Ironhorse

Ironhorse was a Canadian rock band from Vancouver, formed by Randy Bachman, the former guitarist and singer of The Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive. The initial incarnation of the band also included Tom Sparks (vocals, guitars), John Pierce (bass) and Mike Baird (drums). [1]

This line-up of Ironhorse released the 1979's Ironhorse album on the Scotti Brothers label, and had a minor U.S. hit single in April 1979 with "Sweet Lui-Louise", which peaked at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In Canada, the song peaked slightly higher at #26. The same track reached #60 in the UK Singles Chart.[2]

Ironhorse then underwent an almost complete line-up change, retaining only Bachman. The second incarnation of Ironhorse consisted of Bachman (guitars, vocals), Frank Ludwig (lead vocals, guitars), Ron Foos (bass), and Chris Leighton (drums). This line-up released 1980's Everything is Grey, also on Scotti Brothers Records.[1] One of its singles, "What's Your Hurry Darlin'," peaked at #84 in Canada and at #89 in the US in May 1980.[3]

Foos then left the group to rejoin Paul Revere and the Raiders. In 1980, Ironhorse disbanded, with the remaining members (Bachman/Leighton/Ludwig) forming Union with Bachman's former Bachman-Turner Overdrive band-mate Fred Turner. Union released one album, On Strike, on the CBS subsidiary Portrait Records, and had a minor hit with the track "Mainstreet U.S.A."

As of May 2013, Randy Bachman has secured the rights to the two Ironhorse albums.[citation needed]

  1. ^ a b Colin Larkin, ed. (1995). The Guinness Who's Who of Heavy Metal (Second ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 180. ISBN 0-85112-656-1.
  2. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 271. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  3. ^ "The Hot 100: Week of May 31, 1980". Billboard.com. Retrieved 15 May 2015.