Yawn- I am the champion, my friends… (again)

 

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My name is Thefullbug and I love REO Speedwagon

That felt good and it needed to happen a long time ago.  But why now?  Must have been last Wednesday.  I roll up to work rocking some REO loud enough to be heard and pull into the space in front of a guy that is well, (thinking about how to describe him) terribly, terribly, terribly gay.  I see this dude all the time.  Some small talk in the break room about his cool car, talk about what he does at the office… You know.  But on Wednesday, he gave me the “dude nod”.  As to say, I know you listen to REO Speedwagon.  It’s not your choice, really.  You were born that way. 

So, before this thing gets so far out of hand that when people talk about REO Speedwagon fans they add the disclaimer; “not that there’s anything wrong with that”, I need to set a few things straight. 

• This band of love song singing, adult contemporary radio staples started out with long hair and sang about being anti-establishment hippies in the very early ’70’s.  I mean, they were a rock and roll band!
• They had one of the cool band logos that rocked a set of wings a la Aerosmith and Queen. 
• Aside from writing some of their great songs, founding member, Gary Richrath could straight up play a Les Paul!  Just listen to him.  here, here, and here <– Great example here. Start around the 1:50 mark.
• Bruce Hall (and before him) Greg Philbin are great bass players.  Steven Bush, quit laughing at me and check it. –> (here)
• When Kevin Cronin was firmly in the frontman seat by album three, they were already an excellent bluesy Midwestern hard rock band.  He brought that piano/guitar ballads and they started getting commercial success.  As drummer, Alan Gratzer put it; “We started doing wedding songs.”
•  Last point?  Everyone I know that has made fun of me for being an REO fan is wrong.  Astonishing, I know.  But true.  Every one of you. 

You may now all go about your business of calling me a fag.