Illinois based pop-rockers, Cheap Trick, may just be the hardest working band in America. Since picking up the torch The Beatles laid down almost 40 years ago, Cheap Trick have toured and recorded constantly. The band has released over 25 albums, and their brand of melody-driven rock music and pop sensibility has long been likened to their Liverpool heroes. With last summer’s release of Sgt. Pepper Live, the band have perhaps come full circle.
I first experienced Cheap Trick in 1977 opening for KISS at the Cow Palace in San Francisco, California. The date was August 16, 1977. I remember because, Elvis Presley passed away that day. I was completely enthralled with the tricksters from the start. Their sound, their energy, and their guitarist’s quirky look, were all engaging for a then 13-year-old. Now some 30 plus years later, I still count them among my favorite bands, and as genuinely nice guys.
For almost four decades, Cheap Trick has been one of America’s preeminent live bands. Rest assured that whatever musical brilliance they create in the studio, they will bring indelibly to life on stage. The band’s tribute to The Beatles is no exception. The 14 song Sgt. Pepper Live CD and companion DVD, were recorded from the band’s Waldorf Astoria performance on Dec 12, 2007, in New York.
Sgt. Pepper Live is not the band’s first encounter with Beatles material. Classics like ‘Day Tripper’ and ‘Magical Mystery Tour’ have appeared on the band’s albums over the years. Cheap Trick approached the project with great respect and humility for the material and the history behind it. They did justice to the songs by following the songwriter’s intent rather than twisting the songs up with their own interpretations.
Lead singer Robin Zander, bassist Tom Petersson, guitarist Rick Nielson, and drummer Bun E. Carlos were joined in the project by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, with special guests Joan Osbourne and Ian Ball (Gomez). The project also included co-producer and engineer Geoff Emerick, who handled engineering duties on The Beatle’s original 1967 masterpiece. Proceeds from the release will go toward the Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Many musicians and fans have long considered Cheap Trick to be the band The Beatles would have become had they remained together and avoided tragedy. Cheap Trick’s music is more than just inspired by the fab four, but a natural progression of Lennon and McCartney’s songwriting and development. To die-hard Beatles fans this may seem heresy, but one listen to their In Color, Heaven Tonight or Live at Budokan albums, should convince listeners otherwise.
Cheap Trick has also released a new studio album, aptly titled, The Latest. On The Latest, the listener can hear both that Beatles influence (especially on the tracks ‘Miracle’ and ‘Everybody Knows’) as well as the band’s own progression and growth. The Latest is arguably the band’s best offering since 1997’s critically acclaimed, self-titled release on Red Ant Records. The CD starts with the lullaby melody, ‘Sleep Forever’ before jumping into their pop-oriented roots on ‘When The Lights Are Out’, a track kicked off by Bun E. Carlos’ signature drum-style. The infectious ‘Miss Tomorrow’ is steeped in the classic Trick mold, while the first single, the punkesque, ‘Sick Man of Europe’ pays homage to the band’s early days.
Cheap Trick’s own influence on other artists is vast and ranges from bands like American Hi-Fi, Guns ‘n Roses, and Smashing Pumpkins, to Mötley Crüe, Nirvana, Stone Temple Pilots, and even country artist, Dwight Yoakam. Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry, calls Cheap Trick his favorite band to tour with.
Cheap Trick hits such as ‘I Want You to Want Me’, ‘Dream Police’, and ‘Surrender’, are considered pop classics, and are still radio staples today. The band can be heard every day on televisions nationwide as their remake of Big Star’s, ‘In The Street’ is used as the theme song to the syndicated sitcom, That 70′s Show. Cheap Trick have also turned up on numerous movie soundtracks, most recently doing the theme song for Transformers 2, Revenge of the Fallen.
For fans of Cheap Trick or The Beatles, Sgt. Peppers Live and The Latest are inspired works from one of America’s true rock bands. For 40 years the same line-up continues to churn out fun and sometimes brilliant morsels of rock and roll. These two new albums are shining examples of both.
Article by Rustyn Rose, Boise Music Examiner. Follow him on Twitter.
Tune in Sunday January 31st at 1 p.m. PST, and 4 EST, for Cheap Trick’s Artist Profile on Mojo Radio
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I don’t know what band works harder than Cheap Trick, if you take how long they have been working and with little time off. More importantly, they are very talented. I think it’s cool that this article gives them some recognition. I love every song, on every album they have put out.
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I don’t know what band works harder than Cheap Trick, if you take how long they have been working and with little time off. More importantly, they are very talented. I think it’s cool that this article gives them some recognition. I love every song, on every album they have put out.
+1
I don’t know what band works harder than Cheap Trick, if you take how long they have been working and with little time off. More importantly, they are very talented. I think it’s cool that this article gives them some recognition. I love every song, on every album they have put out.+1
+1
Thanks for sharing. Share is caring after all.