BTO (Brave Belt 1970-2, Bachman-Turner Overdrive 1972-7). Rock band, formed in 1970 in Winnipeg as a country-rock band, Brave Belt, by the guitarist Randy Bachman and the singer-keyboardist-guitarist Chad Allan (one-time members of the Guess Who) with the drummer Rob Bachman. The band recorded the LPs Brave Belt I (1970, Reprise RS-6447) and, adding the singer and bass guitarist C.F. (Fred) Turner, Brave Belt II (1971, Reprise MS-2057). A single, 'Dunrobin's Gone,' was a minor hit in Canada. In 1972, with the departure of Allan and the addition of the guitarist Tim Bachman, the group assumed the name Bachman-Turner Overdrive and adopted an aggressive hard-rock style. Following the LPs Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1972, Mer SRM-1673) and Bachman-Turner Overdrive II (1973, Mer SRM-696), Blair Thornton succeeded Tim Bachman in 1974.
Though based in Vancouver after 1972, Bachman-Turner Overdrive built its career mainly in the USA, appearing in concert first as an opening act and then, by late 1974, as headliners on the strength of a high-powered stage show and the hit singles 'Blue Collar,' 'Let It Ride,' and 'Takin' Care of Business'. The single 'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet' was a million-seller in 1974 and was followed by the popular 'Roll On down the Highway,' 'Hey You,' 'Take It Like a Man,' Lookin' Out for Number One,' and 'Down the Line'. Describing the group's music, Larry LeBlanc wrote: 'They've merged a hard-edged Memphis country/rock instrumental sound with the sweaty 1956-7 rock and roll and the hardness of the earliest days of British Mod. Overall, it's an unabashedly commercial hard-rock framework' (MSc, Nov-Dec 1974).
The band's Canadian appearances, beginning with a national tour in 1975, included concerts at the Pacific Coliseum, the CNE, and other stadiums and arenas. Tours were also made in Europe (1975) and Japan (1976). Other LPs issued 1974-7 by Mercury were Not Fragile (SRM-1-1004), Four Wheel Drive (SRM-1-1027), Head On (SRM-1-1067), Freeways (SRM-1-3700), BTO Japan Tour Live(SRM-1-3703), and the compilation The Best of BTO (So Far) (SRM-1-1101).
The band received Juno Awards as most promising group (1973) and group of the year (annually 1974-6), for best-selling LP (Not Fragile, 1974 and 1975; Four-Wheel Drive, 1976) and single of the year ('You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet, 1976), etc. Its first five LPs, and the The Best of BTO, each sold more than 100,000 copies in Canada and 500,000 in the USA. Total sales internationally exceeded an estimated 10 million.
In 1977 Randy Bachman (b Winnipeg 27 Sep 1943) left the band to resume the solo career he had begun in 1970 with the LP Axe (RCA LSP-4348). He recorded a second LP, Survivor (Poly PD-1-6141) and then formed Ironhorse, which released Ironhorse (Scotti Bros SB-7103) in 1979 and Everything is Grey (Scotti Bros XSB-7108) in 1980. The former included 'Sweet Lui-Louise,' a minor Canadian and US hit. Bachman also produced albums by Trooper.
In Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Turner became co-lead guitarist with Thornton, and the bassist and singer Jim Clench (once of April Wine) was added. The name BTO (the acronym which had been in popular use for some time) was adopted officially in 1978. The new lineup released Street Action (Mer SRM-1-3713) in 1978 and Rock 'n' Roll Nights (Mer SRM-1-3748) in 1979. The latter included the popular 'Heartaches'.
BTO was inactive by 1981 when Turner, Randy Bachman and others formed Union and recorded On Strike (Portrait FR-37368). A revived BTO with Randy and Tim Bachman, Turner, and drummer Garry Peterson (from the Guess Who) made BTO (Compleat CPL-1-1010) in 1983 and toured in Canada and the USA - eg, opening (without Turner) for Van Halen in 1986. It was supplanted in 1988 by a reunited BTO comprising Randy and Rob Bachman, Turner and Thornton.
The Canadian Encyclopedia © 2007 Historica Foundation of Cana
Though based in Vancouver after 1972, Bachman-Turner Overdrive built its career mainly in the USA, appearing in concert first as an opening act and then, by late 1974, as headliners on the strength of a high-powered stage show and the hit singles 'Blue Collar,' 'Let It Ride,' and 'Takin' Care of Business'. The single 'You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet' was a million-seller in 1974 and was followed by the popular 'Roll On down the Highway,' 'Hey You,' 'Take It Like a Man,' Lookin' Out for Number One,' and 'Down the Line'. Describing the group's music, Larry LeBlanc wrote: 'They've merged a hard-edged Memphis country/rock instrumental sound with the sweaty 1956-7 rock and roll and the hardness of the earliest days of British Mod. Overall, it's an unabashedly commercial hard-rock framework' (MSc, Nov-Dec 1974).
The band's Canadian appearances, beginning with a national tour in 1975, included concerts at the Pacific Coliseum, the CNE, and other stadiums and arenas. Tours were also made in Europe (1975) and Japan (1976). Other LPs issued 1974-7 by Mercury were Not Fragile (SRM-1-1004), Four Wheel Drive (SRM-1-1027), Head On (SRM-1-1067), Freeways (SRM-1-3700), BTO Japan Tour Live(SRM-1-3703), and the compilation The Best of BTO (So Far) (SRM-1-1101).
The band received Juno Awards as most promising group (1973) and group of the year (annually 1974-6), for best-selling LP (Not Fragile, 1974 and 1975; Four-Wheel Drive, 1976) and single of the year ('You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet, 1976), etc. Its first five LPs, and the The Best of BTO, each sold more than 100,000 copies in Canada and 500,000 in the USA. Total sales internationally exceeded an estimated 10 million.
In 1977 Randy Bachman (b Winnipeg 27 Sep 1943) left the band to resume the solo career he had begun in 1970 with the LP Axe (RCA LSP-4348). He recorded a second LP, Survivor (Poly PD-1-6141) and then formed Ironhorse, which released Ironhorse (Scotti Bros SB-7103) in 1979 and Everything is Grey (Scotti Bros XSB-7108) in 1980. The former included 'Sweet Lui-Louise,' a minor Canadian and US hit. Bachman also produced albums by Trooper.
In Bachman-Turner Overdrive, Turner became co-lead guitarist with Thornton, and the bassist and singer Jim Clench (once of April Wine) was added. The name BTO (the acronym which had been in popular use for some time) was adopted officially in 1978. The new lineup released Street Action (Mer SRM-1-3713) in 1978 and Rock 'n' Roll Nights (Mer SRM-1-3748) in 1979. The latter included the popular 'Heartaches'.
BTO was inactive by 1981 when Turner, Randy Bachman and others formed Union and recorded On Strike (Portrait FR-37368). A revived BTO with Randy and Tim Bachman, Turner, and drummer Garry Peterson (from the Guess Who) made BTO (Compleat CPL-1-1010) in 1983 and toured in Canada and the USA - eg, opening (without Turner) for Van Halen in 1986. It was supplanted in 1988 by a reunited BTO comprising Randy and Rob Bachman, Turner and Thornton.
The Canadian Encyclopedia © 2007 Historica Foundation of Cana