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REO Speedwagon

REO Speedwagon is a rock band which grew in popularity in the Midwestern United States during the 1970s. The band reached international stardom in the early 1980s, and continues to record and perform. The band had number one hits with Keep On Loving You and Can’t Fight This Feeling. Both songs are power ballads, the former being prototypical of the genre and appearing on the group’s most commercially successful album, Hi Infidelity. Earlier REO songs Ridin’ The Storm Out, Golden Country, Roll With The Changes, and Time For Me To Fly enjoy continuous rotation on classic rock radio stations.

REO Speedwagon took its name from the Reo Speed-Wagon, a truck manufactured by the REO automobile company. ("REO" are initials the company’s founder, Ransom Eli Olds, who also lent his name to the Oldsmobile division of General Motors.) The name was suggested to fellow bandmates by keyboard player Neal Doughty, who was enrolled as an engineering student at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, and who learned about the truck in a history of transportation class.

REO Speedwagon was formed in the fall of 1967 by Doughty and dormmate drummer, Alan Gratzer to play cover tunes in campus bars. Numerous early personnel changes eventually resulted in Gary Richrath joining the band. Richrath was a Peoria, Illinois-based guitar player and prolific songwriter who brought original material to the band. With Richrath on board, the regional popularity of the band grew tremendously. The midwestern United States remains an REO fan stronghold and has its roots in this period of the band's history.

Paul Leka , an east coast-based record producer, brought the band to a recording studio where they recorded original material for their first album. The line-up on the first album was Doughty on keyboards, Gratzer on drums, Richrath on guitar, Gregg Philbin on bass, and singer Terry Luttrell.

The band's debut album was self-titled and released on Epic Records in 1971. One of the most popular tracks on this record was 157 Riverside Avenue. The title refers to the Westport, Connecticut address where the band stayed while in the studio, and remains an in-concert favorite with fans to this day.

Although the rest of the band's line-up remained stable, REO switched lead vocalists three times for their first three albums. Luttrell left the band shortly after recording its debut album, and was replaced with singer/songwriter/guitarist Kevin Cronin. Cronin recorded one album with the band, 1972’s REO/TWO, but was fired shortly thereafter over missed rehearsals and creative disagreements. Ridin’ The Storm Out was the band’s third release with as many singers; this time Mike Murphy.

Murphy stayed on for two more albums before Cronin returned to the fold in 1976.

REO Speedwagon’s first live album, You Get What You Play For, proved to be the first real commercial success and was certified platinum. The band was always dissatisfied with the producers on their studio albums because they continually failed to capture on tape the same quality as the band’s energetic and ever-popular live show. The live album, which was self-produced, changed that. Indeed, all subsequent albums would have band members participating as producers.

Philbin was replaced with Bruce Hall in 1978 in time to record You Can Tune A Piano But You Can’t Tuna Fish. The album contained the first of many of the band’s Top-40 hits, Roll With The Changes.

The lineup was now set for the band’s most popular period. In 1980, REO Speedwagon released Hi Infidelity, which represented a change in the music from hard rock to more pop-oriented material. Hi Infidelity spawned several hit singles, and remained atop the charts for 65 weeks, 32 of which were spent in the top ten.

Good Trouble (1982) and Wheels Are Turnin' (1984) were follow-up albums which also did well commercially. In addition, the band performed at 1985's Live AID.

However, by the end of the 1980s, the band’s popularity waned and the group began to disintegrate. By 1988, the future was uncertain as Gratzer retired and Richrath was asked to leave. A 1990 release with Bryan Hitt on drums and Dave Amato on guitar was a commercial disappointment. These line-up changes were a stinging blow to many fans, especially those of the band’s harder-edged material from the 1970s, which was dominated by Richrath’s unique style on the guitar.

Shortly after Richrath's departure, he assembled former members of the midwestern band, Vancouver, to form a namesake band, "Richrath". After touring for several years, the Richrath band released "Only the Strong Survive" in 1992 on the Crescendo label. Richrath continued to perform for several years before disbanding in the late 1990's.

In the meantime, REO Speedwagon lost their recording contract with Epic, releasing "Building the Bridge" (1996) on the Priority/Rhythm Safari label. When that label went bankrupt, the album was released on ill-fated Castle Records, which also experienced financial troubles. REO ultimately self-financed this disappointing effort, which failed to chart.

The commercial failure of the band's newer material with its revised line-up demanded a change in marketing strategy. As a consequence, the band began re-releasing recordings from older albums with updated artwork and design.

From 1995 to the present, the band unleashed over a dozen compilation albums featuring their greatest hits, including 1999's "Ballads." The following year, the band re-recorded many of the same songs from 1977's "Live: You Get What You Play For," and distributed this live concert under four separate titles including 2000's "Arch Allies."

REO Speedwagon continues to play its older hits with a new line-up, performing at county and state fairs, casinos, clubs and cruises, and occasionally touring with other venerable classic rock bands such as Foreigner, Styx, Journey, and Fleetwood Mac.

Contents

Discography

  • 1971 R E O Speedwagon
  • 1972 R.E.O./T.W.O.
  • 1974 Ridin' the Storm Out
  • 1974 Lost In A Dream
  • 1975 This Time We Mean It
  • 1976 R.E.O.
  • 1977 Live: You Get What You Play For
  • 1978 You Can Tune a Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish
  • 1978 Live Again
  • 1979 Nine Lives
  • 1980 Hi Infidelity
  • 1982 Good Trouble
  • 1984 Wheels Are Turnin'
  • 1987 Life As We Know It
  • 1990 The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken
  • 1996 Building the Bridge

Compilations

  • 1980 A Decade of Rock and Roll 1970 to 1980
  • 1985 Best Foot Forward
  • 1988 The Hits
  • 1991 Keep On Loving You - Best (Germany)
  • 1991 Second Decade of Rock and Roll 1981 to 1991
  • 1993 Star Box (Japan)
  • 1995 Believe In Rock And Roll
  • 1995 Hi Infidelity Gold
  • 1995 Subway in Tokyo
  • 1998 Only The Strong Survive
  • 1998 Premium Best
  • 1999 The Ballads
  • 2001 Extended Versions: The Encore Collections
  • 2001 Simply The Best
  • 2001 Take It On The Run
  • 2000 Arch Allies: Live at Riverport
  • 2001 Time Flies Anthology
  • 2001 Live: Plus
  • 2002 Keep On Rollin
  • 2004 Essential REO Speedwagon

Concert Videos

  • 1981 Live Infidelity
  • 1985 Wheels Are Tourin'
  • 1991 Video Anthology 1978 - 1990
  • 2000 Styx And REO Speedwagon Arch Allies Live At Riverport
  • 2001 Live - Plus
  • 2001 Live Plus 3
  • 2002 Extended Versions - The DVD Collections
  • 2002 Real Artists Working


External links

REO Speedwagon Official Website Gary Richrath Official Website REO FANS: REO Speedwagon Fan Club REO Resource Network REO Speedwagon eGroup Gary Richrath eGroup

Last updated: 09-12-2005 02:39:13