Chuck Panozzo of Styx

[Sundogue]

I was just listening to a couple of Styx tunes on the radio and it hit me that among many of my favorites (Tommy Shannon, John Paul Jones, John Entwistle, Chris Squire, etc.) I often forget about him being such a major influence on me when I was younger.

I got a chance to roadie for Styx when they played my hometown, way back when (it was the Grand Illusion tour). They needed local volunteers and me, being 18 and in a band, I jumped at the chance. I got a backstage pass, the whole works.

Anyway, listening to Styx on the radio today reminded me how tight, in the pocket and melodic his bass lines are. His Rick just punched through the mix like nothing else and now that I think about it, Chuck, more than just about any other bass player (aside from JPJ) really infuenced me the most when I was a young bass player.

There are more talented bass players to be sure, but that was the music of my youth, and even now hearing his bass playing makes me want to pick up my bass and crank it up with the guys.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

[superbassman2000]

i saw him two years ago at the Fond Du Lac county fair...he played a nice sadowsky with a wall of ampeg svts!

very solid player with an extremely solid tone (i can still hear it) the only way i could descibe it is "tube-o-riffic"

i had a fun time at the concert and i didn't realize that i knew probably 95% of the songs, so kudos to that

[Sundogue]

Yeah, the last place I saw them was back in the 80's, at the fairgrounds in Wisconsin Rapids.

He's always played with SVT's as far as I can recall. Yeah, that tube thing is just in your face. Awesome!

One of the things that strikes me about his playing is that he doesn't jump out at you...he's not flashy. But his work fits the song perfectly and once you pick it apart he does play all over the neck, yet still maintains the low end the whole time.

Very underestimated bass player I think.

[Snarf]

Ross Valery still pwns him, though.

[Sundogue]

Originally Posted by Snarf

Ross Valery still pwns him, though.

I like Ross's playing...but I don't think Ross's playing drives the sound in the way Chuck's does.

For me Chuck's playing is more in line with what appeals to me as a bass player.

[superbassman2000]

Originally Posted by Sundogue

Yeah, the last place I saw them was back in the 80's, at the fairgrounds in Wisconsin Rapids.

rapids?
we get big-name bands here?

yikes...

that must have been a while ago

or did you mean the marshfield fair?

[Sundogue]

Originally Posted by superbassman2000

rapids?
we get big-name bands here?

yikes...

that must have been a while ago

or did you mean the marshfield fair?

You may be right...now that I think about it, it might have been at the Marshfield fairgrounds. It was around 1980, so I was heavily into the "Sex, Drugs and Rock'n'Roll" part of my career, so some of it was left in the fog.

Hell, Styx played at the fairgrounds in my tiny hometown of Merrill. They were so loud you could hear them all over town. It was the last time they had a band that big there.

[62bass]

I played with a group that opened for Styx on a tour during the 70s when they first hit big nationally. They already were well known and had been selling out shows in the midwest for years.

I think the bassist was using an Alembic for that tour. I could be wrong.

[Sundogue]

Originally Posted by 62bass

I played with a group that opened for Styx on a tour during the 70s when they first hit big nationally. They already were well known and had been selling out shows in the midwest for years.

I think the bassist was using an Alembic for that tour. I could be wrong.

Yes, Chuck did switch from his Rick to an Alembic. Very cool that you got to share a stage (musically) with them. Closest I came was tossing little phosphorescent-lit baggies of pot out into the audience during "Light Up"...and help hauling gear.

But for an 18 year old, that was a tremendous kick for me.

[62bass]

Originally Posted by Sundogue

Yes, Chuck did switch from his Rick to an Alembic. Very cool that you got to share a stage (musically) with them. Closest I came was tossing little phosphorescent-lit baggies of pot out into the audience during "Light Up"...and help hauling gear.

But for an 18 year old, that was a tremendous kick for me.

I thought it was an Alembic. I guess I didn't fry all my brain cells after all.

Most of the guys in Styx were okay to talk to. We even got a sound check every night and got to use all the PA. That wasn't always the case with some other groups. Tommy Whathisname, the guitarist-singer was a really nice guy.

[Sundogue]

Originally Posted by 62bass

I thought it was an Alembic. I guess I didn't fry all my brain cells after all.

Most of the guys in Styx were okay to talk to. We even got a sound check every night and got to use all the PA. That wasn't always the case with some other groups. Tommy Whathisname, the guitarist-singer was a really nice guy.

Tommy Shaw?

I got to meet them and talk a bit and they we're pretty friendly, considering their status at the time. They were on the road with a big tour, so I'm sure they were a bit jaded to some degree with regards to just chatting with the public.

We know all too well what it takes to play a gig, and even in my little world of bar gigs, sometimes I too tired, or busy to just sit and talk all night.

They seemed like pretty cool guys. It was memorable for me as it was, but that is too cool that you got to open for them.

[62bass]

Tommy Shaw-yes that's it. Thanks. I think he was fairly new to Styx at the time. We opened for a lot of the bigger groups of that era. Some were good guys, some dicks, but then again, you find the same thing in the bars. One of the nicest bunch of guys were the ones in the Atlanta Rhythm Section. Excellent musicians too.