Robbie Bachman, drummer and co-founder of Bachman-Turner Overdrive, has died at the age of 69.
Announcing this on Twitter, his brother and bandmate Randy Bachman wrote: “Another sad departure. The percussive rhythm is behind BTO, my younger brother Robbie joined Mom, Dad and brother Gary on the other side.
“Maybe Jeff Beck needs a drummer! He was an integral cog in our rock and roll machine, and together we shook the world.”
Robbie founded the band with Randy, their brother Tim Bachman and bassist Fred Turner in Winnipeg, Canada, in the early 1970s, releasing the self-titled debut album and the follow-up album “Bachman-Turner Overdrive II” in 1973.
After the third album “Not Fragile” (1974) featured their biggest hit “You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet”, Randy eventually left the band in 1977. The band continued working with new vocalist Jim Klench before disbanding in 1980.
Randy then returned to reunite the band in 1983, but Robbie did not participate in the reunion. Their 1984 album “Bachman-Turner Overdrive” was the only LP in their career on which Robbie did not play drums.
Robbie then returned to the band from 1988 to 2005, not appearing at the subsequent reunion in 2009. His last performance with the band was in 2014, when they were inducted into the Canadian Music Hall of Fame.
Another sad departure. The pounding beat behind BTO, my little brother Robbie has joined Mum, Dad & brother Gary on the other side. Maybe Jeff Beck needs a drummer! He was an integral cog in our rock 'n' roll machine and we rocked the world together. #RIP #littlebrother #family pic.twitter.com/XASj6CVXzA
— Randy Bachman (@RandysVinylTap) January 13, 2023
Speaking about the band’s success in an interview with the Toronto Star in 2014, Robbie said: “We didn’t tell anyone they were wrong or something bad, or don’t do it. It was basically having a good time, fun music.
“Having just come out of the 70s with the Vietnam War and all the political events going on- in Canada with Trudeau, Richard Nixon and things like that —we just had enough of it all.”
