In an interview with Ultimate Classic Rock, Bruce Hall talked about the drama between the REO Speedwagon and Kevin Cronin.
While Cronin earlier said he understood Hall had agreed to sit out the entire 2024 tour, Hall shared a different perspective. “I’d set this all up with management so I wouldn’t miss any shows,” he explained. “So I could get [the surgery] done and get back to work.”
“They didn’t want me to play. They were kind of happy with what they had going.” The rocker was frustrated, but he decided to use the extra time to “take it easy for a little bit longer.”
“[He] didn’t like my posture,” Hall added. “He kept coming up with reasons… and it became apparent that he didn’t want me coming back –and why exactly, I couldn’t tell you.”
Both Hall and Doughty emphasized that they didn’t want to stop Cronin from moving forward with his own plans, but they wished things had been handled differently. “The fans want us to do a farewell tour,” Hall pointed out. Doughty added: “That would be great. If there was a farewell tour with Bruce, I would also go back and be part of that. Then Kevin could go back to his solo career with the guys.”
Cronin previously talked about the drama in the band and explained whether or not he dislikes Hall. The guitarist discussed the statements he made about the band, revealing that most of what’s seen online was inaccurate. “There’s been a lot of inaccurate and hurtful statements that have come out I’ve chosen to kind of keep my mouth shut until this week really. So it’s sad in one sense and it’s extremely exciting in another sense because I’ve kind of never heard my songs or Gary Richrath’s songs played at this level and it just happened accidentally. Matt Bissonette was just going to sub in for Bruce for a while but Bruce’s surgery ended up being a major surgery. So it is what it is right now, and we’re moving forward.”
When asked if he dislikes Hall, Cronin responded: “No I don’t dislike Bruce. I disagree with how he kind of put this out in the public forum. These were discussions that I would have preferred to just have in private.”
REO Speedwagon decided to stop touring due to a disagreement about bassist Bruce Hall’s return after his back surgery in November. Matt Bissonette has been filling in for him in 2024.
On December 6, Cronin announced that Styx and he will tour together next summer for 40 concerts. The tour is titled Brotherhood of Rock, and it will kick off on May 28 in Greenville, South Carolina, and wrap up on August 24 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Don Felder will also perform as a special guest.
