Artist:Gowan
Song:You're a Strange Animal
Album:Best of...
Singer songwriter pianist Lawrence Gowan had chart success in the 80s in his native Canada. Attempts to break him in the US were unsuccessful. He has been the lead singer of Styx since 1999. He was born Nov. 22, 1956 in Glasgow, Scotland but he grew up in Toronto. He studied classical piano at Toronto's Royal Conservatory of Music. After graduating, he formed the progressive rock band Rheingold. They had modest success locally but it doesn't look like they ever recorded. After they split up, Gowan released the 1982 album Gowan featuring Max Webster's Kim Mitchell on guitar. It was on Max Webster's label Anthem. The album didn't sell but there was enough buzz about Gowan on the Toronto music scene that Columbia signed Gowan for the 1985 album Strange Animal. Gowan recorded the album in England with Split Enz producer David Tickle with Peter Gabriel's band of David Rhodes on guitar, Tony Levin on bass and Jerry Marotta on drums. The single A Criminal Mind reached #5 on the Canadian charts and You're a Strange Animal reached #15. Gowan continued to have success in Canada in the 80s. But he was never able to have success in the US. After the 1990 album Lost Brotherhood, Gowan left Columbia and released the 1993 album ...But You Can Call Me Larry as Larry Gowan on Anthem. I guess he was trying to reinvent himself. When that didn't work out, he was opening for Styx when Tommy Shaw asked Gowan to fill in for an ill Dennis DeYoung. When DeYoung decided not return to Styx, Gowan was made permanent lead singer in 1999. Gowan is still with Styx. This Gowan comp is available as a digital download. Strange Animal released in 2010 with a bonus DVD with a documentary and three music videos. Here's the video for You're a Strange Animal by Gowan.
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