Título: REO Speedwagon
Seção: Changes in the 90s
Background: REO Speedwagon (originally styled as R.E.O. Speedwagon) is an American rock band from Champaign, Illinois. Formed in 1967, the band cultivated a following during the 1970s and achieved significant commercial success throughout the 1980s. Hi Infidelity (1980) contained four US Top 40 hits and is the group's best-selling album, with over ten million copies sold. Over the course of its career, the band has sold more than 40 million records and has charted thirteen Top 40 hits, including the number ones "

Conteúdo: By the late 1980s, the band's popularity was starting to decline. Alan Gratzer left in September 1988 after he decided to retire from music to open a restaurant. In early 1989, Gary Richrath quit after tensions between him and Kevin Cronin boiled over. Cronin had been playing in The Strolling Dudes, a jazz ensemble that included jazz trumpet player Rick Braun (who had co-written the abovementioned "Here With Me" with Cronin), Miles Joseph on lead guitar and Graham Lear on drums. Lear had already been invited to join REO in September 1988 as Gratzer's successor and Joseph was brought in as a temporary stand-in for Richrath. Back up singers Carla Day and Melanie Jackson were also added. This lineup did only one show, on January 7, 1989 in Vina del Mar, Chile, where it won the award for best group at the city's annual International Song Festival. After that, Miles Joseph and the back up singers were dropped in favor of former Ted Nugent guitarist Dave Amato (who was brought aboard in May 1989) and keyboardist/songwriter/producer Jesse Harms.  The 1990 release The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken, with Bryan Hitt (formerly of Wang Chung) on drums, was a commercial disappointment. The album produced only one, and - to date - the band's last Billboard Hot 100 single, "Love Is a Rock," which peaked at #65. Harms, disenchanted by the album's failure, left the group in early 1991.  Shortly after his departure, Richrath assembled former members of the Midwestern band Vancouver

user: Did the band have personnel changes in he 1990s?

assistant: Alan Gratzer left in September 1988 after he decided to retire from music to open a restaurant. In early 1989, Gary Richrath quit

user: Were they replaced?

assistant: Lear had already been invited to join REO in September 1988 as Gratzer's successor and Joseph was brought in as a temporary stand-in

user: Did they have any other changes in their lineup?

assistant: Back up singers Carla Day and Melanie Jackson were also added.

user: Did their musical style change?

assistant: CANNOTANSWER

user: Did they record an album with the new lineup?

assistant: The album produced only one, and - to date - the band's last Billboard Hot 100 single, "Love Is a Rock,"

user: What was the album called?

assistant: The 1990 release The Earth, a Small Man, His Dog and a Chicken,

user: Did the come our with another album after that?

assistant: After touring for several years, the Richrath band released Only the Strong Survive in 1992 on the GNP Crescendo label.

user: Did they put out any singles from that album?

assistant: 157 Riverside Avenue".

user: How did that do on the charts?

assistant: REO Speedwagon ultimately self-financed this effort, which failed to chart.

user: Did they continue to make records after 1992?

assistant: Having lost their recording contract with Epic, REO Speedwagon ended up releasing Building the Bridge (1996) on the Priority/Rhythm Safari label.

user: Was that their last album?

assistant: When that label went bankrupt, the album was released on Castle Records, which also experienced financial troubles.