Back in September, REO Speedwagon announced that they would stop touring after this year due to "irreconcilable differences." Less than three months later, frontman Kevin Cronin announced that he'll be touring solo with Styx in 2025, which could be perhaps interpreted as him having been an advocate for ending the band and breaking out on his own instead — but that is not the case.
In a new interview with Billboard ahead of REO's final show at the Venetian in Las Vegas, NV, later this week, Cronin made it clear that the band's dissolution was not his idea.
"Never in my wildest dreams did I ever see this coming," he told the publication's Gary Graff. "I didn't want to end REO Speedwagon. This is sad, and I would do anything in my power to continue [as] REO Speedwagon. I never quit the band; I never will quit the band. I just got outvoted and…have to stop calling it REO Speedwagon at the end of this year."
The vote the musician is referring to was a 2-1 decision made with founding keyboardist Neal Doughty (who retired from touring in 2023) and Bruce Hall, bassist since 1977, who was coming off a leave of absence after undergoing back surgery (with Matt filling in for him in the interim). Hall and Cronin had disagreed about the former's ability to return to touring and "perform at the level fans have come to expect."
"The simple answer is that REO Speedwagon, at this point, is a three-person partnership… and I have one vote," Cronin continued. "So if I get outvoted then I have to accept that, whether I like it or not. I'll be honest with you — I don't like it. But I have to accept it… I would do everything in my power to be able to continue with REO Speedwagon but, when a vote is taken, you have to live with the results."
With sole founding member Doughty and Hall both feeling unable to perform, it kind of makes sense to call it a day. Both of them and Cronin have all retained ownership interest in REO, with the singer-guitarist set to make his live solo debut in January.