RANDY BACHMAN vs. KING LEAR

The king of Canadian rock arrives to face down the royal Shakespeare tragedy

Born Randolph Charles Bachman on Sep. 27, 1943 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Known for Being one of the greatest Canadian songwriters of all time. As a member of The Guess Who and BTO in the ’60s and ’70s, Bachman wrote or co-wrote classic hits like “These Eyes,” “American Woman,” “Undun,” “You Ain’t Seen Nothin’ Yet,” “Takin’ Care of Business,” and “Let It Ride.” Famous Foil Burton Cummings, his co-writer on many of The Guess Who’s hits. Bachman left The Guess Who in 1970 and found later success with BTO; Cummings hit the charts as a solo artist after The Guess Who broke up in 1975.

The Great Succession Of Bachman’s seven children, one grew up to be a musician—his son Tal, who hit the charts in 1999 with “She’s So High.”

Revisionist history The politically charged lyrics of “American Woman,” The Guess Who’s first No. 1 record in the U.S., became a come-on when the song was covered by Lenny Kravitz on Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me soundtrack.

The Last Word When Canadian music royalty and Shakespearean tragic royalty collide in the same week, it’s really the audience who is the winner. But to avoid a tragic war, we’ll give the decision to Lear. —Jon Roe

Born Written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1605 and 1606, it was first performed in 1606.

Known for Perhaps Shakespeare’s best tragedy, King Lear’s titular role is a crowning achievement for actors. Calgary stalwart Stephen Hair picks up the crown for The Shakespeare Company, with Seana McKenna, fresh off a turn as Lear for the Groundling Theatre Company, in the director’s chair. Famous Foil The Earl of Gloucester. Like Lear, Gloucester puts his faith in the wrong child, who ends up betraying him.

The Great Succession Lear sets the tragedy in motion when he splits his kingdom between daughters Goneril and Regan, cutting out his third daughter, Cordelia.

Revisionist history After Shakespeare’s death, the ending was deemed too sad by audiences, and Nahum Tate changed it in 1692 so that (spoiler) Cordelia survives. The classic sad ending was brought back in 1823 by Edmund Kean.