I loved Styx as a kid. My cousin introduced me to their music when
I was about 11, and I haven't stopped listening to them yet. When I
got the chance to take my kid to see them — when she was 11 --
they played a three-hour show and put my kid on top of the world with
their kindness. That put me "all in" on that band.
Some short time ago I discovered they had a social media presence,
so I started following them. I wouldn't post much — I mostly wanted
to see their updates on my feed. But at one point — perhaps it was
just after the show — I posted to their wall a giant thank you for
coming to see us, and for the great gifts of conversation and
acknowledgment they gave my little girl.
Since then, I've become more active on their boards. Recently I've
made a few posts that have really gotten some attention -— especially
the attention of Tommy Shaw, the lead singer.
...and that attention led me to dare to send him a friend request.
I immediately regretted the decision and wished I could have
rescinded it. Tommy was kind enough to like what I was saying, but
come on. "The guy deserves his privacy. Leave him alone," I thought.
Did I completely "fan girl" over this? Oh hell yes I did. This
took me back to when I was 11 and listening to Grand Illusion under
giant headphones while admiring the album cover artwork.
Am I embarrassed about it? Yes. A little.
I don't imagine I'd ever see a post from him on my wall, and
that's okay. I think it's enough for him (and the band) to understand
there's still so much love for them out here in the world. The
coolest thing is, it's a very direct communication — Tommy and the
rest can just open up Facebook and see for themselves the things
people write. For all of its evils, Facebook really does shorten
the distance between people — like the distance between this 11
year-old kid and an AOR superstar.
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