Robbie Bachman, the drummer for Bachman–Turner Overdrive and Brave Belt, has died age 69. His brother and bandmate Randy Bachman confirmed the news on Twitter, describing Robbie as “an integral cog in our rock’n’roll machine” and writing that “the pounding beat behind BTO … has joined mum, dad and brother Gary on the other side”. No cause of death was given.
Robin Bachman was born in Winnipeg, Canada, in 1953. He and his brother began playing music in their youth, and Robbie played in a handful of bands in Winnipeg before Randy invited him to drum for Brave Belt, his new band with Chad Allan, with whom he had played in the celebrated Winnipeg rock band the Guess Who. Brave Belt recorded two albums, released in 1971 and 1972, before changing their name to Bachman–Turner Overdrive in 1973 after Allan’s departure.
