DU Album of the Day: Cheap Trick - "Cheap Trick at Budokan"

[LynneSin]

Looking at "This Day in Music" I see that today is Robin Zander's birthday. Zander is the lead singer for Cheap Trick so today I thought we'd make the AOTD one of the best live albums out there - "Cheap Trick at Budokan".

According to Wiki, this album wasn't even meant for US sales. In fact before this record was released, Cheap Trick was hardly a big name in the United States but for some reason the Japanesed loved them. So off to Japan they went and they made a live album from their concert at Budokan. But there was a loyal following of fans in the US and a small demand for the album to be sold here in the states. With that live album, Cheap Trick exploded onto the US Charts.

BTW Rolling Stones lists this in their top 500 Greatest albums of all time (#416) and also in the Rolling Stone Magazine top #25 greatest live albums of all time too.

So today, in honor of Robin Zander's birthday, our album of the day will be "Cheap Trick at Budokan". For those of you without the album, here are some video clips from the show:

My favorite - "I Want You to Want Me!"

Surrender

[HopeHoops]

1. Cheap Trick never used cowbells!!!!!

[OriginalGeek]

2. Happy Birthday Robin Zander

I forgive you for "The Flame" because of all your previous work. This time. So don't let it happen again.


Also Cheap Trick was one of the best opening acts I've ever seen. Saw them open for Robert Plant in the 80s and they were terrific.

[Tikki]

3. One of the best...

Robin Zander's voice was so perfect for the music.



Tikki

[zonkers]

13. Big fan since high school Yikes I am old. Can't believe those guys still

do what they do so well. I guess Bun.E Carlos called it quits though.

[Broderick]

4. This thread makes me feel cheap

[Phentex]

5. How does one become Japanesed?...

Do they use barley perhaps?

[ceile]

6. One of my faves!

"I want YOU to want ME!"

[Major Nikon]

7. I've listed to many of the interviews with the band regarding this album

Recording and releasing it really was an afterthought and almost didn't happen. Robin Zander said he was talking slow in the intros because he thought it would allow the crowd to understand him better.

[Beer Snob-50]

8. cheap trick was an awesome band

are they still around in some incarnation?

[RebelOne]

9. Yep, they are still around.

www.myspace.com/cheaptrick

[taterguy]

10. One of the few huge albums that music snobs can admit to liking

I dig it.

[Populist_Prole]

11. It was my introduction to the band

They sound so much better live than in studio ( which is kinda' rare in my experience )

Budokan had a smoother more produced sound than I remember though. While in many ways that's a good thing, when I saw them playing a small arena in the early 80's they were so raw and hard they sounded almost like a thrash metal band. A great show.

[ohiosmith]

12. Outstanding LP.

[limpyhobbler]

14. one of the best bands ever

Rick Nielsen is one of the best rock guitarists ever too. Often overlooked or underrated in lists.