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Pat Walsh
Pat's Peeps Podcast
Ep. 206 Today's Peep Mixes Chuck Schumer's Speech with Beats, This Version of Jump Around is a Scream, REO Speedwagon's Classic Rock Journey
Picture this: a sunny afternoon in Northern California, with the scenery so beautiful it could inspire a song. That's the backdrop as we shift gears from the usual political chatter. Just for today, we indulge in a more laid-back vibe, where politics meets creativity. Ever wondered how Chuck Schumer could be part of a live music mix? Get ready for a fun experiment that blends his recent speech with our signature beats, promising a refreshing escape from the everyday grind.
Next, let's take a nostalgic cruise back to the heyday of classic rock, reminiscing about the legendary sounds of REO Speedwagon and Styx. There's nothing quite like the thrill of grabbing that live REO Speedwagon album for the first time and the magic of tracks like "Riding the Storm Out." We'll trace the band's journey from their hard rock roots to their softer, more pop-infused hits. It's a heartfelt tribute to the guitar genius of Gary Richrath and the evolution of a band that defined a generation.
As we wrap up, we dive into the universal themes of love, music, and the occasional generic tune that just doesn’t hit the mark. It's all about celebrating the tracks that resonate with us and acknowledging those loyal listeners who make this journey worthwhile. And keep your ears tuned for a special announcement on the Pat Walsh Show that promises excitement and intrigue. Join us as we explore the bonds between music and memories, with a little hint of what’s next on the horizon.
yeah, yes, happy friday. Happy friday, it's the pats peeps podcast. The sun is out. It's peeps, number 206. My friends, yes, I'm with you, I'm with you, I'm with you. I'm happy it's Friday, I'm happy the sun is shining. I'm all about that. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. Happy Friday, it's the Pat's Peeps podcast 206.
Speaker 1:I'm looking out the studio window into the beautiful foothills of Northern California where the sun's peeking through. How about that? Look at my neighbor's yard. It is just filled with these. I mean, that is incredible. This is actually the first time I'm noticing that right now, oh my God, my neighbor's yard is filled with these beautiful white and yellow flowers. Geez, I need that on my property. Anyhow, how are you? My name is Patrick. I'm also the well, I'm your host here on the Pat's Peeps podcast and then I'm also the host of the Pat Walsh Show on KPK Radio. That's a KPK Radio in Sacramento, 7 to 10 pm, monday through Friday, and then live on your free iHeart app and then you get the podcast on my show.
Speaker 1:And, of course, my podcast today is I mean listen, this is, I don't know. This is going to be a lighthearted podcast. I've decided to just forgo any politics. Today, like every day, you talk about that crap. I kind of get tired of it. I know people do. I get burned out, but people respond and you respond when I put this stuff up there. So I will include it in just a slight way, because actually that's kind of where I wanted to start.
Speaker 1:You know the record that I picked out today. This will be a shorter podcast. I've got some business I need to take care of, I've got a couple of huge things to do, but because of the record I picked out today, which is actually a picture sleeve for my rare record collection, my 45 collection, this still has the picture sleeve with it, which means that I mean it's the actual 45. When they released it, they had a sleeve instead of the standard radio station cover for these generic covers for these records. This still has the paper sleeve of the original. So that kind of sparked me to thinking about this particular group, a group that I really loved at one time. They started to morph a little bit. I still like them, but to me they kind of sold out. There's a couple of bands that did that. So yeah, that's kind of where I'm going to go today. Either way.
Speaker 1:I hope you're well, listen. If you're not well, I'm going to start here. You know what I want to do. I just want to mix some stuff, and I want to do this on the fly. I've never done this before on the fly. Usually, I mix things together and I try to edit things and put it together like that. Today, I really want to just do this on the fly and see how this turns out. So let's start with this. This is the only political bent from today's podcast. This is it. Let's start with this. This is the only political bent from today's podcast. This is it. If you're feeling down and out today, on a beautiful day like this, I'm sorry to hear that, but maybe, just maybe, you need a little bit of a lift in your day and listen. As far as I'm concerned, who better and we heard from him this week already Already had a little fun with this, my friends who better to give you that inspiring lift today than the always warm and cuddly Chuck Schumer?
Speaker 2:So here you go, here we go. I am going to stand with you in this fight.
Speaker 1:He's going to stand with us and we will win. Okay, we will win, we will win. Go here, we go. I am gonna stand with you in this fight. He's gonna stand with us. Okay, we will win. We heard this the other day. Right, we will win. This is where, in the middle of it, he gets all lost. First, there's no passion. You got the dude with the left. He's got a cane thing, he's got it. He's just shaking the cane. Maxine Waters is tapping her phone and the dude to his left is tapping the top of his hand because he has a sign that says you know some derogatory comment, we will win. And then Schumer gets lost in the middle of it and he forgets what the next line he's supposed to say. So he has to look down at the paper at the podium. It's a joke. We will win. Uh-huh we will win.
Speaker 1:Okay, what was I supposed to say?
Speaker 2:uh-huh, we right, okay, what was? I supposed to say oh yeah, we won't rest, we won't rest, the people aren't even this is the most.
Speaker 1:There is no passion to their applause. Literally, the guy could care less, and so could maxine waters, who's just tapping her phone, and the other guy, it's just we won't rest, thank you everybody.
Speaker 1:The guy to his left literally looks like he doesn't believe a word of it. Anyhow, here's where I want to go with this. I'm gonna do this live. Let's try to mix some music, shall we? Let's mix some music. Let's start with chuck schumer. All right, here we go'm going to do a little Chuck Schumer thing. I'm going to do this on the fly, let's see how this works out. Pat's Peeps 206. Here we go.
Speaker 2:We are going to fight this fight. I am going to stand with you in this fight and we will win.
Speaker 1:Here we go, we will win, we will win. Here we go, we will win, we will win. Oh, yeah, we will win. We will win. We won't rest, we won't rest. Hey, come on now. We won't rest. We won't win. Yeah, we will win, we will. Yeah, we will win. We will win. We will win, we will win. We are going to fight this fight. I am going to stand with you in this fight. Thank God, we will win. We will win. Yeah, we will win. We will win. We will win. Yeah, we will win. We will win, we will win, we will win. We won't win. We won't win, we won't win. Okay, let's try this one. Just for the heck of it, let's get the uh, lgbtq, I swear it used to. It used to be lgbt, then it went lgbtqia plus. Activists screaming to san francisco board of supervisors right, oh, this is after. She calls them all a bunch of racist, homophobe whiteys.
Speaker 3:There's a lot of performative people on this board who will? Say one thing in support of black people, homeless people, trans people, and then immediately stab you in the face.
Speaker 1:Right, because they're xenophobic whites.
Speaker 3:Being racist, transphobic, anti-homeless, so I don't set up to thank O'Brown's Anti-homeless.
Speaker 1:They're anti-home. I'm sorry there's a pro. Are there some pro homeless? I'm all about pro homeless. There should be more homeless people every day. There's a lot of performative people.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, we heard you who will say one thing in support of black people, homeless people, trans people, and then immediately stab you in the face sure being racist, transphobic, you'reobic, anti-homeless.
Speaker 1:You're going to love this, so I don't have any words prepared today, no words, because there's nothing to back it up with. When you have nothing to back it up with, there's no words. Pat, didn't you say you weren't going to get political? I know, but I'm just trying to mix music.
Speaker 3:I just want you to feel our pain I'm feeling it right now wearing your mask I don't know if you can at this point, based off your policy choices, but I have to pretend you have some form of empathy left sure.
Speaker 1:Thank you for that I am going to spend so she takes off her mask, she, it, they, whatever, was wearing the mask the whole time except to this point. So like when you're just talking, okay, that's what they, but then when she what she does next without the mask. How much sense does this make? Swear to god, she took off the mask for this the next minute screaming oh no that is what is going on in here.
Speaker 3:That is what the trans genocide in this country.
Speaker 1:Trans genocide. This is clearly a person who knows nothing about what genocide is. I'm sorry. Is there a genocide going on with the trans folks? Or is it that no one really cares what you're doing? Here we go.
Speaker 3:In this city.
Speaker 1:Genocide.
Speaker 3:Has brought me to.
Speaker 1:Trans genocide. Oh my God, literally I'm longing for Yoko right now. All right, so I'd take I thought I would take this, let's see, let's back it up, policy choices.
Speaker 3:but I have to pretend you have some form of empathy left.
Speaker 1:Oh, thank you for pretending okay I am going so let's, so let's, let's try this. I want to try this some point.
Speaker 3:Okay, here we go, here we go, let's try this I am going to spend the next minute screaming, because that is what is going on in here. All right, that is what the trans genocide in this country in this city right has brought me to oh, here we go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, imagine that, imagine that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, here we go.
Speaker 1:Here's Rocky 2.
Speaker 2:Yes, yeah, imagine that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, imagine that. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. Imagine that. Thank you, how about this? Let's do this.
Speaker 1:Here is a. Where'd she go? I had a good one. Oh, here we go. All right for this one. Let me try. I got to kind of reset here just a little bit. A good one. Oh, here we go. All right for this one. Let me try. I gotta, I gotta kind of reset here just a little bit. All right, here we go, let's try this one. Uh, here is a, uh, leftoid screaming. All right, one more time. She sounds like the last one, like the last lady or man or whatever, whatever that that was. Here we go. All right, let's squirt that into this, shall we? Here we go, yeah, yeah, yeah, come on. All right, here we go, jump around, jump around, jump up, jump up and get down, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump, jump. Thank you very much, all right, well, I had some fun doing that. I'll tell you I had some fun doing that. Let's see what else do we have. Oh, oh yeah, like I said, it'll be a little bit shorter today. I picked my record. Do I have anything else? No, I think that's about it. See, that's all the politics. That didn't hurt too bad, did it Did it. So today I'm going to do it kind of the reverse I'm going to tell you the record that I pulled off my shelf and then I'm just going to talk about it for a second. All right, the record that I pulled off my shelf today is from a band. Like I said, there were a few bands, styx being one of them. Oh God, I'm just going to give the two that come to mind right off the top of my head Styx and REO Speedwagon. You know, these are both bands I really really enjoyed, particularly their early work, equinox, let's say for Styx, or the 1977 album Grand Illusion, love, both of those, miss America and the Grand Illusion. On both of those albums they had these really good rockin' songs. And on both of those albums they had these really good rocking songs. You know they used to sing like Lorelai, I mean just sweet Madame Blue. But then REO, they had all these rocking tones that I love, riding the Storm out and on, but at some point, like they got to a certain record, in my opinion, grand Illusion and a couple of others which were like the last really rock albums by these, and then suddenly they would put out songs and it seemed like they were more intent on selling records and having top 40 hits is essentially what I'm gonna say about both bands. You know, babe, by sticks it just kind of became, as they say, yacht rock in a way to me. So when I was 17, actually, I was 16 years old, maybe 17, I remember going to the Warehouse Records on Florin and Franklin I think it was Florin and Franklin in South Sacramento, I think it was Florin and Franklin in South Sacramento, and I remember going in there because the band REO Speedwagon this was during a time when live rock albums were huge, particularly double albums, double record live albums Bob Seger, reo Speedwagon, led Zeppelin, I mean, you name it. There was a bunt Peter Frampton, lynyrd Skynyrd, so many bands releasing live double albums and they were huge. They were the thing at the time. And so I heard that REO Speedwagon had a live album. Now, I wasn't so much into REO at that point, but they had a killer song called Riding the Storm Out.
Speaker 1:Kevin Cronin who was the singer was not singing this one. Mike Murphy replaced Cronin for Riding the Storm Out. Cronin rejoined the band in 76, but this was 73, and he had left the band band. So Kevin Cronin was not the original singer of REO Speedwagon. Terry Luttrell was the lead singer of the band when that formed in 67. Cronin then joined the band in 72. He replaced Luttrell after he left the band. But then, when Cronin left the band again, just to recap, mike Murphy took over the vocals.
Speaker 1:There he is, of course, gary Richrath on the guitar, the late Gary Richrath, who I love. That guy, what a guitarist. And that's kind of part of the reason I kind of hated to see him go a little more commercial because Gary could jam that guitar. So I remember that song. I'm 17. I do remember the song. But then when I heard that the new album, live, was coming out the live album it had Riding the Storm Out and it had the, and I thought, well, that would be cool.
Speaker 1:Now, I didn't understand the history of the band at that particular time, but the original Riding the Storm Out was not a hit. It became a hit only after the live album was released. And that's what I was getting to is that I, as a 17-year-old, I went over to Warehouse Records. I heard that this album was coming out and I was the first person in line that day. I remember them opening the box. I've never done this with any other record, but for some reason I was very excited. They open up the box of the records and there they are, the top one. I just pluck it from the box. Didn't even make it to the shelf, 1976. So I was 16., 16 years old, and this was the version of Riding the Storm Out that Kevin Cronin sang. That REO did on the live record and became much more popular. It's a great version of the song. This is a great record, by the way. You get what you play for.
Speaker 2:REO Speedwagon Live Much beefier in this version. Right in the storm out, waiting for the fallout On a full moon night In the rockin' mountain, winter Windbottoms low, watching for the snow and thinking about what I've been missing in the city and I'm not missing a thing, so this was the live version of it. Great, great tune, right in the storm out Right in the storm out Right in the storm out.
Speaker 1:I really thought that Gary Richrath and the entire band for that matter was at their peak right here. Ah, guitar is so good and they would do this one and I'd put the record on. I'd be at my buddy, mark Barnett's house, you know how you used to. You'd stay the night at your buddy's house Mom, can my friend stay the night? Remember that. Or you'd go stay the night at your buddy's house Mom, can my friend stay the night, remember that. Or you'd go stay the night at your buddy's so you could just listen to music all night. Jam, I'd go over to his house, we would put this record on him and we would just rock out. I threw it on his turntable. We sat. I'm going to talk to his mother this weekend, the only surviving member of the Barnett family. So this came from the live album, 157 Riverside Avenue. Listen to Gary Richrath.
Speaker 2:All right, here we go.
Speaker 1:Man music. Just oh my God, this is taking me back. I haven't listened to this one for a while. This is God, I am feeling feelings I had when I was 16 years old, like what I was thinking, what I was just kind of going through. Listen to Gary here. Oh, that's a piano. I want you to hear Gary Richrath a little bit. Hold on a second here. Here we go. So one of my favorite songs on the record was Gary Richrath doing a song called Flying Turkey Trot. My whole point of this is listen to how they rocked R-E-O. That's how they rocked. I love this one. I haven't heard it forever. This is a this one. I haven't heard it forever. This is a great one. Oh, this is so cool man. Wow, I'm suddenly a sophomore in high school again. So I was really into that. Oh my gosh, because I don't have the rights to this music. I always have to say that Educating, telling stories, exposing the music Leave me alone.
Speaker 1:Let us have fun already. Come on now. So then, in 1970, I want to say 77. 77, the very next year Gosh, it might have been 78. All right, I need to cheat now. I don't try to cheat, but I'm going to say 77, but it could be 78. I want to see what year this record came out. You can tune a piano One of the great names for a record. You can tune a piano, but you can't tune a fish. All right, let's see. All right, let's see what year I say 77. Oh no, well, that was close, because March 16th, 78. So I knew it was right in there 77, 78. Early 78. Okay, so REO comes out with this record. You Can Tune a Piano, but you Can't Tune a Fish, which is so good and I loved it. Roll with the changes was on this. So now, but all of a sudden, you're hearing more piano. But here comes the guitar.
Speaker 2:Great tune Bats Beeps 206. My cup is on the table, my love is feeling, waiting here for you to take and drink of. So if you're tired of the same old story, oh, turn some pages. I'll be here when you are ready To roll with the changes.
Speaker 1:I love Gary's guitar here. Again, they were just on point sounding so, so good.
Speaker 1:Okay let's hear a little bit of Gary's guitar work so good Off the same album. Here's where I feel like things started to change a little bit. I love this song. I really do love this song, and I remember playing this. I had this album and I'd put it on and I thought this is a cool tune too, like a deeper track. But then it kind of became a hit time for me to fly off the same record 78 you tune a piano, can't fish, but do you sense the softness now?
Speaker 2:But do you sense the softness now? Cause you never give it Feeling the years away and we can't relive it. Oh, I make you laugh and you make me cry. I believe it's time for me to fly.
Speaker 1:I really like the tune, but it is, and they rock, you know. But it was a little bit different approach you said we'd work it out.
Speaker 2:You said that you had no doubt that deep down we were really in love. Oh, but I'm tired of holding on To a feeling I know is gone. I do believe that I've had enough.
Speaker 1:Really is a great. I love this song.
Speaker 2:I've had enough of the falseness Of a worn-out relation, enough of the jealousy.
Speaker 1:You know. Then they had a couple of other records that came out and they started getting. They started really banging out the hits. After that they began to, I think, maybe adopt a little bit of a lighter sound at some point in order to sell records. By the way, now I think they're going to be called Kevin Cronin and Friends or something like this, something like that. That's going on right now with the band. So that was 78, but then in 1980, here's to me where it started, 1980. Here's to me where it started.
Speaker 1:Now, there was a song on there that I really liked, but it was written and sang by a song, I should say by the bass player, which was, oh golly, all of a sudden see, I'm thinking of the last song, high Fidelity. Oh gosh, trying to think of the song. Anyhow, it got a little softer. Okay, I guess I'll try to say that, but there was a song on there I'm back on the road again right? Oh, great song. Was that on Nine Lives? Or High Fidelity? I might be getting it was on. That was on Nine Lives, but this was like the last real rock and REO song that I can remember. And this is the bass player, and I think the bass player's singing on this one too, by the way, quite the provocative album cover. If you forgot what the Nine Lives album cover looks like, what's going on there exactly? Am I supposed to guess? But I think that it might be better If I told you now.
Speaker 2:Goodbye. I'm back on the road again. It's time.
Speaker 1:I leave you now and maybe I'll see you next time, but really this is kind of like the last really rocking song for me. Well, I thought I mean that's a pretty good rocking tune for REO, but they switched and this is kind of where I went. Oh, high Fidelity that was Nine Lives, not High Fidelity, but it represented a change in sound. They went from hard rock to pop-oriented material, spawned four hit singles by Rich Rath and Cronin, including the chart-topping Is this Keep on loving? Oh, keep on loving. You See, I couldn't. The one I couldn't stand, I'm sorry. Also, they had take it on the run, baby. Take it on the run in your letter. But the one I couldn't stand was Don't Let Him Go, mercedes Benz. I don't like that song. I quit listening to him. I'm like come on, man, come on. Yeah, it just changed for me right there. And that was at the point where I stopped listening, like I say, to a lot of the REO. It's not that I don't like REO and I would actually go see Kevin Cronin and friends or whatever. I'd go see them in concert because I still think they're going to put on a good show. I just could do without the hits.
Speaker 1:The other one that came out that was a big hit is the record that I pulled out today. This is from. This is from the album. I think this is from the album. I think this is from wheels are turning. Wheels are turning. This is this is a song. Well, I know you've heard this a million times again. This is they had hits. It's a power ballad from their 1984 1984 album.
Speaker 1:Wheels Are Turning reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, held that top spot for three straight weeks from March 9th to the 23rd 1985. It was REO's second and last number one hit on the US charts. The first was Keep On Loving you and this appeared, this song. It appeared on dozens of various artists compilation albums. You heard it everywhere. Several REO Speedwagon greatest hits albums. Several greatest hits albums. Come on. They performed the song at the 1985 Live Aid I think people might forget about that where they were introduced by Chevy Chase at that concert and Cronin said he wrote the verses years before and he had made a demo of it when he left REO Speedwagon back in the mid-70s.
Speaker 1:Going back to what we were talking about, finished writing the song in Hawaii while supposedly on a break from composing the Wheels to Turn it album and the song's about a relationship Cronin had and it took him several years to come up with all of the lyrics. But what he did, the song was a big hit and no matter what you think of it, you really can't fight the feeling. From REO so Soft Rock 106. From REO Soft Rock 106. I should have said 206. There's no such radio station. Pat's Peeps 206.
Speaker 2:I can't fight this feeling any longer, and yet I'm still afraid to let it flow Epic record label. What started out as friendship has grown stronger.
Speaker 1:Mint condition, I only wish.
Speaker 2:I had the strength to let it show. I tell myself that I can't hold out forever. I say there is no reason for my fear, cause I feel so secure when we're together. You give my life direction, you make everything so clear and even as I wander, I'm keeping you in sight. You're a candle in the window On a cold, dark winter's night and I'm getting closer Than I ever thought I might, and I can't fight this feeling anymore. I've forgotten what I started fighting for. It's time to bring this ship into shore and throw away the odds forever, cause I can't fight this feeling anymore. I've forgotten what I started fighting for and if I have to crawl upon the river, I'm crashing through the door.
Speaker 1:Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore. Oh, it's saccharine. Listen to Rich Raff's guitar now saccharine. Listen to rich rath's guitar now so commercialized sounding. Now it's time to pull the ship into shore and throw away the oars. I can't fight this feeling anymore. Come crashing through your door. I mean, I know this was a huge hit. People love it. I'm not one of them.
Speaker 2:I don't despise it.
Speaker 1:I do feel like wearing my acid. Well, I never had acid wash jeans. Okay, let's see what's on the other side. Again, this is on an Epic Record label. It is like a dark bluish color. There's no writing on it. So this came in as a. It's got a barcode on it, which is weird. So this came in as a, with the picture sleeve. It's got the band on the front. Can't fight this feeling. Reo Speedwagon. It's got all the information on it and such. Let's flip it over and see what is on the other side, the other side of this, in case you ever want to impress your friends and tell them what's on the flip side of REO's. I Can't Fight this Feeling. It is a song called Break His Spell. I'm not sure if I've ever heard this. Here we go REO Break His Spell.
Speaker 2:Break his spell. I'm gonna break your spell. I'll put him in his place and get you out of his hell. I'm gonna break. Break his spell. Take this relationship and send it straight to the whale. I'm going to break his spell. Yeah, I'm going to break his spell. Take it. I'm going to break his spell. Yes, I will. It's been a while since I've known something's wrong. It's just you had me baby.
Speaker 1:Well, there you go. There's a flip side. No wonder that wasn't a hit. That is pretty generic in my mind. It's generic, it is generic, generic, generic man. That is a. That's a B-side. That's a throwaway to me. Thank you for not throwing us away. Thank you for listening to Pat's Peeps 206. We'll see you on the radio on the BatWall Show. Oh gosh, okay, never mind. I had a big ugh. I'm going to wait until Monday. I had a big. I'm going to wait until Monday. I have a big announcement. I might even tomorrow See you on the radio.
