Episode 158: Lawrence Gowan of Styx on "Circling From Above"

My guest for this episode is vocalist/keyboardist Lawrence Gowan of Styx. The Canadian musician took over for Dennis DeYoung ahead of the 2003 album Cyclorama and although he's only been part of the band's last five studio albums in that time, Styx continues to find ways to explore interesting musical ideas and create memorable music. Lawrence was kind enough to discuss the new album, Circling From Above (which came out in July), his first favorite record, how Jon Anderson of Yes ended up on his solo album, joining Styx, playing in a band with his brother, and (of course) the excellent new album. Learn more about Styx at Styxworld.com. Please hit the like button and/or leave a rating/review wherever you consume this podcast. You can read my Michael's Record Collection newsletter for free by signing up at michaelsrecordcollection.substack.com. Follow MRC on Twitter (@MikesRecords), like it on Facebook, and follow on Instagram, Bluesky, and/or TikTok. Have questions or comments or want to suggest a topic? Hit me up at [email protected]. I'd love to have your support for this independent podcast. You can become a patron of this show by becoming a Michael's Record Collection Patreon subscriber starting at only $2 per month at the MRC Patreon page. Supporter benefits escalate at each level, providing more value the more you support the show. For example, you will know about interviews in advance and at some levels you can submit questions for the artists, come on the show to co-host, enter prize drawings, and more.