melodies on all the keyboard parts I’m responsible for playing it all works to me. So yes, In another universe, a parallel universe perhaps I could’ve contributed something to those records back then, but it doesn’t seem necessary to me. Fantastic question. I mean I would’ve loved to have played on a song like “Crystal Ball” or “Come Sail Away” or something on those records way back then, but I feel a certain kinship with them even though I wasn’t on those records. I’m part of the continuation of that music.” I wholeheartedly agreed and was very pleased that he gave me such kudos for my question “that no one had ever asked” him before.
With all the mashups and crossover occurrences in the industry these days, I asked him if there was anyone he’d like to collaborate with. “Oh, I had a long solo career before I joined Styx, that most America wouldn’t be aware of, but I got to collaborate with some of my heroes. Jon Anderson from Yes, Tony Levin and Jerry Marotta from Peter Gabriel’s band, Alex Lifeson from Rush is on one of my records.” And after detailing how careful one must be when adding a new dynamic to an existing band, he conversely reminded me that Styx had a “cool little collab with Jack and Kyle from Tenacious D” back in 2003, as well as a Billy Bob Thornton cameo. What might look good on paper “might not contribute to the overall spirit of what Styx is”, he asserted “but if Paul McCartney or Elton John considered making a contribution, we’re not gonna say no.”
He being Canadian, and I being a Lighting fan, I felt hockey had to be touched on during our talk. An almost mandated Mapleleafs fan, I was pleasantly surprised that he was aware we’d lost Lightning Captain, Steven Stamkos. “It’s too bad, he definitely contributed to your Stanley Cups, and was great to watch”, he remarked. I informed him that in 2026 the Tampa Bay Lightning plan on having an outdoor hockey game at Raymond James Stadium. “Oh my God” he exclaimed “In Tampa? Artificial Ice I guess. You could probably get away with it today, being so cold.” I concurred.
We then discussed at length, the cutthroat music industry and the new generations appreciation for vinyl. I tell him that I wish my daughter had discovered a more affordable hobby than record collecting. He agreed that “if you wanna be cool, it’s going to cost you.” The topic of generation and age can not be overlooked when speaking about Styx and their illustrious, ageless members. Tommy Shaw is 71, James “JY” Young is 75 and Mr. Gowan is just a couple years shy of 70, I ask if there’s a secret diet he’d be willing to confide. “Yes there is” he continues “I don’t mind talking about this at all, but from my experience, the first thing in your diet has got to be music. Having the luxury, or privilege I should say, of playing live in front of audiences has innumerable health benefits.” Along with regular exercise and a balanced diet obviously, he confirms the performance regiment by listing other examples like Mick Jagger (81) and Ringo Starr (84), and with a little prodding from me, Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen (76) and Robin Zander (71).
After a delightful bit of history on the Chuck Berry’s classic “Johnny Be-Goode” actually being written about a piano player named Johnny Johnson, I jokingly asked my Canadian interviewy what he’d think about becoming America’s 51st state. The majority of his response, and our back and forth on the current political climate will remain under wraps, as will the informative details on our neighbor to the Norths historical origin being due to the superpowers at the time, France and Great Britain. He did, however, graciously allow me to mention the fact that Canada should remain “neutral” as they’ve been a “great breeding ground for some of (our) best comedian and hockey players”. I of course chimed in with “Apparently musicians as well”, in which he chuckled “Right! What would it be like if Rush was an American band? It just wouldn’t feel the same.”
As my chat was coming to its end with the delightful and charismatic Mr. Gowan I asked him if he were able to go back and give his younger self any advice, what would it be. And without much pause he simply said “I’d just say this, it’s gonna be OK. I would say that because I remember the period when I was playing clubs in my early 20s, and I’d have this kind of perilous paranoia that things aren’t gonna work out. But I would just tell myself to keep working as hard as you do and it’s all gonna work out. And maybe if you have any extra money around, put it in Apple stock.” I agreed with fervor, being of a similar age and awareness of hindsight when it comes to stocks. “True”, I say, “1984 would have been a good year to invest in Apple.” “Exactly”, Lawrence confirms “that probably would have been the first thing I’d tell my younger self before the whole bullshit about it’s going to be ok.” We laugh knowingly in unison.
We closed with some mention of the weather, as men our age do, and our appreciation for fellow Canadian pop rockers Loverboy opening for Styx the following night in Clearwater. My review of the January 11th show at The Sound will be coming out in the next day or so. Anyone lucky enough to have attended the packed, albeit exceedingly chilly event at The Sound, should agree both bands were stellar. I thanked Lawrence for sharing his time, insight and humor with me, as well as extolling deserved platitudes on him for helming, with great theatrical exuberance, still one of the greatest live bands of the last 50 years.