The album that “changed everything”, according to Randy Bachman
Randy Bachman possesses that innate, mystical power as a rock artist—the kind that turns heads and pricks up ears wherever he goes, lest you miss a word of his commanding wisdom. In that sense, when he gives his seal of approval to an album, you already know it’s going to be something special. So when he said one particular record “changed everything,” there was no way of overstating it.
When the ‘You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet’ writer spoke to Goldmine back in 2014 about the albums which have played the most seminal role in his life, he picked out what can only be the most famous rockers to have ever graced the planet as a steering force in his musical life. Referring, of course, to The Beatles and their 1963 sophomore record, Beatlemania!/With the Beatles, it’s clear that Bachman viewed it as the birth of a new sonic evolution.
He said the album was: “The second shake that shook the world. Another gift basket that repackaged rock and roll, Motown, country and doo-wop for the next generation of teenagers. This album changed everything. Even drummers started singing to be like Ringo.”
You can’t claim that he’s exaggerating on that front, as With the Beatles – as it was known here, but as Beatlemania!/With the Beatles in Bachman’s native Canada – set the precedent that the Fab Four truly held some holy unheard magic in their midst. Knocking their predecessor debut album Please Please Me from the top spot in the UK, this follow-up record spent a massive 21 weeks at number one, meaning the impact of the two efforts cumulatively meant The Beatles became the first ever band to spend 51 consecutive weeks atop the charts.
Consisting of eight original tunes – most notably George Harrison’s first ever solo song, ‘Don’t Bother Me’ – and six covers, encompassing everything from the Miracles’ ‘You’ve Really Got a Hold on Me’ to ‘Please Mr Postman’ by the Marvelettes, The Beatles were harnessing a unique musical crossroads in furthering the cause of rock and roll while also paying homage to the soul force of Motown, which Bachman notes as the reason for it being so seminal.
For his own part, Bachman wasn’t far behind as he formed the first iteration of The Guess Who in 1960 before going on to the band’s most successful commercial period at the turn of the decade with Wheatfield Soul and Canned Wheat in 1969, as well as American Woman in 1970. In his innovative and melodic approach to the art of guitar playing, Bachman became a bonafide hero – but it’s evident he also owes a lot to a certain quartet of Liverpudlian legends in defining that sound.
Rock stars and guitar gods being influenced by The Beatles is hardly an earth-shattering revelation, but nevertheless it is interesting to learn which specific albums and eras have played the most pivotal roles in shaping a wide range of sound, from hard rock to boyband pop. Randy Bachman is no different in that sense – but in his own way, also played a huge hand in reeling in the next generation of guitar worshippers.
