Tag: Julian Raymond

My Sunday Song – “Long Time Coming” by Cheap Trick

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For My Sunday Song #317, we are going to talk “Long Time Coming” by Cheap Trick. The song is off their 2017 album ‘We’re All Alright’ which I think is one of their best. It was the only single from the album and only hit #36 on the Mainstream Rock Chart but it is way better than that. A band that has been around for over 40 years comes along and delivers a song and album like this shows they still have a ton of gas in the tank. The song was written by Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson and producer Julian Raymond and it was released as a single on April 27, 2017.

This song was my first indication of the album sound, but I wasn’t prepared for this onslaught of greatness.  Billboard’s Gary Graff and Cheap Trick’s Rick Nielsen had this to say about the song…

“Long Time Coming,” a crunchy hard rocker driven by a Kinks-flavored riff, is a bit of a one-song tribute to Cheap Trick’s influential forebears. “It’s our interpretation of Slade and MC5 and AC/DC and Aerosmith — a lot of riffs that are reminiscent of the Move, but they’re not steals,” Nielsen says. “It’s just, like, all the bands we like.” The song also features a synthesizer underbelly that was a signature in “Surrender,” “Dream Police” and other Cheap Trick songs.

There is nothing I can say that will summarize better than Rick Nielsen does. It is full of that classic angst of early Cheap Trick with their influences laid out on their sleeves. It rocks out and is about as heavy as these guys get. And though they are 40 years in, you don’t know that based on this song. They sound, hungry and fresh as ever! And if you want to sound like The Kinks and AC/DC and mix the two together, sign me up.

Give the song a listen and let me know what you think. These guys are still going strong and seem to be getting better and better. Not too many old bands still excite me like these guys do!! Thanks for stopping by and I hope you have a wonderful and Happy Sunday!!

“Long Time Coming”

I’m in the middle of something
And it sure feels good
It makes me feel better
Do I look like a should?

Get me on the tour bus
Then put me on a plane
Take me to the city
Before I go insane

I can feel, I can think, I can show ya
What you want, what you need, get to know ya
I don’t care what they say all the time
Believe me, you’re gonna feel fine

It’s been a long time coming (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming down (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming down (long time coming)

Shake it, shake it, shake it
About to blow my mind
A real pole grinder
I leave my troubles behind

I can feel, I can think, I can show ya
What you want, what you need, get to know ya
I don’t care waht they say, I can tell all the time
Believe me, you’re gonna feel fine

It’s been a long time coming (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming down (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming down (long time coming)

I can feel, I can think, I can show ya
What you want, what you need, get to know ya
I don’t care what they tell all the time
Yeah, believe me, you’re gonna feel fine

It’s been a long time coming (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming down (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming down (long time coming)

Long time coming (long time coming)
Long time coming down (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming (long time coming)
It’s been a long time coming down (long time coming)

It’s a long time!

Written by Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson and producer Julian Raymond

My Sunday Song – “When I Wake Up Tomorrow” by Cheap Trick

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For My Sunday Song #316, we are talking about “When I Wake Up Tomorrow” by Cheap Trick. The song is off their stellar 2016 album ‘Bang, Zoom, Crazy…Hello!’. The song was released as a promotional single and went to #24 on the Mainstream Rock Chart. The song was written by Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson and Julian Raymond. They have decided to credit everyone that is an official band member and the producer. Whatever works right.

The song is a modern ballad. It is dark and there is a sadness as the singer is looking for more than a one night stand and is begging and pleading for more. He doesn’t feel like he can live without her and just wants her to stay the night and wake up with him tomorrow. Part of me wonders if he wants her to stay the night so he won’t kill himself it is that dark sounding. But there is a beauty to it as well.

“When I Wake Up Tomorrow” brings a darker, more moody styled song and Zander does some of his best Bowie vibes he can muster. The rhythm section on this one is also a standout as Tom and Daxx seem to have found the groove that fits nicely with in Rick’s great guitar work. But it is those keyboard parts that add a new texture and layer which are so cool and almost U2 like in their stylings. Easy to see why this was a single as it is fresh sounding and one of the best things they’ve done in years. Pure brilliance.

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My Sunday Song – “Sick Man of Europe” by Cheap Trick

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For My Sunday Song #314, we are going after the song “Sick Man of Europe” off the Cheap Trick 2009 album ‘The Latest’. The album came out on June 23, 2009 and the single and video for this song came out on August 13 of the same year. The song didn’t chart, but the album did at #78 on the Billboard Charts. The song was written mostly by Bun E. Carlos and Julian Raymond but credits will go all around to Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander and Tom Petersson.

“Sick Man of Europe” is named after the band name Rick and Tom had for their band while they were in Europe in the early 70’s, pre-Cheap Trick. The song is a nod to the old, but it is new again. It is basically them calling out to the world and telling them we still got it.

The bass is king here. Tom goes ballistic on this track as he is balls-to-walls amazing. Bun E. Carlos has such great feel on this one as he tears up the skins. Rick lays down some wicked riffs and Robin sounds as youthful as ever with that never aging voice. The song has all the punk attitude and force you remember from early Trick with tracks like “He’s a Whore” for example. It is short and sweet and will get you on your feet! It will slap you upside the face and kick you in the ass. It is a force to be reckoned with and shows they still got it.

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My Sunday Song – “Light Up the Fire” by Cheap Trick

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For My Sunday Song #313, we are talking about the first single off their latest album called “Light Up the Fire”. The album, ‘In Another World’ was released in 2021 and it picks up with “We’re All Alright’ left off. The album only went to #142 which is a shame because it is a solid album. The single was a blistering power pop track. It was written by Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson and Julian Raymond (the producer).

The song is about…heck if I know for sure but from the lyrics it could be about a woman who wants to be good and find that right relationship, but at the same time she is tempted by dark side, if you will. The lyrics ask if she is “looking for heaven or one hell of a time”. She doesn’t know yet what she really wants. He wants to be with her in every sense of the word, but he doesn’t want her to burn out and destroy their love. He wants her to light up the fire, but be careful how hard and heavy it burns because it could be bad.

The song opens with some heavy, low down, deep and nasty bass line and a massive guitar distortion-filled riff, Cheap Trick brings back the heavy and Robin attacks the lyrics with some cocky bravado while Rick’s guitar playing on this one is stellar as he lets loose. Robin’s voice never ages and is still killer after almost 40 years of the band. The Daxx Nielsen & Tom Peterson combo are key to the vibe as their rhythm section is driving hard and fast. Tom’s bass line on this one is stellar. The song is filled with a classic cheap trick chorus, a great hook and totally infectious. A beast of a track.

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Cheap Trick – ‘In Another World’ (2021) – Album Review (The Cheap Trick Collection Series)

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We are on the last review in the Cheap Trick Collection Series and it is their twentieth studio album called ‘In Another World’. The album was originally supposed to be released in 2018 and the first single “Summer Looks Good On You” came out on May 18, 2018, but no release came. Then over a year later on Black Friday Record Store Day on November 29, 2019 a second single, “Gimme Some Truth”, was released which we reviewed a couple weeks back. Still no album. The band finally finished it in 2020, but then Covid hit. So finally on April 9, 2021 the album was released.

The band was still original members Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen and Tom Petersson. However, there were additional musicians on the album. Daxx Nielsen, Rick’s son, handled the drums and that wasn’t all. Jimmy Hall, lead singer for Wet Willie, actually contributed with the harmonica and former Sex Pistols guitarists, Steve Jones, contributed guitar work on the song “Gimme Some Truth”. The producer on the album was Julian Raymond which I believe is his fourth in a row with the band. He also contributed songwriting along with Daxx as all five were credited with the songs with some minor exceptions which we will talk about later.

One thing to note, while on tour for this album in 2021, Tom Petersson had to have open heart surgery and was sidelined from the tour. As a result, Robin’s son, Robin Taylor Zander, stepped in on bass. Tom is still a full member of the band, thankfully. I still find it interesting that when two of the original members had to leave, Robin and Rick made sure to keep it in the family. Okay, now back to the music.

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