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Famous Monster Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick on Why Monster Rocks!
 One of the mid-1970s' (not to mention Homer Simpson's) most beloved "Power Pop" bands, Cheap Trick is still going strong, hitting dates this year on both sides of the Atlantic. Touring in support of their new, independently released CD, Rockford (named after their home town in Illinois), Cheap Trick has drawn rave reviews proclaiming a return to form of catchy riffs and hummable choruses that echo nearly quarter-century-old classics "Surrender" and "I Want You To Want Me."
Cheap Trick co-founder and guitarist Rick Nielsen recently spent some time with us talking enthusiastically about why he's a Famous Monster, never leaves home without various Monster gear, the new album, current tour and Cheap Trick's secret for staying together more than three decades after they formed.
"I started using Monster years ago," explains Nielsen, a known fanatic about tone. "Once we started playing out I knew we needed the best. Monster always fit the bill. It always works."
Monster helps the band deliver the classic rock crunch that is Cheap Trick’s sound: the crisp highs, the ballsy mids and the bass that cuts through the mix. It's especially important, notes Rick, given the wide range of venues that Cheap Trick plays these days—everything from hockey arenas to clubs to state fairs. "Monster Power delivers clean power everywhere," he adds.
A proud owner of approximately 300 guitars, Nielsen, when on-stage, is a true believer in knowing what a difference a high-performance cable makes with his sound. "My guitar goes straight to the amp with no pedals in between. Monster Cable is always reliable."
Nielsen also started using various Monster products at home for his 5.1-channel home theater ("It’s all wired up with Monster") and home studio ("I have four of the Monster Power units in my rack"). He also is big fan of the Monster power strips, which "show how much power is coming in and how much is going out."
Rick points when Cheap Trick is on tour it has on hand two sets of Monster gear so that when they arrive in a new city, the rig is all set to go.
Part of Monster’s appeal for Rick is ease of use, no matter whatever he’s ever tried. "I like to plug and play, not goof around [setting something up]."
Cheap Trick went independent long before it was in vogue for established artists, and clearly relishes the freedom such status brings. "When somebody tells you what to do it's confusing," says Rick, citing Cheap Trick's major label days when it had managers, lawyers and record company executives telling it what to do. "We produce ourselves, and only work with who we want. It's less somebody else's footprint. It's us. We started believing in ourselves."
When it's suggested to Nielsen that one of the reasons why critics love Cheap Trick so much it often pays homage to The Beatles, especially on Rockford's first single "Perfect Stranger" and on "O Claire," which sounds like latter-day George Harrison, Rick doesn’t disagree. "The proof is in the pudding," he quips.
But to what does Nielsen attribute Cheap Trick's longevity. After all, these four guys first played together in 1974, and Nielsen's first band with bassist Tom Petersson, Fuse, began in 1969. "We never grew up," he laughs, before adding, "good songs help." It’s no wonder Cheap Trick was voted among the top 25 hard rock artists by journalists, fellow musicians and music business professionals.
When asked if the vault contains any unreleased concert footage or recordings that could serve as a sequel to their 1996 boxed set, Sex America Cheap Trick, Rick responds that while no archival releases are imminent, it’s probable that there will be new archival product in the future. “Bun E. has recorded every show we’ve ever done. How would you like to hear 5,000 versions of ‘I Want You to Want Me.’”
Playing 5,000 shows has taken them all over the world multiple times. Is there any place left Rick would like Cheap Trick to conquer? “Yeah, we’ve never played China.” Cheap Trick may have never ended up permanently in the annals of pop music if it weren’t for a little Asian hospitality (i.e., At Budokan, which stayed on the U.S. album charts for a full year), so don’t be surprised if Beijing or Shanghai eventually ends up on their itinerary.
Remember, Cheap Trick started out in the garage just like every other band. As Famous Monster Rick Nielsen notes, coming up with the "good songs" always helps. Reliable connections and clean power, courtesy of Monster Cable, will ensure everything sounds the way you're hearing it in your heads. Now crank it up!
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