Fuse - self-titled

Before forming Cheap Trick, Rick Nielson merged his band, the Grim Reapers, with Tom Peterson's (Toast and Jam) to create Rockford, Illinois' Fuse. This hard rock combo is a far cry from the power-pop sounds of Cheap Trick, even though Nielson contributed to a good portion of the original songwriting. Rick was playing mostly keyboards at this time with a hot-shot guitarist (Craig Meyers) wailing with some appropriately metal-ish (but good) leads and Joe Sundberg emoting some overwrought (technically good, but a bit overdone) vocals.

There's a bit too much progressive leanings for my usual tastes, despite the fact that there are parts that sounds like a cross of the Small Faces mixed with the Crazy World of Arthur Brown! If this was a slightly more Deep Purple (or, even better, more like the Small Faces or the Move) and less Uriah Heep, it might have succeeded.

Both Nielson and Peterson now completely disavow this record - hating pretty much everything about it, although Peterson primarily blames bad production - it really is not bad and has some interesting moments, but if these two hadn't moved on to fame and fortune with CT, I doubt that many people would be seeking out this album.