By SAMANTHA MCDONNELL
OBSERVER Staff Writer
A musical duo who have not performed together in over 20 years are returning to the stage. Fred Turner and Randy Bachman of Bachman Turner Overdrive are teaming up once again and have renamed themselves Bachman & Turner. They will come to Seneca Allegany Casino to perform on Sept. 15.
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Bachman & Turner will be performing at the Seneca Allegany Casino on Sept. 15.
The show will come a week after their new album is released on Sept. 7. Turner, in a phone interview, said the album has live music and songs that were previously written but never recorded.
"We're hoping to do a new album later on," Turner said. "It's our past and some of the stuff is live that (was) done in Europe and Japan."
Turner started playing music when he was a teenager and never would have thought they would still be playing music in his "golden years," as he described it.
"Life's too short. Get out, turn your crank and have a good time," Turner said.
He came out of retirement to do music again and got back together with Bachman in 2010 after being asked to sing on a track for a CD Bachman was working on.
"I was retired and had been for about six years. We started talking and was working on that CD with a few other people involved in it. He sent me one song. I sang on it and sent it back," Turner said. "He said 'You know, we should get back together and do something.'"
That CD turned into the self-titled album for Bachman & Turner which was released in 2010. Turner said coming out of retirement was nice for him.
"I've forgotten the energy and the fun that was involved in the music we had been doing," Turner said.
While the energy is still there for Turner, he explained that touring is much different. Turner said in the 1970s traveling was much easier compared to now. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) requirements have changed in recent years and there are more people traveling.
"Back then you got on a flight and you'd be lucky if it was just over half full and now it's usually oversold," Turner said.
Turner said his favorite part of touring is seeing all the sights and traveling to different areas. He has been to Europe, all over the United States and will be traveling to New Zealand earlier next year as part of tours.
"We get a chance to go back to where we have been before, see a lot of people that we probably wouldn't see again. I take my wife with me now and she gets to see all of these places," Turner said.
Due to the popularity of some of Bachman Turner Overdrive, their hits such as "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" and "Taking Care of Business," both released in the 1970s, are still popular in today's culture. Turner said it's "neat" to hear his songs again.
"It's neat to hear that and to think that somebody is still playing them, it's fabulous," Turner said. "Just the fact that we can get out now and people come in to hear us and enjoy themselves, it's a thrill."
As for the show locally, Turner said concert-goers can expect the duo to play their classic hits.
"We're going to play the hits that we're well known for. The people that come out to see us want their memories back," he said. "Usually its not the songs that really do it, but its the memories that come from the songs ... it brings a piece of their past back."
Turner said the duo will come to have a good time and hope others will as well.
"We're just going to come and have a good time. We hope that a lot of people will come out and have a good time with us," Turner said.
The concert starts at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 15. Tickets start at $40 and are still available. They may be purchased online at www.senecaalleganycasino.com, any Ticketmaster location or at the casino's box office. The Seneca Allegany Casino is located at 777 Seneca Allegany Blvd., Salamanca.
Comments on this article may be sent to smcdonnell@observertoday.com.
