Although best known for the AOR and radio hits from the early 1980s (which included the number ones ‘Keep On Loving You’ and ‘Can’t Fight This Feeling’), R.E.O. Speedwagon’s long history goes way back to their formation in Champaign, Illinois in 1967. Initially a covers band playing bars and fraternity houses, the initial line-up of Neal Doughty on keyboards, Alan Gratzer on drums and vocals, Joe Matt on guitar and vocals and Mike Blair on bass and vocals, named themselves after the R.E.O. Speed Wagon, a model of American flat-bed truck. By the time they came to record their debut LP for Epic Records in 1971, the line- up had settled around Terry Luttrell on lead vocals, driving force Gary Richrath on guitar and Gregg Philbin on bass, joining Neal Doughty and Alan Gratzer.
Although guitarist Gary Richrath has long been an important and influential figure in the songwriting and musical direction of the band, by the release of second LP, “R.E.O./T.W.O.”, the band were joined by Kevin Cronin on lead vocals. His tenure with R.E.O. was cut short when he was replaced on lead vocals by Mike Murphy for 1973’s “Ridin’ The Storm Out”, 1974’s “Lost In A Dream” and 1975’s “This Time We Mean It”, the latter co-produced by future Eagles producer, Bill Szymczyk. By 1976’s “R•E•O”, Kevin Cronin had returned to the fold, making a significant contribution to the songwriting alongside Gary Richrath. Produced by John Stronach, “R•E•O” would also be the last studio LP to feature Gregg Philbin on bass, who’d be replaced by Bruce Hall following 1977’s double concert album “LIVE (YOU GET WHAT YOU PLAY FOR)”. Going platinum the following year, whilst making a healthy dent on the Billboard Hot 100, it was recorded at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, the Convention Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, Kiel Auditorium, Saint Louis, Missouri and the Electric Ballroom in Atlanta, Georgia.
As well as extensive liner notes from Malcolm Dome, this expansive 8 disc set features a wealth of bonus tracks; self-titled debut album CD1: “R.E.O. SPEEDWAGON” [1971] features “mono single” versions of ‘157 Riverside Avenue’, ‘Lay Me Down’ and ‘Sophisticated Lady’. CD2: “R.E.O. T.W.O.” [1972] features a “mono single” cover of Chuck Berry’s ‘Little Queenie’. CD3: “RIDIN’ THE STORM OUT” [1973] features bonus “mono single” versions of ‘Ridin’ The Storm Out’, ‘Open Up’ plus ‘Ridin’ The Storm Out’ and ‘Son Of A Poor Man’ featuring Kevin Cronin on vocals. CD4: “LOST IN A DREAM” [1974] features a “mono single” version ‘Throw The Chains Away’. CD5: “THIS TIME WE MEAN IT” [1975] features “mono single” versions of ‘Reelin’’ and ‘Out Of Control’. CD6: “R•E•O” [1976] “mono single” version of ‘Keep Pushin’’ plus a live take of the same song. CD7 & CD 8: “LIVE (YOU GET WHAT YOU PLAY FOR)” [1977] finishes off this collection, and restores the record to its original full length double album by including both ‘Gary’s Guitar Solo’ and ‘Little Queenie’, which were omitted from the original single CD release due to time constraints.
DISC ONE:
R.E.O. SPEEDWAGON (1971)
1. GYPSY WOMAN’S PASSION
2. 157 RIVERSIDE AVENUE
3. ANTI-ESTABLISHMENT MAN
4. LAY ME DOWN
5. SOPHISTICATED LADY
6. FIVE MEN WERE KILLED TODAY
7. PRISON WOMEN
8. DEAD AT LAST
BONUS TRACKS
9. 157 RIVERSIDE AVENUE (MONO SINGLE)
10.LAY ME DOWN (MONO SINGLE)
11.SOPHISTICATED LADY (MONO SINGLE)
DISC TWO:
R.E.O. TWO (1972)
1. LET ME RIDE
2. HOW THE STORY GOES
3. LITTLE QUEENIE
4. BEING KIND (CAN HURT SOMEONE SOMETIMES)
5. MUSIC MAN
6. LIKE YOU DO
7. FLASH TAN QUEEN
8. GOLDEN COUNTRY
BONUS TRACK
9. LITTLE QUEENIE (MONO SINGLE)
DISC THREE:
RIDIN’ THE STORM OUT (1973)
1. RIDIN’ THE STORM OUT
2. WHISKEY NIGHT
3. OH WOMAN
4. FIND MY FORTUNE
5. OPEN UP
6. MOVIN’
7. SON OF A POOR MAN
8. START A NEW LIFE
9. IT’S EVERYWHERE
10.WITHOUT EXPRESSION (DON’T BE THE MAN)
BONUS TRACKS
11.RIDIN’ THE STORM OUT (MONO SINGLE)
12.OPEN UP (MONO SINGLE)
13.RIDIN’ THE STORM OUT feat. Kevin Cronin
14.SON OF A POOR MAN feat. Kevin Cronin
DISC FOUR:
LOST IN A DREAM (1974)
1. GIVE ME A RIDE (ROLLER COASTER)
2. THROW THE CHAINS AWAY
3. SKY BLUES
4. YOU CAN FLY
5. LOST IN A DREAM
6. DOWN BY THE DAM
7. DO YOUR BEST
8. WILD AS THE WESTERN WIND
9. THEY’RE ON THE ROAD
10.I’M FEELING GOOD
BONUS TRACK
11.THROW THE CHAINS AWAY (MONO SINGLE)
DISC FIVE:
THIS TIME WE MEAN IT (1975)
1. REELIN’
2. HEADED FOR A FALL
3. RIVER OF LIFE
4. OUT OF CONTROL
5. YOU BETTER REALIZE
6. GAMBLER
7. CANDALERA
8. LIES
9. DANCE
10.DREAM WEAVER
BONUS TRACKS
11.REELIN’ (MONO SINGLE)
12.OUT OF CONTROL (MONO SINGLE)
DISC SIX:
R•E•O (1976)
1. KEEP PUSHIN’
2. ANY KIND OF LOVE
3. (ONLY A) SUMMER LOVE
4. (I BELIEVE) OUR TIME IS GONNA COME
5. BREAKAWAY
6. FLYING TURKEY TROT
7. TONIGHT
8. LIGHTNING
BONUS TRACKS
9. KEEP PUSHIN’ (MONO SINGLE)
10.KEEP PUSHIN’ (LIVE)
DISC SEVEN:
(LIVE) YOU GET WHAT YOU PLAY FOR (1977)
1. LIKE YOU DO
2. LAY ME DOWN
3. ANY KIND OF LOVE
4. BEING KIND (CAN HURT SOMEONE SOMETIMES)
5. KEEP PUSHIN’
6. (ONLY A) SUMMER LOVE
7. SON OF A POOR MAN
8. (I BELIEVE) OUR TIME IS GONNA COME
DISC EIGHT:
(LIVE) YOU GET WHAT YOU PLAY FOR (1977)
1. FLYING TURKEY TROT
2. GARY’S GUITAR SOLO
3. 157 RIVERSIDE AVE.
4. RIDIN’ THE STORM OUT
5. MUSIC MAN
6. LITTLE QUEENIE
7. GOLDEN COUNTRY
