American Standard

Warner presents a lively retelling of the band’s rise, skillfully unraveling the various contradictions and mythologizing surrounding the group. It gets even more interesting after the surprise success of Cheap Trick at Budokan, when the band’s fortunes began to wax and wane, leading to the inevitable lawsuits that accompany every rock and roll success. It’s a book that reminds you why the band still matters. * Goldmine Magazine *As one who was present when power pop visionaries Cheap Trick could be seen playing taverns in an Illinois college town—three sets, that lineup, that look, those songs, $5 cover—the band and I go waaaay back. Having borne eyewitness to those days, I can tell you author Ross Warner did his homework in preparing American Standard. His vivid telling of the saga will make you’ll feel like you were there yourself. – Cary Baker, author and music industry veteranAmerican Standard. How appropriate. I was at the session where the cover for Heaven Tonight album was shot. It was a continuation of the graphic theme started with In Color—two dreamy guys on the front, two characters on the back. Then I spotted the plumbing fixtures. ‘American Standard’—they’re everywhere in public restrooms. How appropriate for the band we all believed had no top end to their career trajectory. They were, to Epic staff, the American Standard. It was an observation that evolved into an inside joke, and now finds its way into print. And we were right. No record or group breaks itself. It takes a village. Ross’s book tells this story. – Jim Charne, Epic Records (1973–79)At Budokan still defines Cheap Trick for most of us. This excellent, insightful book puts that fact into context and allows the reader to understand why the live album was so defining and what came before and after. A wonderful, quirky biography of a wonderful, quirky band. As it should be. – Alan Paul, New York Times bestselling authorAn exhaustively researched and endlessly entertaining look at one of America’s greatest rock bands. – Tom Beaujour, co-author of New York Times bestseller Nothin’ but a Good Time

Ross Warner has been writing about the three pillars of popular culture (television, music and film) since high school. His work has appeared in such magazines as American Heritage, Cinema Retro, Hittin’ the Note, Heeb, and Glide. His work on his other major obsession, the Grateful Dead, has been similarly featured in both books and magazines. Drunk on Sunday, his first book, was published in 2020.