It's just been announced that they are coming to Pittsburgh on Aug. 21, and they will play at Stage AE, which is a fairly new venue on the North Side. This will be my first time seeing Cheap Trick, and it will also be the first show I'll see at Stage AE. BTW, before you ask, I just never got around to seeing them before, hence that is why this is my first time.

I take it there are some Cheap Trick fans around here, right? Anyone have any memories to share about this band, or any thoughts on songs and/or albums? When I was a kid, they were the only other band I liked besides KISS, and I used to have a vinyl copy of "Live at Budokan." I now have the complete concert on CD, and I still think it's a great live album.

Caroline Monroe.....you don't say. I'll have to investigate . But, I see , you're just going, primarily,  to support  Prima Donna. Yeah ,that was about it , as hits were concerned. THAT AND "FRIEND OR FOE" , and , I think "Desperate , But Not Serious" was a minor hit. I think they thought they were going to make him a big star in the states , understandable , but , after the initial rush with that first solo LP , HE WAS DEADER THAN DISCO.
 
MikeL said:

My thing about Adam Ant is that I only know one song by him, "Goody Two Shoes," which was one of his few hits here in America. I remember the video, and I liked it mostly for Caroline Munro as the prim and proper reporter who becomes more uninhibited as the video goes on. I also remember Adam Ant playing a white slaver in an episode of "The Equalizer." Aside from that, I haven't given any thought to Adam Ant in years. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised at the concert, and if I don't like him, then I can just take off early and beat the rush out of that place.

John Battles said:

MikeL , YES , WE are getting old......SOME OF US. i SAW aDAM aNT , ONCE , 30 or 31 YEARS AGO , WHENEVER HIS FIRST SOLO LP CAME OUT......It was at a time that there were damn few all - ages shows. Some of my younger friends I knew from High School (I was just starting College.) wanted to go (I was still underage , too.). I've never owned one of his records , but , his early , Punk -era stuff has it's moments. I liKED THE TWO ANTS LPS (BARRING "dIRK wEARS wHITE sOCKS" , WHICH WAS ONLY AVAILABLE AS AN IMPORT.), but , enough of my friends had 'em , I did'nt have to buy them. I heard he was terrible when he played here a couple of years ago , but , you should'nt let that  prejudice you. He may have got himself together . Reportedly , he had issues with drink. What kind of person goes into a club in London , where only terrorists are allowed guns (Bad joke , sorry.), with a replica pistol in hand ? He seems like a troubled individual. I saw him on TV , PREPARINGTO PLAY A pUNK FEST , PUTTING TOGETHER AN ACTUAL PUNK BAND. It was'nt bad. In Britain , Adam Ant was not considered part of the underground. Adam was a Pop star. People thought he was Punk , like they thought Billy Idol was , in the states. But they both came out of Punk. I think Prima Donna and Cheap Trick would be a better match , too. Maybe Adam Ant wanted an opening ant that had nothing todo with what he does, and might light a fire under his ass. Bu t, who knows? 

I swear I meant to say "Opening act" !!!!!!

My thing about Adam Ant is that I only know one song by him, "Goody Two Shoes," which was one of his few hits here in America. I remember the video, and I liked it mostly for Caroline Munro as the prim and proper reporter who becomes more uninhibited as the video goes on. I also remember Adam Ant playing a white slaver in an episode of "The Equalizer." Aside from that, I haven't given any thought to Adam Ant in years. Maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised at the concert, and if I don't like him, then I can just take off early and beat the rush out of that place.

John Battles said:

MikeL , YES , WE are getting old......SOME OF US. i SAW aDAM aNT , ONCE , 30 or 31 YEARS AGO , WHENEVER HIS FIRST SOLO LP CAME OUT......It was at a time that there were damn few all - ages shows. Some of my younger friends I knew from High School (I was just starting College.) wanted to go (I was still underage , too.). I've never owned one of his records , but , his early , Punk -era stuff has it's moments. I liKED THE TWO ANTS LPS (BARRING "dIRK wEARS wHITE sOCKS" , WHICH WAS ONLY AVAILABLE AS AN IMPORT.), but , enough of my friends had 'em , I did'nt have to buy them. I heard he was terrible when he played here a couple of years ago , but , you should'nt let that  prejudice you. He may have got himself together . Reportedly , he had issues with drink. What kind of person goes into a club in London , where only terrorists are allowed guns (Bad joke , sorry.), with a replica pistol in hand ? He seems like a troubled individual. I saw him on TV , PREPARINGTO PLAY A pUNK FEST , PUTTING TOGETHER AN ACTUAL PUNK BAND. It was'nt bad. In Britain , Adam Ant was not considered part of the underground. Adam was a Pop star. People thought he was Punk , like they thought Billy Idol was , in the states. But they both came out of Punk. I think Prima Donna and Cheap Trick would be a better match , too. Maybe Adam Ant wanted an opening ant that had nothing todo with what he does, and might light a fire under his ass. Bu t, who knows? 

I swear I meant to say "Opening act" !!!!!!

MikeL , YES , WE are getting old......SOME OF US. i SAW aDAM aNT , ONCE , 30 or 31 YEARS AGO , WHENEVER HIS FIRST SOLO LP CAME OUT......It was at a time that there were damn few all - ages shows. Some of my younger friends I knew from High School (I was just starting College.) wanted to go (I was still underage , too.). I've never owned one of his records , but , his early , Punk -era stuff has it's moments. I liKED THE TWO ANTS LPS (BARRING "dIRK wEARS wHITE sOCKS" , WHICH WAS ONLY AVAILABLE AS AN IMPORT.), but , enough of my friends had 'em , I did'nt have to buy them. I heard he was terrible when he played here a couple of years ago , but , you should'nt let that  prejudice you. He may have got himself together . Reportedly , he had issues with drink. What kind of person goes into a club in London , where only terrorists are allowed guns (Bad joke , sorry.), with a replica pistol in hand ? He seems like a troubled individual. I saw him on TV , PREPARINGTO PLAY A pUNK FEST , PUTTING TOGETHER AN ACTUAL PUNK BAND. It was'nt bad. In Britain , Adam Ant was not considered part of the underground. Adam was a Pop star. People thought he was Punk , like they thought Billy Idol was , in the states. But they both came out of Punk. I think Prima Donna and Cheap Trick would be a better match , too. Maybe Adam Ant wanted an opening ant that had nothing todo with what he does, and might light a fire under his ass. Bu t, who knows? 

I swear I meant to say "Opening act" !!!!!!

I would have to go see Adam Ant if he came around again; I blew him off a few years ago and I am sure I would have had a great time if I had gone that night.  

Turns out I'm going to see Adam Ant a couple of days later at the same venue. When I first heard Adam Ant was coming to Pittsburgh, I toyed with the idea of going to see him, but then I heard about Cheap Trick, so I decided to see them instead. However, my favorite new band, Prima Donna, just announced that they will tour with Adam Ant, so I bought a ticket for that show too. Those two days will be full of firsts for me; going to see Cheap Trick and Adam Ant for the first time, going to Stage AE for the first time, and going to two somewhat major concerts within a couple of days of each other for the first time. I'm looking forward to Adam Ant, but I really wish Prima Donna were touring with Cheap Trick; I think those bands would complement each other well.

We're all getting old:)

Hamster said:

You're going to enjoy the show!  Just saw Cheap Trick live a few days ago. Nielsen is still incredible on the six-string, Zander's voice is strong, Peterson and his 12-string bass are a treat to watch, and Daxx Nielsen played the best drum solo I have ever witnessed in person. Granted, Cheap Trick is old (and so am I) but you're in for a good show...

You're going to enjoy the show!  Just saw Cheap Trick live a few days ago. Nielsen is still incredible on the six-string, Zander's voice is strong, Peterson and his 12-string bass are a treat to watch, and Daxx Nielsen played the best drum solo I have ever witnessed in person. Granted, Cheap Trick is old (and so am I) but you're in for a good show...

I was amazed what a great live band they were -- and this was just a couple years ago! The spirit of real rock n roll lives in these guys, to be sure. One of the few 1970s bands worth seeing, and they are probably better now than then! :)

He sure did. Of course , so did Judge Rhinehart (sic) , Jennifer Jason Leigh , and , briefly , anyway , Phoebe Cates. I still love that movie. I did'nt go see it when it came out , because it looked so stupid. I did'nt realize  that , besides being pretty fuckin' funny , it dealt with some REALITIES , like teen pregnancy , abortion , go - nowhere jobs , and the illusion that High School is where life peaks .

"The fun's got to stop? I'm wondering when the fun's going to BEGIN !". Judge.
 
MikeL said:

Sean Penn did pretty well for himself after playing the stoner dude in that movie:)

John Battles said:

Cheap Trick WERE yesterday's news by 1982 , unless you lived in Chicagoland or Rockford , I guess. They still sold records , just not as many , and they played smaller halls , I guess , than before. But , bands were forgotten a lot quicker, in those days. Who knew or cared where Kiss or Aerosmith were in 1982? They were around , Ted Nugent was around , but , it'd be years before their megabucks comebacks.     Sorry....to answer your question....I remember "Pink Lady and Jeff".I watched all those Summer Replacement , or planned obsolescence TV shows , back then. The show was criticized for excessive Asian jokes. I don't remember , but , I think a friend gave me a tape with one or two episodes on it , but I only ever watched the Lancelot Link reruns on the same tape , more than once. Pink Lady had an album out on the US market. After the show tanked ,  I think they went back to Japan , and did well , there , for a few years. Jeff was the White guy. He stayed here.

Yeah , whatshisname in "Fast Times ". What a TOOL , but , capable of getting your trust. We all knew guys like that. I never saw him in anything else again. It's too bad , he was actually pretty good.

Sean Penn did pretty well for himself after playing the stoner dude in that movie:)

John Battles said:

Cheap Trick WERE yesterday's news by 1982 , unless you lived in Chicagoland or Rockford , I guess. They still sold records , just not as many , and they played smaller halls , I guess , than before. But , bands were forgotten a lot quicker, in those days. Who knew or cared where Kiss or Aerosmith were in 1982? They were around , Ted Nugent was around , but , it'd be years before their megabucks comebacks.     Sorry....to answer your question....I remember "Pink Lady and Jeff".I watched all those Summer Replacement , or planned obsolescence TV shows , back then. The show was criticized for excessive Asian jokes. I don't remember , but , I think a friend gave me a tape with one or two episodes on it , but I only ever watched the Lancelot Link reruns on the same tape , more than once. Pink Lady had an album out on the US market. After the show tanked ,  I think they went back to Japan , and did well , there , for a few years. Jeff was the White guy. He stayed here.

Yeah , whatshisname in "Fast Times ". What a TOOL , but , capable of getting your trust. We all knew guys like that. I never saw him in anything else again. It's too bad , he was actually pretty good.

Cheap Trick WERE yesterday's news by 1982 , unless you lived in Chicagoland or Rockford , I guess. They still sold records , just not as many , and they played smaller halls , I guess , than before. But , bands were forgotten a lot quicker, in those days. Who knew or cared where Kiss or Aerosmith were in 1982? They were around , Ted Nugent was around , but , it'd be years before their megabucks comebacks.     Sorry....to answer your question....I remember "Pink Lady and Jeff".I watched all those Summer Replacement , or planned obsolescence TV shows , back then. The show was criticized for excessive Asian jokes. I don't remember , but , I think a friend gave me a tape with one or two episodes on it , but I only ever watched the Lancelot Link reruns on the same tape , more than once. Pink Lady had an album out on the US market. After the show tanked ,  I think they went back to Japan , and did well , there , for a few years. Jeff was the White guy. He stayed here.

Yeah , whatshisname in "Fast Times ". What a TOOL , but , capable of getting your trust. We all knew guys like that. I never saw him in anything else again. It's too bad , he was actually pretty good.

Does anyone here remember a short lived TV variety show called "Pink Lady and Jeff"? I just remembered that Cheap Trick appeared on that show via their video for "Dream Police."

Another Cheap Trick memory that stands out for me was the scene in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" in which the ticket scalping character was trying to sell Cheap Trick tickets to a girl, and he sang a couple of the band's songs to get her interested. I find that scene amusing, because that movie was released in 1982, during a time when a lot of people thought Cheap Trick was yesterday's news.

I can also remember when Cheap Trick made something of a comeback in the late 80s with their power ballad "The Flame," along with their cover of "Don't Be Cruel." I especially remember the video for the latter because of the cute female back-up singers.

Anyway, those are my Cheap Trick memories.

Congratulations - you are about to see one of the best live bands around. I first saw them opening for the Kinks on the Sleepwalker tour. The were not listed and the only way we knew the band name was reading it from the bass drum head with binoculars. I was intrigued. When 'In Color' came out I thought, "This band should be great live." I next saw them opening for Be Bop Deluxe, but they never lived up to the potential I heard on the album. Rumor has it their sound was sabotaged by the headliners. I saw their first headlining tour and, once again, not up to their potential. The next time was an arena show after 'Budokan' and was the band playing to the crowd, not playing music. Their career kind of backslid after that, and that's when their concerts started getting really good. I saw them in small halls & clubs, for free compliments of Marlboro cigarettes, and outdoors sponsored by a local radio station. The last time I saw them was at a casino with Blondie. Blondie is (was) a great band with great material, but they paled next to Cheap Trick. I really wish I had seen their Las Vegas shows, when they did 'Sgt. Pepper's' and 'Magical Mystery Tour'.

Well , the connection is , I think Brad Elvis is friends with the members of Cheap Trick. hE MUST BE.  He never really made it on his own (The Elvis Brothers  almost broke big , but , not quite.) , but , he's worked with a lot of big name people . He also subbed for Clem Burke in The Little Steven - backed Romantics , one of the most underrated comeback attempts in recent memory. One friend said that they were a Bar Band. I said , "Show me a bar where the band nails some Kinks , MC5 and Pretty Things covers , and I'll take up drinking.".
 
melissa scott said:

Yep, Rockford was a thriving industrial city on a river -- second-largest city in Illinois at one time -- manufacturing. Look at your old school furniture and it will probably say, made in Rockford. Anyway, wood was their game. It's all GONE now...

The weather is diabolical, they'd get flooding... and now... can't think of what the job base would be like their. From memory, we used to go up there to hear music sometimes and go to Nielsen's Music -- yeah, family business. I noticed the Handcuffs have played a few shows up there -- perhaps there's some connection to a member of their band or something.

I guess Rockford would be a lot like Allentown -- there's a small downtown district that is trying to come back, but... it doesn't have the proximity to NYC like Allentown, so nothing to develop there.

Yes, I read about the exhibit too -- Nielsen's guitar collection was featured. :D

If someone wanted to shout me a ticket now I'd still go see 'em -- at least that band knows how to generate some FUN in their rock 'n roll.

dave: that's so cool! Wonder if anyone still has one of those shirts stored away? :D

dave said:

Cheap Trick was the 1st concert I ever went to, in a freakin' basketball stadium, which made everything echo-y (not that I cared). They were promoting One On One, which I think is their best LP. It was fantastic!

The next day, half of the kids in my classes came back w/  1.Tinnitus (which we bragged about) and 2. Those baseball tour jerseys with that 6-necked Hamer on it. Good times.

Yep, Rockford was a thriving industrial city on a river -- second-largest city in Illinois at one time -- manufacturing. Look at your old school furniture and it will probably say, made in Rockford. Anyway, wood was their game. It's all GONE now...

The weather is diabolical, they'd get flooding... and now... can't think of what the job base would be like their. From memory, we used to go up there to hear music sometimes and go to Nielsen's Music -- yeah, family business. I noticed the Handcuffs have played a few shows up there -- perhaps there's some connection to a member of their band or something.

I guess Rockford would be a lot like Allentown -- there's a small downtown district that is trying to come back, but... it doesn't have the proximity to NYC like Allentown, so nothing to develop there.

Yes, I read about the exhibit too -- Nielsen's guitar collection was featured. :D

If someone wanted to shout me a ticket now I'd still go see 'em -- at least that band knows how to generate some FUN in their rock 'n roll.

I've only been there once. Don't know it's back - history. It's just a depressed rural - in - appearance town in the middle of nowhere. But , a lot of small towns in Illinois are much the same. Cheap Trick put 'em on the map , sorta. But , that changes nothing for the people who have to live there....My friend told me they just had a Cheap Trick museum exhibit , there , I'm like , ohhhhkay. Nuthin' personal , I could'nt even see my favorite bands getting a museum exhibit ,maybe a corner in the "Hall of Fame" or The Museum of Contemporary Art  , when they did their Rock/Art EXHIBIT......I think Nielson still has a house in Rockford , but , he probably has a few houses.
  MikeL said:

Is Rockford another one of those towns that has lost much of its industrial base, leaving behind rusting factories and poverty? Can't be any worse than a whole lot of other places.

John Battles said:

 I was never a Cheap Trick fan ( Which is heresy for a White , male Chicagoan, I know) , Mike , but , I always enjoy your threads. I JUST BOUGHT A SWEET -ASS 8 TRACK PLAYER WITH A BUILT - IN AMP , SPEAKERS , AND TWO CASES OF TAPES......INCLUDING CHEAP TRICKS' DEBUT , which I sort of like . It's very Roy Wood and Gary Glitter influenced , at a time when it'd still be years 'til Glam Rock would be co - opted by American acts like Joan Jett and (UGH) Quiet Riot (Or are they British? Who cares.) and even Krokus (YEESH) from Switzerland , to say nothing of bands people mistook for Glam like Poison and Motley Crue. All the while ,Tommy James had already glommed on to the previously - ignored Glam bandwagon , with "In Touch" around the time "Cheap Trick " came out. Cheap Trick , at least , get bonus points for  doing "California Man" by Wizzard.                     Anyway , enjoy the show. Don't go to Rockford , Illinois , the band's original home. It's DEPRESSING !

Cheap Trick was the 1st concert I ever went to, in a freakin' basketball stadium, which made everything echo-y (not that I cared). They were promoting One On One, which I think is their best LP. It was fantastic!

The next day, half of the kids in my classes came back w/  1.Tinnitus (which we bragged about) and 2. Those baseball tour jerseys with that 6-necked Hamer on it. Good times.

Is Rockford another one of those towns that has lost much of its industrial base, leaving behind rusting factories and poverty? Can't be any worse than a whole lot of other places.

John Battles said:

 I was never a Cheap Trick fan ( Which is heresy for a White , male Chicagoan, I know) , Mike , but , I always enjoy your threads. I JUST BOUGHT A SWEET -ASS 8 TRACK PLAYER WITH A BUILT - IN AMP , SPEAKERS , AND TWO CASES OF TAPES......INCLUDING CHEAP TRICKS' DEBUT , which I sort of like . It's very Roy Wood and Gary Glitter influenced , at a time when it'd still be years 'til Glam Rock would be co - opted by American acts like Joan Jett and (UGH) Quiet Riot (Or are they British? Who cares.) and even Krokus (YEESH) from Switzerland , to say nothing of bands people mistook for Glam like Poison and Motley Crue. All the while ,Tommy James had already glommed on to the previously - ignored Glam bandwagon , with "In Touch" around the time "Cheap Trick " came out. Cheap Trick , at least , get bonus points for  doing "California Man" by Wizzard.                     Anyway , enjoy the show. Don't go to Rockford , Illinois , the band's original home. It's DEPRESSING !

Power Pop Pappys -- Cheap Trick. As a kid growing up in Chicago, you could not escape 'em. And yeah, my friends and I used to see them at the Amphitheatre -- I think Graham Parker opened for them one time. Anyway, it was a party atmosphere and lots of screamin' kiddlets. I shrug now when I think of those shows -- musical junk food maybe? Really fun while in the process. Nice energy on every night I saw them.

That said, I'm not one for listening to bands where the singer's voice is higher than mine, so I lost interest pretty quickly... Can't imagine Nielsen runs around the way he did then! He was manic, in a good way. :D Happy powerpoppy dreams to you MikeL and all who go and enjoy.

Re the Live LP -- yup, a benchmark perhaps? They really captured the excitement and momentum somehow. Can't say as I've heard it for a very long while.

 I was never a Cheap Trick fan ( Which is heresy for a White , male Chicagoan, I know) , Mike , but , I always enjoy your threads. I JUST BOUGHT A SWEET -ASS 8 TRACK PLAYER WITH A BUILT - IN AMP , SPEAKERS , AND TWO CASES OF TAPES......INCLUDING CHEAP TRICKS' DEBUT , which I sort of like . It's very Roy Wood and Gary Glitter influenced , at a time when it'd still be years 'til Glam Rock would be co - opted by American acts like Joan Jett and (UGH) Quiet Riot (Or are they British? Who cares.) and even Krokus (YEESH) from Switzerland , to say nothing of bands people mistook for Glam like Poison and Motley Crue. All the while ,Tommy James had already glommed on to the previously - ignored Glam bandwagon , with "In Touch" around the time "Cheap Trick " came out. Cheap Trick , at least , get bonus points for  doing "California Man" by Wizzard.                     Anyway , enjoy the show. Don't go to Rockford , Illinois , the band's original home. It's DEPRESSING !

Check out this Cheap Trick tribute band, Cheapest Trick.
https://www.facebook.com/CheapestTrick

I've seen them twice. The first time was when they played at my university (I think it was my senior year... most likely 1987) in Warrensburg, MO, of all places, and the 2nd time was sometime in the late '90s at a private gig at the Blueberry Hill Duck Room in St. Louis—pretty small venue to see such a big-name act. It was a "Marlboro Points" show. You had to have a certain number of Marlboro Points to get in. I didn't even smoke Marlboros back then, but a friend of mine somehow was able to get enough points for us to get in. It was amazing, though. Rick Nielsen's guitars (probably a couple dozen of them) were all cordoned off in one section off to the side of the stage.