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Styx Crash White House Briefing Room, Field Obama Questions

6/23/09, 11:45 am EST

Styx made a surprise appearance at the White House Briefing Room in Washington, DC, yesterday after press secretary Robert Gibbs ended his daily briefing, the Huffington Post reports. The band was in town for tonight’s concert at the Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, Maryland, and spent their day off taking a private tour of the president’s mansion.

When asked whether Styx had plans to meet President Obama while they were at the White House, keyboardist Lawrence Gowan joked, “If I have time.” Gowan added that he voted for Obama in the last election, but since he is Canadian, his vote was rescinded. The HuffPo describes a joyous scene when Styx took the podium, with “correspondents chatting like their youth had been restored” and the press going “crazy” while reciting the lyrics to “Come Sail Away” to one another.

Styx’s Gowan, guitarist Tommy Shaw and drummer Todd Sucherman all fielded questions from the press corp, who were likely thrilled to have a break from queries about Iran and the recession. At one point, when asked how Obama has done thus far with his administration, Sucherman reportedly responded by giving a thumbs up. The band revealed they’d heard rumors that their music was on Obama’s iPod, but they could not “substantiate that claim,” Sucherman said. To see what music is actually on Obama’s iPod, check out Rolling Stone’s feature on what Barack rocks to in the White House.

Related Stories:

Styx Photo Gallery
All Styx Album Reviews
Obama’s Secret Record Collection


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Comments

gowan | 6/23/2009, 2:42 pm EST

in styx, oh brother.

Susie W | 6/23/2009, 3:58 pm EST

So, did Todd give Obama a thumbs up or down. I’ve seen conflicting reports.

Susie W | 6/23/2009, 4:03 pm EST

And, by the way, where were JY and Ricky?

hmmm | 6/23/2009, 7:31 pm EST

If Styx is the river to hell then……

hmm | 6/23/2009, 10:11 pm EST

..if Styx is the river to hell it begs the question.

basser | 6/23/2009, 10:49 pm EST

Yeah, where was Ricky Phillips and JY? Gosh, what the world needs is another rock band pushing politics. I like old Styx, but please don’t jump on the Green Day bandwagon and become all political this late in the game (like Green Day)

xfactor | 6/24/2009, 10:07 am EST

to “hmmm”, Styx is not the river to hell; that is an oversimplification of the term. Styx was the river separating the Greek mythical underworld from the land of the living; the underworld included tartarus (place of torture), hades, and the elysian fields (paradise). Indeed, it does “beg the question” in your assumption that Styx is the river to hell…

Grand Allusion | 6/24/2009, 11:22 am EST

XDude, I was making a joke, don’t get all pedantic.

heathen2002 | 6/24/2009, 11:54 am EST

Glad to see Styx could work a visit to the White House between their shows at county fairs..

jam5150 | 6/24/2009, 12:25 pm EST

Who are Styx?

TD | 6/24/2009, 1:07 pm EST

I’m shocked someone doesn’t know who Styx is! Must be a young one.

Could be worse | 6/24/2009, 5:17 pm EST

Give Rollingstone some credit, this article is acually not about Lady GaGa, American Idol, or the Jonas Brothers.

Obvious | 6/24/2009, 8:20 pm EST

Dennis DeYoung isn’t there, so it’s not really Styx.

“keyboardist Lawrence Gowan”. Please.

BAYOU | 6/25/2009, 4:04 am EST

HE THINXS HES A ROCK STAR …I REST MY CASE!!!!!!!

BAYOU | 6/25/2009, 4:04 am EST

HE THINXS HES A ROCK STAR …I REST MY CASE!!!!!!!

BAYOU | 6/25/2009, 4:05 am EST

DID HE BOW?????

Cindy | 6/26/2009, 9:44 am EST

Actually, Styx is still selling out in venues across the country and making new music. They do play some fairs, but they are selling out in larger venues and have more bookings now when the “almighty Dennis” was with them. They still put on an awesome show!

samantha | 6/30/2009, 10:12 pm EST

seriously?? where was JY and Ricky?? im big fans of styx and im under 13 wich is wow!! i really want to no where JY and Ricky where??

Igakzaco | 7/14/2009, 5:11 am EST

BI3CZF

Moodymoose | 8/28/2009, 5:06 am EST

Dennis was and will always be the voice of Styx.! JY, Tommy, and co. were jerks for going on the road without Dennis. He wanted to tour with the band but he was sick. It was crummy what they did and Lawrence will never Dennis’s place for the main reason HE CANNOT SING! He needs to stick to the keyboads only. Today’s Styx would never make it in concert if they weren’t covering Dennis’s songs. Tommy and JY only wrote a few hits ( which I actually liked) between them and they were never number 1. My opinion is Styx totally bites now. I wouldn’t go if I got free tickets.

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