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REO Speedwagon
1968-
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Artistfacts:
| They were named after a fire engine. The Name "REO Speedwagon" Refers to Ransom Earl Olds, the founder of Oldsmobile. The Speedwagon was one of the Models prior to Oldsmobile. (thanks, James - Anaheim, CA) |
| They had the #1 album when MTV went on the air in 1981. Not a photogenic band, they made bad videos and were not successful in the video era. |
| They are from Champaign, Illinois. A street there is named "REO Speedwagon Way." |
| The band was formed by Gratzer and Doughty, who were students at the University of Illinois. |
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Comments:
| I work with a woman who graduated from high school in 1982, and she had her senior pictures taken in an REO Speedwagon concert shirt, which at that time was far more unusual than it is now. Her parents refused to pay for them when they saw them. - Sarah, Quincy, IL |
| Getting ready to pass the torch tonight. My 13 yr old daughter is going to her first concert, and it will be REO at the Embassy in Fort Wayne, In. She likes more of Styx songs but has gotten into REO recently. Its great when music becomes generational. - Kent, Fort Wayne, IN |
| i konw gary's son eric really well we are best friend s in ghigh school years back in east peoria ILLinois.
Love ashley - ashley, east peoria , IL |
| I grew up in IL and worked with a guy named Powie that lived with REO Speed Wagon, on a bus in Southern IL, in the late 60's early '70's. They totally rocked. As far as the Kevin Cronin soft rock stuff, SCREW YOU MAN!!!!! ROCK ON REO SPEEDWAGON...........
Kevin please stop denying your past for the sake of money. PARTY ON.............................
If you grew up where I did , REO LIVE was the best album you ever listened to period.
Soft rock my ass..................... - Bobby, Northbrook, IL |
| Actually, Eric was from Creve Coeur. I used to deliver the paper to his mom's house and I played baseball (pick up games) with him. He did go to East Peoria High School though. - Todd, Pekin, IL |
| I saw REO Speedwagon maybe 30 years ago in Market Square Arena in Indy. They were far better live than in the studio. They were a basic Midwestern rock band, and weren't flashy, hence maybe why they never did many videos. They now tour smaller clubs and showrooms, but I'm sure they're still playing well. - Pat, Albuquerque, NM |
| My best friend was so lucky when REO Speedwagon came to the minnesota state fair she saw them and my favorite songs of REO speedwagon are keep on loving you and take it on the run and it's time for me to fly and can't fight this feeling anymore the lead singer Kevin Cronin is one of my favorite lead sigers in the world of soft rock and alot of other lead singers are on my list - michelle, Maplewood, MN |
| The "speedwagon"has been droped from the REO
band name. due to the drug culture of the 60's
70's and 80's.The band name is REO. - William David Snyder, Phoenix, AZ |
| Don't forget the contribution of Mike Murphy--a soulful, bluesy voice that I've always preferred to Cronin's shrill stacato. (Relax, Cronin's a great singer!) Murphy sang lead briefly from, I think, '73 through '75. Last I heard, Murphy was playing keys for a guy named Steve Pierson. Not sure where Murphy lives now. Wish he'd do his own recording with vocals...While living in the Midwest, I had a chance to see Murphy guest perform with the Faith Band (Indianapolis-based)in '76. A truly great show.
K. New York City
- K, New York City, NY |
| I've got to take issue with the "artistfact" about them not doing well in the video era.
When MTV debuted in 1981, there weren't that many American bands with conceptual videos ready to go--so, MTV relied on taking clips from live performances. REO Speedwagon concert videos were definitely a staple of its daily programming...and certainly helped keep "Hi-Infidelity" on the charts as long as it was.
I'm also fairly certain that the first EVER live concert on MTV was an REO Speedwagon concert--such was their status in the music industry at the time.
Their often "wacky" conceptual videos were definitely in the style picked up by Huey Lewis & The News for THEIR "mainstream band earns video success" template.
REO Speedwagon...like Styx, like Journey and other bands of that era were career musicians who couldn't just reinvent themselves every time a new trend came around--so, their time came and went, as stars on MTV. Whether or not they weren't "photogenic" or not didn't so much matter--I mean, were The Cars good looking? Was Billy Joel? There are so many "pop" artists that did just fine in the first five to seven years of MTV...many of whom wouldn't get the chance to be now...
Just don't believe the hype--video didn't kill THESE particular radio stars... By the time they were pigeonholed as aging balladeers--hair metal and college rock had made them irrelevant to MTV viewers (just as it did to Steve Winwood, Phil Collins, Peter Gabriel, Foreigner and a host of others...) - Peter, Seattle, WA |
| Former REO drummer Alan Gratzer occasionally sits in with the band, but only for a once-in-a-blue moon Califonia date. What was the venue? - REO157, USA, United States |
| I just saw REO in concert a couple of weeks ago and they had two drummers up on stage. One was Bryan Hitt, but I;ve never seen the other guy before. Anyone have any idea who that might be? - Otto, Miami, FL |
| So...whatever happened to Greg Philbin after he left in 1976???? He's an incredible bassist....Did he become a studio bassist in L.A. or Nashville??? The albums he did with REO are classics....nobody plays better than Regis!!!!! I saw them in 1971 and 1972....Just like the cover of T.W.O. - Lee, Bloomington, IL |
| Terry Luttrell wasn't "fired" from STARCASTLE..He hails from Rantoul and appeared on all 4 STARCASTLE albums...and he has been at every reunion the band has done...even the benefit for Gary Strater that was held last year...I would guess he remained in very good standing with them....as for why he left REO....I think it was a mutual decision, based on musical differences. - Lee, Bloomington, IL |
| Doctors never made any such statement to Gregg Philbin. He's in great health, and said rumors of his demise are greatly exaggerated. - REO157, USA, United States |
| Actually, James from Anaheim is close, but not fully correct. It stands for Ransom Eli Olds, not Earl. - chris, lake orion, MI |
| Doctors told Greg Philbin he would "never live to see the bicentennial"; he showed them. - Emory, Baltimore, MD |
| Gary Richrath was from East Peoria Illinois. During high school he was a tennis play. His son Eric grew up in East Peoria and worked at Wendys during his hight school years. - Jennifer, Belleville, IL |
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