Tommy Shaw Says He Spends More on Birdseed Than He Did On Drugs

Tommy Shaw compared his investment in feeding birds to his former drug habits as he discussed upcoming Styx album Circling From Above.

The band plans to release the follow-up to 2021’s Crash of the Crown in the coming months – but Shaw explained they had to endure some nervous moments before telling their record label about the record.

During a Q&A on last month’s Rock Legends Cruise (video below), he revealed they’d just completed recording a concept record about a starling, inspired by the life he lives today.

“My wife and I… live on a wildlife sanctuary,” Shaw told the audience. “You’re usually going to see me picking up a 60-pound bag of birdseed and filling [feeders] up. We spend as much money on birdseed as I used to spend on cocaine.”

While the crowd laughed he protested: “I’m serious! I think cocaine was cheaper than the birdseed!”

Bandmate James “J.Y.” Young added: “But the seed hurts when it goes in your nose!”

Styx Worried About Revealing New Album’s Concept

Shaw went on to say that, when he finally spoke to the label, the exec turned out to be equally fascinated by birds, telling the musician about a device that can be left to take photos, send them to the user and identify the species that’s been spotted.

He reported that there’d been “so much enthusiasm” from the company, adding: “Sometimes in life things just go your way. And this went our way at a time when we were… a little nervous about doing an album about a bird!”

Watch Styx’s Q&A on Rock Legends Cruise