Let’s get one thing straight—Found All the Parts isn’t Dream Police. It ain’t Heaven Tonight either. But for a four-track, short and sweet EP, it packs more punch than half the full-length records that came out in 1980.
Check out the Tracklist:
- Day Tripper (Live)
- Can’t Hold On (Live)
- Such a Good Girl
- Take Me I’m Yours
Cheap Trick dropped this one between albums like a shot of something strong to hold fans over. And if you were around back then, you know that finding these “leftovers” felt more like stumbling on lost treasure behind the jukebox. This wasn’t some studio scrap job. These were live cuts and rare tracks that showed off what the band could really do when they weren’t chasing radio hits.
Take “Day Tripper”—a live Beatles cover that sounds like it’s been dipped in motor oil and fed a steady diet of Marlboros. Robin Zander puts his own spin on it without trying to outshine Lennon. That’s respect. Then there’s “Can’t Hold On,” recorded live in ‘78 at the Bukkoden concert in Japan, back when the band was bigger there than Elvis. That track’s smoother than most folks give Cheap Trick credit for—bluesy, slow-burning, no-nonsense.
Sure, critics at the time didn’t know what to make of this EP. It didn’t come with a big promotional push. But real fans knew. Found All the Parts was for the lifers, not those who just wanted to hear “I Want You to Want Me” for the thousandth time (though yeah, that one still holds up).
Is it essential? Nah. But it’s a hell of a reminder that Cheap Trick wasn’t just a singles band. They were tight, loud, and dangerous, especially live. This EP’s proof of that.
It’s been 45 years since this gem came out. I still have the vinyl with the insert. So tonight, I’m dusting it off and throwing it on.
If this one’s missing from your collection, give it a spin. I dropped the playlist link here. Let it take you back to a time when rock bands still played their instruments, and EPs like this kept the stereo warm between the big releases.
Rock on,
Sam
