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The tale of Bun E Carlos and the finest aesthetic look of the era: “I always wanted to look like Keith Richards”
While late-1970s rock stars often wore flamboyant stage clothes, Cheap Trick drummer Bun E Carlos became known for dressing like an ordinary working man. His rumpled shirts, dark ties and horn-rimmed glasses helped give the band a distinctive look and showed that a rock-star image did not have to be glamorous.
Born Brad Carlson in 1951, he joined Rick Nielsen to form Cheap Trick in 1973, alongside Tom Petersson and Robin Zander. Carlos said he had wanted to look like Keith Richards, but accepted that he did not; instead, many of his clothes came from second-hand shops and cost as little as 50 cents. By the band’s 1979 international breakthrough with *Cheap Trick at Budokan*, his everyday style had become a recognisable part of their identity.
In short
- Bun E Carlos made everyday clothes his rock-star look.
- He had hoped to resemble Keith Richards.
- His style helped distinguish Cheap Trick.
Explained simply
Cheap Trick formed in Illinois in 1973, with drummer Bun E Carlos, guitarist Rick Nielsen, bassist Tom Petersson and singer Robin Zander. The band built a following through a mix of hard rock and pop, then reached a wider audience with the 1979 live album Cheap Trick at Budokan.
In the late 1970s, many rock acts used elaborate clothes and stage looks to stand out. Carlos’s plain shirts, dark ties and glasses gave Cheap Trick a different visual identity, showing that a band’s image could be distinctive without looking glamorous.
Carlos, born Brad Carlson, said he admired the look of Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, though his own clothes often came from second-hand shops. His style became closely associated with Cheap Trick during the period when the band was gaining international attention.