BTO Bass

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

Hello Winston,

You'd be the man to ask. Some friends of mine have been debating what sort of bass was played on Bachman Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet". Would you happen to know the definitive answer?

I know Fred Turner often played a Rickenbacker. The sound of the bass on "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" is pretty massive, but a bit baffling. Some very good ears believe it sounds like a solid body Gibson...I'm of a mind that Ricks can do that too.

Would you happen to know the facts?

Thanks!

-Mark

[winston]

Hi Mark,

Unfortunately I never did meet Fred Turner. My friendship with Randy and Burton was as a result of another mutual friend and disc jockey Darryl Burlingham. I am talking about the mid to late 60's. If I recall correctly Fred used to play a 5 string Fender bass a lot and as you know he also played a Rick from time to time especially in live situations. I listened to the song this morning and I suspect it was the Fender he used.

Short of trying to contact Randy I cannot offer much more than speculation at this time. Randy is involved in a radio program on CBC I believe. If you try contacting him there he might remember. His memory is not the best when it comes to facts like this though I must warn you. He took a minute or two to figure out where he knew me from the last time I talked to him. I am told that happens as you get older. Lovely............I can't wait.

By the way here's a tidbit for you. Randy Bachman got the title of "Takin' Care of Business" from Darryl Burlingham, who once said on the air: "This is Darryl "B" on C-Fun and... we're takin' care of business..."

Darryl died in 2004 unfortunately. He would have known the answer to your question without a doubt.

[winston]

This may not be all that helpful because it's a video clip, but that appears to be a 4000 Rickenbacker that Fred is playing.

[lyle_from_minneapolis]

No doubt about that Rick in the video.

Thanks Winston, I appreciate it. Not a big deal, just one of those curiosities that won't let go... What great songs they wrote.

Did you ever play with Randy or did you just know him as a friend?

[winston]

Did you ever play with Randy or did you just know him as a friend?

Randy and I traded licks in what became Mushroom Records/Mushroom studios. In those days it was called Aragon Studios. Aragon was owned by another pal of ours Al Reusch. Randy and Burton came down to sit in on one of our recordings. Randy was trying to convince me to sell him my Les Paul. He is quite the guitar collector apparently. That's about as close as I got to actually playing with him.

It's no big deal really to have been friends with him at one time. Like many rock personalities that I knew back then we just drifted away from each other and went off and pursued our own lives. The one thing that I liked about Randy is that he never assumed the role of being rock star in all the time that I knew him. He's just a regular guy, but he's quite shy in many ways.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushroom_Studios

[phlemmy]

Brian, do you remember one of the early keyboard players with the last name of Foote? This was pre-first album.

[leftybass]

IIRC Randy also owned a '64 O.S. 12-string at one time.......

[winston]

No that name does not ring a bell Sean.

Before I got to know the lineup that became Chad Allan and The Expressions and then The Guess Who they were known as Allan and the Silvertones and then Chad Allan and the Reflections. Bob Ashley was their original keyboard player and when he left Chad played both rhythm guitar and keyboards as the songs required them. Chad was and is a multi instrumentalist.

The line up as I originally know them was Chad Allan, Randy Bachman, Jim Kale and Garry Peterson. Chad started having throat problems which he still has to this day btw and had to bow out of the spotlight shortly after Burton Cummings joined them as their keyboard player. I knew both Chad and Burton quite well of course. I never met Bob Ashely and I am unaware of anyone else that claims to have played with Chad, Randy, Jim and Garry in a band pre Guess Who.

[phlemmy]

the priest that did my wedding briefly played keyboards with bachman in between the guess who and bto. then he decided to "go with god".

[winston]

the priest that did my wedding briefly played keyboards with bachman in between the guess who and bto. then he decided to "go with god".

Do you remember his first name Sean? If you can find it our for me I'll see if I can find out about his tenure with them.

[phlemmy]

either richard or robert i believe. i don't know the full story so it could have been only a one time jam session for all i know