REO SPEEDWAGON Live At Rockpalast 1979 (CD + DVD)

(MIG Music) 31 tracks

REO Speedwagon was founded in 1967 in the small American town of Champaign in the state of Illinois. The band named itself after a truck from the automobile manufacturer Reo Motor Car Company from Lansing, USA. Inspired by earthy rock and blues sounds, keyboardist Neal Doughty, drummer Alan Kratzer and guitarist Gary Richrath initially played their fingers to the bone around their hometown. In 1971, the band was signed by Epic. After the line-up carousel had turned a few times, the classic line-up of the band slowly crystallized: Kevin Cronin as singer, guitarist and pianist, Gary Richrath on guitar, Bruce Hall on bass, Neal Doughty on keyboards and Alan Gratzer on drums. From 1977 onwards, the quintet released three albums (Live: "You Get What You Play For", "You Can Tune a Piano but You Can't Tuna Fish" and "Nine Lives"), which, as the placings in the US Billboard charts show, were clear proof that the band was ready for the big commercial market.
that the band was getting closer and closer to their big commercial breakthrough. In 1979, REO Speedwagon crossed the pond for the first time and also came to Germany, with WDR Rockpalast recording their show on November 10, 1979 in Hamburg's Markthalle. Reo Speedwagon showed themselves in all their 1970s hard rock glory that evening. A year later, the five Americans finally took the AOR throne worldwide with the classic "Hi Infidelity".