Brave Belt
Encyclopedia
Brave Belt was a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg
, Manitoba
originally consisting of Randy Bachman
(guitar/vocals), his former The Guess Who
bandmate, Chad Allan
(lead vocals/keyboards), and Randy's brother Robbie
(drums). Randy also provided bass tracks for the recording of the band's first album, Brave Belt I (Reprise Records
, 1971). But C. F. "Fred" Turner
was added shortly after as bassist for the supporting concerts.
The band made the Canadian Top 40 with the minor hit "Crazy Arms, Crazy Eyes," which peaked at #35 in November 1971. However, they missed the U.S. charts completely.
When Allan left the band in 1971, Turner became the lead vocalist for the Brave Belt II album (1972). During the supporting concerts for Brave Belt II, Tim Bachman
was added as a second guitarist. After this lineup (C. F. Turner with Randy, Tim and Robbie Bachman) had shopped around the demo that was supposed to be a Brave Belt III album, new management convinced them to change their name. They eventually settled on Bachman–Turner Overdrive.
Thus, the first (and eponymous) Bachman–Turner Overdrive album is essentially Brave Belt III, the album that was rejected by Reprise Records. Bachman had contacted many record labels to get the Brave Belt III tapes signed. Charlie Fach at Mercury eventually listened to the tapes and liked what he heard. Bachman listened to some suggestions, remixed and re-edited the tapes, and recorded at least two new songs. The result was the first Bachman–Turner Overdrive album for Mercury.
Though Brave Belt is relatively unknown some 40 years later, the importance of the band was summed up by Randy Bachman in a 2001 interview:
"It was an innocent time of soul-searching. Nobody would play with me when I left The Guess Who. I was completely black-listed. I couldn't get a decent musician to play with me, except Chad Allan, who had also been in The Guess Who and left. He and I bonded together, and I might not have gotten started without him, even though he left sometime after that first album. Those [Brave Belt] albums are so important to me because, for the first time, I was making my own music, paying for it, finding strengths in it, and going through the process of finding the right music for the record. It led to me becoming a stronger producer for BTO."
Brave Belt I and Brave Belt II were re-released on a single CD March 17, 2009.
Winnipeg
Winnipeg is the capital and largest city of Manitoba, Canada, and is the primary municipality of the Winnipeg Capital Region, with more than half of Manitoba's population. It is located near the longitudinal centre of North America, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers .The name...
, Manitoba
Manitoba
Manitoba is a Canadian prairie province with an area of . The province has over 110,000 lakes and has a largely continental climate because of its flat topography. Agriculture, mostly concentrated in the fertile southern and western parts of the province, is vital to the province's economy; other...
originally consisting of Randy Bachman
Randy Bachman
Randolph Charles "Randy" Bachman, OC, OM is a Canadian musician best known as lead guitarist, songwriter and a founding member for both the 1960s–70s rock band The Guess Who, and the 1970s rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive...
(guitar/vocals), his former The Guess Who
The Guess Who
The Guess Who are a Canadian rock band from Winnipeg, Manitoba. Initially gaining recognition in Canada, they also found international success from the late 1960s through the mid-1970s with numerous hit singles, including "American Woman", "These Eyes" and "Share the Land"...
bandmate, Chad Allan
Chad Allan (musician)
Chad Allan is a Canadian musician and founding member of The Guess Who. He was the group's original lead singer and front man, as well as rhythm guitarist, songwriter and occasionally drummer and pianist....
(lead vocals/keyboards), and Randy's brother Robbie
Robbie Bachman
Robin "Robbie" Bachman is a drummer and the youngest brother of Canadian guitarist, singer and songwriter Randy Bachman. He was the original drummer for both the Brave Belt and Bachman–Turner Overdrive bands.While growing up, Bachman practiced the drums at home, often playing along with his older...
(drums). Randy also provided bass tracks for the recording of the band's first album, Brave Belt I (Reprise Records
Reprise Records
Reprise Records is an American record label, founded in 1960 by Frank Sinatra. It is owned by Warner Music Group, and operated through Warner Bros. Records.-Beginnings:...
, 1971). But C. F. "Fred" Turner
Fred Turner (musician)
Charles Frederick "Fred" Turner is a Canadian rock bassist, vocalist and songwriter, and was a founding member of the 1970s rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive . He is credited on early Bachman–Turner Overdrive and B.T.O. albums as "C.F...
was added shortly after as bassist for the supporting concerts.
The band made the Canadian Top 40 with the minor hit "Crazy Arms, Crazy Eyes," which peaked at #35 in November 1971. However, they missed the U.S. charts completely.
When Allan left the band in 1971, Turner became the lead vocalist for the Brave Belt II album (1972). During the supporting concerts for Brave Belt II, Tim Bachman
Tim Bachman
Timothy Gregg Bachman is a guitarist and vocalist best known for his work with rock bands Brave Belt and Bachman–Turner Overdrive...
was added as a second guitarist. After this lineup (C. F. Turner with Randy, Tim and Robbie Bachman) had shopped around the demo that was supposed to be a Brave Belt III album, new management convinced them to change their name. They eventually settled on Bachman–Turner Overdrive.
Thus, the first (and eponymous) Bachman–Turner Overdrive album is essentially Brave Belt III, the album that was rejected by Reprise Records. Bachman had contacted many record labels to get the Brave Belt III tapes signed. Charlie Fach at Mercury eventually listened to the tapes and liked what he heard. Bachman listened to some suggestions, remixed and re-edited the tapes, and recorded at least two new songs. The result was the first Bachman–Turner Overdrive album for Mercury.
Though Brave Belt is relatively unknown some 40 years later, the importance of the band was summed up by Randy Bachman in a 2001 interview:
"It was an innocent time of soul-searching. Nobody would play with me when I left The Guess Who. I was completely black-listed. I couldn't get a decent musician to play with me, except Chad Allan, who had also been in The Guess Who and left. He and I bonded together, and I might not have gotten started without him, even though he left sometime after that first album. Those [Brave Belt] albums are so important to me because, for the first time, I was making my own music, paying for it, finding strengths in it, and going through the process of finding the right music for the record. It led to me becoming a stronger producer for BTO."
Brave Belt I and Brave Belt II were re-released on a single CD March 17, 2009.
Canadian chart singles
- "Rock and Roll Band" (1971) - #64
- "Crazy Arms, Crazy Eyes" (1971) - #35
- "Never Comin' Home" (1972) - #57
- "Dunrobin's Gone" (1972) - #58
External links
- [ Allmusic.com entry]
- CanConRox entry