Jump to content

Brave Belt

From Alfawiki
Brave Belt
Company typeRock group
IndustryMusic
Founded1971 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
FounderRandy Bachman, Chad Allan, Robbie Bachman
Defunct1972
Headquarters
Winnipeg
,
Canada
ProductsRock music albums and singles

Brave Belt was a rock group originating from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, initially formed by Randy Bachman (guitar and vocals), former Guess Who member Chad Allan (vocals and keyboards), along with Randy's brother, Robbie (drums). For their first album, Brave Belt (released by Reprise Records in 1971), Randy also performed the bass parts. Shortly thereafter, C. F. "Fred" Turner joined the band as bassist for live shows.

The group scored a Canadian Top 40 single with "Crazy Arms, Crazy Eyes," which peaked at No. 35 in November 1971; however, it did not enter the U.S. charts.

History

In 1972, Turner assumed lead vocal duties on Brave Belt II, coinciding with Allan's departure from the band. During the tour supporting this album, Tim Bachman was added as a second guitarist. Despite these lineup changes, Brave Belt II experienced disappointing sales and limited concert engagements. Randy Bachman later revealed that the financial losses for 1971-72 were approximately $150,000, of which he personally covered nearly 60% using royalties earned from The Guess Who.

Following their release from Reprise Records, the ensemble consisting of Turner alongside Randy, Tim, and Robbie Bachman recorded demo tracks intended for Brave Belt III. Upon advice from new management to change their name, they transitioned into the band known as Bachman–Turner Overdrive.

The initial Bachman–Turner Overdrive record largely features material originally rejected from the Brave Belt III sessions. After presenting these demos to several labels, Mercury executive Charlie Fach showed interest. The band then remixed and re-edited the tracks while adding new songs before releasing the album in May 1973.

Legacy

Even though Brave Belt remains relatively unknown decades later, Randy Bachman emphasized its importance during a 2001 interview:

It was a period of personal exploration. After leaving The Guess Who, I found it difficult to find musicians willing to collaborate with me; I was essentially blacklisted. Chad Allan, who had also departed The Guess Who, was one of the few who joined me. We connected deeply, and without him, I might not have launched this project, despite his exit after the first album. Those Brave Belt records are significant because they represent the first time I created my own music independently—financing it myself, discovering my abilities, and crafting the appropriate sound for the recordings. This experience laid the foundation for my growth as a producer with BTO.

Both Brave Belt I and Brave Belt II were re-released together on CD on March 17, 2009.

Track listing

Side one
  1. "Crazy Arms, Crazy Eyes" - (Randy Bachman) - 2:44
  2. "Lifetime" - (Randy Bachman) - 1:53
  3. "Waitin' There For Me" - (Randy Bachman) - 3:17
  4. "I Am The Man" - (Chad Allan) - 4:03
  5. "French Kiss" - (Chad Allan, Rob Matheson) - 3:46
  6. "It's Over" - (Randy Bachman) - 3:05
Side two
  2. "Rock And Roll Band" - (Chad Allan) - 3:52
  3. "Wandering Fantasy Girl" - (Chad Allan) - 2:50
  4. "I Wouldn't Trade My Guitar For A Woman" - (Chad Allan) - 1:47
  5. "Holy Train" - (Chad Allan) - 3:05
  6. "Anyday Means Tomorrow" - (Randy Bachman) - 3:02
  7. "Scarecrow" - (Chad Allan, Rob Matheson) - 5:38

Band Members

  • Chad Allan – piano, lead vocals on tracks 4, 5, 8, 10, and 12; shared lead vocals on tracks 1, 2, 7, and 9; backing vocals on track 11; also played accordion, rhythm guitar, and mandolin
  • Randy Bachman – lead guitar; lead vocals on tracks 3, 6, and 11; co-lead vocals on tracks 1, 2, 7, and 9; backing vocals and bass guitar
  • Robbie Bachman – drums on tracks 1 through 8, as well as 10 and 11; percussion
Additional Contributors
  • Wally Didduck – fiddle
  • Ron Halldorson – pedal steel guitar
  • Billy Mac – drums on tracks 9 and 12

Songs

Side One
  1. "Too Far Away" - (written by Randy Bachman) - duration: 3:38
  2. "Dunrobin's Gone" - (composed by Chad Allan and Bob Ericson) - duration: 3:10
  3. "Can You Feel It" - (written by C. F. Turner) - duration: 2:36
  4. "Put It In A Song" - (C. F. Turner and Tim Bachman) - duration: 3:34
  5. "Summer Soldier" - (Chad Allan, Randy Bachman, Robbie Bachman) - duration: 3:23
  6. "Goodbye, Soul Shy" - (C. F. Turner) - duration: 3:45
Side Two
  2. "Never Comin' Home" - (Randy Bachman) - duration: 3:40
  3. "Be A Good Man" - (C. F. Turner) - duration: 2:51
  4. "Long Way 'Round" - (credited to "Charles Charles," a pseudonym for C. F. Turner & Randy Bachman) - duration: 2:15
  5. "Another Way Out" - (Chad Allan and Randy Bachman) - duration: 3:30
  6. "Waterloo Country" - (Chad Allan) - duration: 5:00

Musicians

  • Randy Bachman – guitars and backing vocals
  • Chad Allan – keyboards, backing vocals, and lead vocals on tracks 2 and 10
  • C. F. Turner – bass guitar and lead vocals on all tracks except for tracks 2 and 10
  • Robbie Bachman – drums, percussion, and backing vocals

Supporting Musicians

  • Tim Bachman – guitars and backing vocals during live performances only

The album achieved a peak position of number thirty-six on the Canadian RPM chart.

Canadian Charted Singles

  • "Rock and Roll Band" (1971) – peaked at #64 in Canada
  • "Crazy Arms, Crazy Eyes" (1971) – reached #35 in Canada
  • "Never Comin' Home" (1972) – attained #57 in Canada
  • "Dunrobin's Gone" (1972) – placed at #58 in Canada and #5 on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart
  • "Another Way Out" (1972)

Bibliography

External links

Retrieved from "https://www.alfawiki.org/index.php?title=Brave_Belt&oldid=79226"