Founded in 1973 by guitarist Rick Nielsen and bassist Tom Petersson, Cheap Trick once personified the now cliche phrase, "big in Japan." While the band's signature power-pop/punk sound has since sold millions, their first two releases, Cheap Trick (1977) and In Color (1977) went gold in the Land of the Rising Sun, but languished in relative obscurity in the States. After two aborted attempts at pop success (short-lived groups Fuse and Sick Man of Europe), Rockford natives Neilson and Petersson picked up drummer Bun E. Carlos and vocalist Robin Zander, dubbed themselves "Cheap Trick," and signed on with Epic Records in 1976. Not surprisingly, the band hightailed it to Japan after their first two albums. That tour produced the 1979 Live at Budokan, Cheap Trick's American breakthrough and one of rock history's most successful live albums. They recently celebrated the CD release (compiling both original volumes and more) of Cheap Trick At Budokan -- The Complete Concert with a four-night four-album stand at Metro in Spring 1998, where the band played one album each night -- the group recorded a live album at the dates. This summer, their first three albums (all of them great) were re-released on Columbia/Legacy. And, speaking of live records, a new release Music for Hangovers (Cheap Trick Unlimited) documents 1998's 4-night stand of shows at Metro -- Smashing Pumpkin Bill Corgan, one of CT's biggest fans, was the author of the liner notes.
The '80s were a rocky decade for Cheap Trick. While hits were sprinkled in here and there (including 1982's platinum selling One on One with its hit single "I Want You"), the band seemed to loose its creative edge. Jon Brandt took over for the temporarily departed Petersson, and the quartet plodded along for eight years, releasing three mediocre works from 1983 to 1986. Petersson rejoined in 1988, and Cheap Trick went platinum once again with Lap of Luxury. The album featured the popular MTV power ballad "The Flame" and a cover of Elvis Presley's "Don't Be Cruel," which proved to be a hugely successful single.
The appropriately named Busted was released in 1990 and effectively ended Cheap Trick's relationship with Epic. The band signed on with Warner, pumped out one marginal LP and was dropped from the label. Somewhat dissuaded by their growing non-status, Neilsen & co. began to relegate themselves to where-are-they-know rock dinosaur tours with the likes of Kansas and Boston.
Deification by current Chicago pop icon Billy Corgan of The Smashing Pumpkins infused Cheap Trick with a new sense of confidence and creativity. In April of 1997, Neilsen geared the group up for a new release -- Cheap Trick on Red Ant Records. Co-produced by the band and Ian Taylor (Ministry, Psychedelic Furs), the album is both solid and raucous, but pleasantly accessible. Chalk it up to a couple decades of experience, the sobering fall from stardom or Corgan's unabashed praises, but Cheap Trick is the band's most confident effort since 1979. If songs like the first single "Say Goodbye" in all its power-pop glory are any indication, Cheap Trick is primed and ready for another two decades of rock 'n' roll.
They also have, btw, a Greatest Hits compilation.
For more information, visit their website: http://www.cheaptrick.com/
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