Cheap Trick's co-founding bassist Tom Petersson revealed on the band's social media platforms he recently underwent open heart surgery in March. Petersson, who'll turn 70 next month, explained why he wasn't his usually animated self during the band's Thursday night (April 9th) performance on CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Petersson posted on Friday: "Hi everyone, You may have noticed that I was sitting down during Stephen Colbert’s Late Show performance last night. I had to have open heart surgery a month ago and am under doctor’s orders to take it easy. I’m currently recuperating and slowly but surely getting stronger every day. Can’t wait to get back to see all of you again soon. Tom"
Guitarist and chief songwriter Rick Nielsen spoke to us about the band's just-released new album, In Another World, and explained that it's yet another case of 'if it ain't broke — don't fix it': ["I've made this quote (laughs) for years now. I said, 'I don't think we ever progressed' — in a good way. Y'know, we never tried to be something that we weren't. Changing for the sake of change — it just didn't make any sense. We like what our roots were — and Robin (Zander) says we wear 'em on our sleeve — well, we do. I still like the Yardbirds, I still like the Who, I still like the Rolling Stones, I still like the Beatles. Sure, I like other things, but, it's like — I still think that stuff is cool."] SOUNDCUE (:24 OC: . . . stuff is cool)
Rick Nielsen On Wearing His Influences On His Sleeve :