Paradise Theatre was one of the first albums I bought myself. Right up there with REO Speedwagon's Hi Infedelity.
Even bad Styx is still better than most. But I do agree the songs were better when Tommy or JY did leads.
Between our Genesis admission and your Styx talk, you and I are all about admitting we like uncool music ;-)
As someone who bought a copy of the Styx double live album "Caught in the Act" as soon as I came out, I can say that what Dennis did to Styx was no worse than what Steve Perry did to Journey. That is to say, they made their bands famous, and eventually sucky.
You know, I've heard that about Journey, but honestly? I'd never heard Journey withOUT Steve Perry, so I have nothing to compare it to. But you're right to make the comparison.
Ah, but if you put it all together, like the rock opera it was supposed to be, with the staging and the lights and the costumes...
No, it still sucks ass. But at least the reasons it sucks ass make a little more sense that way.