MR

Anybody else out there think Reo Speedwagon is great besides me? I havn't really liked them that long,only about four years,but I have not missed a show when they have been down here. I have not missed a Styx show or Journey show either. Which is odd,because my all time fave band used to be Metallica,but now I am bored with them since St. Anger.So please let me know what ya all think of Reo. By the way,I love Kevin Cronin.I know some people think he's a jerk,but I like him anyway.Lol.

I used to think Reo were ace at one time, I like their material more from the 70`s and 80`s.
Being from England we never get to see the classic American rock bands but I was on holiday about 1995 in Vegas and did get to see them live with Fleetwood Mac and Pat Benatar who I also think are great.

9 Lives is a great album as well as Hi Infidelity, I did at one stage possess
all of their albums but times and tastes change as the years go by.

Preferred them with Gary Richrath

yep the speedwagon still rocks. Kevin Cronin's energy on stage is nice.

from nick,
if you saw any of the vh1 classic sturgis show kevin cronin sounded terrible live, he should takes those ballads and sing them in a lower key, really awful,

I was not a fan back in the day, but 2001 I saw the Arch Allies tour and was surprised at how many of thier songs I was familar with just but did not know they were REO songs. While I was impressed with how well they sounded live I did not appreciate Kevin Cronins stage pressence. His banter was so canned it was identical to the live album and the same when I caught them on the Classic Rock Main Event tour. He also comes across as really full of himself and I am not a big fan of love ballads but "Riding the storm out" really rocks. Also if Kevin did not talk about his wife and kids I would have guessed him to be gay (not that there is anything wrong with that).

Thats my take. They do have a new album comming out which I will listen to as I am always willing to keep an open mind.

Glad to see more of ya think Reo is good.I do however think Kevin talks too much at his concerts.Just play man! I think I have heard where they came up with the idea for Ridin the storm out and Can't fight this feelin about a gazillion times.It was cool the first time. Kevin doesn't come off as gay to me.I think his voice is tiny and elf like.If you have ever heard him sing I believe in Santa Clause on a Classic Rock Christmas,then you might agree too.My fave album is Hi Infidelity,then the EAMHSDAAC. I like the Hits too even though that's not really probably classified as an album. And I think Bryan Hitt is an awesome drummer. Dave and Bruce can rock too when they want.I just wish Kevin would shut up at concerts sometimes. Reo doesn't come to my area alot,so when I get to see them is a treat.Anybody have a fave Reo song or album?Also,I like how Kevin tries to get everyone into the songs and how he's all over the stage.Can't stop a rockin should be his motto.Lol.Plus he can use his voice really well to put emotion in songs too.

He does talk quite a bit, one particular story was he overheard a lady bragging about how sexy he and his bands were at some party he was at, he was getting the ego going when he realized the lady was talking aobut REM. With the internet, this story gets repeated a thousand times before they get to your town, and everybody knows the set list. You guys are way to impatient, you haven't lived till you sit through one of Don Henley's 15 minute lectures about Walden Pond at a concert.....zzzzzzzz

Glad you agree with me Lord of da ring about Kevin talking too much.I heard the same REM story from Kevin himself at one of the concerts.It was a funny story though.He has never used it again thank goodness.At least not at any of the show's I have been to recently.Apparently Kevin is stuck on telling the same stories over and over. Anybody ever wonder why for Kevin's age he is so skinny? It's just funny cause most rockers get short and fat or bald and look like they are on crack.Lol.I still love him anyways.

Does anybody know where Reo came up with the idea for 157 Riverside ave.? I asked my boyfriend,a huge Reo fan and he said he didn't know.All he knows is he thinks now it's a dentists office.Anybody know?

I've seen REO several times and I was fortunate to meet Kevin after one of the shows. I actually out-talked him - LOL

I personally think that he talks WAAAAAAAAAY too much at the shows. Especially the same stories over and over. Back in the 80's I was a pretty big fan, now they're just okay.

Augerilvr says:

Does anybody know where Reo came up with the idea for 157 Riverside ave.?

I hope this answers your question

The band's debut album was self-titled and 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 with fans to this day. Epic Records is a record label launched originally as a jazz and classical music label in 1953 by CBS. Its bright-yellow and black logo became a familiar trademark for many jazz and classical releases. ... The Seal of the Town of Wesport, Connecticut Westport is a town located in Fairfield County, Connecticut. ...

Cool.Always wondered where 157 came from.So I guess what I thought it was,it is not? Lol.

Sometimes it's better not to know what the song really means or why it was written. Just like Dennis' "Desert Moon". I still want to think it's about the train that go to the dunes and the whole story that I originally thought it was about - see the Desert Moon postings for the whole story

I had no clue what the song "Light Up" was really about for years and years and years (decades) - LOL I was/am a "good" girl and didn't know anything about that "stuff"

The wife is a huge REO fan, most of those lyrics to 157 are pretty straight forward, a phone conversation between KC and Gary Richrath is detailed and the scat singing that KC does. KC stays so skinny because he is a over the top health nut, and basically insists on the other band mates following suit. One of the reasons Gary got the boot, along with some over the top chemical dependency.

I seem to recall KC talking about coming home from a road trip during their peak success and wanting to drink vodka or something at 10:00 in the morning. He said that was when he realized perhaps he needed to change some things in his life.

I don't listen to them regularly, but I really like Roll With The Changes and Take It On The Run. I did enjoy seeing them with Styx and Journey a couple of summers ago. They sounded great. Besides, how could you not like a band that titles an album: You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish????

I'm just disappointed that every time a rock station around here announces they've got REO on deck after the break, there's a 0.000001 % change the song will be "Golden Country" and a 99% chance it'll be "Roll W/The Changes".

What about the other 0.999999% of the time? LOL!!!!!!

The only song I ever hear them play of Reo's on the radio anymore is Can't Fight this Feeling.I like it,but I get kinda sick of it.One of my fave songs is Live it up.That's kinda my motto.I have never heard them play it and probably never will.I love that scat singing Kevin does though.Kinda gets ya pumped to rock.Lol.I however think they are very under apprieciated and desperatly need a star on the walk of fame.Journey just got thiers,so now Reo needs one.

Reo did play one new song off the Brotherhood at the Mn State Fair.Not bad.Impressive.

In my region Classic Rock Stations play "Roll With The Changes" and "Ridin' The Storm Out"....Other stations such as light Rock and Hits stations play "Keep On Loving You", "Can't Fight This Feeling", and "Take It On The Run" .....

I have known of REO as long as Styx,yet never owned an album.A buddy wayway back had a few and heard some songs which i quite liked.
If I were to pick up a cd of theirs that is the rockier melodic one,where do I start????

I thought 'Nine Lives' was their best early rocking album. When they hit Hi In Fidelty they turned into a pop band. Go with Nine Lives!!!

yogi wrote:I thought 'Nine Lives' was their best early rocking album. When they hit Hi In Fidelty they turned into a pop band. Go with Nine Lives!!!

Checked amazon and was surprised how many albums these guys made.
Nine lives sounds promising and so does You can tune a piano.

I wonder, does Kevin ever check message boards, does he know what fans/people are saying about his yakking too much? LOL

SuiteMadameBlue wrote:I wonder, does Kevin ever check message boards, does he know what fans/people are saying about his yakking too much? LOL

Heh
Maybe he SHOULD.

~Jane

I don't think Kevin would check any message boards.It takes him eons to post a new newsletter on Reo's site.He might not care what we all think.Lol.

He probably does know. He heard it from a friend who.. heard it from a friend who... heard it from another.............................

He'd been messin' around....

Riding the storm out is one of the best live songs I have ever heard, even though my mid west friends are tired of it always being the one played on the radio. The last time I saw REO, I cannot believe they opened with that one...it was little down hill for me after that.