Bachman, Turner play Caesars Windsor this Friday
Randy Bachman and Fred Turner have reunited for the first time in more than 20 years.
The duo from Winnipeg rose to the top of the rock world in the 1970’s as Bachman-Turner Overdrive.
BTO formed after The Guess Who broke up in the early 1970's. Bachman, a founding member of The Guess Who, was looking for something new.
"I didn’t want to become a second-rate Guess Who," he told The Bridge host Bob Steele.
He founded a band called Brave Belt, but it was short lived. The band released two albums but nothing was charting, no hits.
As the band prepared to record it's third album, Bachman added two new players to Brave Belt. One of them was Turner.
As the tapes were being shopped around their management company was urging them to change their name.
They did and Bachman-Turner Overdrive was born.
BTO went on to sell more than 30 million records worldwide and played some of the biggest venues, including Madison Square Garden and London’s Odeon.
"We paved the way out of Canada for all rock bands," Bachman said. "We were the guys who went out the with the steamrollers and the shovels and made the road out of Canada, the heavy rock road."
They take the stage at Caesars Windsor Coliseum on Friday at 9 p.m.
"Fans get a little bit of everything, but what they're going to get is a good old fashioned trip through Canadian historic rock and roll of the early 70’s," Bachman said.
CBC Windsor is giving away a four-pack of tickets to the concert. Like us on our Facebook page and you're automatically entered to win.
We'll draw a winner Thursday. Tickets can be picked up at Caesars Windsor.
To hear Bob Steele's entire interview with Randy Bachman, tune into the Bridget at 5:40 p.m. Tuesday on 97.5 FM or online at cbc.ca/windsor.
In the meantime, click the audio box above to hear Bachman talk about what Windsor's proximity to the U.S. meant to Canadian rock in the 1970's.
