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Tal Bachman

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Tal Bachman
Bachman performing in 2018
Bachman performing in 2018
Background information
Birth nameTalmage Robert Bachman
Also known asTal Bachman
Born (1968-08-13) August 13, 1968 (age 56)
OriginWinnipeg, Manitoba, Canada[1]
GenresPop rock
OccupationsSinger-songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, guitar
Years active1992–present
Labels
Member ofRandy Bachman, Bachman-Turner Overdrive[2]

Talmage Charles Robert "Tal" Bachman (/ˈbækmən/ BAK-mən; born August 13, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and guitarist. He is best known for his 1999 hit "She's So High", a pop rock tune from his self-titled 1999 album for which he won a BMI award in 2000.[3] Along with his father, Randy Bachman, he is currently a member of Bachman–Turner Overdrive.

Biography

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Early life

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Bachman was born in Winnipeg, the son of Randy Bachman and the nephew of Robbie Bachman of the classic rock bands The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive.[1] As a child, Bachman listened to his father's enormous record collection and taught himself to play guitar. He studied political philosophy at Utah State University but dropped out and moved to Vancouver in 1995 to begin writing songs.[4][5]

Musical career

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After Bachman was rejected by many record labels, executives at EMI Music Publishing in New York City heard a demo tape of his ballad "If You Sleep" and offered him a recording contract with Columbia Records.[6] His debut album, Tal Bachman, was co-produced by Bob Rock and including the hit single, "She's So High",[7] which was inspired by the song "If It Makes You Happy" by Sheryl Crow, using the same chords but a different key.[6] The song reached No. 1 on three different radio formats in Canada and reached number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 in August 1999.[8] It won BMI's "Song of the Year" award. The album earned Bachman two Juno awards in Canada. Bachman then toured as an opening act for Bryan Adams and the Barenaked Ladies, and also toured on his own.[6] Bachman's second album, Staring Down the Sun, was released in Canada on Sextant Records in August 2004 and was released in the United States by Artemis Records in 2006. The single "Aeroplane" reached number 20 on the Canadian charts and was used in the 2005 film, American Pie Presents: Band Camp. It was played as an instrumental and during the credits.

In 2005, Bachman was invited to be a musical ambassador for Canada in South Africa and Zimbabwe, receiving a C$16,500 grant to visit AIDS hospices and orphanages and community centres.[9]

In 2023, Bachman joined Bachman-Turner Overdrive.[10]

Influences

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Bachman cites the Beatles, Cheap Trick, and Electric Light Orchestra as influences.[5]

Personal life

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Tal and KoKo at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival

Bachman is married to KoKo, who is Japanese and currently lives on Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada.

Bachman is a former member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), and went on a two-year Mormon mission to Argentina. In the early 2000s, he began doubting his faith.[11] After two years of research, Bachman concluded that the church's founder Joseph Smith had invented his stories, and Bachman severed his ties to the church. In 2006, Bachman was interviewed for The Mormons, a PBS documentary in which he discussed his departure from the LDS Church.[12] In 2008, Bachman also discussed his departure from the LDS Church when interviewed for the Bill Maher documentary Religulous.[13]

Bachman has written political articles in American Greatness and SteynOnline. Several of his articles discuss religion and rugby.[14][15]

Bachman plays right-wing and outside-centre for the Victoria, British Columbia rugby union club Castaway Wanderers RFC.[16]

Discography

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Studio albums

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Title Album details Chart positions
US
[17]
Tal Bachman
  • Release date: April 13, 1999
  • Label: Columbia
124
Staring Down the Sun
  • Release date: July 13, 2004
  • Label: Sextant

Compilation albums

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Title Album details
Ian Starglow's Greatest Hits Vol. 1
(as Ian Starglow)
  • Release date: December 9, 2019
  • Label: Self-release

Singles

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Title Year Chart positions Album
CAN CAN AC AUS
[18]
GER

[19]

NZ
[20]
UK
[21]
US
[22]
US Adult
[23]
"She's So High" 1999 3 30 8 71 9 30 14 1 Tal Bachman
"Strong Enough" 31 59
"If You Sleep" 61 35
"Aeroplane" 2004 20 Staring Down the Sun
"Na Na Na" 2019 Ian Starglow's Greatest Hits Volume 1

Awards

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Third Annual Canadian Radio Music Awards (2000)

  • Best New Solo Artist – Rock
  • Best New Solo Artist – Pop Adult
  • Best New Solo Artist – Contemporary Hit Radio

29th Annual Juno Awards (2000)

  • Best New Solo Artist (won)
  • Best Producer (with Bob Rock) for "She's So High" and "If You Sleep" (won)[24]
  • Best Pop/Adult Album (nominated)
  • Best Songwriter (nominated)

References

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  1. ^ a b Small, Alan (November 5, 2022). "It's only rock 'n' roll, but he lived… lives it". Winnipeg Free Press.
  2. ^ "Bachman-Turner Overdrive Returning for Tour, Live Album and Film". Townsquare Media. September 20, 2023.
  3. ^ "Rob Thomas, Eagle-Eye Cherry Receive BMI Awards". MTV News. May 17, 2000. Archived from the original on August 13, 2023.
  4. ^ "Tal Bachman Biography". AllMusic.
  5. ^ a b Iwasaki, Scott (August 27, 1999). "The payoffs of persistence". Deseret News.
  6. ^ a b c REESMAN, BRYAN (February 19, 2024). "The Meaning Behind "She's so High" by Tal Bachman and the Real-Life Experience that Inspired It". American Songwriter.
  7. ^ Huxley, Martin (August 31, 1999). "Tal Bachman". Broadcast Music, Inc.
  8. ^ "Tal Bachman". Billboard.
  9. ^ BAGNALL, JANET (August 14, 2008). "Harper kills the music". The Gazette.
  10. ^ Banas, Erica (September 21, 2023). "Randy Bachman Announces the Return of Bachman-Turner Overdrive". WRBQ-FM.
  11. ^ DIXON, GUY (July 24, 2004). "Staring down his former faith". The Globe and Mail.
  12. ^ "FRONTLINE + American Experience: Mormons". PBS.
  13. ^ Kaufman, Gil (November 21, 2008). "Britney Spears, 'NSYNC Led The Class Of '99, But Whatever Happened To Len, Orgy?". MTV News. Archived from the original on October 1, 2022.
  14. ^ "The Bachman Beat".
  15. ^ "Author: Tal Bachman › American Greatness". February 26, 2022.
  16. ^ "Wednesday's Ruck & Maul". Castaway Wanderers RFC. January 23, 2019.
  17. ^ "Tal Bachman Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard.
  18. ^ "Discography Tal Bachman". australian-charts.com.
  19. ^ "Offizielle Deutsche Charts - Offizielle Deutsche Charts". www.offiziellecharts.de.
  20. ^ "Discography Tal Bachman". charts.nz.
  21. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records. p. 38. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  22. ^ "Tal Bachman Chart History: Billboard Hot 100". Billboard.
  23. ^ "Tal Bachman Chart History: Adult Pop Songs". Billboard.
  24. ^ LeBlanc, Larry (February 12, 2000). "Morissette leads Canada's Juno nomination list". Billboard. pp. 45–. ISSN 0006-2510.