Greeley Stampede Bands, Where Are They Now?- Cheap Trick

Way back in 1961 a kid named Rick Nielsen was jamming in a couple different bands in Northern Illinois to get all the playing he could in on his ever-increasing collection of rare and valuable guitars. This is where he met Tom Petersson a bass player from another one of the areas bands. Nielsen and Petersson formed the first variation of Cheap Trick in 1970 calling themselves Fuse. Fuse struggled to succeed, so Nielsen joined forces with Todd Rundgren’s band at the time called Nazz, and picked up drummer Bun E. Carlos and began calling themselves Sick Man of Europe in 1972. After a European tour in ’73 Nielsen, Petersson and Carlos returned to Illinois picked up a lead singer named Randy “Xeno” Hogan and called themselves Cheap Trick. Hogan left the band less than a year into Cheap Trick and was replaced by Robin Zander. The band’s line-up would go unchanged until Petersson left to do his own thin in 1980. The band went through a few replacements on bass and four albums before Petersson returned to the band in 1987. Until 2010 all four of the members most have come to know as the original member’s of Cheap Trick were still together, touring, and putting out new music, but then for unspecified reason Bun E. Carlos quit touring with Cheap Trick but was still an official member. Rick Nielsen’s son Daxx took over the drumming duties for Cheap Trick’s live shows.

Bun E. Carlos

Probably Cheap Trick’s biggest fan, Bun E. Carlos spent a lot of his free time away from Cheap Trick archiving what they did, and making plans to better the group. Known for the cigarette always hanging out of his mouth, Carlos quit smoking in the mid-90′s. He also joined members of the boy-band Hanson and Smashing Pumpkins to form a sort of super group called Tinted Windows in 2009. Carlos also released his own line of coffee in the late nineties which became very popular and is still going today. Although the exact details have never been discussed, Carlos quit touring with Cheap Trick in 2010 for what many believe to be health issues. He is still considered a member of Cheap Trick today, just not a touring member.

Tom Petersson

One of the two forming father’s of Cheap Trick, Tom Petersson gave a gift to the music world in ways other than just being a member of rock band. Petersson was the first performer to use a 12 string bass. Petersson debuted the bass on the song “Heaven Tonight.” Petersson left Cheap trick from 1980-87 to do a few different projects over the eight years away from the band. He released one solo album called Tom Petersson and Another Language, and even toured with a band he called Sick Man of Europe, which was the name of a pre-Cheap Trick band he was in with Rick Nielsen. Petersson almost left the band again after he said he thought the band was being pigeonholed by their then record label in 1988 after their hit “The Flame.” The band agreed, left the label, now have their own label, put out six more records, and Petersson still tours with Cheap Trick.

Robin Zander

The voice of Cheap Trick is a man by the name of Robin Zander. He was originally offered the role by Bun E. Carlos who noticed him singing cover songs at a resort in his home state of Wisconsin. Zander was then under contract with the resort so he declined and the band picked up Randy “Xeno” Hogan. With a stroke of good fortune, Hogan left the band at the same time that Zander’s contract expired, and he joined Cheap Trick. To this day, Guitarist Rick Nielsen introduces Zander at concerts as his “favorite lead singer in the whole wide world”. During one of Cheap Trick’s breaks in 1993 Zander released a self titled solo album. Many notable vocalist have named Zander as an influence including Axl Rose, Vince Neil, and Brett Michaels.

Rick Nielsen

The founding father of Cheap Trick, Rick Nielsen is also one of the most recognizable figures in rock n’ roll history. Known for wearing odd, mostly checkered clothing, large metal buttons, and the flipped up ball cap, Nielsen is probably best known for his five neck guitar. Nielsen has actually owned over 2000 guitars over the course of his career, and still owns about 250, around 20 of which he tours with, playing everyone that he brings during the show. Nielsen is also a food fan, opening his own pizzeria, Piece pizzeria, located in Chicago. The restaurant is decorated with various Cheap Trick memorabilia.

With more than 5,000 performances, 20 million records sold, 29 movie soundtracks and 40 gold and platinum recording awards Cheap Trick is still going strong and entertaining crowds of thousands over 35 years after it all started in a little Illinois town.

Blue Oyster Cult will open up for Cheap Trick at the Taste of Country Concerts at the Greeley Stampede Saturday July 2nd. More info here, and get your tickets here.