CHEAP TRICK's TOM PETERSSON On His 2021 Open-Heart Surgery: 'I Would've Probably Died If I Hadn't Done That'

During a January 13 appearance on SiriusXM's "Trunk Nation With Eddie Trunk", CHEAP TRICK bassist Tom Petersson spoke about the open-heart surgery he underwent nearly five years ago. Asked if he is "doing all right" now, the 75-year-old musician said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Yeah. It was really a thing that there were no symptoms. It was a birth defect that they had to kind of take care of, and it just kind of found it by accident. So since there were no symptoms… The heart operations are all different for different reasons, but everybody says, 'Well, you're gonna feel so much better.' But no, I didn't. I felt fine [before the surgery]. So, no, I didn't feel any better [after the operation]. But I think I would've probably died if I hadn't done that, but there you go. So I feel better about that."

He added: "I'm on the fence, really, honestly — whether it was better or not. Maybe it was better just not to know. [It's not something I wanna] have to go through again. That doesn't sound like fun, and it isn't, honestly. It's not fun… It takes a lot out of you. It's scary."

As a result of his surgery, Petersson was forced to sit down during CHEAP TRICK's April 2021 appearance on "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert".

Back in May 2021, Petersson told Meltdown of Detroit's WRIF radio station that he felt "all these different things" after going under the knife. "It's a lot of psychological stuff that you don't hear about or think about — post-traumatic stress," he said. "And it's scary. It's kind of like being in an auto accident — you're not thinking of it that much at the time, and later you look back on it and you think, 'Holy shit. That was close.'"

According to Petersson, he "didn't have any problems in addition to" his heart issue, which was good. I was in good shape, and it was something they discovered unexpectedly," he said. "I didn't have any symptoms. But it was the kind of thing where without knowing about it, you would just all a sudden suddenly drop dead. I was, like, 'Okay. I'm in. Open-heart surgery? Sounds good to me.'"

Petersson is one of the three founding members of CHEAP TRICK — alongside singer Robin Zander and guitarist Rick Nielsen — who are still in the band. Drummer Bun E. Carlos stopped touring with the band in 2010 and was replaced by Nielsen's son Daxx.

CHEAP TRICK's 21st studio album, "All Washed Up", was released last November.

Produced by CHEAP TRICK with longtime associate Julian Raymond and mixed by five-time Grammy Award winner Chris Lord-Alge (GREEN DAY, DAVE MATTHEWS BAND),"All Washed Up" was recorded at various studios in Nashville and Los Angeles through 2024.

CHEAP TRICK, the iconic rock band hailing from Illinois, has been rocking stages and winning over fans with their timeless sound for over five decades. Known for their electrifying live performances, catchy melodies, and innovative songwriting, CHEAP TRICK has become a staple in rock music history. With hits like "I Want You to Want Me", "Dream Police", "The Flame" and "Surrender", this legendary band continues to inspire and entertain audiences with their signature blend of hard rock and power-pop sensibilities.

CHEAP TRICK is part of the very fiber of American music, inspiring and delighting generations with their unique union of massive melodies and razorblade riffs, their own special brand of mischievous wit and maximum rock 'n' roll. They achieved mainstream popularity in the U.S. in 1979 with the triple-platinum live album "At Budokan" and a Top 10 single, a live recording of "I Want You to Want Me". More success followed with the album "Dream Police" in 1979, which reached No. 6 on the Billboard 200.The band experienced another resurgence in the late 1980s when they topped U.S. charts with the power ballad "The Flame".

Inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 2016, CHEAP TRICK maintain an almost constant touring schedule, having performed live more than 6,000 times since their formation, selling more than 20 million albums and building a dedicated cult following.