artists » Tommy Shaw of Styx

The VOX Valvetronix AD120VTX is on fire! The music biz is buzzing about this modeling amplifier from VOX. The tones you can generate are extremely accurate and most importantly, they sound REAL as compared with other modeling amps. Producers like Bob Rock love having this amp in their studio as well as rockers such as Nickelback, Our Lady Peace, and Tommy Shaw of Styx. Tommy recently sat down with VOX and gave us some insight on Styx and his Valvetronix.

“When I first got it, I quit using everything else in my studio so that I could play with the Valvetronix,” explains Tommy. “I couldn’t stop fiddling with it. There are so many great sounds that remind me of old amps and pieces of gear, like the tape echo. The Valvetronix became my favorite toy,” he adds.

“When we started cutting the tracks on the new STYX CD, we went back to plugging our guitars into Marshall heads and 4×4 cabs for the old school sound of these old anthems. But when it came time for sweetening, and the ear candy guitar parts, out came the Valvetronix again.” Tommy continues, “Its sounds are incredible, and the easy dial-up with knobs rather than digital displays still appeals to me in the tactile way gear always felt since I was a kid. Creating is still connected to that child-like part of us and this amp is destined to be part of my gear collection for a long time to come.”

As far as Styx goes, “The final touches on the new STYX CD are almost done. Look for Big Bang Theory in stores on May 10 (May 24 in Canada). This CD is a collection of songs that have inspired the members of STYX to do music professionally. It includes songs such as ‘I Can See For Miles’ by The Who, ‘Manic Depression’ by Jimi Hendrix and also ‘I Am The Walrus’ which was previously released on iTunes. A new blues version of ‘Blue Collar Man’ featuring Koko Taylor and the late great Johnnie Johnson will also be included. This is going to be a great CD to listen to in the car on a hot summer day. Well of course, you can listen to it elsewhere, too,” describes Tommy.

Fans can check out Tommy and Styx on tour thru September or online at The VOX Valvetronix AD120VTX is on fire! The music biz is buzzing about this modeling amplifier from VOX. The tones you can generate are extremely accurate and most importantly, they sound REAL as compared with other modeling amps. Producers like Bob Rock love having this amp in their studio as well as rockers such as Nickelback, Our Lady Peace, and Tommy Shaw of Styx. Tommy recently sat down with VOX and gave us some insight on Styx and his Valvetronix.

“When I first got it, I quit using everything else in my studio so that I could play with the Valvetronix,” explains Tommy. “I couldn’t stop fiddling with it. There are so many great sounds that remind me of old amps and pieces of gear, like the tape echo. The Valvetronix became my favorite toy,” he adds.

“When we started cutting the tracks on the new STYX CD, we went back to plugging our guitars into Marshall heads and 4×4 cabs for the old school sound of these old anthems. But when it came time for sweetening, and the ear candy guitar parts, out came the Valvetronix again.” Tommy continues, “Its sounds are incredible, and the easy dial-up with knobs rather than digital displays still appeals to me in the tactile way gear always felt since I was a kid. Creating is still connected to that child-like part of us and this amp is destined to be part of my gear collection for a long time to come.”

As far as Styx goes, “The final touches on the new STYX CD are almost done. Look for Big Bang Theory in stores on May 10 (May 24 in Canada). This CD is a collection of songs that have inspired the members of STYX to do music professionally. It includes songs such as ‘I Can See For Miles’ by The Who, ‘Manic Depression’ by Jimi Hendrix and also ‘I Am The Walrus’ which was previously released on iTunes. A new blues version of ‘Blue Collar Man’ featuring Koko Taylor and the late great Johnnie Johnson will also be included. This is going to be a great CD to listen to in the car on a hot summer day. Well of course, you can listen to it elsewhere, too,” describes Tommy.

Fans can check out Tommy and Styx on tour thru September or online at www.styxworld.com