Reputation is a Fragile Thing - The Story of Cheap Trick by Mike Hayes and Ken Sharp

 

This 1998 book is another that I read at one point years ago but never reviewed and I pulled it out for something to review during our recent trip to Chicago (cuz I do things like that). 

While Rick, Tom and Bun E played together off'n'on in innumerable projects with innumerable other people, I was surprised to (re)discover that they worked with members of the Nazz - even occasionally using that name - after they had split with Todd Rundgren. Of course, the CT guys eventually pulled Robin Zander away from another project and settled down to the hard work of "making it" - which, as we all know, paid off!

It did take years of work on their songs and their image but by the time that they were receiving serious label interest, their look was perfected and they had enough songs that they were able to record three albums in quick succession within a year or so!

The book is basically a diary of the group's progress with fun early stories and details about recording the albums told by those who were there, from producers and label employees to the band themselves, often in the form of magazine interviews (which does mean that there is some repetition, but nothing overly obnoxious). 

The authors do their best to be objective about the various recordings, critical of substandard songwriting (usually when outside writers were brought in) or production, as well as being realistic about the band's career trajectory. After their initial rise, Tom Petersson left, and along with a procession of bassists, the band reached its lowest point before finally resurrecting (with Tom's return) with the dull power-ballad, "The Flame", which ironically gave them their biggest hit.

Obviously, a number of other albums followed, some better than others, but none capturing their early power until they resurrected with their late 90's, self-titled album (I never reviewed that one, either, but it's a good one) which is also where this book ends.

This is a good overview of a terrific power-pop/rock'n'roll band that went through some shakey periods but always delivered the goods live (minus a couple mediocre/awful power ballads). Fans will certainly dig this!