SONIC WAVES…CHEAP TRICK/ At Budokan

 

Cheap Trick came along with there 10,000 shrieking  Japanese girls back to Tbay in 1980 and basically took over my stereo with the Budokan release. Kiss for me was the be all end all but there 1980 release(Unmasked) was a bizarre effort from Kiss including the cover it’s like what they say nowadays they phoned it in. Kiss was sounding like a band that’s tank was starting to run empty  and I’m sure all the dissension In the Kiss ranks did not help but hey Cheap Trick comes along with this live album just like Kiss did with there two live releases (Alive & Alive 2) and kicks down the walls with the ‘ hey if u think our albums sound soft well crank this up little fanboys” and by golly I did and I was converted with Kiss lacking any gumption Cheap Trick came along with the Budokan and fulfilled my listening need at the time. Cool songs,loud guitars loud drums, a singer who could sing and 10,000 screaming Japanese girls ! Whoo Hooo !

Cheap Trick had a cool gimmick as well. You had the two cool rockers(Tom Petersson & Robin Zander) and the two nerds ( Rick Nielsen & Bun E Carlos) and man it worked! Check out the classic In Color album cover

Let me  tell ya what all the fuss was about!

HELLO THERE-some dude announces ” would you please welcome Epic recording artists CHEAP TRICK …and now the shrieking begins and Rick cranks in with his guitar and Robin tells us all Hello There Ladies and Gentlemen! And were off. Girls screaming and guitars blasting And wait to top it off a few seconds of Bun E Carlos pounding out a smidge of a drum solo. Shit the guy that looks like a used car salesman lays down the beat! Needless to say I’m converted!

COME ON ,COME ON- Trick rips into what could have been a great single,super catchy verse, catchy Chrous, sloppy solo back to catchy verse and man it’s a keeper folks! No Tricks here! Just good hard rock!

LOOKOUT – is easily one of my favs from this album it has Rick and Robin nailing out some cool guitar action along with Robins voice who still has one of the best set of pipes in the biz as far as i am concerned! Three songs down and I’m on board ! Three songs in and each song is getting bigger!

BIG EYES- I always love when I hear this album how slow they are talking to,the crowd cuz well the girls are screaming and Robin says Biiiiiiiig Eyes! Screaming enthuses yet again and this song is a solid rocker bit of different time changes thrown in just to throw me off as listener! Good job fellas messing with a young mind!

NEED YOUR LOVE- holy crap a 9 minute song to end side one! That’s the equivalent to three Kiss three minute numbers! Carlos lays down a slow drum and Tom and his 12 string bass join and than the guitars  this is a slow builder of a tune people and than Zander nails down a super slow vocal, man this guys voice drips cool on this……and to cap it off they end it with a rock out jam at the end!

AIN’T THAT A SHAME- Carlos starts off this cover of the Fats Domino tune and he is joined by the three other guys and Zander takes over! Trick prove that you can take a song from the 50s and rock it up and that some  teenage boy in Tbay (moi) will dig it!

I WANT YOU TO WANT ME- ummmm I think you would have to be on island or lost at sea for 30 years not to know this track! Budokan sold millions because of this track and skyrocketed Cheap Trick to fame and the Budokan became the iconic album for the Trick!

SURRENDER- well next to I Want You To Want Me this is the next biggest song on Budokan. It has always been one of my faves …..heck they even name drop Kiss in it ! So I guess were all alright than now are we?! Pretty straight a head rock n roll tune no fooling around and hey this is Trick at there finest!

GOODNIGHT- cool Trick take the exact same music and change the lyrics from the opening song on Budokan, Hello There to Goodnight! Genius man and it works!…..

CLOCK STRIKES TEN- Cheap Trick ends this Japanese sushi fest with a great rocker and man it leaves you wanting more! Gotta get on down gotta get on down sings Zander and yeah man we all gotta get on down ! Whatever the hell he means by that but if that is Hanging out with the Trick guys backstage at the Budokan …..Man i’m in!

IN CONCLUSION-when I got this album in 1980 Cheap Trick easily became my second favourite band real fast! Budokan was a loud live album and even all these years later it’s hard for me to say they ever topped this album!  Dream Police and there spelf titled release from 1997 come close but i always go back to the Budokan ! Kudos to Zander/Nielsen/Carlos/Petersson