Turn On The Video: Cheap Trick On YouTube

Posted in Music, Reviews, Video |

“You won’t be coming around no more. . . ”

Night Gallery, 1977

This is not Rod Serling’s TV show (which ended in 1972), but some other animal, likely a precursor to things like Video Jukebox. I am an admitted sucker for the early music video aesthetic, that videotape, Vaseline-on-the-lens quality that disappeared once Duran Duran got huge (no offense, guys). This seems to be the oldest video footage of Cheap Trick on the channel and you can tell: Robin Zander is wearing the same suit and haircut from the photos on their eponymous debut. Despite all the performances being lip synced, they are great fun to watch. There are many unexplained close-ups of Zander’s ass. We also see what is perhaps the first video evidence of The Patented Tom Petersson Hair Toss, which reappears many times throughout the course of Cheap Trick video history. Rick Nielsen kisses his guitar quite frequently during “The Ballad Of T.V. Violence.” There is also a cleverly edited “performance” of “When The Lights Are Out” from their new album, The Latest.

Robin Zander wants you to want him.

Live At Budokan, 1978

This was the aforementioned concert that turned Cheap Trick into superstars and these selected performances prove why. Not having ever seen the original concert film in its entirety (although it is now available on DVD along with tons of unseen footage, interviews, and other goodies), this is a treat indeed!

Dream Police Promos, 1979

I can say with almost 100% certainty that it was on the aforementioned Video Jukebox that I first saw the video for “Dream Police.” Watching it now, I can still catch a whiff of the reaction I had when I saw it back then. It’s a decidedly creepy video, and I mean that in the best possible way. Naturally, one’s mind is drawn to the more obvious creepy weirdness of guitarist Rick Nielsen, but all the members of the band are prominently featured in these clips.

I love so many things about these videos: the Midwestern accents; the “acting”; Bun E. Carlos’s banana-in-pocket and apologies about double cheeseburgers; the ridiculous-yet-awesome Dream Police uniforms. But mostly I love the staged mug shots of Tom and Robin, images that sparked “those feelings” in my pre-pubescent loins. Besides, “Dream Police”—the song—kicks major ass.

The “official” video for “Voices” on YouTube, sadly, is an edited one and does not have my favorite part of the original: Rick and Tom laughing and singing whilst sitting atop the drum riser. (I did manage to find an unofficial version so I could make a couple of screencaps.)

Dream Police At Budokan, 1979

The band seems to be having an amazing time here; you can feel the excitement gushing forth from the tiny YouTube screen. It amuses me to no end to see that Nielsen’s acrobatic antics on stage have only been toned down a little bit over the last thirty years. I could probably write separate reviews of these videos just focusing on his facial expressions and hijinks, which crack me up no matter how many times I have seen them. He’s such a goofball one might think his live skills would suffer for it, but if anything, he plays better than he does on record, solidifying my theory that he’s the greatest living rock and roll guitarist. Soundwise, this is ace and I am particularly fond of the extended bridge during “Clock Strikes Ten.”

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