Kevin Cronin is finally opening up on what led him to leave REO Speedwagon. The classic 80s rock singer left the band more than a year ago. According to Kevin, things with the group started to change during the pandemic.
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"I started kind of reassessing some things. And I started wanting to reach further," Cronin said on "The Magnificent Others" podcast. "I was wanting a little more. And not necessarily outside the band. I wanted to lift the band in some way. So when the band got back together after the pandemic, I was psyched. And some of the guys in the band shared that excitement and some of the guys didn't. So it became a little bit of a, like, 'Wait a minute, what's going on here?' You know? And so there was a little bit of a chasm opening within the band."
Things went from bad to worse when bassist Bruce Hall injured his back just days before a Las Vegas residency. REO Speedwagon replaced him with Matt Bissonette, the same bassist who plays with Elton John. However, Cronin and Bissoneete didn't seem to see eye to eye.
"I love Bruce and I think he might feel like I was out to get him," Cronin revealed. "I've heard that from people, that there's a feeling there and it's just not the case at all. I hold no ill feelings toward him."
Kevin Cronin and REO Speedwagon Was Huge in the 70s and 80s
They may be somewhat of an afterthought now, but during the 70s and 80s, REO Speedwagon were huge in the rock scene. They had hits with songs like "Can't Fight This Feeling" and "Take It On The Run."
The group still pulls in over 6.2 million monthly streams on Spotify. That number is likely closer to 15 or 20 million once all streaming platforms are accounted for. The group last released a studio album in 2009. They also had a studio release in 2007.
However, REO Speedwagon has been releasing live albums for the past decade, with "Movin' On (Live Rockford '83)" being released in 2025.
Now that he's no longer part of the group, Cronin may continue to perform solo. However, there's no indication of what that would look like or when he could book some dates to begin a solo tour.
