How Cheap Trick’s "The Flame" Saved Their Career—Despite Their Hatred for It

In the 70s, Cheap Trick went on a crazy commercial rollercoaster through the music industry. Starting off slow with their first few records, they unexpectedly rose to the top of the tracks with a foreign import Live at Budokan. From there this band with the scorching duo of singer Robin Zander and Guitarist Rick Nielsen piled up platinum hits consistently and it seemed like they would coast right through the 80s. But then They HIT A WALL. Cheap Trick plummeted and their next five albums would all be… underwhelming…So in a last ditch effort to save this band’s career, their label hired a team of outside songwriters to basically write the album for them. 1988’s album Lap of Luxury. THIS didn’t go over well with the band. but from it came the band’s biggest chart hit EVER. The Flame. A smash power ballad that ruled the summer of 1988. Although loved by listeners, Cheap Track actually hated the song so much when they first heard it, their guitarist smashed the demo tape under the heel of his boot. This episode is a hell of a ride. Get ready next of Professor of Rock.

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