Rock of Nations with Dave Kinchen & Shane McEachern · Rock of Nations with Dave Kinc

#359 #STYX’s #LawrenceGowan - Part 1

·31 min·2 clips

Lawrence Gowan reveals why kids today love classic rock as much as those who grew up with it.

This episode features Lawrence Gowan, the keyboardist and vocalist for Styx, in conversation with hosts Dave Kinchen and Shane McEachern. Gowan discusses Styx's creative longevity and their 18th studio album, "Circling from Above," released in July. He expresses excitement that the band's new music resonates strongly with younger audiences who were not born during classic rock's peak era. Gowan compares the enduring appeal of rock to jazz, noting how people today love artists like Oscar Peterson despite not being alive during his era. He highlights the vinyl resurgence, emphasizing the value of a full 40-minute album experience over short digital clips. The band intentionally sequenced "Circling from Above" to feel like a cohesive experience that fits alongside classic Styx albums like "The Grand Illusion" and "Pieces of Eight." Gowan recounts how his solo career, which included collaborations with artists like Alex Lifeson and John Anderson, prepared him to join Styx in 1999 after he spontaneously felt he would fit in at a 1997 show. He explains that co-writing for Styx, starting with the "Cyclorama" album, was a challenging but rewarding shift from his solo work. The band has been playing the new song "Build and Destroy" live, chosen for its energy, solos, and fitting screen content. Gowan describes the unique atmosphere of summer amphitheater tours, recalling his first concerts seeing The Guess Who and Chicago. He notes fan requests for full-album performances and mentions "Pieces of Eight" as a strong candidate for a future complete live playthrough. Gowan attributes his dynamic stage presence to adrenaline and a desire to physically commit to the performance, inspired by performers like Little Richard and Freddie Mercury. He reveals his iconic spinning keyboard was invented for a music video to avoid being static. When addressing performing during a difficult week in America, Gowan says the band aims to provide a unifying musical escape, observing that concert audiences temporarily set aside divisions. He shares a hopeful view that these shared experiences reveal a more united America than media portrays. The conversation includes a tribute to the late Super Tramp co-founder Rick Davies, whom Gowan met in 1985 and whose band once saw Gowan's early group perform in Toronto. Gowan also mentions being influenced by Billy Preston, whom he once performed with in Las Vegas. The tone is conversational, reflective, and nostalgic, blending personal anecdotes with broader thoughts on music's role in society. This episode will appeal to Styx fans, classic rock enthusiasts, and anyone interested in the creative process of a veteran band. Listeners seeking purely topical or debate-driven content might find it less engaging.

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