FTV: REO Speedwagon

 

     REO Speedwagon came charging out of Southern Illinois and made a national name for themselves in the 1970s and 1980s.  With the band’s name pretty much retired as of December of 2024, it seems a fitting time to chart the ups and downs of the band.  The REO story, from its inception in 1967 up to the more recent demise, had more twists and turns than a Formula 1 racetrack.  Not to worry, their music will hang around as former lead singer Kevin Cronin is still touring the REO catalog under his own name, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves.

     Keyboard player Neal Doughty was just starting an electrical engineering program during his junior year at the University of Illinois in Champaign in 1966.  At his first night class he met fellow student Alan Gratzer who happened to be a drummer.  Soon after this chance meeting, the two held an impromptu keyboard / drum jam in the basement of their resident hall.  The seeds of a new band were planted and from the various branches, roots, and prunings, R.E.O. Speedwagon would eventually emerge.  R.E.O. has made the internet news sites recently because disagreements  between lead singer / songwriter Kevin Cronin and bassist Bruce Hall caused the band to split.  Articles keep calling Hall ‘a founding member of the band’ but that isn’t quite the case.  Once again, let us not get to the end of the band until we get their first chapter in the books.

     Gratzer was already in a band and Doughty started sitting in with them on occasion even though they had a keyboard player who was also their lead singer.  When the semester ended, the guitar player informed the lead singer that he, Gratzer, and bassist Mike Blair would be leaving to form a band with Doughty.  They planned a new band where all the members shared the vocals.  As they parted for the summer break, each had a list of songs to learn.  When they returned to school, Doughty spotted the name of a classic 1915 Ransom Eli Olds truck written on the blackboard in a History of Transportation class.  The name REO Speed Wagon was adopted by the band, as R.E.O. Speedwagon (separating the letters instead of saying them as ‘RE-ohh’ as the truck manufacturer had).  Their first frat gig devolved into a food fight but they were off.  As with most bands formed in a college atmosphere, they performed cover songs at parties, bars, and university events.  In these early days, the band was managed by fellow U of I student Irving Azoff who would later rise to rarified heights in the music biz managing the Eagles, Steely Dan, Boz Scaggs, and Jimmy Buffet..

     The early classic line up of the band included guitarist Gary Richrath and bassist Gregg ‘Regis’ Philbin along with Doughty, Gratzer, and a rotating cast of lead singers.  Like any new band, they went through a revolving door of musicians.  The changes began with Terry Luttrell joining as lead vocalist and Philbin replacing Blair on bass.  Horns were added to the line-up but dropped by the summer of 1969.  Richrath travelled 100 miles south from Peoria, Illinois in late 1970 intent to join the band, “Whether they like it or not.”  Richrath was the band’s fourth guitar player and when he brought his original songs to the band, their popularity began to grow in the midwest.  Luttrell would leave the band in early 1972 (he would eventually re-emerge in the band Starcastle) and Kevin Cronin replaced him.  After recording one album (R.E.O./T.W.O. in 1972), Cronion split from the band during sessions for 1973’s Ridin’ the Storm Out due to interband conflicts.  His replacement for the rest of that album and the next two was Michael Bryan Murphy whose tenure lasted until the end of 1975.  With his mane of red hair and sideburns, Murphy cut quite a presence on stage.  The first time I saw R.E.O. at Lakeview Arena in Marquette, he made quite an impression fronting the band.  The entire band was rock solid and by the encore of Ridin’ the Storm Out, the whole arena was rocking.

     The second time R.E.O. appeared in Marquette, I happened to be driving by the Ramada Inn on Washington Street and saw Richrath and Cronin standing on the front steps.  Until the show that night, I did not know Cronin had replaced Murphy but as he was standing with Richrath, I assumed he was in the band even though I did not know his name.  I made it a point to pick up their 1977 album Live:  You Get What You Play For before I left town that weekend.  The album notes caught me up to how the lineup had evolved to this point and is an accurate representation of the live show I saw then.  With their popularity on the rise, Philin left the band after the Live album and it was at this point Bruce Hall joined the band.  Some accounts say Philbin left because he was unhappy with the corporate structure of the band that saw Cronin and Richrath getting a bigger slice of the pie (probably due to their songwriting copyrights).  In the earliest days, everyone was getting an equal share.  Other sources mention his lifestyle issues were affecting his performance.  Pick the story that suits you, but revisionist history seems to have scrubbed Philbin from the record by now calling Hall a ‘founding member’ of the band.

     Hall joined in time to record the strangely named You Can Tune A Piano but You Can’t Tune a Fish album (released in March 1978).  Strange name aside, it produced two hit songs, Roll With The Changes and Time For Me To Fly, the latter being their first song to break into the Top 40 Charts (it climbed to No. 29).  This double platinum record (over two million copies sold) was followed by the July 1979 release of Nine Lives.  The hard rocking Nine Lives period would give way to their most successful album, Hi Infidelity which Epic Records released in November of 1980.  Tailored to a more pop-sound, it became a darling of FM radio and remained on the charts for 65 weeks (35 weeks in the top ten and 15 weeks atop the Billboard 200).

     Cronin and Richrath had found their groove with Hi Infidelity and the four hits from the album dominated the charts in the early 1980s.  Included in this run was the chart topping Keep On Lovin’ You, and Take It On The Run (#5), In Your Letter (#20), and Don’t Let Him Go (#24).  The ten million units moved gave REO Speedwagon (no more separating periods in the name) the national attention they had worked so hard to earn.  The follow up album, Good Trouble (June 1982) was a more moderate commercial success but still placed Keep The Fire Burning at #7 on the U.S. singles chart.

     November 1984 found REO with another hit spawning album, Wheels Are Turning:  Can’t Fight This Feeling again found them topping the charts with three other tracks reaching #19, #29 and #34.  Their profile was up in mid-decade when they sold out Madison Square Garden in May while on their 1985 tour.  July found them on stage in front of a record breaking TV audience at Live Aid in Philadelphia.  The Beach Boys and Paul Shaffer joined them on stage in Philly to sing background vocals for Can’t Fight This Feeling and Roll With The Changes.  The Life As We Know It and The Hits records closed out the 1980s as the band’s album sales numbers showed a decline.  The two new tracks on The Hits would be the last two with Richrath and Gratzer participating.

     Gratzer decided to leave the band in September of 1988 to open a restaurant and spend more time with his family.   Richrath departed a few months later when tensions with Cronin caused an irreparable rift with the singer.  Eventually, former Ted Nugent guitarist Dave Amato would take his spot and former Wang Chung drummer Bryan Hitt would fill Gratzer’s shoes.  Gary’s new band, Richrath, recorded one album.  The guitarist continued playing music in and around the midwest until his untimely death on September 13, 2015 at the age of 65.  According to Cronin, the guitarist went to the hospital with ‘some ailment’ that produced fatal complications. 

     REO would find their albums sales continuing to decline and they were dropped by the Epic label.   They continued to release albums on smaller labels, even self funding some of their recording sessions while continuing to be a solid draw on the concert circuit.  When Epic began re-releasing their albums, REO found increased interest in the band which helped improved their bookings.  Beginning in 2000, they staged the first of their dual headlining tours with Styx (the first of which is chronicled on a DVD and album called Arch Allies:  Live at Riverport – the title in reference to the St Louis Arch).  REO has toured off and on throughout the new millennium with Styx as well as with Journey and Pat Benetar. 

     Gregg Philbin also left this mortal coil on October 24, 2022.  The sole remaining original member, Neal Doughty, announced that he, too, was retiring from touring on January 4, 2023.  Hall announced Doughty would always be part of the brotherhood of the band and was welcome to appear with REO on selected dates in the future.  Former Iron Butterfly keyboardist Derek Hilland became the band’s touring replacement for Doughty.

     As for the more recent drama, it all began on November 7, 2023 when Bruce Hall took a hiatus for back surgery to correct an old injury.  He was expected to rejoin the band on tour in 2024 after Matt Bissonette (ex- David Lee Roth Band) filled in as their touring bassist.    On September 16, 2024, the band announced they would cease touring on January 1, 2025.  The reason cited was that Hall’s recovery had caused ‘irreconcilable differences’ between him and Cronin.  Other posts prior to this announcement claimed Cronin required emergency surgery.   On December 21, 2024, Kevin announced that the show from that night would be the last under the REO Speedwagon moniker and the name would be retired.  Cronin went on to explain he would continue to do ‘solo concerts’ with the same band lineup and REO songs would remain in the show.  

     The war of words escalated from here and the word ‘acrimonious’ can certainly be applied to the parting of Hall and Cronin.  In early 2025, Hall announced a one-off reunion show scheduled for June 14 to support the REO Charitable Foundation.  According to the press release, the show will be, “A retrospective concert experience and the last time all of these REO members take the stage together and a way to say a proper goodbye to the band’s early years.”  REO members scheduled to appear include Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer, Bruce Hall, Terry Luttrell, Mike Murphy, and Steve Scorfina.  The release goes on to state, “There will also be special guests and an ‘in memoriam tribute’ to the late Gary Richrath and Gregg Philbin.”  Note the absence of Kevin Cronin from this hometown show.

      Cronin fired back in March of 2025 that the June 14 show was purposely scheduled at a time when his band has west coast engagements.  Okay, this is awkward at best.  The REO Speedwagon ceased touring in December of 2024 included Cronin, Dave Amato on guitar, Bryan Hitt on drums, Derek Hilland on keyboards, and Matt Bissonette on bass.  The Kevin Cronin Band that continued under his name employs the exact same lineup.  This means none of the last touring REO band members will be at the one-off show in Champaign on June 14, 2025.

     Hearing Cronin’s and Hall’s comments to Q105 FM in Tampa, Florida back in the fall of 2024, one could already see what was coming.  Hall (in September):  “Never ever thought it would end like this and I’m heartbroken.  Please know Neal and I did everything in our power to try and keep the Wagon rolling.  I am so appreciative of ALL the amazing love and support.”  Cronin (in October):  “I will always hold out hope that REO Speedwagon can be rescued.  This band is my life’s work, and I would never do anything except what I feel is in REO’s best interests,  But in any case, I am going to make the most of the rest of our 2024 tour dates.  I love this band and I love our loyal fans, and I will be giving my 100 percent effort to the upcoming shows.”

     The back and forth accusations never left the door open for any kind or reconciliation.  Cronin admits he saw Hall’s x-rays and had suggested that perhaps he should take time off from the 2024 tour.  Apparently Hall did not like the suggestion, but in the end, his health forced him to do just that.  At some point, Hall posted that Cronin had quit the band, which Kevin denied.  Cronin pointed a finger at Hall’s circle of friends who he claimed, “Leaked rumors that I had quit but I didn’t.”  Without saying what the conditions were, Kevin went on to say, “I found the two main demands [that Hall had apparently put forth for him to return]. . . one of them would have been irresponsible for me to go along with and the other was just impossible for me to go along with.  It just got ugly.”  Cronin ended saying he wishes Hall, “Nothing but the best.”

     At this point in the ‘discussion’, a Steven Stills lyric comes to mind:  “There’s battle lines being drawn / Nobody’s right if everybody’s wrong …. It’s time we stop / Hey, what’s that sound? / Everybody look, what’s going down.”  I am pretty sure we all can see what is ‘going down’.  It is a shame that a 48 year partnership has to end in a flurry of angry posts and denials, but so it goes in the world of musical partnerships.  It happened within the various combinations of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.  Hall and Oates went through the same kind of acrimonious split.  The same can be said for Richie Sambora and John Bonjovi, Simon and Garfunkel and . . .  you get the idea.  The fans will still get to hear REO tunes played live, but I wonder what the T-shirts for sale in the lobby will look like?  

Top Piece Video:  REO in the happier days of 1981 before the fallout – classic line up with Bruce Hall – a couple of years after I saw them at Lakeview Arena in Marquette, MI