Kilroy Was Here (album)

Kilroy Was Here
Studio album by Styx
Released	February 28, 1983
Recorded	1982 at Pumpkin Studios, Oak Lawn, Illinois
Genre	Progressive rock, pop rock, rock
Length	40:41
Label	A&M
Producer	Styx
Styx chronology
Paradise Theatre (1981) Kilroy Was Here (1983) Caught in the Act (1984)

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	link
Rolling Stone	link
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Kilroy Was Here is the eleventh album, a rock opera/concept album by the rock band Styx, released on February 28, 1983. The title comes from a famous World War II graffiti "Kilroy was here".

Background

"Kilroy Was Here" was conceived by lead singer Dennis DeYoung as an album and accompanying stage show, which opened with a short film of the same name. While the supporting tour was a financial disaster, the album sold over 2 million copies and peaked at #3 in the US.

The album's somewhat rock-operatic story tells of a future where rock music is outlawed by a fascist government and the "MMM (the Majority for Musical Morality)". The story's protagonist, Kilroy, is a former rock star who has been imprisoned by MMM leader Dr. Righteous. He escapes using a disguise (according to the album's famous song "Mr. Roboto") when he becomes aware that a young musician, Jonathan Chance, is on a mission to bring rock music back.

The album spawned two hit singles, "Mr. Roboto" and "Don't Let It End".

Music video

Three of the four videos for the album - "Mr. Roboto", "Don't Let It End", and "Heavy Metal Poisoning" - were filmed at the same time and used footage from the minifilm. A fourth video, "Haven't We Been Here Before", was filmed a few months after the album was released; it did not interact with the album's story.

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Mr. Roboto"	DeYoung	5:28
2.	"Cold War"	Shaw	4:27
3.	"Don't Let It End"	DeYoung	4:56
4.	"High Time"	DeYoung	4:33
5.	"Heavy Metal Poisoning"	Young	4:57
6.	"Just Get Through This Night"	Shaw	6:06
7.	"Double Life"	Young	3:46
8.	"Haven't We Been Here Before"	Shaw	4:06
9.	"Don't Let It End (Reprise)"	DeYoung	2:22
Total length:			40:41

Personnel

Styx

• Dennis DeYoung - keyboards, vocals as Kilroy
• Chuck Panozzo - bass, vocals as Lt. Vanish
• John Panozzo - drums, vocals as Colonel Hyde
• Tommy Shaw - guitar, vocals as Jonathan Chance
• James Young - guitar, vocals as Dr. Righteous

Additional personnel

• Dan Barber - horn
• Steve Eisen - saxophone
• Mike Halpin - horn
• Michael Mossman - horn
• Mark Ohlson - horn

Production

• Arranged & Produced By Styx
• Engineers: Gary Loizzo, Will Rascati, Rob Kingsland
• Apprentice engineer: Jim Popko

Charts

Album - Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
1983	Pop Albums	3

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year	Single	Chart	Position
1983	"Don't Let It End"	Adult Contemporary	13
1983	"Don't Let It End"	Pop Singles	6
1983	"High Time"	Pop Singles	48
1983	"Mr. Roboto"	Pop Singles	3
1983	"Mr. Roboto"	Mainstream Rock	3