Cheap Trick - Heaven Tonight
On this weeks episode, its another listerner's pick! We give listen to 1978's Heaven Tonight, Cheap Trick's third studio album, and considered by many to be their best. Having explored their harder rock side on their self-titled debut, and embracing their power pop leaning on their second LP In Color, Heaven Tonight finds the band finding a happy middle ground between both to fantastic results. From the opener fantastic "Surrender", an ode to the generation gap (considered one of the greatest power pop songs ever), to the bouncy piano send off of "How Are You", Heaven Tonight is a whirlwind of crunchy guitars, soaring vocals, and impossible hooks.
Recommendation for this episode: On Pop of the World by Peachfuzz.
THINGS WE DISCUSSED ON THIS EPISODE
Rick Nielsen’s dad, Ralph Nielsen, was an renowned opera singer, who also directed symphonies, choirs and recorded several albums.
When Rick was a teen, his father opened up Ralph Nielsen’s House of Music, a very popular music store in the Rockford, IL area.
In 1967, Bun E. Carlos (still Brad Carlson at the time) was drumming for the Paegans, who released single composed of a cover of the Beatles’ “Good Day Sunshine o Side A and a cover of Them's "I Can Only Give You Everything" on Side B. It sold about 1,500 copies at local record stores, making them local celebrities. Listen to the B Side below.
Around the same time as the Paegans release their single, Rick Nielsen was playing guitar in the Grim Reapers. That’s him on the far right.
One of Tom Petersson’s early band went by the name of Taostin’ Jam. That’s Petersson on the far left.
Sometime in 1967, some of The Grim Reapers and some of Toast and Jam to merged to become Fuse.
In 1969, Fuse gets were signed by Epic Records and records their self-titled debut shortly afterward.
It is was released in early 1970 and goes nowhere. You can listen to the track “Show Me” from that album and written by Nielsen below.
In 1969, Robin Zander (right) hooks up with with a piano player named Brian Beebe and they gig as Zander and Kent. The duo gets a residency at the Piccadilly Pub at the Wisconsin Dells for three summers which keeps Zander from joining Cheap Trick at the time.
Listen to their cover of below the Bee Gees’ Run to Me below.
After Fuse disbands, Nielsen and Petersson form Sick Man of Europe with keyboardist Robert "Stewkey" Antoni. Bun E. Carlos joins them on drums.
Pictured Sick Man OF Europe (L to R): Tom Petersson, Bun E. Carlos, Rick Nielsen, and Stewkey Antoni
In the spring of 1973 Neilson, Petersson and Carlos head back to Rockford, IL and form Cheap Trick. The original lead singer Rany “Xeno” Hogan.
Pictured (L to R): Tom Petersson, Bun E. Carlos, Rick Nielsen, and Xeno Hogan
Here is Tom Petersson with the his 12-string bass guitar, the "Hamer Quad.” Petersson was the first person to play one. He first conceived of it in 1973. It was designed by Jol Dantzig and built in 1977 by Hamer Guitars.
Not to be outdone, Nielsen had Hamer Guitars build him a 5 neck guitar, which he he debuted in 1981.
Considered by many to be the finest representation of Cheap Trick, and one of the greatest live albums of all time, Cheap Trick At Budokon, and the live single of “I Want You to Want Me,” is the band’s top selling album, reaching number four on the Billboard Top 200.
