Happy Holidays! It's been a while since I've posted more photos from the book. It's been a pretty hectic December. Jeffrey Mayer's work was used for the 2020 "Out To Get You" RSD release, though I don't know if he was compensated fairly (or if all). We spoke by phone when I reached out about the second photo you see here, backstage at the Whisky on June 4, 1977.
I tried for ages to identify the individual in the center of the shot. I touched base with Jim Charne, Ken Adamany, and Bun E. Carlos. Ken thought it could be one of Elmer Valentine's bookers from the club, so that's the caption I went with for the book. It has since been properly noted that it was Michael Corby of the Babys. There's internet investigation for you.
Rodney Bingenheimer, of course, is the other non-band member. He deserves a ton of credit for breaking Cheap Trick (he was cited in Tom's HOF induction speech), but of course is being accused of some pretty shady shit right now. Kim Fowley was most likely guilty of the same, but so much surrounding the Runaways seemed pretty dark. Those girls were survivors, for sure.
I loved the photo on stage that Jeff took and he was kind enough to license it to me, as it hasn't been seen much before. It's not on any of his sites, or Alamy, unlike the backstage one. Speaking of photos, this review of the Nashville show from 4/19/79 was interesting since it was right before the band was shot by Annie Lebowtiz for Rolling Stone. Such a big part of Cheap Trick's story (or at least the one I tried to tell) was the image to outsiders versus those who saw them in the very beginning. Pat Embry summed it up here:
"We view the native sons from a unique perspective, much like Germans in the '60s who saw the Fab Four toil in the bar circuit."
Anyway, thanks so much for reading. I really appreciate especially people embracing the book since Cheap Trick has a very special and deserving fan base. There are people (with 138 Dead shows I can relate) who recognize every detail and consume everything on the band. For them to accept the book, and me with only 10 shows under my belt, is really appreciated. I'll be back in 2025 with more of the photos in high resolution. Feel free to spread the word and tell people they can buy it at the publisher's website
If they use code RLFANDF30, they can get it at a discount.
Happy early New Year!
This show was taped by Mike Millard. It was an opening set for Kansas but interestingly "I Want You To Want Me" was not played. They did it on the Can-Am tour and at the Rockford Armory, but not at the Mantra Studios show.
Don't give yourself away!
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