Philbin left the following year, withBruce Halltaking his place. Your email address will not be published. The cause of death was not given. For REO Speedwagon, 1983 and 1984 were years to recoup from the huge success of its 1980 platinum album. This may sound weird after everything else, but this tour is turning out to be our best yet, Cronin said. You can upload: image. We are pleased to do a new interview with Cronin, about how he wrote his classic REO songs, and his creative songwriting process. The name was used on a lower-priced 6-cylinder model through 1935. Formed in 1967, the group originally included guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Matt, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Blair, keyboardist Neal Doughty and drummer Alan Gratzer. Band member and lead singer Kevin Cronin stressed about the announcer getting the name right. Three years later, in 1957, Reo's vehicle manufacturing operation became a subsidiary of the White Motor Company. The groups reputation grew beyond Illinois into regional popularity, becoming a draw in the Midwest (which still features heavily in their touring). Havent been to a concert since seeing Styx in BH in January 19. Honestly, when I finished that song, I was really youngI was 18 or 19 when I wrote that song. But who are the original members of REO Speedwagon? I was writing [the words] on this brown paper bag as I was rolling down the road. The bandwe were all kind of going through some chaos in our personal lives. However, Epic has mined their catalog for a variety of successful compilations, as well as new and classic live albums. Speedwagon was released in October of 1971 and credited all five members (Doughty, Gratzer, Richrath, Philbin, and Luttrell) as the writers of all eight songs. Most Studebaker US6 trucks were built by Studebaker. A convertible Victoria was listed at $3,195 but only one is known to have been built. Id just started to write a couple little silly songs. To properly celebrate such a momentous, golden milestone in the history of the band, Styxworld speaks exclusively to co-founding members James JY Young and Chuck Panozzo as well as guitarist/vocalist Tommy Shaw, keyboardist/vocalist Lawrence Gowan, drummer Todd Sucherman, bassist/vocalist Ricky Phillips, and . The band made an appearance in one episode of the Netflix series Ozark; the one guest-spot put four of the bands songs back on the Billboard rock chart in 2020. Who are the original members of REO Speedwagon? Excerpted from The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington) April 5, 1985. Olds Motor Works soon adopted the popular name of its vehicles, Oldsmobile (which, along with Buick and Cadillac, became a founding division of General Motors Corporation). The failure of this program and the effects of the Great Depression caused such losses that Olds ended his retirement during 1933 and assumed control of REO again, but resigned in 1934. And now all the doors that seemed to be closing in REOs face are wide open again if their eighth album has any guts to it at all. Then of course, you refine it from there. So when I finished Cant Fight This Feeling, I realized that yeah, Ive gotta make this move. Ive gotta do what Im saying in this songIve got to make this happen. So the answers to those other questions are separate topics, but here I wanted to explain just where REO Speedwagon got their name. For others, however, the wait can last for years. That album went platinum. What do you think of their name? Take, for example, the biography of REO Speedwagon. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; Cant Fight This Feeling would hit #1 in 1984. Notably, these five band members have been together since 1989. Who died from REO Speedwagon? Im trained on the guitarI took guitar lessons for years when I was a kid. , Your email address will not be published. amzn_assoc_linkid = "d272d907009b8147dd9ad76c24c6f0b5"; I guess our problem was that we were trying to carry on like nothing had changed. Its like a college diploma, Cronin said. On July 13, on the way to a show in Milwaukee, they made a stop in Philadelphia to perform at the US leg of Live Aid, which broke a record for number of viewers in person and TV. Cronin: I cant say that we felt that. Material on this site is provided for purposes of education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. Were producing ourselves for the first time and the live album really made us confident in what were doing. So I think that really helped for the album, that it felt like all the songs belonged together. One might say that as long they keep on rollin, fans will keep on loving them. Designed by Battle Creek, Michigan, newspaper editor J.H. Brown, the automobile included a drop-down sleeping extension, a built-in gas cooking range, and a refrigerator. . Theyre able to choose, and have a right to do so., ALSO SEE: Creedence Clearwater Revival was the richest, most successful pop-rock group in the world in 1971. As of late, its received quite a bit of FM airplay, and the latest LP, a live two-record set, entered the Rock World record chart at 160 with a bullet, and Cashboxs at 186 with a bullet. This site uses cookies but never sells your personal information. Now I see them any time they come near me just due to to the fact.they earned my ticket purchase. Then as many of my songs do, I write them and then I kind of learn about myself when Im finished with them. Volvo later took over White and thus currently owns the rights to the REO brand name. amzn_assoc_asins = "B007V4QM78,B000066405,B00H7J8A68,B00138J9F0,B0069FCW9C,B000050IM9,B00004ZB26,B00701QUWO"; Adapted from the Lexington Herald-Leader (Kentucky) January 20, 1985. Thats my titlethats what this song is about. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. [11] Richrath also left early the next year, with Miles Joseph filling in for a show before Dave Amato took over in May. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; Right away, they formed a rock band. The following semester of 1967, they had their rehearsals before classes started, naming the band REO Speedwagon. It takes luck, for example, and talent and common sense in no particular order. So to me, my experience has been that my strongest songs are the ones where it all kind of happens at once. (they used periods in those days) Speedwagon had been at it for a while when the band got its first shot at performing live on national TV. The first album the group produced itself was a live album, in 1977, You Get What You Play For. Beginning of REO Speedwagon. I feel as if it is our first album.. Note: This article may feature affiliate links, and purchases made may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Family Life From early struggles and line-up changes to major successes and seemingly endless touring, the group from Champaign, Illinois has been riding out the storm of rock for over five decades. [7] Mike Murphy took over and recorded Ridin' the Storm Out, Lost in a Dream and This Time We Mean It, but was replaced by a returning Cronin in 1976. The band name was found when one of their members, Neal Doughty, saw the name written across the blackboard in his History of Transportation class at the University of Illinois (U of I) in Champaign, IL. Success changed a lot of things for this group, said Kevin Cronin in a phone interview last week from Tulsa, Okla. Cronin is REOs lead vocalist, chief songwriter, song arranger and co-producer. At a 2013 benefit, the band was joined on stage by Richrath for the first time since the 1980s. Keep On Loving You (Uploaded to YouTube by REO Speedwagon). [17] Members [ edit] Current [ edit] Former [ edit] Timeline [ edit] He was an early adopter of the Moog synthesizer, which can be heard on the opening swoop of "Ridin' the Storm Out". The group compiled a list of songs that summer while Doughty worked a summer job to buy his first keyboard, a Farfisa organ. Bob Crownover took over as the band's guitarist, but was replaced after a brief tenure byBill Fiorioand later Steve Scorfina. They frequently team with other veteran rockers like Pat Benatar, Styx, .38 Special, and Chicago. And there were some radio stations in the Midwest that were playing those songs. Required fields are marked *. This song, even though it wasnt finished yet, meant so much to me and it was such a big part of who I am, that I just knew that I wanted to finish this song myself. Traveling 4,176 miles (6,720km) from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to Vancouver, British Columbia, in a 1912 REO special touring car, mechanic/driver Fonce V. (Jack) Haney and journalist Thomas W. Wilby made the first trip by automobile across Canada (including one short jaunt into northeastern Washington State when the Canadian roads were virtually impassable). And wallah! By 1907, REO had gross sales of $4.5 million, and the company was one of the four wealthiest automobile manufacturers in the U.S. After 1908, however, despite the introduction of improved cars designed by Olds, REO's share of the automobile market decreased due in part to competition from emerging companies like Ford and General Motors. I used to listen to the Beatles Rubber Soul albumI know that album inside and out. Whats your opinion of this band? Fifty years after their first album, they remain a touring draw that can find new audiences in unexpected ways. [10], The band's lineup remained stable thereafter for more than ten years until Gratzer decided to retire in 1988, with Graham Lear brought in as his replacement. These singles were on the charts for over a year, selling over 10 million copies. Blair left a few months after Matt, with Gregg Philbin taking his place. In 1954, the company was still underperforming, and sold its vehicle manufacturing operations (the primary asset of the company) to the Bohn Aluminum and Brass Corporation of Detroit. He formed the band in the fall of 1967, with original drummer Alan Gratzer. I just really felt like it was a two-person job [this past year] more than ever. I used to think we had to play fast, loud and hard all the time. At school, a serendipitous note on the blackboard in a History of Transportation class yielded the young groups name. Hi Infidelity blew the doors off the joint and people went back and discovered (early albums like) You Can Tune a Piano, But You Cant Tuna Fish and discovered R.E.O/T.W.O, and all the songs on those albums. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. >> Click to read more << Besides, is Kevin Cronin still with REO Speedwagon? [5] During 1925, however, Scott, like many of his contemporaries/competitors, began an ambitious expansion program designed to make the company more competitive with other automobile manufacturers by offering cars in different price ranges. I wrote Keep On Loving You, Cant Fight This Feeling and Roll With The Changes on the piano. The title line is, Cant you see, Ill always be a music man. It basically talked about my story in a song. DK: One of my favorite songs is Roll With The ChangesI think that song has inspired a lot of people. CBS had a big convention in London. Originally the company was to be called "R. E. Olds Motor Car Company", but the owner of Olds' previous company, then called Olds Motor Works, objected and threatened legal action on the grounds of likely confusion of names by consumers. Now that you know, have fun looking around! It was really my songs that got me the gig. R.M.Owens & Co. A 1919 REO Motor Car Company Advertisement. The record deal provided the band with some stability with one exception: the lead singer role. And then if Im lucky enough to capture that, then the actual craftsmanship comes into play. REO Speedwagon performing live in 2010 (top) and 2016 (bottom). Crownover only lasted two years when Bill Fiorio replaced him before also leaving in late 1969, taking the name Duke Tumatoe and forming the All Star Frogs. Rarely has a musician uttered a truer statement and for REO fans and those who would like to be REO fans, its going to mean some held breath and crossed fingers over the next few months. Yet Im thinking this song is so important to me and I think its got the potential to be a real special song in the world, but this title is going to kill it. So when the Hi Infidelity album came out and Keep On Loving You went to number one, then suddenly people started looking back and realized, Wait a minute, that was REOs 11th album, maybe I should check out their earlier albums because there might be some good songs on it after all (laughs). I was an unknown, unproven commodity as far as performingGary never really saw me play anywherehe just came up to my apartment and we got out a couple acoustic guitars, and I played some of my songs. Drop files here. If interested in music and guitars, then you are in the right place and will learn a lot. The band REO Speedwagon, which originated in Champaign, Illinois, in 1967, consists of original member Neal Doughty, 67; Kevin Cronin and Bruce Hall, who joined in the 1970s; and Dave Amato and Brian Hitt, who came aboard in 1989. In 1975, this company filed for bankruptcy and most of its assets were liquidated. Theres so much to do.. So I wanted to drive. I never really took any piano lessonsI just messed around with it and figured it out for myself. The album went double-platinum and produced two signature songs, Roll with the Changes and Time for Me to Fly. Though their subsequent Nine Lives record had a harder edge, the band chose after that recordto broaden their approach to incorporate more pop layers into their rock sound. My biggest inspiration in music is the Beatles, and Lennon & McCartney in my mind are the great songwriting duo in the history of the world, and I owe everything that I know about being in a band, writing a songI owe it all to the Beatles. To me, were still the same five guys who were schlepping around bars in the early 70s. The album spawned four hit singles that were written by Cronin and Richwrath, including Keep On Loving you (Cronin), Take It on the Run(Richrath), In Your Letter (Richrath) and Dont Let Him Go (Cronin). Dont see anything coming up in 2022 yet, but am loving their new Crash of the Crown album from just earlier this year. Its like the stars lining up. Live: You Get What You Play For dropped in 1977, eventually selling a million copies and making the live version of Ridin the Storm Out a Hot 100 charter that is still played regularly on rock radio. It was actually Doughty who first followed Gratzers band, listening to them play songs. The Flying Cloud was the first car to use Lockheed's new hydraulic internal expanding brake system and featured styling by Fabio Segardi. I didnt really picture myself as a Los Angeles person, Im a Midwest boy. He notes the piano track to "Can't Fight This Feeling" was his most difficult studio performance, but is now his favorite part of live concerts. They continued to work at the music, performing stage shows, touring, and recording. The band toured the country again in 1985 which included a sold-out concert in Madison WI. DK: Thats a great story about how you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling. Thank you. REO Speedwagons most recent updates are performing with Pitbull in the song Messin Around live on the ABC TV show Greatest Hits in 2016. ALSO SEE: Rock out with these 30 old Star Hits music magazines from the 80s. Speedwagon, in 1971. Formed in 1967, the group originally included guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Matt, bassist and backing vocalist Mike Blair, keyboardist Neal Doughty and drummer Alan Gratzer. They also toured the UK arena circuit with Status Quo in December 2016. With a Continental engine, artillery wheels, and a different pattern of horizontal radiator louvers from the Flying Cloud, the Wolverine was made until 1928. With the tour titled Storming the U.S., tickets for the opening night show in Milwaukee sold out in two days. The truck was, of course, the REO Speed Wagon, though the band closed Speedwagon to one word. For the good ones, the inspiration is usually a pretty big piece of the song. [3], Cottage Grove Dump Truck, Lane County, Oregon, An REO Speed Wagon, from a 1917 advertisement, REO Speed Wagon Fire Truck at Jack Daniel's Distillery, Lynchburg, Tennessee, Car emblem for a Reo Flying Cloud (1930 model), REO truck filled with citrus fruit, Kfar Saba, Israel, 1932. You probably knew them well at the height of their popularity in the early 80s, listening to them non-stop on the radio on the way to work or grocery store. Gary Richrath, songwriter and lead guitarist for REO Speedwagon for decades, has died, the band announced on its Facebook page Sunday. It was the name of a 1915 model of truck that bore the initials of its designer, the legendary automaker Ransom E. Olds, founder of Olds Motor Vehicle Company. At that point, REO had been making music for almost 14 years. [8][9] Philbin left the following year, with Bruce Hall taking his place. I saw them in 1997 at the Universal Amphitheater with Survivor and Blondie. So that was special. We usually play as the opening act or as special guests, but this time were headlining.. In 1980 their album Hi Fidelity sold more than 10 million copies, about a quarter of all of the band's album sales. Can Kevin Cronin still sing? They started over. I had the verses already written. I just havent had a great deal of success with it (laughs). Band member and lead singer Kevin Cronin stressed about the announcer getting the name right. How to Choose the Right Guitar String Gauges? Nothing for REO or ELO either. We recorded it in Nashville, and the song of mine that [probably] got me the gig was called Music Man. It was never a huge hit, but its still in the REO setlist and it was basically my fantasy of how my life would turn out. [1] REO Speedwagon released their debut album, R.E.O. I sat down and started playing those chordsthat was what the song came from. However, with six albums under their belt, the band still believed they werent hitting their full potential with the audience. Formed in 1967, the group originally included drummer and backing vocalist Alan Gratzer, guitarist and lead vocalist Joe Matt, bassist and lead vocalist Mike Blair, and keyboardist Neal Doughty. Today, Doughty, Cronin, and Hall remain with the band; guitarist Dave Amato and drummer Bryan Hitt have been in since 1989. He formed the band in the fall of 1966, with original drummer Alan Gratzer (who left REO in 1988). But for me, I usually write the song first and then I find the title in the song. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); The Saturday Evening Post is a nonprofit organization funded primarily by our members. Your email address will not be published. Find REO Speedwagon Loveland tickets, appearing at Budweiser Events Center in Colorado on Nov 17, 2023 at 7:30 pm. Producers will come in and want to make you commercial, or punk, or this or that, but it just isnt us. Lansing is home to the R.E. Olds Transportation Museum. The rest of the band went with it as their first advertisement went out in their school newspaper at a frat party, which later turned into a food fight. . We didnt set out to write a concept album, but the songs do hang together conceptually, because we were all going through similar things. REO Speedwagon is an American hard rock band from Champaign, Illinois. What is the most expensive brand of guitar? At one time, REO was part of a four-billed show which also included Bob Seger, Ted Nugent and Styx. Steve Scorfina was also part of the band for a year, composing and performing live with the band for a year and being replaced by Gary Richrath in late 1970. What inspired you to write this song? DK: I think Keep Pushin' is one of the great songs from REOs early years, and maybe if it was released later in the mid-80s when the band was so hot, it could have been another big hit. And when I had that realization, I went down to my piano room and I wrote the B section and the chorus in about 15 minutes. So well seethis year should be interesting. The original REO Speedwagon vehicles & other classic REO cars and trucks. Here is the Q&A interview with Kevin Cronin: DK: When did you join REO Speedwagon, andhow did you developa key role as the bands singer & songwriter? Usually for me, the title is the last thing that happens. Meanwhile, after selling Reo's vehicle manufacturing operation to Bohn in 1954, management began liquidating the remainder of the company. Because of all the traveling wed done, and the work wed been doing over the years, we all just arrived at this place where we really needed each other as brothers for mutual support. "There are actually quite a few people who can say they were members of REO," according to Gratzer. They performed Cant Fight This Feeling and Roll With the Changes which featured a few members from the Beach Boys, their families and Paul Shaffer for backing vocals. Formed in 1966, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. The words referred to a 1915 vehicle produced by the founder of the Oldsmobile automotive company, Ransom E. Olds. Despite the fact that the latest album, You Get What You Play For, sold 41,000 copies in Kansas City alone during the first three weeks of release, singer/guitarist Kevin Cronin still isnt satisfied. For tax reasons a group of shareholders successfully challenged the liquidation in a proxy fight in September 1955, and forced REO to take over a tiny nuclear services company called Nuclear Consultants, Inc. in a reverse takeover. As for that name periods included or not that, too, is rooted in a college education. After he joined, their popularity began to explode throughout the Midwest. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; We were just doing our best to stay normal as everything for the band was changing.. They flew us over to get our gold record. Cronin: Ive written songs on both, honestly. Richrath had wanted to join the band and knew that he could take them to a new level with his artistry and songwriting. Their popularity began to decline in the late 1980s, but they still perform at summer festivals today. The first time I was introduced to her, when I saw herit was that love at first sight feeling. Their keyboard player was the leader, but the others wanted out. 1912 REO advertisement. Speedwagon (they would later drop the periods). They were the guest band for a Saturday Night Live/SCTV knockoff called Fridays back in 1981. I just needed a mental break. They started jamming and formed a group almost immediately. Copyright 2023 About the 80s. Richrath was from Peoria, IL and was an amazing songwriter who wrote fresh material for the band, even driving 100 miles to see and become a part of the band. It gave me an outlet for expressing myself when I was very young and didnt know any other way to do it. That next studio collection is the key to REOs precarious success and the boys in the band know it better than anyone. [7] The final REO model of 1936 was a Flying Cloud. But then looking back on it, and now seeing the impact that Cant Fight This Feeling has had on my life, the life of everyone in the REO Speedwagon family, the lives of people whom Ive never met all over the worldpeople have played that song at their weddings. I didnt just want to jump on an airplaneit was too big of a move for me. Hes looking over the hills.. Unlike so many of the undeserving in the entertainment industry, theyre out there giving it their all. But I think it served its purpose because people at the record company heard it, REO Speedwagon fans heard itif they didnt hear it on the radio they heard us playing it live. REO Speedwagonis an Americanhard rockband fromChampaign, Illinois. So now were gonna record from noon until 7 oclock at night, and when we come in, were gonna be awake. Hi Infidelity (1980) contained four US Top 40 hits and is the group's best-selling album, with over ten . amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; Hi Infidelity would receive a diamond certification for sales exceeding 10 million records. Featured image: Bruce Hall, Kevin Cronin, and Dave Amato perform in 2018. Richrath is REOs lead guitarist and along with Cronin the principal creative force behind its music. I try to stick with the inspiration, and keep as much of that initial burst of creativity in the song as I possibly can. (Brandon Nagy / Shutterstock). Roll with the Changes (Uploaded to YouTube by REO Speedwagon). After the Good Trouble tour, we needed a break, Cronin said. Ransom E. Olds was an entrepreneur who founded multiple companies in the automobile industry. Rock on REO SPEEDWAGON. It took a long time, and I wrote that song before I finally got the guts to tell her. In 1971, REO Speedwagon signed a contract with Epic Records. The songs for that album had a certain cohesive nature to them. DK: Keep On Loving You from Hi Infidelity is a great song. Cronin left, paving the way for Michael Bryan Murphy; Murphy filled the frontman slot for three records. 157 Riverside Avenue sounds better than ever, doesnt it? It just so happens that the album came out when I was in junior high school. DK: A few years later, you followed up with another big ballad, Cant Fight This Feeling. Is this song perhaps the most popular song youve written? Were a high-energy band, Cronin emphasized, but our studio recordings didnt show this, and people want consistency. One day, I was really frustrated because we had an album that was due, and we really needed that song that was going to pick up where Keep On Loving You left off, and we didnt have it. But with [Music Man] I thought, Hmmmthis song had structure to it, it has a nice feel to it, there were some nice rhymes in it. See original listing. Back in the day of the album, that was very important. Official YouTube channel for REO Speedwagon. It wasnt long before Gratzer, bassist Mike Blair, and guitarist Joe Matt decided to quit the old band and join Doughty in a new one. The 8-cylinder model was sold through 1933 with minor updates. We did have a feeling that there was something special going on. The vocalist was replaced byKevin Cronin, who performed on the group's second albumR.E.O./T.W.O. I had written some songs before that were okaythey were passable. Learn how and when to remove this template message, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Neal_Doughty&oldid=1135295662, This page was last edited on 23 January 2023, at 20:16. [1] Matt left early the next year after graduating from school, with Terry Luttrell taking his place on lead vocals. Beverly Rae Kimes, editor of the Standard Catalog of American Cars, terms the Royale "the most fabulous Reo of all". head trip escape into THEIR world right about now. The current lineup of REO Speedwagon consists of Cronin, original member Neal Doughty (keyboards), Bruce Hall (bass), Dave Amato (lead guitar) and Bryan Hitt (drums). We circled our wagons and started making some changes We changed everything except the record company. They did have a lot of members leave, but they stayed together during their prime years, for which I have to give them credit. Music is a funny kind of business. I think so. Trivia. Whenever any two people work closely together it brings about a sort of creative tension. REO Speedwagon members Bruce Hall, Kevin Cronin and Dave Amato perform in 2018. His first track written for REO was Lost In A Dream from 1974 (co-wrote with Mike Murphy). By late 1970, REO Speedwagon had finalised its first recording lineup with the addition of guitaristGary Richrathin place of Scorfina. But the records that came before it, the songs that our fans already knew about, like Keep Pushin' and Roll With The Changes and Time For Me To Fly which hadnt really been hits, but our fans knew about them.
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