Cheap Trick is a slang term for a prostitute's miserly customer, a non-tipper. It is also the name of an incredibly talented 4-piece band from Rockford, Illinois, fronted by Robin Zander on vocals and Rick Nielsen on lead guitar.
They had a string of hits starting in the '70's and continuing in the 80's. Rick Nielsen is not only a guitar wizard, he has one of the greatest senses of fashion in the music industry. Anytime you went to a show you wanted to hear what they were going to play and to see what zany outfit he was going to dress in next. His collection of guitars is vast, including a five neck guitar. That instrument alone is famous.
The band found early fame in Japan, with the Japanese media calling them the "American Beatles". They recorded a live album in Tokyo, at Nippon Budokan. The album 'Cheap Trick At Budokan' started getting radio play in The States and the rest is history. I saw them perform live at Bill Graham's 'Day On The Green #2' in Oakland, California at the Raiders' Stadium on July 27th, 1980. Journey, Black Sabbath and Molly Hatchet were also on that bill with 75,000 people in attendance.
Eight years later, summer of 1988, the band released their tenth album 'Lap Of Luxury' and went on tour in support of it. I had moved to New York and landed a job with John Scher Productions, as a caterer. John Scher was the biggest concert promoter in the entire East Coast.
My job consisted of: Arriving by 5:00 a.m. setting up the dining room first thing for the crews and the truck drivers rolling in with all the equipment, after that break down, set up for lunch, start to set up the dressing rooms, according to the riders. After lunch set up the stage with a cooler next to the drum set and a bus tub full of cold beverages off to the side, another bus tub full of ice and cold beverages for the mixing console in the center of the place, setting up the hospitality suites for any VIP visitors, and the after-parties, stocking up the band's bus before they roll out. And it was a blast! The best job I have ever had.
Cheap Trick was scheduled to play the Nassau Coliseum, quick fun fact, when Pink Floyd released their double album 'The Wall', in 1980, their entire U.S. tour consisted of only 14 shows, six in Los Angeles and eight in New York. Nassau Coliseum was the site of that historic tour. Now it was Cheap Trick's turn to perform there.
Showtime was set for 8:00 p.m. and everyone was promptly in their seats by then. Nobody was playing fashionably late, I guess that's what happens when you happen to have the number one song in the country, everyone arrives on time. Cheap Trick looked and sounded great. They were fantastic, playing all their big hits including 'Surrender', 'I Want You To Want Me' and 'Dream Police'. When they played the first few notes of 'The Flame' the entire place erupted with anticipation, the crowd went crazy.
During the show, I had to run to the local pizza parlor and pick up the order the band wants put in their bus for when they depart, so I don't get to see the entire show. On the order there's usually a few pizza pies and a few hot sandwiches, a good New York meatball parmigiana is always a favorite. Plus I refill their cooler with fresh ice and beverages and they are good to go to hit the road, onto the next city.
The after-party went late, as I knew it would, it's New York, no telling who's going to drop in. I do remember seeing Joan Jett that night, she is a Long Island girl. I see Robin leaving the dressing room, around 1:30 a.m., walking in the general direction of the bus and I'm thinking to myself "Dude, your pizza's got to be so cold by now." He passed me in the hall and nodded his head and said "Have a good night" and I responded "Thank you, you too, enjoy the rest of the tour." He waved and boarded the bus. It was a very pleasant exchange. And with that..."Another night slowly closes in".
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| Behold- A quintuple neck, 30-string guitar |
Eight years later, summer of 1988, the band released their tenth album 'Lap Of Luxury' and went on tour in support of it. I had moved to New York and landed a job with John Scher Productions, as a caterer. John Scher was the biggest concert promoter in the entire East Coast.
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| A random poster from an illustrious career |
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| Nassau Coliseum pre-renovation, the sun setting on an era. |
The day started off like any other. We feed the crew breakfast and lunch and set up the dressing rooms and stage. They arrive, go to their dressing rooms and just hang out. 4:00 p.m. is sound check time. The stage has to be complete, the bands come out and usually do a 20-minute, 4 song sound check. I always try to be around so I can watch/ listen to it, but sometimes I get busy actually working.
The daily routine is when a band leaves their dressing room for sound check I, as a caterer, go into the dressing room and spruce it up. I remove any glasses, cups, plates, silverware, napkins, etc... and replenish anything that might be low. I get a total of 15-minutes max. Every dressing room needs fresh ice, so I get a clean bus tub, fill it up and bring it with me.
That day I go to tidy up their dressing room. The ice was heavy so I carried it on my shoulder so my peripheral vision was completely blocked. I get there at 4:05 p.m. the security guard stands to the side and lets me right in. I walk over to the table with all the food and drink and pour all the fresh, new ice onto the old ice and it makes noise.
There were four people sitting on the couches that looked over at me. I didn't see them when I walked in, but now that my vision is no longer obstructed I can see everything. They're looking at me and I'm looking at them, Cheap Trick, all four of them: Robin, Rick, Tom Petersson on bass and Bun E. Carlos on drums.
I immediately say "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone was in here. I'll come back later." And start to leave. One of them speaks out "No, it's okay, do what you have to, we're leaving." They start to talk amongst themselves "We got to get out there." "Is it four o'clock already?"
They start to pull themselves together when someone from their management team comes running in waving a fax -it was 1988 and a fax machine was the absolute latest thing in modern technology- he was very excited. He kept saying "'The Flame' just went number one. 'The Flame' just went number one." That was the first single from their latest album. This was their very first number one hit ever and I was in the dressing room with them when they were getting the news. They were all cheering and hugging, it truly was a joyful moment. There was going to be a party that night.
Showtime was set for 8:00 p.m. and everyone was promptly in their seats by then. Nobody was playing fashionably late, I guess that's what happens when you happen to have the number one song in the country, everyone arrives on time. Cheap Trick looked and sounded great. They were fantastic, playing all their big hits including 'Surrender', 'I Want You To Want Me' and 'Dream Police'. When they played the first few notes of 'The Flame' the entire place erupted with anticipation, the crowd went crazy.
Once the show ends I go onstage to get our cooler and bus tubs immediately before they have a chance to get mixed in with any of the equipment and loaded on any trucks and we never see them again. While I'm on stage I find a Rick Nielsen guitar pick which I promptly picked up to add to my collection.
The after-party went late, as I knew it would, it's New York, no telling who's going to drop in. I do remember seeing Joan Jett that night, she is a Long Island girl. I see Robin leaving the dressing room, around 1:30 a.m., walking in the general direction of the bus and I'm thinking to myself "Dude, your pizza's got to be so cold by now." He passed me in the hall and nodded his head and said "Have a good night" and I responded "Thank you, you too, enjoy the rest of the tour." He waved and boarded the bus. It was a very pleasant exchange. And with that..."Another night slowly closes in".
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| Rick's pick- one side |
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| Rick's pick- the other |
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