A classic rock band is shedding light on the secret to its longevity.<\/p>\n
Cheap Trick released its 21st studio album in 2025 and recently marked 50 years of performing together. In fact, the core trio of singer Robin Zander, guitarist Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson have been in the group almost non-stop since 1974. <\/p>\n
\u201cIn my opinion, it\u2019s because we were never friends. We were never close, so we never pissed in each other\u2019s backyard,\u201d Zander said in a new interview with Loude<\/a>r. \u201cWe still don\u2019t socialize much outside of touring and recording. It was musical glue that held us together. We have a lot of respect for each other musically.\u201d<\/p>\n The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band recently announced its 2026 tour dates, including an April 4 concert in Niagara Falls, N.Y., and two special shows in Las Vegas where they\u2019ll play the 1978 album, “Cheap Trick at Budokan,” in its entirety. Zander said their live shows are still thrilling because they mix up the songs they play.<\/p>\n \u201c…Keeping it fresh can be hard, because some of the guys in the band have an idea that you\u2019ve got to play the hits and do what the crowd wants to hear. And I\u2019ve always been the opposite of that. I\u2019ve always thought: \u2018Let\u2019s turn them on to some Cheap Trick music that they don\u2019t know we do, and see what happens,\u2019\u201d Zander told Louder. \u201cBut we work it out. Every night we try to work out a different setlist.\u201d<\/p>\n