| Cheap Trick
Posted: 2/11/2008 4:31:28 AM | I remember when Cheap Trick was 1st. getting started back in the early 70's.
I never took them seriously back then and thought they were kinda dumb. Mostly it was Rick Nielsen's whole get up that turned me off. Call it 70's lead guitar snobbery if you will.
The last few weeks however, I've sort of revisited Cheap Trick on the Internet and I have to admit they really were pretty good all this time.
I'm sure there are a lot of people who would never admit to liking Cheap Trick even though there's probably one of their songs which is a favorite.
The problem with the band is that even though there are several songs which are really very good they don't have any stylistic commonality between them. On the one hand this is a sign of good creativity but on the other hand it hampers the popular identity of the band. " I want you " and " Gonna Raise Hell ", sounds like 2 completely different bands.
So, I admit it now for the whole world.
I like Cheap Trick. | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 2/11/2008 7:01:45 AM | I've been a Cheap Trick fan since the mid 70's. Their "Live at Budokan" is a classic, IMO. Love the intro to "Ain't That a Shame". I've seen them live about a half dozen times and they've always put on a good show.
The only song i never cared for was "The Flame". It was just too "popish" for my taste.
I've always been a Cheap Trick fan and will always be.  | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 2/11/2008 9:48:21 AM | No doubt that Live at Budokan is a classic. I remember when it was a hard to find import and suddenly Cheap Trick mania exploded. They made the cover of Rolling Stone and I rushed out to buy "In Color" and "Heaven Tonight".
Fantastic albums.
Then things started to go wrong. Dream Police came out and although it sold well... not a very good album overall. Certainly no comparison to the previous records.
Cheap Trick to this day, still puts on a great live show.
There are still moments of recorded inspiration. "Shelter" from the album just simply called "Cheap Trick" is one of the most emotional and powerful songs Robin Zander has ever done.
But man, they have put out some terrible records in their day. PEW! (The Doctor?)
My favorite tracks
Need Your Love
Ain't That a Shame
Big Eyes
Southern Girls
Reach Out (Heavy Metal Soundtrack)
All Wound Up (Excellent Bass)
World's Greatest Lover
Taking Me Back
Shelter | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 2/11/2008 2:39:42 PM | I liked their version of "Sweet Jane". And the guitar guy is a blast.
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 2/12/2008 6:52:41 AM | Unfortunately although most of their albums were good (with the exception of that period in the mid 80's, god what a nightmare), they suffered from singleitis... only two or three songs at most would be memorable off any given album and the rest would sound more like filler, at least to me. Which thankfully is great considering they took every last scrap of their awesome material and packed it into the Budokan album. If you decide to download or buy the CD, I believe it comes with five or so more songs that they left off the LP, it's all good stuff. My favorites would have to be Dream Police, Surrender and I Want You To Want Me, predictable I know | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 2/12/2008 10:22:14 AM | Back in the mid 70's, when I was in college I had one of the great privileges few people ever get. I got a small stint at the University of Oklahoma FM student radio station. In that period the DJs could do what is unheard of in any rock radio format today. We could select our own music and play on the air literally anything we wanted.
Anything at all ! It was in reality what Jack FM pretends to be today.
I made it a point to put together 4 hour music shows ranging from 60s top 40, all the way to the latest progressive rock of the time, YES, ELP, everything I could think of.
I would mix and match different songs in to 4, 5, or 6 song sets with no interruption, never repeating the same combination. Melding and segueing together different musical themes or lyrical combinations of songs. My motto was that anyone with the radio tuned in couldn't do anything else except listen to whatever I was doing.
One day, one of those music company guys came around and brought us a collection of new groups they were trying to get us to play on the air. Cheap Trick was one of those groups, I can't remember the others.
Who was this doofus guy trying to do a Hunts Hall/Bowery Boys impersonation ?
Where did they get this geeky drummer guy with the cigarette ?
It all smacked far too much of a corporate put on and I refused to take any of it the least bit serious.
Listening back now, I realize their musicianship was very good. Bun E. Carlos is a somewhat better than what usually passes for a rock drummer. Doing chord progressions within a phrase is something few rock groups attempt. I like the way they play around with lyrics and rhythm combinations.
I think Cheap Trick may be passing into a cult-group phase of their careers, where people who never listened to them before are discovering them now . | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 4/6/2008 2:15:44 PM | I own about 15 Cheap Trick albums. Probably one of my favorite groups of all time. Zanders voice is so amazing it's surreal. Check out these underrated albums..
Next Position Please
The Doctor
Busted
One on One
All Shook Up
Standing on the Edge
It's a crying shame that most of Cheap Trick's output during the 80's is out of print. | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 4/7/2008 7:24:56 AM | I had never heard of Cheap Trick until 'Live at Budokan' came out. I was about 12 and my older brother got the record (that shows my age!) and played it all the time. I haven't heard their music in ages and now I'm thinking I should get a few of those old albums..Budokan, Dream Police etc.
IWYTWM is the only song I can think of that gets radio time now and then. I admire band that builds a great fan base without radio time. It shows their devotion and passion to writing thier own kind of music. Their song 'Flame' did get a lot of air time however it was a song they didn't want to record but were forced to by the record company. It's obviously a song unlike what you would expect from them. Of course the record company just wanted some $ale$.
Pink Floyd released 'Money' as a single. The Talking Heads released 'Take Me to the River'. They were released singles to increase sales but they were and are still very progressive songs unlike 'Flame' which was a cheesy teeny bopper top 40 song. | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 4/7/2008 9:31:15 AM | I saw them when the opened for Aerosmith a couple of years ago.
I hear they are touring this summer with Heart and (what now sadly passes as) Journey.
Something to look out for....... | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 4/7/2008 10:01:30 PM | I saw them when they opened for Kiss. The Kiss alive II show.my age showing again.
They were amazing Bun E. Carlos played one song with drumsticks the size of very thick broomsticks. Does he still do that? | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 6/1/2008 10:08:28 PM | | They're coming back to Houston in July and I for one can't wait. Kickin' band and a blast to see live. I want to be in a band like that. Maybe one day. (sigh) | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 6/1/2008 10:19:45 PM | Well I saw you today and realized
How I missed my peace of mind
I feel your breath in my ear
But late at night its you I always think about
That little girl inside of you I once knew
I should have known better
Still the smell of you was on my face
But you were too busy
To notice me last night
Now I cant take it alone
I cant make it alone
I cant take it
I cant make it alone
Oh no, oo, oh no
Then I tell myself Ill put you down
Dont wanna see your face around
Dont call me up anymore
When I hear your voice its in my ear
Youre kissin on the phone
It makes it all come clear
Now I cant take it alone
I cant make it alone
I cant take it
I cant make it alone
Oh no, oh, oh no
I try to tell myself
Dont need you anymore
Dont want you hangin around my door, oh no
Now I cant take it alone
I cant make it alone
I cant take it alone
I cant make it alone
I cant take it alone
I cant make it alone
If its wrong or right
I cant take it, I cant make it alone
You know how I tried
I cant take it, I cant make it alone
I try tell myself dont need you anymore
I cant take it alone, I cant make it alone
Oh baby, my pretty baby
I cant take it alone, I cant make it alone
If you don't like this song sumthin' wrong wit cha. | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 6/2/2008 2:10:10 AM | If you havn't already...
Goto Youtube and search Alice Cooper/Cheap Trick.
You will find a video in which the 1st half is Alice Cooper is singing a cleaned up version of " Only Women Bleed ".
The 2nd half of the video is Cheap Trick in a televised performance of " Ain't That a Shame " at the 1980 AMA awards.
It does not disappoint. | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 6/2/2008 6:37:57 AM | Well I am a sucker for pop tunes that have great lyrics.
Cheap Trick fit the bill.
Although their 1st album Cheap Trick was darker I thought In Color was pop candy.
Then to follow up with Heaven Tonight....pure Gold!
Surrender was listed at #465 of the Rolling Stones 500 Greatest songs of all time .
I think you have to listen to it on 8 track in a Ford Torino to really appriciate it! | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 6/2/2008 7:00:48 AM |
... Bun E. Carlos played one song with drumsticks the size of very thick broomsticks.
I still have a pair of those from a show of theirs I worked back in the dawn of time (w/ his name on them, no less)....everybody in that band came off as a fun wierdo, back then. Good times.  | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 6/2/2008 8:38:11 PM |
I think you have to listen to it on 8 track in a Ford Torino to really appriciate it!
My renaissance came from a mid-80s Saab with (what was then) an amazing cassette stereo. Before replacing the stereo, I could only find -Dream Police- on cassette.
[Actually I found Cheap Trick and Alice Cooper so thanks nipoleon]
It brought back great memories.
Including:
Robin Zander married a girl from a small farm town. That was the town in which I grew up. So perhaps riding on the bumper cars with a big rock star at the local “jamboree” influenced my opinion, but, I love Cheep Trick.
Budokan was undeniably great. For me it proved they could play the game as well as anyone going.
However, Dream Police showed they could play their own game and no one could do it the same.
Granted, it is layered and complex and often missed by casual listeners. Still, “I Know What I Want,” and “Need Your Love” are at the same time lyrical, melodic, and harsh. Brilliant.
And the social commentary of “The House is Rocking” needs to note the conflict between the guitar solos and lyrics in juxtaposition to the harmony and echo of the guitars and voices elsewhere
But ultimately, complexity has never been expressed so simply in “Gonna Raise Hell.”
It is on my “if I was on a desert island top ten list.” | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 8/21/2008 6:01:34 AM | | I always liked them but saw them at a small club in Providence RI about 8 years ago. I was amazed with Rick and that little chin string he has. It had a guitar pick on the end of it. I later saw them open for ZZ Top a larger venue and he had this guitar with about seven necks. I thought the whole band was amazing for showmanship as well as being great musicians. | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 8/21/2008 12:03:05 PM | Rick has gone through a couple of different image transformations as he's gotten older.
It's interesting to surf through all their old videos on You Tube. | |
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 8/21/2008 4:39:12 PM | Drummer Bun E. Carlos also went through a minor change when he quit smoking in the 1990s and thus not having his trademark dangling cigarette.
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| Cheap Trick
Posted: 8/21/2008 10:04:10 PM | | I seen Cheap Trick in Halifax. They opened for Kiss. They were good but once Kiss hit the stage I forgot all about them. I was eleven years old and it was the first concert I went to and the first time I seen a womens breasts. Some girl sitting on a guys shoulder threw her bra on the stage to Gene Simmons. ( Thanks Gene!) | |
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