Randy Bachman's First Solo Album "back in print"

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Randy Bachman's First Solo Album "back in print"

Postby jon » Mon Oct 30, 2017 1:03 pm

"Axe" was Randy Bachman's solo instrumental album (Light Jazz), originally released in 1970. The only single released from it was "Tally's Tune" b/w "Suite Theam" (yes, that is how he spelled Theme).

The CD of the album has been unavailable for several years now, but suddenly "everyone" seems to have it for sale. In fact, since I ordered my own copy on Friday, two new sellers are offering it on amazon.ca for $4 less than what I paid.

I've never heard anything from the album played anywhere else but CHQM, where it was heavily played when I was there (1971-72) because it is CanCon. Mostly "Tally's Tune", but a couple of other cuts, as well.

Although the release date for the LP is listed as 1970, CHQM did not get the LP until the summer of 1971, and played the single before that.
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Re: Randy Bachman's First Solo Album "back in print"

Postby Neumann Sennheiser » Mon Oct 30, 2017 1:48 pm

You can hear a lot, if not all of the album, in various clips available on youtube.
It's not entirely awful although the production seems a bit bass-heavy and mushy.
IMO, You'd probably enjoy more hearing recorded work from his initial influence Lenny Breau.
"You don't know man! I was in radio man! I've seen things you wouldn't believe!"
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Re: Randy Bachman's First Solo Album "back in print"

Postby Richard Skelly » Mon Oct 30, 2017 8:06 pm

Randy reeled in a second guitarist, Domenic Troiano, for the Axe project. Years later, Dom became the last guitarist (the fourth since Bachman) to be in a Burton Cummings-fronted Guess Who. The band's final Top 40 hit, Dancing Fool, displayed his facility with jazzy, diminished/augmented chords and funky leads.

Tally's Tune was a salute to Randy's toddler, Talmadge. Indeed, a great photo graced the rear of the album jacket, showing tousle-haired Tal--fitted with earphones--listening as Randy, seated above him, plays guitar.

In retrospect, perhaps Axe wasn't a great idea. It was one of several irritants leading up to Randy's ouster from The Guess Who. Then again, it provided MOR stations such as 'QM, oodles of tracks to occasionally play to meet subsequent CanCon regs. (Non-rock stations were hardest hit by the airplay rules.)

Oh well, at least Tal proved an adept student, eventually scoring an international hit, She's So High. He currently researches Vinyl Tap for his pops.
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Re: Randy Bachman's First Solo Album "back in print"

Postby Heard It On The X » Tue Oct 31, 2017 10:58 am

Very cool. I always liked "Zarahemla" from this album. https://youtu.be/CpLRkWHAkts
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Re: Randy Bachman's First Solo Album "back in print"

Postby jon » Tue Oct 31, 2017 12:56 pm

The delay in airplay of this album on CHQM undoubtedly coincides with the stations' (AM & FM) gradual change in format that began in July 1971 with the first playing of a couple of songs by the Fifth Dimension, in regular rotation, on both AM & FM. Essentially, the beginning of dipping into the Top 40 for very light Rock selections.

Singles were only ever played on AM, when not simulcast with FM, presumably in the belief that only LPs should be broadcast in stereo, for sound quality purposes. As a Board operator, we washed every LP before it was played, but never 45s.

Other format changes included operating "tight" in all but classical music programs, though even that was never made clear to me: the only real taboo was "hitting the post", i.e. - voice-tracked announcers were never to talk over a classical selection.

Sometime prior to July 1971, the station had begun concentrating on music that was no more than two years old. And, of course, meeting the then-new CRTC CanCon regulations on both AM & FM, even though they was no CanCon rules for FM yet.
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