Why Urbana-Champaign, Illinois is Better Than Whatever Shitty Town You Live In….

reospeedwagon.jpg

Does your town have a street named after REO Speedwagon? I thought not…

Thanks to Jenny Stewart.

Published in: on July 26, 2007 at 7:42 pm

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24 Comments Leave a comment.

  1. On July 26, 2007 at 8:29 pm James Said:

    that’s nothing! haven’t you ever hung out on Todd Rundgren square in Philly? How about a promenade down Boyz 2 Men Boulevard? Or strolling through Hall and Oates Hall? And no trip would be complete without sampling some bananas and blow (or chocolate and cheese, or a bacon steak) at Dean and Gene Ween’s Gourmet Emporium down on 9th street.

    Urbana-Champaign = Suck-Suck

    Go Eagles. That is all.

  2. On July 27, 2007 at 4:01 am Beth Said:

    Do Urbanans go out of their way to cruise down REO Speedwagon Way?

  3. On July 27, 2007 at 7:22 am anandamide Said:

    James: I heard it from a friend, who heard it from a friend: your bands are as good as your sports teams.

    Beth: They certainly do, they even have a phrase for it. In U-C if you say “I do believe it’s time for me to fly”, everyone knows what you’re talking about.

  4. On July 27, 2007 at 7:37 am Beth Said:

    That rocks.

  5. On July 27, 2007 at 7:51 am on frizzy, on frazzle, on fizzle « little blog on the prairie Said:

    [...] has their own reasons for why they like and dislike C-U. Here’s one brief take on the matter. They can’t fight this feeling [...]

  6. On July 27, 2007 at 11:21 am Jenny Said:

    I think that the only people allowed to be hostile toward Champaign-Urbana are the grad students that have to fucking live there for 7 years.

    It’s almost impossible to AVOID driving down REO Speedwagon Way, because it’s in the middle of downtown Champaign, which has a radius of 4 blocks. Too bad they don’t have speakers blasting their tunes when you drive by.

  7. On July 27, 2007 at 11:57 am Chris Said:

    What’s really cool is that they all named a street after the ambient sound band, Main.

  8. On July 27, 2007 at 12:44 pm Grant Miller, Esq. Said:

    I went to NIU so I have an inferiority complex about U of I. But, in DeKalb we had an intersection of “Normal” and “High” streets.

  9. On July 27, 2007 at 12:44 pm Patrick Hillman Said:

    You may have won this time, Urbana-Champaign. But, I have it on good authority that MY hometown, good ol’ Pittsburgh, will someday name a bridge after Christina Aguilera.

  10. On July 27, 2007 at 1:13 pm Don Said:

    I heard it from a friend, who heard it from a friend: your bands are as good as your sports teams.

    Hum (A&M); the Vertebrats (covered by and adored by Uncle Tupelo, Replacements, Hole, et al); Menthol (Capital); Moon Seven Times (RoadRunner); Starcastle (CBS); Champaign (Epic); Elvis Brothers (Epic); the Didjits (Touch & Go); the Great Crusades; Titanic Love Affair (Capital); Screams (CBS); Combo Audio (CBS); Poster Children (WarnerBros); Adam Schmitt (Reprise); the Reputation (LookOut!); The Living Blue (Lucid); the Beauty Shop (Snapper); Jay Bennett & Edward Burch; Jack McDuff; Allison Krauss…

  11. On July 27, 2007 at 1:17 pm anandamide Said:

    Jenny: How cool would it be to go bustin’ down REO Speedwagon way during a blizzard with “Ridin’ the Storm Out” blasting through the public address system?

    Chris: Hmmm…guess that explains what the “E” stands for…

  12. On July 27, 2007 at 1:34 pm anandamide Said:

    GM: That’s where I was trying to get at almost every party I went to in college. Guess I should have gone to NIU….

    PH: I’m going to try and avoid making any jokes about how I wouldn’t want to cross Christina Aguilera…

    Don: Are those bands or sports teams?

  13. On July 27, 2007 at 4:34 pm KFC Said:

    Anandamide - would you do a favor and stop by my blog to see the post about a musician search I’m conducting? Thought someone as focused on it as you are might have a few ideas… per favore.

    love your blog, though i don’t stop by here nearly enough.

  14. On July 28, 2007 at 10:05 am cp Said:

    Sad, yet brilliant.

  15. On July 28, 2007 at 10:53 am anandamide Said:

    CP: We at Anandamide are always aiming for “sad, yet brilliant”. So far we’ve only achieved “sad”.

  16. On July 28, 2007 at 12:24 pm Disco:Very Said:

    You haven’t lived until you’ve been waiting in the sweltering heat for the public transit vehicles to arrive at the (Linda) Ronstadt Bus Center in Tucson, AZ.

  17. On July 28, 2007 at 6:52 pm Osprey Therian Said:

    What’s the speed limit on speedwagon way?

  18. On July 28, 2007 at 9:17 pm anandamide Said:

    55, except for Sammy Hagar. He’s allowed to drive 58.

  19. On July 29, 2007 at 2:06 pm anandamide Said:

    Disco: that’s pretty cool. Love to hear from more people whose towns have named weird shit after musicians. Have to admit, it’s pretty hard to top “Hall and Oates Hall” in Philly…..

  20. On July 30, 2007 at 12:05 pm jfdoylejr Said:

    To understand the historical significance of why that street is named REO Speedwagon way, take a look at the back album cover of REO II. The picture of the band was shot in front of the counter of Vriner’s Confectionary, which is now Memphis on Main.

    I wonder if the bus center in Winslow AZ is named for the Eagles?

  21. On July 30, 2007 at 2:24 pm anandamide Said:

    Doyle: that REO tidbit makes this even cooler, thanks !!!

    The question about the bus station is a good one, I’m considering having a contest in the near future with this theme. Stay tuned…..

  22. On July 30, 2007 at 3:23 pm David Said:

    Sadly, I believe Speedwagon Way only goes for 2-3 blocks, and the speed limit hits 35 at the most.

    Great line about C-U bands and sports team, adandamide, though I’m going to dream the impossible dream and take that as a positive, since Illinois athletics (ignoring football of course…though THIS is the year. ha.) have been rather impressive of late, and I argue on my blog that the Chambana music scene is one to write home about.

    Check this out for more of the “historical significance” of REO in Champaign.

  23. On July 30, 2007 at 4:09 pm anandamide Said:

    Hey David,

    Ah, there’s an illusion shattered. In my mind there’s no speed limit on REO Speedwagon way.

    Actually the line about bands and sports team was a jab at Philly, aimed at my good friend James. I have no reason to diss the bands or sports teams of C-U (actually, the latter is somewhat untrue, as I am secretly a Badger).

    My apologies to all Champaign-ites, for referring to your town as U-C. I took my cue from the university.

    Awesome post about REO. Go check it out, all…..

  24. On December 16, 2007 at 10:12 pm jfdoylejr Said:

    Don, in your listing of Champaign bands you failed to mention Dan Fogelberg, who got his start as a UI college student playing the Red Herring coffee shop at McKinley Foundation in Urbana. Sadly, Dan passed away today of prostate cancer at the age of 56.

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