Cheap Trick refuses to surrender

By John Benson

When it comes to power pop, it’s hard not to give Cheap Trick its due.

Formed more than 35 years ago, the Chicago-based band — Robin Zander (vocals, guitar), Rick Nielsen (guitar), Tom Petersson (bass) and Bun E. Carlos (drums) — has sold more than six million albums and seemingly defined the hard-edged rocking sound of power pop with hits “Surrender,” “I Want You to Want Me” and “Dream Police.” So does such recognition mean the band will one day end up in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame?

“That’s really not up to us,” said Nielsen, calling from Chicago. “My standard answer for that is if we get in, it’s going to be great. If we don’t get in, it’s going to be great. To me the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is the fact we’re still running around the country playing good music, and people don’t run out the moment that we walk in.”

Nielsen is hoping the good music part of his answer includes the band’s new studio effort, “The Latest,” which is a follow-up to the act’s critically acclaimed 2006 album, “Rockford.” The guitarist, known for his quirkiness, including multi-neck guitars and outrageous stage costumes, believes “The Latest” finds Cheap Trick once again using a different approach to create something new.

“Our albums have all been diverse through the years, so it’s like I think this one is no different,” Nielsen said. “And this one starts out different. Normally, the song hits you over the head, and [‘Sleep Forever’] hits you over the head emotionally. And from then it goes to one song called ‘Sick Man of Europe,’ that doesn’t sound like I just had my [60th birthday].

“The album shows musically we grew up, and in some ways we haven’t grown up, which is good. So it’s sophisticated but it’s punk for old people. There’s a ballad, and yet it’s the furthest thing from a ballad that’s possible.”

Something else new for Cheap Trick in 2009 is the band’s scheduled Las Vegas run in September for its symphonic Beatles tribute set, which includes “Sgt. Peppers’ Lonely Hearts Club Band” in its entirety. Also, the foursome is hitting the road this summer opening for Def Leppard and Poison. Appearing on such a sing-along bill, which plays June 25 at Blossom Music Center and July 10 at the Post-Gazette Pavilion, has been the modus operandi of the group for decades.

This brings up an interesting point about Cheap Trick. Naturally, the band members have egos, but the rock act hasn’t let them get in the way of its career by employing two successful approaches. Not only has it avoided being pigeonholed into a trend, but the band has never refused a paying gig opening for a so-called larger band.

Whether it was opening up for REO Speedwagon in the ’80s, Pearl Jam in the ’90s or Aerosmith, Kiss and now Def Leppard and Poison in the new millennium, this Windy City quartet takes what it can get and sets the bar high for whoever follows whenever it plays.

“It’s like no matter where you go on, you just try to play well,” Nielsen said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re on at 1 p.m. or midnight, you like to be seen and heard as much as you can. Sometimes with an opening act, it’s like you’re not even going to bother to show up, and then you do see the band and you’re surprised it’s good.

“So we’ve been in every situation. To us, that’s our Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. So we’re going to continue in it.”