Cheap Trick at Budokan | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | October 8, 1978 (Japan) February 1979 (U.S.) | |||
Recorded | April 28 & 30, 1978 | |||
Venue | Nippon Budokan, Tokyo | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 42:27 | |||
Label | Epic | |||
Producer | Cheap Trick | |||
Cheap Trick chronology | ||||
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Singles from Cheap Trick at Budokan | ||||
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Cheap Trick at Budokan (or simply 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.
It was ranked number 426 in the 2003 edition of Rolling Stone magazine's list of "the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time". [1] In 2019, the album was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". [2] An album featuring leftover tracks from the band's 1978 Budokan set, plus additional material from their 1979 tour of Japan, was released in 1994 as Budokan II, and a two-disc reconstruction of the complete original Budokan performances, titled At Budokan: The Complete Concert, was released to commemorate its twentieth anniversary in 1998.
Cheap Trick found early success in Japan, and capitalized on this popularity by recording Cheap Trick at Budokan at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on April 28 and 30, 1978, with an audience of 12,000 screaming Japanese fans nearly drowning out the band at times. The album was intended for release only in Japan but with strong airplay of the promotional album From Tokyo to You, an estimated 30,000 import copies were sold in the United States and the album was released domestically in February 1979. [3] The album also introduced two previously unreleased original songs, "Lookout" and "Need Your Love". As stated by producer Jack Douglas, the audio from Live at Budokan is actually not from the Budokan, but from Osaka, which was a smaller show. The recording of the Budokan show was deemed unsuitable for release. [ citation needed ]
An unusual aspect of the album release in the UK was the use of coloured vinyl, then primarily restricted to singles and EP's, and soon replaced as a marketing gimmick by so-called "picture discs". A prominently displayed sticker on the sleeve of Live at Budokan announced that it had been released on "kamikaze yellow vinyl", and, unlike most coloured discs, which were usually as opaque as the conventional black vinyl records, the disc in the album is translucent.
When Cheap Trick at Budokan was first released on compact disc in the U.S., the first pressing contained a slightly different, possibly unpolished mix of the concert. Notably the guitar trade-offs of "Ain't That a Shame" were different from the vinyl release.[ citation needed ]
Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [4] |
Christgau's Record Guide | B− [5] |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
In the U.S., the album peaked at number four on the Billboard 200 [7] and became the group's best selling album with over three million copies sold. It also ranked number 13 on Billboard's Top Pop Albums of 1979 year-end chart. The single "I Want You to Want Me" reached number seven on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The second single, a cover of Fats Domino's "Ain't That a Shame" also charted, reaching number 35. [8] Cheap Trick at Budokan was certified triple Platinum in 1986 by the RIAA. [9]
In Canada, it went to number one, hitting the top of the RPM 100 Albums chart on August 11 of the same year. [10] By November 1979, it had achieved quintuple platinum status (500,000 units) in that country. [11]
The album received mostly positive contemporary reviews. In the UK, Sandy Robertson from Sounds , while critical of Jack Douglas' production, concluded that "Cheap Trick are melodic enough to please pop-obscurity fans, heavy enough to net the Aerosmith mob, wacky enough to be eye-catching and good enough to take on the world. Possibly the best hard rock band in the USA." [12] Nick Kent in NME was more muted in his praise, writing that "Though it doesn't match up to In Colour as the best Cheap Trick initiation, Budokan is no disgrace. A live album of the old school – like The Kinks Live At Kelvin Hall or Got Live If You Want It – it's nothing essential or ground-breaking; just a fair approximation of the band in a live context." [13] In the US, Billboard , marking the album as a Top Album Pick, wrote that "With the fans behind them, the members of Cheap Trick put out its best, playing good hard and steady rock. Unlike so many current live LPs, the audience is always there, giving it more of a sense of space. The slight echo doesn't hurt the music." [14]
In its official press release upon the album's entry into the National Recording Registry, the Library of Congress stated that, along with its success in the Japanese market, Cheap Trick at Budokan "proved to be the making of the band in their home country, as well as a loud and welcomed alternative to disco and soft rock and a decisive comeback for rock and roll." [2] Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine has also stated that with this album, "Cheap Trick unwittingly paved the way for much of the hard rock of the next decade, as well as a surprising amount of alternative rock of the 1990s." [4] In Pitchfork, Stuart Berman wrote on the album's success and influence, respectively, that "At Budokan, is not just one of rock's greatest live albums, but also one of its most triumphant underdog tales, an exemplar of pre-internet viral phenomena," and that "for the Foo Fighters, Weezer, Smashing Pumpkins, Ted Leo, the Raconteurs—basically any band that's ever tried to weld a Beatlesque melody to a power chord—all roads lead back to Budokan." [15] Further invoking comparison to the Beatles, Nwaka Onwusa, director of curatorial affairs at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, spoke with 1A on the parallels between Beatlemania in the United States and Cheap Trick's reception in Japan:
Sure we have the story about the Beatles...how Beatlemania hit the United States, but to have Cheap Trick then go overseas and do that same very thing...in Tokyo. The girls, the screaming, throwing flowers at the plane. That’s total ‘Trickmania,’ for sure...it’s actually a beautiful story that [doesn’t] get a lot of shine or recognition because it didn’t happen here, but we have an American band...that created such tidal waves that then boomeranged back here in the United States. [16]
The album was included in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die . [17]
All songs by Rick Nielsen, except where noted.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Hello There" | 2:27 | |
2. | "Come On, Come On" | 3:03 | |
3. | "Lookout" | 3:15 | |
4. | "Big Eyes" | 3:47 | |
5. | "Need Your Love" | Nielsen, Tom Petersson | 9:07 |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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6. | "Ain't That a Shame" | Antoine "Fats" Domino, Dave Bartholomew | 5:10 |
7. | "I Want You to Want Me" | 3:38 | |
8. | "Surrender" | 4:40 | |
9. | "Goodnight Now" | 2:42 | |
10. | "Clock Strikes Ten" | 4:11 |
Budokan II | ||||
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Live album by | ||||
Released | February 1994 | |||
Recorded | Nippon Budokan, Tokyo, 1978 and 1979 | |||
Genre | Rock, hard rock, power pop | |||
Length | 54:14 | |||
Label | Epic / Sony Music | |||
Producer | Cheap Trick | |||
Cheap Trick chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [18] |
Chicago Tribune | [19] |
Budokan II was released in February 1994 as a sequel of the first album, consisting of the remaining tracks from the concert not included on the original album and the tracks "Stiff Competition", "On Top of the World", and "How Are You?", recorded in 1979 during their follow-up tour.
An expanded version of the original album was released in 1998 as At Budokan: The Complete Concert, remastered and fully restored to include all the concert tracks left off the original album. This version of the album was performed in full at the Metro in Chicago on April 30, 1998, to coincide with the Complete Concert CD release.
A 30th Anniversary Edition, Budokan! was released on November 11, 2008, as a four-disc set. In addition to the two-disc "Complete Concert", it includes a DVD and CD version of the concert from April 28, 1978. The filmed concert had originally been shown on Japanese TV, and was not previously commercially available. The original vinyl album is also to be reissued in conjunction with the 30th anniversary. [20]
Weekly charts
| Year-end charts
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Chart (2017) | Peak position |
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Japanese Albums (Oricon) [31] | 106 |
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA) [32] | Gold | 20,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada) [33] | 5× Platinum | 500,000^ |
Netherlands (NVPI) [34] | Platinum | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA) [35] | 3× Platinum | 3,000,000^ |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Cheap Trick is an American rock band from Rockford, Illinois, formed in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson, lead vocalist Robin Zander and drummer Bun E. Carlos. Their work bridged elements of '60s guitar pop, '70s hard rock, and the emerging punk rock sound, and would help set the template for subsequent power pop artists.
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.
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.
Dream Police is the fourth studio album by American rock band Cheap Trick. It was released in 1979, and was their third release in a row produced by Tom Werman. It is the band's most commercially successful studio album, going to No. 6 on the Billboard 200 chart and being certified platinum within a few months of its release.
"Ain't That a Shame" is a song written by Fats Domino and Dave Bartholomew. Domino's recording of the song, originally stated as "Ain't It a Shame", released by Imperial Records in 1955, was a hit, eventually selling a million copies. It reached number 1 on the Billboard R&B chart and number 10 on the pop chart. The song is ranked number 438 on Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
"I Want You to Want Me" is a song by the American rock band Cheap Trick. It is originally from their second album In Color, released in September 1977. It was the first single released from that album, but it did not chart in the United States in its original studio version, which was influenced by music hall styles.
In Color is the second studio album by Cheap Trick, released in 1977 and produced by Tom Werman.
All Shook Up is the fifth studio album by American rock band Cheap Trick. Released in 1980, it was produced by former Beatles producer George Martin. It was the first studio album since their debut to be produced by someone other than Tom Werman.
Found All the Parts is an EP released by Cheap Trick in 1980. It was released on a 10-inch disc as part of Epic Records' short-lived Nu-Disk series. The EP also contained a bonus promotional 7" single of "Everything Works If You Let It". Found All the Parts was re-issued in 12-inch format in 1983.
Cheap Trick, commonly referred to as Cheap Trick '97, is the second eponymous album, and thirteenth studio album, by the American rock band Cheap Trick, produced by the band and Ian Taylor and released on Red Ant Records and Alliance Entertainment. The album is referred to as "Cheap Trick II" when it is referenced on the promotional DVD that was released with the band's Special One album in 2003. Ian Taylor had previously engineered the One On One LP in 1982 and produced a handful of other tracks from 1983's Next Position Please LP, as well as the title track for the 1983 Sean S. Cunningham comedy film Spring Break.
"The Flame" is a power ballad released in 1988 by the American rock band Cheap Trick and the first single from their tenth album Lap of Luxury. It was written by songwriters Bob Mitchell and Nick Graham.
The Greatest Hits is the first compilation album by Cheap Trick. It contains many of Cheap Trick's popular songs, as well as a previously unreleased cover version of The Beatles' "Magical Mystery Tour", which according to the liner notes, was an outtake from the Lap of Luxury album. Though it peaked at only #174 on the Billboard 200 albums chart, it remained a steady seller, and was certified platinum for one million U.S. shipments seven years after its release.
"ELO Kiddies" is a song originally released by Cheap Trick on the 1977 album Cheap Trick. It was written by Rick Nielsen, Cheap Trick's lead guitarist and primary songwriter. It was released as a single twice, in 1977 as an A-side backed by "Speak Now Or Forever Hold Your Peace", and in 1979 as the B-side of the live "Ain't That a Shame" from Cheap Trick at Budokan.
"Clock Strikes Ten" is a song released in 1977 by Cheap Trick on their second album, In Color. It was written by Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen. It was released as a single in Japan, where it was a major hit and reached No. 1 on at least one singles chart. Its success, as well as the success of two follow up singles, "I Want You to Want Me" and "Surrender", paved the way for Cheap Trick's famous concerts at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo in April 1978 that were recorded for the group's most popular album - Cheap Trick at Budokan.
"Hello There" is a song written by Rick Nielsen and first released on Cheap Trick's 1977 album, In Color. The song was also often used as the first song of Cheap Trick concerts, and as a result was the first song on the band's seminal live album Cheap Trick at Budokan.
"Voices" is a song written by Rick Nielsen and recorded by American rock band Cheap Trick which appeared on the album Dream Police. The single was released in 1979 and peaked at number 32 in the US. The single has become one of the band's more widely known tracks.
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."
"Auf Wiedersehen" is a song co-written by Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson and first released on the band's 1978 album Heaven Tonight. It was also released as a single as the B-side of "Surrender". Since its original release, it has also been released by Cheap Trick on several live and compilation albums, including Budokan II; Sex, America, Cheap Trick; The Essential Cheap Trick, and the 30th Anniversary Edition of Cheap Trick at Budokan, which also includes a DVD with a video performance of the song. Allmusic critic Stephen Thomas Erlewine described the song as one of the peaks of Heaven Tonight and as one of Cheap Trick's "stone-cold classics." It has often been used by the band to close their concerts. Since its original release, it has been covered by Anthrax, Cell, John Easdale, and Steel Pole Bath Tub.
"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.
rolling stone cheap trick album guide.