Not many bands can lay declare to writing a track that prompted followers to throw their stash out the automotive window. As REO Speedwagon keyboardist Neal Doughty tells UCR, “Ridin’ the Storm Out” had simply that impact.
Singer Kevin Cronin informed UCR final 12 months that the track got here out of a climbing expertise within the Rocky Mountains the place the climate unexpectedly took a flip for the more serious. However it’s the siren-like squeals included within the monitor that has most followers working for canopy. “Don’t fear, it’s not the police behind you,” Doughty laughs. “It’s solely REO Speedwagon.”
It’s been 55 years since the keyboardist shaped the band whereas attending the College of Illinois. He nonetheless has vivid reminiscences of cramming all of their gear into the again of a station wagon as they went from one Midwest city to a different. (Cronin joined 5 years later, simply in time for 1972’s R.E.O./T.W.O.) “Imagine it or not, we’re nonetheless not uninterested in doing it,” Doughty says.
REO Speedwagon might be again on the highway with fellow Midwest rockers Styx this month, launching the Dwell & UnZoomed tour with particular visitor Loverboy. (Followers can order discounted $25 tickets throughout Dwell Nation’s annual Concert Week, which runs by Might 10.)
“We plan to maintain going so long as we presumably can,” Doughty says.
How are issues going for the tour?
We’ve been enjoying a number of exhibits right here and there, simply in order that we don’t get rusty. They’re smaller venues. However we love the large amphitheater excursions. We’re going to have a few days of rehearsal proper earlier than the primary live performance. Apart from that, we’re all getting wholesome and filled with vitality and that can present up onstage.
When did REO first meet Styx?
Kevin is from Chicago, and so is Styx. Folks assume there was a rivalry between REO and Styx, however that simply goes manner again to the day when Kevin was enjoying acoustic units in bars throughout Chicago. Styx was nonetheless not a nationwide group but. Kevin had a band referred to as Fuchsia manner again then. Fuchsia and Styx had been at all times ending up [in a local battle of the bands]. The primary time Styx received, Kevin goes, “Properly, they will need to have stuffed the poll field, as a result of I do know we had been higher than these guys.” There’s nonetheless a bit little bit of that [rivalry] in there. Each bands are working collectively to make it a terrific evening. However we’re nonetheless going, “Let’s attempt to outdo these guys tonight.” Persons are questioning, “How will you guys nonetheless be making an attempt to play a greater present than you probably did the evening earlier than?” Quite a lot of it, after all, is the viewers. However it’s additionally simply the camaraderie that exists between Styx, REO and Loverboy. To this present day, we’re going to name it a pleasant competitors, however we love these guys. To not get too melodramatic or something right here.
“Roll With the Changes” is a type of songs that also sound nice on the radio. How did you get that one to a spot the place it felt good?
Kevin left the group for a short while. That is one of many first songs that he introduced again. He is enjoying the piano on that track and doing one thing that no one else can do. We nonetheless cannot work out precisely what he is doing on the piano. We heard that [song] and actually appreciated it instantly. However then it changed into a pleasant competitors between me and Kevin. I believe which may have been the primary track the place he performed keyboards on the track, and I am going, “Properly, if he will do one thing flashy on the piano, then I will do one thing flashy on the Hammond B3 organ.” I labored on that solo for a very long time. It is most likely the solo that individuals keep in mind from me. It is simply such a enjoyable track with all of these vocals occurring. It was enjoyable to do it within the studio, and it nonetheless could also be my favourite track to play dwell. The track simply lends itself to a pure vitality, and it nonetheless works each evening.
Followers have an equally robust attachment to what you performed on “Ridin’ the Storm Out.”
That was a track that [guitarist] Gary [Richrath] introduced in, and Kevin sort of inspired him. Collectively, they made it a bit higher. However that siren-type noise in the beginning of the factor, our producer, Invoice Halverson, informed us, “This track wants to start out out with one thing that makes it really feel like there is a storm coming.” He mentioned, “Let’s get one thing [that sounds like] you are in a bit cabin out within the Rocky Mountains and also you hear the wind coming by the home windows.” That is the place we went, “OK, let’s all mess around with the synthesizer and see if we are able to get a sound that sounds just like the wind coming by the home windows.” I urged that half the place it begins low and goes up 5 octaves. Everyone actually appreciated that sound. In order that’s the way in which the track begins and ends. The truth that it sounds a lot like a police siren, we have now all types of individuals telling us, “Properly, I used to be driving down the highway and that siren got here on the radio, and I threw all of my pot out the window. For nothing.” They’re nonetheless mad at us for that. So if you happen to hear that track come on, hopefully, you are not doing something to impair your driving, however don’t fret, it is not the police behind you. It is solely REO Speedwagon.
Take heed to REO Speedwagon’s ‘Ridin’ the Storm Out’
You talked about how lengthy you labored on the solo for “Roll With the Adjustments.” Was that typical?
They’re all improvised, however numerous occasions, sort of in items. We might work on a keyboard solo for a few days and it will at all times begin with me enjoying one thing after which the blokes would go, “Sure, this one half is correct, however do one thing else over right here.” It might come right down to me enjoying one thing and the blokes going, “OK, that was nice. Now play one thing higher.” A lot of the solos had been rigorously orchestrated. We consider a solo, whether or not it is guitar or keyboards, as simply being an extension of the melody that is occurring. That is why most of our solos, as an alternative of simply being loopy, they actually have been rigorously thought out to suit the track. There’s numerous traditional rock bands that do not have as many keyboard solos as we do. Gary Richrath liked keyboard solos, and he was at all times placing in a phrase. “OK, we want a keyboard solo on this half.” A few of them, we actually labored on for fairly some time.
However nonetheless, they began out being improvised. No one wrote out sheet music of the solo for me. The little piano solo in “In Your Letter,” that is one which I sort of thought up at residence and took it into the studio utterly in my head already completed. I simply performed it by as soon as, begin to end, and the blokes simply began applauding. It was completed within the first take. However numerous occasions, they’re much more tough than that.
How did the album title for You Can Tune a Piano, however You Cannot Tuna Fish come about?
I believe it is an outdated Marx Brothers joke or one thing. It goes manner again. However we would by no means heard of it. We had been at an aftershow social gathering. Again within the day, we used to social gathering all evening. A buddy of ours got here up with that. He is going, “Hey, you guys need to name this album that.” We had been all within the social gathering mode at that time and going, “OK, we are going to!” We had sort of made a promise to him at that time. That is most likely our second hottest album, and lots of people simply say, “Properly, it was that title that made me conscious of the album.” That is the one album title I can not take credit score for. Now, The Earth, a Small Man, His Canine and a Rooster, the artist that did the illustration that turned out to be the duvet, his working notes, he had an entire bunch of issues to point out us. Down on the backside in pencil [that was written]. I mentioned, “Hey, let’s simply name it that.” I used to be kidding, however all the sudden, all people thought, “Yeah, that’s a terrific thought!” We’ve had individuals from each instructions saying, “Yeah, that was a terrific title” after which there have been individuals at our report label going, “No, no, that’s simply too silly. We don’t need you to do this.” However we had been cussed and we did it anyway.
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