Mojo (Will Birch)

Cheap Trick's pop sheen is still intact, even after a quarter century. Despite falling record sales and tragically receding hairlines, the group radiates an enviable newness, always maintaining a delicate balance between powerpop and soft metal. At last, a biography, packed with dozens of previously unseen snaps, including their early incarnations - The Grim Reapers, Fuse and Sick Man Of Europe, recording sessions and tours recounted in detail. Their story is high on natural energy, low on dirt. By the time they signed to Epic in 1976, the band had vast experience, owned their own PA system and lights, plus Rick Nielsen's arsenal of wacky guitars, so recording their live-sounding debut LP with producer Jack Douglas was a doddle. Any act of this vintage has some dust in its wardrobe, but drummer Bun E.Carlos's description of former manager Ken Adamany as a "shit manager for the '90's" is as racy as it gets. Many unsuitable record producers are assessed by the group and emerge relatively unscathed because, in Trickworld, every disaster has its positive outcome, making this tome an object lesson in how to survive failure and make it reasonably big in rock.