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Summarized by Rosemary Pollock
LDS Church Member Bachman Back With 'Guess Who'
Canada News Jam! Showbiz 27Jun00 A2
By Mike Ross -- Edmonton Sun
EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA -- Randy Bachman along with the original
lineup of Guess Who, minus bassist Jim Kale, has returned to perform
at the Skyreach Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The amazing,
inexplicable, against all odds group returned with thanks in part to
"our new best friend Lenny Kravitz," who made American Woman hip
again. "It's incredible," Bachman said. "This is the American Woman
tour of 1970 that we didn't do because I left the band. It's 30
years late to the month."
Bachmnan and the guys are regarded as the fathers of Canadian rock. The
band formed in the 1950's in Winnipeg was originally named, Al and the
Silverstones. Bachman entered the scene shortly thereafter and the group
recorded Shakin' All Over. Quality records released the single under the
mystery name of "Guess Who?" The song became a hit before the truth came
out and the name stuck. Enter a fiery young singer named Burton Cummings and
the legend was born.
"It's an immpossible thing, but suddenly through the god of rock 'n' roll
and God of the universe, it is possible for us to get together and do this.
Gordie Howe can't play with Maurice Richard in the Stanley Cup. But we can
get back with the original guys from the team, the winning American Woman
team and do the tour 30 years later. It's incredible. It's the Field of
Dreams - this mythical Canadian band that's coming back from ashes to tour.
It's unbelievable."
Randy Bachman left the Guess Who for health reasons in 1970. He credits
the fact that he's a devout Mormon for keeping him alive. "I would've OD'd
long ago. I have an obsessive personality. The church kept me straight."
Bachman credits his eight children - including his oldest son Tal - for
keeping him current. "My daughter started playing Nine Inch Nails over and
over until I said, 'OK, I really like this.' They're amazing."
If all goes well, the Guess Who will come out with a box set that includes
tracks recorded live on this tour, "rehearsal tapes" and maybe even some new
tunes. After the Guess Who reunited playing four songs at the Pan-Am games
in Winnipeg last summer, Bachman commented to his bandmates, "Did you guys
feel like me? I felt like I was 25." Burton replied, "Well, I felt like I
was 18!" Bachman countered, "I didn't feel that young, but you can't buy
this feeling."
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