R.E.O. Speedwagon (album)

R.E.O. Speedwagon
Studio album by REO Speedwagon
Released October 1971
Recorded 1970 - 1971 at Connecticut Recording Studios Inc.
"Prison Women" recorded at Columbia Recording Studios in Chicago, Illinois
Genre Progressive rock, hard rock
Length 38:10
Label Epic
Producer Paul Leka, Billy Rose III
REO Speedwagon chronology

R.E.O. Speedwagon
(1971)		 R.E.O./T.W.O.
(1972)

R.E.O. Speedwagon is the debut studio album by American rock band REO Speedwagon. Released in 1971, it was the only album recorded with singer Terry Luttrell until Kevin Cronin joined the band for R.E.O./T.W.O. This album had more of a progressive rock sound than later stadium rock/adult contemporary works that made them famous.[1]

The album produced the fan favorites “157 Riverside Avenue”, “Sophisticated Lady” and “Lay Me Down”, but sold very poorly, though “Sophisticated Lady” did reach number 122 on the singles charts.[2] “157 Riverside Avenue” and “Lay Me Down” were subsequently recorded on the live album Live: You Get What You Play For. “157 Riverside Avenue” and “Sophisticated Lady” were both featured on the compilation album A Decade of Rock and Roll: 1970-1980. In 2007, the British company BGO Records released REO Speedwagon and R.E.O./T.W.O. together (BGOCD775), marking the first time the band’s first album was widely available in CD format. For some unknown reason, Epic Records never issued this first album on the cassette tape format ( but they did issue an 8-Track Stereo Tape Cartridge version of it. )

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic link

Track listing

Side one
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
1. "Gypsy Woman's Passion"  Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin, Gary Richrath 5:17
2. "157 Riverside Avenue"  Gary Richrath, Alan Gratzer, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin 3:57
3. "Anti-Establishment Man"  Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin, Gary Richrath 5:21
4. "Lay Me Down"  Gary Richrath, Gregg Philbin 3:51
Side two
No. TitleWriter(s) Length
5. "Sophisticated Lady"  Gary Richrath, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin, Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer 4:00
6. "Five Men Were Killed Today"  Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin, Gary Richrath 3:00
7. "Prison Women"  Gary Richrath 2:36
8. "Dead at Last"  Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer, Terry Luttrell, Gregg Philbin, Gary Richrath 10:08

Personnel

Additional Personnel

Charts

Singles - Billboard (North America)

Year Single Chart Position[2]
1972 "Sophisticated Lady" Bubbling Under the Hot 100 122

Release history

Region Date Title Label Format Catalog #
USA October 1971 R.E.O. Speedwagon Epic Records Stereo Vinyl E-31089
USA 1971 R.E.O. Speedwagon Epic Records 8 Track E31089
UK 1993 R.E.O. Speedwagon Epic Records CD 9829672
UK 2007 R.E.O. Speedwagon / R.E.O./T.W.O. BGO Records 2-CD (Digitally re-mastered) BGOCD775
Japan 2011 R.E.O. Speedwagon Sony Music CD (DSD-Remaster) EICP 1480
Germany 2013 R.E.O. Speedwagon Yellow Label (Coloured) Vinyl SPV 265961 LP

References

  1. ↑ Roll Over Beethoven
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Billboard - R.E.O. Speedwagon, Sophisticated Lady. Books.google.nl. March 4, 1972. Retrieved 2015-01-12.