REO Speedwagon - You Can Tune A Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish Album Discussion

I agree with you, but you can see the direction they were heading on this album.
Much more polished and radio friendly.

 

I have had this in my collection for some time but never get around to listening to it. Everyone's enthusiasm her for it makes me want to hear it!

 

Sorry. "Time For Me To Fly" is absolutely a ballad.

 

I think Tune a Piano and Nine Lives could have been a double album. I see those albums as a sort of "bridge" between the early-to-mid 70s experimental rock group that REO was and the 80s bubblegum rock band that they became. People will say that Nine Lives was a hard rock album but its not hard rock in the sense that there early stuff was. It's hard rock in the more generic Van Halen type of way.

 

Great album for the summer of 1978, along with Springsteen's DOTEOT, made for some excellent parties for my friends and I as we were learning how to party and rock at the tender age of 15. Throw in the other classics from 1976, 77, and that era was a great time to come of age. Awesome memories that I wouldn't trade for anything.

 

That's exactly my story as well.

 

It's my all-time favourite album! The well known songs are excellent and the deep cuts - Blazin' Your Own Trail Again, Do You Know Where Your Woman Is Tonight, Sing To Me etc - are possibly even better.

In fairness to REO they've never dropped a bollock & practically all their records would score 4 or 5 stars from me, even the maligned Mike Murphy albums & the generally reviled Good Trouble (which is actually my second favourite by the band).

But Tuna Fish is their piece de resistance!

 

The only REO song that I like is "Roll With The Changes" - featuring Richrath's wonderful guitar tone & Doughty's beefy B-3.

A GREAT TRACK!

 

I only have heard the Kevin Cronin albums to date, but would agree. everything is 4+ except for Nine Lives... really can't stand that album.

 

Truly exceptional album.

 

My favorite REO album. I still have this on 8-track. Sadly, no 8-track player.

 

Nine Lives was indeed a comedown from Tuna but bounced back with the excellent Hi Infidelity.

 

Gary Richrath was an amazing guitarists. One of the very best.

 

Agreed. My favorite REO song and they have some great ones.

 

And what a damn pity he threw it all away into alcohol apparently, now dead. SO great stuff outta his guitar-the band simply was not the same after though still a lot of fun.

 

1. "Roll with the Changes"
@ What a great way to start! That intro still gives me goose bumps
9. "Say You Love Me or Say Goodnight"
@ What a great way to end!

 

Good thing you pre-date N.W.A. (well, content more than covers maybe). Did you ever ask her if you could buy Roxy Music's Country Life?

 

Was his death related to alcohol abuse in any way? His death seems shrouded in mystery.

 

Nine Lives may have been sort of a letdown overall to the Tuna album, but comparatively, the songs "Heavy On Your Love", "Take Me", "Back On The Road Again" rocked harder than the three hit songs on the Tuna album. Well, imo anyway. But I do think Tuna has excellent production value. Not as hot as Nine Lives, and not as polished as Infidelity.

 

My high school girlfriend at the time thought it was the greatest album ever.

I thought it was average at best.

 

The closest explanation I have heard is that it was from complications after surgery. Not sure what type of surgery and whether or not it was due to a life of substance use. What a loss. So many years wasted that he could have been making music.

 

in behind the music it says that Gary finally kicked alcohol in 1998. His main problem I think was obesity.

 

There's a lot of good stuff on Nine Lives but opening salvo of Heavy On Your Love & Drop it, is extremely weak. Throw in a pointless Chuck Berry cover & that's a third of the album that's poor. I like the rest of the album though.

You might enjoy the Mike Murphy albums. He's a very different singer to Kevin but he's certainly got a strong set of pipes & the main thing is that the songwriting is still strong. Indeed, Lost In A Dream (co-written by Bruce long before he was a band member) is one of the best songs in the band's catalogue.

 

not sure if Kevin would sign on to it but it would be cool if they could do a mid 70s reunion tour with Greg on bass, Alan on the drums and Mike on vocals. Only difference is that with Gary dead, they would keep Dave Amato.

 

There's a shed load of fine but neglected material they could use!

I'd be happy even if the current line-up mined the back catalogue a bit more.