REO Speedwagon

The following, after this paragraph, I wrote back in 1998. These days I wouldn't call REO Speedwagon my one favorite band. But they are still amoung my favorites, even if I haven't been listening to them much lately as of when I'm writing this, March 2004.

Why are REO Speedwagon my favorite band? Because they've consistently put out great music over the years, they put on a great live show, and they really care about their fans.

Great Music: REO Speedwagon aren't they only band I like. There are several other bands who have made music that I like as well as that of REO. The difference with REO is that they have consistently put out music I love for over 25 years (not that I've been a fan that long, but I like the old stuff too.) Other bands I tend to love some of their stuff, but not like other stuff as well. With REO, I love everything. I've never heard a bad REO album or a bad REO song. REO have great songs as well as the performing talent to really bring out the best in the songs. And I like the kind of songs they sing and the kind of music they play. No, REO don't have a monopoly on that. But when looking at the whole of a band's recording career, for me REO beat any other band out there.

Great Live Show: REO are a great live band. No, they are beyond great. June 20, 1997 was my first Night Ranger concert and my first REO Speedwagon concert. I was very impressed with Night Ranger. They were great. It was then that I really began to appreciate Night Ranger. However, as great as Night Ranger were, REO Speedwagon came out and blew them away. And that's a pretty darn good trick. Now, to be fair REO Speedwagon had the audience of their side. I am lucky to live in a region where there are lots of REO fans, which means good audiences and plenty of opportunities to see REO live. REO Speedwagon are one of the very the best live bands I have seen. For more about some of my REO concert experiences read Ellen's REO / Styx trip to Evansville and Nashville and Styx and REO Speedwagon with Eddie Money in St. Louis and Kansas City.

They Care About Their Fans: REO Speedwagon aren't the only band who care about their fans. However, no band that I know of has shown more appreciation of and consideration for their fans than REO do. Yes, music is music, and what a person or band are like when not making records and off stage doesn't make the music less good. But, still, it does affect my appreciation for a band or artist. After all, they are not just musicians, they are people. I don't think it's a coincidence that the artists I like I also tend to like as people. So, yes, the fact the REO care about their fans does make a difference to me. And while it may not make a difference on the albums, the appreciation they have for their fans is evident in their live shows and is one of the things that makes REO live so awesome. REO and their fans have a mutual appreciation for each other which really energizes the atmosphere at an REO concert.

I've been an REO Speedwagon fan for a long time, since I first discovered their music in 1982. But it's only recently that I've really gotten into them and they've become my favorite band. What changed? First, getting the album Building The Bridge. I totally related to Kevin Cronin's love songs on the album. Second, seeing the band live. Plus, I am able to appreciate their music now more than I did when I was younger. Somehow, REO appealed to my more grown up side as a teen. Therefore, while I enjoyed REO and they were always one of my favorite bands, I never got into them. However, REO's music really fits who I am now.

REO Speedwagon Are:

Neal Doughty (keyboards)
Kevin Cronin (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, some piano)
Bruce Hall (bass guitar, background and some lead vocals)
Dave Amato (guitars, background vocals)
Bryan Hitt (drums)

Kudos to the members of REO Speedwagon, past and present. They are who make REO Speedwagon what it was and is. I'm not going to list all the past members, but I do want to make special mention of Gary Richrath. Gary was the lead guitarist and one of principle songwriters in REO from before their first album until he left the band in 1989. Gary's guitar work was an important part of REO during his years in the band, and his songs are still an important part of REO's live show.

I would also like to give credit to the men who founded REO Speedwagon. Way back in 1968 (the year before I was born) Neal Doughty, Alan Gratzer and two of their fellow students at the University of Illinois in Champaign formed REO Speedwagon. Without them there would never have been REO in the first place. While the other founding members didn't stay with the band past graduation, Alan remained their drummer for 20 years before retiring from the music business in 1988, and Neal is still playing keyboards with REO.