"Yeah Yeah"

First introduced to Japan and eventually the world on 1978’s AT BUDOKAN. A fan-favorite rocker that existed for many years as a live album curiosity. Is it a simple story of boy meets girl? And exactly what do any of the lyrics in that bridge mean? Today, we are joined by Pat O'Sullivan as we "Lookout!"

The other self-titled Cheap Trick was released after the alternative explosion of the ‘90s. Is this the band returning to their roots or is this a “snake charmer” record? Or is this simply the band at their most authentic at this place and time? Today, we dig into the meat of the album with "Yeah Yeah."

And welcome to 2024! We'll be celebrating FIFTY years of Cheap Trick over the next twelve months and we kick things off with "Welcome To The World" which opened the band's fifteenth studio release ROCKFORD.

By 2006, Cheap Trick was well into its second fresh start to the second half of its career. On the band’s fifthteenth album, the band pays homage to its hometown in the album’s title and launches full speed with the opener “Welcome To The World”. Was this indeed the true start of the 21st Century for Cheap Trick? What’s the key to a great album opener? And what’s the album connection to Rockford? Welcome to the podcast, it’s a better place.

For their final show of 2023, Chris and Mike look back at ONE of the album closers for 1983's NEXT POSITION PLEASE. Is this a 
"produced demo," or is Rick saying something deeper to the record label? Listen, and be prepared to be driven insane!

We travel back to 1994 to explore the lead single off of Cheap Trick's sole Warner Bros. release, WOKE UP WITH A MONSTER, appropriately titled, "Woke Up With A Monster."

We explore the song and the era. Is this Cheap Trick's response to the alternative rock movement? Is this really the band's "grunge" record? Is this album just another example of the Cheap Trick curse? What did Beavis and Butthead have to say about it? Tune in and go completely wild!

This week we travel back to 1977 (and back it up a little to 1976) to discuss the smoldering jam, "Cry, Cry" off of the band's 1977 self-titled debut. We also look back at the notable show at the Sunset Bowl in Waukesha, WI where Jack Douglas saw the band for the first time and got them signed to Epic before producing that classic record.

It was Sweet 16 for Cheap Trick in 2009 but little did we all know it would be the last time with the drummer. Today, we visit a song with lots of history, not just in name. It was “classic”, it was “vintage”, it was THE LATEST…time to get ourselves home with “Sick Man of Europe”.

We dive into the history baked into the tune with the help of Brian Kramp's massive tome, THIS BAND HAS NO PAST: HOW CHEAP TRICK BECAME CHEAP TRICK, discuss the retrospective nature of THE LATEST, and our adoration for go-go dancers.

This week, we travel back to 1983 via 1996 to do some surgery on "Twisted Heart," a track recorded for the band's 1983 album NEXT POSITION PLEASE that didn't make its way to fan's ears until the SEX, AMERICA, CHEAP TRICK box set. Is NEXT POSITION PLEASE a better album with this darker tune included? What are we blaming the record company for this time around? You better believe me, this is going to be a good one.

This week we go back to 2006 the album closer to the band’s fifteenth studio album, ROCKFORD, released on the devilish date of  6/6/06, “Decaf,”

Is it about drugs? Is it about taking it easy? Or is it just a cup of coffee? 

Cheap Trick played as part of Metro Chicago's 40th anniversary celebration and Chris and Mike were there, in the flesh baby!

This week on Cheap Tracks, we review the setlist, the performance, and the Sammy Hagar Beach Bar cocktails!