Metal Sludge Gossip Board

Lots of egos but I"ll go with the rest of the band over Cronin on this. The reunion has everyone including roadies from the past 50 years but no Kevin

I think whatever they do is meaningless without Richrath. Great, they can go play State Fairs again, whoopee!

It certainly wouldn't be the first time LSD struck, but I haven't heard Cronin's side of things, just some generic "we couldn't work together" anymore, so he took his ball and went home.

I am thinking Kevin is the problem. He wrote that cross over album in what 1980? and Gary fell out afterwards. It has probably been the Kevin show since then. typical LSD.

Didn’t they fire Cronin in the early days and then rehire him?

keyofgee wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 9:54 am I am thinking Kevin is the problem. He wrote that cross over album in what 1980? and Gary fell out afterwards. It has probably been the Kevin show since then. typical LSD.

As much as I loved Gary’s playing, Kevin was always the main songwriter and true voice (as far as I am concerned) of REO. It’s always been the Kevin show even if he did leave briefly and come back early on.

VinnieVincentsVag wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:03 am Didn’t they fire Cronin in the early days and then rehire him?

Something like that. That's why on the radio, when they play "Ridin' The Storm Out", it's always the live version rather than the studio version, because Kevin didn't sing on that record.

Anthrax442 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:45 am

VinnieVincentsVag wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:03 am Didn’t they fire Cronin in the early days and then rehire him?

Something like that. That's why on the radio, when they play "Ridin' The Storm Out", it's always the live version rather than the studio version, because Kevin didn't sing on that record.

The debut has a different singer. Then Kevin came in for the 2nd album and left during the recording of Ridin' The Storm Out. The red head did 3 albums and then Kevin returned and they got successful.

BTW, their live album "You Get What You Play For" smokes and is one of my all-time favorite live albums right up there with Alive! and Alive II. Gary is a highly unrecognized guitarist who never got the mainstream credit he deserved. he was one of the best rock guitarist in his day and wrote amazingly well-constructed solos.

Pretty obvious what the truth was based on Kevin's comments: Bruce and Kevin had been having "musical issues." Bruce had to miss some dates to have back surgery, and Kevin tried to keep Bruce's replacement as a member of the band when Bruce was ready to come back. Kevin of course liked having a younger hired employee instead of having to deal with a guy who was an equal partner and had equal say.

So Bruce and drummer, who own 66% between the two of them, voted that Kevin could go fuck himself and no longer use the name.


"Bruce, he had major back surgery and there were some other issues, musical issues, that popped up. He was supposed to be there March 1st — didn't do it. And I'm, like, 'I don't know what's gonna happen here.' So my thought was, let's keep Matt in the band so when Bruce joins, it'll just be a six-piece group. I was working on a setlist where Bruce and Matt could kind of switch off between bass and acoustic guitar. And it was gonna be a little awkward, but at least that we would have the insurance and Bruce would have the security that if, for whatever reason… Because the show is one thing — getting on and off the bus, packing your bags, getting out of hotel rooms, when you have major back surgery at 70 years old, that's tough.

Anyway, the band is nothing without Richrath.

FreddyFender wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 11:07 am Anyway, the band is nothing without Richrath.

Well, likewise, Richrath was nothing without Kevin's songs.

I guess it puts things in perspective, when you think about the dysfunction in Ratt, Skid Row, Guns N' Roses, Motley Crue, etc...

These guys are all north of 70... and still arguing like they're in their 20's!

Kevin Cronin: Vocals, Guitar (Born October 6, 1951)
Bruce Hall: Bass (Born February 19, 1953)
Neal Doughty: Keyboards (Born July 29, 1946)
Dave Amato: Guitar (Born September 3, 1953)
Bryan Hitt: Drums (Born January 5, 1954)

Adding, Gary Richrath died in 2015 and Gregg Philbin passed away in 2022.

Even the scabs have been in the band for over 35 years and they're 70+ as well!

$ludge

Anthrax442 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 8:16 am I think whatever they do is meaningless without Richrath. Great, they can go play State Fairs again, whoopee!

It certainly wouldn't be the first time LSD struck, but I haven't heard Cronin's side of things, just some generic "we couldn't work together" anymore, so he took his ball and went home.

He and DeYoung are very analogous, right down to the ambisexuality

Wiseacre wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 11:40 am

FreddyFender wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 11:07 am Anyway, the band is nothing without Richrath.

Well, likewise, Richrath was nothing without Kevin's songs.

Richrath wrote some really good songs for REO like "Take It on the Run", but Kevin is definitely the voice of REO. It was kind of a "whole greater than the sum of the parts" situation with them, wasn't it?

Meh, l think Bruce was lowballed on salary and was completely blindsided by the offer. They can offer up all the PR spin about back surgeries and what not, it’s all fluff. It all comes down to complete control and money. Perhaps, Doughty and Cronin wanted to make their pie bigger.

An REO reunion without Cronin is just stupid. He is the voice of REO. And if this is just one off, it all makes even less sense.

Whoops. Making mistakes like REO Speedwagon.

I didn't know REO was approaching Journey level drama - maybe it's just natural and some step of enshitification

Journey easily has more drama though, right?

they were probably a “better” band, more rocking back in the day.
But they would’ve stayed a good forgotten 70s rock band without Kevin’s ballads keeping them a lite-Journey, remembered for a couple of songs forever.
Similar to a Styx & Dennis

Kevin heard it from a friend who heard it from a friend who heard it from another there would be an Reo Speedwagon show.

ElectrickMagick wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 10:03 am An REO reunion without Cronin is just stupid. He is the voice of REO. And if this is just one off, it all makes even less sense.

It's a charity fundraiser and something fun for the hardcore fans. Don't like it? Don't fly to Champaign, Illinois to go see it.

Anthrax442 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:45 am

VinnieVincentsVag wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:03 am Didn’t they fire Cronin in the early days and then rehire him?

Something like that. That's why on the radio, when they play "Ridin' The Storm Out", it's always the live version rather than the studio version, because Kevin didn't sing on that record.

They've only played the album version on my local station as far back as I remember. That's pretty cool they play the live one there.

NineteenEightyFour wrote: ↑Tue Apr 01, 2025 5:06 pm

Anthrax442 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:45 am

VinnieVincentsVag wrote: ↑Mon Mar 31, 2025 10:03 am Didn’t they fire Cronin in the early days and then rehire him?

Something like that. That's why on the radio, when they play "Ridin' The Storm Out", it's always the live version rather than the studio version, because Kevin didn't sing on that record.

They've only played the album version on my local station as far back as I remember. That's pretty cool they play the live one there.

Huh. Weird. I can honestly say, I've never actually heard the studio version because of that. It would be strange to hear, because I'm so used to hearing Cronin say "Last song People!" before it starts up.

I don't think, I know the REO Speedwagon truth is that if it weren't for Kevin Cronin, everyone else in or associated with the band would have much less cash.

It is obviously Grandma Cronin causing thr rift.

One look at that dumbass makes it obvious.