Cheap Trick Tribute Albums

You would think that bands recording Cheap Trick cover songs for inclusion in tribute albums would include a 12-string bass. Oddly, this has rarely been the case.

 

AMCT Cheap Trick Tribute Albums

AMCT is the acronym for “alt.music.cheap-trick”, an online Cheap Trick newsgroup and fan site. Five annual tribute albums were produced between 1998 and 2002.

AMCT - Volume 3 - 2000

The third album in the series includes four songs recorded with a 12-string bass:

  • Dream Police by Swede Police (Michigan) - Bassist Jeff Talley

  • Never Had A Lot To Lose by Bone Daddy (Illinois) - Bassist Ron Romero

  • Woke Up With A Monster by Cheap Track (Japan) - Bassist Kinko Kaneko

  • Time Is Running by The Craigs (Illinois) - Bassist Craig Latto

AMCT - Volume 5 - 2002

The fifth tribute album in the series includes a small cover photo of Tom Petersson with the black Chandler Royale 12-string bass. Five songs were recorded with 12-string basses although the liner notes only mention three of them:

  • Reach Out by The Wizz (Japan) - Bassist Jack Okamoto

  • On Top Of The World by The Craigs (Illinois) - Bassist Craig Latto

  • Need Your Love by Cheap Track (Japan) - Bassist Kinko Kaneko

  • Lookin’ Out For Number One by The Twisted Hearts (Illinois) - Bassist Craig Lotto

  • Southern Girls by 22 Down (Illinois) - Bassist Ron Romero

stiff competition - A cheap trick tribute!

This album includes 25 songs but only one, ‘“Elo Kiddies” by the band Garlic, mentions the 12-string bass in the liner notes. Garlic bassist Randy Gregg confirmed that this song was actually recorded with an 8-string bass, however. When asked who his favorite live bass player was, Gregg stated, “I would say Cheap Trick's Tom Petersson. His sound is huge, it blows me away every time.”

Liner notes for the band Garlic.

Other Cheap Trick Tribute albums

These five other Cheap Trick tribute albums have been released but none of the songs included were recorded with a 12-string bass. We find it interesting that of the 147 total songs released on the eight Cheap Trick tribute albums listed here, only 9 songs include a 12-string bass.

Other Tribute / Compilation albums

Cheap Chick, a band that promoted itself as the world’s only all-female Cheap Trick tribute band, recorded the song ‘Surrender’ for inclusion in the Girls Got Rhythm! compilation album. The album includes 13 cover songs recorded by all-female bands.

Bassist Pam Cheaterson played a 12-string bass on this song. She played fingerstyle on her Waterstone and Hamer 12-string basses. She is shown with the Waterstone in the liner notes.

Cheap Chick’s version of Cheap Trick’s song ‘Auf Wiedersehen’ was included on the Hey! It’s a Teenacide Pajama Party! compilation album. Bassist Pam Cheaterson played a 12-string bass on this song, and her solo 12 kicks off the song. This compilation features girl bands from Southern California with lots of fun rockin’ tunes. Pam also appears playing 4-string bass with her band The Neptunas on the opening track of the album.