cheap trick

Cheap Trick is a U.S. rock and roll band from Rockford, Illinois, that gained popularity in the late 1970s. The band members are Rick Nielsen (guitarist and main songwriter), Bun E. Carlos (born Brad Carlson) (drums), Robin Zander (vocals and guitars), and Tom Petersson (bass guitar). Though they have had only brief flirtations with mainstream success, Cheap Trick has held a substantial following through regular touring and a hard-edged yet blissful pop sound that combines the tunefulness of The Beatles with the speed and energy of punk rock. Cheap Trick arguably is one of the first pop-punk bands. The band's biggest hits over the years include "I Want You to Want Me", "Surrender", "Dream Police", "Don't Be Cruel" (a cover of Elvis' hit), and "The Flame". Their most recent release, Rockford, has gained critical acclaim.[1] [2]

History

(1968-1974) Early years

Cheap Trick's roots lie in Fuse, a late-1960s Rockford band formed by Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson, who released an unsuccessful album on Epic in 1969. After the record failed to gain any attention, the band relocated to Philadelphia and changed its name to Sick Man of Europe. The group toured Europe unsuccessfully in 1972, returning to Illinois in 1973. Upon their return to Rockford, Nielsen and Petersson ended up naming their band Cheap Trick after adding drummer Bun E. Carlos and vocalist Randy "Xeno" Hogan. Hogan left the following year and ex-folk singer Robin Zander joined the group. Between 1974 and the band's first album in 1977, Cheap Trick toured constantly, playing over 200 concerts a year, including opening slots for Queen, The Kinks, KISS, and Santana. During this time, the band built up a solid catalog of original songs that would eventually compose their first three albums; they also perfected their kinetic live show.

(1976-1979) Success in Japan

Cheap Trick signed with Epic Records in 1976, releasing their self-titled debut album in early 1977. The record sold well in the U.S., yet it failed to chart. However, the group became a massive success in Japan, going gold upon release. Later that year, the band released their second album, In Color. Epic A&R man/producer Tom Werman backed In Color away from the harder rocking Cheap Trick, featuring a slicker production and quieter arrangements that spotlighted the band's melodic skills. Due to their constant touring, the record made it into the U.S. charts, peaking at number 73; in Japan it became another gold-seller. The band realized that they were virtual superstars in Japan when they toured the country in early 1978. Their concerts were selling out within two hours and they packed the Budokan Arena. Cheap Trick's concerts at the Budokan Arena were recorded for a television program – which ended up becoming an album that appeared after their third album, 1978's Heaven Tonight. Heaven Tonight captured both the energy of their debut and the hook-laden song craft of In Color, leading to their first Top 100 single, "Surrender", which peaked at number 62. However, the live performances on At Budokan (1979) captured the band's energetic live show, resulting in their commercial breakthrough in the U.S. The album stayed on the charts for over a year, peaking at number four and eventually selling over three million copies; a live version of "I Want You to Want Me" pulled from the album became their first Top Ten hit. The concerts introduced the Rick Nielsen and Tom Petersson composition "Need Your Love", which the band had already recorded proper for their next studio album, Dream Police, which was released later that year, and followed the same stylistic approach of Heaven Tonight. It also followed At Budokan into the Top Ten, selling over a million copies and launching the Top 40 hit singles "Voices" and "Dream Police". In the summer of 1980, the group released Found All the Parts, an EP of tracks recorded between 1976 and 1979.

(1980-1987) Post Petersson years

Petersson left the group in the summer of 1980 after recording the George Martin produced All Shook Up, released toward the end of 1980. The album performed respectably, peaking at number 24 and going gold, yet the single "Stop This Game" failed to enter the Top 40. For subsequent tours Pete Comita, and shortly thereafter Jon Brant, replaced Petersson. The first album recorded with Brant was One on One, the group's seventh album that appeared in 1982. Although it peaked at number 39, the record was more successful than All Shook Up, eventually going platinum. Next Position Please, released in 1983, failed to launch a hit single and spent only 11 weeks on the charts. Standing on the Edge (1985) and The Doctor (1986) suffered similar fates.

(1988-1997) Record label problems

Petersson rejoined the band in 1988 and under CBS Records' direction the group began working on a new album with the help of several outside songwriters. The resulting album, Lap of Luxury, was a platinum Top 20 hit, featuring the number one power ballad "The Flame" and a Top Ten version of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel". Busted (1990) wasn't as successful, peaking at number 48 and effectively putting an end to the group's tenure with CBS Records. Over the course of the 1990s the band experienced several new lows when Sony Music, the successor to the band's CBS Records contract, put Cheap Trick's name on several budget compilations including Voices, I Want You To Want Me, Don't Be Cruel, and several others without their prior knowledge, consent, or agreement. Robin Zander's self titled record produced by Jimmy Iovine was released in 1993 and quickly cut out. In 1994, Cheap Trick signed with Warner Brothers and released Woke Up With A Monster; the record spent two weeks on the chart, peaking at 123. That same year, Sony Records released a sequel to At Budokan, entitled Budokan II. Following the poor performance of Woke Up with a Monster, Cheap Trick decided to go back to the basics. They left Warner Brothers and over the next few years several alternative rockers, who were influenced by Cheap Trick, gave the band opportunities to restore their reputation. The Smashing Pumpkins had the band open some shows in 1995, and the group performed on the 1996 Lollapalooza tour. That same year, the box set Sex America Cheap Trick appeared to good reviews and the band signed with the fledgling independent label/distributor Red Ant/Alliance. Early in 1997, the group released a Steve Albini produced single, "Baby Talk", on Sub Pop, which was followed in the spring by Cheap Trick, their critically acclaimed debut for Red Ant/Alliance. Seven weeks after releasing the record, Red Ant/Alliance declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy, causing a furious music retail community to yank the record from stores and nearly bankrupting the band in the process.

(1998-2003) Rebuilding

1998 saw the band rebuilding by trying to restore normal relations with Sony and the music retail community, and establishing their own record company, Cheap Trick Unlimited. They toured behind the re-mastered re-releases of Budokan: the Complete Concert, and their first three records. One of the multi-night stands from this tour resulted in Music For Hangovers, a vibrant live effort. Amid much criticism, Cheap Trick Unlimited sold the CD exclusively on Amazon.com for 8 weeks prior to releasing it in stores. To support the record they headlined, co-billed with Guided By Voices, and opened for Pearl Jam. In early 2000, Cheap Trick entered into a license with Musicmaker.com to directly download and create custom CDs for over 50 songs. After spending a good part of 2001 writing songs and about six weeks of pre-production, Cheap Trick went into Bearsville Studios in Woodstock, NY in March 2002 where the band put together their first studio album in six years, Special One. Zander said, "This time each of us had songs and bits and pieces of songs – like a verse here, a chorus there, or a melody with no lyric. After putting it all together for this album, we'd lost track of who wrote what and just decided to put all of the writers on each song equally." Petersson added, "What I think is great about this record is that it sounds like an entire piece of music rather than a bunch of assorted, unrelated songs."

(2004-2006) Independence

Cheap Trick have been running their own label, Cheap Trick Unlimited, for 10 years now, controlling a substantial inventory of master recordings, including Cheap Trick 97 (Red Ant), Woke Up with a Monster (Warner Bros. 1994), Silver (a double live CD/DVD), Music for Hangovers (live CD/DVD), various singles including the theme from Fox's That 70's Show, "That 70's Song" and "Cold Turkey", Bun E. in a Box (a drum sample CD), plus various videos and live footage. Nielsen comments, "Running our own label has been a lot of fun. One day Bun E. gets to be President and one day I get to play President." Zander adds, "It's been a little tedious and a little overwhelming at times but we've got more control over our chaos." In May 2003, Cheap Trick decided to bring their record label to Big3 Entertainment. Under the deal, Cheap Trick Unlimited/Big3 Records released Special One. Says Bun E.: "We brought our label to Big3 because we got tired of being record moguls and riding around in limos and making the big bucks. We thought we'd give Big3 a chance."

On June 6, 2006, Cheap Trick released their new studio album Rockford on Cheap Trick Unlimited/Big3 Records. The first single from the album is "Perfect Stranger" (produced by Linda Perry and co-written by Cheap Trick and Perry).

On June 26, 2006 Cheap Trick appeared on the Howard Stern show on Sirius Satellite Radio and they played "I Want You to Want Me" and "Surrender". Stern played one pre-recorded song off their new album. Sirius competitor XM Satellite Radio has also aired exclusive recordings from the band, producing a (new) live recording of Live at Budokan in their Washington, DC studios.

Trivia

• In 1977, Cheap Trick opened for KISS in California where KISS was to record their KISS Alive II album. Bun E. Carlos said that before the show started KISS's drummer Peter Criss was so intoxicated that Carlos almost had to put on makeup and take his place. 22 years later in 1999, a live version of their song Surrender from the Live At Budokan album was used in the soundtrack to the movie Detroit Rock City.

• Cheap Trick wrote and performed songs for the animated films Heavy Metal (1981) and Rock & Rule (1983). The band performed the title track, written by Randy Bishop & Rick Nielsen, to the 1984 film Up the Creek. They also appeared on the Top Gun soundtrack with Mighty Wings.

• The stage music from the Street Fighter II series of games for Ken Masters shares the same opening notes as "Mighty Wings."

• The band has also been referenced several times on The Simpsons: in one episode, Apu was interrupted while singing along to "Dream Police", and another time when Homer Simpson was heard to remark, "I prefer to listen to Cheap Trick."

• In the movie Fast Times at Ridgemont High the character of Mike Damone, ticket hustler, tries to get a kid to buy tickets to a Cheap Trick concert, reminding him of Robin Zander and Rick Nielsen's charisma and talents. He even starts out singing "Surrender".

• Bassist Tom Petersson is generally credited for having the initial idea for a 12-string bass. The first 12-string bass was designed by Jol Dantzig and custom made by Hamer Guitars following a request from Petersson. Petersson had used a Hagstrom 8-string bass, and then asked Hamer Guitars to make him a 12 string bass. The company were doubtful that the neck a 12string bass would stay in one piece, due to the massive tension the strings would exert and so they initially made him a 10-string bass. Following the successful trial use of that bass, the prototype 12-string bass (The Hamer 'Quad') was produced. Petersson is a somewhat fanatical bass collector and has also used 12-string basses made by Kids (a Japanese guitar maker), Chandler, and Waterstone, as well as an impressive array of 4, 5 and 8 stringed basses from other manufacturers.

• According to Bun E. Carlos, Robin Zander plays a Hamer 12-string guitar (as opposed to bass) in addition to a Gibson Firebird, Chandler "Telecaster" and Rickenbacker 450. Rick Nielsen is an avid collector who, despite rationalising his guitar collection, still has over 250 very desirable collectors piece guitars currently in his possession. He has collaborated with manufacturers for some personalised custom designs, including three 5-necked guitars.

• An all-female tribute band impersonates them humorously, Cheap Chick.

• Cheap Trick's song "Surrender" was featured in a Universal Studios commercial performed by the band Less Than Jake.

• Cheap Trick perform "That '70s Song"; the theme song to the Fox Network television series That '70s Show. The song is a remake of Chris Bell and Alex Chilton's Big Star composition "In The Street", but with references to Cheap Trick's own "Surrender" included.

• Cheap Trick wrote and performed the theme song for Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report", featuring former "Daily Show" correspondent Stephen Colbert

• MxPx often covers Cheap Trick's song "Surrender" at their live shows.

• On March 7th, 2006, Cheap Trick's "Surrender" became the theme song to the new ABC show, "Sons and Daughters".

• "If You Want My Love" was the closing credits song in the movie "Joe Dirt"

• The song "Mighty Wings" (from the Top Gun soundtrack) was used excessively in a popular Finnish TV comedy "Studio Julmahuvi" in late 90's. The song appeared in a recurring gag that parodied films like "Karate Kid" etc.

• When Bun E. Carlos had emergency back surgery one summer, one of Rick Nielsen's sons (Daxx) substituted for Bun behind the drumkit. Daxx's band, Harmony Riley, had been touring with Cheap Trick at the time, and Daxx knew most of Cheap Trick's drum parts.

• Rick Nielsen throws several hundred plectrums (guitar picks) per night into the audience, each bearing variations on his own personalised design. Despite these being quite common, they are avidly collected via auction sites.

• In 1985 Bun E Carlos's brother Kurt Carlson was held hostage by Hezbollah militants for 17 days before finally being released.

• During a news conference at Rockford City Hall in their hometown, members of Cheap Trick as well as city officials announced that Cheap Trick would be honored with the 2007 City Sticker in the form of the album cover from Rockford.

Discography

Studio albums

• (1977) Cheap Trick aka Cheap Trick (1977)
• (1977) In Color
• (1978) Heaven Tonight
• (1979) Dream Police
• (1980) All Shook Up
• (1980) Found All The Parts
• (1982) One on One
• (1983) Next Position Please
• (1985) Standing on the Edge
• (1986) The Doctor
• (1988) Lap of Luxury
• (1990) Busted
• (1994) Woke Up With A Monster
• (1997) Cheap Trick aka Cheap Trick (1997)
• (2003) Special One
• (2006) Rockford

Live albums

• (1978) At Budokan
• (1998) At Budokan: the Complete Concert
• (1999) Music for Hangovers
• (2001) Silver

Compilations

• (1991) The Greatest Hits
• (1996) Sex, America, Cheap Trick (box set including unreleased tracks)
• (2000) Authorized Greatest Hits
• (2004) The Essential Cheap Trick

Soundtrack Contributions

• (1980) Roadie "Everything Works If You Let It"
• (1981) Heavy Metal "Reach Out", "I Must Be Dreamin'"
• (1983) Spring Break "Spring Break"
• (1983) Rock & Rule "Born to Raise Hell", "I'm The Man", "Ohm Sweet Ohm"
• (1984) Up The Creek "Up The Creek"
• (1986) Top Gun "Mighty Wings"
• (1988) Tequila Sunrise "Surrender to Me - Ann Wilson, Robin Zander "
• (1988) Caddyshack II "Money"
• (1989) Say Anything "You Want It"
• (1992) Gladiator "I Will Survive"

Singles

• (1977) "Oh Candy"
• (1978) "Surrender" - #62 US
• (1979) "I Want You To Want Me" - #7 US
• (1979) "Ain't That A Shame" - #35 US
• (1979) "Dream Police" - #26 US
• (1980) "Voices" - #32 US
• (1980) "Everything Works If You Let It" - #44 US
• (1980) "Stop This Game" - #48 US
• (1982) "If You Want My Love" - #45 US
• (1982) "She's Tight" - #65 US
• (1985) "Tonight It's You" - #44 US
• (1986) "It's Only Love" - US
• (1988) "The Flame" - #1 US
• (1988) "Don't Be Cruel" - #4 US
• (1988) "Ghost Town" - #33 US
• (1989) "Never Had A Lot To Lose" - #75 US
• (1990) "Can't Stop Fallin' Into Love" - #12 US
• (1990) "Wherever Would I Be?" - #50 US
• (1994) "Woke Up With A Monster" - US
• (1994) "You're All I Wanna Do" - US
• (1996) "Gift" - US
• (1997) "Say Goodbye" - US
• (1999) "That 70's Song" - US
• (2003) "Scent Of A Woman" - #124 US
• (2006) "Perfect Stranger" - US

External links

• Cheap Trick.com - Official website