Not Fragile
| Not Fragile | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by Bachman–Turner Overdrive | ||||
| Released | August 1974 | |||
| Recorded | 1974 - Sound City, Van Nuys, California | |||
| Genre | Hard rock | |||
| Length | 36:14 | |||
| Label | Mercury | |||
| Producer | Randy Bachman | |||
| Bachman–Turner Overdrive chronology | ||||
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Not Fragile is the third album by Canadian rock band Bachman–Turner Overdrive (BTO), released in 1974.
Description
In a 1995 interview, Randy Bachman indicated that he thought that using the word "fragile" as a title for a rock album, as Yes had done with their 1971 album Fragile, was "strange."[1] He thought that BTO music could be "dropped and kicked" without breaking, so, without intending any commentary about Yes, the band "tongue-in-cheek" called their next album Not Fragile.[1]
The album marks the debut of guitarist Blair Thornton, who, unlike his predecessor Tim Bachman, is billed on the album liner notes as "second lead guitar".[2] Blair's dual-guitar solos with Randy Bachman are prominent features on many Not Fragile tracks. It proved to be the group's most popular album (not counting compilations), and is the only BTO album to have reached #1 on the US Pop Album charts. "Roll On Down the Highway" and "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" were hit singles, with the latter hitting #1 on the singles charts in November 1974. Other cuts had significant airplay on FM rock radio.
| Professional ratings | |
|---|---|
| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |   link |
| Robert Christgau | B[3] |
Track listing
- "Not Fragile" (Turner) – 4:06 (lead vocals: Turner)
- "Rock is My Life, and This is My Song" (Randy Bachman) – 5:00 (lead vocals: Randy Bachman)
- "Roll On Down the Highway" (Turner, Rob Bachman) – 3:58 (lead vocals: Turner)
- "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" (Randy Bachman) – 3:54 (lead vocals: Randy Bachman)
- "Free Wheelin'" (Thornton) – 3:45 (instrumental; early pressings of the album listed this track as "Dedicated to Duane")
- "Sledgehammer" (Randy Bachman) – 4:34 (lead vocals: Randy Bachman and Turner)
- "Blue Moanin'" (Turner) – 3:44 (lead vocals: Turner)
- "Second Hand" (Randy Bachman) – 3:24 (lead vocals: Randy Bachman)
- "Givin' it All Away" (Thornton) – 3:49 (lead vocals: Randy Bachman and Turner)
Personnel
- Randy Bachman - guitar, vocals
- Robbie Bachman - percussion, drums
- Blair Thornton - guitar, backing vocals
- C.F. Turner - bass guitar, vocals
- Frank Trowbridge - slide guitar (on "Blue Moanin'")
Production
- Producer: Randy Bachman
- Engineer: Mark Smith
- Assistant engineer: Buzz Richmond
- Mixing assistant: Richard Dashut
- Mastering: Tom "Curly" Ruff
- Recording Studio: Kaye-Smith Studios, Seattle, WA
- Mixed at: Sound City Studios, Los Angeles, CA
- Equipment: John Austin and Weasel (Greg) Morgan
- Design: Joe Kotleba
- Art direction: Jim Ladwig
- Photography: John Brott, Tom Zamiar
Charts
Album
| Year | Chart | Position | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Pop Albums | 1 | RPM Canada | 1 |
Singles
| Year | Single | Chart | Position | Chart | Position | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | "Roll on Down the Highway" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 14 | U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 8 | Canada RPM | 4 |
| 1974 | "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 1 | U.S. Cash Box Top 100 | 1 | RPM Canada | 1 |
Certifications
Canada-Gold UK-Silver US-Gold
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Whitaker, Sterling C. (2003). Unsung Heroes of Rock Guitar. Booksurge. p. 22. ISBN 1-59109-758-4.
- ↑ Liner notes on Not Fragile, (c), (p) 1974.
- ↑ Christgau, Robert. "Robert Christgau: CG: Bachman-Turner Overdrive". Retrieved July 27, 2013.
| Preceded by If You Love Me, Let Me Know by Olivia Newton-John |
Billboard 200 number-one album October 19–25, 1974 |
Succeeded by Can't Get Enough by Barry White |
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