REO Speedwagon: REO-gate

REO Speedwagon in happier times (cliché, I know!) at Red Rocks, CO Capital Region, 2010

Sjgkfe, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 Seems that it's never too late for a band to have problems. Just as oasis come back, other bands fall apart, particularly ones from before thirty years ago I grew up seeing in the charts and on MTV & VH1. It's like a marriage that ran its course, A trite comparison but it's true. REO Speedwagon are no stranger to this, and now they're on the way out because of a row over bass player Bruce Halls medical recovery and frontman Kevin Cronin. A similar situation occurred twice in the late '90s with their friends Styx and contemporaries Journey, as well as Yes less than a decade later, so it's not uncommon, especially as one gets on in age. The jury are out on this one. We've just seen Hall & Oates and Janes Addiction become Behind the Music material (now on Paramount+, sister streamer to MTV and VH1).

 Remaining founding member Neal Doughty stopped touring in 2022 and I saw the band for the last time and without him last year, and it wasn't the same. I also learned co-founder and original drummer Alan Gratzer is originally from Syracuse. I didn't go the year before because I couldn't afford to go to that and Elton John, who was wrapping up his life on the road, and his bass guitarist Matt Bissonette has just taken over for Hall to boot. I just didn't go this year also because I had to cut back on shows like a lot of people are on less essential activities in this economy. Perhaps the spirits of Gary Richrath and the more recently departed Gregg Philbin told me not to go this time as they turn in their graves over this. I might have even skipped Cronins birthday this year because of how he allegedly stabbed his longtime colleague in the back or I'm focussed on other bands and priorities right now. We're riding a real (two in the south at the time of this writing) and proverbial storm out here. It'd be too easy to throw in some Gene Shalit-style puns to what is a sad end to a nearly six decade legacy that started in the Champaign-Urbana area at uni in the bar scene and became an AOR-corporate rock punchline to many. We're all experienced at being human and life is one big Pandoras box. Terry Luttrell from the 1971 début (later of Starcastle) and would-be vocalist Greg X. Volz (who joined Petra instead, who I once liked, while Cronin returned after the Mike Murphy period in 1976) found the Lord.

  It's a right shame to see a band I've known for over forty years' time since I was very young get to this stage so far along, but let's hope they can sort out their differences so they can end the band with some integrity and dignity for the sake of the fans.

Downsizing in desperate times

Just some of what's left (some empty space)

 Like many people these days, I'm struggling to make ends meet, and have too much at home I don't need anymore. Between bills and taxes, it's hard to keep up on a limited income. I hired a solicitor to look into the tax situation. I don't typically discuss my personal life like this, although one can relate. It's after reading some clickbait article that hit home is when it was time to take stock and decide which of it can go to the shop. What they didn't take went to Atlanta-based app decluttr via ups, even though they pay twopence since I've used them several times. There are so many CDs I just don't listen to anymore. They are taken off my collection on Discogs of course and it shows how much I've spent over the years. The first two goes barely add up to $100, but it's better than nothing. Also, recent events brought family to town for the time being, and the social are coming over soon to boot, so I have to tidy up, even though I started to before the unexpected occurred. Usually I bring things in for store credit, but I need the cash to whittle down debt. I had been filling up boxes and crates with dozens of titles. Had to channel my inner Suze Orman and Marie Kondo sacrificing what had been sitting around for a year or so. Racks have been filling up the wardrobes. They're obviously not made for that. Trying to break a cycle. Who I have extra of that can go are tagged (even the boys). If I have the LP, then I might not need the CD unless it has bonus material or is rare. I spent a right fortune over the years, but changes in the past few years meant having to transition what I like to do. If I ever have to move house again, I really would have to cull since I would most likely go to a flat or somewhere smaller. Just not how I pictured my life, but no one does having to face challenges everyday. I'll be lucky to get $100 from all of it, since vinyl is a bigger priority now, and I only have so much of that to give up. I may be getting something in the post, but I'm not too sure. We all know there's no such thing as overnight.

You can also support me here. The ones who paved the way for that are also tagged. In any case, I know this won't last forever, but you think it will when you're in the middle of it. My grandparents' generation survived the Depression and WWII, so we'll get through this too. Life and the economy has hills and plateaux like anything. I just need to be better with priorities during this midlife crisis of mine.

Boris's latest list

Three Magnum CDs on the list (had to make do)

    Once again, Boris's list has been revised, and so much has been acquired, added and deleted since the last one was made three years ago, so many artists are no longer needed (even if I find them too late). I received this before I put it here, and found one by a group who will remain nameless, then found an autographed CD by a recently departed member of a band of another era. Anyway, I need to find a few more before sending out another package by the festive period due to the complicated method and high cost of P&P.

 A.................................................................................................................

Amenophis: Amenophis

Anyones Daughter: Adonis

                   Anyones Daughter (1980)

                   In Blau

                   Piktors Verwandlungen

Alcatrazz: No Parole From Rock 'n' Roll

           Dangerous Games

Amorphis: Elegy

          Am Universum

Anaphema: Judgement

         Eternity

Ange: La Cimeterie

Anglagard: Hybris

B..................................................................................................................

Byron, David (Uriah Heep): Baby Faced Killer

Barclay James Harvest: Ring of Changes

Biglietto Per L'Inferno: same (1974)

Blind Guardian: Tales from the Twilight World

               Somewhere Far Beyond

               Imaginations from the Other Side   

C..........................................................................................

Carey, Tony (Rainbow/Planet P Project): Coldwar Kids

           I Won't Be Home Tonight

           Bedtime Story

           Boystown Tapes

Classix Nouveaux: La Verite

Califfi: Fiore di Metallo

Celtic Frost: Vanity/Nemesis

Chameleons UK: What Does Anything Mean?

              Script of the Bridge

Cardiacs: Songs for Ships and Irons

         On Land and in the Sea

Cornwell, Hugh (The Stranglers): Guilty (or Black Hair, Black Eyes, Black Suit US)

               Hi Fi

               Nosferatu (w/Robert Williams)

Cirith Ungol: King of the Dead

              Paradise Lost

Creatures (Siouxsie and the Banshees): Hai!

Camel: Rain Dances

D.................................................................................................................

Dschinghis Khan: same (1979)

Dax, Danielle: Blast The Human Flower

Dio: Strange Highways**

            

                    

E.......................................................................................................................

Eloy: Ra   

Electric Family: Ice Cream Phoenix

                 Royal Hunt

Earth & Fire: Song of the Marching Children

             Atlantis

             To the World of the Future

Escape with Romeo: Come Here White Light

                  Love Alchemy

                  Emotional Ice Age

                  

F..............................................................................................................

Fischer Z:World Salad

          Fish's Head

          Destination Paradise

          Kamikaze Shirt

Fruup: Prince of Heavens Eye

      Modern Masquerades

Giles, Giles and Fripp (King Crimson precursor): The League of Gentlemen

Fripp & Sylvian: Damage 

Flaming Lips: Oh My Gawd!!!

             Telepathic Surgery

Freedom Call: Stairway to Fairyland

             Crystal Empire

             Eternity

             Beyond

G..................................................................................................................

Gong: Time is the Key

Grobschnitt: Grobschnitt (1972)

             Ballerman

             Jumbo

             Rockpommels Land

             Solar Music. Parts I, II, III

(Ian) Gillan (Deep Purple): Mr Universe

Gamma Ray: Power Plant

            No World Order

            Empire Of The Undead

Goblin: Roller

Gryphon: Red Queen to Gryphon Three

H.............................................................................................................................

Hensley, Ken (Uriah Heep): Proud Words on the Dusty Shelf

            Free Spirit

            Faster

            Running Blind

            My Book of Answers

            Blood on the Highway

Helloween: Keeper Of The 7 Keys - III (The Legacy)

Heavens Gate: In Control

              Living in Hysteria

Hackett, Steve: At the Edge of Light**

Human League: Reproduction

Hammill, Peter (van der Graaf Generator): Nadirs Big Chance

              In Camera

              PH7

              A Black Box

Hypnos 69:Legacy

I.............................................................................................................................

Iron Savior: Iron Savior (1997)

            Unification

Impellitteri: Stand in Line

IQ: Are You Sitting Comfortably?**

   Ever**

    

J..............................................................................................................

Jane: Here We Are

      Lady

      Between Heaven and Hell

J.E.T.: Fede Speraza Carita

Japan: Adolescent Sex

       Obscure Alternatives

K.....................................................................................................................

King Diamond: Give Me Your Soul...Please 

L.....................................................................................................................

Lake of Tears: Ominous

               Forever Autumn

               The Neonai

               Black Brick Road

               Moons and Mushrooms

               Crimson Cosmos

Lacrimosa: Sehnsucht

           Revolution

           Hofnung

Le Orme: Uomo di Pezza

        Storia O Leggenda

        Florian

        Verita Nascoste

                               

M............................................................................................................

The Move: The Move (1968)

      Shazam

      Looking On

Mad Max: Rollin' Thunder

Manowar: Gods of War

         The Lord of Steel

         Into Glory Ride

         Hail to England

Magnum: Chase the Dragon**

       Sleepwalking**

       Brand New Morning**

       Into the Valley of Moonking**

       On the 13th Day**

        Sacred Blood "Divine" Lies**

        Lost on the Road to Eternity**

        The Serpent Rings**

       Princess Alice and the Broken Arrow**

       Kingdom of Madness**

Manfred Manns Earth Band: Masque

Metamorfosi: E Fu Il Sesto Giorno

Mamas Boys: Power and Passion

Michael Schenker Group: MSG (1981)

N..................................................................................................................

New Trolls: Concerto Grosso #1

Novalis: Banished Bridge

         Novalis (1975)

         Brandung

         Augenblicke

Numan, Gary: Berserker

Nits: Alankomaat                     

Nazareth: The Catch

          Cinema

          

         

O..................................................................................................................

Osibisa: Woyaya

Osiris: Osiris (1981)

       Myths & Legends

OMD: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (1980)

Oldfield, Mike: Man on the Rocks

P............................................................................................................

Phillips, Anthony: The Geese and the Ghost*

Pell Mell: Rhapsody

           Moldau

           Marburg

P.R.W.L.: Tales from Outer Space

         G-d Has Failed

                       

R.................................................................................................................

Rockets: Galaxy

        Atomic

Rhapsody: Rain of a Thousand Flames

         Power of the Dragonflame

         Dawn of Victory

         Symphony of Enchanted Lands, Part I

         Legendary Tales 

         From Chaos to Eternity

         Rebirth and Evolution

         Tales from Emerald World Sage

Rational Youth: Heredity

Ramses: La Leyla

       Eternity Rise

Rousseau: Flower in Asphalt

Running Wild: Brotherhood

S................................................................................................................

Sweet: Off the Record

       Waters Edge

Stratovarius: Elements, Part 2

             Episode

             Visions

             Infinite

Seventh Avenue: Southgate

                Between the Worlds

Sieges Even: Uneven

            Steps

            Sense of Change

Stranglers: Dreamtime (2001 edition)

Squier, Billy: The Tale of the Tape

Siouxsie & the Banshees: Juju

Space: Deliverance (latest edition)

Solar Project: Ghost Lights

               Five

Sparks: The Girl is Crying in Her Latte

       Hippopotamus

       Gratiutuous Sex & Senseless Violins

Semiramis: Dedicato A Frazz

Sad Lovers And Giants: Epic Garden Music

                      Feeling the Flame

Spear of Destiny: Outland

The Sound: From the Lions Mouth

           All Fall Down

Saunders, Lee: A Promise of Peace

Saga: Saga (1978)

Sisters of Mercy: Floodland

Stewart, Rod: Foolish Behaviour

T...............................................................................................................

10cc: Look Hear

      Ten Out of 10

      Windows in the Jungle

TV Smith:  Immortal Rich

           In the Arms of the Enemy

Toyah: Minx

       In the Court of the Crimson Queen

       Dreamchild

       Ophelias Shadow

       Mayhem

Trace: Birds

Twelfth of Never:  Blowing Bubbles Through Broken Windows

                   Things That Were

             

U..................................................................................................................

Ure Midge: Fragile

           Pure

           Move Me

Unheilig: Puppenspiel

         Von Mensch zu Mensch

         Gipfelsturmer

         Grosse Freiheit 

Ultravox: Brilliant

UFO: Obsession

V..................................................................................................................

Viva: Dealers of the Night

Virgin Steele: Invictus

               The House of Atreus (Act I & II)

               Visions of Eden

               Black Light Bacchanalia 

               Nocturnes of Hellfire & Damnation

van der Graaf Generator:Trisector

                        A Grounding in Numbers

                        Do Not Disturb

W...................................................................................................................

Wakeman, Rick: Living Tree (w. Jon Anderson)

              Out There

Wood, Roy: Mustard

Wallenstein: Blitzkrieg

             Cosmic Century

             Stories Songs & Symphonies

             Mother Universe

Watts, John: The Iceberg Model

            Quick Quick Slow

Wire: Chairs Missing

      154

      Send

      Object 47

Wuthering Heights: To Travel for Evermore

                   Far from the Madding Crowd

                   The Shadow Cabinet 

                   Salt

                   Within

Wintersun:Wintersun-04

          Time I

Y...........................................................................................................

n/a

* I would like this as well.

** I have this already.

.........................................................................................................

Tickets, Touts, and Taylor

David Gilmour at the Peter Green Tribute Concert, 25/2/20

 When oasis announced their reunion tour, fans made a mad rush for tickets, even though they were hundreds of pounds, and they were slated for it. Even worse, touts were already reselling them for even more, so the band are putting a stop to it by making the tickets exclusively for who bought them, just as Kate Bush had a decade ago for her rare residency at the Eventim Apollo (formerly Hammersmith Odeon). On the contrary, her old friend and mentor David Gilmour is about to have his own tour, and  when I looked at downstates dates coming after another event in the tri-state I would like to attend (story for another day, but I'd stay at the same hotel to save time, even if I'd be on the tube late at nights, or run into his former colleague), one was sold out, and the other a right fortune. Ironically, when I went to an article on Pearl Jam (who boycotted Ticketmaster in 1996) and there was a link to a third-party reseller, both dates were available and had seats at a remotely doable price and distant location in the arena. Last time I went there or the region was to see Paul McCartney. He and Peter Gabriel (you can connect the dots by now) were at Taylor Swifts concert in London a while ago (the old guard come to her). Swifties seem to spend less by going overseas than trying to see her in the US. I know it's too easy these days to write about missus, but even she's a scapegoat of the Live Nation/Ticketmaster monopoly. I'm lucky to get to one name show this year, which is Duran Duran back Upstate at the casino, but I'd have to win the pools well before that since I need time to plan and pay for the lot. I also have to see what they're doing with the Fairfield County do the night of Durans own show at the Garden because it can be too much and they're not that close together since it's a big area. Like most people at this stage, essentials come first in this economy before even considering hols or big shows anywhere.

oasis: 30 Years On

oasis at the Patriot Centre in Fairfax County, VA (DC area); 20/12/08

 The return of oasis after fifteen years time is something many fans hoped for, but thought would never happen. The volatile relationship of Liam and Noel Gallagher has long been a sticking point. Reports of a tour next year are coming out now with ticket prices reaching as much as thousands of pounds. Nothing about a new album has been announced yet. More as this develops.

Ralph Records

Beatles CD-Rs on Ralph Records

 Today at a car boot sale, I came across a box of pirate CD-Rs that were free to take. It had needle drops of artists such as Barbra Streisand, Graham Nash, Focus (I have to get the official one for Boris, of course), Carly Simon, the Mamas & the Papas, Hermans Hermits, and maybe the Bee Gees for that matter just to name a few. They're on a label called Ralph Records, a division of "Antarctica Group, Ltd.", which doesn't exist. There was a real indie label called Ralph Records in the Bay Area known for the cult band The Residents. Not much is known about this other Ralph Records, who make Beatles bootlegger Dr Ebbetts look like Peter Jackson (who worked on Get Back). I picked up Jolly What! with Frank Ifield, who passed away this past May, and The Savage Young Beatles, the first US release of the Tony Sheridan sessions (also not official, while the ones that were came out on two separate labels with lesser known groups mixed in). Like real reissue labels such as Friday Music and Air Mail Archive, Ralph imitate the original label almost to the point of parody. Not much can be found on them. The covers were printed on Kodak inkjet paper. Someone went to great expense to make all of these, only for these to be on the house, making Babs at the charity shop look like a ticket to her fundraisers (she or pretty much any artist would go mad if she saw one of her albums like this). If it was something out of print, maybe, but many of these weren't really that rare. The CD-R seller in Madison County I wrote about some years earlier has nothing on this. Even though I have the Beatles tracks on better sounding official and unofficial CDs and LPs, I never had the original LPs, which were considered cash-ins during Beatlemania in 1964, along with cover albums by other artists and novelty records. As for all the CDs, they have scans of the original sleeves. I am on this sellers e-mail list, so I know where he'll be next, which is likely the record fair I know now held on NY 173 in Taunton, so I could grab a handful more if anyone wants some, since this sort doesn't seem to gather that much interest. These are too good to just donate or even have binned. You can't legally sell them, of course. There were also some CD-R bootlegs, but I just took a couple ELP ones, and only one works. As for Ralph, this may just be some little operation over twenty years too late.

CNY Hall of Fame

SU alum Lou Reed at the Hop Farm Festival on 2/7/11

 Link