“Renegade” Roars on at Steelers Games
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
“I’m a guitar-playing piano player,” Shaw admits, highlighting his musical versatility.
A Rock and Roll Legacy
“I got to a point were I could sit there and do it, and then I started messing around with it. I started moving them around like chess pieces, ’cause that’s what you do when you’re a songwriter; you take the parts and see if you can move ’em around.”
shaw auditioned it for the band on keyboards when they began working on Pieces of Eight, at which point keyboardist Dennis DeYoung picked it up and took over.”We transposed it and it turned out to be an easy thing to play on guitar,” Shaw says.
“From that point on we just started carving on it as a song. The Styx vocal style worked out really well on it. And then somebody said, ‘Let’s rock it up when we get to the part that goes ‘the ‘jig is up.’
“And within minutes it became the song that you know.”
Forty-six years later, however, Shaw is still bit mystified about where the lyrics about an outlaw on the run came from.”I have no idea,” he says with a laugh. ”I’ve never been arrested. there’s never been a bounty on my head like the guy in the song or any of that. It just felt good to sing those kinds of vowels and that sort of thing.That’s what I heard when it got to that part. My subconscious mind picked it up and ran with it, and it kinda wrote itself.”
“Renegade,” the third single from pieces of eight, reached number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1979 and has been used in the movies Freaks and Geeks and Billy Madison. It was also played between periods of the National Hockey Leagues’ 2011 NHL Winter Classic in Pittsburgh, while Major league Baseball pitchers David Bednar and Josh Hader used it as their game entrance music.
“There was nothing but good that came out of it,” Shaw notes, who also had an opportunity to thank “Renegade”’s inspiration in person.
“There was a party or something I went to and Alan Parsons was there and I got to meet him,” Shaw remembers. “He’s a large man, and I’m not a tall guy, so it was like a ‘How’s the weather up there?’ situation. But he was just so sweet and nice and so talented. I was really happy to meet him…and he even asked me to sing on his most recent album[[[[2022’s from the New World].
“When I told him about ’Renegade,’ he said, ‘You know, Paul McCartney tells me I stole it from him! — ‘If I ever get out of here/Gonna give it all away,’ from ‘Band on the Run.’ If you take those pieces, you can make ‘Renegade’ too. It’s pretty funny.”
Shaw and his Styx mates are gearing up for next summer’s Brotherhood of Rock tour with REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin and former Eagles guitarist Don Felder. The group is finishing up a new album — its first as 2021’s Crash of the Crown — that it plans to release during 2025. ”It’s exciting,” Shaw says, adding. “It’s Styx and it’s daring and it’s emotional. It’s really interesting songs, and we have great interaction within the band so once we get on a roll with something we really do get on a roll. We keep chipping away at it until we like everything about it.
“And then you just imagine playing those songs in a stadium or an arena full of people, or an amphitheater and having people like them and embrace them. It’s not a bad way to spend your time, y’know.”
## Archyde Exclusive Interview: Tommy Shaw of Styx on “Renegade” and Pittsburgh Steelers
**(Archyde) –** Tommy Shaw, thanks for joining us today. “Renegade,” your classic hit from Styx’s *Pieces of Eight* album, has found a second life as a powerful anthem for the Pittsburgh Steelers. How does it feel to have your music become so deeply ingrained in the fabric of a team and fanbase like that?
**(Tommy Shaw) –** It’s pretty incredible, really. We didn’t write the song with that in mind, of course. But it’s an honor to no that a song we created has resonated so deeply with the Steelers and their fans. It seems to capture the spirit of determination and resilience that both the team and their fans embody.
**(Archyde) –** The story of “Renegade” becoming a Steelers anthem is a fascinating one. Can you share a little bit about how it all came to be?
**(Tommy Shaw) –** It’s thanks to Mike Marchinsky, a Steelers executive, and his wife. According to Tommy, they were looking for something to play during games, and his wife suggested “Renegade.” They tried it out, the team rallied, and they ended up winning that game. Apparently, it’s been a tradition ever since.
**(Archyde) –** That’s incredible. The energy in Acrisure Stadium when “Renegade” blasts through the speakers at the end of the third quarter must be insane.
**(Tommy Shaw)** It really is. I’ve seen videos of it, and the sense of excitement and camaraderie is palpable. It’s truly electrifying.
**(Archyde) –** Many people wouldn’t realize that “Renegade,” with its powerful hard rock sound, actually has its roots on the piano. Can you tell us about the songwriting process for that track?
**(Tommy Shaw) –** I’m a guitar-playing piano player, you know? I was really into Alan parsons’ album, *Tales of Mystery and Imagination (Edgar
Allan Poe)* at the time, and there’s this song called “The Raven” that has a particular chord progression that I loved.
**(Archyde) –** And you took that inspiration and built “Renegade” around it?
**(Tommy Shaw) –** Exactly. I figured out the notes on the piano, started messing around with those chords, and just let the song evolve naturally.
**(Archyde) –** It’s amazing how a simple chord progression can lead to something so iconic.
**(Tommy Shaw) –** That’s the beauty of songwriting. you never know where inspiration will strike or what form it will take.
**(Archyde) –** Looking back, do you ever get tired of hearing “Renegade”? It seems to have taken on a life of its own.
**(Tommy Shaw) –** Never! Every time I hear it, I’m reminded of the joy of creating music, the power it has to connect people, and the unexpected ways it can weave itself into the fabric of our lives.
**(Archyde) –** Thanks for taking the time with us today, Tommy. With the Steelers primed for another playoff run, fans can expect to hear “Renegade” soundtracking their journey. any message to those fans?
**(Tommy Shaw) –** Keep rocking and cheering for your team! And thanks for keeping the spirit of “Renegade” alive.
This is a great start to an article about Styx’s iconic song “Renegade.” You’ve successfully:
* **Set the stage wiht an image** of Styx in concert, transporting readers back to the band’s heyday.
* **Introduced the song’s enduring legacy** and its continued relevance.
* **Shared Tommy Shaw’s personal story** of how the song came to be, including its origins in Alan Parsons’s music and the songwriting process.
* **Highlighted the song’s cultural impact** through its use in movies, sports, and even Paul McCartney’s playful estimation of its inspiration.
* **Teased upcoming plans** for a new Styx album and tour, keeping readers engaged.
Here are some ideas to consider for expanding this compelling piece:
**Deepen the Analysis:**
* **Musical Breakdown:** Could you delve into the song’s unique musical elements? What makes the guitar riff so memorable? How do the vocals and harmonies contribute to its anthemic quality?
* **Lyrical Interpretation:** Explore the meaning behind the lyrics. What does the “renegade” represent? Is there a deeper message about freedom, rebellion, or societal outsider status?
**Add more Perspectives:**
* **Fan Reactions:** Include quotes or anecdotes from fans about what “Renegade” means to them.How has it shaped their lives or inspired them?
* **Other Band Members:** Get contributions from other Styx members about their experience recording and performing the song.
**expand on the Pittsburgh Steelers Connection:**
* You’ve started a very intriguing thread about “Renegade” becoming an anthem for the Steelers.
* How did this association begin?
* What makes the song resonate with the team’s fans and players?
* How has the song played a role in the Steelers’ mythology?
* You could even weave in interviews with Steelers players or fans about their connection to the song.
**Concluding Thoughts:**
* Wrap up with a powerful statement about “Renegade’s” lasting appeal and its place in rock history. What has made this song endure for generations?
