Cheap Trick’s At Budokan has one of the greatest album covers in the history of rock n’ roll. Lead singer Robin Zander and bassist Tom Peterson are standing next to each other, grinning from ear to ear. They are smiling the type of smiles that only come once or twice in a lifetime. They aren’t smiling out of cockiness or arrogance, but because they can’t believe their luck. If At Budokan was just a picture on a piece of cardboard, it would still be one of the greatest albums ever made.
At Budokan was released during the golden age of the live record. Kiss and Peter Frampton had strong followings before they released Alive and Frampton Comes Alive, but the success of those two records made them stadium rock demi-gods. Cheap Trick was in the same situation that Kiss and Frampton were in two years earlier, except they were full blown teen idols in Japan. To capitalize on their success in the Far East, Epic Records recorded their sold out gig at the legendary Budokan sumo arena and released it for the Japanese market.
The album was released in Japan in October of 1978. The raw sound created a buzz in the United States, and At Budokan became a strong seller on the import market. Epic noticed this and released it stateside in 1979. After years of critical acclaim but little commercial success, Cheap Trick became the rock stars they deserved to be.
At Budokan stands in sharp contrast to the bloated live albums of the late ‘70s, which were bogged down by endless drum solos, rambling banter and “extended” versions. At Budokan contains only ten tracks. With such an abbreviated setlist, Cheap Trick had no time for frivolity or error. They come crashing out the gate with “Hello There” and rarely give the listener a chance to breathe.
The dynamic between hard and soft is the basis of Cheap Trick’s sound. Guitarist Rick Nielsen goes for the jugular, banging out power-chords at a dizzying pace. He embellishes the garage rock simplicity with bombastic bursts of soloing. The solos only last for a few bars, hinting at the virtuosity spewing beneath his trademark baseball cap. Bassist Tom Peterson and Bun E. Carlos work behind Neilson, creating a steady rhythm section. Carlos’ drumming is directly influenced by The British Invasion, simple but swinging. Peterson’s bass is the melodic texture, melding with Neilson’s guitar to create a richer sound.
While Nielsen, Petersen and Carlos provide the power and the rhythm, Robin Zander adds the melody. Although Zander is from Illinois, his voice is straight out of the British Invasion. Zander has the ability to make every chorus sound huge. He never screams or embellishes, but he has an innate sense of pitch. He never gets out of breath or misses a note. He makes being a frontman look like the easiest job on earth.
The setlist is all killer, no filler. It’s exhilarating to hear “Come On, Come On” followed by “Lookout” followed by “Big Eyes.”
The atmosphere drives the album over the top. The moment the album begins, the listener is greeted with the orgasmic screams of several thousand Japanese schoolgirls, who react to every single thing the band does. Robin Zander sounds like a kindergarten teacher as he slowly introduces the band’s latest single, a little ditty called “Surrender.”
My favorite part of At Budokan is towards the end. The band is tearing through “Clock Strikes Ten,” and Bun E. Carlos starts playing a brief solo. After he pounds out a few beats, Zander introduces him, “ON THE DRUMS! MR. BUN E. CARLOS!” Carlos follows the intro with a spectacular drum roll while the girls scream with glee. I never get tired of hearing it. There is such joy in those screams.