Ironhorse – Everything Is Grey (1980)

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

This line-up of Ironhorse released 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.

Ironhorse then had an almost complete line-up change, retaining only Bachman. The second incarnation of Ironhorse consisted of Frank Ludwig (lead vocals, guitars); Bachman (guitars, vocals); Ron Foos (bass) and Chris Leighton (drums). This line-up issued 1980’s Everything is Grey, also on Scotti Brothers Records. One of its singles, “What’s Your Hurry Darlin’,” peaked at #84 in Canada. In the U.S., the song peaked at #89 in May 1980.

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 put out 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 been able to secure the rights to the two Ironhorse albums.

And here´s their second and last album:

This second and final release had Frank Ludwig come in from previous band Trooper and take over for lead vocals. There are snappy choruses and swirling keyboards with the latter having a crunchy blues tinged approaches that change things up nicely. (press release)

Single from Japan (“Symphony” bw “What’s Your Hurry Darlin'”):

But, to be honest … this album is a rather superfluous album … the songs are meaningless AOR, sorry.

The best thing about this album is the cover.

Personnel:
Randy Bachman (guitar, vocals)
Ron Foos (bass)
Chris Leighton (drums)
Frank Ludwig (vocals, keyboards)
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Tom Sparks (guitar, background vocals)

US promo frontcover:

Tracklist:
01. What’s Your Hurry Darlin’ (Bachman/Wilson) 4.03
02. Everything Is Grey (Bachman) 4.24
03. Symphony (Bachman/Sparks) 3.17
04. Only Way To Fly (Ludwig) 3.51
05. Try A Little Harder (Bachman/Ludwig) 3.28
06. I’m Hurtin’ Inside (Bachman) 3.55
07. Playin’ That Same Old Song (Bachman/Ludwig) 3.48
08. Railroad Love (Bachman) 3.38
09. Somewhere, Sometime (Bachman/Ludwig) 3.48
10. Keep Your Motor Running (Bachman) 3.43

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More from Ironhorse:

Ironhorse – Same (1979)

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

This line-up of Ironhorse released 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.

Ironhorse then had an almost complete line-up change, retaining only Bachman. The second incarnation of Ironhorse consisted of Frank Ludwig (lead vocals, guitars); Bachman (guitars, vocals); Ron Foos (bass) and Chris Leighton (drums). This line-up issued 1980’s Everything is Grey, also on Scotti Brothers Records. One of its singles, “What’s Your Hurry Darlin’,” peaked at #84 in Canada. In the U.S., the song peaked at #89 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 put out 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 been able to secure the rights to the two Ironhorse albums.

And here´s their debut album:

A lovable, teddy bear’s picnic of unabashed pop sprinkled with synths and the kind of meaty-fingered riffs you’d expect from Bachman, Ironhorse is an album giddy with delight, from the hiccuping “Sweet Lui-Louise” through the sun-drenched “One and Only,” helium-headed “Watch Me Fly,” the atmospheric “You Gotta Let Go” and Tom Sparks’ “She’s Got It.” Only really getting heavy for the Clapton dedicated “Old Fashioned,” and “There Ain’t No Cure,” those looking for a traditional BTO boot-stomper might be disappointed, but Ironhorse is indeed a dark horse entry in the corpulent Canuck’s discography. (by bpnicast)

The death of Bachman Turner Overdrive was a bitter pill to swallow. They were never within throwing distance of being great but they unearthed a rich vein of musical appreciation within me which still hasn’t been played out today. Almost in gratitude, I followed Randy Bachman through his biographic album Survivor which was far too personal and divorced from heavy rock to be anything other than indulgent. My hopes were higher for Ironhorse as within the close-knit environment of a band was how I was used to seeing him work and the preceding single, “Sweet Lui-Louise”, bolstered that belief. Unfortunately, whilst not as tame as Survivor, this is more akin to pleasant rock and roll rather than raucous rawk.

The only tracks remotely like Bachman Turner Overdrive are “There Ain’t No Cure” and “Old Fashioned”, dedicated to “Slowhand” Clapton but with a vocal performance reminiscent of Hendrix. The rest are a likeable mix of rock-cum-pop with all the big guns appearing on side one: “Sweet Lui-Louise”, “Jump Back In The Light”, “One And Only” and “You Gotta Let Go”. The three tracks penned by Tom Sparks are more blues orientated and fine in themselves but it’s a mistake for Bachman to step down from lead vocals.

Not a thoroughbred but certainly worth a bit of a flutter. (by Grampus)

Personnel:
Randy Bachman (guitar, vocals. guitar synthesizer)
Mike Baird (drums)
John Pierce (bass)
Tom Sparks (guitar, vocals)

Tracklist:
01. One And Only (Bachman) 3.32
02. Sweet Lui-Louise (Bachman) 3.11
03. Jump Back In The Light (Bachman) 3.12
04. You Gotta Let Go (Bachman) 3.59
05. Tumbleweed (Bachman) 3.19
06. Stateline Blues (Sparks) 3.46
07. Watch Me Fly (Sparks) 3.41
08. Old Fashioned (Dedicated To Slowhand) (Bachman) 3-14
09. She’s Got It (Sparks) 3.11
10. There Ain’t No Cure (Bachman) 3.57

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