REO Speedwagon

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REO Speedwagon
REO Speedwagon in 2006
REO Speedwagon in 2006
Background information
Origin Midwestern United States
Genre(s) Rock
Classic rock
Years active 1967–present

REO Speedwagon is an American rock band which grew in popularity in the Midwestern United States during the 1970s and peaked in the early 1980s. REO Speedwagon hits include "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, which also included the hit "Take It On The Run," a song that peaked at number five on the U.S. charts. 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.

Contents

History

REO Speedwagon took its name from the REO Speed Wagon, a truck manufactured by the REO Motor Car Company (the predecessor to today's Nucor). ("R.E.O." are initials of the company's founder, Ransom Eli Olds, who also founded the Oldsmobile division of General Motors.) The name was suggested to fellow bandmates by keyboard player Neal Doughty, who learned about the truck in a history of transportation class at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

REO Speedwagon was formed in the fall of 1967 by Doughty and dormmate drummer Alan Gratzer to play cover songs in campus bars. Numerous early personnel changes eventually resulted in Gary Richrath's 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 record producer, brought the band to a recording studio where it recorded original material for its 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 the eponymous REO Speedwagon, 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.

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 by Kevin Cronin. Cronin recorded one album with the band, 1972's R.E.O./T.W.O., but left the band soon after, over missed rehearsals and creative disagreements. Ridin' the Storm Out was the band's third release with as many singers; this time Mike Murphy took the microphone. 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 (1977), was the band's 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 quality of the band's 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 on 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 had waned and the group began to disintegrate. In 1988, the future was uncertain as Gratzer retired and Richrath was asked to leave.

The 1990 release The Earth, A Small Man, His Dog And A Chicken with Bryan Hitt on drums and Dave Amato on lead 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 his departure, Richrath 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 1990s.

In the meantime, REO Speedwagon lost its 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 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.

Since 1996, the band has promised to release an album of all-new material. However, nothing has yet come to fruition. REO Speedwagon continues to play its older hits with a revised line-up, performing on cruises and at county and state fairs, casinos, and clubs, occasionally touring with other venerable classic rock bands such as Foreigner, Styx, Journey, and Fleetwood Mac.

Discography

Studio albums

Compilation albums

  • 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: Starbox
  • 1995: Believe In Rock And Roll
  • 1995: Subway in Tokyo (Japan)
  • 1995: Hi Infidelity - Gold
  • 1998: Only The Strong Survive
  • 1998: Premium Best
  • 1999: The Ballads
  • 2000: Arch Allies: Live at Riverport
  • 2001: Live - Plus
  • 2001: Live Plus 3
  • 2001: Extended Versions
  • 2001: Take It On the Run
  • 2001: Simply The Best
  • 2002: Keep On Rollin'
  • 2004: Essential REO Speedwagon

Singles

  • "Ridin' The Storm Out" (1977) #94 US
  • "Roll With The Changes" (1978) #58 US
  • "Time For Me To Fly" (1978) #56 US (re-released in 1980 - #77 US)
  • "Keep On Loving You" (1980) #1 US - 1 week, #7 UK
  • "Take It On the Run" (1981) #5 US, #19 UK
  • "Don't Let Him Go" (1981) #24 US
  • "In Your Letter" (1981) #20 US
  • "Keep The Fire Burnin'" (1982) #7 US
  • "Sweet Time" (1982) #26 US
  • "I Do'wanna Know" (1984) #29 US
  • "Can't Fight This Feeling" (1985) #1 US - 3 weeks, #16 UK
  • "One Lonely Night" (1985) #19 US
  • "Live Every Moment" (1985) #34 US
  • "That Ain't Love" (1987) #16 US
  • "Variety Tonight" (1987) #60 US
  • "In My Dreams" (1987) #17 US
  • "Here With Me" (1988) #20 US
  • "Love Is A Rock" (1990) #65 US

Videography

Concerts

  • 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

Charts

  • Ridin' the Storm Out (1974) Pop Albums #171
  • Lost In A Dream (1975) Pop Albums #98
  • This Time We Mean It (1975) Pop Albums #74
  • R.E.O. (1976) Pop Albums #159
  • REO Speedwagon Live/You Get What You Play For (1977) Pop Albums #72
  • You Can Tune A Piano, But You Can't Tuna Fish (1978) Pop Albums #29
  • Nine Lives (1979) Pop Albums #33
  • Decade Of Rock And Roll 1970 To 1980 (1980) Pop Albums #55
  • Hi Infidelity (1980) Pop Albums #1
  • Good Trouble (1982) Pop Albums #7
  • Wheels Are Turnin' (1984) The Billboard 200 #7
  • Life As We Know It (1987) The Billboard 200 #28
  • The Hits (1988) The Billboard 200 #56

See also

External links

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