'I can't be a second-rate Guess Who': Randy Bachman on starting Brave Belt and BTO
Starting out in Winnipeg with just a dream and a guitar, Bachman co-founded not one but two of the most successful rock bands to come out of this country: The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive.
Now, at 81, Bachman is looking back on his incredible life in music with a new BTO single, 60 Years Ago. In an interview with Q 's Tom Power, the guitarist and singer reflects on what happened after he left The Guess Who in 1970, immediately following the release of their biggest hit, American Woman.
WATCH | Randy Bachman's full interview with Tom Power:
"I was branded as an idiot in Winnipeg and in the press," Bachman says about his departure. "I got slammed in Rolling Stone and Creem and all the magazines at the time. [They said] that I was thrown out of the band because I was too straight. So I'm bent on proving you can make it without being bent or drugged or whatever."
Bachman says his divisive relationship with his bandmates was more like a fraternal dispute. "You don't hate him, because you're brothers, but you have this thing you never get over."
Starting over on his own, Bachman wanted to prove the critics wrong and find success in a new group — but he knew he didn't want it to be compared to The Guess Who.
"I'm in Winnipeg with no band," he recalls. "I'm going crazy, I want to do something…. I can't be a second-rate Guess Who. I can't match Burton Cummings's voice. What I do is start over and do something different."
Turning to country rock music, Bachman founded his next band, Brave Belt, with some help from fellow Canadian music legend Neil Young.
"Neil said, 'This is really great. I'll set you up with Mo Ostin,'" Bachman says. "So I fly to L.A. and I meet Mo Ostin [at Reprise Records] … and Neil gets me a record deal there."
Watch or listen to the full interview with Bachman to find out how he ended up founding BTO after Brave Belt eventually got dropped by its label.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CTV News
18 minutes ago
- CTV News
Local singer/songwriter, Romy Mounzer is making waves
Ottawa Watch Romy Mounzer is a talented musician making a name for herself! Making the semi-finals of "America's Next Top Hitmaker" to sharing the stage with David Foster
National Post
an hour ago
- National Post
Canada's The Weeknd named Spotify's highest-earner since 2015
Article content It's a big week for Canadian artist The Weeknd. Article content Ahead of shows at Montreal's Parc Drapeau and Toronto's Rogers Center, the 35-year-old R&B performer also known as Abel Tesfaye has just been crowned Spotify's highest earner of the past decade. Article content A new Spin Genie study revealed that The Weeknd topped the list of highest-earning Billboard hits since 2015 based on Spotify streams, thanks in large part to his 2020 hit 'Blinding Lights' (he also recently launched a Nespresso collection — check out our exclusive interview). According to the study, the song has had 4.84 billion Spotify streams since its release, earning The Weeknd an estimated $27 million in revenue. Article content Article content Article content Fellow Canadians Drake and Justin Bieber were the only other Canadian artists on the list of top earners. Drake's 'One Dance' came in at number seven with 3.63B streams and an estimated $20.3 million earned. Bieber's 2021 song 'Stay' was number eight, with 3.55 billion streams and an estimated $19.8 million earned in revenue. Article content Article content
CBC
an hour ago
- CBC
Home County Music & Art Festival returns with Bedouin Soundclash headlining
The Home County Music & Art Festival is back at Victoria Park in London, Ont., this Saturday, promising a full day of live music, artisan vendors, and a laid-back summer vibe. This year marks the festival's 49th edition, although festival director Darin Addison said the team is still catching up after a few challenging years. "We did a small summer celebration last year, but we didn't call it a festival," Addison said on CBC London Morning. "We missed a couple of years with the pandemic and last year, so this year is kind of a step back. Fingers crossed we'll be back next year for our 50th edition with a three-day festival." A one-day event The festival will take place over a single day, with opening ceremonies set for 1 p.m. Addison said the decision to scale back to one day was primarily due to financial constraints and a lack of volunteer resources. "We lost our executive director and site coordinator, both volunteer positions, and people weren't stepping up," he said. "We had to sit back and regroup." More than 40 craft vendors will line Victoria Park, alongside a variety of food options and a beer garden hosted by London Brewing. The main stage will feature a mix of local and national performers, with Bedouin Soundclash headlining the lineup. Other acts include Ambiguous, Raised by Swans, Leanne Mayer, Fraser Teeple, The Marrieds, and bluegrass favourites New Cumberland. "People love the laid-back vibe of Home County," said Addison. "We're putting the stage in the middle of the park, inviting people to bring their own chairs or blankets and hang out." Admission by donation As always, the festival is admission by donation, and Addison emphasizes the importance of community support. "We rely on donations from patrons, but we want everyone to feel welcome," he said. The Home County Music & Art Festival runs all day Saturday at Victoria Park. More details, including the full performer lineup, can be found at
