Web Quotableonline.com Frasescelebres.org Greatbookscollection.org

Bachman-Turner Overdrive (BTO) is a
Canadian_rock|Canadian rock band that enjoyed a
string of hit albums and singles in the 1970s.   

The precursor to BTO was the band Brave Belt,
formed in 1970 in music|1970 by Randy Bachman of
The Guess Who with Chad Allan (also of The Guess
Who), Robbie Bachman and Fred Turner.   An
original plan included Keith Emerson of The Nice,
though he was dropped due to illness.  After two
moderately successful Brave Belt albums, Allan was
replaced by Tim Bachman, the third of the Bachman
brothers, and the band changed its name to
Bachman-Turner Overdrive; the band released its
first album under that name in the Spring of 1973
in music|1973.  

Their second album with this line-up was
Bachman-Turner Overdrive II, and it became a
massive hit in the US and their native Canada.  It
also yielded their best-remembered single, "Takin'
Care of Business". From today's point of view, BTO
were one of the early hard rock bands who
nevertheless rather opted for songs backed by
catchy melodies and powerful riffing. The band
also promoted a somewhat straight edge lifestyle,
abstaining from drugs, cigarettes and alcohol,
enforced by Randy Bachman whose family was Mormon.

Tim Bachman left to become a record producer and
was replaced by Blair Thorton and the first album
with the modified lineup, 1974's Not Fragile
became a hit, including the #1 single "You Ain't
Seen Nothin' Yet".  The band continued to steadily
produce successful albums through the mid-1970s
including Four Wheel Drive and Head On (both 1975
in music|1975).  

After the release of Freeways (album)|Freeways in
1977, Randy Bachman left the group for a solo
career and another band, Ironhorse, and what was
left of Bachman-Turner Overdrive released a pair
of disappointing albums before breaking up.  They
reunited in the 1980s, leading to a lawsuit as one
group, led by Randy, toured as Bachman-Turner
Overdrive and another, led by Robbie, toured as
BTO.  A lawsuit between the brothers resulted. 
They also appeared on The Simpsons.

==Recent Performances==
Randy Bachman and Burton Cummings are planning on
touring as the Bachman & Cummings (band)|Bachman &
Cummings in the summer of 2005 with Toronto's The
Carpet Frogs.

Randy Bachman has been touring in 2005 with a
group called Randy Bachman's Rock Thing.

==Discography==
*Bachman-Turner Overdrive (album)|Bachman-Turner
Overdrive (1973)
*Bachman-Turner Overdrive II (1973)
*Not Fragile (1974)
*Four Wheel Drive (1975)
*Head On (1975)
*Best of BTO (So Far) (1976)
*Japan Tour Live (1977)
*Freeways (album)|Freeways (1977)
*Street Action (1978)
*Rock n' Roll Nights (1979)
*You Ain't Seen Nothin' Yet (1983)
*Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1984
album)|Bachman-Turner Overdrive (1984)
*Live! Live! Live! (1986)
*BTO's Greatest (1986)
*BTO Anthology (1993)
*The Best of Bachman-Turner Overdrive Live (1994)
*Trial By Fire - Greatest and Latest (1996)
*King Biscuit Flower Hour (1998)
*20th Century Masters (2000)