Gary Richrath has passed away (Founding member of rock band REO Speedwagon)

REO Speedwagon official Facebook page. ^ | 9/14/15 | Kevin Cronin

[BlueMondaySkipper]

REO is supposed to play in my area on the 16th.

Must be nearby. We're going to see them Wednesday.

[angcat]

Yea I hated those ballads I remember Boston went the same route. Stick to Rock and Metal.

[dfwgator]

I think “Billy Madison” forever ruined them when they had the scene with Billy wearing his old “REO Speedwagon” T-Shirt when he rolled into High School.

[dfwgator]

In their early days, they were the furthest thing from being a “chick” band.

[RckyRaCoCo]

Timeless guitar licks...great band, great music.

(ugggh, hate get'n old)

RIP

[ebshumidors]

Same with me. I enlisted in the army on Jan 20, 1981. I wore that tape out. We drove down to Memphis from Ft Campbell to see Survivor, Joan Jett, Kansas and REO as the headliner.

[SamAdams76]

True, their earlier albums were way different than the polished pop they put out later. Kind of like Journey, which is another band that transformed themselves into power pop.

[dfwgator]

In the 80s, Chicks were Money.

[cornfedcowboy]

I met Gary Richrath when in a Minneaplis hotel lobby in 1981 or so. He was just hanging around and visiting with fans that would be attending the concert later that night. Nice guy.

[Gil4]

I always considered REO Speedwagon more of a "chick band" but I do have fond memories of the "Hi Infidelity" album from 1981.

In their early days, they were the furthest thing from being a “chick” band.

That Hi Infidelity album was right around the transition point to being more of a "chick band", which really just meant they became more popular with the mainstream and had a couple of ballads that were popular. I guess it might have started with the Tuna album and "Time for Me to Fly", but I remember so many girls had REO concert t-shirts during the Hi Infidelity tour.

[dfwgator]

But I remember when Hi-Infidelity came out, I knew some hardcore REO fans and their reaction to it was, “What the H-— is this S-—!”

[Gil4]

I think “Billy Madison” forever ruined them ...

If that didn't do it, then ending the movie "Horton hears a Who" with "Can't Fight This Feeling" would have. Ugh.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=NCwd9TFqGts

[Gil4]

My favorite album of theirs is Live-You Get What You Play For. They had a lot of their early studio albums just weren’t very good. Here is the studio version of Riding the Storm Out - there is a reason we never heard it on the radio.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTBv4kAdk_w

[mmichaels1970]

Those song will always remind me of that time in my life. Getting out of boot camp. President Reagan. Going to 29 Palms, California for my advanced MOS training.

Just love how great albums and bands can bring back such vivid memories. I can almost still smell the summer sweat of the hot days listening to "Hi Infi" continuously.

[mmichaels1970]

I've yet found any others of theirs that I really like.

Time For Me To Fly

Anthem for me and my two buddies when we left home and drove cross-country to become Alaskan crab fishermen.

[infool7]

To each their own.

It stands out for me, especially because the band I was in (Thunderstruck) while REO was becoming popular, covered Ridin’ the Storm Out, it brings back some rather vivid memories.

[mmichaels1970]

Yea I hated those ballads I remember Boston went the same route

Oh man....Third Stage is awesome. I'm all over the map on music, but that's one that I still frequently listen to cover to cover.

[angcat]

Too mellow for me!

[mmichaels1970]

Too mellow for me!

Can't say I blame ya. I go for hard rocking in the car and mellow when I try to get "in the zone" when writing code at work.

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