Bachman (2018)

(On TV, January 2022) Most people will know Randy Bachman as the Bachman in Bachman-Turner Overdrive (“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet,” “Takin’ Care of Business,” etc.), but I felt a closer connection to him as the host of the CBC retrospective music show Vinyl Tap, which accompanied many of my Saturday evening drives with its thematic selections of classic rock music. But there’s a lot more to him than a band and a radio show, as retrospective biography Bachman clearly shows. Bachman, a next-level guitarist, was part of more bands than most people own cars, never lost his passion for music and had a relatively tumultuous life despite a quiet personality. Much of the documentary is made of affectionate interviews with close associates of the man rather than Bachman himself, along with historical footage, song snippets and a current-day story about Bachman putting together a new album. Highlights of his life include the way his Mormon beliefs held him back from turning into a sex-drugs-and-rock-and-roll rockstar like many of his contemporaries; and the incredible 15,000-square-foot “Bachman estate” (complete with recording studio) that was the backdrop to Bachman’s most expansive years. (Alas, it’s a period that also led to his first divorce, something that the film does confront with honesty—even if it’s held back from exploring the full story by virtue of being authorized by Bachman.)  As a portrait of one of Canada’s most successful rockers, Bachman succeeds both at explaining why he was such a towering figure and at explaining what made him tick—always the consummate, quiet musician (just wait until he gives viewers a tour of his guitars) even when pushing people a bit too hard to go on tour, play music and make music. A Mormon rocker makes for an interesting blend of passions and beliefs, and much of the film’s interest is in that combination… even when we sense that there’s a lot left unsaid here, especially when it comes to the ex-wives and ex-bands. Even then, Bachman taught me much about the man-and-the-legend, and made me sad once more that Vinyl Tap is no longer being produced at the CBC.