Cheap Trick just dropped a moody video for its latest single, “When I Wake Up Tomorrow.” Coming on the heels of the ’70s style chunky rocker “No Direction Home,” “Tomorrow” showcases the darker, demented side of Cheap Trick, and may actually scare casual fans who only know “The Flame” and “I Want You To Want Me.” While on its surface the new song may appear to be mining the usual power-pop territory of sex and girls, underneath there’s a sinister undertone that may or may not touch on S&M and suicide.
Longtime Bowie fan Rick Nielsen tells Rolling Stone, “This song always reminds me of a sultry David Bowie song. It’s just a moody, interesting piece with some heavy guitars in the middle. The last line is ‘Are you gonn be here when I wake up tomorrow,’ and then Bowie passed away after we recorded it.” Of course, as this is Cheap Trick, all of this captured in just over three minutes, with monster hooks, minor keys, and a quick Rick Nielsen solo that recalls the band’s under-appreciated 1997 self-titled record. And like most Cheap Trick videos, the clip simply shows the band doing what they do best: playing rock ‘n’ roll.
Cheap Trick’s new album, Bang, Zoom, Crazy…Hello, will be released April 1st, and its members will be celebrating the release with a sold out show at Chicago’s Metro. Fans can pre-order the album at Cheap Trick’s website, where they will also have access to exclusive bonus content and signed memorabilia. Later that month, the band will finally be inducted into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall Of Fame before embarking on a summer tour with Joan Jett and Heart.