Spanish Fly Records

REO Speedealer

Now know as Speedealer after complaints from the 80's rock band REO Speedwagon. REO Speedealer began in Lubbock, Texas with founding members Jeff Hirshberg (guitar) and Rodney Skelton (bass). 

In the 90's the band reformed in Dallas, Texas under the name The Sexellent, with Jeff and Rodney, Champagne Lyles III (vocals), Mike Noyes (guitar - also from Lubbock), and Toby Sheets (drums). They reintroduced Speedealer material to the Dallas scene with the same bizarre antics, often performing in their tighty whites on a balcony to whomever would stay and watch. One day Champagne disappeared off the face of the earth, only to reappear years later with tales of moving to Alaska on a whim.

After Champagne's departure the band adopted their old name of REO Speedealer and brought on David Woodard to handle the vocals. Dave was a punk rock veteran from the Dallas music scene and his raw vocal styles complemented the band's ever faster song deliveries. In 1995 the band won the Dallas Observer Music Awards for best new artist. The band became a huge draw in the Dallas clubs opening for punk rock acts like The Mentors and The Dwarves, and soon they were headlining Saturday nights at Dallas largest venues, knocking crowds dead with their 20-songs-in-30-minutes sets. 

After a relentless touring schedule taking them through the Midwest often enough for fans to think they were locals, REO Speedealer was picked up by Spanish Fly Records - a division of Twin Tone. In typical Speedealer style they recorded, mixed and mastered 24 songs in 5 hours, playing live to 2" tape. That self-titled album received rave reviews from Maximum Rock and Roll, Thrasher Magazine, Punk Planet and more and became what some would say a new masterpiece in punk rock history.

It was around this time the band received a cease-and-desist letter from REO Speedwagon's representation claiming that Speedwagon's fans would be confused. This turned out to be true enough at several shows where old classic rock fans appeared in Speedealer's audience wearing their Speedwagon jerseys. 

The band recorded some new tracks in the home garage studio of the Butthole Surfers' guitarist, most or all of which ended up on the band's second, and more well-known, self-titled CD with the image of a Diesel truck on the cover.

After a couple of years the band moved into a more heavy metal direction, and the only remaining original member was Jeff Hirshberg, who assumed the lead vocal role in addition to his guitar playing and song writing. The band went on to get signed to larger labels and released several CD's, all of which were very well received.

- bio edited by Tobasco on last.fm