Molotov Cocktail Style Rock!!
Cheap Trick hit psychotic perfection on this debut album from 1977. Rick's crunchy guitar, thunderous drumming by Bun E., Tom's deep bass that sometimes takes center stage, and Robin's nuclear-powered voice, which scares off banshees, when he's screaming at the top of his lungs...takes you on a thrilling, insane, ride. The daring, witty lyrics are not afraid to tackle subjects that some can't handle. Over all, the music is powerful, raw, and intense. The vocals sometimes, drip with venom but in the next song, they are drizzled with honey. "Elo Kiddies," starts the CD out on a manic note and pays homage to Roy Wood of ELO. "Daddy Should Have Stayed In High School," takes a poke at child molesters. "Taxman, Mr. Thief," tributes the Beatles. The popish "Oh Candy," is about a friend of the band, who took his life. "Hot Love," scorches. The Terry Reid cover, "Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace," blows away the original. "Mandocello," is a gorgeous ballad then "The Ballad Of TV Violence," takes you into the mind of serial killer, Richard Speck. All the songs are great. From the bonus tracks, I loved the hard version of, "I Want You To Want Me," and the crazy, fun "I Dig Go-Go Girls."
For the uninitiated, here's some background on Cheap Trick. Tom, who invented pop tarts, is warm, likes to create auras, and he use to work in a sardine factory in Scandinavia. His job was to close the little fishy's eyes before they got packaged. He took off to France with his guitar playing, Ouija board toting, friend Rick, who use to be a cartoon character. There, they ran into Bun E. and were impressed by Bun E.'s vernacular charm, drumming, and stories of how his parents helped to build the panama canal, when they were industrialists in Venezuela. Bun E. left the U.S. after stealing money from a "Folkie" street guitar player, in Orlando. Whilst, the three chatted on a beach, Robin, a former spy, ballroom dance instructor to newly released convicts, voice of Rocky the squirrel from Bullwinkle, and "Folkie" street guitar player, parachuted down. He jumped off a plane to escape a stewardess who attacked him and his brain-boiling good looks. Bun E. thought Robin looked familiar and he wondered where Robin was from. Robin is from Kansas City or Boston, depending on which day of the week you ask him, while at other times he hails from Alaska. Bun E., Rick, and Tom convinced Robin to join their new band called, The Randy Bulls. Later, the band name would be changed to The Randy Robins, Pandemonium, and eventually...Cheap Trick. OK...Now, I know some of this is hard to believe but, I got it from band interviews and since it was in print, IT MUST BE TRUE!
Songs on CD:
ELO KIDDIES
DADDY SHOULD HAVE STAYED IN HIGH SCHOOL
TAXMAN, MR. THIEF
CRY, CRY
OH, CANDY
HOT LOVE
SPEAK NOW OR FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE
HE'S A WHORE
MANDOCELLO
THE BALLAD OF TV VIOLENCE
Bonus Tracks:
LOVIN' MONEY
I WANT YOU TO WANT ME (Early version)
LOOKOUT
YOU'RE ALL TALK
I DIG GO-GO GIRLSRead full review
![Cheap Trick [Bonus Tracks] [Remaster] by Cheap Trick (CD, Sep-1998, Epic/Legacy) - Picture 1 of 4](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/jGIAAOSwW-FlIIyF/s-l500.jpg)
![Cheap Trick [Bonus Tracks] [Remaster] by Cheap Trick (CD, Sep-1998, Epic/Legacy) - Picture 2 of 4](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/rxgAAOSwKeRlIIyG/s-l500.jpg)
![Cheap Trick [Bonus Tracks] [Remaster] by Cheap Trick (CD, Sep-1998, Epic/Legacy) - Picture 3 of 4](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/HbQAAOSwYe1lIIyH/s-l500.jpg)
![Cheap Trick [Bonus Tracks] [Remaster] by Cheap Trick (CD, Sep-1998, Epic/Legacy) - Picture 4 of 4](https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/rIQAAOSwWABlIIyI/s-l500.jpg)
