A new biography, American Standard—Cheap Trick From the Bars to the Budokan and Beyond, was published by Backbeat Books on September 3, 2024. The book, available in the U.S. here and in the U.K. here (where it arrives on Nov. 3), features a foreword by Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. The author, Ross Warner, has previously written for Deadbase: The Complete Guide to Grateful Dead Songlists and the Grateful Dead Tape Compendium, Vols. II and III (along with numerous musical features and reviews for Glide Magazine).
The book covers the band’s initial rise, with special focus on the oft-mythologized At Budokan story. Forever immortalized by their shout-out in the cult teen movie classic Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Cheap Trick has been cited by Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Green Day and Pearl Jam (thus McCready’s involvement) as a main influence.
Warner interviewed many of those who were on stage with the band and in the studio, with much archival material sourced from the writers on the 1970s rock scene from Rolling Stone, Creem, Crawdaddy, Trouser Press, Circus, Sounds, the New Musical Express and Hit Parader, among others. Band members and management from this time were also interviewed.
From the publisher’s announcement: “They’ve sold more than 20 million albums, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and they’re one of Homer Simpson’s favorite bands—but even today, fifty years after they first formed, Cheap Trick remains to many a club band with a cult following. They certainly started out that way, with a carnival-like stage show featuring four perfectly mismatched characters: guitarist Rick Nielsen, in bowtie, sweater and baseball cap, stood next to blonde dreamboat Robin Zander, while the mysterious, chestnut-haired bassist Tom Peterson held down the bottom end with drummer Bun E. Carlos, never seen without his cigarette or tie.
Of the book, Carlos wrote, “Author Ross Warner did his homework and got some ‘behind the scenes’ scoops. Great reading in my unbiased opinion!”
Related: Behind the rise of Cheap Trick
More from the book’s announcement: “American Standard: Cheap Trick from the Bars to the Budokan and Beyond tells the unlikely story of the band’s path to greatness, from their origins in Rockford, Illinois, to their massively successful live album At Budokan to the many ups and downs that followed. This is a rollicking tale of artistic genius, rock excess, hilarious misbehavior, chance encounters with music’s biggest names, and international stardom that brought new meaning to the phrase ‘big in Japan.’ American Standard gives an intimate look at a truly original band—whether you consider them rock icons or criminally underrated.”
Watch Cheap Trick perform “Surrender” at Budokan
2 Comments so far
Jump into a conversationI have major issues with this book.
And of course Amazon is delivering my copy today. What are the issues? If anyone would recognize them, it’s you.