But now, even these more discriminating listeners are beginning to take notice of REO Speedwagon. [11] Richrath also left early the next year, with Miles Joseph filling in for a show before Dave Amato took over in May. Really excellent feature. Even our (REO) song Take It On The Run which Gary Richrath wrote, Heard it from a friend, who heard it from a friend, who heard it from another youve been messin aroundwhen I heard that line that Gary wrote, I said this song is amazing. I was determined to do everything I could possibly do to get that song finished and help Gary in any way, so we could record that song, because that opening line just killed me. We really needed one a long time ago. We know weve got to prove ourselves, says lead singer Kevin Cronin, and I cant wait to get that next album out. So my manager, Tom Consolo, set up a writing session with Eric Carmen, who was the lead singer of the Raspberries. Unlike so many of the undeserving in the entertainment industry, theyre out there giving it their all. Gratzer already had a band, and Doughty began to sit in with them. Each of our first six albums sold more than 150,000 copies, but only about three in Los Angeles, Cronin said during an interview at his recently-acquired Woodland Hills mountain retreat. You can also get our free newsletter, follow us on Facebook & Pinterest. They signed with Epic Records in 1970 and hit the big time in more ways than one. Thats not to say they never willsongs have a way of surfacing in the future sometimes. Volvo later took over White and thus currently owns the rights to the REO brand name. Richrath was 65. In the fall of 1967, the group returned to campus; Doughty brought with him a Farfisa electronic organ. But then once I got done with the craftsmanship part of it, I thought HeyI think I could hear this song on the radiopeople might want to listen to it. Its funny, when youre just starting out as a songwriterwhen youre trying to figure things out and see what your path is and where youre headingas I reminisce and think about it, it seems I have these sweet memories of that time. amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; Dont second guess it. REO opted to soldier on, however, with replacement members Dave Amato (ex- Ted Nugent, guitar) and Bryan Hitt (ex- Wang Chung, drums) in tow, as their 14-track 1988 compilation The Hits proved to be a steady seller over the years. Whats up with the band REO Speedwagon these days? It seemed like we had been working 24 hours a day since Hi-Infidelity had come out, and even after its success, all I could think of was writing new songs. While Ned Jordan is credited with changing the way advertising was written with his "Somewhere West of Laramie" ads for his Jordan Playboy, Reo's Flying Clouda name that provoked evocative images of speed and lightnesschanged the way automobiles would be named in the future. 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. 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. The next year, Richrath was fired. L.A. 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). I try to stick with the inspiration, and keep as much of that initial burst of creativity in the song as I possibly can. 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. Through it, we work off each other, work things out, and improve because of it. 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. Honestly, when I finished that song, I was really youngI was 18 or 19 when I wrote that song. Material on this site is provided for education, criticism, commentary, cultural reporting, entertainment, historical reference, and news reporting/analysis. Its kind of a blessing and a curse. We still get mad at each other sometimes, but we work it out. It took a long time, and I wrote that song before I finally got the guts to tell her. Hes looking over the hills.. and has remained the lead vocalist ever since. But who are the original members of REO Speedwagon? We did have a feeling that there was something special going on. It takes luck, for example, and talent and common sense in no particular order. 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). DK: When you write, do you usually create the melody or the lyrics first? Basically what we said was, Im not going to let you have these songs on a record unless we produce them ourselves. Notably, these five band members have been together since 1989. [1] 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. With Cant Fight This Feeling, I did not know what the name of that song was. When you feel the inspiration for a song, then you have to actually craft it. "During dress rehearsal, they introduced us as Reo Speedwagon," said Cronin, as reported by Rolling Stone. I feel songs are kind of the same way. With the exception of the last, our albums just didnt capture those energies.. Required fields are marked *, Attachments The maximum upload file size: 260 MB. So that was special. DK: Keep On Loving You from Hi Infidelity is a great song. Kevin and Lisa share the story of their storybook romance and secret to their successful 24-year marriage. So the band got together after the tour, and we decided we werent going to make another record until we felt we could., The bands newest album, Wheels Are Turnin, is bringing REO back to terms with its audience via two singles, a rocker called I Dowanna Know (Cronins answer to all of the unsolicited advice he received after REO hit it big) and a ballad, Cant Fight This Feeling.. He helped REO Speedwagon release five Platinum-selling hit albums, including Wheels Are Turnin'. Required fields are marked *. The vocalist was replaced byKevin Cronin, who performed on the group's second albumR.E.O./T.W.O. REO Speedwagon (originally styled as R.E.O. Their compilation album, The Hits, included Here With Me and I Dont Want to Love You, but unfortunately after that, they lost Gary Richrath and Alan Gratzer. Trivia. Theyre great in concert too. CBS had a big convention in London. It was the first song where I thought, Wow, I kind of like this song (laughs). Who gives the best guitar lessons on YouTube? His first track written for REO was Lost In A Dream from 1974 (co-wrote with Mike Murphy). Drop files here. Most Studebaker US6 trucks were built by Studebaker. I think so. Founded in 1967 and fronted by iconic vocalist Kevin Cronin, REO Speedwagon's unrelenting drive, as well as non-stop touring and recording jump-started the burgeoning rock movement in the Midwest. head trip escape into THEIR world right about now. We fired our producer halfway through, and Gary (Richrath) and I took over.. You know, our audiences are interesting. For the good ones, the inspiration is usually a pretty big piece of the song. [4] The band also briefly added saxophonist Joe McCabe and trumpeter Marty Shepard to its lineup in 1968. I remember thinking to myselfWowCant Fight This Feelingwhat a horrible, f**king song title. Ransom E. Olds was an entrepreneur who founded multiple companies in the automobile industry. REO remains a popular live band which tours steadily throughout the U.S. and worldwide. These singles were on the charts for over a year, selling over 10 million copies. Theres something going on emotionally for me, usually some kind of a feeling that I either dont understand yet, or I understand and havent figured out how to express it yet. Here, take a look back at the ups and downs of the career of this American rock group, with interviews and insights from the 70s and 80s. "During dress rehearsal, they introduced us as Reo Speedwagon," said Cronin, as reported by Rolling Stone. Cronin: Theres no real formula with it for me. Links to YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and other services inserted in the comment text will be automatically embedded. amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; This was on the first day he and the rest of the band decided to look for a name. Then on the day that Eric and I were supposed to co-write, I literally woke up that morning and I felt like I had the flu. You cant take success that seriously, Cronin said. I saw them in 1997 at the Universal Amphitheater with Survivor and Blondie. Neal Allan Doughty (born July 29, 1946) is an American keyboardist, best known as a founding member of the rock band REO Speedwagon and the only member to have played on every album. [6] The vocalist was replaced by Kevin Cronin, who performed on the group's second album R.E.O./T.W.O. Se do you feel more comfortable writing the song by yourself, or do you also love the process of co-writing? Philbin left the following year, withBruce Halltaking his place. In 2018, REO Speedwagon and Chicago toured again. Thanks for visiting and for supporting a small business! The record deal provided the band with some stability with one exception: the lead singer role. Then of course, you refine it from there. They then went on the United We Rock tour with Styx and Don Felder, which debuted June 20, 2017 at the Sunlight Supply Amphitheater. 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. Kevin Cronin - lead and backing vocals, acoustic guitar, piano Gary Richrath - electric guitars Bruce Hall - bass Neal Doughty - Hammond organ Alan Gratzer - drums Additional personnel Steve Forman - percussion Tom Kelly - backing vocal Richard Page - backing vocal Chart performance Weekly charts Year-end charts Certifications See also [8], The 1931 Reo Royale was a trendsetting design, introducing design elements that were a precedent for true automotive streamlining in the American market. Luttrell departed in 1972 and was replaced for one album by Kevin Cronin. Remember Maybelline Kissing Potion & other flavored lip gloss from the 70s & 80s? During 1936, REO abandoned the manufacture of automobiles to concentrate on trucks.[3]. I just couldnt get the courage up, to make that leap of vulnerability, to share with her that I had feelings for her that were more than friendship. 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. But You Get turned out to be the record REO had needed all along four sides of crackling power that will probably rank as the years best live collection. Cant Fight This Feeling would hit #1 in 1984. 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. They were the guest band for a Saturday Night Live/SCTV knockoff called Fridays back in 1981. They started over. 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. 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). 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. , Your email address will not be published. Id just started to write a couple little silly songs. Now that you know, have fun looking around! Throughout their career, REO Speedwagon has sold over 40 million records and charted 13 Top 40 hits, including Cant Fight This Feeling and Keep on Loving You. It was number one (on the Hot 100 chart) for I think three weeks, which back in the 80s was quite an accomplishment. [3], REO added a truck-manufacturing division and a Canadian plant in St Catharines, Ontario, in 1910. When we play those songs, you can just feel the energy in the room light up. REO Speedwagon has recorded 16 studio albums which have sold a total of more than 40 million units. By Richard Sherwood, Valley News-Sun (Van Nuys, California) April 10, 1977. I had a little red Wurlitzer electric piano that Id had since I was in high school. Music is a funny kind of business. I can tell when a song is too much craftsmanship and not enough inspiration. 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. This site uses cookies but never sells your personal information. Hi Infidelity (1980) contained four US Top 40 hits and is the group's best-selling album, with over ten . The band formed in the autumn of 1967 by Neal Doughty and Alan Gratzer. REO Speedwagons most recent updates are performing with Pitbull in the song Messin Around live on the ABC TV show Greatest Hits in 2016. It had a 115-inch (2,900mm) wheelbase. 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. I sat down and started playing those chordsthat was what the song came from. The model 8-35 was priced from $2,745 for the sedan to $3,000 for the convertible coupe. Your email address will not be published. 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. Were producing ourselves for the first time and the live album really made us confident in what were doing. Last year, we called our tour the Family First Tour. Cronin: I actually wrote that song as I was traveling from Chicago to Los Angeles, when I rejoined the band; I left the band for a couple years. Speedwagon ), or simply REO, is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Roll with the Changes (Uploaded to YouTube by REO Speedwagon). Note: ClickAmericana.com features authentic historical information, and is not intended to represent current best practices on any topic, particularly with regard to health and safety. and New York audiences are more picky, he continued. Cant Fight This Feeling is definitely the song that when most people think of me as a songwriter, thats the first one that comes to their head. [2] The pronunciation, however, was as a single word. Finally in 2020, the band appeared in an episode in the third season of Ozark, which was released on March 27, 2020. Learn how your comment data is processed. Its funnyeven though it was 35 years ago, it still feels like it was just yesterday to me, because I remember writing it so vividly. The 8-35 & 8-52 are considered full CCCA classics. The first track REO recorded featuring Bruce's vocals was Back On the Road Again from 1979, which was also a successful single . Despite a slow start, by the mid-eighties, the bands hit singles Keep On Loving You and Cant Fight This Feeling had topped the charts, and they were known across the globe. Were in tune with ourselves and I trust our taste. [9] White then merged REO with Diamond T Trucks in 1967 to form Diamond Reo Trucks. Speedwagon through 2009's Not So Silent Night . Olds then changed the name to his initials. So here it is! DK: A couple years later REO released Hi Infidelity, which became your biggest album. 2023 American Profile, All Rights Reserved. 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.While single "Sophisticated Lady" just missed the Hot 100, the album's second track, "157 Riverside Avenue," has remained the most popular song from . I just needed a mental break. So I called up and cancelled the songwriting session. DK: So what were you thinking about, when you wrote Cant Fight This Feeling? But endurance in the face of uncertainty has long been a trademark of REO Speedwagon. Gregg Philbin would become the bassist, and in 1970, the band added a legitimate guitar hero in Gary Richrath. It just has this huge history to it. Unfortunately, the years of the classic line-up were over by 1988. At that point, REO had been making music for almost 14 years. amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true"; Mike Blair also left the band later that year as Gregg Philbin filled his spot. Currently, the group is on what Cronin considers a landmark 52-city tour. Cronin left, paving the way for Michael Bryan Murphy; Murphy filled the frontman slot for three records.
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