Hey, Star Maker Machine fans, we’re temporarily back. At least as long as some of our writers feel
like keeping our year-end “In Memoriam” tradition alive. Every year, the music world loses contributors,
some really famous, others obscure, and many in between. When I looked at the list(s) of potential
subjects available on the Internet, the fact that two Bachman brothers died in
2023 jumped out at me. So, while they
are far from my favorite musicians who passed this year, I thought it would be
worth investigating their lives.
Tim Bachman was born in 1951 and Robin “Robbie” Bachman was
born in 1953 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the younger brothers of Randy, who was born
in 1943 (brother Gary, born in 1945, briefly was BTO’s manager before moving
into real estate; he died in 2020).
Randy achieved fame and success as a member of The Guess Who, but at the
height of that band’s popularity, Randy quit in 1970. His departure was due to a combination of his
conversion to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the conflict
his beliefs had with the more standard rock ‘n’ roll lifestyles of his
bandmates, a desire to spend time with his family, and gall bladder issues.
Randy eventually formed a country-rock band with Chad Allen,
who was the original vocalist for The Guess Who, called Brave Belt, with 18-year-old
Robbie on drums. Fred Turner joined
Brave Belt on bass and vocals, and Allen departed, as their sound moved from
soft to hard rock. Tim Bachman was
recruited as a second guitarist, and the band was renamed “Bachman-Turner
Overdrive.” Their eponymous debut album
was a success due to their relentless touring schedule, despite lacking a hit
single. But Bachman-Turner Overdrive
II spawned two massive hits, “Let It Ride,” and “Takin’ Care of Business,”
an enduring rock classic.
But all was not fraternal among the Bachman brothers. Randy’s religious beliefs mandated that all
BTO members abstain from drugs, alcohol and premarital sex on tour, and it appears
that brother Tim was a serial offender, and he left the band in early 1974,
replaced by Blair Thornton. This was far
from the last time that the three brothers would be at odds over the ensuing
decades. The next album, Not Fragile
(a commentary on the Yes album), without Tim, was another success, featuring “You
Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” and “Roll on Down the Highway.”
After releasing a few albums that were fairly successful,
Randy Bachman left the band in 1977, due to a series of creative and other
disagreements with his bandmates, including Robbie. The remaining members added bassist/vocalist Jim
Clench, and toured as “BTO,” since Randy retained the rights to his last name,
before disbanding in 1980.
Randy decided to reform the band in 1983, with Tim on second
guitar, but not Robbie, who objected to certain licensing arrangements, and
because he wanted Thornton to be included, rather than his brother Tim. There was, inevitably, litigation. Randy left the band again in 1987, and a
version of BTO, led by Tim as the only Bachman, toured for a few years, before
Randy returned to the fold with Robbie on drums, but no Tim. In 1991, Randy was out again, replaced in the
band by a different Randy (Murray), and this incarnation toured until 2004,
making it the most enduring lineup.
The conflict between Randy and Robbie prevented the band
from being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame in 2003, because
Robbie insisted that his big brother be excluded, but eventually, in 2014, the
induction happened, with both brothers (but not Tim) included.
In 2009, Randy and Turner reunited as “Bachman & Turner”
after Robbie and Thornton sued to prevent them from using either the BTO or
Bachman-Turner Overdrive names.
Tim was accused of a number of sexual offenses in the 2010s,
but was either found not guilty, or had the charges stayed.
Robbie died on January 12, 2023, aged 69; Tim followed him on April 28, 2023, at the age of 71, after battling cancer, leaving Randy as the last Bachman brother.
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