Styx - Equinox

Equinox is by far the best album Styx released - by the original line up that is. It was the final record to feature John Curulewski before his departure ushered in the band's next phase with Tommy Shaw.

When I started working my way backward through Styx’s catalogue, I always wondered what happened to John. On those early albums, I really enjoyed the guitar interplay between James Young and John (note, I know the drummer was John too, but when I say John I mean John the guitar guy). In fact, I found myself liking a few songs—especially the ones John sang—on the band’s second 1973 release, The Serpent Is Rising. If I’m being honest, my favourite was actually the hidden track, “Don’t Sit Down on the Plexiglas Toilet,” which Curulewski wrote. Apparently, the band hated The Serpent Is Rising, calling it one of the worst albums ever made.

Ouch. I guess they forgot to listen to Man of Miracles.

Anyway, back to Equinox and why it was such a great album. After four records on the small Wooden Nickel imprint (distributed by RCA), Styx seemed to be on the verge of something bigger. My introduction to that era was Best of Styx, an album I found at a secondhand store—on blue vinyl, no less. It sounded very different from the Styx I was familiar with at the time, and I loved it - not at first but I played it and played it and played it until I actually really did love it. James Young was an absolute monster on many of those early tracks.

The first time I heard Equinox was thanks to my cousin Jeff, who had an eight-track copy. This was probably the summer of ’78. I remember not thinking much of “Lorelei” a song he really liked. Despite its cool keyboard intro, the song’s premise seemed kind of silly. But it was the last couple of tracks that really hit me—starting with the 12-string instrumental. I didn’t know the song’s name back then, so I just called it “America.” Of course, it’s actually “Suite Madame Blue,” and it’s a killer.

While I enjoy the first side of the album, it’s not where I spend most of my time when I play it. Oh I'm not throwing water on it, I do like it. It's just that I usually spin side two more than once whenever I pull Equinox off the shelf. The songs on the second side are steeped in hard rock with a progressive tilt, and Dennis DeYoung was still very much a rock singer. James and John were a one-two punch who seemed to know when to push and when to pull. When James was at his best, he was incredible. “Midnight Ride” is an absolute scorcher, followed by one of the most overlooked songs in the entire Styx catalogue: “Born for Adventure.” That song has it all—big hooks, big guitars, and Chuck Panozzo’s bass tone is perfect, good Lord I never really paid attention to his playing, the guy has a great touch. The centrepiece, of course, is the pairing of the short instrumental “Prelude 12” and “Suite Madame Blue,” which follows the Stairway to Heaven model: start slow, build up, and finish big. Oh, there's a little blink and you miss it bit of phrasing in "Prelude 12" that sounds like the opening arpeggios Tommy plays on his 12 string in "Crystal Ball" if that was deliberate it's a wonderful wink and nod to John.

After Equinox, John left the band. It wasn’t the end—just the end of a chapter. By the fall of ’76, Styx was back with Crystal Ball with their new guitar player and vocalist Tommy Shaw in the lineup. The rest, as they say, is history.