New Wave Outpost Forum

Did anyone know that Cheap Trick tried to pull off a Devo-esque track after they couldn't repeat their initial late 70s/early 80s success (I Want you To Want Me, Dream Police, etc.)? I was looking through my Billboard Dance Charts book for any new wave songs I may never have heard and saw a song called "saturdays at midnight" by Cheap trick had charted! I HAD to check it out on You Tube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVxX583ip14

There's even a 12" dance mix of this track! Track is produced by Roy Thomas Baker (The Cars) and remixed by John Luongo(who remixed loads of new wave acts). Too funny. Anyway, the album this song came from is being reissued in a 2-on-1 on April 6th (sadly, without the 12" mix as a bonus track). The albums are "One on One" and "Next Position" from 82 and 83, respectively. I guess Cheap trick was desperately trying to get some airtime on MTV and alternative radio stations. Meanwhile, pretty much nothing else on these two albums sounds anything like this one track. Instead, the albums actually seem to be harder rock than the bands earlier stuff.

What does everyone else think of this track? The only thing that doesn't work for me is some of the lead singer's vocals, which don't quite fit the style of song they're trying to pull off.

Interesting. Robyn's voice sounds like Lou Gramm (of Foreigner).

Sounds more like Sparks! Would love to hear the 12". Big fan of Cheap Trick but stopped buying albums before this one. Do like the singles from it though.

this is my favorite cheap trick album- it is VERY new wave produced, and experimental for them. recommended!

I have been wrangling with a thought...is Cheap Trick New Wave? I really only see them as a 70's classic rock/current heritage act. I know they influenced a string of alt-rockers in the 90's like Smashing Pumpkins, but they never had any relevancy to the music I was listening to at the time (New Wave, Post-Punk, Indie, etc).

Trouser Press championed them along with Tom Petty, Todd Rundgren & Pink Floyd and they were the "bible" of the emerging scene known as New Wave back in the late 70's/early 80's. The British Press didn't give them any time.

I've never considered them in the same vein as David Bowie, Roxy Music, Big Star, Velvet Underground, The Stooges, Neil Young, etc as being major influences...Joni Mitchell, the Kinks, Marc Bolan, Nick Drake, etc I can see...Yes' influence is just now coming to the foray and Pink Floyd has always remained relevant...but Cheap Trick...I just don't see it.

Any thoughts?

I don't know that their influence is huge - although Kurt Cobain used to mentione that Nirvana was basically Black Sabbath meets Cheap Trick - but they are certainly admired for being very good at what they do (I think of them as amped up power pop). If you've ever seen them live, you'll know what I mean.

I found it and blogged it, you can get the 12" mix here:
http://apollozerojukebox.blogspot.com/2 ... night.html