TAL BACHMAN****

Talmage "Tal" Bachman (born August 13, 1968, in Winnipeg, Manitoba) is a Canadian singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known for his late 1999 hit, "She's So High," from his self-titled 1999 album.

 

Biography and musical career

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 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 #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.

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 #20 on the Canadian charts. In addition to that, "Aeroplane" was used in the 2005 film, "American Pie Presents: Band Camp." It was played as an instrumental and during the credits.

Bachman is the son of Canadian rocker Randy Bachman, of The Guess Who and Bachman–Turner Overdrive, and the nephew of Robbie, Gary and Tim Bachman. TV producers for Dawson's Creek and Melrose Place used Bachman's songs in episodes. His songs have also been used in motion picture soundtracks.

Bachman lives on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. 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. While a member of the church, he served in various positions, including Elder's Quorum president, Adult Sunday School teacher, and counselor in a bishopric. After two years of research into the church's origins, Bachman concluded 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. These efforts include appearing as a special guest on Toronto's Bill Carroll radio show the day after the 2004 U.S. presidential election to discuss George W. Bush's victory, as well as serving with political publisher Ezra Levant as a guest panelist for Global TV's live coverage of the 2006 Canadian federal election. He has also contributed as an editorialist for the Canadian newspaper The National Post. and has recently begun to write articles for various magazines, including The Equestrian News.

Bachman is an avid rugby player, and currently plays right-wing and outside-centre for the Victoria, BC rugby club "The Castaway Wanderers." 

Other appearances include on the CBC television show Mary Walsh: Open Book to discuss the autobiography of Gabriel Garcia Marquez with Canadian novelists Jane Urquhart and M. G. Vassanji, his appearance on the Pamela Wallin show to discuss growing up with a famous father, and a guest appearance on the television show Melrose Place.

In 2006, Bachman was interviewed for the 2007 PBS documentary called The Mormons. In it, he discussed his departure from the LDS.

In 2008, Bachman also discussed his departure from the LDS when interviewed for the Bill Maher documentary Religulous.