THE KUDZOO INTERVIEW


A CONVERSATION WITH LAWRENCE GOWAN


by Michael Buffalo Smith Styx is one of the most successful rock


bands of our generation. Founded in Chicago in 1972, Styx enjoyed massive success on radio and in record sales and on concert stages with songs like “Lady,” “Come Sail Away,” “The Grand Illu- sion” and “Too Much Time On My Hands.” They were the first band to have four consecutive multi-platinum selling albums in a row: 1977’s The Grand Illusion; 1978’s Pieces of Eight; 1979’s Cornerstone; and 1981’s Paradise Theater. Everyone love Styx, and their songs are staples of classic rock radio. Who doesn’t crank it up to eleven when “Blue Collar Man” or “Renegade” are played?


When the band parted ways with original


singer Dennis DeYoung some twenty odd years ago, they found the perfect replacement by way of Canada. A man who had been a multi-platinum star in Canada and had toured the world solo, Lawrence Gowan. Lawence was the perfect fit for the band and they were off and running. In this exclusive interview, I spoke with


the singer/pianist about his music, his roots and the brilliant new Styx concept album, The Mis- sion.


Tell us about where you were born and grew up? I was born in Glasgow, Scotland, but at a very


Photo © Detroit Media Magazine


young age my parents made this momentous de- cision to move to Toronto, Canada. That’s where I grew up. So, I’m very much Canadian. I started off with the dream of becoming a Toronto Maple Leaf hockey player, but then I saw the Beatles on TV, and I thought, “Wait a minute! There might be another option out there.” I grew up wanting to play music and eventually dedicated myself to that, and went to the Royal


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60