"I'm still in Cheap Trick,I just don't talk to them anymore"-Bun E. Carlos

[That 70s Guy]

classicrockmagazine.com

Cheap Trick drummer Bun E Carlos confirms he’s still a member of the band – but adds he hasn’t spoken to them for some time.

The pop-rock giants announced in 2010 that Carlos would no longer be their touring drummer, and replaced him with guitarist Rick Nielsen’s son Daxx.

But the sticksman hopes they can rebuild their relationship at some point in the future – despite believing they’ll never make an album to follow 2009 release The Latest.

Carlos tells PunkGlobe: “I don’t see a next Cheap Trick record, really. I haven’t heard any new songs from the songwriters in ten years.

“Every album we do, we get the tapes out and find out if we have enough for a record. We made The Latest the same way we make every record – but there weren’t very many brand-new songs laid out.

“I’m still in the band, but I don’t tour. I don’t hear from them. I prefer to be out on the road performing with them. Maybe we’ll kiss and make up.

“I really like recording new songs, but I don’t think that’s going to happen with those guys.”

Carlos is the band’s archivist and over the years has released a number of recordings known as Bun E’s Basement Bootlegs. He says: “There are a couple I finished about ten years ago still sitting around in the band’s office. I have the stuff to put out ten more – but I haven’t heard from anyone in a couple years, so I don’t think they’re really interested.”

The drummer’s last recorded output was as a member of supergroup Tinted Windows, featuring Taylor Hanson (Hanson), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) and Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne). He calls it “the best album I’ve made in ten years” and remains hopeful they’ll reform for a second edition.

Of Cheap Trick he says: “We wanted to be the loudest and the best. We wanted to be a great rock band, – we weren’t coming out there with capes on, we didn’t have laser lights and bombs, we just wanted to be a band that played music and did it better than everybody else.”

 

[LG]

Don't think he'll be back not if Rick Nielsen's son is touring with the band now.

I know there are a few hard core CT fans in the forum...(Trickster, Slip and MP for sure.) but I was never a massive fan of their's. To me they were as much a pop band as a rock band, the only 3 albums I bought were Heaven Tonight, Dream Police and Live at Budokan which to this day I don't get the fuss about.

It's a good live record but nowhere near my top 20 personal favorites.

 

[opera races]

Of Cheap Trick he says: “We wanted to be the loudest and the best. We wanted to be a great rock band, – we weren’t coming out there with capes on, we didn’t have laser lights and bombs, we just wanted to be a band that played music and did it better than everybody else.”

In my humble OR opinion I think this last quote says it all about where Cheap Trick comes from or has tried to come from as a band.

^^LG I totally get what you're saying. I wouldn't name CT in my top favorite bands off the top of my head but I do have a strong appreciation for them.

I wouldn't consider any of their regular studio albums all killer/no filler but I do think they are good strong songwriters in the pop/rock genre. I agree their later albums are probably best appreciated by their more hard core fans but I have a few and they are solid efforts - just can't name any particular tracks off the top of my head.

I think CT's stronger suit is as a live band - who happen to have a lot of good original material. They did not start gaining a LOT of wide spread attention until the Live At Budokan album.

I've seen CT twice. Once in 1981 which was a standard arena show and I did not fully appreciate it at the time.

The other show was at a small GA venue in downtown St. Pete in 2002 (Robin Zander has a home in Pinellas County - people would even see him at the local mall and say hi - and for awhile the band played dates in the Tampa Bay area quite regularly and maybe still does). That show blew me away. It was like Bun E. said, no fancy stuff, the band got on stage and played their butts off. I was dancing and singing along almost the entire time. It was at this show I realized how CT is truly the master of the set list (when headlining). They touched on most of the "hits" that everyone knows and wants to hear but also threw in quite a bit of newer material and older less familiar songs and it worked beautifully. This is still among my favorite concert experiences.

 

[Lynch]

Cheap Trick drummer Bun E Carlos confirms he’s still a member of the band – but adds he hasn’t spoken to them for some time.

The pop-rock giants announced in 2010 that Carlos would no longer be their touring drummer, and replaced him with guitarist Rick Nielsen’s son Daxx.

Well that explains it (sort of). They were supposed to be in town a couple of weeks back (show got postponed, unsure if it was rescheduled) but all of the ads I saw for them didn't have Bun on them, which I thought was weird.

The drummer’s last recorded output was as a member of supergroup Tinted Windows, featuring Taylor Hanson (Hanson), James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) and Adam Schlesinger (Fountains of Wayne).

"supergroup"?!

Really? Someone really refered to that lineup as a "supergroup"!?!?

 

[Soot and Stars]

Well that explains it (sort of). They were supposed to be in town a couple of weeks back (show got postponed, unsure if it was rescheduled) but all of the ads I saw for them didn't have Bun on them, which I thought was weird.




"supergroup"?!

Really? Someone really refered to that lineup as a "supergroup"!?!?

All members came from bands/groups that had considerable success and output! All bands had either full careers with multiple hits and albums sales or at the very least they had a hit single and managed to put out multiple albums with modest sales. Just saying whether you like the groups or not all the names are legit on their own.

 

[Mr. Bob Dobolina]

This is sad. I had heard that Bun E. wasn't touring for health reasons but was still in the band in regards to studio work. I hope they do patch things up. I've seen them live a number of times over the years and Daxx just isn't as good a drummer as Bun E.

 

[METALPRIEST]

Yeah I really would hope that he would go back to playing live with them.

As far as new albums, and using stuff from the archives...so what! We've never heard 'em, so they're new songs to somebody.

 

[Astrid Kirchherr65]

I saw Cheap Trick in September ..it was the night of my near fatal car crash .

The weather turned to tropical rainstorms about 6 songs into their show.
What they DID play was descent ..sounded really tight

However, their being almost 2 hours late,lame excuse of traffic..

Robin Zander dress completely head to toe cover up sun glasses ,hat..I'm not sure it even was him ? It could have been some dude lipsyncing He looked like crap frankly ..

Rick was good ..

Tom was good..

No Bun E. WAS weird..

I was put off by the very unprofessional attitudes the whole night..I was angry and there were more angry people in the crowd..

I read alot of comments on the video posted from people who attended..that night..

It was just really disapointing..I SAW them in the 80's with REO SPEEDWAGON..and they were awesome...and I just felt ripped off.they are not responsible for the weather but it was generally them and their lack of excitement..
that left me with the feeling of NEVER again..they took our money and gave us nothing much back..

if they got there on time..we would have seen most of their show before the rain..

imo they were 'enjoying' themselves at their hotel too long..the traffic ? Please.. They were RIGHT next to the fairgrounds..everyone KNEW it was bs too ?

I hope they get their crap together..Bun E you were missed

 

[opera races]

^^Wow, that is shocking! Sorry to hear you had a bad CT experience. I sincerely hope they haven't gotten to the point where they are just phoning it in and collecting a paycheck as a number of certain "name" bands seem to be doing these days.

I'd been hearing about Bun E. not playing with the band but hadn't seen any clear explanation. Frankly I don't think the story in the OP explains much either. At least I can give him credit for perhaps taking the high road in the situation and not attempting to create a bunch of *DRAMA* around it like certain other music people in other situations that we've discussed here have

 

[Astrid Kirchherr65]

^^Wow, that is shocking! Sorry to hear you had a bad CT experience. I sincerely hope they haven't gotten to the point where they are just phoning it in and collecting a paycheck as a number of certain "name" bands seem to be doing these days.

I'd been hearing about Bun E. not playing with the band but hadn't seen any clear explanation. Frankly I don't think the story in the OP explains much either. At least I can give him credit for perhaps taking the high road in the situation and not attempting to create a bunch of *DRAMA* around it like certain other music people in other situations that we've discussed here have

I was really upset that Robin looked like he JUST rolled out of bed,,which MIGHT be partly true..unshaved ,upkeep..I want suggest he looked stoned drunk..something because it shocked me..

it was dark out ..and he wore sunglasses ALL night..well the 30 mins they play til the rains came..

they didn't sound too bad ..they played 4-6 songs ..


I met Robin Zander in 1984 at a gig ,,he was really nice and spoke with me and my friend for few mins til his body guards wisked him off ..very charmig person..but the guy on the stage in September..last year ? I realize its been 30 years but REALLY? He looked awful..

it was apparent they didn't give a damn..bad way to go..