At Budokan [LIVE]

Cheap Trick

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: February 1979
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Live
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B0000025FN
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #42,596 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Pop > Live Albums > Pop Rock

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Within months of the U.S. release of Budokan, originally intended only for the Japanese fans who'd made them superstars half a world away, tongue-in-cheek rockers Cheap Trick went from opening American arena shows to headlining them. Rather than remaining eternal could-haves, metallic pop nuggets such as "I Want You to Want Me" and "Surrender" instead became radio mainstays in these versions. --Rickey Wright

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Original and the Best, May 24, 2003

By	Interplanetary Funksmanship "Swift lippin', e... (Vanilla Suburbs, USA) - See all my reviews

So, call me a purist, but I prefer this one to the re-release "Complete Concert" edition Epic released of Budokan. Back in 1979, when this record was originally released, double-live albums were all the rage, and for good reason: Kiss, Aerosmith, Peter Frampton, Ted Nugent and Parliament all cut some unforgetable wax of their own in the double-live genre.

But then, Cheap Trick came along with their own live album on a single disc that blew all those others out of the water, for its intensity and musical chops. I'll put Robin Zander up against any of the vocalists, Rick Nielsen up against Ace Frehley, Nugent, Michael Hampton or Joe Perry and Bun E. Carlos up against Peter Criss anyday.

Like Kiss, Cheap Trick was one of those bands that sounded better live. The song lineup is a perfect distillation of their unique hard-rock-cum-bugglegum sound: The set opens with "Hello There," a rousing crowd pleaser.

"Come On Come On" and "Lookout" really let the listener know how BIG the boys from Rockford, Ill., were in Japan. These are great songs for their mostly teenage female audience, and the screaming of their fans behind the tracks sounds like it could have been recorded at the Beatles' 1965 concert at Shea Stadium.

The best on this set are in the middle: "Big Eyes," "Need Your Love" -- which have been woven together to give Rick Nielsen a nice long guitar riff, and Robin Zander some reverberating vocals to woo the Japanese girls with -- and their remake of the Fats Domino tune, "Ain't That A Shame."

"I Want You To Want Me" has a harder edge than in the studio version, thankfully played without that tinkling piano.

But, the best in the set is "Surrender," which was recorded before the studio version was released. This is the version radio stations still play, and is full of double-entendre worthy of AC/DC.

Appropriately, it closes with "Goodnight," a reworking of "Hello There" -- nice bookend effect.

"Clock Strikes Ten" is a great last cut on this album, not quite the rock anthem "Rock and Roll All Nite" is, but a signature Cheap Trick track just the same.

Live albums just don't get any better than this. Sure, I have "Cheap Trick at Budokan II," but I prefer listening to the albums separately. Why mess with something this great?

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars No Trick, Just Treats, December 11, 2000

By	Thomas Magnum (NJ, USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

Cheap Trick were major stars in Japan when they recorded this album at the Budokan. You can tell they inspired Beatlesque hysteria as evidenced by the screaming of the fans on the album. They add an energy to the album and the band responds to it by firing out a set of pure power pop. "Hello There", "Come On, Come On", "Need Your Love", "Goodnight" & "Clock Strikes Ten" all bristle with catchy chorus and power guitar riffs, while the top ten hit "I Want You To Want Me" slinks along with lecherous glee. The true star of the album is "Surrender". The song leaps out of your speakers with Robin Zander's forceful vocals, Rik Nielsen's meaty guitar licks, Bun E. Carlos' steady drumming and Tom Petersen's harmony vocals and pumping bass. It is as close to a pure pop song as you can get and the triumph of their careers. The album went platinum and into the top ten and secured Cheap Trick a place in many fellow musicians hall of fame

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Their last great album., May 16, 2000

By	"oldtimerocker" (Huntington, WV USA) - See all my reviews

When this record came out, pop music and rock and roll needed it. Gems like "Come On Come On" "Need Your Love" "Ain't That A Shame" "I Want You To Want Me" "Surrender" and "Clocks Strikes Ten" just jumped out of your speakers. The fans treated these guys like they were the Beatles. That they are not. But, Rick Nielsen can write a catchy tune and Robin Zander has a good voice. This album broke them in America and it deserves to be considered one of their classics.