Last month, they performed at the Nikon at Jones Beach Theater on Long Island, where they shared the stage with rock group Tesla and headlining act Def Leppard. “I love that venue,” Gowan said. “I think we played there for our 10th time. That was the best night we ever played there: the weather was incredible and the crowd was spectacular. We have had so many downpours during our shows, but this was an absolutely beautiful night.”
On opening for Def Leppard, he said, “We toured with them in the past, and we enjoy each other’s company a lot. Personality-wise and humor-wise, both bands seem to click. As a bonus, we are playing for a lot of Def Leppard fans, and they are playing for a lot of Styx fans.”
Regarding Styx’ future plans Gowan said, “This tour goes on until October, and we have had one of the highest-grossing amphitheater tours this summer. Every night we played for a sold-out crowd. We have 75 more shows to go. We are loving this current mission that we are on. In November, we will be doing a tour in my country, Canada, and I am very much looking forward to that, of course. Then, we will be headed back in to the studio.”
On the key to longevity in the music industry, Gowan said, “Once a great melody gets into people’s heads, it is going to be there forever. If you can keep coming back and reminding them that, eventually you will look back at the years and realize that is what longevity is. It comes down to having great songs to play and doing them well.”
Each day, Gowan is motivated by his love for music. “I have engaged with music every single day this summer. The first thing I did this morning was play something on the piano, and that gets my motor running to record a song. That in itself is a great motivation: to figure out what I haven’t learned yet in music, or what I could apply to what I am doing. I love waking up in a different city every day.”
He defined the word success as “A life well spent doing what we are best at. That is something that everybody strives for, and not everybody is allowed the luxury of that, and we do not take it for granted.”
For more information on rock band Styx and their tour dates, check out their official website.
