Nine Lives (REO Speedwagon album)

Nine Lives is the eighth studio album by REO Speedwagon. It peaked at number #33 on the Billboard 200 chart in 1979.[1] The album went gold on December 5, 1979. The title Nine Lives was chosen because the album was the band's ninth, including their live album, and it also featured nine songs. It was the last REO album to prominently feature a more hard rock sound. The group would turn to more pop-oriented material with 1980's Hi Infidelity. In 2013, the album was released on CD by UK-based company Rock Candy Records, with expanded liner notes and photos.

Nine Lives
Studio album by REO Speedwagon
Released	July 20, 1979
Recorded	Spring 1979 at Sound City, Studio A and Kendun Recorders, Studio D
Genre	Hard rock
Length	34:24
Label	Epic
Producer	Kevin Cronin, Gary Richrath, Kevin Beamish
REO Speedwagon chronology
You Can Tune a Piano But You Can't Tuna Fish (1978) Nine Lives (1979) Hi Infidelity (1980)

The track "Only The Strong Survive" also later appeared on Gary Richrath's 1992 album Only the Strong Survive.

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Melodic	link

Track listing

Side one

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Heavy on Your Love"	Kevin Cronin, Gary Richrath	3:35
2.	"Drop It (An Old Disguise)"	Cronin	3:14
3.	"Only the Strong Survive"	Richrath	3:52
4.	"Easy Money"	Richrath	4:01
5.	"Rock & Roll Music"	Chuck Berry	2:55

Side two

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
6.	"Take Me"	Cronin	3:29
7.	"I Need You Tonight"	Cronin	3:35
8.	"Meet Me on the Mountain"	Richrath	4:04
9.	"Back on the Road Again"	Bruce Hall	5:39

Personnel

REO Speedwagon[3]

• Kevin Cronin – lead vocals, rhythm guitar
• Gary Richrath – lead guitar
• Neal Doughty – keyboards
• Bruce Hall – bass, backing vocals (lead on track 9)
• Alan Gratzer – drums, backing vocals

Additional personnel

• Bill Champlin – backing vocals
• Steve Forman – percussion
• Tom Kelly – backing vocals

Production

• Producers: Kevin Cronin, Gary Richrath, Kevin Beamish
• Engineers: Kevin Beamish, Gary Lubow
• Arranger: Kevin Cronin
• Associate Producer: Alan Gratzer
• Production Assistance: Gary Lubow
• Assistant engineers: Steve Williams, D. C. Snyder
• Direction: John Baruck, Alex Kochan, Tom Consolo, JoAnn D'Agostino, Lynne Kirkwood
• Art direction: Tom Drennon
• Design: Tom Drennon, Ginger Canzoneri
• Cover photographer: John Bilecky
• Center spread and portrait photography: Neal Preston
• Back cover cat illustrations: Ginger Canzoneri
• Models: Candy Moore, Lindy Thorp, Shyanne Rippee, Karen Bilecky

Charts

Album Chart (1979) Peak position US Billboard 200 33[4] Canadian Albums Chart 52[5]

Certifications Region Certification Certified units/sales United States (RIAA)[6] Gold 500,000^^ ^^shipments figures based on certification alone

Release history

Region	Date	Label	Format	Catalog #
USA	July 20, 1979	Epic Records	Stereo Vinyl	E-35988
USA	1979	Epic Records	Tape	PET-35988
USA	1979	Epic Records	8 TRK	E35988
USA	1990	Epic Records	CD	EK35988
Japan	2011	Sony Music	CD (DSD-Remaster)	EICP 1489
UK	2013	Rock Candy Records	CD-24 bit audio (Remastered & Reloaded)	CANDY177

References

1. Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Albums (Seventh ed.). Record Research. ISBN 978-0-89820-183-3.
2. Stone, Doug. REO Speedwagon: Nine Lives at AllMusic. Retrieved April 25, 2020.
3. REO Speedwagon — Nine Lives. Rock Candy Records Ltd. 2013. p. 16.
4. "Artist Chart History – REO Speedwagon". Billboard charts. Retrieved 2016-10-02.
5. "Top Albums/CD's – Volume 32, No. 3, October 13, 1979". RPM. RPM Music Publications Ltd. October 13, 1979. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
6. "American album certifications – R.E.O. Speedwagon – Nine Lives". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved October 2, 2016. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Album, then click SEARCH.