Cheap Trick released their self-titled debut album in 1977 and, later that year, found success in Japan with the release of their second album, In Color. 1978's Heaven Tonight included the power pop classic "Surrender". The band achieved mainstream popularity in the United States 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".[5] They followed with Dream Police (1979), their most commercially successful studio album, reaching No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart.[6] After struggling with declining popularity and lineup changes in the 1980s, Cheap Trick experienced a major resurgence toward the end of the decade when they topped the US charts with the power ballad "The Flame".
The band has continued releasing new music into the 21st century and maintains a constant touring schedule, having performed live more than 5,000 times since their formation.[7] Cheap Trick have sold more than 20 million albums[8] and built a dedicated cult following. Their influence has been cited by a diverse range of rock artists from both the mainstream and underground.[9] The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and Petersson.
History
Origins and early years (1969–1977)
In 1967, Rick Nielsen formed Fuse with Tom Peterson (later known as Tom Petersson), who had played in another Rockford, Illinois, band called The Bo Weevils.[10] With Bun E. Carlos joining on drums, Fuse moved to Philadelphia in 1971. From 1972 to 1973, they called themselves Sick Man of Europe.[10] After a European tour in 1973, Nielsen and Petersson returned to Rockford and reunited with Carlos.[11][12] According to Rolling Stone, the band adopted the name Cheap Trick on August 15, 1973.[9] The name was inspired by the band's attendance at a Slade concert, where Petersson commented that Slade used "every cheap trick in the book" as part of their act.[13]
Randy "Xeno" Hogan was the original lead singer for Cheap Trick. He left the band shortly after its formation and was replaced by Robin Zander.[10][14]
When Cheap Trick toured in Japan for the first time in April 1978, they were received with a frenzy reminiscent of Beatlemania.[16] During the tour, Cheap Trick recorded two concerts at the Nippon Budokan. Ten tracks taken from both shows were compiled and released as a live album titled Cheap Trick at Budokan,[14] which was intended to be exclusive to Japan.[17]
The band's third studio album, Heaven Tonight was released in May 1978.[14] The lead-off track "Surrender" was Cheap Trick's first single to chart in the United States, peaking at No.62. It has gone on to become one of the band's signature songs.[citation needed]
Zander and Petersson performing in 1978
Demand for Cheap Trick at Budokan became so great that Epic Records finally released the album in the U.S. in February 1979.[citation needed]Cheap Trick at Budokan launched the band into international stardom, and the album went triple platinum in the United States.[16][18] The first single from the album was the live version of "I Want You to Want Me", which had originally been released on In Color. It reached No.7 on the Billboard Hot 100, and became Cheap Trick's best-selling single to date.[19] The second single, "Ain't That a Shame", peaked at No.35. "Need Your Love" had already been recorded for the forthcoming Dream Police album that had already been finished, but after the unprecedented success of Cheap Trick at Budokan, Epic postponed the album's release.[citation needed]
Dream Police was released later in 1979,[14] and was their third album in a row produced by Tom Werman. The title track of the album was a hit single, as was "Voices". Dream Police also found the band taking its style in a more experimental direction by incorporating strings and dabbling in heavy metal on tracks like "Gonna Raise Hell". By 1980, Cheap Trick was headlining arenas.[citation needed]
On August 26, 1980, Petersson left the group to record a solo album with his wife Dagmar,[14] using the band name Another Language. Jon Brant became Petersson's steady replacement, after a year of Cheap Trick touring and recording with Pete Comita.[14]
All Shook Up (1980), produced by former Beatles producer George Martin,[14] reached No.24 on the charts and was certified gold. However, the album's high-class background did not save it from descriptions like "Led Zeppelin gone psycho".[20]
1980s struggles (1981–1986)
In July 1981, CBS Inc. sued Cheap Trick and their manager Ken Adamany for $10 million, alleging they were attempting to coerce CBS into re-negotiating their contract and had refused to record any new material for the label since October 1980. The lawsuit was settled in early 1982 and work commenced on the next album: One on One.[citation needed] The album spawned two minor hits with the power ballad "If You Want My Love" (which peaked at no. 45) and the innuendo-laced rocker "She's Tight" (which peaked at no. 65).[19]
In 1984, the band recorded the title track to the Tim Matheson comedy Up The Creek, which Nielsen later called "one of the worst" songs he'd ever written.[23]
In 1986, the band recorded "Mighty Wings", the end-title cut for the film Top Gun.[14] They then released The Doctor in the fall. The album's lone single, "It's Only Love", failed to chart.[19] The music video for "It's Only Love" made history as the first music video to use captioning for hearing-impaired persons.[25]The Doctor turned out to be the band's final album with Jon Brant as bassist.[citation needed]
Popular resurgence (1987–1989)
Petersson rejoined the group in 1987[26] and helped record 1988's Lap of Luxury,[14] produced by Richie Zito. Due to the band's commercial decline, Epic Records insisted that the band collaborate with professional songwriters on the album.[9] Nielsen said, "Lap of Luxury was a tough record to make. We could lie to you and tell you it was all wonderful and great. It wasn't. It was tough working with other writers. But it was a lesson for us."[27]
"The Flame", a ballad, was issued as the first single from the album,[14] and became the band's first-ever No.1 hit.[19] The second single, a cover of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel", peaked at no. 4. This song also reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 list in 1988.[28] The other singles from the album were "Ghost Town", "Never Had a Lot to Lose", and "Let Go"; "Ghost Town" and "Never Had a Lot to Lose" also charted.[19]Lap of Luxury went platinum[9] and became recognized as the band's comeback album.[29][30][31]Billboard commented: "After a long hitless streak, Cheap Trick brings it all back home. This is the quartet's punchiest effort since its mid-'70s heyday."[32]
Transitions (1990–2015)
Cheap Trick performing in Baltimore, August 4, 2007
Busted was released in 1990.[14] The band was allowed more creative control, and professional songwriters were only used on a handful of songs. The first single, "Can't Stop Falling Into Love", reached No.12 on the Billboard Hot 100,[33] and No.4 on the Album Rock Tracks chart.[34] The second single, the Diane Warren-penned "Wherever Would I Be", reached No.50 on the charts.[35] The single "If You Need Me" was not successful, although the track "Back 'n Blue" reached No.32 on the U.S. BillboardAlbum Rock Tracks chart.[34]
The group left Epic after the disappointing sales of Busted to sign with Warner Bros. Records.[14] In 1994, the band released Woke Up with a Monster.[14] The album's title track was issued as the first single and reached No.16 on the US Mainstream Rock charts. The album's sales were poor, and it peaked at only No.123.[citation needed]
In 1997, Cheap Trick signed with indie label Red Ant Records and released Cheap Trick.[14] The band attempted to re-introduce themselves to a new generation, as the album was self-titled and the artwork was similar to their first album which had been released twenty years before.[36] The album was critically acclaimed and hailed as a return to form.[14] Eleven weeks after the release, Red Ant's parent company Alliance Entertainment Corporation declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The single "Say Goodbye" only reached No.119 on the charts, and the band again found themselves without a record label. Two other singles were released from the album, "Baby No More" and "Carnival Game".[citation needed]
Cheap Trick began to rebuild in 1998. The band toured behind the release of Cheap Trick at Budokan: The Complete Concert,[14] and the remastered re-issues of the band's first three albums. One of the multi-night stands from this tour resulted in Music for Hangovers, a live album that featured members of the Smashing Pumpkins on two tracks. In 1999, the band recorded a cover of Big Star's 1972 song "In the Street" that was used as the theme song for the Fox sitcom That '70s Show. Cheap Trick ended the song with the lyric "We're all all right," which was drawn from their own 1978 song "Surrender".[37]
After spending much of 2001 writing songs and about six weeks in pre-production, Cheap Trick went into Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, New York, in March 2002, where they recorded their first studio album in six years, Special One in May 2003.[citation needed]
Cheap Trick released Rockford on Cheap Trick Unlimited/Big3 Records in 2006. The first single from the album was "Perfect Stranger" (produced by Linda Perry and co-written by Cheap Trick and Perry). The band also appeared in a McDonald's advertising campaign called "This Is Your Wake-Up Call" featuring the band.[38]
In 2007, officials of Rockford, Illinois, honored Cheap Trick by reproducing the Rockford album cover art on that year's city vehicle sticker. On June 19, 2007, the Illinois Senate passed Senate Resolution 255, which designated April 1 of every year as Cheap Trick Day in the State of Illinois.[39] In August of that year, Cheap Trick honored the 40th anniversary of Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band by playing the album in its entirety with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra, conducted by Edwin Outwater, along with guest vocalists including Joan Osborne and Aimee Mann.[40]
Bun E. Carlos stopped touring and recording with the band, and officially left the band in 2010. Rick Nielsen's son Daxx, who had filled in for Bun E. while he was recovering from back surgery in 2001, became the band's touring drummer.[2][1][42]
On July 17, 2011, at Canada's Bluesfest in Ottawa, Ontario, a thunderstorm blew through the festival area 20 minutes into the band's set. The band and crew were on the stage when, without warning, the 40-ton roof fell. It fell away from the audience and landed on the band's truck, which was parked alongside the back of the stage. The van broke the fall and allowed everyone about 30 seconds to escape.[43]
Carlos filed a lawsuit against his former bandmates in 2013. He claimed that even though they claimed that he was departed from Cheap Trick, he was not being allowed to participate in band-related activities, including recording. The remaining three members of Cheap Trick filed a countersuit, seeking a legal affirmation of their removal of Carlos. Their lawsuit was dismissed in late 2013.[44] The legal dispute was eventually settled.[9] Following the settlement, Carlos did not record or tour with them. The three remaining members decided they would continue Cheap Trick as a trio.[1][45][46]
Hall of Fame induction and later years (2016–present)
On April 1, 2016, the band released its first album in five years, Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello. They released a single, "No Direction Home," as a teaser for the album.[47] The album was the band's first record on a major label in 22 years.[9] Daxx Nielsen played drums on the album.[48]
On January 29, 2021, Cheap Trick released the single "Light Up the Fire" in the run up to their album In Another World, due for release on April 9, 2021.[55]
The band was announced as part of the 2021 Australian concert series, Under the Southern Stars, alongside Bush and Stone Temple Pilots. They replaced original headliners Live on the bill.[56] In April 2021, the concert series was postponed to 2022.[57]
When Petersson was sidelined from touring in 2021 due to open-heart surgery. Zander's son, Robin Taylor Zander, filled in for him on tour.[42]
1 2 3 Following his departure from the band in 2010, Bun E. Carlos was a one-quarter owner of Cheap Trick and a former member of the band, but no longer records or tours with the band. Daxx Nielsen became the band's touring drummer in 2010 and had continued in that capacity in 2016. Nielsen has played drums on every studio album since 2016.
Related Research Articles
Robin Wayne Zander is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist for the rock band Cheap Trick, but is also a solo artist. Zander was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 as a member of Cheap Trick.
Brad M. Carlson, better known by the stage name Bun E. Carlos, is the original drummer for American rock band Cheap Trick. He recorded and performed with the band from 1973 to 2010. Carlos was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2016 as a member of Cheap Trick.
Cheap Trick at Budokan is the first live album by American rock band Cheap Trick, and their best-selling recording. Recorded at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, the album was first released in Japan on October 8, 1978, and later released in the United States in February 1979, through Epic Records. After several years of constant touring but only middling exposure for the band, At Budokan steadily grew off radio play and word-of-mouth to become a high-selling success, kickstarting the band's popularity and becoming acclaimed as one of the greatest live rock albums of all time and a classic of the power pop genre.
Heaven Tonight is the third studio album by American rock band Cheap Trick. It was produced by Tom Werman and released on April 24, 1978. The album was remastered and released with bonus tracks on Sony's Epic/Legacy imprint in 1998. The album cover features lead singer Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson on the front, with guitarist Rick Nielsen and drummer Bun E. Carlos on the back.
In Color is the second studio album by Cheap Trick, released in 1977 and produced by Tom Werman. Considered a classic of the power pop genre, the album was ranked No. 4 on Shake Some Action: The Ultimate Power Pop Guide. In 2003, the album was also ranked number 443 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
Rockford is the fifteenth studio album by Cheap Trick, released on June 6, 2006 by Big3. The album's title refers to Rockford, Illinois, the band's hometown.
The Doctor is the ninth studio album by Cheap Trick, released in 1986. It was produced by Tony Platt and reached No. 115 on the Billboard 200 Chart.
Woke up with a Monster is the twelfth studio album by Cheap Trick which was released by Warner Bros. Records in 1994. Produced by Ted Templeman, the album peaked at number 123 on the US Billboard 200 chart. It was Cheap Trick's first and only album for Warner Bros., who dropped the band from their roster shortly after its release.
"The Flame" is a power ballad released in 1988 by the American rock band Cheap Trick as the first single from their tenth album, Lap of Luxury. It was written by songwriters Bob Mitchell and Nick Graham, and was produced by Richie Zito. "The Flame" reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in July 1988; it also reached number one in Australia and Canada.
The Latest is the sixteenth studio album by the American hard rock and power pop band Cheap Trick, released on June 23, 2009. The album was produced by Cheap Trick, Julian Raymond, and Howard Willing and was issued on CD, as well as limited pressings on vinyl and 8-track tape. The Latest is the final studio album by the band to feature original drummer Bun E. Carlos who left the band in 2010.
Need Your Love is a song written by Rick Nielsen and Tom Petersson that was originally performed by American rock band Cheap Trick. The song appeared on Cheap Trick's 1979 album Dream Police. A live version was included on the 1978 album Cheap Trick at Budokan, which initially appeared only in Japan but eventually was in the United States in early 1979. Because Cheap Trick was immensely popular in Japan, the band's Japanese label demanded that At Budokan include three new songs. The three songs were "Ain't That a Shame", "Goodnight Now" and "Need Your Love."
"Woke Up with a Monster" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, released in 1994 as the lead single from their twelfth studio album Woke Up with a Monster. It was written by Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander and Tom Petersson, and produced by Ted Templeman. The song was released by Warner Bros. Records as a promotional-only single in the United States, aimed at generating radio play. It reached No. 16 on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks and remained on the chart for six weeks.
"Say Goodbye" is a song by the American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 1997 as the lead single from their thirteenth studio album Cheap Trick. The song was written by guitarist Rick Nielsen, lead vocalist Robin Zander and bassist Tom Petersson, and was produced by Cheap Trick and Ian Taylor.
"Way of the World" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 1980 as a single from their fourth studio album Dream Police (1979). The song was written by Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander and produced by Tom Werman. In February 1980 it was released as a 7" vinyl single in the UK only, backed by "Oh, Candy," from the first Cheap Trick album, and peaked at #73. It attempted to capitalize on the success of the mid-1979 single "I Want You to Want Me" and the live album Cheap Trick at Budokan which both entered the top 30.
"Back 'n Blue" is a song by the American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 1990 as the opening track on their eleventh studio album Busted. It was written by Taylor Rhodes, Robert A. Johnson, Rick Nielsen and Robin Zander, and produced by Richie Zito.
"Perfect Stranger" is a song by the American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 2006 as the lead single from their fifteenth studio album Rockford. It was written by Linda Perry, Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen, Tom Petersson and Bun E. Carlos, and produced by Perry.
Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello is the seventeenth studio album by American rock band Cheap Trick. The album was released on April 1, 2016, by Big Machine Records. The album is the first in the band's history to not feature Bun E. Carlos on drums, instead featuring Daxx Nielsen on drums.
"When I Wake Up Tomorrow" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 2016 as the second and final single from their seventeenth studio album Bang, Zoom, Crazy... Hello. It was written by Julian Raymond, Robin Zander, Rick Nielsen and Tom Petersson, and produced by Raymond and Cheap Trick. Released as a promotional single in the United States, "When I Wake Up Tomorrow" reached No. 24 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
In Another World is the twentieth studio album by American rock band Cheap Trick, released on April 9, 2021.
"World's Greatest Lover" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, which was released in 1981 as the second and final single from their fifth studio album All Shook Up (1980). The song was written by Rick Nielsen and produced by George Martin.
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