Age: 56
Tal Bachman
Age: 56
Talmage Charles Robert "Tal" Bachman (born August 13, 1968) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known for his late 1999 hit, "She's So High", a pop rock tune from his self-titled 1999 album that led to a BMI award.
Musical career
1999-2000: Debut album
Bachman got his musical break when executives at EMI Music Publishing in New York City heard a demo tape, and aided him in securing a record deal with Columbia Records. Bob Rock (of Metallica, Aerosmith, Mötley Crüe, and Skid Row fame) signed on to co-produce his debut album. His first album, Tal Bachman, featured what would eventually become its hit single, "She's So High", which reached No. 1 on three different radio formats in Canada. The song became a multi-format Top 10 hit in the United States and internationally, earning BMI's "Song of the Year" award. The album earned Bachman two Juno awards in Canada, and much media exposure, including appearances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, MTV, MuchMusic, and E Network; and profiles, interviews, and reviews in Rolling Stone, Q Magazine, USA Today, Interview, and the Los Angeles Times. In support of the record, Bachman toured as an opening act for Bryan Adams and the Barenaked Ladies, and also toured in his own right.
2004-2005: Staring Down the Sun
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 No. 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.
Personal life
Bachman lives in Victoria, British Columbia, and is the son of Canadian rocker Randy Bachman.
He is a former member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and went on an unpaid two-year mission to Argentina, but after two years of research into the church's origins, Bachman thought that the church's founder Joseph Smith had invented his stories, and severed his ties to the church. Commenting on contradictions in the church's doctrines and problems with its history, he has since stated that "the only way Mormonism makes any kind of sense is when it is assumed to be a very man-made fraud".
As the holder of a bachelor's degree in political science, Bachman has moonlighted as a political commentator. He plays right-wing and outside-centre for the Victoria, BC rugby club Castaway Wanderers RFC.
In 2006, Bachman was interviewed for the 2007 PBS documentary called The Mormons. In it, he discussed his departure from the LDS church. In 2008, Bachman also discussed his departure from the LDS church when interviewed for the Bill Maher documentary Religulous.
In September 2011, Tal performed "She's So High" in Vancouver during a Taylor Swift concert.
Discography
Studio albums
Year | Album details | Chart positions |
---|---|---|
US | ||
1999 | Tal Bachman
|
124 |
2004 | Staring Down the Sun
|
— |
Singles
Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN | CAN AC | US | US Adult | UK | |||
1999 | "She's So High" | 3 | 30 | 14 | 1 | 30 | Tal Bachman |
"Strong Enough" | 31 | 59 | — | — | — | ||
"If You Sleep" | 61 | — | — | 35 | — | ||
2004 | "Aeroplane" | 20 | — | — | — | — | Staring Down the Sun |
Awards
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)
- Best Pop/Adult Album (nominated)
- Best Songwriter (nominated)