Right around the time of
All Shook Up's release, bassist
Tom Petersson announced that he was leaving the band. He was replaced by Pete Comita. Petersson later told
Billboard in 1984: "We were playing 300 nights a year and we'd record two albums a year on our time off. After awhile, we'd gotten to the point where we were successful, but we were still on this schedule and still doing albums in two or three weeks. We needed more time to think, to air out and encourage the creativity to write. Nobody wanted to do that." The band performed the songs "Baby Loves to Rock" and "Can't Stop It but I'm Gonna Try" on the January 17, 1981, episode of
Saturday Night Live. There were several homages to
The Beatles on this album. "
Stop This Game" opens and closes with a droning guitar note similar to the piano chord that ends "
A Day in the Life." The bridge to "Baby Loves to Rock" features the line "Not in Russia!" with the sound of an airplane in the background, a subtle reference to "
Back in the U.S.S.R." "World's Greatest Lover" has vocals reminiscent of
John Lennon. "Baby Loves to Rock" nicks the riff from "Psycho Daisies" by
The Yardbirds. The chorus and title of "I Love You Honey But I Hate Your Friends" is taken from a song Rick Nielsen wrote for
Rick Derringer called "It Must Be Love". There are also some references to
AC/DC in this album. "World's Greatest Lover" has a similar intro to the one used on "
Big Balls", while
Rick Nielsen wrote "Love Comes A-Tumblin' Down" for the recently deceased
Bon Scott. "Go For the Throat (Use Your Own Imagination)" references "
(Get A) Grip (On Yourself)" by
The Stranglers.
Record World called "High Priest of Rhythmic Noise" "screaming rock 'n' roll chaos." ==Track listing==