More Real REO!!

[hisroyalness2]

With this lead singer in charge, they are not an REO, but merely a bar and club blues sound that would not have done more than where they were then. It took a real vocalist to bring it together.

[zaske1]

What would have killed REO is this dude's singing. He looks cool though, but have you heard Kevin's version of this song? It is easily 73x better. I do like this dude though. Long live the 70s!!!!

[Zorack10]

Early REO kicked ass,man I'm glad that I caught this video,and this video is too short lol

[goallnight]

its true that cronin wrote some gay ass ballads, but they still managed to kick ass on alot of songs..... for example, everything on ( you get what you play for) every one of their albums had a couple of badass ritchrath style guitar driven tunes. so i still like reo even with kevin.

[einaroneeye]

Kind of looks like Terry was working on his Jaggerisms in terms of his state persona.

[clewi1091]

@einaroneeye I saw that too....lol. I really noticed it at 1:36.

[raybin05]

Kevin sure did kill REO. Dumb love songs. I'm an anti-establishment man !

[dancyn29]

REO Speedwagon : IT WAS RICHRATHS BAND FROM INCEPTION!!!

[lassenfels]

Yeah ,Kevin led them to be an unimaginative , 3 chord,hormonal teen girl pop band. But hey they hit the charts and got rich , so it was good for the band.

[Krissyroo03]

Yah too bad Kevin turned them into a ballad band...they had some real stuff here...

[Freyja1133]

@Krissyroo03 that wouldn't beuntil after Gary richrath left & alan gratzer retired

[leecalvin]

Check out Alan Gratzer's moustache!! Terry Luttrell had a unique voice,and Neal's keyboard skill are amazing to say he was self taught and at this point had only been playing for 4 years.

[wapaho]

They"re more like a Highschool dance band here. Kevin Cronin turned them into a bigtime mega band with his song writing,dynamic stage presence,and unique voice.

[dreamweavergr]

I agree, Kevin has been a driving force in REO's success, and his version of Lay Me Down is much better than the original, IMO. But don't forget that many of the early hits were written by Gary, and his unparallelled guitar style and expertise are what combined with Kevin's voice to turn the band into international superstars.

[wapaho]

I agree with you completely.

[billwill5051]

@wapaho u all cant be serious kevin cronin turned the band to pop ballads gary ricrath is the driving force and if you can honestly compare reo two to nine lives or anything after your dumb

[wapaho]

Your totally incorrect !!

[newworldman123]

best song they ever did "back on the road again" before they turned into a limp aor ballad shit band...........rip reo.

[notfragile33]

It sounds to me like REO was originally designed to be more like a project than a band--sort of like Jefferson Starship, because 'bands' see every member as 'hard to replace'. How else do you account for 10 different personnel changes BEFORE they even record their FIRST lp! And then a different singer for each lp until they finally settled on the singer from their 2nd lp in 1976!

To say they had an unusual history would be an understatement!

[notfragile33]

very 60s-entering the 70s sounding!

[B4493]

People gotta remember that Cronin had a big part in making them a big hard rock attraction in the early 70's when he first joined. Those shows were legendary. Check out "R.E.O. T.W.O" . It rocks hard, and has more personality then their first album, or the Mike Murphy albums.

[B4493]

Great song, much better on "you get what you play for". However, i'd love to know more about early REO and what those old shows were like cause I know they were quite poular with this guy singin. this is awesome footage, but there's no way this guy or Mike Murphy brought more dynamics to REO than Kevin.

[oldcigarette1]

LMAO....I just checked out REO Speed Dealer......Very, very funny....They suck, but it was entertaining in a funny way.....

[OneTruFu]

I saw REAL REO and just assumed they meant REO Speeddealer, not this lame ass shit. As if the fuckballs weren't fagged out enough... they even sued my buddies for their fucking REO. They can ram it straight up their REAsshOles in my mind :)

[wapaho]

I"ve got news for you, real REO is with Kevin Cronin as lead vocals. They never would have become as popular without him.His voice was legendary !!!

[OneTruFu]

What a crock of shit. "real" REO is SpeedDEALER not WAGON you turd gobbler.

[Hoverbomber]

wtf is reo speeddealer? r u high bitch?

reo speedwagon is forever an amazing band, no matter the members. ur a disgrace

[veronicalovesgdr]

Not hardlly

[nerdflanders8710]

aare these guys  homo sexuals?they sure look like it.

[rickyon]

These guys back in the day got more poon than you'll ever even think about in your whole life!

[veronicalovesgdr]

Alan is awesome! REO started with him and ended when he and Gary left. I enjoyed it while it lasted.  At least there's still the rock videos!

[Billykid514]

Alan was the beat of REO not the same now

[BullRun1861]

Gary was an incredible guitarist, no denying it....always liked this song. KC did it credit on "you get what you play for."

[jim543212]

Kevin is a stronger singer than Murphy, but he's such an asshole. Go figure.

[lockwpa]

I picked up the first REO album in an throw-out bin at WTLB in Utica, NY in 1971. Still have it...with the song list glued on the front cover. Bought every album thru TunaFish..then gave up.

[curseon]

One thing that becomes increasingly evident to me is that although Kevin Cronin's voice is largely the "sound" of REO Speedwagon, Gary Richrath's guitar work (even during this early performance) cannot go unnoticed as a MAJOR influence as well. His ability to craft a solo into a song nicely is amazing.

[rebelskull18]

I like Dave but I miss Gary....Terry had the best voice of the three....Kevins vocals sound the best on R E O 2...

[Kenoman29]

Mikeynails is dead on...Terry Lutrell never sang Ridin the storm out. Kevin Cronin and Mike Murphy did. Murp was a TERRIBLE singer. I've always said that Terry Lutrell would have made a HELL of a METAL band singer when he hit the high notes. But through it all, Gary Richrath is, was, and always will be REO. Hey mikeynails...I know that KC was on REO T.W.O. So why the brain confusion. Hell, I know it too.

[mikeynails]

Lutrell never sang Ridin' the Storm Out. It was Mike Murphy, who sang on three albums after Kevin's initial one-album run. Gawd, I can't believe I know that.

[pickzzzzzz]

Riding The Storm Out just never sounded right with Terry! I can't find in I hope someone post it soon. Best Song in the REO trick bag!

[Editboy10]

Cause Gary has done a lot since Kevin tossed his drunk ass out of the band?

[Jonnn79]

It's ok. 95% of everything REO's done since Gary left has been mediocre. Most of their work has been greatest hits collections and reunion tours. Gary's songwriting was one of their strong points, and today they still perform the songs he wrote.

[RADKRAZY]

The only thing Gary had left to prove is that REO sux without him.

[stimie1958]

Wow this really opened a floodgate of memories of the 70's in and around Champaign IL and The old original REO! Keep this type of videos coming whoever is finding and posting them!!

[c99999992003]

Kevin killed REO. He is just an ego manic that wants to write ballads. Kevin has never done a damn thing without Gary.

[130sunset]

Thanks very much to the person who posted all these videos from the REAL REO Speedwagon. Lutrell , Ritchrath and the guys were so much more heavy. Love It !!!

[Tomchichi]

This is one of my favorite REO Songs. I love this, and to me REO was such a different band with Terry Lutrell as singer.

I love the 1977 version of this song with KC singing better however

[romelovesdan]

Richrath was an original , dynamic player Hats off...but, as someone stated "...could'nt take care of himself.." True or not the evil cocaine abuse surely damaged the relationships and reliability.Too bad they can not get together and put out a DVD of vintage stuff like this.

[RADKRAZY]

Not since the late 80s or early 90s

Gary played without REO at the Terre Towne Inn

in Terre Haute a few times after leaving REO....

[noelygirl]

Is gary the same guitar player know?

[mddwello]

Thank God REO in any incarnation is still around and gettin' in done. I wish Gary was still around as well, but Dave lays it down in concert. Turning Stone in July will ROCK!!! Who knows, maybe someday all the guys will get together for a huge jam in the Midwest somewhere...Gary, Alan, and Greg with the current lineup would rule. Probably not, but I can keep hopin'. Still like Terry and Mike as well.

[Rockabilly3259]

This was the REO I grew up with. God, thanks for the memories. I saw this line up a dozen times, man what I would give for a whole concert. Thanks a MILLION

[shakedownthestars]

This is SO cool to see this footage. Now all we need is some video footage of Mike Murphy on Lead Vocals, and the Trifecta will be complete! It's good to see this band, still green, not yet penetrated by ego... This is great stuff. Thanks for posting it.

[jlmso11568]

Lutrell has a early 70s voice. that's it.

[mikericci80]

we need the WHOLE video. This is amazing

[jr452]

Lutrell is okay and it is nice to see this older stuff, but Kevin Cronin put REO on the map, and has kept them there for the last three decades.

[Krissyroo03]

Actually, since Luttrell was the orignal he got it started, and if it weren't for him, there wouldn't of been a kevin....if Terry had stayed with the band, they still woulda been somewhere, just not so pop and more actually rock....they would not sell out

[jr452]

You might want to see them in concert lately, they still rock... as for sell outs, you are probably refering to the "power ballad" well i enjoy them, and the latest "I Needed to Fall" (new CD) is currently on the Billboard Chart. You are probably upset at Gary leaving also, I really enjoyed his guitar playing also, but he could not take care of himself, and Amato has done an amazing job....

[jehill1]

This is great stuff. Real vintage work.

[oohindie]

i agree. i never heard lutrell live, but he has a natural approach to vocals and seems relaxed and in personal musical space while performing. .which is different than performing for an audience. .

[bojanowskib]

I prefered Lutrell and didn't like Cronin, but the downside was that you could hardly hear Luttrell during a live performance in the bars. REO was very loud!

[Schmuseboy73]

Terry Lutrell was the best singer at Reo Speedwagon ever! Had they performed more than "157" and "Lay me down" that day?