Along with Kansas, Pink Floyd, and the Dixie Dregs, Styx was one of my favorite bands during my teenage years. I loved the combination of keyboards, guitars, and conceptual and imaginative lyrics. For this reason, I was interested in reading bassist Chuck Panozzo's book. He, along with his twin brother John, and Dennis DeYoung, founded Styx as teenagers in Chicago. In the book, he recounts the history of Styx. Initially, the twins and DeYoung played wedding standards. After their normal setlist failed miserably at a high school dance, a nun encouraged them to pick up rock-n-roll. And the rest is history. But this biography is not about Styx as much as it is about Chuck's wrestling with his homosexuality. Throughout most of his career, he felt he had to hide this from friends, family, and the world. He did not believe his friends would understand, his family would accept him, or that it would go well with the rock star persona. The bulk of the book recounts how - through bad and good decisions - he eventually has come to embrace his sexual orientation and come out of the closet. Perhaps the most interesting aspect of reading about his sense of alienation, denial, and loneliness is that it offers a window into what must be a common experience for many who feel they must hide their homosexuality. An interesting read on many levels.
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