Next Position Please
Encyclopedia
Next Position Please is a studio album by Cheap Trick
, produced by Todd Rundgren
and released in 1983
. It was the band's seventh studio album and eighth release overall.
's eighth album Next Position Please, is a return to the pop-oriented sound of In Color. It was produced by Todd Rundgren
. The LP peaked at #61 on the Billboard 200 LP charts.
The album received favorable reviews upon release, and yielded the minor hit singles "I Can't Take It" (as credited, the only Cheap Trick song written solely by lead singer Robin Zander
, though actually co-written allegedly with Pete Comita) and the Rick Nielsen
-penned "Borderline", which was debuted on The Alan Thicke
show. The then-band members (Jon Brant
, Bun E. Carlos
, Rick Nielsen
and Robin Zander
) consider it one of their best albums. "I Can't Take It" has become a concert staple over the years. Several of the album's tracks were re-worked older material, such as the title track
and "You Talk Too Much."
Physical copies of the album were out of print for several years (with the exception of Japan), but as of April 6, 2010 it has been reissued along with the previous album, One On One, on one CD.
of Bruce Springsteen
's pose on the cover of Born to Run
, with the title making a humorous correlation.
s on the cassette
version and later on the CD. The record was originally supposed to include both of these tracks along with two others called "Twisted Heart" and "Don't Hit Me With Love," but Cheap Trick's label at the time, Epic Records
, forced the band to include a cover of The Motors
' "Dancing the Night Away" and the outtake "You Say Jump" in their place. Rundgren refused to produce "Dancing the Night Away," so the track ended up being produced by the band with Ian Taylor, who had engineered the band's previous album , One on One. "Twisted Heart" eventually surfaced on the box set Sex, America, Cheap Trick
. There was one video shot for this LP; "I Can't Take It."
In 2006, Cheap Trick and Epic
/Legacy
reissued Next Position Please as a digital download
, calling it Next Position Please (The Authorized Version). The title refers to the fact that the 13 tracks intended for the original album were restored and sequenced according to the band's wishes, while "You Say Jump" and "Dancing the Night Away" were put at the end as "bonus tracks" along with the previously unreleased track "Don't Hit Me With Love." The track "I Don't Love Here Anymore" is incorrectly titled "I Don't Love Her Anymore."
Additional personnel
Cheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
, produced by Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
and released in 1983
1983 in music
This is a list of notable events in music that took place in the year 1983.-January-April:*January – ZTT Records is founded.*January 8 – The UK singles chart is tabulated from this week forward by The Gallup Organization...
. It was the band's seventh studio album and eighth release overall.
Background
Cheap TrickCheap Trick
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973. The band consists of members Robin Zander , Rick Nielsen , Tom Petersson , and Bun E...
's eighth album Next Position Please, is a return to the pop-oriented sound of In Color. It was produced by Todd Rundgren
Todd Rundgren
Todd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
. The LP peaked at #61 on the Billboard 200 LP charts.
The album received favorable reviews upon release, and yielded the minor hit singles "I Can't Take It" (as credited, the only Cheap Trick song written solely by lead singer Robin Zander
Robin Zander
Robin Wayne Zander is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.-Early life:Zander was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, the fourth of five children; he has two older brothers, and older and younger sisters....
, though actually co-written allegedly with Pete Comita) and the Rick Nielsen
Rick Nielsen
-External links:* * *...
-penned "Borderline", which was debuted on The Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke
Alan Thicke is a Canadian actor, songwriter, and game and talk show host. He is best known for his role as Jason Seaver, the patriarch on the ABC television series Growing Pains.- Early life :...
show. The then-band members (Jon Brant
Jon Brant
Jon Brant was the bass player for the band Cheap Trick from 1981 to 1987. In addition to his work with that band, Brant has also played with artists including Chris Spedding, Micki Free, Robert Gordon, Lou Reed, and Diana Ross...
, Bun E. Carlos
Bun E. Carlos
Bun E. Carlos, born Brad Carlson, June 12, 1951, is the primary drummer for American rock band Cheap Trick. He is the band's chief setlister and archivist, and maintains recordings of all the band's shows, some of which have been released under the name 'Bun E's Bootlegs'.Carlos is left-handed, but...
, Rick Nielsen
Rick Nielsen
-External links:* * *...
and Robin Zander
Robin Zander
Robin Wayne Zander is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.-Early life:Zander was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, the fourth of five children; he has two older brothers, and older and younger sisters....
) consider it one of their best albums. "I Can't Take It" has become a concert staple over the years. Several of the album's tracks were re-worked older material, such as the title track
Title track
Title track may refer to:*Title track, a recorded song having the same name as the album or movie it comes from*Title Track, a song on the album The Stage Names*Title Track, a song on the album We Have the Facts and We're Voting Yes...
and "You Talk Too Much."
Physical copies of the album were out of print for several years (with the exception of Japan), but as of April 6, 2010 it has been reissued along with the previous album, One On One, on one CD.
Cover art
The album cover is a parodyParody
A parody , in current usage, is an imitative work created to mock, comment on, or trivialise an original work, its subject, author, style, or some other target, by means of humorous, satiric or ironic imitation...
of Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
's pose on the cover of Born to Run
Born to Run
The album's release was accompanied by a $250,000 promotional campaign by Columbia directed at both consumers and the music industry, making good use of Landau's "I saw rock 'n' roll's future—and its name is Bruce Springsteen" quote. With much publicity, Born to Run vaulted into the top 10 in its...
, with the title making a humorous correlation.
Releases
The original vinyl record included 12 tracks. "You Talk Too Much" and "Don't Make Our Love a Crime" appeared as bonus trackBonus track
In terms of recorded music, a bonus track is a piece of music which has been included on specific releases or reissues of an album. This is most often done as a promotional device, either as an incentive to customers to purchase albums they might otherwise not, or to repurchase albums they already...
s on the cassette
Compact Cassette
The Compact Cassette, often referred to as audio cassette, cassette tape, cassette, or simply tape, is a magnetic tape sound recording format. It was designed originally for dictation, but improvements in fidelity led the Compact Cassette to supplant the Stereo 8-track cartridge and reel-to-reel...
version and later on the CD. The record was originally supposed to include both of these tracks along with two others called "Twisted Heart" and "Don't Hit Me With Love," but Cheap Trick's label at the time, Epic Records
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
, forced the band to include a cover of The Motors
The Motors
The Motors were a British pub rock/punk band, formed in London in 1977 by former Ducks Deluxe members Nick Garvey and Andy McMaster together with guitarist Rob Hendry and drummer Ricky Slaughter...
' "Dancing the Night Away" and the outtake "You Say Jump" in their place. Rundgren refused to produce "Dancing the Night Away," so the track ended up being produced by the band with Ian Taylor, who had engineered the band's previous album , One on One. "Twisted Heart" eventually surfaced on the box set Sex, America, Cheap Trick
Sex, America, Cheap Trick
Sex, America, Cheap Trick is a 1996 box set by the rock band Cheap Trick. It includes 17 previously unreleased songs, as well as the band's biggest hits...
. There was one video shot for this LP; "I Can't Take It."
In 2006, Cheap Trick and Epic
Epic Records
Epic Records is an American record label, owned by Sony Music Entertainment. Though it was originally conceived as a jazz imprint, it has since expanded to represent various genres. L.A...
/Legacy
Legacy Recordings
Legacy Recordings is Sony Music Entertainment's catalog division. It was founded in 1990 by CBS Records under the leadership of Jerry Shulman, Richard Bauer, Gary Pacheco and Amy Herot to handle reissues of recordings from the vast catalogues of Columbia Records, Epic Records and associated...
reissued Next Position Please as a digital download
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
, calling it Next Position Please (The Authorized Version). The title refers to the fact that the 13 tracks intended for the original album were restored and sequenced according to the band's wishes, while "You Say Jump" and "Dancing the Night Away" were put at the end as "bonus tracks" along with the previously unreleased track "Don't Hit Me With Love." The track "I Don't Love Here Anymore" is incorrectly titled "I Don't Love Her Anymore."
Original version
- "I Can't Take It" (Zander) – 3:28
- "Borderline" (Nielsen) – 3:34
- "I Don't Love Here Anymore" (Nielsen) – 3:51
- "Next Position Please" (Nielsen) – 2:51
- "Younger Girls" (Nielsen/Zander) – 3:14
- "Dancing the Night Away" (Garvey/McMaster) – 4:58
- "You Talk Too Much" (Nielsen) – 1:55 (Bonus track - Cassette/CD only)
- "3-D" (Nielsen) – 3:37
- "You Say Jump" (Nielsen) – 3:06
- "Y.O.Y.O.Y." (Nielsen) – 4:54
- "Won't Take No for an Answer" (Nielsen) – 3:13
- "Heaven's Falling" (Rundgren) – 3:48
- "Invaders of the Heart" (Nielsen) – 4:00
- "Don't Make Our Love a Crime" (Nielsen) – 3:43 (Bonus track - Cassette/CD only)
2006 "Authorized" reissue
- "I Can't Take It"
- "Borderline"
- "I Don't Love Here Anymore"
- "Next Position Please"
- "Younger Girls"
- "Don't Make Our Love a Crime"
- "3-D"
- "You Talk Too Much"
- "Y.O.Y.O.Y."
- "Won't Take No for an Answer"
- "Heaven's Falling"
- "Invaders of the Heart"
- "Twisted Heart"
- "Don't Hit Me With Love"
- "You Say Jump"
- "Dancing the Night Away"
Singles
- 1983 "Dancing the Night Away/Don't Make Our Love A Crime"
- 1983 "Dancing the Night Away/I Want You To Want Me & Ain't That A Shame"
- 1983 "I Can't Take It/You Talk Too Much"
- 1983 "Next Position Please" (Europe)
Outtakes
- "Yardbirds Medley" (Instrumental medley of YardbirdsThe Yardbirds- Current :* Chris Dreja - rhythm guitar, backing vocals * Jim McCarty - drums, backing vocals * Ben King - lead guitar * David Smale - bass, backing vocals...
covers, available on Bun E.'s Basement Bootlegs "Covers") - "Play By The Rules" (Alternate, instrumental version of "I Don't Love Here Anymore," released on a Trickfest II prize cassette)
- "Invaders of the Heart (Unedited Instrumental)" (Also released on the Trickfest II prize cassette)
Chart performance
| Chart (1983) | Peak position |
Total weeks |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 200 | 132 | ? |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 61 | ? |
Personnel
Cheap Trick- Robin ZanderRobin ZanderRobin Wayne Zander is the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick.-Early life:Zander was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, the fourth of five children; he has two older brothers, and older and younger sisters....
– lead vocals, rhythm guitarRhythm guitarRhythm guitar is a technique and rôle that performs a combination of two functions: to provide all or part of the rhythmic pulse in conjunction with singers or other instruments; and to provide all or part of the harmony, ie. the chords, where a chord is a group of notes played together...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Rick NielsenRick Nielsen-External links:* * *...
– lead guitarLead guitarLead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
, backing vocals - Jon BrantJon BrantJon Brant was the bass player for the band Cheap Trick from 1981 to 1987. In addition to his work with that band, Brant has also played with artists including Chris Spedding, Micki Free, Robert Gordon, Lou Reed, and Diana Ross...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, backing vocals - Bun E. CarlosBun E. CarlosBun E. Carlos, born Brad Carlson, June 12, 1951, is the primary drummer for American rock band Cheap Trick. He is the band's chief setlister and archivist, and maintains recordings of all the band's shows, some of which have been released under the name 'Bun E's Bootlegs'.Carlos is left-handed, but...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, percussionPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
Additional personnel
- Todd RundgrenTodd RundgrenTodd Harry Rundgren is an American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and record producer. Hailed in the early stage of his career as a new pop-wunderkind, supported by the certified gold solo double LP Something/Anything? in 1972, Todd Rundgren's career has produced a diverse range of recordings...
– guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including... - Ian Taylor – producer
- Paul Klingberg – engineer