Cheap Trick Riding Musical Roller Coaster

If the musical career of Cheap Trick was a roller coaster, it’d be one heck of a ride.

There would be a slow chug through less-than-scenic Rockford, Ill., and sputters through a couple of disappointing early albums.

Then would come the vertical ascent to packed, high-energy stage shows, culminating with hugely popular concerts in Japan.

The car would speed down a hill at 100 mph with the release of “Live at Budokan,” which eventually sold 3 million copies.

But then the roller coaster would slow down. Way down.

“Dream Police.” “All Shook Up.” “One On One.” “Next Position Please.” None of those records lived up to the band’s earlier work.

The ride’s not over yet, though.

Starting in the late 1980s, Cheap Trick picked up steam.

“The Flame” became the band’s first and only No. 1 single. “Budokan II,” released in 1994, hit it big with fans. And a series of live shows in Chicago, in which the band re-created the original Budokan album for its 20th anniversary, kept the roller coaster moving.

And just before the car slides into the station, there’s one more thrilling ascent. Not as big as the first, mind you, but if this was REO Speedwagon or Bachman-Turner Overdrive, the roller coaster wouldn’t even be rolling anymore.

Cheap Trick’s late-in-life resurgence has been fueled by the admiration of other musicians, many young enough to be children of guitarist Rick Nielsen, singer Robin Zander, drummer Bun E. Carlos or bassist Tom Petersson.

Bands like the Smashing Pumpkins, Everclear and the Posies count Cheap Trick among their biggest influences.

Cheap Trick played several Lollapalooza dates a few years back and has shared the stage with Pearl Jam and Stone Temple Pilots.

Nielsen told RollingStone.com about taking his son backstage at a Red Hot Chili Peppers concert a couple of years ago:

“… backstage I was with Flea and Anthony (Red Hot Chili Peppers’ members), and they said to my son, who was probably 12 then, `Your dad, he was weird before it was cool to be weird.’ “

The roller-coaster ride continues.

This sidebar appeared with the story: PREVIEW Cheap Trick, with Nash Kato

When, where: 3 p.m. Sunday at the Silver Mountain Amphitheater in Kellogg.

Tickets: $22.50 and $28.50, available through G&B (325-SEAT or 1-800-325-SEAT, or www.ticketswest.com).