Was "Freeways" the Album That Broke up Bachman Turner Overdrive? - Interview

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lp.constantcontactpages.com/s... Was "Freeways" the Album That Broke up Bachman Turner Overdrive? - Interview
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[@bobbyhamblen2338]

The Creedence album he's referring to is Mardi Gras not Cosmos Factory.

[@anonymous-bi1kc]

Randy should be in the rock and roll hall of fame

[@JK-yu7hj]

I remember being bummed over the breakup of the band as I am a big fan, Gotta say I also enjoyed Freeways, some great tunes on that record - I still break it out and crank it up every so often. Randy is awesome, great video!

[@fredstriker2042]

How refreshing to hear someone unload it without the drama and just state the reality. Facts over feelings is so much nicer Not to mention practical

[@mickb44]

freeways and head on are actually 2 of my fav albums by this great band

[@josephdidonna7227]

I bought Freeways in '78 in a discount bin for a dollar and loved it. Can We All Come Together is my favorite. I bought their 1st album on 8 track in '74!

[@nongthip]

First album I ever bought was BTO II when I was about 9 (saved up my allowance to get it). Then of course Not Fragile and Four Wheel Drive. The hit singles were already on the radio, but a true fan wanted the whole album. Thanks guys!

[@btofan]

Music was changing. 1977 was one of the most productive years in music history. You had rock, disco and punk fighting for the airwaves. In 1977 Saturday Night Fever was one of the biggest selling albums along with Fleetwood Mac's Rumours. You also had bands like the Talking Heads, The Clash and the Sex Pistols putting out new material. BTO toured all the time and put out five albums from 1971 to 1977. They were probably exhausted and burnt out. What they needed was a much needed vacation. Something the record company was dead against, especially with the music atmosphere the way it was. There is always someone ready to take your place. Personally, I thought Freeways was as good as their previous album Head On. The cover artwork of Freeways is still my favorite of all BTO albums.

[@pablocruise9514]

How true!

[@carlweaver3243]

Down Down is one of BTO's best. My Wheels Won't Turn is Classic Rock. Overall, I think it's one of their best albums.

[@alanstrom2221]

That's what is called an insightful interview. The interviewer was very professional because he let Randy talk...... I understood everything Randy was saying. He wrote songs to suit a certain project. That is not only a special talent it is super intelligent. I'm struggling to find the right words, but I think that is very sensible, practical and I'm going to get my thesaurus out, bear with me. Randy appears to be humble, modest and downplaying his genius as a song writer. He was very 'matter of fact' and straightforward about the song writing and the standard that was required. I personally, have written a large volume of songs and only half a dozen have been of a quality that I've been happy with. The rest have been clunky and awkward............lacking natural flow.

[@PatrickLongworth]

Thank you for the interview, I'm a fan of Randy. I wish all his albums were obtainable.

[@bobself3228]

man, ever heard of "ebay"?????

[@kingdubly8762]

It is always a pleasure to hear Randy's experiences and thoughts on the biz. I loved Randy's 'Vinyl Tap" radio program.

[@timothyburnside3229]

What a great interview with a ROCK LEGEND!

[@flippercarlin1657]

Randy's not blowing smoke, he's the best!!!

[@cardtrix1970]

Great Interview, John! Interesting intrinsics involved in the Freeways album.

[@brewers19shortstop]

Man, insightful interview!

[@williamfriend5942]

I always find the content of your pod cast interesting.

[@robertandyjustus]

Good one John. That Randy can really talk...lol... Always interesting. ... Going back to listen to Freeways. ..

[@bloppysloppy2283]

I've never heard Freeways but I remember it just sitting in the record bins with no one buying it and not hearing it on the radio. BTO fans want the big heavy riffs, catchy songs of Randy Bachman and powerful vocals of Fred Turner. If a BTO album doesn't have that the fans aren't going to buy it.

[@markkozlik6473]

Informative thanks 👍😀🍟

[@ARrocks12]

Mmm, Randy changed his sound a bit on Survivor (Survivor, You moved me, Is the night too cold for dancin`? with the Porcaro Shuffle), but with Ironhorse (ONE ALBUM LATER) he sounded exactly like BTO. I think he just wanted to do HIS thing without Turner and Thornton and Ironhorse was just another name for The Randy Bachman Band

[@scottarivett496]

I was a big BTO fan and got Freeways (8-track of course) when it first came out. Loved it then and now but the purists didn’t like the artistic range element and it didn’t sell real great. I think it can easily be looked back on in a better light by most fans. It’s really a good one to put on and play from start to finish. Btw I’ve met Randy and Fred before and they are great guys. BIG guys too.

[@clivebennett7985]

As a massive fan here in England 🇬🇧 I loved Freeways. Headon was great too but ALL the albums from the first one til Freeways hit the spot for me

[@jukesters123]

We love Randy.:)he is ours:)

[@andrewmellen849]

Head On is fantastic

[@lonnietaylor1806]

I don't remember when Little Richard was on the Head On album but Freeways was and still is BTOS greatest comeback albums of all time

[@littlewing6231]

That was your best interview ever. So interesting hearing how a band starts to implode from ego. Fred Turner was no songwriter compared to Randy and the other guy just helped push Randy to his breaking point. At first these guys are so amazed they are in a successful band but as time goes on they think they are on par with Randy and that is just ridiculous. Like he said, go do a solo album and they do and it flips. 😆🤦‍♂️

[@impalaman9707]

"Not Fragile" was pretty much a bona fide "heavy metal" album---probably one of the heaviest albums of the 70s, in my opinion. At that point, they had a choice---they could have looked around and seen what Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, KISS, and AC/DC were doing and continued to have success with that formula, because anything else they could have done was clearly not them, and maybe gotten even heavier, as fellow Canadians April Wine were progressing. Ironically, after "Freeways", it was an ex-April Wine member, Jimmy Clench, taking over Randy's spot and they became what I consider "Clench Turner Overdrive" and started making "yacht rock" and making an appearance on American Bandstand--a show the old BTO would have never been on. I was surprised---this was a "Don Kirshner's Rock Concert"-type band---not Dick Clark!

[@pablocruise9514]

They were a great basic blue collar band. Along with the bands you mentioned, I enjoy them along with Foghat, Humble Pie, Montrose, Robin Trower, etc.

[@Luileadolfo]

For me "Head On" and "Freeways" are the two best ever BTO records. In fact, here in Panamá "Down Down" was BTO s biggest hit ever, and also "Freeways" and "Wheels wont Turno". And from "Head On", "Find About Love" and 'Average Man".

[@paulrubery1042]

It's a shame all the crap happened it spoilt a classic band. All the best in the future and KEEP ON ROCKIN. 👍👍🇬🇧

[@webman1956]

What Randy describes about the pitfalls of BTO is a mirror imagine of what went down with Grand Funk Railroad. In the end its the egos that destroy the bands.

[@musicparadies]

In my opinion "Freeway" was the most interesting album from BTO. Relaxed songs and a pearl with "Shotgun Rider".

[@jameslara1091]

That was a bad ass LP

[@judithclinton7730]

To me that was a great album freeways

[@digmacdiggydoo]

I like Four Wheel Drive.

[@vilstef6988]

CCR broke up after they released their worst album, which had songs by Doug Clifford and Stu Cook. The album was Mardi Gras.

[@broncodeviltexas]

Could listen to Randy talk about his rock history all day. That CCR album was Mardi Gras. Just awful.

[@thomasthompson698]

I must confess that I really enjoyed "Freeways"! But as a fan from the beginning, I was not aware of the acrimony about songwriting and creative control. I always thought Randy was a genius on many levels... his ability to seamlessly infuse jazzy components into songs, clever hooks, etc. showed him to be a lot more than just another hard rock guitar player! I've always wanted to see him in his recent years solo, but I have not had the pleasure unfortunately. I understand he's quite a storyteller. Regardless, I've always thought "Not Fragile" was indeed their shining moment, and one of the most horribly underrated from the 70's, "BTO II" could have been if better recorded... but each could have had one more song on them, especially if Randy was writing so profusely!... That wasn't unique to BTO... releasing an album that would have been an all-time great with one more good song on it. "Four Wheel Drive" was good, even though it seemed to be an attempt to replicate "Not Fragile", but not as good, and maybe 2 songs too short!..and yes, "Freeways" had a few gems... my favorite, "Shotgun Rider"!

[@sega62s]

freeways is a great album, songs are well written and it has magic, the BTO voodoo thing

[@drummingprince3]

I think maybe Blair and Fred should have had more stuff on the record than they all could have taken credit if it flopped.... I'd like some of that album but yes it lacked any songs with edge like knot fragile or 4 wheel drive

[@dennismcgrath3088]

Disco Sucks. I hate It. I Want Rock 'N' Roll. Rock 'N' Roll Will Never Die!

[@johndube1731]

Wow, I'm surprised how good Randy looks.

[@joego7924]

He's huge!

[@ronfowlermusic]

@@joego7924 not anymore. He lost a lot of weight around the time of the Guess Who reunion.

[@bobself3228]

the band was toast it started with "lookin out for number one"

[@denphillips3402]

I've always enjoyed BTO. Introduced to Not Fragile, so I've always had an affinity for it, but it's not perfect IMHO. The self titled debut album is mostly really good, BTO 2 has several really good tracks. Not Fragile is definitely the most consistent throughout. Four Wheel Drive is a great follow up to NF. Not Fragile is, IMHO, their best but only slightly better overall than 4WD & BTO 1. Head On is okay, but not a patch on the aforementioned. Never really bothered with Freeway, sadly. Thanks for the post 🤘👍

[@williamweber290]

Not Fragile and 4WD are heavy metal basic music albums. Nothing fancy, straight ahead rock. BTO 1 mixes major scales in the solos to give a little country flavor, BTO 2 kinda a mix mash. Head on is there best. Freeways they just got out of there lane.

[@Genesimmons8]

Now I see where the BTO decention crept in. To have one guy tell you your song is not going on the album but mine are, definitely caused a rift. Songwriters make a ton more money from royalties and I can see now what happened.

[@kenwelch198]

Never understood why people would shoot theirselves in the foot over ego. Yeah, if you have a great songwriter in the band let them write the song. It's the same when a band says they don't play everyone's favorite song anymore and they play their new stuff. Sure, slip a few new songs in you gotta play what the fans want to hear or they'll stop listening.

[@PaulYoungMinnesota]

Coming to you cross country, hoping BOOGIE is still allowed?

[@judithclinton7730]

I liked shotgun rider

[@davidf1985]

Head On was good, but not as good as Not Fragile & 4WD. Freeways was uneven. Sorry, I do not like Easy Groove & Just For You. An interview years ago, Fred said he was not pleased only getting 2 songs on Freeways. He said he didn't want his picture on the record, so no band photo on Freeways.

[@eldonb402]

I think Randy diminishes C.F. Turner's abilities here, just a bit, he helped write some of BTOs biggest songs and contributed many great songs to their catalog, and also kept the band going after Randy with two solid albums in the late 70s.

[@littlewing6231]

Wow my comment got booted for agreeing that the band got a big ego and Fred wasn’t on par with Randy. Not cool.

[@razorback9926]

BTO was my favorite band, but Freeways brought it to a grinding halt. Just too soft, and Randy sang 6 of the 8 songs. Usually Fred sang the most, he is a better singer.

[@rogerdodger6025]

ZZ Top and the Doobie Brothers didn't break up in the 70's.

[@rustyprinter1]

They took a break. One was working baggage at an airport during the lull. ZZ Top that is.

[@bloppysloppy2283]

@@rustyprinter1 In hindsight BTO probably should have taken a break too. Freeways should have been a Bachman solo album then they could have came back strong a year or two later with an album of the classic BTO sound.

[@FleaBagBoogie]

Music died in the 80's you know.

[@paulvalentine1483]

It was/is absolutely awful.

[@dongrant2051]

BTO were terrible - nobody could sing a lick and their songs were aimed at the lowest common denominator. They were the 70's version of Nickelback.

[@lozmaster]

They weren't always terrible. I was a fan up to Head On. After that though, the downhill was very steep. Freeways was garbage. IMHO. Easy Groove was probably the worst track they ever did. Couple of decent tracks on R&R Nights. That's it. Sorry BTO.

[@michaelkoszowski3716]

When they came out for an encore , randy would say ..".B.t.o is back "!!! .

[@carlweaver3243]

I liked BTO because it was straight ahead RNR. Heavy Rock. Also because of Randy's involvement in the Guess Who and all the Classic Rock Songs he Wrote or Co-Wrote with Burton Cummings. I think Bachman is an Underrated Guitarist and Songwriter. Not many Rock Stars can hit #1 on the Charts with 2 different bands but Bachman did. BTO weren't terrible. They sold nearly 30 Million Records, meaning alot of fans bought their Product. You can have your opinion about them but don't tell me that their songs were aimed at the "Lowest Common Denominator." That's just BS. So what bands do you like?