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The roots of the new album go back to the spring of 2000, when the band joined forces with fellow Midwest rockers Styx for a national, sold-out, co-headlining tour. The tour proved to be such a commercial success that it was recorded live and released on both CD and DVD, jokingly entitled Arch Allies. The bands appeared together on the Today Show, VH1, and on numerous syndicated radio shows, including The Howard Stern Show.
Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, both bands worked together to organize a series of concerts that would benefit the New York Port Authority Police and the families of the officers who tragically lost their lives.
Over the following two years, REO Speedwagon toured nonstop. In addition to performing in all of the expected concert markets, the band got back to its roots in small town America.
"These are the people who supported our music from the beginning. This is REO country," says Kevin Cronin, describing the fans who enthusiastically sing along every night to the songs he has written such as the number one hits, "Can't Fight This Feeling" and "Keep On Loving You," as well as the classics "Roll With the Changes," "Keep Pushin'," "Time for Me to Fly," "Riding the Storm Out," and "Take It On the Run."
During this time, the band was honored with a Behind The Music special on VH1 and Kevin Cronin was a guest panelist on Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, as well as coming in a close second place on Rock and Roll Jeopardy.
In 2003, REO joined fellow classic rockers Journey and Styx for the "Main Event Tour," a sold-out, critically-acclaimed arena tour of all the markets that they had been entertaining since the late 1970s. Music critics noted that REO had "kept their standards extremely high," and were "thrilling their fans night after night with their incredible power, sheer energy, and songs that will live forever."
New songs have been the lifeblood of REO since its first album in 1971, so it was natural that inspiration would strike during the "Main Event Tour" and drive REO to start writing new songs in between concert performances. The band began introducing these new songs into their live shows and the fan reaction was positive. The new album was born.
While not on the road, the band has been in the studio for the past two years working on their first CD of new songs since 1996's Building the Bridge.
"It has been an intense few years, crazy years for me, but that's when I usually do my best writing," says Cronin. "All of us have been going through some changes, and it shows in our performances on the new record."
The band has teamed up with producer, keyboard whiz, and all-around musical genius Joe Vannelli (Gino's brother and musical partner). "Joe has brought a musicality to the new songs, which is thrilling," says Cronin. "Dave is playing with such amazing versatility, using all his vast arsenal of guitars and amps. Bruce and Bryan, who have always been such a powerhouse rhythm section, have never played tighter or stronger together. And Joe's keyboard ideas are taking our music to places we've never been before, and will allow Neal to take those ideas to our live shows."
The buzz in the REO camp is unmistakable. It is a familiar feeling for this band, one they felt in 1978 during the sessions for their classic album You Can Tune a Piano, but You Can't Tuna Fish and again three years later when they released the 10 million selling Hi Infidelity.
"We have been through it all and you just feel it when the pieces seem to be coming together," says Bruce Hall, "and I am feeling it big time on this album."
"With some records it feels like you are swimming upstream and others just have a flow," says Cronin. Find Your Own Way Home was conceived out of turmoil, but as these songs have evolved there is a momentum that is seemingly unstoppable. It is cool that it is all coming from this music. That's the way it's supposed to be."
As REO webmaster (and Paul's little sister) Ruth McCartney put it, "This record is both fresh and old-school."
"I guess unconsciously that is what we were going for," adds Cronin. "We do some of our best work when we are unconscious."
"We love to play live," says Hall, "it just keeps getting better."
With the release of Find Your Own Way Home, the band feels its energy rekindled and its purpose renewed. This is not an ending at all; rather a new beginning. Kevin, Dave, Bruce, Neal and Bryan have something to prove. Look out, the Speedwagon is rolling at full speed ahead.
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