It was on this day back in 1988 that rockers Cheap Trick scored their one and only #1 single in the United States. I remember that song and that album well. The song was The Flame, and the album was Lap of Luxury. That music was the soundtrack to a transitional time in my life. I'd just moved out on my own a couple of years earlier, had settled into my first real-world job, and was invested in a relationship. The Flame was sort of "our song" at the time.
I actually find it hard to believe that Cheap Trick did not achieve greater singles chart success in the States, seeing as they were a homegrown band that achieved international fame during their peak years... Europe and Japan supported them by snapping up their records to the tune of Platinum status, and filled concert halls. Maybe the boys just had way too much competition at the time... long-established artists like Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, The Who, Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac. Yeah, a lot of heavyweights there, and the list goes on: Van Halen, AC/DC, Journey, the Stones, and so on.
As much as I liked, or loved, many of those other groups, I developed a deeper and more lasting affection for the quirky quartet from Rockford, Illinois. Though Cheap Trick employed powerhouse guitar riffs and chords, they also had a keen melodic sense, which critics, fans, and even the band themselves attributed to the influence of The Beatles. The sweet vocal harmonies, the often fun and lighthearted hooks, and the general goofball sensibility of the guys came across in their songwriting and performance. Not to mention the odd charm of the foursome... singer Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson were the sex appeal of the band while nerdo guitar ace Rick Neilsen and accountant-suited (spectacles and necktie) drummer Mr. Bun E. Carlos held down the tree fort... probably reading comic books and smoking cigarettes.
My history with Cheap Trick goes back to my mid-teen years in the 70's, when I first heard one of their songs played by a high school acquaintance and his scrappy little band - on the local cable TV station. I made a mental note about that tune (Hello There), and also eventually befriended that dude who drummed in his spare time (or maybe even during school time, since he wasn't always in class). I began collecting CT albums at a furious pace, and rarely missed a day without listening to at least one of their songs. I especially enjoyed the albums Heaven Tonight, Cheap Trick at Budokan, and Dream Police. More here.
Looking back, I wonder how songs like Surrender, I Want You to Want Me, and Dream Police didn't chart higher than they did in America. I Want You to Want Me did reach #1 in a few foreign markets, and it hit #2 here in Canada, which is impressive. But it didn't even chart in the States. And Surrender managed only a low spot on the U.S. Billboard 100. The song Dream Police, as famous and representative of the band as it was, only hit #26 in the States.
I believe it was that album-oriented rock era that set the stage for how CT would impact the world. Yes, they had songwriting chops, but I guess not quite in the same league as Fleetwood Mac or Journey. So Trick sold loads of albums (many reached Platinum status, and the Budokan LP hit *triple* Platinum) and had to settle for second (or third, or whatever) place in the singles department.
It is true that CT strayed all over the map with their range of musical styles - from light pop to heavy metal, and that likely confused radio programmers and critics and fans alike. The band could not easily be pigeon-holed into a nice neat category and that bothered some people. CT has always had their core audience, the die-hards (like me) who comprised a sort of cult following that kept the boys in just enough money to carry on. Well, I'm sure they were more than comfortable, but I mean they could take some artistic chances without worrying about putting bread on the table.
Then out of the blue (after a handful of weak efforts) came this '88 smash album Lap of Luxury, which went to #16 on the Billboard chart, and boasted a couple of even bigger singles, The Flame at #1 and Don't Be Cruel at #4. Even a couple of other songs made the grade, if considerably lower on the chart. Many credit that success to both the use of outside songwriters and the return of bassist Tom Petersson (who had split for a while), yet the band admits that the resulting album restricted them stylistically. The "softening" of their sound robbed them of the hook-laden hard rock edge that defined them during their prime years. It was tough to break free from that formula, but Cheap Trick made efforts to regain their heavier approach again.
Anyway, The Flame was a welcome revival of Cheap Trick, grabbing my interest after it had waned for a few years in the 80's. That new-found popularity and spark remained for their follow-up album Busted, which spawned a hit or two in Uncle Sam Land. But it's a long haul in the music business, a lot of work behind that "carefree" rock'n'roll that entertains the rest of the world.
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