User Profile: Hit-maker Randy Bachman

By Quint Randle

With more than 40 million records sold, Randy Bachman is one of the most successful songwriters and performers in rock history. His songs, riffs and solos are embedded into the soundtrack of pop culture, with No. 1 hits in 20 countries as a member of The Guess Who (“American Woman,” “These Eyes” etc. ) and Bachman-Turner Overdrive (“Takin’ Care of Business, You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet” etc.).
 
 And how many music icons get animated into an episode of The Simpsons? Now there’s a pretty short list.
 
One more thing about Bachman: He’s a Drums On Demand user.
 
A few years ago, after moving on from some jazz projects, Bachman embarked on a solo rock album that eventually morphed into a full-blown reunion with BTO band mate Fred Turner after inviting Turner to sing lead on one of the tracks.
 

AUDIO: Bachman talks about his jazz work and getting back to Bachman & Turner

 
“We hadn’t played together in 20 years,” says Bachman of the new CD that went on sale in early September and resulting live shows. “People are embracing the Bachman & Turner project. Everyone is thrilled over the sales.”
 
The Drums On Demand team was honored to hear DOD played a part in the project from songwriting all the way through studio production at Bachman’s The Barn studio.
 
A self-described “caveman” when it comes to computers, Bachman uses Apple’s Garageband when writing and sketching out songs. “I must have tried ten different drum programs … and they were just too complicated,” he says.
 
“When we got a copy of Drums On Demand, I went, ‘This is amazing. This is incredible.’ The drum sounds are fantastic. The loops are great. This guy Todd [Sorensen] is my favorite drummer.”
 
“Absolutely amazing. I use that on every track on our album ... that was the inspiration,” he continues.
 

AUDIO: Working with Drums On Demand in songwriting and recording

 
When it came to production, Bachman’s house engineer Christian Stonehouse then built full drum tracks with corresponding Drums On Demand multitrack WAVs in Pro Tools, using the Elastic Audio function to change tempos.
 
“A lot of times we’ll start something a certain way and it will change so that [Elastic Audio] allows us to bring things up or down five or 10 beats a minute without there being any problems,” explains Stonehouse.
 
As has been the case with other major label releases (Rob Thomas and more), some Drums On Demand tracks were replaced with a live drummer later in the recording process, but other loops, fills and complete tracks made it to the finished CD.
 
Bachman adds, “I don’t want to … destroy the illusion but people have said, ‘It’s so great to hear an album where a band is playing live off the floor, all playing together.’ And that’s a real compliment, because we weren’t playing together. We were all playing separately and individually.
 
So which are the DOD tracks? Well, Bachman made us swear not to give away any trade secrets! It’s up to you to decide. You can buy the new Bachman & Turner CD on iTunes, Amazon and other major outlets. For even more visit Bachman and Turner or their Facebook page.
 

AUDIO: Bachman on reinventing yourself and more on recording the new CD
 

 

 

ShareThis