Mr. Mike's High School Record Collection: Styx - Kilroy Was Here (1983)

Record burning, fear of Totalitarianism and Japan all come to a head in Kilroy Was Here.

After covering them a little yesterday and having a lot of fun at Dennis DeYoung's expense (one last shot-one of my favorite Family Guy moments was when DeYoung is called a "high voiced bastard" over the phone) I thought I would cover a Styx album. But choosing one was tough and I almost picked Edge of the Century (1991) until I remembered that I can't recall anyone ever doing a thorough analysis of the record that caused a temporary end to the band-Kilroy Was Here (1983). Because if it is one thing the world needs now, it's examinations of Styx concept albums.

So, to set the stage for the record the situation was this. Styx hit it big in the late 70's thanks to Dennis DeYoung's theatrical brand of rock offset by Tommy Shaw's straight up Arena Rock anthems. In 1980, they released their concept record Paradise Theater (an all time favorite of mine) which decried the decline of America's culture. In the midst of a recessed economy, soaring oil prices, unemployment and dicey foreign policy (sounds a little familiar) Styx's album was timely even if the concept part of the record was mostly ignored by the public.

After the record's release, the California legislature made a list of records and songs that supposedly had backwards masking i.e. Satanic messages that could be heard if you spun a record counter clockwise on the turntable. On that list was the song "Snowblind" from the Paradise Theater album and though the band is named after the mythic river that flows through Hell, Styx took great exception to being on this list. DeYoung in particular envisioned a totatarian Orwellian future where freedom is crushed by the Moral Majority and Japanese robots with only the renegade spirit of Rock N Roll to keep hope alive. And despite Tommy Shaw's dislike of another concept record, particularly a concept he had no drive for, Styx recorded Kilroy Was Here. Now we will revist what could be considered the final act of the true glory years of Styx.

The Full Story:

T H E P A S T "Dr. Everett Righteous, founder and leader of the MMM (the Majority for Musical Morality) became influential in American politics through the use of his own cable/TV network. He spoke about the evils of Rock 'N Roll Music and how its permissive attitudes were responsible for the moral and economic decline of America. He was charismatic, entertaining, and above all, he understood the media. The MMM soon gained enough power to have Rock N Roll banned."

"Robert Orin Charles Kilroy was a world famous Rock N Roll star. As this new law was passed, Kilroy and his band were finishing a national tour. Their last performance at the Paradise Theater would serve as the test case. On the night of the concert, as Kilroy played to a packed house, the MMM marched in and stormed the stage. When it was over, an MMM protester was dead. Kilroy was convicted of the murder and sent to a prison ship with other Rock N Roll misfits."

T H E P R E S E N T "... is a future where Japanese manufactured robots, designed to work cheaply and endlessly, are the caretakers of society. Mr. Robotos are everywhere, serving as manual labor in jobs that were once held by humans."

"Dr. Righteous enforces his own morality by holding nightly rallies where crowds hurl Rock N Roll records and electric guitars into huge bonfires. Jonathan Chance, the rebel leader of an underground movement to bring back Rock N Roll, has made Kilroy the symbol of his cause. Meanwhile, Kilroy has spent a number of years in prison. With no hope of release, he is subjected to the humiliation of mind control via the MMM cable network. In an attempt to contact Kilroy, Jonathan jams the airwaves of the MMM network, replacing a mind control session with outlawed footage of a Kilroy concert. Inspired by Jonathan's message, Kilroy plots his escape. Late one night he makes a daring attempt to free himself by overpowering a Roboto guard. Disguised as a Roboto, Kilroy moves freely throughout the city leaving graffiti coded messages for Jonathan. Jonathan discovers the rock code which leads him to the old Paradise Theater, now the site of Dr. Righteous Museum of Rock Pathology. There he sees the last Kilroy concert mechanically depicted by Kilroy look alike robots as the violent end of Rock N Roll... and there he and Kilroy meet for the first time."

1. Mr. Roboto - In terms of storyline, the song is about the escape of Robert Kilroy from his futuristic prison. But that's not what people think of with this song, the first single and Top 10 hit exists in it's own space of 80's kitsch. Robot voices, Japanese phrases (this song is the main reason most of America including me knows Domo Arigato means "Thank you" in Japanese), manic synthesizers and an even more manic DeYoung powers Mr. Roboto to camp greatness. For Dennis DeYoung (keyboards, vocals), this album was one big musical theater boner that he couldn't get enough of. "Roboto" has become the bands most enduring tune, it shows up throughout pop culture to this day.

2. Cold War - Tommy Shaw's (guitar, vocals) introduction as Jonathan Chance, leader of the Rebel cause. Shaw often said he had no feel for this album and there is a forced quality to the track. He does what he could, giving the song an ominous chorus and playful verse, but Shaw sounds a little bored. "Cold War" makes Chance's displeasure with the moralized society clear, but unlike "Mr. Roboto" it can't stand on its own.

3. Don't Let It End - After hitting #1 with the song "Babe" in 1979, DeYoung basically rewrote it for every album that followed. The amazing thing is, the trick worked every time. Whether it was called "The Best of Times", "Don't Let It End" or "Show Me The Way", Styx would hit the Top 10 time and again with a yearning DeYoung ballad. "End" was the most synth heavy version of the "Babe" series giving the track a little more character than the other clones. I guess we only have ourselves to blame for this, I know I bought their ballads at every opportunity. A fine second single.

4. High Time - Robert Kilroy and Jonathan Chance team up to bring back Rock N Roll by takin' it to the streets. Geez, Rush 2112 this is not. Musically, DeYoung often displayed a wry sense of humor on these sort of old tymey rock joints as a doo wop influence mixed with DeYoung talk singing his way through the voice like Dick Van Dyke in the Music Man. "High Time" gives more definition to the Dr. Righteous character by illustrating the opposition to him. Drummer John Panozzo and bassist Chuck Panozzo get a workout with the off kilter beat to "Time". I'm hearing the song play now, it's still painful after all these years. The third single from the record and obviously the least successful.

5. Heavy Metal Poisoning - Since 1977, second guitarist and third lead singer James Young (guitar, vocals) traditionally rewrote "Miss America" for every album except this one. Young actually seems inspired for Kilroy and it shows on "Heavy Metal Poisoning". Young, as Dr. Righteous, goes more than a little Rocky Horror Picture Show with the campy vocal and lyrics about drugs, mind control and Love Canal. Representing the Moral Music Majority, Young does a great job of establishing his role and makes Tim Curry proud.

6. Just Get Through This Night - The first of two Shaw ballads, Shaw shows he does have a little Rent in him with this cut about wishing for a different existence. It doesn't do much to advance the story but gives a little depth to the Jonathan Chance character. The one plus is Tommy Shaw's use of the Shami Sen to give a slight Oriental feel to the track.

7. Double Life - Young's second song, presumably to speak for either Chuck or John Panozzo's characters Lt. Vanish and Col. Hyde respectively. One of these characters is a double agent inside Dr. Righteous' organization. Young likes to rock hard and the group gives a stomping beat to make it more memorable.

8. Haven't We Been Here Before - One of Tommy Shaw's best ballads, the song captures the internal struggle to fight for freedom as so many before him had in history. One of the few cuts to be able to listen to outside of the story and still make sense, It leads to the end of the story...

9. Don't Let It End (reprise) - ...Where DeYoung brings back his Kilroy character for a rocking version of the ballad at track 3. Tommy Shaw and Dennis DeYoung trade off lead vocals to show their solidarity. It signifies the closing of the story by displaying Kilroy's return to Rock N Roll ecstasy (and by extension, all of us).

Kilroy Was Here sold two million copies and had two Top 10 singles making it a successful conclusion to the Styx hot streak. DeYoung achieves his Rock Opera dreams with mixed results, as once the story is finally set in place at the end of track 5 it doesn't really go that far. Robert Kilroy meets Jonathan Chance and decides to Rock the Vote against Dr. Righteous basically. DeYoung's disappearance from the second half of the record is noticeable since it was his concept and the Kilroy character was central to the first half.

I've often felt that Kilroy was ripe for a Mamma Mia! type adaptation to the stage along with other Styx hits. Indeed, the tour for this album played out like theater with use of film, props and costumes. And though music censorship became a bigger media story in the years that followed, Kilroy Was Here seemed an out of step curio that fails to connect with it's larger message of freedom of expression. Tommy Shaw left following Kilroy to pursue a solo career and Damn Yankees (the band, not the musical).

Below is the movie that used to play before the concert would begin for their stage show concert of the Kilroy tour. Say what you will, but when it comes to Dennis DeYoung certain adjectives come to mind. Visionary...Intellectual...High Voiced Bastard...Dennis DeYoung proves he can do it all on Kilroy Was Here, even if you don't quite want him to. Save me Mr. Roboto, Dennis DeYoung's ego is crushing me!