REO Speedwagon’s Kevin Cronin On Touring With Chicago, Hobbies & Some Bands He Enjoys In 2018

With over 40 million albums sold, REO Speedwagon has been steadily playing arenas for over 35 years. Summer 2018 finds REO Speedwagon on yet another major tour, co-headlining big stages with Chicago, with whom Speedwagon had toured in 2014. With the same lineup in tact for nearly 30 years, REO Speedwagon — as comprised on frontman Kevin Cronin, guitarist Dave Amato, keyboardist Neal Doughty, bassist Bruce Hall and drummer Bryan Hitt — shows no signs of slowing down.

I had the pleasure of talking with Mr. Cronin about the past, present and future of REO Speedwagon. If Speedwagon’s upcoming tour with Chicago happens to come through your town on a Thursday, let’s just say that you may want to in attendance for that event. More on the quintet, including tour dates and merchandise for sale, can be found online at www.speedwagon.com.

REO Speedwagon and Chicago toured together previously in 2014. Was that your first run of dates together?

Kevin Cronin: I am from Chicago, the city that is, and my first guitar teacher reportedly played in a band with Terry Kath in the early 60’s. Other than that, yeah, 2014 was the first time I played with Chicago.

Chicago formed around the same time that REO Speedwagon did, but who were some of the Illinois bands from your early years that you look at as peers? Was Cheap Trick running in the same circles?

Kevin Cronin: I actually taught Rick Nielsen how to play guitar. Ask him… (laughs) Seriously, Cheap Trick is one of our favorite bands to tour with. Back in the day we left a trail of brain cells up and down the Midwest with those guys. They finally got their due from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. When they got inducted I called Rick and Robin [Zander] to see how Jann Wenner’s ass tasted. We love those guys.

REO Speedwagon is on the road more than most of its classic rock peers. Is there anywhere you haven’t toured but are still hoping to get to?

Kevin Cronin: We have platinum records for Hi Infidelity waiting for us in Australia, but we have to go down there and pick them up in-person. It’s been 37 years, we should probably think about getting there. We did play New Zealand, which is one of the most beautiful places on Earth. The people there are so laid back and cool.

On the same note, is there a classic rock band you haven’t yet toured with but are still hoping to?

Kevin Cronin: We have played with pretty much everybody. Some bands we opened for in the early days were not very nice to us. Back in 1976 we opened for Aerosmith, and those guys treated us great. We learned how to treat other bands on our shows from Steven [Tyler] and Joe [Perry]. I have a soft spot in my heart for those guys, and always will. They shared everything with us…everything.

I believe the current lineup of REO Speedwagon has been intact for almost 30 years. Are there any traditions or steps that the band takes that you feel contribute to that longevity?

Kevin Cronin: Around 10 years ago we did a particularly challenging gig on a Thursday night somewhere in Kentucky, and it was then that we began an REO tradition called “F**k You Thursday.” Luckily for you, today is Tuesday.

Are there plans to record a new Speedwagon studio album? Or might we ever see a Kevin Cronin solo effort?

Kevin Cronin: Touring keeps us about as busy as we can handle here lately, although I do love the feeling of writing a new song, then shepherding it through to a record. So, yeah, we will likely do some recording one of these days.

When not busy with music, how do you like to spend your free time?

Kevin Cronin: I enjoy grocery shopping, looking at fabrics, picking out lamps…that kind of thing. Hey, my wife deserves my attention when I am home. She is a beautiful, bright, funny woman, and an awesome mom, who raises our kids without me being around half the year. I try to appreciate all the little things in life. Everything my children are involved in interests me. I enjoy hanging with friends, getting some exercise, and writing.

What was the last concert you attended for fun?

Kevin Cronin: My teenage sons turn me on to so many cool hound rock bands. We went to the El Rey Theater in LA, and saw an English group called Nothing But Thieves. They are amazing. Plus we saw Young The Giant twice, in L.A. and again in Nashville. They are another winner in my book. My boys keep me young.

Finally, Kevin, any last words for the kids?

Kevin Cronin: My advice for young people, put down your phone once in a while. Oh, and read Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell. I had been hearing about this book for years, and am finally reading it. I’m only halfway through, and it is quite inspiring and life-affirming. I gave it to my boys. I wish someone had given me this book when I was in high school. Although it would have been difficult, because it hadn’t been written yet. (laughs)

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Tags: Cheap Trick, Chicago, Kevin Cronin, Malcolm Gladwell, REO Speedwagon, Rick Nielsen, Young The Giant

About the Author

Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."