Without
Chad Allan, there would be no Guess Who
and, as follows, no Bachman-Turner
Overdrive.
His influence over the music industry in
Winnipeg was extraordinary and sweeping.
Born Allan Peter Stanley
Kowbel on March 29, 1943, in Winnipeg,
Manitoba, Canada, he would later assume
the name of Chad Allan. As he
explained during an interview transcribed
from the Wayne Russell Collection: "I had
liked the name Chad in that folk pop
group, The Chad Mitchell Trio. I got
Chad from Chad Mitchell and I retained my
first name which became my last name ...
to Chad Allan. Chad Allan was just
my stage name at that time but I changed
it legally in the early '70s - my legal
name is now actually Chad Allan."
He received his first musical instrument
at about three years of age - a Hawaiian
guitar, a type of steel guitar without
pedals. But it wasn't long before
the accordion captured his attention and
became his instrument of choice for the
next few years. A self-taught
guitarist, Allan began forming groups
while still in junior high school.
Buddy Holly was a tremendous influence on
him, even naming one of those initial
bands "The Rave Ons" after one of Holly's
songs.
Allan's
Silvertones (aka Al & The
Silvertones)
Led by Allan Kowbel, the band had come
together at Miles Macdonell
Collegiate. The Silvertones name was
inspired by a Simpson Sears guitar line
and included Kowbel, Johnny Glowa on
guitar and Brian 'Ducky' Donald on drums,
along with two other unidentified members.
In seeking out new players for The
Silvertones, Kowbel learned of a St. Vital
band - The Jaywalkers - in particular,
their bass player Jim Kale. Kale was
recruited and he recommended his
neighbour, pianist Bob Ashley. This
lineup carried on for a short while before
guitarist Johnny Glowa couldn't commit to
the more rigorous gigging and rehearsal
schedule.
Randy Bachman, who was playing with Mickey
& The Velvetones at the time, was
invited to audition. Securing the
lead guitar position, he then suggested
his bandmate from the Velvetones, Garry
Peterson, be considered to replace Brian
Donald in the drum chair.
Allan's Silvertones now consisted of Allan
Kowbel (rhythm guitar/vocals), Jim Kale
(bass), Bob Ashley (piano), Randy Bachman
(lead guitar), and Garry Peterson
(drums). A name change to Chad
Allan and The Reflections followed
and the foundation for the Guess Who had
been laid. Three years later, Chad
left The
Guess Who in June of 1965.
"I was saddened to leave,"
Allan revealed to John Einarson years
later, "but it wasn't my band anymore."
In 1967, Allan hosted
Winnipeg's nationally-televised Music
Hop, which had been renamed Let's
Go. As a contributing writer
for the "The Music Scene", a BMI Canada
publication, Allan noted in the
July-August 1968 edition: "The pop scene
in Winnipeg is fast becoming a promising
arena for young, aspiring musicians and
composers. I like to think that the
TV show that yours truly hosts each week -
Let's Go from Winnipeg - offers
invaluable incentive, exposure and
experience to the featured groups on the
series and helps to show the rest of
Canada what fine talent exists in this
musically-aware city".
Ironically, The Guess Who became the house
band for the show after an unsuccessful
trip to Britain left the group heavily in
debt. For the next two years, they
remained on the weekly series, backing
Allan and the Good Time Music Appreciation
Society, made up of Chad Allan, Micki
Allen, Karen Marklinger and Barry
Stillwell.
Allan returned to the University of
Winnipeg and earned a degree in psychology
with the intention of becoming a high
school guidance counselor. While
doing so, he continued to appear around
town in 1968 as The Chad Allan Trio with
Orest Andrews (bass) and Ron Savoie
(drums). By January 1969, Andrews
and Savoie had been replaced by John
Kaethler and Billy McDougall,
respectively.
Later that same year, the Canadian Talent
Library released a compilation album
titled Looking Through Crystal Glass on
which Chad Allan appeared. It
included 3 of his original compositions -
Curtains, Love Needs A Solid
Foundation, and We Are The
Gentle People.
A call from Randy Bachman after he, too,
left the Guess Who, resulted in the
formation of Brave
Belt. Originally a trio with
Chad Allan (vocals, rhythm guitar), Randy
Bachman (vocals, lead & bass guitar),
and Rob Bachman (drums), their first album
- Brave Belt I - was released in
1971. By the time of the second
album - Brave Belt II in 1972 -
Fred Turner had joined and taken over as
lead vocalist. Allan remained with
the band until it became Bachman-Turner
Overdrive (aka BTO), shortly after
completion of that second album.
Chad Allan's first solo album, Sequel,
was released in 1973. He moved to
Vancouver, British Columbia in 1977.
Allan began teaching a basic songwriting
course called "Inside a Song" at Kwantlen
College (Surrey, BC) in 1982.
Zoot Suit Monologue was recorded
and issued on tape cassette only in
1992. In his later years, he
continued to perform at senior's
residences, playing both the accordion his
parents had given him in the early '60s
and piano as he sang tunes from another
generation.
Allan was inducted into the Order of
Manitoba in 2015 and the citation read as:
"A rock music icon, for his contributions
to the Canadian music industry including
the pivotal role he played in the creation
of two legendary Winnipeg rock bands: The
Guess Who and Bachman-Turner Overdrive".
Chad Allan passed away November 21, 2023
at his home in Vancouver, British
Columbia, Canada.
Looking
Through Crystal Glass
1969
Sequel
1973
Zoot
Suit
1992
Compiled and adapted from the
following sources:
Heart of Gold: A History
of Winnipeg Music by John Einarson,
2021
