By the late '70s, Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Cheap Trick were already a respectable enterprise, revered by a growing cult following hooked by the band's twisted take on power pop pared hard rock riffs. In Japan, they were stars. They'd opened for Queen and Kiss in the country, amassing legions of new fans.
Capitalizing on the group's Japanese popularity, Cheap Trick would record a pair of sold-out shows there to 12,000 fired up fans each night in April 1978. Originally slated to be released only in Japan when it was issued in October 1978, the resulting album was a huge seller in America as an import. The demand got so high that Epic Records would repackage it for US fans. It was a wise decision. Released in the States in February 1979, Cheap Trick at Budokan would soar up the Billboard 200, peaking at #4 on July 14, 1979. The #1 album in America that week: Donna Summer's Bad Girls.
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"I thought the president of Japan was on the plane or something," guitarist Rick Nielsen told Music Radar of the experience. "We were just flying coach. There were kids everywhere trying to get to us. We were told not to look out the windows of our hotel rooms, otherwise kids outside would faint and go crazy. We couldn't believe it. All this for us?"
The album's lead single, "I Want You to Want Me," would blow up at radio, racing up the Hot 100 before getting as high as #7 on July 14, 1979.
For the follow-up single, Cheap Trick would pull out the band's cover of Fats Domino classic, "Ain't That a Shame." The revved-up take on the 1955 hit was another winner at radio, going on to crack the Top 40 before peaking at #35. Domino loved the version so much that he gave his gold record for the song to the band. Nielsen still has it.
The success of Budokan would throw something of a wrench in the band's album release plans. The Dream Police album had been finished and ready to roll in early 1978. Instead, they pushed it to September 1979, just seven months after the release of Budokan.
“It really captures the band hitting very hard and a crowd going totally nuts," Nielsen reminisced. "It’s exciting, joyous, positive – and that’s just my guitar playing! The best thing is, it still sounds new. You can listen to the album today and still get caught up in it. That’s pretty cool.”
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