Leadership topic - Styx

Styx was formed in 1961 in the Roseland area of the city – near O’Hare if you are familiar with that part of the city.  It was started by Dennis DeYoung at 15, and he enlisted the Panozzo brothers, and eventually 2 guitar players.  They went through different names and bounced around the city, eventually going to Chicago State College to become teachers.  When management signed them to Wooden Nickel in 1972 they had to pick a name – and Styx – yes of “the river of..” – was picked because it was the only one that no one hated… And fit their Goal of focusing on Progressive Rock that was becoming hot…

A local DJ was at a pizza place (of course being Chicago…) on the north side (important if you are from there) and saw a cut from their second album on the jukebox, and played it… and wondered – “Why was this never played???” Management still had control over the playlist (Goals), so he had to convince them to let him play it on his Saturday night show…

… and his program was heard everywhere in the country.  It was also syndicated at 38 other stations for rebroadcast.  In heavy rotation (like every 5 or 6 songs at first), he would announce, thick-headed, “and again, from our hometown, Chicago, this is Styx!!!”

It worked – the song became #2 on the WLS weekly survey list and was then on every show at the station, ending the year as the 29th biggest song of 1975 – a good 3 years after it was written and recorded.   It is now credited with being the first “power ballad” with Dennis being crowned the “father” of that whole genre of music.  From this beginning, a good place to consider Goals you have and how they do or don’t align with your partners.