Kilroy Was Here
Studio album by Styx
Released	February 1983
Recorded	1982 at Pumpkin Studios, Oak Lawn, IL
Genre	Rock
Length	40:41
Label	A&M
Producer(s)	Styx
Professional reviews
All Music Guide link
Styx chronology
Paradise Theatre (1981)	Kilroy Was Here (1983)	Caught in the Act (1984)

Kilroy Was Here is a rock opera/concept album by the rock band Styx. It was released in February 1983. The title comes from a famous graffiti saying. Cover for album Kilroy Was Here by Styx. ... A Studio Album is an album of regular studio recordings. ... Styx is an American arena rock band that saw its greatest success in the 1970s and 1980s, penning such hits as Come Sail Away, Babe, Mr. ... Oak Lawn is a village located in Cook County, Illinois. ... A music genre is a category (or genre) of pieces of music that share a certain style or basic musical language (van der Merwe 1989, p. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Rock and roll. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... A&M Records is an American record label, owned and operated by Universal Music Group. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Styx is an American arena rock band that saw its greatest success in the 1970s and 1980s, penning such hits as Come Sail Away, Babe, Mr. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music owned by All Media Guide. ... Image File history File links 3_stars. ... Styx is an American arena rock band that saw its greatest success in the 1970s and 1980s, penning such hits as Come Sail Away, Babe, Mr. ... Paradise Theatre is a concept album released by the rock band Styx in January 1981 (see 1981 in music). ... Caught in the Act is a live album by Styx, released in 1984 (see 1984 in music). ... The Whos Tommy, the first album explicitly billed as a rock opera A rock opera or rock musical is a musical production in the form of an opera or a musical in a modern rock and roll style rather than more traditional forms. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Rock is a form of popular music, usually featuring vocals (often with vocal harmony), electric guitars, and a strong back beat; other instruments, such as the saxophone, are common in some styles, however saxophones have been omitted from newer subgenres of rock music since the 90s. ... Styx is an American arena rock band that saw its greatest success in the 1970s and 1980s, penning such hits as Come Sail Away, Babe, Mr. ... Engraving of Kilroy on the WWII Memorial in Washington DC George was here is an American popular culture expression, often seen in graffiti. ...

Background

"Kilroy Was Here" was conceived by lead singer Dennis DeYoung 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. Dennis DeYoung (born February 18, 1947) is a rock musician, best known as the vocalist, keyboardist, accordion player, and driving force of the band Styx. ... Kilroy Was Here was a mini-film made to coincide with the Styx album of the same name. ...

The album's somewhat rock-operatic story tells of a future where rock music is outlawed by a hyperconservative 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 MMM was a fictitious pre-cursor to the Parental Music Resource Center (PMRC) whom would later attack Styx for "backmasking" the word "Satan" in the song "Snowblind" on 1981's Paradise Theatre. Mr. ... Paradise Theatre is a concept album released by the rock band Styx in January 1981 (see 1981 in music). ...

The album spawned two hit singles, "Mr. Roboto" and "Don't Let It End". Mr. ... Dont Let It End is the third and last song on 1983 album Kilroy Was Here, by Styx. ...

The Story (from the album insert of "Kilroy Was Here")

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, a 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." Paradise Theatre is a concept album released by the rock band Styx in January 1981 (see 1981 in music). ...

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. A fourth video, "Haven't We Been Here Before", was filmed a few months after the album was released.

Track listing

1. "Mr. Roboto" (DeYoung) – 5:28
   • Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung
2. "Cold War" (Shaw) – 4:27
   • Lead vocals and lead guitar: Tommy Shaw
3. "Don't Let It End" (DeYoung) – 4:56
   • Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar: Tommy Shaw
4. "High Time" (DeYoung) – 4:33
   • Lead vocals: Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar: James Young
5. "Heavy Metal Poisoning" (Young) – 4:57
   • Lead vocals and guitar synthesizer solo: James Young, guitar solo: Tommy Shaw
6. "Just Get Through This Night" (Shaw) – 6:06
   • Lead vocals and lead guitar: Tommy Shaw
7. "Double Life" (Young) – 3:46
   • Lead vocals and synthesizer guitar solo: James Young
8. "Haven't We Been Here Before?" (Shaw) – 4:06
   • Lead vocals: Tommy Shaw and Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar: Tommy Shaw and James Young
9. "Don't Let It End (Reprise)" (Shaw/DeYoung) – 2:22
   • Lead vocals: Tommy Shaw and Dennis DeYoung, lead guitar: James Young

Mr. ... Dennis DeYoung (born February 18, 1947) is a rock musician, best known as the vocalist, keyboardist, accordion player, and driving force of the band Styx. ... Tommy Shaw Tommy Roland Shaw (born September 11, 1953) is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the classic rock band Styx. ... Dont Let It End is the third and last song on 1983 album Kilroy Was Here, by Styx. ... James J.Y. Young (born 14 November 1949, on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois) is a guitarist and member of the rock band, Styx. ...

Personnel

Styx

• Dennis DeYoung - keyboards, vocals
• Chuck Panozzo - Bass, Vocals
• John Panozzo - Drums, Vocals
• Tommy Shaw - Guitar, Vocals
• James Young - Guitar, Vocals

Additional personnel Dennis DeYoung (born February 18, 1947) is a rock musician, best known as the vocalist, keyboardist, accordion player, and driving force of the band Styx. ... Piano, a well-known instance of keyboard instruments A keyboard instrument is any musical instrument played using a musical keyboard. ... In music a singer or vocalist is a type of musician who sings, i. ... Chuck Panozzo is a bass player. ... Martin EB18 Bass Guitar in flight case. ... John Anthony Panozzo (September 20, 1947 - July 16, 1996) was the drummer for the American rock band Styx. ... For other kinds of drums, see drum (disambiguation). ... Tommy Shaw Tommy Roland Shaw (born September 11, 1953) is an American guitarist, best known for his work with the classic rock band Styx. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Parts of the guitar. ... James J.Y. Young is a member of the rock band Styx. ...

• Dan Barber - Horn
• Steve Eisen - Saxophone
• Mike Halpin - Horn
• Michael Mossman - Horn
• Mark Ohlson - Horn

The saxophone (colloquially referred to as sax) is a conical-bored instrument of the woodwind family, usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece like the clarinet. ...

Production

• Producer: Styx
• Arranger: Styx
• Engineers: Gary Loizzo, Will Rascati, Rob Kingsland
• Apprentice engineer: Jim Popko

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry. ...

Singles - Billboard (North America)

External links

• Official Website

• Kilroy Was Here Fansite