Kilroy Was Here (album)
Encyclopedia
Kilroy Was Here is the eleventh album, a rock opera
/concept album
by the rock
band Styx
, released on February 28, 1983. The title comes from a famous World War II
graffiti "Kilroy was here
".
as an album and accompanying stage show, which opened with a short film of the same name. While the supporting tour was a financial disaster, the album sold over 2 million copies and peaked at #3 in the US.
The album's somewhat rock-operatic story tells of a future where rock music is outlawed by a fascist
government and the "MMM (the Majority for Musical Morality)". The story's protagonist, Kilroy, is a former rock star who has been imprisoned by MMM leader Dr. Righteous. He escapes using a disguise (according to the album's famous song "Mr. Roboto
") when he becomes aware that a young musician, Jonathan Chance, is on a mission to bring rock music back.
The album spawned two hit singles, "Mr. Roboto
" and "Don't Let It End
".
Additional personnel
Production
Singles - Billboard (North America)
Rock opera
A rock opera is a work of rock music that presents a storyline told over multiple parts, songs or sections in the manner of opera. A rock opera differs from a conventional rock album, which usually includes songs that are not unified by a common theme or narrative. More recent developments include...
/concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
by the rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
band Styx
Styx (band)
Styx is an American rock band that became famous for its albums from the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Chicago band is known for melding the style of prog-rock with the power of hard rock guitar, strong ballads, and elements of American musical theater....
, released on February 28, 1983. The title comes from a famous World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
graffiti "Kilroy was here
Kilroy was here
Kilroy was here is an American popular culture expression, often seen in graffiti. Its origins are debated, but the phrase and the distinctive accompanying doodle—a bald-headed man with a prominent nose peeking over a wall with the fingers of each hand clutching the wall—is widely known among U.S...
".
Background
"Kilroy Was Here" was conceived by lead singer Dennis DeYoungDennis DeYoung
Dennis DeYoung is an American singer, songwriter, musician and producer best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx, a tenure that lasted from 1970 to 1999.-Early life:...
as an album and accompanying stage show, which opened with a short film of the same name. While the supporting tour was a financial disaster, the album sold over 2 million copies and peaked at #3 in the US.
The album's somewhat rock-operatic story tells of a future where rock music is outlawed by a fascist
Fascism
Fascism is a radical authoritarian nationalist political ideology. Fascists seek to rejuvenate their nation based on commitment to the national community as an organic entity, in which individuals are bound together in national identity by suprapersonal connections of ancestry, culture, and blood...
government and the "MMM (the Majority for Musical Morality)". The story's protagonist, Kilroy, is a former rock star who has been imprisoned by MMM leader Dr. Righteous. He escapes using a disguise (according to the album's famous song "Mr. Roboto
Mr. Roboto
"Mr. Roboto" is a song written by Dennis DeYoung and performed by the band Styx on their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here. In Canada, where they were always more popular than in their native U.S., it went to #1 on the RPM national singles chart, becoming their third single to top the charts in...
") when he becomes aware that a young musician, Jonathan Chance, is on a mission to bring rock music back.
The album spawned two hit singles, "Mr. Roboto
Mr. Roboto
"Mr. Roboto" is a song written by Dennis DeYoung and performed by the band Styx on their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here. In Canada, where they were always more popular than in their native U.S., it went to #1 on the RPM national singles chart, becoming their third single to top the charts in...
" and "Don't Let It End
Don't Let It End
"Don't Let It End" is the third track on the 1983 album Kilroy Was Here, by Styx.The song was written and sung by Dennis DeYoung. The track is a mid-tempo ballad about one who breaks up with a lover and pleads to get the person back...
".
Music video
Three of the four videos for the album - "Mr. Roboto", "Don't Let It End", and "Heavy Metal Poisoning" - were filmed at the same time and used footage from the minifilm. A fourth video, "Haven't We Been Here Before", was filmed a few months after the album was released; it did not interact with the album's story.Track listing
Personnel
Styx- Dennis DeYoungDennis DeYoungDennis DeYoung is an American singer, songwriter, musician and producer best known for being a founding member of the rock band Styx, a tenure that lasted from 1970 to 1999.-Early life:...
- keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
as KilroyMr. Roboto"Mr. Roboto" is a song written by Dennis DeYoung and performed by the band Styx on their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here. In Canada, where they were always more popular than in their native U.S., it went to #1 on the RPM national singles chart, becoming their third single to top the charts in... - Chuck PanozzoChuck PanozzoCharles Salvatore "Chuck" Panozzo is an American musician best known as the bass player for the rock band Styx. A longtime member of Styx, he founded the group with his fraternal twin brother, drummer John Panozzo, who died in July 1996, and singer Dennis DeYoung...
- bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, vocals as Lt. Vanish - John PanozzoJohn PanozzoJohn Anthony Panozzo was an American drummer best known for his work with rock band Styx.Panozzo grew up in the Roseland neighborhood, the south side of Chicago, Illinois, with his fraternal twin brother, Chuck . At age 7, the twins took musical lessons from their uncle in which John took an...
- drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, vocals as Colonel Hyde - Tommy ShawTommy ShawTommy Roland Shaw is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the rock band Styx. In between his stints with Styx, he has played with the supergroup Damn Yankees and Shaw Blades, and has released several solo albums....
- guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, vocals as Jonathan Chance - James YoungJames Young (American musician)James "J.Y." Young is a guitarist, singer and songwriter, and member of the rock band, Styx. Young began playing keyboard and piano at the age of five. He attended Calumet High in Chicago and learned to play clarinet and guitar during those years.J.Y...
- guitar, vocals as Dr. Righteous
Additional personnel
- Dan Barber - horn
- Steve Eisen - saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Mike Halpin - horn
- Michael Mossman - horn
- Mark Ohlson - horn
Production
- Arranged & Produced By Styx
- Engineers: Gary Loizzo, Will Rascati, Rob Kingsland
- Apprentice engineer: Jim Popko
Charts
Album - Billboard (North America)| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Pop Albums | 3 |
Singles - Billboard (North America)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | "Don't Let It End Don't Let It End "Don't Let It End" is the third track on the 1983 album Kilroy Was Here, by Styx.The song was written and sung by Dennis DeYoung. The track is a mid-tempo ballad about one who breaks up with a lover and pleads to get the person back... " |
Adult Contemporary | 13 |
| 1983 | "Don't Let It End Don't Let It End "Don't Let It End" is the third track on the 1983 album Kilroy Was Here, by Styx.The song was written and sung by Dennis DeYoung. The track is a mid-tempo ballad about one who breaks up with a lover and pleads to get the person back... " |
Pop Singles | 6 |
| 1983 | "High Time High Time (song) "High Time" is the third and final single from the 1983 album, Kilroy Was Here, by Styx. It reached number 48 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. According to a 2009 interview Dennis DeYoung did with Styxcollector.com, "High Time" was released as the third single at the last minute by A&M... " |
Pop Singles | 48 |
| 1983 | "Mr. Roboto Mr. Roboto "Mr. Roboto" is a song written by Dennis DeYoung and performed by the band Styx on their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here. In Canada, where they were always more popular than in their native U.S., it went to #1 on the RPM national singles chart, becoming their third single to top the charts in... " |
Pop Singles | 3 |
| 1983 | "Mr. Roboto Mr. Roboto "Mr. Roboto" is a song written by Dennis DeYoung and performed by the band Styx on their 1983 concept album Kilroy Was Here. In Canada, where they were always more popular than in their native U.S., it went to #1 on the RPM national singles chart, becoming their third single to top the charts in... " |
Mainstream Rock | 3 |