Mojo Music & Media has acquired a 50% interest in the complete publishing catalog of Rick Nielsen, the co-founder and principal songwriter for rock band Cheap Trick.
The deal, which totals more than 400 songs spanning five decades, features 20 hits including Surrender, I Want You To Want Me, Dream Police, Voices, If You Want My Love and Can’t Stop Fallin’ Into Love.
Over the course of their career, Cheap Trick has sold more than 20 million albums and performed more than 5,500 live shows.
They were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2016.
The Mojo marketing team, working closely with Nielsen, have authored an extensive multi-year plan to revitalize Nielsen’s song catalog via covers, samples, syncs and collaborations and promote his story and brand via film, television, theatrical and custom retail projects.
As the son of opera singer parents, Nielsen’s interest in music began at an early age.
After cutting his teeth in several local rock bands, Nielsen formed Cheap Trick in the mid-1970’s in his Rockford, IL hometown along with vocalist Robin Zander, bassist Tom Petersson and drummer Bun E Carlos.
The band’s 1977 self-titled debut and follow-up, In Color helped to establish them as a leading American rock band.
Released in 1979, Cheap Trick At Budokan became one of the best-selling live albums in history, launching the band into global stardom and setting the stage for a series of chart singles and gold and platinum LP’s including Dream Police, All Shook Up, One On One and Lap Of Luxury.
In addition to writing or co-writing nearly every song Cheap Trick has recorded, Nielsen has also contributed songs to projects by Rick Derringer, Dave Grohl and House Of Lords.
He has guested live or in the studio with the likes of The Yardbirds, The Who, John Lennon, Alice Cooper, Motley Crue and Foo Fighters.
“For the last four decades-plus, Rick Nielsen has been teaching a master class in how to write jangly, melodic pop-punk anthems.”
Mark Fried, Mojo
Mojo Co-Founder and CEO Mark Fried, said: “For the last four decades-plus, Rick Nielsen has been teaching a master class in how to write jangly, melodic pop-punk anthems.
“He and his Cheap Trick bandmates, over the course of 20 studio albums and thousands of shows, have been pied pipers to the most devoted fans in history while in some way influencing nearly every alt-rock, arena pop and heavy metal band that followed in their footsteps.
“As fans since day one, we couldn’t be more psyched to work with Rick in promoting his music and shining a light on his unique rock and roll adventure.”
“I’m looking forward to all the noise we’re gonna make together.”
Rick Nielsen
Nielsen added: “I’d almost given up on the chance of finding a publisher who actually knew all my songs and had a vision for how to keep them alive for another 1,000 years or so.
“Turns out, Mark & The Mojo’s are it. I’m looking forward to all the noise we’re gonna make together.”Music Business Worldwide
