REO Speedwagon singer Kevin Cronin recently faced backlash from fans after sharing an update about his live performance with the all-star supergroup Kings of Chaos, where he performed REO Speedwagon hits and honored his late bandmate Gary Richrath. The update and subsequent fan reactions were shared on Facebook.
In his post, Cronin detailed his experience performing alongside several prominent rock musicians and expressed his appreciation for how they handled the classic REO Speedwagon tracks.
“Hi Friends, so, the weekend after we returned from Copenhagen, I sped off to Palm Desert for a gig with my buddies the Kings of Chaos, featuring an all-star band of Steve Stevens (Billy Idol) and Phil X (Bon Jovi, Triumph) on guitars, and Matt ‘King’ Sorum (Guns N’ Roses, Velvet Revolver, the Cult) on drums,” Cronin said. “The night’s guest singers were Glenn Hughes (Deep Purple), Jack Blades (Night Ranger), Richie Sambora, and me, each playing four of our hits and singing backgrounds on each other’s songs! What a treat to hear my songs performed by this powerhouse band.”
Cronin also reflected on how his late bandmate Gary Richrath would have felt about the performance.
“I know Gary Richrath would be honored by Steve Stevens and Phil X putting their spin on those unique Richrath harmony guitar parts in ‘Take it on the Run’ and ’Roll with the Changes,’” Cronin continued. “This fan video found its way to me … it is raw and unsweetened, the way rock and roll is meant to be. We shortened it a bit to fit in the Facebook space. Much love.”
Despite Cronin’s positive reflection, fans criticized him in the comments, urging him to reunite with his actual REO Speedwagon bandmates instead of performing their hits with other musicians.
One fan commented, “Let’s stop the nonsense Kevin, and put the band back together. How about the new guys and bring back the old members for a partial part of the show. It may work, everyone makes money, and you all make the long time fans happy. It will work, put the egos aside for the REO fans and Legacy of the band.”
Another fan added, “Gary would be honored if you did what fans are begging you to do and got together with Neal, Alan, and Bruce.”
A third fan expressed similar sentiments, stating, “Not even close to the real thing. Get the band back together.”
This backlash highlights the ongoing desire among fans for a classic REO Speedwagon reunion.
