Ron Onesti: Guess Who? It's Randy Bachman

So many stars, so many bands, and so many iconic performances have graced the historic stage of The Arcada Theatre. Some are a bit more iconic than others, but all have great songs that bring the audience back, helping them to relive musical memories. Even as much of a fan as I profess to be, there have been countless occasions when I was backstage giving myself the "V8 slap-on-the-head" while thinking, "I forgot about that song," or, "I didn't know that was THEIR song!"

One such iconic individual with whom I have been fortunate enough to work with on several occasions is Canadian rocker Randy Bachman. His recent Songs & Stories show by us became one of those situations I described earlier for me. As a founding member of two of rock's biggest bands, the Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive, Bachman wrote, cowrote and performed megahits including "These Eyes," "American Woman" (The first No. 1 hit on the U.S. Hot 100 by a Canadian band), "No Time," "No Sugar Tonight," "Takin' Care Of Business," "You Ain't Seen Nuthin' Yet" and "Let It Ride," among so many others.

The Guess Who started way back in 1958 in Canada in a culture that included Neil Young as a childhood friend. "We actually were listening to the Beatles before they made it big," he said. "We were very interested in the European music scene and we would get copies of English records from the early '60s. We watched them grow. It was incredible and changed the world. None of them were fabulous vocalists, but together, it was magical."

The band worked hard and toured for little money, but didn't let hard times get in the way. Burton Cummings joined the band in 1966 and brought a fresh sound to the group. Between 1968 and 1970, the guys came out with three monster albums that set the tone for the rest of their lives.

The 1969 "blowup" of the band turned them into bona fide rock stars, going from earning a couple of hundred dollars a night to thousands. With it came a "cultural effect" that included binge drinking and drugs. But Randy was the only band member not to fall into the trap. "I have always been on the straight and narrow," Bachman said. "The other guys got caught up in the alcohol and drugs, but everybody in our world did then. I just never did, and that actually began the tension in the band."

"I did get hammered once," Bachman said. "I was out partying and after driving intoxicated I fell halfway out of a car and ran over my own foot. When I got home from the hospital, my father said: 'I am ashamed to call you my son. You are a drunk.' That was the last drink I ever took."

Then Randy began having gall bladder attacks. He made frequent visits to local hospitals, and had to take a badly needed break. "I also really missed my family. In those days, there were no cellphones or Internet. To call Canada from the states was $20 or $30. That was as much as our per diem some days. I never saw any of my kids being born. I just needed to take a break."

So he left the band, and the Guess Who kept touring. At the suggestion of his old buddy Neil Young, Bachman started a new band with his two brothers and his childhood friend, Fred Turner. The result was a second strike of lightening with the evolution of Bachman Turner Overdrive.

When I first met Randy, I was surprised at what a big guy he was. He has this hair that is like the mane of a lion, intense eyes and a massive presence. He fist-bumped me, as he does with almost everybody. Not as much of a germaphobe as he is protective of his guitar-playing hand.

He actually introduced himself! I was also surprised to hear him call himself Randy "Back-man" as opposed to the more commonly pronounced "Bock-man." I then shook hands with Turner, his BTO partner.

We got to talking in the dressing rooms. Fred was such a warm, friendly guy. I told him how honored I was to have the two legends at my place. "I don't go out very much anymore," Turner said. "I like fishing in Florida, but once in a while I get bit by the bug and come out," he said with a sly grin.

"Can I ask what the temperature is between you, Burton Cummings and the other guys in the current Guess Who band (original members Gary Peterson and Jim Kale still keep the band going)?"

"A few years back, I called all the guys and made peace," Randy said. "I just want to enjoy life with no regrets. And I really don't have many. If I didn't leave the Guess Who' there never would have been a BTO. We were invited to play Woodstock in 1969, but we passed to work on (the album) American Woman. We actually recorded in Chicago. Our record label was there. See, no regrets!"

He tells an interesting story about the band's only No. 1 hit. "In order to work in the U.S., we needed green cards. But with a green card came the possibility of getting drafted into the Vietnam War. We took many different routes home so we wouldn't get captured by border patrol.

"So we were playing a gig and I broke a string. Back then, we didn't have backup guitars or techs. We would have to replace the strings right on stage. So to kill time, Burton just started playing this riff and singing, 'American woman, stay away from me-EE.' "

He was not referring to American girls as many thought, but to the Statue of Liberty, and dodging the draft. It became the band's biggest hit.

Bachman has a Sunday night radio show on which he shares story after story after story, as he did at The Arcada that night. It is truly amazing how many hits his bands have. We spoke about the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

"It is a bit disheartening," he said. "For some reason, I don't believe the Guess Who OR BTO will ever get in. I just don't think it will happen. I was thrilled when Rush got in, representing us in Canada, though. I am very proud of being a Canadian band. There are American bands with one or two No. 1s in the Hall of Fame. We have many. Our bands paved the way for people like Bryan Adams and Loverboy. Yes, I am pretty proud.

"But I have to say a lot of guys today say now that I had it right back then," he said. "Guys like Neil (Young) and Joe Walsh will say they wished they ate healthier, spent more time with their families and didn't drink or do drugs. I am kind of having the last laugh now."

As I watched this master on his 1959 Les Paul guitar just wow the audience while having an obvious blast himself, I couldn't help but think of this Canadian's contribution to American music. He is still doing it, as good as ever. He ends every show by telling the audience to "Keep the rock, rollin'." Thank God that his rock rolled all the way from Quebec into our musical souls in America.

• Ron Onesti is president and CEO of The Onesti Entertainment Corp. and The Historic Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. Celebrity questions and comments? Email ron@oshows.com.