Rockford, Illinois 1974 saw the formation of one of America's well known power-pop bands - Cheap Trick.
They became a success with their self-titled debut, in which they started off their defining sound; the catchiness of The Beatles with the speed and energy of Punk rock. The Los Angeles times is known to have said: "Cheap Trick gained fame by twisting the Beatlesque into something shinier, harder, more American."
Most known for their tracks "Surrender", "I Want You To Want Me", "Dream Police" and "The Fame" - and did a cover of Big Star's "In The Street" for American sitcom That 70's Show (season 2 onwards) and also the theme tune to the American satirical late night television program The Colbert Report.
Surprisingly, for the age of the band the line-up hasn't changed a great deal. Also the Illinois State Senate has declared 1st April to be "Cheap Trick Day". They also took the 25th spot in VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
On July 17th 2011
The band Cheap Trick are "so thankful" to be alive after the sudden collapse of their stage at a festival in Canada. A violent thunderstorm tore through the Ottawa Bluesfest on Sunday night, demolishing the main stage and destroying all of Cheap Trick's equipment. As the final notes of I Want You To Want Me rang out, "it just started coming down," recalled manager Dave Frey. "It was like the Titanic or something."
From his vantage point behind the drummer, Frey felt the "still and humid" air change "out of nowhere" at around 8.00pm. "This wind hit that was just huge. The local news sources are saying 96 miles per hour, another one said like a hundred and something. It just blew everything back, cymbals are flying and everything. And we're just like 'get off the stage!'
Current Line-Up
Robin Zander
1974–present
Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
Rick Nielsen
1974–present
Lead guitar, backing vocals
Tom Petersson
1974–1980, 1987–present
Electric bass, backing vocals
Bun E. Carlos
1974–present
Drums, percussion
Former Line-Up
Randy Hogan
1974
Lead vocals
Pete Comita
1980–1981
12- and 4-stringed electric basses, backing vocals
Jon Brant
1981–1987, special guest and fill-in duties in 1999, 2004-05, & 2007
12-, 8-, 6-, 5- & 4-string electric basses, backing vocals
They became a success with their self-titled debut, in which they started off their defining sound; the catchiness of The Beatles with the speed and energy of Punk rock. The Los Angeles times is known to have said: "Cheap Trick gained fame by twisting the Beatlesque into something shinier, harder, more American."
Most known for their tracks "Surrender", "I Want You To Want Me", "Dream Police" and "The Fame" - and did a cover of Big Star's "In The Street" for American sitcom That 70's Show (season 2 onwards) and also the theme tune to the American satirical late night television program The Colbert Report.
Surprisingly, for the age of the band the line-up hasn't changed a great deal. Also the Illinois State Senate has declared 1st April to be "Cheap Trick Day". They also took the 25th spot in VH1's 100 Greatest Artists of Hard Rock.
On July 17th 2011
The band Cheap Trick are "so thankful" to be alive after the sudden collapse of their stage at a festival in Canada. A violent thunderstorm tore through the Ottawa Bluesfest on Sunday night, demolishing the main stage and destroying all of Cheap Trick's equipment. As the final notes of I Want You To Want Me rang out, "it just started coming down," recalled manager Dave Frey. "It was like the Titanic or something."
From his vantage point behind the drummer, Frey felt the "still and humid" air change "out of nowhere" at around 8.00pm. "This wind hit that was just huge. The local news sources are saying 96 miles per hour, another one said like a hundred and something. It just blew everything back, cymbals are flying and everything. And we're just like 'get off the stage!'
Current Line-Up
Robin Zander
1974–present
Lead vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
Rick Nielsen
1974–present
Lead guitar, backing vocals
Tom Petersson
1974–1980, 1987–present
Electric bass, backing vocals
Bun E. Carlos
1974–present
Drums, percussion
Former Line-Up
Randy Hogan
1974
Lead vocals
Pete Comita
1980–1981
12- and 4-stringed electric basses, backing vocals
Jon Brant
1981–1987, special guest and fill-in duties in 1999, 2004-05, & 2007
12-, 8-, 6-, 5- & 4-string electric basses, backing vocals
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