(Front Cover)
TRACK LISTING AND TIMES:
1. Mr. Roboto (5:26)
2. Cold War (4:21)
3. Don't Let It End (4:53)
4. High Time (4:28)
5. Heavy Metal Poisoning (4:54)
6. Just Get Through This Night (6:01)
7. Double Life (3:43)
8. Haven't We Been Here Before (4:04)
9. Don't Let It End (Reprise) (2:22)
Release Date-1983
(Back Cover)
Not Available
The Members
Dennis DeYoung
Chuck Panozzo
John Panozzo
Tommy Shaw
James "JY" Young
With the release of the album Kilroy Was Here in 1983, Styx decided to do another concept album based on a story written by Dennis. The idea behind the album was also created in response to the wild accusations (basically, the accusations of putting backward Satanic messages on their albums) and new regulations (warning labels on their albums) that some legislators tried to impose upon not only Styx, but other falsely accused bands at that time. Interestingly, the band decided to mock those critics who first said that Styx had decided to put “backward Satanic messages” on their albums by actually putting a bacward message on JY’s “Heavy Metal Poisoning”: the message says something like “Satan holds the secret,” and it is said two times in the song; the first time it is said is around 2:49 into the song. I think there are two lines from Dennis DeYoung’s song “High Time” on this album that sum up the major concept that Styx decided to work with on Kilroy Was Here, and those two lines are the following: It ain’t the music that’s in question / It’s more the freedom of expression. So, it was, in fact, Styx and their fans’ freedom of expression that was in question when things such as “warning labels” were being considered as ways to regulate how albums should be sold, and it also questions peoples’ rights when it is left up to someone in the government to decide what people can and cannot listen to. It appears that Styx seemed to look into their “crystal ball” and predict a subject that is still under much debate in today’s society.
Not only did Styx support this concept through there musical genius, but they also used visual aspects too. The band recorded music videos for a few songs off of this album, but, perhaps, most impressively, they recorded an 11 minute mini-movie, which the band themselves acted in, to be shown before their concerts . Also, at some of the larger venues, the band actually acted their parts out in front of their fans. This mini-movie can be seen in the Styx video entitled “Caught In The Act.” The tour in support of this album was perhaps Styx’ most theatrical live performance up to this time.
This mini-movie depicted how one of the last free rock n’ rollers, Robert Orin Charles Kilroy (whose name, by the way, spells out ROCK--played by Dennis DeYoung), was falsely set up to make it appear as if he murdered a member of the MMM (The Majority for Musical Morality) which was run by the devious Dr. Righteous (played by James Young). Righteous felt that rock n’ roll was an evil plague which was brought down upon the nation, and he felt that every last person in rock should be erased from the minds of the people. Kilroy, however, was still putting on forbidden rock concerts with his band for their loyal fans who opposed the oppressive ways of the devious Righteous. Unfortunately, Righteous eventually arrested Kilroy by making it appear that he (Kilroy) had ruthlessly murdered a member of the MMM by beating him with a guitar in front of the thousands of “rebellious” rock n’ roll fans who watched while this indecent act was being done. However, inspired by Jonathan Chance (played by Tommy Shaw), who was a leader among those rebels who wanted to bring back rock n’ roll, Kilroy breaks out of prison. During Kilroy’s journey to safety, he leaves behind him a path of “rock code” which Jonathan later deciphers and finds that it leads him to the old Paradise Theatre where Righteous has set up a museum which depicts rock n’ roll as a vile disease. And it is there that Jonathan and Kilroy meet for the very first time...the rest is now history!
Kilroy Was Here spawned two Top 10 hits with the songs “Mr. Roboto” and “Don’t Let It End.” However, this album did not continue with their trend of triple platinum selling albums, but, it still achieved the impressive feat of platinum status. Sadly, this would be the last studio album that this massively successful line-up of Styx would ever record together.
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