Rick Nielsen

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Rick Nielsen
Rick Nielsen Dream Police show.jpg
Nielsen performing in February 2011
Background information
Birth nameRichard Alan Nielsen
Born (1948-12-22) December 22, 1948 (age 74) [1]
Elmhurst, Illinois, U.S. [2]
Genres Rock, hard rock, power pop
OccupationsMusician, songwriter
Instrument(s)Guitar, vocals
Years active1965–present
Website cheaptrick.com

Richard Alan Nielsen (born December 22, 1948) is an American musician best known as the lead guitarist, primary songwriter, and leader of the rock band Cheap Trick. He is well-known for his numerous custom-made guitars from Hamer Guitars, including his famous five-neck guitar.

Contents

Career

Nielsen was born into a musical family, with both parents being opera singers. His father, Ralph Nielsen, also directed symphonies, choirs and recorded over forty solo albums. During Rick's teens, the family owned a music store in Rockford, Illinois, and he learned to play a number of instruments. After playing drums for six years, Rick changed direction, learning how to play guitar and keyboards.

His first school band was The Phaetons, which mutated into The Grim Reapers (which later included Tom Petersson in its line up). The Grim Reapers became Fuse which released one poorly received studio album before disbanding in 1970. Nielsen joined Nazz for a short time (replacing Todd Rundgren) before forming the short-lived Sick Man of Europe in Philadelphia in 1972 with Tom Petersson, and drummer Bun E. Carlos joining soon after. In 1973, Nielsen, together with Carlos, formed Cheap Trick. Petersson joined later that year, and Robin Zander joined in the fall of 1974. Nielsen wrote almost all of the songs for Cheap Trick's first few albums.

Nielsen has enjoyed many highlights with Cheap Trick, including having a #1 US single, "The Flame." Nielsen and Carlos were invited to record a session on August 12, 1980, with John Lennon for his upcoming Double Fantasy album. Their contributions did not appear on the released album, only becoming officially available in 1998. [3]

Appearance

Nielsen's on-stage appearance is influenced by Huntz Hall of The Bowery Boys; he wears a flipped up old style ball cap, his face resembles Hall's, and some of Nielsen's on-stage antics have been compared to Hall's. [4] Nielsen is also well known for wearing a bowtie.

Nielsen's image moved away from the cartoonish look of the ‘70s in the mid 1990s, when he sported a mustache, goatee beard (often with a long braid) and dark glasses which gave him a mildly sinister look. That image changed again on March 9, 2001, when he shaved the beard and mustache off during the encore break at a show at hometown Rockford's Coronado Theater. [5] Since then, Nielsen has retained the clean shaven look, together with designer suits. In the late 2000s, he started wearing bowties again on stage.

TV and movie appearances and radio broadcasts

Nielsen has made countless TV appearances and radio broadcasts over the years with Cheap Trick, on music shows around the world, as well as American late night shows with Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and David Letterman.

Outside of Cheap Trick, Nielsen's credits include appearing as a hijacked car driver in the 1987 movie Disorderlies . [6] He and his wife appeared on HGTV's Homes of Note in the early 1990s. [7] In 1997, he appeared in Michael Moore's documentary The Big One . Nielsen appeared on an episode of The History Channel's show American Pickers Season 8, Episode 9, that originally aired on March 11, 2013. The show followed the standard format with the show's two stars, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, picking Nielsen's various storage units full of items he has acquired through his years on tour. [8]

On April 6, 2013 Nielsen appeared on an episode of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! show as a guest on the segment called "Not My Job". [9]

In 2013, Nielsen appeared in Dave Grohl's documentary Sound City . In 2014, he appeared on the first episode of Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways , which focused on the city of Chicago. [10] On October 17, 2014, Nielsen appeared on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman , playing with the Foo Fighters.

In 2016, Nielsen made an appearance on the 75th episode of Live from Daryl's House with Robin Zander, and Tom Petersson. The episode aired May 5 on MTV Live and May 15 on LFDH.com.

Work with other artists

Nielsen in 2006 Cheap Trick at Gulfstream Park - Rick Nielsen.jpg
Nielsen in 2006

Rick has guested on albums by artists such as Glen Campbell, Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters, The Yardbirds, John Lennon, Hall & Oates ('Alley Katz' from the Along the Red Ledge LP), Mötley Crüe, Foo Fighters, Dusty Springfield, Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts, Alice Cooper, Gene Simmons, Material Issue, House of Lords, Hanson and others, while Nielsen-written songs have been recorded by artists such as Rick Derringer, and House of Lords. [3]

Other

Rick displayed 34 of his guitars at a free exhibition "Customised Culture – Cars, Guitars, and Lowbrow Art" at the Rockford Art Museum, in Rockford, Illinois in February and April 2002. [11]

On April 23, 2012, Nielsen and the Board of the Burpee Museum of Natural History in Rockford unveiled plans for "Rick's Picks: A Lifelong Affair with Guitars and Music”, an ambitious exhibit displaying Nielsen's passions for guitars, music and rock & roll. The exhibit ran from August 11, 2012 to April 14, 2013, attracting people from all over the world. Visitors were able to see a huge collection of Nielsen's guitars, personal items, stage clothing and Cheap Trick memorabilia, and listen to rare audio material. [12] [13] [14] [15] [16]

Nielsen involves himself widely in the local community in hometown Rockford, for example, being involved with the Rockford Icehogs charitable foundation. [17] [18] In addition, he was a major supporter of the renovation of the Coronado Theater, and one balcony seat is covered in black and white checkerboard in his honour. [19]

Nielsen is co-owner of Chicago's Piece brewery and gourmet pizzeria. [20]

Artist Shannon MacDonald has been creating paintings and guitars for Rick Nielsen since 1979.

Rick Nielsen is a celebrity co-owner of ROCK'N Vodka. [21] ROCK'N Vodka also partnered with Rick Nielson, Josh Bilicki and Insurance King [22] at the Daytona International Speedway on August 15, 2020 where Bilicki drove the Insurance King and ROCK'N Vodka car during the Daytona Road Course and placed 12th. [23]

Equipment

Nielsen has owned about two thousand guitars over the years [24] and as of 2018 had about 500 instruments. [25]

Guitars
Amplifiers
Effects & Misc.

Discography

YearTitleNotes
2019"Come Together"with Jones in the Grave [26]
2020"Don't Let Me Down"

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cheap Trick</span> American rock band

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. The current lineup of the band consists of Zander, Nielsen and Petersson. Their work bridged elements of '60s guitar pop, hard rock, and punk rock, and would help set the template for subsequent power pop artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tom Petersson</span> American musician

Thomas John Peterson, better known as Tom Petersson, is an American musician who is best known for being the bass guitar player for the rock band Cheap Trick.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robin Zander</span> American singer and guitarist

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bun E. Carlos</span> American musician

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.

<i>Cheap Trick at Budokan</i> 1978 live album by Cheap Trick

Cheap Trick at Budokan is the first live album by American rock band Cheap Trick, and their best-selling recording. It was first released in Japan on October 8, 1978, and later released in the United States on 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.

<i>Fuse</i> (Fuse album) Debut rock album by Fuse

Fuse is the only studio album by the rock band Fuse. It was recorded in 1969 and released in January 1970, before they broke up and with members going on to form Cheap Trick and Silver Fox.

<i>Heaven Tonight</i> 1978 studio album by Cheap Trick

Heaven Tonight is Cheap Trick's third studio album, produced by Tom Werman and released in 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.

<i>Rockford</i> (album) 2006 studio album by Cheap Trick

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Flame (Cheap Trick song)</span> 1988 single by Cheap Trick

"The Flame" is a power ballad written by British songwriters Bob Mitchell and Nick Graham. The song was released in 1988 by the American rock band Cheap Trick and the first single from their tenth album Lap of Luxury.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream Police (song)</span> 1979 single by Cheap Trick

"Dream Police" is a song written by Rick Nielsen and originally released in 1979 by the American rock band Cheap Trick. It is the first track on the group's album of the same name. The single peaked at #26 on the Billboard Hot 100. Nielsen has stated that the song "is an attempt to take a heavy thought - a quick bit of REM snatched right before waking up - and put into a pop format." He also stated that "the song was about Big Brother watching you."

Fuse was an American rock band formed in Rockford, Illinois, in late 1968, after Rick Nielsen proposed the merging of two local bands: The Grim Reapers and Toast and Jam. Managed by Ken Adamany, Fuse's line-up consisted of Rick Nielsen (keyboards/guitar), Joe Sundberg (vocals), Tom Petersson, Craig Myers, and Chip Greenman (drums/percussion). Members of the band later formed Cheap Trick.

<i>The Latest</i> 2009 studio album by Cheap Trick

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Voices (Cheap Trick song)</span> 1979 single by Cheap Trick

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If You Want My Love</span> 1982 single by Cheap Trick

"If You Want My Love" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, released in 1982 as the lead single from their sixth studio album One on One. It was written by guitarist Rick Nielsen and produced by Roy Thomas Baker. It reached number 45 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the Australian Kent Music Report chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Woke Up with a Monster (song)</span> 1994 single by Cheap Trick

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Say Goodbye (Cheap Trick song)</span> 1997 single by Cheap Trick

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Perfect Stranger (Cheap Trick song)</span> 2006 single by Cheap Trick

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">If It Takes a Lifetime</span> 2006 single by Cheap Trick

"If It Takes a Lifetime" is a song by American rock band Cheap Trick, released in 2006 as the third and final single from their fifteenth studio album Rockford. It was written by Robin Zander, Tom Petersson, Rick Nielsen, Bun E. Carlos and Julian Raymond, and produced by Cheap Trick, with co-production by Raymond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World's Greatest Lover (Cheap Trick song)</span> 1981 single by Cheap Trick

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rock'n Vodka</span> Sugarcane vodka beverage

ROCK'N Vodka is a sugarcane vodka beverage, founded by Andy Roiniotis, Isabelle Roiniotis, and Denny Trakas in 2019. The brand is now co-owned by Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick. Vodka made from sugarcane is atypical when compared to traditional corn, wheat, or potato vodkas. ROCK'N Vodka is distilled four times and unaged.

References

  1. ↑ Nielsen, Rick. "Rick Nielsen :: About". RickNielsen.com. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
  2. ↑ Faioia, Ron (August 13, 2012). "Rockford Exhibit Celebrates Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen". OnMilwaukee.com. Retrieved December 23, 2013.
  3. 1 2 Prato, Greg. "Rick Nielsen – Biography – AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  4. ↑ Seigel, Stephen (July 4, 2002). "Magic Trick". Tucson Weekly . Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Rick Nielsen Shaves Braided Beard at Rockford Show". mi2n.com. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  6. ↑ "Disorderlies (1987) – Full Cast & Crew". IMDb. 2015. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  7. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : Cheap Trick – Tour of Rick Nielsen's House. YouTube. December 14, 2008. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  8. ↑ Braun, Georgette (September 19, 2012). "'American Pickers' duo visits Rick Nielsen's guitar display and more". Rockford Register Star. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick Plays Not My Job". NPR.org. April 5, 2013. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  10. ↑ "Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways 01: Chicago". HBO. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  11. ↑ "Rockford Museum". ctnewseurope.co.uk. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  12. ↑ Spencer, Graham. "Rick's Picks". rickspickslive.com. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  13. ↑ Stephens, Susan (August 13, 2012). "Rick's Picks: Cheap Trick guitarist's life on display in Rockford". Northern Public Radio. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  14. ↑ "'Rick's Picks' opens at Burpee Aug. 11". The Rock River Times. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Rock'n Roll on Museum Monday with Rick's Picks". This write life. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  16. ↑ Graham, Jay (December 26, 2017). "Cheap Trick: Rick's Picks A Lifelong Affair With Guitars & Music". GrahamSpencer. Retrieved December 26, 2017.
  17. ↑ "Charitable Foundation". Rockford IceHogs. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  18. ↑ "IceHogs News". Rockford IceHogs. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  19. ↑ Sachs, Andrea (May 26, 2012). "Their Town: Cheap Trick guitarist Rick Nielsen rocks Rockford, Ill". Washington Post. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Piece Brewery & Pizzeria: A Taste of New Haven in Chicago". Serious Eats. December 17, 2008. Retrieved August 22, 2015.
  21. ↑ "Talking Rock'N Vodka At RBI's Bar & Grill". MyStateline.com. February 3, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  22. ↑ "Insurance King and Rock'n Vodka partner up for NASCAR". MyStateline.com. August 3, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  23. ↑ "Josh Bilicki places 12th at Daytona International Speedway Road Course". Official Site Of NASCAR. August 17, 2020. Retrieved September 15, 2020.
  24. ↑ American Pickers episode aired March 11, 2013.
  25. ↑ "Have guitar, will travel: Cheap Trick's Rick Nielsen on his 500 guitars and the one that got away". August 30, 2018. Retrieved August 28, 2019.
  26. ↑ "Rick Nielsen on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved August 19, 2021.

Further reading

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