Bachman

There are a couple of moments in this documentary about Randy Bachman—the legendary Canadian co-founder of the Guess Who and Bachman Turner Overdrive—when the eponymous musician makes a rare visit to his guitar warehouse. So vast is his collection of instruments (and he lost many others years ago in a fire) that in several cases he hasn’t seen or handled certain history-making guitars in decades—not since they left their mark on vintage hits like “American Woman” and “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet.” It’s a treat for viewers to see those legendary axes up close and in the virtuoso’s hands, but for the now-75-year-old Bachman they also represent different chapters in a prolific career full of golden-touch highs and brutal lows. Filmmaker John Barnard serves up a portrait of a highly driven master instrumentalist who can’t stop playing no matter the state of his bands, finances, marriage, family, faith, or health. As his long story unfurls, it reveals an artist incapable of maintaining the status quo for long, tinkering with successful formulas until collaborators feel marginalized. At the same time, everyone who ever worked with or closely observed Bachman seems grateful—an enthusiasm that carries over to other luminaries such as Neil Young, Peter Frampton, Paul Shaffer, who all sing his praises. A couple of Bachman’s grown children also offer exceptional insights into this septuagenarian musician who is still determined to experiment in uncharted waters. Recommended. Aud: P. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include additional footage (11 min.). Bottom line: a decent extras package for this solid biographical doc.] (T. Keogh)