Nielsen House

Lore & Background

Nielsen was born into a musical family: his father, Ralph Nielsen, was a musician and bandleader, and his mother was a homemaker. During Rick's teens, the family owned a music store in Rockford, Illinois, and he learned to play a number of instruments. After playing drums for six years, Rick changed direction, learning how to play guitar and keyboards. His first school band was The Phaetons, which mutated into The Grim Reapers (which later included Tom Petersson in its line up).

The Grim Reapers became Fuse which released one poorly received studio album before disbanding in 1970. Nielsen joined Nazz for a short time after Todd Rundgren left (though he did not directly replace him in the band's final lineup) before forming the short-lived Sick Man of Europe in Philadelphia in 1972. Tom Petersson was not part of the band initially but joined later. In 1973, Nielsen, together with drummer Bun E. Carlos, formed Cheap Trick.

Petersson joined later that year, and Robin Zander joined in the fall of 1974. Nielsen wrote almost all of the songs for Cheap Trick's first few albums. Nielsen has enjoyed many highlights with Cheap Trick, including having a #1 US single, 'The Flame.' Nielsen and Carlos were invited to record a session on August 12, 1980, with John Lennon for a project that was not the Double Fantasy album. Their contributions were not officially released until 1998 on the John Lennon Anthology.

Reader's Guide

Nielsen has made countless TV appearances and radio broadcasts over the years with Cheap Trick, on music shows around the world, as well as American late night shows with Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and David Letterman. Outside of Cheap Trick, Nielsen's credits include appearing as a hijacked car driver in the 1987 movie Disorderlies. He and his wife appeared on HGTV's Homes of Note in the early 1990s. In 1997, he appeared in Michael Moore's documentary The Big One.

In 2013, Nielsen appeared on an episode of The History Channel's show American Pickers. The show followed the standard format with the show's two stars, Mike Wolfe and Frank Fritz, picking Nielsen's various storage units full of items he has acquired through his years on tour. On April 6, 2013 Nielsen appeared on an episode of NPR's Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! show as a guest on the segment called 'Not My Job.'

In 2013, Nielsen appeared in Dave Grohl's documentary Sound City. In 2014, he appeared on the first episode of Foo Fighters: Sonic Highways, which focused on the city of Chicago. On October 17, 2014, Nielsen appeared on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman, playing with the Foo Fighters. In 2016, Nielsen made an appearance on the 75th episode of Live from Daryl's House with Robin Zander and Tom Petersson.

Nielsen has guested on albums by artists such as Glen Campbell, Buck Satan and the 666 Shooters, The Yardbirds, John Lennon, Hall & Oates, Mötley Crüe, Foo Fighters, L.A. Guns, Dusty Springfield, Miles Nielsen & the Rusted Hearts, Alice Cooper, Gene Simmons, Material Issue, House of Lords, Hanson and others, while Nielsen-written songs have been recorded by artists such as Rick Derringer and House of Lords.

Did You Know?

• On March 9, 2001, Nielsen shaved his beard and mustache off during the encore break at a show at Rockford's Coronado Theater.
• Nielsen is co-owner of Chicago's Piece brewery and gourmet pizzeria.